Housed in a vintage train car, Mickey’s has been around since 1939. Opened by Mickey Crimmons and Bert Mattson, the 20th century all-night diner has been featured in films like A Prairie Home Companion, Jingle All the Way, The Mighty Ducks, and seen on shows with the likes Alton Brown, Rachel Ray, Al Roker, and […]
Minnesota. State. Fair. In all it’s deep-fried, hyped, once-a-year but every year no-matter-what glory! The “Great Minnesota Get-Together” is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region, attracting nearly two million people annually. What began in 1854 as a territorial fair to highlight agriculture and encourage farming has become the perfect, closing-out-the-summer tradition. […]
If you are looking for something to do that includes watching death-defying acts, body-bending movement and brilliant colors, look no further than Circus Juventas! Formerly Circus of the Star, in reference to Minnesota as the North Star State, Circus Juventas is a youth performing arts circus school off Montreal Avenue in St Paul’s Highland Park […]
Housed in what looks like a 1970s living room, St Paul’s BlackStack Brewing is just outside of Can Can Wonderland. The giant venue is a renovated warehouse, complete with high ceilings, industrial windows, mid-century modern couches, tables and chairs. They also have an entire wall of board games. Loung-y with a side of pizzazz. Pull up to […]
Lake Monster Brewing started around 2013 and moved into an old railway exchange building in an industrial area of St. Paul in December of 2015. Housed in a 100-year-old, red-brick railroad exchange warehouse on Vandalia Avenue, the 10,000-square-foot space has high ceilings and plenty of open seating. Resting in between I-94 and University Avenue, you […]
COOK is a small, made-from-scratch, Korean-influenced eatery in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood of St. Paul. Commonly called out as one of the best brunch locations in the Twin Cities, COOK serves up a new take on fan favorites like short ribs eggs benedict, Korean pancakes, curry carrot cake muffins, bi bim bop, and breakfast nachos, mac […]
Ward 6 Food & Drink off Payne Avenue in St. Paul opened in December 2012. Unfortunately, it is set to close on June 3rd. Named for its location, residing in the sixth of the capital city’s seven political districts, Ward 6 sits in a 128-year-old building once served as a taproom for the nearby Hamm’s […]
This past Thursday was the 15th anniversary of Second Harvest Heartland’s signature fundraising gala; Dish: Cuisine for Change. Held at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul, the event included gourmet cuisine from 20+ local chefs, wine and cocktail tastings including shrimp and grits from the Oceanaire Seafood Room; farro and arugula salad from […]
If you are interested in history, you need to check out the “The 1968 Exhibit” at the Minnesota History Center. 1968 was a pivotal year. ‘68 saw the Tet Offensive, the turning point of the Vietnam War, the assassinations of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, the rise of Black Power, […]
The St Paul Winter Carnival has been a Minnesota tradition for over 130 years. 130 years. Let that sink in. So the story goes; In 1885, a New York reporter wrote that Saint Paul was, “another Siberia, unfit for human habitation” in winter. Offended, the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce decided to prove not only […]
If you are in need so something to do tomorrow, I highly recommend heading to the MN State Fair Grounds for the Minnesota State Snow Sculpting Competition. The three day competition ends tomorrow when you get to vote for your favorite sculpture in the People’s Choice Awards 11am-1pm. Don’t forget to stick around to watch […]
Taking a cue from Explore Minnesota, Rebekah and I ventured out to Cafe Astoria in St Paul this morning. Just off Grand Avenue and West Seventh Street, the independent, locally owned coffee house is tucked away inside the historic Paulina building.As home-away-from-home as it gets, Astoria is intimate, cozy and comfortable. While they are known for their smoothie bowls, crepes, oatmeal, and homemade pastries, […]
I have another event to add to your December traditions! The St Paul European Christmas Market is held on the East Plaza at Union Depot over the first two-weekends of December. The market was inspired by “Christkindlmarkt,” an outdoor holiday festival common across central European countries during the Advent season. Since the Middle Ages, this 500-year-old […]
My absolute, most-favorite event of the year is the Union Depot’s Annual Holiday Bake Sale. Hosting the top Twin Cities bakeries for 5 years in a row, it certainly doesn’t disappoint! More than just a bake sale, it includes all kinds of events like baking and cooking demonstrations and musical performances. This year, there was […]
Earlier this week, I stopped by Herbie’s on the Park to check out their Toast to Summer festivities! Located inside the old Minnesota Club, one of St. Paul’s original buildings, the hockey-themed restaurant is next to the Xcel Energy Center. If you have trouble finding it, just look for the Herb Brooks statue outside – […]
Well hello, hot weather staple! Ice cream is my go-to in the sometimes unforgiving Minnesota heat. And there is no better place to kick it off than Nelson’s Ice Cream in Stillwater. Started in 1923 as the Seven Corners grocery store, owned by John Lustig, it was the place for top-heavy, cold ice cream. After […]
It is my personal belief that that only way to make it through mid-weekdays, happily, is by chocolate. You may disagree, and that’s okay; more chocolate for me. Speaking of, I give you Mademoiselle Miel in St Paul. Founded in 2011 by Susan Brown, MM moved to its current location, a small storefront and showroom […]
If you know me well, you’ll know that I have a deep love of all things holiday. Decorating, baking, presents, themed movies, you name it, I love it. There is one winter festivity that reigns supreme for me and it has every single year since its inception. The Union Depot’s Annual Holiday Bake Sale is […]
You can find this piece in the Dow Building, Studio 164. A kaleidoscope of variegated graffiti street art by the ever-and-ever talented, Ryan James Ryoe and Greta Claire.
When it comes to art, I naturally gravitate toward local. Lucky coincidence because St. Paul’s Dow Artist Studios had their annual open house, Do The Dow, this weekend and I was able to get my fill. An exhibition that featured work from 25 different artists including Carolyn Brunelle, Noreen Tyler, Martha Kuzzy, Joan Cox, Steve […]
