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Girl Power in Linden Hills!

February 26, 2010 by Kathy | Comments (0)



Kristen, owner of Clancy’s Butcher Shop in Linden Hills greets everyone who walks through her door by name. If she doesn’t know you by name, she asks in her perky voice- “what’s your name and what can I get for you today?”  I watched her make 7 sandwiches from 5 different groups of people waiting and she never batted an eye with any of the special orders for her -so perfect it’s on the front cover of a magazine- turkey sandwich. My husband ordered the ham and I ordered the infamous turkey sandwich and we watched in awe as Kristen sliced the meat, the cheese and put about 14 other ingredients onto our works of art lunches. Warning us that they were too big to eat in one sitting, we defied her wisdom because the bread was so perfectly chewy and the flavors so deliciously melded together and finished our huge sandwiches off in one sitting. Clancy is her dog and Kristen is the owner, not to be confused by their lovable spirits. You feel like Norm from Cheers when you walk into Clancy’s and are greeted by name.

Shop several of the woman owned stores scattered about Linden Hills- Wonderment is a fabulous children’s toy store owned by 3 women who also have a Wonderment store on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Wild Rumpus, owned by Collette, is the infamous bookstore not to be missed with all the menagerie of real live animals strutting and snoozing around the shop. Oscar & Belle is around the corner with everything for baby/toddler made using only hand-harvested, 100-percent certified-organic cotton, grown with natural fertilizers and free from toxic chemicals- started by Anna Gustafson in 2007.

Walk across the street to Leah Simon-Clark’s Extrados Salon & Spa to experience any beauty treatment you can think of to pamper yourself. Nationally renown for her skill with brows, she has developed a following for her attention to detail in every service a woman could need to look and feel great from head to toe. She has 3 locations and the Linden Hills flagship salon now with a masseuse to add to the bevy of beauty treatments offered.

A must stop on a Friday night is Cafe 28, tucked into the charming brick building on 43rd Street. A true hidden secret I will now share with you is their Friday night Fish Fry. When I asked the charming host for the menu describing the fish fry that came so highly recommended he said, “it’s only available audibly”. Everyone but me must know all about it if they don’t even have to print it up! It’s 3-4 large pieces of Canadian walleye (you can’t sell Minnesota caught walleye- who knew?) deep fried in a Pabst Blue Ribbon batter, with coleslaw, a heaping pile of fries and tarter sauce, all for $14. The menu does sneak you a hint that the best beer to accompany the fish fry is the $3 Pabst despite the fact that Linda’s husband Todd brews the Surly beers on tap!  The attentive pigtailed waitress and the accommodating host made us feel like we were old friends in this packed restaurant on a Friday night at 6pm.  We wanted to scoot home to watch the Olympics and did not have a reservation and he happily walked us to a table, never feeling rushed. There were babies and grandparents, new couples and old married ones sitting along side each other and guys drinking 3 kinds of Surly beers before a night out on the town.  This cafe is truly a neighborhood gem and will be on my regular fav lists from now on.

Help Blackbird Cafe @ Salty Tart, Cafe 28 and more

February 26, 2010 by Kathy | Comments (1)



Michelle Gayer, owner of the Salty Tart in Midtown Global Market and Linda and Todd Haug of Cafe 28 in Linden Hills are showing their support for those restaurants devastated in the Lynnhurst fire last week. Blackbird Cafe and Heidi’s Cafe were destroyed in a fire and the owners of many Minneapolis restaurants are showing an unbelievable show of solidarity  Sunday, March 14th, where proceeds go to the owners of both restaurants to show community support. http://bit.ly/9AmfEm

The ripple effect of what is lost due to the fire is runs wide and deep. The loss of income is equally as devastating for the wait staff, vendors, suppliers and employees who are all dependent on their wages and tips to make a living. They will also be without work for months as these businesses get up and running again. We want to show our continued support for these independent business owners so they can muster the courage and fortitude to start up again after such a loss. Our neighborhood is better off because of these unique and wonderful entrepreneurs and we want all the owners to know we will be there for them when they return as well as during the reconstruction.

Please visit one of these amazing restaurants to show your support for Blackbird Cafe and Heidi’s Cafe.

Pertinent Details:
Where: Salty Tart in  Midtown Global Market on Lake Street
When: Sunday, Feb.28 9am-6pm
Twitter: @TheSaltyTart
saltytart.com

* a selection on Salty Tart’s goodies.

Also destroyed in the fire was the flagship Patina store on W. 50th at Bryant as well as Shoppe Local and Stacy Johnson Jewelry Designs. They too need our promise to support them as they come back from this terrible accident.

