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Love is in the Air at Guild

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Love was in the air this past weekend at Guild for their ‘Second Saturday Event’ and trunk show. I could feel the love as I walked around this charming shop full of timeless antiques and new treasures. Guild is full of sweet gifts that are the perfect treat to any of your friends- or yourself!
It is no secret in the cities how amazing Guild Collective is! This past year Guild was voted “Best of the Best Curated Shop 2010” by Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine and a “Best of the Twin Cities’ shop by Minnesota Monthly.  With a collection of local artists, designers, stylists, photographers and retailers, this Saint Louis Park store is really a one stop shop for all of your gifts.

The Collective is divided out between different vendors and artists, but the open floor plan allows to you to seamlessly browse between them. As I made my way around Guild with storeowner Pam Mondale, I could see the time and passion that not only went into choosing which items will be featured, but by the local collectors and artists as well.

Nothing beats a gift with a great story! What I loved about Guild is that the vendors all carried a unique story of how their product or collection came to be. Whether it is MaverickJune pillows that are made from 100% post consumer felt or custom shirts made by retired NFL quarterback Alial Fital, Guild has a gift for each of your Valentines. A gift from Guild is stylish, unique and heartfelt; which is what any friend would love!
Guild Collective is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11AM-6PM. For more information on their collective talent or find out about upcoming events check out Guild’s website.

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CRAVE Women Chosen as the Best!

Sunday, September 26th, 2010

Minnesota Monthly

In 2010′s September issue of Minnesota Monthly, many of our CRAVE businesses are featured as the “Best of the Cities”. We were so excited to see all of our fabulous women and their businesses in this magazine. Both CRAVE and our readers know that these ladies rock, and now the rest of the Cities have caught onto our favorite shops around town. Pick up a copy of the Minnesota Monthly to see the full “Best of the Cities” article and see all of these fabulous businesses:

Sweets Bakeshop

The magazine lists Ly lo and Krista Steinbach’s bakery as the go-to place for the “Best Macaroons” in all of the Cities!

2042 Marshall Ave., St. Paul, 651-340-7138, sweetsbakeshop.com

Salty Tart

Referred to as the “Savory Pastry”, Michelle Gayer’s shop is recognized for its array of treats, including those that are unconventional but delicious.

920 E. Lake St., Mpls., 612-874-9206 saltytart.com

Joynoëlle

Known for her beautiful and thoughtful designs, Joy Teiken is praised as the “Dress Designer”.

312 W. 42nd St., Mpls., 612-209-7822, Joynoelle.com

StormSister Spatique

Hailed as the “Beauty Crusader”, Becky Strum knows her stuff when it comes to the best eco-friendly and effective beauty products on the market!

635 S Smith Ave., St. Paul, 612-716-5480, stormsister.biz

I Like You

The magazine guarantees you will find something you like in Sara Sweet and Angela Scandin’s shop, or be inspired to make something in their classes!

501 First Ave. NE, Mpls., 612-208-0249, ilikeyouonline.com

Picky Girl

Titled the “Women’s Boutique” in the Cities, Elisabeth Varshese is thanked for her great boutique and fabulous taste in fashion.

949 Grand Ave., St. Paul, 651-698-4107, pickygirlmn.com

L’atelier Boutique

Amanda Kautt’s shop is titled the “Bridal Boutique” of the cities and is recommended as the ultimate bridal experience.

493 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-602-9492, lateliercouturebridal.com

La Petite Parfumerie

Diana, Jennifer and Sally own this shop chosen as choice “Perfume Shop”. But don’t let the name fool you! This shop carries beauty products, accessories and handbags as well.

287 Water St., Ste 100, Excelsior, 952-475-2212, lapetitparfumerie.com

Guild

Winning the award as best “New Shop” this year is Pam Mondale’s boutique. Guild offers a great selection of vintage and new home furnishings, clothing and jewelry.

4414 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park, 952-378-1815, guildcollective.wordpress.com

Mpls St. Paul Magazine Shops

Our CRAVE shops were also chosen by Mpls St. Paul magazine to be featured in Shops magazine. Mpls St. Paul magazine produced Shops as a guide to the best places in the cities, and as to no surprise this guide was FILLED with CRAVE ladies! This is an exclusive magazine that can not be bought on newsstands, only subscribers received it. Congratulations to all 36 of the CRAVE businesses that are featured in this issue!

Arafina, Collaborations Boutique, Covered, Ditchotomy, Joynoëlle, Karma, Martin’s, OPM Boutique, Picky Girl, L’atelier Couture Bridal Boutique, Posh Bridal Couture, Melly, Stella, The Bungalow, Max’s, Blooma, Sigh Yoga and Boutique, Art of Optiks, Jaide: A Salon & Boutique, La Petite Parfumerie, StormSister Spatique, Bananas For Kids, Red Rover Kids, Bibelot, Inizo, Patina, Coca and Fig, Just Truffles, Local D’Lish, Russel + Hazel, Casa Verde, Euronest, Interior Motive, Maison Galleria, Victory, and Petunia’s.

