Pine Tree Apple Orchard
Pine Tree Apple Orchard is one of my favorite places to go in the Fall. It is a beautiful place to go and enjoy some of the last warm days and eat a treat. Located in White Bear Lake this apple orchard is calming and inviting. Plus, it has a great shop where you can buy anything apple you could imagine. My personal favorites are apple doughnuts and cider. They have a unique blend of cider here which I would recommend. Nothing really compares to it.
Pine Tree Apple Orchard is just one of those places that I went as a child and still cannot go a year without visiting. Maybe, it is because I need to get an apple doughnut.
This place is family friendly and a perfect photo spot for your upcoming holiday photo card. I couldn’t believe the professional cameras that I saw and the kids in the cutest trendy clothes.
Every weekend in the fall there is usually entertainment for the young ones, a hayride, and a corn maze. Oh yeah, and they have apples too. Those are also really good.
Check out the pumpkin patch for Halloween and during the summer they have a strawberry patch. When I used to nanny it was one of my favorite activities to do with the kids. They could pick their own strawberries and then we went home to make jam. It kept the kids busy for an entire day and made the parents happy to come home to homemade jam. If you don’t feel like jam, you can dip them in chocolate.
One of my goals for the future is to do the 5 Mile Run For the Apples, run at Pine Tree and get to eat delicious apple treats at the end of the run.
Pine Tree also offers holiday gift baskets. They are very resonably priced and it would be a great idea for a local company that wants to share some local food with their clients.
because an apple doughnut a day doesn’t keep the doctor away but….. boy are they good.
@mplsgossipgirl
MN Blogger Conference
Are you a blogger? Do you live in Minnesota? Then you have to attend the MN Blogger Conference next year. No if’s and or but’s about it.
I happened upon this conference by fate when I added @MNBlogCon on Twitter. I then started to see posts about the conference and knew that I had to get a ticket. Since I am pretty new to blogging, it was a chance to see what blogging really looks like in Minnesota. I had no idea what an awesome community we have here.
The MN Blogger Conference is a gathering of bloggers and professionals who work with blogging products or with bloggers. The best part is that it is FREE. Yes, Free. Thanks to the many sponsors. (Allina Health, Pioneer Press, National Camera Exchange, Strother Communications Group, Mall of America, Plum District, Sleep Number, Padilla Speer Beardsley, Glimpses of Soul Photography, Art House, Muddy Paws Cheesecake )
Not only is this a great networking opportunity, this is a place where you can learn new skills to enhance your blog. I can say that I learned invaluable information at this year conference and met people who are helping me on my blogging journey. (Thank you Mykl Roventine, Grant Landram, Elan Karpinski, and Jen )
Whether you are a new blogger, a seasoned blogger, or someone who loves to write and is thinking about starting a blog, there is something here for everyone.
The first session I attended was Behind the Scenes: Brands and Blogger Relations by Lauren Melcher of Weber Shandwick. This presentation was about blogger relation programs. For Bloggers, it was a chance to see what these programs can look like and for industry professionals it was a view into what bloggers think about these programs. Lauren shared her knowledge and made me think about what I want to do in the future with my blog and what I should be doing professionally (Please hire me Weber Shandwick).
The next session I attended was about how to avoid being sued with Steve Aggergaard. It was very informative about steps you should take but left me with a lot of questions. I think next year we need a question and answer session with a lawyer. But, Steve’s presentation was a great introduction for someone who is just starting a blog.
Lastly, I attended Mykl Roventine’s 15 Essential WordPress Plugins- and 5 that will blow your mind. My mind was officially blown. I learned a lot about plugins and which ones to choose. Overall, it was great advice for someone who has been researching which plugins to use and can’t decide.
The keynote speaker was by Rick Kupchella who is now working on bring me the news. A new local news source. It is interesting how they are adding to the local news scene here in Minnesota.
Overall, this conference was something I can look back on and say that I am truly blessed to have a chance to be part of. I learned about how to further my blog, met wonderful people, and now have the confidence to move forward with my dream of reaching out and helping other Minnesotans with my blog.
I started my blog because I wanted to force myself to get out and try new things and encourage others to do the same. It is the best thing in the world to see others benefit from one of your posts and see local businesses and products gain new customers (contact me on twitter @mplsgossipgirl if you would like to be featured). I wanted to thank all of the fellow bloggers who have supported my efforts and sent me new readers.
The Minnesota Blogger Conference is something that I will be attending for many years to come, in hope that one day, I can be one of those people who helps a new blogger gain the confidence it takes to keep blogging.
http://mnbloggerconference.com/
because Minnesota Bloggers are amazing!