Peek into the CRAVE Closet

February 25, 2010 by Sarah Clise | Comments (0)


Our very own Melody Biringer had her closet raided! MyCloset.com, a website dedicated to airing people’s dirty laundry (literally), recently featured the CRAVEcompany founder in its scintillating Celebrity Closets installment. Among the hangers and hampers, a myriad of wardrobe gems were unearthed from all over the world. Woolen leg-warmers from Amsterdam, Ilse Jacobsen rain boots from Seattle, a bold purple dress from Vancouver, BC… how can that much cuteness exist in one closet? Lucky for us, Melody divulged a few of her shopping secrets and we can all check out her fashion favorites for ourselves. Below check out some of her most-cherished boutiques.

Moscow (moscowdesign.nl)
Runstraat 8, 1111 AA, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Horseshoe (horseshoeseattle.com)
5344 Ballard Avenue Northwest Seattle, WA 98107

Lambs Ear (lambsearshoes.com)
3516 Fremont Place No.inesgloves.com Seattle, WA 98103

Ines Gloves (inesgloves.com)
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 132 1012 DV Amsterdam, Netherlands

JC Studio (jcstudio.ca)
46 West 6th Avenue Vancouver, BC V5Y 1K1

sonja | clothes to live in (sonjatacoma.com)
2701 N 21st St, Tacoma, WA 98406

Switch Shoes (switch-shoes.com)
7871 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219

For a truly in depth look into the world of women-owned boutiques, check out the CRAVEguide for a city near you. These books are brimming with local women you need to know, whether you want to satisfy a craving for your closet, appetite, business, or piece of mind.

A Closet to CRAVE: Organizing and Creating Your Dream Wardrobe

February 23, 2010 by Mimi J. | Comments (2)


When I got the chance to speak to Catherine Sheppard, a stylist who has client base that spans from coast to coast, I was all ears. To many, including myself, the task of organizing a closet may be a daunting task. Every few months I “get in the mood” to tidy up my wardrobe and get rid of things that have been stagnant on the hangers for far too long. This usually results in taking everything off the shelves, drawers, and hangers and throwing them in to a pile. At exactly this point in the process, after seeing a giant heap of unfolded clothing in the middle of the floor, I am no longer inspired. Go figure.

The first step Catherine suggests is to get rid of any thing that weighs you down.  If there are pieces in your closet that you never wear and that don’t excite you to have, get rid of them. She doesn’t believe in a timeline of when you should get rid of something, because she believes in reinventing the clothes you have in your closet to create a completely new and stylish look, especially when on a budget. However, she thinks that some clothes on the lower end of the price spectrum tend to be seasonal and really only last a year or two, and that shouldn’t be held on to if no longer being worn. In general, she believes in keeping the things you love, and getting rid of the rest.

There are a few items that Catherine believes everyone should have in their wardrobe, and that are timeless pieces that you should hold on to. These include a nice collared shirt, great fitting jeans, and the ubiquitous LBD (little black dress). She believes everyone should have a nice medium sized handbag. This should be an investment piece (in relation to your budget, of course) because this is something that you will use forever. In addition she believes every woman should have a great set of heels. She is wary to suggest a color, but rather suggests a neutral color that fits in with your style and the rest of your wardrobe.

Once you have cleansed yourself of the items you never use, it is time to organize. Catherine doesn’t believe in organizing by outfit, because she doesn’t suggest people buy clothes that they only wear as an outfit. Instead she believes in buying items that are versatile and can be reinvented in a number of different ways. Organize your closet by type of clothing, so jeans with jeans, sweaters with sweaters, and so on.

Catherine also thinks its very important that everything is visible in your closet, so that you don’t forget about things. For some with small closets, this could seem nearly impossible. She gave me some great tips for those with minimal space. She believes in displaying your shoes and accessories, which can easily be done by buying shoe racks, adding shelves to put purses on and hooks to hang on walls for scarves, purses, belts, etc. All of these are ways to maximize space and allow visibility. If you have a small closet it’s also a good idea to pack up your clothes that are out of season and slide them out of sight (under the bed, for example). Only have things in your closet that you are able to wear. Also, if you have a dresser and a small closet space, fold anything you can. Jeans and tees as well as lounge wear is ideal for a dresser since they don’t wrinkle.

She also gave me a great idea of how to organize jewelry.  Statement jewelry is such a big trend, and often it doesn’t fit in your typical jewelry box. She dedicates a drawer in her dresser to her jewelry. She lays a cloth down to protect it, and places the jewelry in the drawer (organize pieces in drawer by type). She warns against keeping your jewelry out in the open because it causes it to tarnish, so keeping it in a drawer also gives your jewelry a longer life span.

