Now this is Personal

So we're 6 weeks away from you know what. And although we can avoid it and the shopping for many of those weeks, this particular Radar holiday gift recommendation needs this precious time. Why? It's one-of-a-kind art, commissioned art and what a gift that is.

Here are a couple talented locals that by day are busy working people, by night busy parents, so the fact they have time to paint, blows me away.

Nick Brezonik finds his inspiration daily in the full life around him, including his 4 kids. He also has a sweet spot and a love of dogs and he's never met one he didn't like. So he likes to paint them. He also likes cats and would love to paint your furry friend, whatever it may be. Or does your child have a stuffed friend that you'd like to capture forever before it's unrecognizable? He can do that too. For more on Nick and his commission process, head to Brezonik.com




Then there's Lisa Fratzke who likes subjects from furry to famous with a strong interest in portraiture. Her inspiration drawns from the people experienced and their spiritual practices in her travels and while studying abroad while at Luther College. Find out more about Lisa at LisaFratzke.com And if you recognize her last name, yes, she is the wife of another creative talent in food, JD Fratzke of The Strip Club.



Art is personal, commissioned art is intimate and priceless. What a smART gift to give someone or yourself.

Be a Dear to Yourself This Weekend

A couple local businesses are targeting woman this weekend while their men are targeting deer. Whether you have a husband who hunts or you are just in need of some girl time, here's who hunting you down...



While the cat's away, the mice will play! Come celebrate hunting opener at Flirt on Saturday, Nov. 7 from 3:00-7:00pm. Guests will enjoy champagne, cupcakes, and 20% off one item. Click the below for details...


And Mom's for your little fawn, it's the Walker Art Center's Free First Saturday with many creative options for the kids, and this weekend's event is, Rock Out!


Remember, Radar welcomes guest bloggers, what are you doing this weekend? Share it with my followers and me!

Radar E-Tail Find, Cell Protectors

So last Friday night in my excitement to meet girlfriends for dinner at Bar La Grassa, I discovered I misplaced my phone. I figured it was in the car, so I headed back out, and there on Washington Ave in the wind and rain was my IPhone, face down in the street, a foot from the car door. What's impressive is after 30 minutes in those conditions, my phone was, and still is, fine. But, I felt, and still feel, like a bad mother. So here are some options for protecting our "little ones"...

Water Resistant Nylon Option, $35
"This padded case is a terrific bag for your ipod, cell phone, Blackberry, digital camera or any other small gadget you may have. It can also be used to store glasses. Case measures about 4.75 x 6.5
This case features:
*Water resistant nylon for lining to protect your gadget
*Padding to protect your gadget from bumps and scratches
*Heavy-duty non-scratch zipper for closure from end to end
*A sturdy swivel hook enables you to hook it to your bag or anywhere convenient"








Felt Option, $15 - $20
"This strong, thick and durable felt is ideal as an iPhone or iPod pouch! The case measures 12.5 cm length, 8cm wide. It is handmade, not even a sewing machine has touched its body!"









Recycled Billboard Option, $40
"Lined with canvas salvaged from a local old store, the back of this eco friendly casing features a strap that allows you to pull and have your gadget slightly slipped out for easier removal. All billboard banners are brushed, washed, and cleaned by hand, and carefully selected, measured, and cut into eye catchy pieces before being sewn into this casing."






Leather Options, $45
"All our leather accessories are made out of 100% fine kid skin leather and cow hide. All the graphic designs are original and are printed directly on to the leather."








Radar E-Tail Finds: The Unexpected for Less Than You Expected. If interested in ordering any of the above, please email Jen@radar-msp.com

A Saturday of Frosting and Friends

The local yoga couture company, Foat, offers workshops and not just around yoga, there's one about cupcakes! So if you'd like to spend a Saturday frosting with friends, this workshop's just for you. Sweet uh?!

Shop or Shoppe, either way it's ALL local!

Yippee! Another small business opened this past week, and this one lives and breathes by our local talents. It's Patina's lil' sister store, Shoppe Local, at 50th & Bryant just east of Patina. Offerings range from fresh Ames Honey and Apples, music by Solid Gold and Tapes n Tapes, clothing by Foat, readers by EyeBobs and my personal fav, art from the 2007 AIGA design show 35W Bridge Poster contest.

As you know Radar loves local, so this is a high recommendation for your upcoming holiday shopping. And with the fresh products from local farms, it's sure to be an ever-changing shopping experience. Stop in, shoppe to your local hearts content. And let them know, Radar sent you!

Mad for Modern

I have a soft spot, (which began 9 yrs ago as an obsession) for mid-century modern. I thought the obsession was going to be a phase, but today my love for it continues. Part of that obsession included driving by a flat-roofed mod home just around the corner from my apartment in Uptown. I would slowly drive by and wonder when, not if, I would get to see inside that mysterious modern masterpiece.

In 2002 Tim and I move moved into that home, I still pinch myself 9 years later. It was built in 1949 - true to the title of my favorite era in architecture and design.

So this personal passion of mine has overlapped into a perfect professional project. Radar was just brought in to handle the coordinating for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and their "Modern Module" event at Christ Church Lutheran in Mpls. Christ Church, first constructed in 1949, is on the National Register of Historical places and was designed by masters father and son architects, Eliel Saarinen and Eero Saarinen.

Details on this event, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 6-10: National Trust for Historic Preservation is holding a series of events designed to focus attention on places from the recent past, including Modern buildings and landscapes and other socially and culturally important post-war resources. Called “Modern Modules,” the two-day events held in cities across the country will kick off with a panel discussion on leading-edge topics in the field of preserving modern and recent past places.

Local bonus, food by Chow Girls, desserts by Beyond Chocolates and retro tunes spinning by Jake Rudh.

If you can't make the event, Radar highly recommends taking in a tour of Christ Church or a Sunday service. And a church insider shared that Saarinen's daughter/granddaughter, Susan Saarinen, a landscape architect, has committed to re-designing the Church's landscape. This is believed to make Christ Church the only public project in the world to have 3 generations of Saarinens.