@mplsgossipgirl
Rudolphs Bar-B-Que
Now who would think a Bar-B-Que place would have a great Mediterranean Platter, but Rudolph’s does. I had to share this with you because I love this dish, it is spicy and unexpected. If someone hadn’t told me to try this Plate, I never would have ordered it off a menu that is mostly meat focused. Who goes to a BBQ place and orders a Mediterranean Platter?
This girl!
On this plate they have spicy feta dip, hummus, and this green stuff called tyrosalada. I have no idea what the green stuff is but it is AMAZING! My best guess is some sort of jalapeno feta dip.
You might not know that Rudolphs was first opened in 1975 by Jimmy Theros. During this time period there were many BBQ “joints” but not restaurants. Jimmy wanted to open a place where BBQ was elevated and enjoyed with a touch of class, because we are classy in Minneapolis. After traveling around and trying BBQ from all around the country, he finally decided on a recipe of his own.
If you are new to Minneapolis, Rudolphs is a place in the middle of uptown and downtown on Franklin and Lyndale with the huge neon rotating sign. They have a happy hour that lasts until 7PM Monday – Friday and a great beer list.
Also a great place to go for a diverse late night crowd if you are no into the whole cowboy bar fad.
because “green stuff” is yummy.
@mplsgossipgirl
Angel Food Bakery – Peace Coffee
When I have had a long week, I love to stop by the Angel Food Bakery in Minneapolis for Peace Coffee and a treat.
My favorite treat from Angel Food Bakery are the chocolate chip cookies. I say cookies because I can never buy just one. They are amazing because they have several types of chocolate and a salty balance which makes them delicious. The chocolate also stays melty.
The brownies are yummy too. I like the ones that come with caramel in them and right when they are out of the oven. Having a cup of Peace Coffee with all of their treats just makes it more delicious and you more caffeinated.
I am sorry to say that my least favorite items on the menu are the cupcakes. They are pretty and fun. But the frosting on some of the offerings tastes like plastic. I keep trying them thinking that they will get better, but so far I have been disappointed.
Props to the owners of Hell’s Kitchen/Angel Food Bakery for taking a stand against customer complaints about their stance on the Marriage Amendment. In their newsletter they made it very clear that they support Minnesota United for all Families and will not stop supporting this cause due to customer threats. Good for you.
because sometimes you need a treat.
@mplsgossipgirl
Real Meal Deli
Named appropriately, Real Meal Deli has awesome lunch offerings in the Minneapolis Skyway. Walk right by the Subway, Taco John’s, and Starbucks to a non-chain fast food deli.
Real Meal Deli gives people a fresh, affordable, and minimally processed menu. Started by a chef who has been working in the restaurant business since 1986, he wanted people who work in areas where there are many fast food offerings to have a place that is fast but fresh and healthy. A trend he thinks will never go out of style.
As you can see above, this place offers a meal with color. Red, green, purple, and yellow make for a beautiful lunch. My favorite item on their menu is their small sack which includes a small salad, cup of soup, and bread for under 7 dollars. When you order this lunch you have the choice of over 12 salads and 3 different kinds of soup. If you can, try the curried butternut squash soup. It has a hint of curry and is perfect for a fall day.
The sandwiches are also very popular and next time I am going to try the Cranberry Goat Turkey Sandwich. Is Thanksgiving here yet?
Real Meal Deli can be found in Minneapolis at the Baker Center and the TriTech Center and in Saint Paul at the 1st National Building. They each have different hours and some of the locations serve breakfast for under 5 dollars and a lunch special.
Have an event coming up? They also cater. Under 10 dollars a person you can get an awesome lunch or breakfast.
because fresh and local never go out of style.
@mplsgossipgirl
What is your favorite place to eat in the skyway?
yumPower – Free Cooking Classes
Who actually offers cooking classes for free? Well, yumPower does.
Want to learn healthy recipes? Are you in a food rut and sick of making the same meals over and over?
There are free cooking classes with Cooks of Crocus Hill that are being offered in connection with yumPower! Go to the yumPower website and sign up. They are being held at both the Shoreview Community Center and the Saint Louis Park Rec Center from 6:30-8:30PM on a few dates in September-November. You can choose from the topics of Ditch the Diet or Family Meals in Minutes.
Along with walking away with new recipes and skills you will also get a swag bag for attending the class.
Remember those hilarious commercials with Andrew Zimmern from Bizzare Foods eating spiders with children during lunch? That commercial is part of the yumPower campaign to help people eat healthier. A topic that Andrew is passionate about. He decided to partner with Health Partners a health insurance provider in Minnesota who started the yumPower campaign and recently teamed up with Park Nicollet. But, you do not have to be a Health Partners member to go to the cooking classes or to use the website.