Minnesota Monthly: http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/

Mpls St. Paul Magazine: mspmag.com

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Posted in Abode, Adorn, Business, Details, Style | 1 Comment »

Celebrate Bastille Day at the Corner of Selby and Snelling!

Monday, July 12th, 2010


Grab a baguette, a beret and your girlfriends and hit the shops. Vive La France!

When: Saturday, July 17th, 12:00pm to 5:00pm (rain or shine)
Where: Shops at the at the Corner of Selby and Snelling
Participating shops include:

Allee. metro chic
A Michele
Everyday People
Flirt Boutique
Heddy Freddy
Initially Yours
LULA
Patina
Tennis on Selby
The Drawbridge
Two Smart Cookies

Pick up a ‘Bastille Day’ postcard at any of the shops in the coming weeks or on the day of the event and collect stamps by visiting all eleven boutiques. Turn in your card with your best contact info, and enter to win a $500.00 shopping spree on the corner!

…look for French goodies, alley vendors and afternoon fun! See you there!

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Bloggers To Watch Out For

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

These days, blogs are a dime a dozen. Any two-bit hack with a dial-up connection can spout nonsense into the infinite Inter-void — and they do. But here in the Twin Cities, a few talented lady-bloggers rise above the rabble. Add a trio of quality content to your blogroll with Yes & Yes, Twelve22 and The Daily Whip.

Sarah Von Bargen of Yes & Yes
yesandyes.org

Sarah Von Bargen — or “Sarah Von,” as she’s known in the blogosphere — is one sassy dame. With plucky wit, a smidge of snark and a healthy respect for girly baubles, she offers insightful tips on dirt-cheap travel, break-up survival and non-traditional career trajectories. Her “True Stories” series — first-person perspectives from people with extraordinary life experiences — is not to be missed. She’s also one of the most prolific bloggers in the Twin Cities, with new posts every single morning, a spin-off clothing and accessory shop and a gorgeous line of calendars and “karma cards.”

Anna Torborg of Twelve22
twelve22.org

Visiting Twelve22 is like sinking into your favorite auntie’s rocking chair with a mug of chamomile tea. Anna Torborg takes readers on a gentle amble through her daily activities: thrift-store shopping, sewing, baking and tending to her feline companions, Beany and Birdie. Her photographs are crisp, airy and 100% original — she never uses stock photography. Loyal readers rejoice in her gardening and running tips, as well as her craft tutorials and downloadable DIY paper house models. Skip the Xanax and settle into one of Ms. Torborg’s blissful recaps of domestic life in fair Minneapolis.

Erika Lyremark of The Daily Whip
dailywhip.com

Feisty, ferocious and unapologetic, exotic dancer-turned-career coach Erika Lyremark cracks and sizzles with daily whips of wisdom. Part traditional blog and part Twitter-esque stream of consciousness, Erika’s daily questions, quotations and commands are designed to spark rapid-fire action. Primarily a platform for her one-on-one coaching business, Erika’s blog is a destination for entrepreneurial spirits who want the straight dope — minus the hippie-dippie fluff.

ALEXANDRA FRANZEN is a freelance copywriter specializing in resume design, public broadcasting and corporate branding — with a kick. You can find her blogging up a storm at Unicorns for Socialism and tweeting away @alex_franzen.

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5 Myths About Stillwater We Simply Must Crack!

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Come on over to Stillwater and visit some of the most fashion-forward, innovative and savvy businesses in all of the Twin Cities. There are so many fabulous women owned businesses in downtown Stillwater you can make a full day or weekend out of your visit. It’s a perfect getaway for Mother’s Day, Memorial Day weekend, or just a sunny spring Saturday!

I am here to debunk any and all myths about Stillwater AND give you the hottest tips on where to go when you visit! (I will write more about the shops in my next Stillwater blog—this is to just get you there!)

1. “It’s all antiques”
From one end of Main Street to the other, Stillwater boasts shops filled with the latest fashion (Collaborations 129 1/2 Main St S, and Stella), fitness/yoga (Studio Cates), a trend-setting salon (Monde), gourmet restaurants (Savories), sophisticated home decor (Alfresco, Interior Motive, and Maison Galleria), an adorable yarn shop (Darn Knit Anyway) a charming kids store (Red Rover Kids), not to mention the perfect stop for coffee and a scone (Supreme Bean Expresso Cafe – 402 Main St N).  And that’s just Main Street!

