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April 9, 2010
Warning: we’re about to get a little nostalgic on you. Our love returns this month after being gone since fall. Anticipation is swelling inside our stiletto-supported body as we think back to three-hour dates of heart-pounding drama. Who is this man who has us so smitten? Well, it’s not one. It’s many—the Boys of Summer. While fashion has always been our passion, baseball is our first love. Nothing gets us as giddy as the crack of the bat, sipping on an ice-cold brew, and watching buff guys rock those poly pants. (Ahem, Joe Mauer.) After decades of debate (and dealing with unflattering fluorescent dome lights—bleck), starting this week, Twins fans can finally slip on sunglasses, smear on the SPF and bask in the sunshine at our state’s sparkling-new outdoor stadium. |
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Minneapolis Picks: |
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| 1 | Girls’ Night Out We love our GNOs (Girls’ Nights Out). We dress up, bring a nice gift, and prepare to sparkle—even if it is just our besties and a six-pack of light beer. A good GNO calls for a thoughtful hostess gift, perhaps even one that includes a bit of subtext. And there’s no better place than this supersized Arbor Lakes shop for choosing just the right—and heartfelt—present. Does her husband’s Lab make the den smell like kibble? A Crabtree & Evelyn reed diffuser, and wrap it to go. Does she serve stale Triscuits and call them apps? A few jars of Robert Rothschild Farm dip should spice things up. Has she been hitting the Pinot a bit hard of late? Door County coffee, and keep it coming. There’s plenty more in stock, including what must be the world’s largest collection of Vera Bradley everything along with those hard-to-find Switch Flops for summer styling. You’ll even have fun parallel parking outside the door, with meterless, extra-roomy spaces about the size of two Hummers each. You gotta love the suburbs! |
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| 2 | Eight Arms, No Waiting Not that we go around shouting “Homo Sapiens Rule!” but we are generally happy with our assigned species. Every now and again, though, we find ourselves thinking wistfully of the cephalopods of the order octopoda, to wit: the octopus. With quadruple the number of arms, just think of all the great handbags we could carry. Sigh. This is the sort of thought that arises during our monthly Fun Sisters pop-ins. As a boutique with limited operating hours and an unlimited stream of trendy handbags and accessories, Fun Sisters is the place to be “inspired by.” No one does Kate Spade knockoffs anymore, sweets. These days the sisters are “inspired by” Ms. Spade, and thus, you’re able to snatch up a handbag so high-priced-looking that the other carpool mommies will wonder if you’ve been selling the wedding silver on eBay. Add a Hildago “inspired” ring to your self-manicured finger, and you’ve cornered the market in Recession Chic. With additional locations in Pequot Lakes, Nisswa, Stillwater and Downtown St. Paul, Fun Sisters requires an advance check for open weekends, but the wait is well worth it. Fun Sisters |
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| 3 | The Perfect Recipe After a long week of work and workouts, there’s nothing we desire more than to let our hair down, don our high heels, and enjoy a night of gossip and boy-gawking with our girls. If that night happens to include wine, food, and a sizzling scene at the hottest restaurant in town, all the better! Enter Bar La Grassa (yes, la grassa means "fat" in Italian), a place where “grassa” is a welcome ingredient if it means food that romances our taste buds and gives us the satisfaction that only carbs can. With a buzz like an NYC happy hour, tables packed with smokin’ lads and lasses, and a staff so friendly we forgot they weren’t our best friends, we hardly had time to dissect the mouth-watering menu. A sampling of soft eggs and lobster bruschetta, calamarata with raw tuna, gnocchi with cauliflower and orange, and creamy crab ravoli had us noshing on well-recommended and utterly delectable delights. Best Restaurant-awarded (by us!), and our best night out in a long time! BLG is our new flawless Friday formula. Bar La Grassa |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | The Wow Factor We’ve always dreamt of designing shoes, but for our tootsies only. Our creations would have a touch of the unexpected—studs, ribbons, vintage patterns, an unexpected heel, and everyone would be envious. Cue the dramatic music—we’ve found the way to make our dreams come true and boost our unique collection without mastering craftsmanship. Eidia Lush customized shoes, from classic to exotic styles, will definitely be the exclamation at the end of your outfit! www.eidialush.com |
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| 2 | Hand-woven Happiness We just moved into a spacious Summit Avenue apartment with a winding staircase and wooden floors. Only dilemma—our landlord won’t let us paint and our furniture is beige. Color is in major order. A little older and a whole lot more stylish, we’re ready to invest in art, but our compromise is that it must be functional. Marshall’s custom Scandinavian rugs and contemporary upholstery and accessories are perfect for our mini-mansion! |
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| 3 | Top Model One tiny little thorn in every wedding planner’s side is finding the right cake topper. Have you seen the cheap, cheesy, plastic pieces out there? This is forever we’re talking about here! |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Cosmopolitan Treatment We once read that Americans are most productive on Tuesdays. So to reward us hard-working women, Ivy Spa is pouring drinks and pampering patrons at the same time. Sip on a complementary drink while you get 20 percent off massages and facials, 15 percent off nail services, and 10 percent off waxing. Get ready for sandal and swimsuit season! What: Ivy Spa Tuesday Happy Hour |
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| 2 | Ingenious Ingredients Take three days, combine two cites worth of creative entrepreneurs, plop them in one hip location and you get a recipe for an edgy, innovative shopping experience known as W7 Collective. It kicks off Thursday evening with Laura Nelli's HEROLD launch party and continues through the weekend with local artists, designers, and importers showcasing stunning, hand-selected works. |
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| 3 | Sweet Tee Our boyfriend can’t collect enough T-shirts, but gawd-forbid they be anything but completely original. “There’s nothing cool about being an Affliction clone.” Instead, find sweet tees among the Walker Art Center sale, featuring locally based artists (like collective Burlesque of North America, and renowned photographer Alec Soth). All proceeds support Walker’s artistic and educational programs. What: Local Artist T-Shirt Mart |
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