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July 31, 2009
The other day we called our Aunt to ask her a simple question about baking only to have her answer her cell while perched on a mall toilet, and yes, she freely offered up this smashing tidbit when we hounded her with the hardball question “how are you.” With the image of her sitting on the pot, undies down around her ankles permanently emblazoned on our brains, we found ourselves thinking that in this age of uber-connectivity, people (including us) may be getting a little willy-nilly with the ol’ info. Between status updates, texting, and nonsensical tweetery, we’ve all become privy to everything from who had tacos for lunch to our BFF’s Bulldog pooping in her Frye boots, and it’s totally TMI. So from now on we promise to only share the truly noteworthy. In other words, hot-date dishing, Kiefer Sutherland sightings, and shoe sale tip-offs are in, and things like our baby urping on our cleavage will be kept under wraps. You’re welcome. |
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Minneapolis Picks: |
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| 1 | Just What the Doctor Ordered Playing hooky at least once (okay, twice) a summer just to shop, dine or simply sleep is a ritual that feeds our souls. Recently, when the weather hit 80 and sunny, our starvation for UV rays landed us at a local lakeside shopping district where we acquired a craving for whole a new kind of vitamin D. Dichotomy offers complete nourishment for our body and abode with a potent mix of home décor, daywear and artistic jewelry. The sexy, soft, Pima-cotton tanks by Lilla P seemed to soak right into our skin like a luxurious lotion, and the buttery soft handbags by Kim White are repurposed from richly embroidered, retro fabrics and reversible—a double-dose of eco-friendliness. All of our attention was absorbed in the juicy-hued Lucite and gold-plated bangles from Circa 63 and peppy, eye-popping Seisuke 88 handbags, and the flower-power leather rings blooming in candy colors are so cute we could almost eat them right up! With an array of fun, feminine blouses and stylish accessories, this place is most definitely a pill worth popping! Dichotomy |
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| 2 | Our Kind of Beauty Let’s be honest: Trendy salons are all over the place, but a salon that’s trendy without being pretentious? Well, we just had to get in on that. When we walked in the door of Taj Salon & Spa we were greeted by Pompeii, their Beta Fish mascot, as well as the friendly staff just dying to make us happy. (By the end, we were throwing around “hon” and “sweetie” like we’d known each other forever.) In addition to the usual roundup of salon services, Taj has a complete spa in a setting that’s more Buddhist temple than Brooklyn Park. The options are dizzying, including various massages, skin treatments and even custom airbrush tanning (we were tempted to get the painted-on abs for our upcoming lake trip). On the product side of things, Taj is the only source in the area for Unite, a high-end yet simplified hair-care line that smells as good as it works. But we were most impressed by Taj’s environmental activism. They’re the only salon we’ve heard of that recycles its foils after use, and also recycles clipped hair into mats that soak up oil spills. It’s a win-win—we’re more beautiful, and so is the world. Taj Salon & Spa |
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| 3 | She’s (Not) a Brick House Ever since childhood road trips, which consisted of awful chain restaurants and look-alike motels, we have erred on the side of uniqueness. As adults, we are strictly shop-local gals (which explains this publication!). But sometimes we discover local businesses that have loads to offer, but don’t have a brick-and-mortar storefront. Two of these gems are Urban Junket and RedStamp.com—both Twin Cities-based, both awesomely unique, and both conveniently available online—with pickup available at their St. Louis Park showroom! We have long touted and toted Urban Junket purses (the Gabs DIY purse kits are a personalized fashion statement), especially their infamous laptop bags, some of the only we have seen that really are fashion-forward and practical. And RedStamp.com makes up most of our stylish desk items, party invitations and gift wrap. We get compliments on their gift bags every time we use them! Don’t let an absence of a store stop you from shopping these locals—visit their websites, and when you place an order with RedStamp.com, just enter the code “pickup” and you can skip the shipping costs and stop by the showroom to grab your goodies yourself! RedStamp.com/Urban Junket Showroom |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Eye Spy We’d love to add natural-born beauty to our list of traits, but in reality we need a little help to look our best. Uneven skin… eyes that disappear into our heads… a noticeable lack of cheek bones… all faint memories, thanks to Orglamix. This affordably-luxe beauty line is our current obsession, boasting a wide array of shadows, foundations, and blushes that are made from 100% pure minerals and are guaranteed to give you a luminous glow that will have heads turning. |
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| 2 | High Style In general, we love to shop—obviously. Our favorite season to shop for is fall, and this year, we’re planning a total wardrobe revamp—edgier, bolder and more fashion-forward. Naturally, this means checking out the latest at our favorite new high-style website, 80s Purple. From moderately-priced lines to high-end designers, rebellious street fashion and comfortable casual wear, it’s our new Mecca. Our favorites are the jumpers and dresses from Fremont and the rocker-chic necklaces from Hello Drama. Lovin’ it! |
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| 3 | You Spin Me Right Round We miss playing records. There was something so dreamy about being able to stare into Shawn Cassidy’s 12-inch face as he crooned to you from an LP on the wood-trim turntable… wait? Wha? We just had a Brady Bunch moment. |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Paws On Grand Celebrate the dog days of summer by treating your four-legged friends to an afternoon at Paws On Grand. Pets and their people can meander down Grand Avenue where a bevy of boutiques, restaurants, and businesses will be offering fabulous discounts, complimentary pet treats, and a variety of fun activities with proceeds from participating businesses benefiting the Animal Humane Society. What: Paws On Grand |
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| 2 | Art—Urban Style Gather your family or friends for a fabulous weekend spent eyeing the arts in beautiful urban-haven Loring Park. This fine-art fest features the work of 100+ artists in a variety of medias including blown glass, printmaking, sculpture, and jewelry (to name a few), as well as entertainment and tasty food and bevies from local vendors. What: Loring Park Art Festival |
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| 3 | Summer in the Suburbs Get your vitamin D and entertainment needs fulfilled in one fell swoop at the Square Lake Film & Music Festival! This all-day outdoor fest features a ton of talented, local music acts as well as a slew of top-notch films for your viewing pleasure. Feeling a little chubs? Fest-goers who ride their bikes get a substantial discount! What: 8th Annual Square Lake Film & Music Festival |
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Know what we can’t get enough of? Making new friends, so go ahead and tweet your heads off about Minneapolis Picks, or sign up a friend for her own free subscription at www.MinneapolisPicks.com. Xoxo! |
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