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Archive for February, 2010

Hit the Slopes at Ski Camps for Girlfriends

Monday, February 8th, 2010

The Groundhog said it all – On February 2, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and doomed the rest of us to six more frigid weeks of winter. Rather than crawl under the covers and hibernate ’til spring, why not make the most of the chilliest time of year and go skiing (or snowboarding) with your girlfriends? Take a look at these women-only snow camps and book your long weekend now!

1. ROXY All Star Snow Camps – Whistler Blackcomb
These 2-day snow camps are all about girls, fun, and hitting the slopes! The women-only camps are taught by highly skilled female skiers and riders and give you the opportunity to make friends with other women in the group. ROXY caters to ladies at any level of skiing and snowboarding, from beginner to expert, and they even throw in some prizes to get you motivated to boost your skills! Check the website for rates and dates.

2. Women’s Edge – Aspen Snowmass
Women’s Edge is a 4-day female-centric experience for intermediate to advanced skiers. You’ll spend time getting to know the women in your group while being instructed by female pros and getting treated to a luncheon, lectures, and chances to ski at nearby mountains with skiers in your same skill level. It’s a fun program with chances to build relationships with like-minded women while having a great time! Check out the website here.

3. Women’s Ski Camps – Snowbird
In Snowbird, Utah, these 3-4 day ski camps offer small group sizes and ample one-on-one coaching with women instructors to make for a truly rewarding experience. Intermediate to expert skiers can be accommodated, and the intimate program comes with an optional Meal & Spa Add On with special perks! To see prices and itineraries, check out the Women’s Ski Camps’ website here.

These are a few examples of resorts that currently offer women-only skiing and snowboarding camps. Check out your favorite mountain’s special deals for girls in advance and start planning next year’s wintry adventures now!

Tags: aspen, girlfriends, mountains, roxy, ski resort, snow, snow gear, snowboarding, winter
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Blackbird Sings

Friday, February 5th, 2010

I love breakfast. Especially on the weekends, in a cozy restaurant lingering over a great cup of coffee enjoying lively conversation. If you’re like me, make your way to Blackbird at West 50th and Bryant in South Minneapolis. This neighborhood restaurant will not disappoint. Blackbird prepares all menu items from scratch and uses only the freshest ingredients. We started out with a perfectly made Cafe Latte, topped with a cocoa powder “heart”, a hibiscus iced tea and an Arnold Palmer. The housemade iced teas and lemonade were refreshing – just the right amount of tart and sweet.

It was nearly impossible to choose from the breakfast menu which included classic breakfast items as well as a breakfast burrito, the Norske Scrambler (scrambled eggs with house-smoked salmon, dill and creme fraiche) and sourdough flapjacks served with fresh berries. We loved the whole grain cakes, topped with sesame-honey butter and real maple syrup – pancakes without the guilt, but most definitely not lacking in flavor . Our server recommended the Huevos Colleen O’Brien, huevos rancheros with the special addition of chorizo and avocado – delicious! This is a dish not to be missed. We rounded out our meal with the Oxtail Hash, made with roasted root vegetables and topped with two basted eggs and the best hollandaise I’ve had in I-don’t-know how long. The breakfast menu also includes “Sandwiches and Other Lunch-y Type Thingys” that I can’t wait to go back and sample.

We had a wonderful experience at Blackbird. The eclectic decor is charming, and the staff is warm and welcoming. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and never made us feel like it was time to move on – we did linger….

Blackbird does not accept reservations, but you can call ahead to be placed on a waiting list. We had a short wait for our table. (If you have a longer wait, walk down two doors and do a little shopping at Patina, a wonderful accessories shop.)

To go:

Blackbird
815 West 50th St. (at Bryant)
Minneapolis, MN 55419

612.823.4790

http://blackbirdmpls.com/

Tags: Blackbird, breakfast, Minneapolis, neighborhood restaurant, Southwest Minneapolis
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The Paris Haute Couture Shows

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

The Paris Haute Couture fashion shows are unlike any other fashion experience you have ever had, seen or heard of. True to what couture is, this kind of fashion is definitely one-of-a-kind. Showcasing their spring and summer couture collections, the French designers filled the runways with whimsical, wonderful and weird creations this season. There was bizarre head-wear at Jean Paul Gaultier (shocking, right?), Lady-Gaga-inspired hairdo’s at Chanel, and clothes with a strong space-age feel at Armani Prive.

Like Hilary Alexander, fashion director of The Daily Telegraph in London, says, the couture shows are a “laboratory of dreams”. Made to fit exactly to the wearers specifications, these one-off creations aren’t something you will see another girl at the club wearing – they are far from anything worn in everyday life. True haute couture is art. Its the kind of clothing that makes for a lush, other-worldly Vogue fashion spread. Its usually impractical and at prices that rival a small house or car, its the best kind of fashion fantasy.

