5 fun things to try on the day before Saint Patrick’s Day 2013
Everyone knows St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated on Saturday this year since going out on a Sunday night is not feasible for those who work early Monday morning.
Here is 5 Fun things to do this Saint Patrick’s Day:
- Do a super- scientific poll and see how many people know that Saturday is not really Saint Patrick’s Day.
- Attend the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. Starting at 6:30PM the parade travels down Nicollet. My favorite is the Bag Pipers and the huge Irish Setter dogs who make an appearance every year.
- Have a Jameson and Ginger or the Two Gingers at The Local in Downtown Minneapolis. It will be very crowded but don’t worry they have space outside as well.
- Drink so much green beer that your pee turns green. Just kidding. But, does that really happen? Drink a Finnegans instead 100% of their profits go to charity.
- Later tonight head to The Saloon. If you want to see the best costuming and green clothing items in town.
Because you are Irish today.
@mplsgossipgirl
Best All You Can Eat Sushi in the Twin Cities – Aji
I am not usually a fan of the All-You-Can-Eat type of places but I was pleasantly surprised by Aji Contemporary Japanese in Hopkins. They have a sushi bar that gives you a chance to try many different rolls at what I think is a reasonable price.
This isn’t a place that I would frequent all of the time. But, when I am in a sushi rut it is a good way to try something new. The chefs who work the sushi bar are friendly and will take requests, if you ask nicely. They can also explain the rolls that have already been made. If you really like a certain roll, you will know what to order next time. If you do not like a specific roll or ingredient you know to avoid it in the future.
I would suggest Aji for the more adventurous sushi eater. Someone who is willing to go past the California and the Philly roll and go for something with crispy skin or eel.
Eating sushi off a bar freaks me out a little bit. But, the ingredients they were using were fresh. I saw them cutting a fresh fish while I was there. The rolls go quickly as well, I was not worried about them sitting out for too long.
The Aji website is not clear as to how much the sushi bar is and when they have it open. It is not open all of the time. I know that the lunch is a bit cheaper than dinner and that Sunday is special. I would call ahead of time and ask some questions to make sure you are not disappointed.
because try something new!
@mplsgossipgirl
North Shore, MN
I love the North Shore in the wintertime. Yes, it can be bitter cold. But, it is simply beautiful as well.
On the way up to the North Shore I always stop in Duluth to get a bite to eat. I can never wait long enough to make it to Two Harbors, so Duluth it always is.
My stop in Duluth included a trip to Duluth Grill. I have been talking up this place with many friends and on here after my summer trip. You can read about it HERE.
Duluth Grill serves really good food. The portions are huge and there are so many options I think it would take me a year to eat all of the combinations. I stopped here for dinner this time and because it was a Friday they had fish specials. I tried both the meat loaf and salmon. Both were delicious. I cannot remember anything that I have ever had there that I did not like though. The salmon came with smashed sweet potatoes that were cooked just right with a bit of brown sugar on top. The service was great and made me sad that we don’t have a Grill in Minneapolis. Hint, Hint.
Another stop I have to make is in Grand Marais at the Fish Market. I always pick up fish to make during the trip. It is always fresh and cooks up quickly. I also like the salmon dip from here as well. It is a wonderful appetizer for a wintertime party (see below). I have never eaten at the Fish Market because it does close after New Years for a bit and by the time I get there they are done serving food. I am going to make it a stop on the next summer trip I take.
Also in Grand Marais I like to stop in all the local stores especially the Sivertson Art Gallery with work from artists like Dave Gilsvik and Jim Brandenburg. It is fun to look at all the different artwork and sip tea. Many of the artists live in the North Shore and their art reflects many of the sites of the North Shore. It would be like taking a piece of the shore home with you.
In Grand Marias I also enjoy the trading post because of all the great brands that they have there. I can always find something to use. This year I bought a pair of gloves with fur that are missing the fingers. I like them when it is not too cold outside because it is easy to grab my bus pass.
We always stay in a VRBO rental (Vacation Rentals By Owner). It is a great way to do a vacation with a larger group or if you like to cook. This year we stayed in Tofte, MN. I liked Tofte because there are a few shops and gas stations not too far away for supplies. I haven’t stayed in any of the hotels in the area but, I am curious as to what they are like as well. I am a sucker for a pool. Also, stay on the lake because the views are breathtaking.
If it is not too cold out, take a hike. There are so many places to hike in the area. If you have snow shoes there are cleaned paths that you can take as well. Many of the local gas stations and stores have maps. My best suggestion is to ask a local.
On the way home I stopped at Sir Ben’s. Deli by day, bar by night. I love the relaxed atmosphere and the beer selection. It is a really fun place to be. Try whatever their special is that day or whatever on the menu speaks to you. I have yet to be disappointed.
because you gotta get, get, get away.
@mplsgossipgirl
India Palace – Roseville
Right off the freeway, India Palace may not exactly look like a palace. But, don’t judge this palace by its cover. The food is very good.
