If you are like me, you are longing to patron your favorite places, especially those that feel like a home away from home. That is the Minnesota History Center (and Historical Society) for me. I was lucky enough to head to the basement during graduate school to see all the incredible artifacts for archival research. […]
The Buttered Tin is a warm and welcoming corner café and bakery in Saint Paul, just up the block from CHS Field and the Union Depot. A Lowertown neighborhood staple since 2013, the place has a line out the door – with good reason. As soon as you walk in, you will be greeted by […]
Another tradition to add to your holiday docket; The European Christmas Market in St. Paul. Located on the East Plaza of Union Depot, it is a traditional, charming, and festive open-air Market that is reminiscent of the Cologne Christmas Market in Germany, the Tuomaan Markkinat in Helsinki, the Viennese Dream Christmas Market and Salzburg Christkindlmarkt in Austria, the Christmas in Tivoli in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Christkindesmäkir in Strasbourg, […]
If you are a long-time follower, you know that the Union Depot’s annual bake sale is my favorite event of the year and that is not an exaggeration. It is one that I make sure to highlight, no matter what. Located in St Paul’s historic railroad station, the bake sale has been the go-to spot […]
You may be hard-pressed to find someone in the Twin Cities who hasn’t heard of Keg and Case Market in St. Paul’s West 7th neighborhood. Housed in the Schmidt Brewery, the gourmet food and vendor hall has already accumulated a laundry list of accolades. The food hall boasts over 33,000 square feet with more than 20 […]
As the story goes, shepherds discovered coffee in Ethiopia circa 800 AD. Legend has it that herders noticed the effect caffeine had on their goats. They appeared to “dance” after eating coffee berries. A local monk then made a drink with berries and found that it kept him awake at night, thus the original cup […]
To say that Yarusso Bros Italian Restaurant is an old school would be a significant understatement. Offering signature Italian classics including melt-in-your-mouth fettucini alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs (they are the size of baseballs, not kidding) and a Hot Dago sandwiches, Yarusso’s is a favorite East St. Paul haunt that will have you reminiscing through flashbacks […]
If you love worn vinyl, live music, and an infusion of caffeine, look no further than the Payne Phalen neighborhood gem, Caydence Records & Coffee. The coffeehouse-meets-record shop is in the Eastside of St Paul, on the corner of Payne and York. Serving up St Paul’s own Bootstrap Coffee Roasters and other fun, creative, specialty […]
I have another event to add to your December traditions; The St Paul European Christmas Market held on the East Plaza at Union Depot! The market was inspired by “Christkindlmarkt,” an outdoor open-air holiday market and festival common across central European countries during the Advent season. Since the Middle Ages, this 500-year-old world tradition fosters […]
My absolute, most-favorite event of the year is the Union Depot’s Annual Holiday Bake Sale. Hosting the top Twin Cities bakeries for 6 years in a row in the Union Depot’s gorgeous Waiting Room, it certainly doesn’t disappoint! More than just a bake sale, it includes all kinds of events like baking and cooking demonstrations, radio […]
If you love pizza as much as I do, boy do I have a place for you. Angelo’s Italian Restaurant has been around since 1971 and is a south St Paul staple. Unassuming in its strip mall location, it is everything you could want in a hometown Italian joint. Angelos serves up giant meatballs, hoagies, […]
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, […]