For more information on Catherine Sheppard visit her website and read her amazing fashion blog for style inspiration and to keep up on the hottest trends.

To Go:

www.catherinesheppard.com

www.thelifestyled.com

Home is Wherever You Hang Your Hat

February 23, 2010 by Lynn Edwards | Comments (0)



For those of you who have read my Rachel Ray blog you know I’m culinarily challenged, but love those food shows. I’m equally as inept at home design & décor but I love me some Design on a Dime (although I don’t actual DO either). I love the word “home.” I grew up in a small rambler with seven people, one bathroom and no dishwasher, but it was home. My Dad still lives there and it’s amazing how it feels sleeping in that house. It’s awesome when we all go home with our families, the bathroom line is just a little longer now with 23 people. After college I became a vagabond and lived all over the world, followed by 18 years as an army spouse. The Army has this cute little sign that says “Home is where the Army sends you.”

Needless to say, my “home” has been a stinky room the size of a closet, a grass hut in the middle of a rice paddy, an apartment on the 75th floor, a condo near a strip mall, a large sprawling tudor style, and approximately 5000 hotel rooms. I love all that cool stuff you get for your home when you get married but I made a critical mistake and had a really small wedding. Turns out I received three place settings of my formal china. When we’d have another couple over the fourth person had to eat off a plastic power ranger plate. I’m so home décor challenged I have lived for months with no pictures on the wall, have gone 20+ years without buying window treatments and I don’t have more than two bath towels the same color. When people ask me what “theme” I have decorated my homes I answer with a mid-modern century “pot pourri”.

As a joke one year my friends bought me an entire set of holiday plates. I now have salt & pepper shakers with snowmen on them…so stinking cool! I think chicks that wear hats are fashion forward stars, those with holiday-themed china are domestic goddesses….now I’m one. There are some staples I love that seem to make a house a luxurious home…a million pillows on your bed & lots of thread count sheets, a system to organize your plastic wear & lids, real flowers on your kitchen island, and that’s living. Oh, and whoever invented that electric fire place switch needs a raise…big time! I love huge tubs but have spent little time in them. The time I did spend was usually jockeying around to get comfortable around all those hot wheels in there with me. I did build a water feature on my deck once. I loved it, yeah for Lowe’s. I looked like a landscape architect genius just by putting part A into part B and firing up the hose. It was great to fall asleep to but it made me have to get up and pee all night long.

Oprah says make your home an oasis…take a look around and think about what you can do to make your house a little more “homey”…even if it’s just a $2 apple pie scented candle.

Put a Spring in Your Step with these Hot Colors

February 22, 2010 by Madeline C. | Comments (0)



When we think of spring we think of pastels and floral prints, but those just seem a little too passé and boring. What will you be wearing this spring to spice up your wardrobe? Here are some of the color trends that you won’t want to miss out on. Pick up a few bright accessories that are both trendy and timeless.

Turquoise – We’re pretty sure this is on EVERYONE’S hot-list, along with other aqua-colored hues. This vibrant color turns every outfit up a notch, making you just exude that cool confident aura that will make you the center of attention. Splurge on a Jamie Joseph brightly colored stone ring. We love this Sea Blue Chalcedony Ring for a beautiful eye-catcher.

Light Pink – More specifically, champagnes and corals are two “light pinks” that won’t have you gagging on pastel and cotton candy. Champagne is the closest you can get to a nice neutral color while adding a little pop! And for coral, try some of Cara Lyndon’s hairpins, we recommend Coral Wheel . Whether your hair color is light or dark, this feminine flair will turn heads.

Yellow – In every shade and size. Add a dash here or there or a big bright bag to have everyone around you smiling. Evoking sunshine and happiness, everyone could stand to integrate this cheerful color into their wardrobe or even their home. Try a bright throw pillow to add to your living room, we like the yellow Gloria pillow from Henry Road. The great thing about throw pillows is, when spring is over, you can just throw them back into the closet until spring comes again!

A New Twist on the Theme Song

February 15, 2010 by Jade S. | Comments (2)



A Theme Song. Normally when you think of a theme song you think of the first 30 seconds of a TV Show or news broadcast. That annoying thirty second melody that plays over and over in our heads days after we have watched the show. But this week we take a new look at the theme song. We asked around on Twitter and Facebook and came up with a fabulous list of songs people consider their “theme songs” for life.

