|
 |
July 24th, 2009
We’re baaa-aaack. After some much needed R & R—minus the um, R & R—we’re getting back in the swing of things and we couldn’t be happier! We love giving you the skinny on all of the fabulous boutiques, eateries, products, and events that make our hearts go pitter-patter, and who can blame us? The Twin Cities is bursting with a bevy of snarky, intelligent, and independent darlings who are just as comfy traipsing around the lake in a hoodie as they are scoping out a good sale and rocking a killer heel. And you’re pretty easy on the eyes, to boot! Thank you for allowing us to inform and entertain you each and every week. Without you we’d merely be a gaggle of gals who dig paying props to the locals. In other words: we love you! |
||
Minneapolis Picks: |
|||
| 1 | Write On We admit to being laptop-loving, crackberry-crazed chicas. The ease of the cold, hard keys beneath our fingertips has always been perfectly fine for life’s daily buzz, and while we wouldn’t be nearly as efficient without modern technology, between the computer click-clacking and text-message mania, we miss the feel-good appeal of a simple note on delicately designed, buttery soft paper. One step inside the wonderful world of Watermark and our virtual smile turned into an all-out grin. This neatly organized, spacious stationery studio is a staple in wedding and event invitations and the must-have mom-agenda by russell + hazel has spawned a frenzied following. We dug the massive selection of sweet and sassy greeting cards, unique gift goods, and punchy printed planners, journals and notepads we wouldn’t dare hide in a drawer. And our new pink palm-size planner from Kate Spade is a perfect fit with our polished appearance and jammed-packed schedule! Also noteworthy are leather passports holders, fun fabric photo albums and chic wrapping paper. Whether you’re looking to spread a little LOL or LOVE, this shop will have you saying OMG! Watermark |
|
|
| 2 | Vine Style Our great state of Minne is known for many things: cows, lakes, loons, mosquitoes… but vineyards? Well, we would love to say we’re from the wine Mecca, but we have feeling peeps could tell we are fudging, so imagine our thrill when we discovered St. Croix Vineyards right in our own backyard. Founded in 1992, St. CV is the largest and best-known winery in our state. (Um, where have we been?) A rustic, restored barn (surrounded by vineyards, picnic tables and walking paths) plays host to their wine-tasting room and gives St. CV a quaint, old-world charm. We sampled their wine flight complete with sips of La Crescent (floral with hints of apricot), Rosé (cherry and berry combo, perfect for a hot day), orchard reserve (apple wine), Zinfandel (rich and toasty), and Port. Our fave above all was the unusual Raspberry Infusion, a rich concoction that pairs perfectly with chocolate cake (which could be our heaven). Next time we’re mocked by our Cali wine-snob friends, we plan on pointing them to St. CV and demonstrating just how MN can represent. St. Croix Vineyards |
|
|
| 3 | Fit and Fabulous Pregnancy is tumultuous. Not only did it turn our normal diet into a game of Russian Roulette, but it had us agonizing over strange and mysterious things like nursery themes and toys made in China. And to make matters worse, we noticed that with each passing week we felt less inclined pound out those five miles on the treadmill, and more inclined to pound down five ice-cream sandwiches. Luckily we discovered Blooma to keep our shape, well, in shape. This suburban yoga spot is a one-of-a-kind pregnancy haven, and it takes the cake when it comes to gravid fitness. They offer a variety of specialized yoga classes, from pre-natal and post-natal (including BYOB—bring your own baby) to “yoga for tots” and “yoga for kids.” They also offer childcare during the classes, wellness services (such as massage & acupuncture), and childbirth-education classes on everything from breast-feeding to choosing a doula. We are so grateful to have found this beautifully serene oasis in the vast, somewhat scary desert of pregnancy! We might have to get pregnant all over again just so we can keep going to Blooma. Blooma |
|
|
| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | You Are Our Sunshine We’re having a definite yellow moment. To be honest, we never thought we could wear yellow—it’s one of those colors that scares us into wondering if we would look like an overgrown toddler. Then we met the Canary Dress by Holly Stalder, and all reservations went out the window. Stalder has created the perfect layered silk chiffon dress—her designs are so romantic and girly, and we have been searching everywhere for the perfect place to wear this dress. (Too much for work? Nah.) |
 |
|
| 2 | The Apple of Our Eye We don’t know how to pack light. We are physically incapable of it. We like being prepared for every possible option, so we bring everything and the kitchen sink. And nothing makes our indecision look better than Apple and Bee. We particularly love their Carry All Traveler—it’s the mother of all carry-alls. Made with organic cotton, bamboo silk and hemp, their bags are beautiful without harming the environment, and they have pouches, makeup bags, pencil cases and more. We love not having to choose. |
 |
|
| 3 | Our New BFF We’ve been good little recessionistas lately—we’ve even been perfecting our own pedicure skills and considering at-home highlights. (Luckily for our locks, it stopped at considering.) We think all this good behavior deserves a sparkly little treat, and as much as we would like a big shiny sapphire from Tiffany, we haven’t been that good. Then we found the Diamond Dust necklace from Individual Icons. With 3 carats of industrial diamonds turned into what looks like fairy dust. Whimsical and sparkly, it’s our new best friend. |
 |
|
Hip Happenings: |
|||
| 1 | Artistic Flair Creative and original works abound at the 2009 Uptown Art Fair. One-of-a-kind finds (including paintings, sculpture, photography, and jewelry) are there for the taking. Nosh on delish food and bevies, hit the wine garden, take in the non-stop entertainment, and if you have little ones, be sure to stop by the Family Imagination Station. What: 2009 Uptown Art Fair |
 |
|
| 2 | An Organic Experience Fill your body with organic and sustainable goodness at the Fresh Taste Festival. Informative (and tasty) activities include Chef demos, organic winemaking, and our personal fave: wine tasting—yum! There’ll also be a slew of local restaurants offering up a serious selection of morsels that are guaranteed to tantalize the palate. A true foodie’s delight! What: Minnesota Monthly’s Fresh Taste Festival |
 |
|
| 3 | Glamorous Do-Goodery We love getting gussied up for a good cause, so naturally we’re big fans of Glamorama. Benefiting Children’s Cancer Research Fund, this yearly extravaganza features live music by Ne-Yo, Kristinia DeBarge, and The New Standards, along with the swankest trends in fashion. Post-party fun includes DJs, art, and bar and food stations. Don’t miss it! What: 2009 Macy’s Glamorama |
 |
|
Do you heart us as much as we heart you? Then spread our Shop Local message! Tell all of your best pals and crazy cohorts to sign up at www.MinneapolisPicks.com. |
|||
Be sure to visit www.MinneapolisPicks.com and check out past issues in our archives. If you like what you see, forward to a friend and encourage them to check out www.MinneapolisPicks.com and subscribe for free! It's easy--there's a box in the upper left to enter your email address. If you would like to make a suggestion, please email us at contribute@MinneapolisPicks.com. Share your favorite ideas for Picks, tell us about terrific products or services, announce a sale or event, or let us know what you think of Minneapolis Picks! Website and weekly issues maintained by Studio Ridge.com. |
|||