2. “There’s no parking”
Rubbish! I have been to Stillwater three times just since December, and every time I find plenty of on-street parking! If you are planning a visit, call any of the local shop owners and they will happily suggest the closest FREE parking lot!

3. “Traffic problems”
I zoomed right into Stillwater without incident nor traffic every time. But here is an inside scoop: Follow signs on Hwy 36 and Take Cty Rd. 15/Manning to Cty Rd 12/Myrtle and zip on down—lickety split!

4. “It’s full of tourists!”
Are you a tourist if you live in Excelsior and shop on Grand? No! It’s metro shoppers who know Stillwater is THE place to shop for fabulous finds! My good friend and fashion maven (and her husband!) drive into Stillwater from Minneapolis once every 6 weeks just to get their hair cut! They make an event of it by grabbing a bite to eat and doing a bit of shopping too. Would they do that for the past 8 years if it wasn’t a fun way to spend an evening?

5. “It’s expensive!”
NO WAY! I bought a fantastic designer dress at Collaborations that was under $50! Fashion forward design, fabulous fit, wool/cashmere, no tailoring necessary. Simply perfect. Looks like I bought it in the Oval Room but I supported a local designer AND shop owner! Many of these shop owners travel around the country to buy lines that big box stores do not carry. As you shop the marvelous stores in Stillwater, remember that your purchases send money back into the community. 76 cents for every dollar spent goes back into the community when you shop local versus 46 cents when you shop big department stores and ZERO when you shop online!

Don’t forget to meander around Stillwater and find more great shops tucked away: Camrose Hill Flowers is a must stop, simply to check out their incredibly charming space—it feels like you’re in a 100-year-old English mansion! Bring home fresh flowers grown on a local farm, too.

Down the road a bit is THE BEST stop for all your summer picnic goodies. Heather at Bread Art makes everything herself from artisan breads to cookies, pies to pastries. They look and taste so yummy that you’ll want to throw a backyard party! Scratch baking never tasted so good!

If that is not enough incentive, right next door is La Cocinita Restaurante where Angelina boasts award winning salsa and scrumptious homemade Mexican dishes that must be accompanied by her delicious margaritas! We came for lunch and were tempted to just stay through dinner because the hospitality and the food was so warm and welcoming.

So come visit Stillwater in the next few weeks. You will be so happy you did! We promise!

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Posted in Abode, Adorn, Details, Enhance, Moms, Sip / Savor, Style | 5 Comments »

Sparkle this Holiday Season: CRAVE introduces you to five fun boutiques

Friday, December 18th, 2009

holidaywear

Want to add some sparkle to your wardrobe this Holiday Season? Check out these five fabulous boutiques for the latest dresses, bracelets, shoes, boots and gorgeous lingerie that will have you looking and feeling your best!

Covered Boutique
Covered in Uptown is the perfect stop for accessories that will take work outfits to cocktail fun! Covered’s manager Megan is all about helping customers find the perfect add-on to your outfit to dress it up for a party. They have many vintage belts and necklaces that will take that black pencil skirt to a new level in less than 2 minutes and under $50! You can spice up your work wardrobe to go to the office Holiday party with simple accessories that add real style and flair. All it takes to change your look from work to WOW is a bit of sparkle. Covered has lots of chunky bracelets and cocktail rings that will work the room for you! Be sure you ask for personal help from Megan or Stacy when you stop in!

To go:
shopcovered.com
Covered – Uptown
1201 Lagoon Ave.
Minneapolis, MN
612.825.1610
Hours:
Monday-Friday 11-8, Saturday 11-7, Sunday 12-5

Flirt Boutique
This sexy, sweet lingerie boutique was inspired by Hollywood glamour. Jessica, owner of Flirt, has created a warm, inviting space that looks like an old world boudoir with soft pink walls, wardrobes and dressers to hold the pretty unmentionables and a warming fireplace. Voted best lingerie by MN Monthly in 2008 and City Pages in 2009, Flirt carries bras for customers of all sizes and fills a niche for high quality lingerie in the Twin Cities. Flirt specializes in creating an personal purchasing experience to with expertise from the staff. Flirt also carries perfume, bath salts, european hosiery, and fun items for bachelorette parties.

To go:
flirtongrand.goodbarry.com
177 Snelling Ave. N.,
St. Paul, MN
651-698-3692.
Hours:
Monday through Saturday 10-7, Sunday 12-5.

