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June 11, 2010 This weekend was a doozy. Within 72 hours we drove four hours north to our parents’ home; our car broke down in the middle of nowhere; we rode 45 miles to the nearest auto shop with a tow truck guy who spit chewing tobacco into an old pop bottle; we attended our grandmother’s funeral (no tears please, it was her time); helped our mother clean, cook, host (and clean again) for our sister’s graduation party; we played in a memorial golf tourney (in the rain); attended our best friend’s parents’ anniversary party; went to a family reunion; caught a cold (from the rain); and, finally, drove the four hours home in a rental car that smelled like mold. And just as we rolled into the driveway, aching to call our beau for some R & R together, we realized we left our cell phone at our folks’ place. Ugh—as if! With little fight left in us, we left the car packed and made a beeline to our bed (oh, how we missed thee) where we passed out fully clothed for 12 hours straight. As we slowly came to on Monday morning, we realized a full day of recovery was desperately in order. Now only if we could call into work… |
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Minneapolis Picks: |
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| 1 | Buns of Steele We go through phases of working out—sometimes we love it and find ourselves looking forward to a daily run around the lakes, and sometimes that rerun of 90210 (the original series, thankyouverymuch) trumps anything remotely good for us. But the one constant that gets us out of bed and into the gym is new workout clothes. They just make us feel better, like any new outfit, really. Now that Steele Fitness is expanding throughout the Twin Cities, we have stocked up and are ready to run. The Edina location has a wonderful selection of trendy yet durable workout gear, including a bazillion options, from the cultish Lululemon to the exclusive Zobha line (we heart their cover-ups, which we would wear on non-workout days). But what sets Steele apart is their daywear—everything from William Rast and Yummy Tummy to skinny jeans that we swear made us look like we dropped five pounds without even working out. (Hmmm, there’s a concept!) Add to this to a wall of Bliss products and the helpful knowledge of the friendly staff, and we’ve found our new hookup for workout wear—and hopefully, those elusive buns of steel… Steele Fitness |
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| 2 | Luck of the Iris The first time we got flowers, they came from a creepy dude we met like, once. A few years later, we mentioned this random freaky flower-receiving incident to our then-current beau, who sweetly ordered up a darling bouquet. It not only made our day, but it canceled out any ill feelings we had toward bundled blooms. So began a love relationship with petals (which has lasted longer than any boyfriend). We keep our home flourishing with faves like lilies, orchards, daises and roses, and our go-to for pretty petals is local florist, Serendipity. In an adorable one-room store, Sarah, the owner, not only does one-offs of quirky and trendy bouquets, but is an expert with weddings, parties, ceremonies, showers and more. We especially admire her ability to take flowers that you may not think would go together to create unique arrangements—making ordinary events (or homes) extraordinary. We suggest calling ahead to book a complimentary one-on-one consult, as hours vary. Or stop by her farmers’ market-style outdoor offerings on Saturdays throughout the summer! Serendipity Flowers |
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| 3 | Neighborhood Escape As kids we loved to explore every inch of our ’hood (via tricycle), and lo and behold years later we still can’t get enough of lazy nights spent wandering the city streets (now via car). And a recent roaming adventure brought us to one of the best summer eateries around. Washington Square Bar & Grill is a cozy neighborhood restaurant nestled right off of White Bear Lake. We instantly adored it. Decorated with funky artwork and crafted with sleek architecture, we felt completely at home sitting at the bar next to the crackling fireplace. And the food tops the charts. From your typical bar fare apps to gourmet entrees, the menu is packed with goodies like Artichoke Dip, Hawaiian Chicken sandwiches, Chicken and Goat Cheese salads, Portabella melts and pecan-crusted Walleye. With a rockin’ wine menu and massive beer list, this Square runs circles around other casual food joints. Stop by this summer, check out their outdoor patio, and enjoy a couple sets by local musicians. Get ready for a delicious adventure! Washington Square Grill |
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| Chick Picks: | |||
| 1 | Pretty as a Picture We tend to eat, breathe, live and even sleep fashion. We greedily devour every dress, ensemble and accessory in every magazine, blog and store that we can find. While searching for new art to liven up our walls recently, we stumbled upon the fashion illustrations from Prismera Design. With our insane fashion obsession, we can’t think of anything better to look at all day than these original watercolors with their bright pops of color. Loves. |
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| 2 | Oh, Canada! We are suckers for anything with ruffles. It’s probably the remains of our fierce love for tutu skirts as little girls—we refused to wear anything else for months on end. These days our ruffle-love is more grown-up, but when we saw this coat from Canadian designer Stacey Zhang, we had the old familiar feeling—we didn’t want to wear anything else! It’s modern and classic, like the rest of her to-die-for collection. She has more ruffles, too… swoon! |
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| 3 | All Keyed Up After we saw the stunning diamond skeleton keys from Tiffany, we felt faint with longing… and then our butts bounced back into reality. Scoring one of those jewel-encrusted beauties is about as likely as our fatty cat Sophie doing the cha-cha. Good thing we found a sweet little key on Etsy to keep us from feeling deprived. It may not be loaded with bling, but it is plated in 24k gold, and at under $100, we can fathom purchasing it. www.flowersun.etsy.com |
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Hip Happenings: |
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| 1 | Watch This It’s time to update from our weathered and worn watch, and today, JB Hudson Jewelers hosts their 17th annual watch event and is offering special discounts, free gifts with purchases, a watch giveaway, and an exclusive first look at limited-edition watches. Good news for old timepiece—trade-ins are welcome! What: 17th Annual Watch Event |
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| 2 | Super Fly You know the old saying: Birds of a feather... look great on a jacket. Perhaps that's not entirely correct, but the Goldstein Museum of Design demonstrates the relationship between fashion and our feathered friends in their new exhibit, Flights of Fancy: a History of Feathers in Fashion. Admission is free. What: Flights of Fancy: a History of Feathers in Fashion |
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| 3 | Newborn (Uber) Baby It’s time for mom to make a play date for herself! Munch on snacks catered by Crave, and rake in the steals while attending Uber’s Baby’s grand opening of their new digs. Get a complimentary B&W photo taken of your little one from noon to 2, meet local designers, and enter a gift card drawing up to $500! What: Uber Baby’s Grand Opening |
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If you’ve got our astrological luck, you’ve been lacking in the “good karma” department lately. Turn it around by telling your friends about Minneapolis Picks! |
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