I am not an expert by any means in Indian food. But, I do know when something is cooked correctly. I had the Rogan Josh which is lamb cooked in a yogurt sauce and special spices. I thought the lamb was cooked correctly and fell apart when cut with a fork and I liked the spice blend that they used. It helped the cold that I had.
I also ordered Roti and garlic Naan. I liked the Nann better, it was a little lighter. Don’t forget the beer. I had the Taj Mahal which went nicely with the food. Not the best beer that I have ever had because it is lighter in nature but, paired well with the lamb.
Overall, this restaurant gave me the home cooked meal feel. It was warm and inviting. Be prepared to wait awhile for your food since the service is a little slow. It didn’t really bother me at all. They have several other locations in Minnesota as well.
In the future, I want to travel to India. Until then, I will have to do with eating at India Palace.
What is your favorite Indian restaurant?
because I like it spicy!
@mplsgossipgirl
C.J. Chenier at The Ordway
As an avid fan of the show Swamp People I was familiar with Zydeco music before attending The Ordway on Friday night to see C.J Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band. This was my first time at a World Music and Dance Series event and had no idea what to expect. Are people really going to sit and watch a Zydeco band and not dance?
As I walked in to find my seat I thought I saw what looked like a dance floor and a diverse audience with people of all ages. I then searched my program for any sort of direction. It does not tell me if I can get up and dance or what is appropriate or not appropriate in this theater. During the opening act a few brave souls danced around what I thought was the dance floor but I was unsure if the staff at The Ordway was okay with this.
As soon as C.J. Chenier hit the stage there was no doubt left in my mind that everyone could and should get up and dance. People actually rushed the dance floor. Unfortunately, I was up in the highest balcony and only was able to watch from my high perch but I would have loved to bust a move to this lively music. My suggestion is to get tickets on the floor level for Dance events if you want to dance. If you are someone who is not up for cutting a rug I would sit up in the balconies.
This upbeat, and fast-paced music was the perfect way to warm up on a chilly winter night. Zydeco music originated from southwest Louisiana where it is warm and it reflects just that. It comes from the Creole culture and much like the culture the music mixed many sounds. Even if it was only for a few hours I felt like I was in the Bayou eating some boiled crawfish and relaxing. I almost forgot that I was not on vacation. Hopefully, this event helped gain a few more Zydeco fans in the Twin Cities because I would love to hear this music more often.
because you should put on those dancin’ shoes
@mplsgossipgirl
*disclosure: I am a blogger for The Ordway and receive tickets to the shows.
Tony Bennett at the State Theater
Tony Bennett is truly a master of his craft. I have been a fan of his music for as long as I can remember singing along with classics that stand the test of time. I am not sure why I was 20 years younger than anyone else in the audience but it could be because my generation does not know what a real voice sounds like anymore. We are used to hearing people who have been auto tuned or not singing at all. Remember when Paris Hilton put out a single and Beyonce lip-synced at the Inauguration? Listening to Tony Bennett sing the words, “fly me to the moon,” without a microphone and projecting all the way to the back of the State Theater was a stark reminder of how much talent he possesses. If you ever have the chance to get a ticket to see Tony, do it.
because he melts my cold, cold heart
@mplsgossipgirl
Dino’s Gyros
I am not a fast food person. The fastest that I do is Panera and Subway on occasion.
Dino’s is the exception to the rule. This place has some really great Gyros. It is sort of half restaurant and half fast food because they bring the food to your table but you can also do take out as well which makes it “fast”.
This is one of my favorite “fast food” places because they are who they are. They do Greek food, only Greek food (well other than the ice cream machine and the beer).
What they do, they do well. My favorites are the gyro (the normal plain one) and the pita chips and spicy feta dip. It is excellent because they make the gyro eatable with the right amount of meat, tomato, onion, and cucumber sauce (tzatziki). It is all about ratios. It rolls up so you can bite into it without it going everywhere. Not to mention the pita is perfectly soft.
The spicy feta is something that cannot be missed as well. It really adds that kick to the meal and the pita chips that come with the dip are freshly made. I had enough to bring some home to have for lunch the next day.
Dino’s is a great place to go to grab a quick meal. It is good food quick.
Because good food can be fast food.
@mplsgossipgirl.
2012 in Minneapolis with mplsgossipgirl
What a year 2012 has been. When I started my blog on February 27, 2012 I never thought anyone would read it. I simply wanted to have an online diary to remember what I did in 2012.
But, I was wrong, so wrong. Not only did you start reading but you passed www.mplsgossipgirl.com on to you family and friends. Thank you!
I have enjoyed writing this blog because of all of you. I view this blog as a shared experience. You have sent me ideas, told me about your favorite restaurants, and disclosed some of your secrets of the city. I am incredibly lucky that you have reached out to me and because of you I have experienced the Twin Cities in a whole new way.