This season, Chanel seemed to be channeling the great Lady Gaga with hairdo’s resembling giant bows or ears, but their colorful collection had us drooling from start to finish. Actually, it seemed like everyone was feeling the Lady Gaga vibe on the catwalks this season. The Jean Paul Gaultier headpieces looked like something we might see Ms. Gaga sporting at the next awards show, and a balloon bubble dress from Armani Prive looked like something she might rock down a red carpet any day now. If not Lady Gaga, then the architectural, space-agey dresses from Armani would definitely look fabulous on any future astronaut/fashionista. Finally, the pieces at Stephane Rolland were escapism and futuristic fashion-as-artwork at its best with laser cut Plexiglass forming coils and crenelations on shoulders and pockets.

Across the board, this year’s couture shows were all about pastel colors and Lady Gaga-inspired style. Haute couture may not be made for a trip to the grocery store, or even your next birthday party, but the shows are spectacular and the pieces are a work of art in themselves. Vive la Haute Couture!

Tags: chanel, couture, fashion, haute, lady gaga, one-of-a-kind, Style
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Be the belle of the beach with cruise wear from The Bungalow

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Gearing up for a trip to Mexico later in the week, I headed out on a blustery and snowy February morning to Cindy Sudheimer’s gem of a boutique, The Bungalow located in Tonka Bay.

In it’s fourth year of business, The Bungalow, offers a dazzling and endless selection of sexy and fun bikinis from an array of international designers exclusive to the store. These aren’t your regular department store swimsuits. The selection at this boutique are glamorous and fun with attention to details, luxe fabrics, and interesting cuts. Light on one pieces and tankinis this store caters to the fashion forward and confident woman.

In addition to the swimsuits, The Bungalow has a great selection of dresses and coverups. Most of these items could effortlessly be worn off the beach. There was an assortment of sheer silk peasant blouses with embroidery and embellishment that could easily be thrown on with jeans and heels and worn out to dinner. Her selection of dresses (maxi length and short) were beautiful enough to wear on the town day or night. Transitional from the beach to the bar, day to night, is a major plus when maximizing suitcase space and making your vacation a breeze.

The Bungalow also carries mens and children’s, making it a great one stop shop when gearing up for a family get-away. In addition to the swimsuits and cover-ups, Cindy’s boutique boasts an exclusive selection of premium denim and tees for men and women, a selection of shoes, and jewelry.

When visiting, be sure to sign up to be a part of Cindy’s preferred customers lists and be emailed about great sales and promotions and register to win a private shopping party for you and your friends, complete with wine and cheese. Also check out The Bungalow’s website below for updated promotions and sale information.

To Go:

The Bungalow

5619 Manitou Road (in Tonka Village)

Tonka Bay, MN 55331

www.bungalowbeachwear.com

Tags: accessories, clothes, shop local, woman-owned
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Rachel Ray, I’m not…

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

I don’t know if any of you are “culinaryily challenged,” but I sure am. I am obsessed with the Food Channel but don’t cook anything I ever see prepared on there. There is something soothing and brain numbing about watching them create, compete, build absurdly shaped cakes, and whip up mystery ingredients I have never heard of.

How about that Rachel Ray gal? She rocks it every night in less than 30 minutes. The big difference is when I go to my pantry or fridge I don’t conveniently have all the spices and sauces placed by the elves so my 30 minute meal turns into a frustrated 80 minute search for cumin, and a trip to the grocery store. (Consequently, I leave the grocery store with everything BUT cumin and swing through the drive-through window before returning home.)

When I do cook I seem to have portion control issues. I grew up in a big family so I assume spaghetti noodles come in “single serving” bags only. Needless to say, I have a lot of leftovers and anyone who reheats spaghetti noodles knows, they aren’t too tasty.

My Mom is an amazing cook and she knows how to put on a party with picture perfect hors d’oeuvres, now SHE could have her own Food Network show. I think I was busy outside shooting hoop when she was whipping up chef lessons. So the pressure to live up to that is huge. She would bring heaping scrumptious cupcakes to my class parties… with every child’s name monogrammed on them. I am lucky if I can pull off a drive by drop off of Oreos for the school Valentines Day party!

My southern Mother-in-Law once tried to help me out by buying me a southern cookbook. Every dang recipe started with “make a rue”…have you ever tried to make a rue? Well, it’s a special little concoction of flour and butter that you have to try not to burn. I never made a single recipe from that book!

I will have to say I have the “sipping” part of this sip/savor category down pat. Never met a cocktail I didn’t like and they seem to be MUCH easier to make. Although I recently tried a signature cocktail recipe and it actually called for pear sorbet…my Coors Light generally does not come with ice cream and- huge surprise- I didn’t have any pear sorbet in my freezer (unlike Rachel) so I skipped the garnish, the vodka tasted fine without it!

If your idea of comfort food is a large bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos and you don’t own a food processor…you are not alone. Rachel rocks…me, not so much!

* a weekly humor post by Lynn Edwards

Tags: Crack-Up, food channel, lynn edwards, rachel ray
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