Ladyslipper
LadySlipper is beloved for its edited selection of shoes, boots and accessories. The store is small and the decor is really elegant, yet fun with a zebra rug, pink accents, and oversized round pink ottomans. The size of the store could be an issue for some, but proprietoress Amanda does a great job of displaying Ladyslipper’s select merchandise. There is a variety of types of shoes: heels, flats, dressy, casual — all showcasing what Amanda believes to be the best of the best. Some jewelry, purses, and other accessories are also sold, but the stars of the store are the beautiful and trendy shoes — that are for the most part pretty affordable (though some of their boots can be quite pricey). Choose from this great selection to finish up your outfit for a very dressy cocktail party to a more low-key holiday house party (think beautiful stilettos or funky over-the-knee boots that are so in style this season). Switch into the Report Signature black sequin pumps to make your holiday outfit go from work to party!
To go:
4940 France Ave. S.
Edina, MN 55410
952-224-1900.
Hours:
Monday through Friday 10-6, Saturday 11-5.

Bluebird Boutique
At CRAVE we like to shop at stores that are full of unique items, have a relaxed and yet very pretty interior and that displays the clothes in an attractive way — which describes Bluebird perfectly. The owners, Sasha and Alison, are as stylish as they are knowledgeable about trends and what works. Bluebird has ample space for you to linger while you look through the lovely items, colors and textures throughout the store without feeling overwhelmed by product. Try on a fun sequin KLD dress for this year’s holiday party!

To go:
bluebirdboutique.com
Edina
3909 W. 50th Street
(952) 746-8675
Arbor Lakes
12177 Elm Creek Blvd
Maple Grove, MN 55369
(763) 315-6524
Hours:
Monday through Friday 10-6, Saturday 11-5, Sunday 12-5.

June
June is a bit hard to find, tucked away on 34th and Lyndale, but definitely worth the hunt! Daune, store curator and owner has perfected the art of high end resale by selecting only the most wearable and wonderful pieces. Stepping inside her store feels as if you are in a New York boutique — especially the shoe salon tucked in the back. Hand-selected pieces throughout the store, at various price points make June a must see destination stop for your work and party wear! Daune has elevated and blended the art of wearing high end fashion with the art of frugality perfectly. Be sure you check out her website juneresale.com which has fantastic photos of her best finds!

To go:
juneresale.com
3406 Lyndale Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-354-3970
Hours:
Tuesday through Thursday 12 to 6:30, Friday and Saturday 12 to 6.

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Shop Local in Minneapolis/St. Paul

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

giftshops

Why Shop Local?
Why shop big box bland when you can shop Minneapolis/St. Paul locally owned and operated stores for simply smashing stocking stuffers for all the babysitters, bffs, boys and brothers on your list this holiday season? They are sure to love the unique items found at these fantastic shops.
Give twice and support our local shops and our communities by spending your hard earned money at locally owned businesses and keep our dollars here!

Patina
Shop Patina stores for wonderful eclectic and uniquely fabulous gifts for everyone on your list. Accessories for the good life is their tag line and they mean it!  They own Shoppe Local as well, which features only locally designed products ranging from kitchenware to men’s clothing.
To go: There are five Patina stores around the Twin Cities. Patina Northeast is located at 2305 18th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418. 612-788-8933. Patina Highland Park is located 2057 Ford Parkway, St. Paul, MN 55116. 651-695-9955. (check out patinastores.com for more locations/hours)
Shoppe Local is located at 813 West 50th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55419. 612-827-3071.
All Patina and Shoppe Local stores are open Monday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Serifina
Find darling toddler aprons with tiny tucked in pockets for 22 crayons, fantastic travel bags and accessories and so much more at Serifina in Excelsior. Carol, proprietoress, does all the monogramming on site!serifina.com.
To go: Serifina is located at 436 Second Street, Suite 101, Excelsior, MN 55331. 952-474-2100. Open Wednesday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I Like You
Angela and Sara of I Like You in NE Minneapolis have to be the most fun shop owners ever!  Everything in their adorable store is locally designed and made. Belt buckles, jewelry, art prints, clothing and ornaments fill their corner store with the most unique finds in the Twin Cities. Shopping at I Like You supports local designers and artists, entrepreneurs AND our fabulous town by keeping our dollars in the Twin Cities!
To go: I Like You is located at 501 First Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. 612-827-9065. Open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Russell and Hazel
For your sophisticated writer to be, most organized mom or sister, dad’s office or a college dorm room Russell & Hazel is simply not to be missed. Clean, bright and fun, this space is perfect to shop for everyone on your list who wants something hip and fun. Insightful trends and  products designed to add life to your work! Katie, store manager, is fabulous at finding the perfect thing to fit with your lifestyle. It’s not just about organizing either- it’s about stationary, stocking stuffers, writing letters and drawing.  Their real cedar pencils are perfect for the guy or gal who loves the NY Times crossword puzzles!
To go: Russell and Hazel are located at 4388 France Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55410. 952-929-9000. Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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