This is only one part of what the health insurance companies in Minnesota are starting to try and combat obesity. The yumPower website offers a restaurant locator which shows you healthier items on the menu and a My Kitchen section that offers healthy recipes.
because what is better than something fun that is free!
@mplsgossipgirl
Cheeky Monkey Deli
I want to move into the Selby-Dale neighborhood because of this restaurant. Cheeky Monkey does breakfast, lunch, and dinner right with fresh, local, seasonal fare. I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed the food here.
This visit was the first time I had been on the patio out back. It is beautiful. I would suggest sitting there on a warm fall day.
I went here for brunch where they had available both the brunch menu and the lunch menu. I opted for the french toast which is pictured above and as you can tell it was delicious. The berry compote was to die for.
We also had a mushroom and brie omelette with the hash-browns after seeing someone else eating it. I would also suggest the coffee here, it is very good and made correctly. The servers always keep your cup filled.
I love going here for a calm meal. It is a relaxed atmosphere and the food is great. The prices are right as well.
because a good brunch can make a weekend great.
@mplsgossipgirl
Indianapolis, Indiana
I am not sure if I ever would have thought of traveling here if it was not for my cousins wedding. But, it ended up being a pretty good vacation. If you are looking for a city that is relaxed and easy to walk around, Indianapolis would be it. Indianapolis is only 10 hours away from Minneapolis and the drive is not too bad unless you hit traffic near Chicago.
Firstly, I have to mention our hotel. It was great! I have never had this spacious of a room. They also had water in the lobby and two attached restaurants. The beds were comfortable and the halls were quiet. The pool area was a bit small and it was really hot that weekend. So, more pool area would have been better, but not a deal breaker.
There were also some great views right outside the hotel. You can walk to many of the monuments and historical areas.
I wouldn’t recommend the breakfast at the hotel. The service was not great, they wouldn’t let my family sit by each other but still charged a group rate. One of my cousins was served a moldy bagel and did not apologize or take it off the bill. I had one experience there and it was also not good. I needed something to go and it was foreign to the worker, even when there was a posted take out menu.
My favorite part of the trip other than the wedding was going to a small town called Zionsville. It had it’s own Bentley dealership.
It is a town that is full of little shops and quaint restaurants. We had lunch at the Cobblestone Cafe. I wish it was not blisteringly hot as it was because they have a wonderful patio in the alley. Instead we sat inside and ate wonderful food. I had a salmon plate and a taste of a few other items on the menu.
If you go to Zionsville you need to stop at this cafe. It is everything I love about a small town restaurant especially the fresh food.
We also made stops at a chocolate shop called Ghyslain which was completely unexpected. It was housed in a beautiful old church with artwork on it’s walls.
They had a lunch menu and a case filled with desserts. I bought a box with many different kinds of chocolates.
We also stopped at a wine shop called The Wine Guy where they had an excellent selection on reasonably priced wines. I would love to have a shop like this right near my home. They also sold gift baskets and gourmet food items.
After this trip to Zionsville we explored more of downtown Indianapolis. We saw this large glass structure when we were walking around before and wanted to see what it was. It was a garden/concert venue that spanned the area between the streets in downtown.
When we got there there was a concert going on. What a great little venue. I would love to see some of my favorite bands in this close and unique setting.
That night we went to eat at the Colts Grill which was the only restaurant that could house my whole family without a previous reservation. I now know why it was so easy to get in there.
This restaurant committed some major fouls in the restaurant industry. First, it sells itself as a bar with craft brews, when I asked what was on tap the server could not tell me he had to find a menu and that took at least 10 minutes. I ordered a beer off that menu and it turns out it is not actually on tap right now and I ordered another one. It took almost 30 minutes to get a drink.
We ordered and waited and waited. Which was fine because we had good company. But, when the food finally came out, I had a completely different meal then I ordered. I told the server that I am a vegetarian. So, I purposely ordered a pasta dish that came without meat. He must have ordered the wrong one when entering it in the system. He apologized and brought out the right dish. Which was not good anyways.
We got the bill without any comp on it.
Then to make things worse I went to the restroom and of course picked a stall without toilet paper. Only to come out of the bathroom to find about 8 workers standing around the hostess stand.
The bar area had a good vibe. But, I definitely would not recommend going here if you make the trip to Indianapolis. Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if it already closed.
While we had some free time during an afternoon we spent time at the monument. There was a flash mob there one day when we were hanging out. It was really neat to see a bunch of people dancing together.
We then made a big mistake by thinking we should climb up the stairs in the monument. BAD IDEA. Especially, if you get a little claustrophobic. This is not the time to be a cheapskate.
