Valentine’s Day Pop-Up at Hazel and Rose
There’s really nothing better than getting a thoughtful gift. The gifts you will find at the Hazel and Rose Valentine’s Pop-Up are sustainable, ethical, and have been carefully selected by shop owner Emma Olson. You’ll be in good hands if you are still in search of the perfect gift.
The items you will find at this pop-up won’t be found at any big box retailer and certainly are created and manufactured with love. Many items are handmade which adds to the uniqueness. I think I might just go shop for myself because Valentine’s Day is about self love. Right?
The event at Hazel and Rose will feature five brands that value sustainability, ethical manufacturing, quality, and beauty:
- Uye Surana: handmade in NYC lingerie
- L. SHOFF: sustainably sourced fine jewelry
- Meadowlands Chocolate: organic fair trade bean-to-bar chocolate
- Hello, I’m Kate!: locally made hand lettered cards
- Little Barn Apothecary: small batch natural skincare
Thursday, Feb 11 – Saturday, Feb 13 11am-7pm until Sunday, Feb 14 11am-4pm.
If you can’t make it out to this event make sure you sign up for the Hazel and Rose email list: http://www.shophazelandrose.com/
because you don’t want to screw up Valentine’s Day even if it’s just for yourself. #TreatYoSelf
@mplsgossipgirl
Vote LoLa
As a supporter of local business, I had to tell you what is going on in Wrenshall, MN. A business called the Locally Laid Egg Company is one of four small businesses in a contest with intuit to win an ad during the big game.
The only thing you need to do to support them is visit VoteLoLa.com and click the vote button everyday until December 1st. Thank goodness, finally a contest where you don’t have to like anything, give any information, or sell your soul to help someone out.
I think you should support LoLa because they are local, sustainable, and they have a really awesome product. You may have had LoLa eggs if you have eaten at Duluth Grill, GastroTruck, or Surdyk’s Flights. You can find a full list HERE. Many of the local Coops sell the eggs too. If you have eaten the eggs at any of these places or in your own home you know how delicious they are. There is a different taste to eggs that are local and come from happy birds.
The Amundsen family wants to win to get people talking about different kinds of agriculture and encourage others to get into farming. Jason Admundsen started Locally Laid after his second layoff from a non-profit grant writing job and has invested everything into this business. You can tell just by looking at the Locally Laid website and blog that they truly care about what they are doing and want to do as much as they can to give back, including planting a tree for every delivery.
So, tell your friends, tell your family, tell your co-workers, and tell the person sitting next to you on the bus to VoteLoLa. It is even mobile optimized.
because happy chickens make yummy eggs
@mplsgossipgirl
Jeanne Beatrice -HAMMS Event
On Saturday, April 20th I will be attending the HAMMS- Help a Minnesota Maker Succeed event at the old Hamm’s Brewery Shipping Docks. This event is for men, women, their dogs and those who like to shop local and small. A portion of the ticket proceeds will be awarded to one of the small businesses at the end of the event.
La Vie Henna
As a fan of fashion, I connected with the image on the website of a really cute Market Basket from Jeanne Beatrice; the perfect summer bag (pictured above). Everyone in Minnesota is ready for summer but it feels like it may never come with all the unseasonably cold weather lately. One of my favorite summer activities is going to the farmers market on a Sunday. There is something uplifting about spending the morning at the market in the sun and picking up fresh food from local farmers. Why not do it fashionably with a market bag from Jeanne Beatrice?
Jeanne Beatrice was started by Laura J. Benson a former Lawyer who created a business doing what she loved. The baskets are made in Morocco by local artisans. Each bag takes 6-8 hours to complete and each is a unique work of art.
The La Vie Shadow II
I chose to feature Jeanne Beatrice because the Market Bags are affordable, fun, and a great way to help someone across the world. Also, they would be a great gift for a mother for Mother’s Day or a bridal party gift for your bridesmaids. The La Vie Shadow II is on sale for only $27.00 and with its steel grey or pink details, would be perfect for the beach.
My other favorite bags are the one featured on the HAMMS site called the La Vie Henna because of the stitching around the handles and the La Vie en Colour because they are traditional with a pop of color.
La Vie en Colour
You can find all products from Jeanne Beatrice on the website, https://www.jeannebeatrice.com/, or in over 150 boutiques around the world. You can even come to the HAMMS event and pick one up there.