These are songs that lifts you up and makes you feel good. Songs that starts a fire and keeps you going. Songs that you dance around in your bedroom listening to while you sing into your hair brush. These are the songs that define us. Everyone has one hidden some where inside of them. It might be your phone ring or the song that plays in your headphones while you work out or before a big meeting – whenever you use it and however it makes you feel we thank you all for sharing your themes.

Here is a complete list of the suggested theme songs:

For your listening pleasure go to the complete playlist on the blip.fm page titled CRAVEThemeSongs.

And next time you need a pick me up or inspiration, crank up one of these tunes and sing out – you might be surprised just how good it makes you feel!

Buzz Party Fun!

February 12, 2010 by Kathy | Comments (2)



From Stillwater to Excelsior and Seward to Linden Hills, women from every neighborhood in the Twin Cities came through the snow to enjoy one another’s company and connect with fabulous women who own their own businesses at Lululemon’s Minneapolis Showroom in South Minneapolis. Rockin’ bakers Sheela and Emily from Cake Eater Bakery offered scrumptious goodies such as strawberry balsamic cupcakes, darling mini cupcakes filled with lemon custard and raspberry brownies. Kathleen of Just Truffles fame was keeping the crowd in stitches and good health with her award winning truffles made from pure chocolate–no sugar added to make it a truly healthy treat!

Music was pumping while wine and Hibiscus Iced Tea was pouring as the energy of the crowd kept women confident in the strength of their sisters of Minneapolis/St. Paul to weather the recession as well as the blizzard!  How true it is that we are all strong women with even bigger hearts when it comes to showing our support for other women.

CRAVE gals were there to flip through the CRAVE city guides from Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and Chicago and to hear about all the women who will be featured in the Minneapolis/St. Paul guide. Everyone was making sure Kathy Hanson, the curator of all things CRAVE in the Twin Cities, knew about their favorite women and their incomparable shops. It was an amazing show of Girl Power to see Stacie Clark, co-hostess with Kathy, be introduced to so many women who wanted to meet her in person after hearing about her athletic training business through CRAVE.

Darling Krista of Sweets Bakeshop had the most sophisticated display of Valentine’s Day sweets packages to order, along with samples of her fabulous French macaroons and mini cupcakes–my favorite was the cornmeal with whipped honey frosting. Those macaroon simply melt in your mouth!

Sairey Gaines of irely was hosting a chatterbox of fun with all the women who stopped by to see why her panties are patented! Jenni of LunaLux displayed a fun selection of her witty cards. Little packages of cookies and lotion from Petunia’s were available for sampling.

Thanks to bubbly Becky of Stormsisters Spatique, every women could leave with fizzly bath bombs and body goodies for themselves or a girlfriend, daughter, sister or mother. Becky’s table had women gathered around to see why they must shop her store tucked away on the hill in St. Paul!

It was an evening filled with laughter, joy and vibrant support for women who have followed their hearts to open businesses that speak to their passion of fashion, fitness, food, photography or their desire to simply make the world a more beautiful place.

buzz_party2_1 buzz_party2_2 buzz_party2_3 buzz_party2_4 buzz_party2_5 buzz_party2_6 buzz_party2_7 buzz_party2_8 buzz_party2_9 buzz_party2_10 buzz_party2_11 buzz_party2_12 buzz_party2_13 buzz_party2_14

* photo credit- Stacy Dunlap and Jessica Barker

Valentine’s Day – Pink Themed Recipes

February 12, 2010 by Madeline C. | Comments (0)


There are so many pros to going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day and we can think of a lot of cons to staying in and cooking. But with the following recipes, staying in and making a home-cooked meal with your sweetheart might just look like the best idea ever!

Rack of Lamb with Herb and Olive Crust
For a pink themed menu, let’s start with a delicious lamb recipe. It comes from Caroline in Chicago’s blog (hwhippedtheblog.com). Our mouths are watering already!

1/3 cup coarsely chopped olives – kalamata, picholine or Manzanilla
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 racks of lamb (7-8 ribs each, trimmed or frenched)
salt and pepper
3/6 cups breadcrumbs

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine olives, parsley, thyme, garlic and red pepper in a food processor or mortar. Make a rough paste. Stir in mayo. Set aside. Trim lamb so only a thin layer of fat remains. Heat a heavy skillet (NOT a nonstick) over high heat. Season racks with salt and pepper. Set in skillet fat side down and cook for about 2 minutes. Spread breadcrumbs on a plate. Coat the surface of the lamb with the olive paste then dip in the crumbs to coat. Put bone side down in a roasting pan. Cover the bone tips with foil so they don’t burn. Roast until instant read thermometer is 120-125 degrees for rare or 130-135 for medium. It will cook another 5 degrees when out of the oven. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes. Cut apart between the bones and serve.