331 steps later I made it to the top and then took the elevator back down.
All in all, it was a great trip. There is not too much to see in Indianapolis so a weekend is the right amount of time to see the sights, try some food, and go to Zionsville.
Because it is nice to get away to somewhere you have never been before.
@mplsgossipgirl
Aristos
My plan was to never share Aristos on my blog because it is my special place. It is my place to go if I want a good Greek home cooked meal.
Aristos specializes in homemade Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. I knew it was not fair to my readers and to Aristos to not share this wonderful restaurant.
When you pull up this place looks like a cheesy Greek family restaurant straight out of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. But, don’t let the looks fool you. The cooks here know how to make real Greek food.
You need to start with some of the cold appetizers, I suggest doing the combo and getting 3 or 4 different kinds. You then can bring some home with you for the next day. If you can resist not eating them all right away. Also, try the soup. I love this lemon soup because it is light and a great way to start the meal.
Never-ever-ever order the french fries. Not because they are not good, but because this is a Greek restaurant and they do all the other sides much better. I would not order the sandwiches either just because their entrees, meat, and pasta dishes are great. I have had the falafel and gyro plates and both are great. Below is a picture of the falafel plate.
But, what is even better than the meals listed above are the specials which are listed on a white board right when you enter. These have always been the best. This time we had the mussels in white wine and linguini.
As you can tell from this picture, it was good.
They also have beer and wine for great prices. Including Mythos a Hellenic Lager Beer. It’s tasty with Greek food.
My goal is to one day take a cooking class from the cooks here. Yum!
After your meal head down to Stillwater and get a drink at one of the bars or walk around by the river. It is a great place to spend a fall day.
Because it’s time to go Greek.
@mplsgossipgirl
#CatVidFest – @walkerartcenter
When cat-ladies and gents are called to assemble, they do. 10,000 people came out for the first Internet Cat Video Festival at The Walker Art Center last night. As part of their open field programming, people watched cat videos together laughing along at the hilarious kitties. Seriously, what could be better than people watching internet videos communally in a shared experience?
The cat-lady-in-residence at The Walker couldn’t resist the idea of getting together her people to enjoy something together that is normally watched behind a computer screen when you need a break from that project at work that never ends.
Lots of other people liked that idea as well. Not only did this #CatVidFest get local attention from The City Pages, it got national attention from the Huffington Post and BBC news. My cat Nuggs loved going and getting attention from all the cat lovers in the audience.
It can be best described by me in one word: fun. A group of women sitting by me were there to celebrate a birthday and had brought some snacks and boxed wine (don’t tell). There were children as well as older adults sitting by each other all laughing at the funny things that cats do. It was a great event to go to on a Thursday night.
I hope that The Walker decides to do this again and does an entry for local cat videos. They also might want to think about more parking because of how popular this event was.
People are starting to discover the great programming that The Walker Art Center offers, for FREE. I can remember coming to the Walker Sculpture Garden as a child on field trips and being able to run around by Spoonbridge and Cherry. Not only is the Sculpture Garden free every day, The Walker offers free Thursday nights in the gallery and special events like Open Field and Free First Saturdays.
Open field is from June to September and offers a place for people to gather and exchange skills and interests in an informal setting. The Walker even has a tool shed with games and art supplies for people to borrow and create magic together.
Free First Saturdays have different themes and coming up tomorrow, September 1st, they will be hosting, “Get Up and Read.” If you read Nancy Carlson as a child, you have to bring your family to The Walker. There will be book readings from Nancy, activities from her books in the Sculpture Garden, a chance to make your own book, and an opportunity to put together your own healthy snack.
They also have a fabulous restaurant named Gather that is open on Thursday nights. I go there often because it is an affordable luxury. They have guest chefs from around Minnesota come and create small plates. The first Thursday of each month they offer a couple free dishes from the guest chef. Plus, the happy hour is to die for. It goes from 5-7PM and all small plates are 5 dollars and they have a seasonal cocktail for 5 dollars as well. I love the grilled cheeses and the bahn mi. Keep a look out for the guest chefs in the coming months, I believe they are one is the most famous chefs to come out of Minnesota and has a restaurant near The Walker. I would make your reservations now.
I also have to throw in a shout-out to all the animal shelters in Minnesota. I adopted Nuggs at The Animal Humane Society and it was a great experience. They helped me pick out the perfect cat for me. I wanted an older cat who liked sleeping and cuddling. If you are thinking of getting a cat consider adopting an older one.
because being a cat lady is cool
@mplsgossipgirl
You can find more pictures of the event on my instagram account: mplsgossipgirl
or follow me on tumblr; mplsgossipgirl
mplsgossipgirl 