Laura thinks you should come to the event because it, “will be an absolute blast.” It will be a shopping event like no other because the vendors are interacting with customers in different ways and are encouraged to bring wine and appetizers. A fellow foodie, Laura is looking forward to the food trucks that will be there.
If you are someone who likes to shop local and support small business this is the perfect event for you. Tickets to the HAMMS Event on Saturday, April 20th from 10AM-7PM are available online at http://www.hammsevent.com/ until 10 pm on April 19 or for 15 dollars at the door.
because you can look good and do good at the same time.
@mplsgossipgirl
Minnesota Breweries
I am not sure what I love most about Minnesota. I know of something that comes close. BEER. I am proud of craft brewers of Minnesota because they are making some wonderful brews. Call me a beer snob but, enough of the Budweiser and light crap, I would take a Minnesota beer over those anytime, anyplace.
I am also proud to call Minnesota my home because of the push to get these wonderful beers in our restaurants and the work that is being done to let them open tap rooms! The more beer the merrier or at least that is my opinion on it.
Here is a list of a few breweries I haven’t been to but I am hoping to make it there sometime soon.
1. Castle Danger Brewery
In Northern MN on the way to the Gun Flint Trail you will drive through a small town called Castle Danger. This is the greatest name for a town and I want to buy a cabin there eventually.
This is a production brewery and only puts out a few different beers at a time. It is a one- man production. The family who owns the brewery also own the Castle Haven Cabins. Sounds like a great weekend trip to me. They are already booked for summer but have some availability in the next few weeks.
Growlers are available every Wed, Fri & Sat from 4-7pm at the brewery filled with your choice of beer that we currently have. Now Available: Danger Ale, Camp Depression Lager & George Hunter Stout.
More information here on their website: http://www.castledangerbrewery.com/
2. Boom Island Brewing Company
Owned by a french horn playing couple Boom Island sits on the banks of the Mississippi. This is a Belgium style brewery with strange named beers like thoprock.
You can contact the brewery for tours. I believe that it is pretty small. Otherwise, you can find their beers on tap at places like the Happy Gnome and Pig & Fiddle.
Check out their Website here: http://boomislandbrewing.com/home.html
3. Harriet Brewing
If you are looking for a brewery in Minneapolis look no further than Harriet Brewing. They have a newly open taproom which has been getting a lot of attention lately. Plus, you can take the light rail there.
They focus mostly on European style beers specifically German and Belgium. It was started in a garage on lake Harriet hence the name and has grown into it’s new space. If you go to an event hosted by them you will notice the local art and music.
They currently have a home brew and label competition going on to help their delivery man Andy who hurt his hand.
Check their website to see when the tap room is open: http://www.harrietbrewing.com/
It is usually open Friday and Saturday nights.
4. Surly Brewing Company
Starting as a home brewer in 1994 Omar Ansari most likely never thought he would own a brewery like he does today. Surly is one of the fastest growing names in beer not only in Minnesota but around the country.
Surly is a term coined by the company that means the anger that is fueled by not being able to find a good beer. Good beer is the name of the game at Surly, who taunts people who don’t drink it by posting their tag line, ” Good beer is an acquired taste, get some.” Omar is credited for working to get tap rooms a commonplace around Minnesota.
Surly is soooo popular that you need to actually sign up online to take a tour of the brewery. Check out the website here and sign up: http://www.surlybrewing.com/brewery/tours.html
5. Lift Bridge Brewery
Their mission is simple. To create fine beers for you to enjoy. I picked lift bridge to make my list simply because Stillwater is a must in the summer. It is a wonderful place to enjoy a beer. Plus, I love the farm girl brew.
You have to sign up online to go on a tour of Lift Bridge Brewery: http://www.liftbridgebrewery.com/tours.aspx
I was inspired by another blogger to write a post about Minnesota Breweries after seeing the wonderful pictures on his page. I hope this helps get more people to visit breweries and try some craft brews that are local. Check back later to see pictures from my brewery tours.
Thanks Cameronkarsten for your post Odin Brewery. http://cameronkarsten.wordpress.com/
Because beer is a beautiful thing
@mplsgossipgirl
mplsgossipgirl 