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October 2nd, 2009
Running into an ex is never a good thing, but running into them while you’re schlepping around town in a pair a jogging pants, a do-rag, and an old KISS tee (don’t judge—we were painting) is downright embarrassing. It’s not bad enough that they lied, cheated, and broke our little old’ hearts into a gazillion pieces (not to mention dating our former pal), but now they have to have an image of us looking like Raggedy Ann on a bender burned into their brains for eternity?! Why couldn’t they catch an eye-full of us last week when our skin was clear, our hair was worthy of a shampoo commercial, and our butt was rocking our best denim? Life is so not fair. |
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Minneapolis Picks: |
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| 1 | Little Shop, Big Style We moved a few years back, and while our current ’hood is just peaches, we still like to hit our old stomping ground every now and then to grab a beer at the Nook and bask in the familiar. But on our last jaunt we spied a new kid on the old block, the bright and inviting Laurel Street Flowers. This ultra-quaint floral and gift boutique has a deceptively small façade, but upon entering, patrons will find well-versed and friendly shop-keeps who can masterfully design a bevy of beautiful arrangements for any of life’s moments, from the simple “I’m-a-jerk-apology-bouquet” to luxe wedding arrangements. Laurel Street also boasts a delightfully eclectic assortment of hip goods, many of which are made locally. Peppered throughout you’ll find vintage beaded handbags, cozy hats by Delphinium Designs, and a slew of jewelry that runs the gamut from simply-chic ear-rings to funky bottle cap necklaces by Craftology 12. Add in their fab selection of cards, keychains, and other décor items, and you’re left with a veritable hodge-podge of kitschy-cool must-haves that catapult this Ran-Ham floral haven into a true one-stop shop. Laurel Street Flowers |
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| 2 | Nautical Nibbles There’s something about being near water (lakes, rivers, ponds, streams) that we just can’t get enough of. We’ve even had daydreams about becoming a ship’s captain and navigating the wild waters. Alas, we don’t know the first thing about setting anchor (or, er, swimming!). The next best thing to an aquatic adventure is a trip to the Dock Café. Located smack dab on the scenic St. Croix River in historic Stillwater, The Dock has all the charm of marina life (minus the smell of stinky fish). For a beautiful fall day we love the outdoor patio (check out the spectacular views of the antique ferries and real ship captains!), or a spot at the plush bar booths complete with floor-to-ceiling window views. Between their famous artichoke dip, crab cakes, and chicken wild rice soup, we were almost too stuffed for our entrée. But we somehow managed to down tender bites of salmon and nibbles of gorgonzola covered steak (delish). As a complete package, The Dock rocks! And we mean it when we say, “All aboard!” The Dock Café |
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| 3 | Batteries Not Included As kids, our grandpa spoiled us with all sorts of gadgets and games he’d whip together in his workshop, from wooden whistles and cribbage boards to rubber-band guns and jewelry boxes. Today, our most cherished creation—a handmade Barbie house-turned-sweater shelf—adds the perfect touch of whimsy to our walk-in closet. Having a reverence for quality toys and quaint boutiques, you can imagine our amusement when we wandered into Grand Avenue’s latest children’s shop. Wonderment shines brightly with imagination-inspiring items such as build-a-car kits, chemistry sets, and whittled wands a la We’ve decided to take a cue from our gramps and ditch the tacky, plastic playthings for toys that are worth treasuring. Not to mention, they won’t clash with our home décor! Wonderment |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | More to Love These days our curves are plumped up with a little extra padding thanks to a summer full of cocktails and very little—okay, no—exercise. Luckily we found this eye-catching handbag at Mojo to take the attention off our derriere and onto our fab sense of style. Handcrafted of gray velvet corduroy and adorned with plush layers of chiffon ruffles to create a bold blossom, this bag screams romantic of-the-moment cool and can easily rock work-wear and jeans, making it versatile to boot! |
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| 2 | Top-Notch Style As multi-talented as we are, we never could get that soda “pop top” off without breaking the little ring. Fortunately KaleahOtt has the skills we lack… enough of them to create an entire handbag made out of the aluminum tabs. Equally fashionable and environmentally-friendly, the Mini requires more than 750 hand-pulled tops to create. What’s more, it’s fully lined and individually knotted, impressing us not only with good looks but also with the fact that it won’t snag our clothes. Now that’s multi-talented! |
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| 3 | Bodylicious We tend to have a pretty severe sweet tooth—cakes, pies, donuts, fudge. Too bad we don’t work in a bakery for the freebies—good for our waistline, though. We even love the smell of baking goods (even if it does make us drool), so we indulge by way of Frilly Lilly Bundt Bath Cakes. They dissolve in the tub, giving off the yummy aroma of Birthday Cake, Chocolate Fudge or even Strawberry Shortcake. Their whole line smells delicious and candy sweet—perhaps we also have a sweet nose? |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Celebrate and Save Big! No matter how broke we are we always have money for necessities, and the chic clutches by Nelle most definitely are a “need,” so we were thrilled to pieces to when we found out that this top-notch local line is offering 15% off all orders now–Friday, Oct. 24, in honor of their fifth anniversary. Simply use promo code: CELEBRATE! What: Nelle’s 5th Anniversary Discount |
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| 2 | Mexico, Minus the Jet-lag If you heart the quirky-cool folk art of Mexic, then you can do no wrong by checking out Zinnia Folk Arts’ “Day of the Dead” Pop-up Boutique. This occasional store will be offering an array of high-quality hand-crafted décor items that celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Don’t miss out on one-of-a-kind finds from our south-of-the-border neighbors! What: Zinnia Folk Arts’ Pop-Up Boutique |
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| 3 | Good Eats Get ready for a mouth-watering good time at Taste of Lake Street. Highlights include fantastically delish food, beer, and wine “tastings” from 40 different Lake Street restaurants and businesses, live music by local artists, a silent auction, and a raffle that contains prizes like a Florida vacay. Proceeds benefit the Minneapolis food shelves—bonus! What: Taste of Lake Street for Minneapolis Hunger Relief |
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