Strawberry Cupcakes
Amy Sherman, a San Francisco-based author, writer, and developer of all things food, shares an amazing strawberry cupcake recipe on her blog (cookingwithamy.blogspot.com). Cupcakes and strawberries are the key to any beau’s heart.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 large egg
6 ounces Dannon® All Natural Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt (or any other fruit flavor of yogurt)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced

Frosting:
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 fresh strawberries, about 2 Tbsp. mashed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. With an electric hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg, Dannon® All Natural Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt and vanilla, blending until smooth.
2. Measure the dry ingredients into the bowl and blend, then fold in the strawberries.
3. Divide the mixture equally between the 12 paper-lined cupcake cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
4. Beat together butter, powdered sugar, and mashed strawberry in medium-size bowl until creamy and smooth. Chill frosting for 15 minutes or until thick. Frost cupcakes with a spatula. Keep cupcakes in the refrigerator loosely covered.
Yield: 12 servings

French Kiss
To accompany your beloved meal (cupcakes are a meal, right?), the Wedding Paper Divas have some suggestions for romantically festive drinks (blog.weddingpaperdivas.com). May we recommend the French Kiss? It’s just the perfect shade of pink to match you cupcakes…we mean cheeks!

Âľ oz Chambord
Âľ oz Peach Schnapps
Âľ oz Vodka
Splash orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice
Serve straight up in a martini glass

11 Ways To Be Single on Valentine’s Day

February 9, 2010 by Sarah Clise | Comments (1)


Single, taken, or “it’s complicated”… regardless of your relationship status, Valentine’s Day can frankly be very obnoxious. If you’re with someone, you’re pressured to partake in extravagant displays of lovey-dovey cuteitude against your will. If you’re single, it’s even worse. You’re brutally reminded that those millions of cheesy greeting cards with kissing puppies on the front simply aren’t meant for you. Of course Valentine’s Day isn’t all bad, but it can be tough to go solo on a day when the rest of the world seems madly in love. In an effort to give single gals out there some solace, here’s a smattering of ideas from women (and two men) on what to do on February 14th if you’re single.

  • Get all your single girlfriends together for a fun-filled night of vino and good music… that’s what I’d do. Oh and shopping too (hell make an entire day of it)! -Phaedra, Taken, Los Angles [A Very CRAVE V-Day]
  • Two words: Southern. Comfort. Now you have advice from lady AND gentleman – Corbin, Taken, Washington DC [Best "Drink Your Sorrows Away" V-Day]
  • Celebrate the Chinese New Year! -Jocelyn, Single, Woodinvile [Best V-Day Replacement Holiday]
  • I heard the trick is to not make Valentine’s Day about loving a person you are in a relationship with, but to make it about loving all the people you love. If it isn’t about one person than it can be less disappointing when you spread out the love! – Courtney, Single, Santa Clara [Sweetest V-Day Idea]
  • Remember that it’s easier to be single on Valentine’s Day than stuck in a relationship that’s going nowhere fast. -Mike, Divorced, London [Best V-Day Reality Check]
  • This might be an LA only thing…but going to Disneyland with friends is awesome, as is going to Amoeba Records by yourself. – Natasha, Single, Los Angeles [Most LA V-Day]
  • Offer to babysit for your friends with kids! -Deborah, Taken, Woodinville [Most Charitable V-Day Idea]
  • I loved my single Valentines the best! Having a dinner party (with yummy cocktails) is fun with your single friends, or taking a little trip somewhere- the ocean, a cabin, a movie- with a few friends is wonderful! Just celebrating the people you love is what it’s all about! – Carly, Taken, Camano Island [Best Girlfriends V-Day]
  • If I were single on VDAY I’d go to Vegas for sure. But that’s just me… – Ashley, Taken, Los Angeles [Best V-Day for Ladies on the Prowl]
  • It’s two weeks away…. whose to say you will be single? Also… I hear having a bonfire is great fun… and if things go awry, a fireman comes over to visit – Adrienne, Single, Santa Fe [Hottest V-Day Idea]
  • Valentine’s Day is just another day…I would go to brunch and buy yourself some flowers. – Jess, Taken, San Diego [Best "Celebrate Yourself" V-Day Idea]

So there you have it. Booze, babysitting, brunch or bonfires – whatever you do, you definitely do not need a beau to enjoy your Valentine’s Day this year. Have fun!

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