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February 27th, 2009
With the demise of our pal’s long-term relationship came the realization of what it means to break up modern-style. What once took place in the privacy of your own home (or park, bar bathroom stall, rusty Buick…) now happens front and center for all to see, with friends, acquaintances and coworkers all watching the slow, gory death of your love life via the “Internets.” First you’re “in a relationship,” then “it’s complicated,” and suddenly you’re “single” and branded with a little broken heart icon a la “The Scarlet Letter,” and while this salacious info makes our inner rubber-necker giddy with a severe gossip high, it sucks for those involved. Seriously? It’s not bad enough that you have to argue over who gets the Barry Manilow CD’s and Bruno the bulldog, but now every Nosy Nelly in your profile gets a play-by-play? Yikes! We are soooo glad we were dumped pre-Facebook. |
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Minneapolis Picks: |
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| 1 | Indulge Yourself These days it’s all about e-mail, Facebook, and IM (as in Impersonal Messaging). We’ve started to yawn at the “You’ve Got Mail” signal and pine for the days of receiving an actual stamped, posted, and delivered envelope sure to contain something special. Enter Lavish, a Highland Park shop filled with delightful deliverables that are funky, functional and thoroughly distract from our cyber-space monotony. Their “sending specialty” includes a variety of card lines like Curly Girl and Ann Taintor, and custom-made invitations for events (complete with an in-house graphic designer). Undergoing a grand re-opening, Lavish now offers contemporary baby shower items (check out the Bunnies by the Bay stuffed animals) as well as perfect off-registry wedding gifts. If you feel like treating yourself, Lavish now carries women’s clothing and jewelry in addition to a lovely selection of Thyme and Crabtree & Evelyn body products. They even have an in-store postal service that guarantees your thoughtful overtures don’t go undelivered. So turn off the computer, pour yourself a glass of wine and wait for the postman to ring twice. Lavish |
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| 2 | Dress Up Your Digs Luckily, we found the center of urban furniture charm in the trendy North Loop of Minneapolis at uber-sleek dwelling Designs. This fiercely chic boutique offers full-on interior design services and positively brims with custom-made furniture and upholstery, including hundreds of options in woods, fabrics, leathers and laminates. Epitomizing contemporary yet classic designs, this home haven has perfected the style of modern-organic fusion with its use of neutral tones and lush layers of silk, tweed, linen, shag and suede. We adored the masculine yet cabin-esque wooden benches, and the French-inspired glass chandelier was the thing that dreams are made of! We saw so many stylish options… our new living space will be dressed to the nines in no time! dwelling Designs |
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| 3 | What’s Old Is New We dated this guy who owned a vintage store, had six-pack abs, and amazing hair, but what really turned our crank? His massive collection of vintage concert t-shirts. So you can imagine our disappointment when we sweetly asked to borrow his Whitesnake tee, only to be shot-down like an enemy war plane. And presto! We were over. Our vintage love affair went the way of the rock ballad, but our love of vintage is still going strong, and any boutique worth its weight in 70’s PBR hoodies has got to have the three F’s: friendly staff, fabulous clothes, and freakin’ good prices. Enter B-Squad. Occupying an otherwise dreary corner of Nicollet Avenue, this spot-on vintage haven is stocked and back-stocked with a wide array of flirty silk slips, taffeta gowns, and floral-print aprons that are so cool they’re hot. They also sport an impressive selection of furs, and we love the leather purses by Frye and Coach! So inject your modern wardrobe with a healthy dose of yesteryear at B-Squad. They’ll quickly remind you that vintage clothes aren’t just for messy-haired hipsters. B-Squad |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Pin-Up Panache There was a point when we were all into the frilly girly under-things. Now we’re sensible. We hate to call them granny panties, but let’s be realistic here. They aren’t saucy, that’s for sure. Turning pieces from luscious silks and bamboo, designer Gabrielle Adamidis brings lingerie to adoring new heights—without being at all tacky. Her pretty-in-pink meets sex-kitten Willow Camisole is original and daring, yet tasteful and refined—and adds needed flair to our boring third-drawer basics. |
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| 2 | Kitschy Cool Our high-school bestie was effortlessly cool. Not only did she rock an eclectic sensibility that was enviable, but she had a knack for gifting with the outrageously original. We, however, thought the Chambray shirt was the height of style and often gave socks as gifts. Luckily we found Fred Flare to up our cool quotient. From flirty sundresses that scream summer lovin’ to funky clocks, peek-a-boo pumps, and Holga cameras, this hip site puts the cool in kitsch. |
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| 3 | La Crème of the Crop We’ve been cursed with a bathtub roughly the size of a Dixie Cup, so long luxurious soaks are pretty much a pipe dream. But the heavenly scented goodies we found at La Crème Beauty just might have what it takes to get us to pile our naked selves into that 1950’s monstrosity. We nearly flipped our shower cap for the exotic Himalayan Cedarwood bath foam by Abahna. Not only does it smell like a dream, but it leaves skin ultra-soft and moisturized. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Party Like You Mean It If spot-on do-goodery is the peppermint to your patty, then look no further than Legends Chain Reaction, benefitting Lost Harvest. Partygoers can take in a stellar performance by Grammy-nominated R & B artist Jon B., a fabu fashion show featuring the chic styles of Bumberchute, and a gorgeous diamond ring raffle. What: Legends Chain Reaction |
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| 2 | The Mother of All Dates Does your baby owe you big time for yet another botched date night? Then let them make it up to you by hitting the Flavors of Minnesota. This worthy (and admittedly pricey) fundraiser is a foodie’s delight featuring 25 top-notch chefs preparing a mouthwatering five-course dinner at tables for ten, complete with wine pairings, champagne, and live and silent auctions. What: Flavors of Minnesota |
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| 3 | Get’em While They’re Hot We love a sharp-dressed man, but apparently hot threads and tasty beer didn’t prove lust-worthy to our male counterparts. Hence our beloved Covered is putting the kibosh on its men’s attire. Stop in now through the end of March to score deep discounts on all in stock men’s apparel. Savvy shoppers rejoice! What: Menswear Sale at Covered Uptown |
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