If you are a new reader, I wanted to share with you some of my most popular posts of the year. It would be a good place for you to start to explore in Minnesota.
This post had the most views in one day:
Gather at the Walker: I wrote about the fantastic happy hour at Gather. They have 5 dollar small plates and a 5 dollar specialty drink. You can read more about it HERE.
These were the posts that you liked the best:
1. Rainbow Foods: I wrote a post about when Rainbow did UNLIMITED Double coupons and showed you how much money I saved. You can read this post HERE.
2. Duluth, MN: This summer I went on a road trip with my best friend up to Duluth and the North Shore. It was an amazing trip you can read about it HERE.
3. MN Restaurant Week: I love restaurant week because they have fantastic tasting menus. You can read this post HERE. You can also read about how to participate in restaurant week HERE.
These are my favorite posts from 2012:
Wuollet Bakery: I loved visiting Wuollet’s this year to see all the wonderful creations. It is fun to go and see a business that is local and creating a wonderful product. They have my favorite cupcakes in Downtown Minneapolis, Red Velvet is my favorite. You can read about the bakery HERE.
Billy Elliot at The Ordway: This was the best show that I went to see this year. It was unexpected but it kept me entertained and I wanted to go and see it again. You can read about it HERE.
Food and Wine: I loved going to this event. I was able to try food from many of the restaurants in the cities and also drink wine. What could be better than that? I will be posting about this year’s event very soon. You can read about it HERE.
Now my blog has new goals, bigger goals. I want to share with you local non-profits to become involved with, fun events to try, show you local businesses and products that you might not know about, and review new restaurants to wake-up your taste buds. Most of all, I want you to try something new this year.
You can follow along with my list or make one of your own:
If you like my posts, please share it with your friends and family. I would love to hear about what they think I should do next. I am always looking for suggestions. You can leave me a comment or tweet me @mplsgossipgirl.
Lastly, as 2012 has been closed and 2013 has arrived I wish to thank all of the readers, local businesses, and this great state of Minnesota for enriching my life.
because you make my life more fun!
@mplsgossipgirl
If you own a local business, are part of a non-profit, or want to learn about how to work with a blogger you can find more information on my PR tab HERE. Email me and we can talk.
If you don’t know this yet, all opinions on the site are my own. I am never paid to review a restaurant, event, or product in a certain way nor will I ever accept payment to do so. I am offered compensation for my opinions sometimes but I will let you know that in the post, I legally have to do so. This website is 100% me, written only my me, created by me, and will always be my opinion.
Top 20 New Things to Try in 2013 in Minneapolis
Every year I try to make goals, usually they involve weight loss or cooking a meal so many times a week. This year I needed a change, I picked 20 new things to try for 2013. Goals should be fun and it should be fun completing them.
I encourage you to leave me comments or Tweet me (@mplsgossipgirl) to help me on my quest to complete my list. I am looking for suggestions, helpful advice, and items for my list for next year.
Top 20 New Things to Try in 2013 in Minneapolis
1. Brewing Beer– I love to drink it. I should learn how to make it. I would love to travel to Vine Park since I am a bit low on space. Or even try to make my own at home with Midwest Suppy or Northern Brewer. What do you think?
2. Go to a Pop music concert– I haven’t been to one in years but there is something about going to a Christina, Madonna, or Justin Bieber concert that makes your toes tap. Who is coming to town?
3. Take a Class at The Loft. Clearly, I like to write. I have been dying to take a class at The Loft Literary Center for a while. What were your favorite classes?
4. Find a new hole in the wall restaurant. And share it with all of you. Any suggestions are welcome and I am willing to travel anywhere in Minnesota to find a new favorite place.
5. Enter a baked good in the Minnesota State Fair. I love the fair and I love to make baked goods. I am hoping my grandma who is a ribbon winner will help me. If you have any suggestions of what I need to do as well. Let me know.
6. Travel somewhere outside of Minnesota. Love you MN, but I need to do some outside travel.
7. Learn how to can foods. I really like curried pickles which means I need to make them myself. Do you know where I can take a class? Maybe I will enter them in the State Fair too!
8. Discover a new thrift store. I am open to suggestions, please send them to me!
9. Go to a winery. Or maybe a winery tour of many wineries. Where have you gone? Have you been to Northern Vineyards, Falconer Vineyards and Winery, Cannon River Winery, Alexis Bailly Vineyard, or St. Croix Vineyards?
10. Go see an IMax Movie. I know that this is silly but I haven’t been to one yet.
11. Travel to a small town in Minnesota for a weekend trip. Any town suggestions?
12. Go to a Gopher Football game. I want to go to a game in the new stadium and cheer on the gophers.
13. Do live band karaoke. Where is the best place?
14. Run a 5K. Did I mention I cannot run. I prance. So I will prance the 5K. What is the best 5K in the Twin Cities?
15. Go to a show at 1st Ave. I think it would be fun to go and see a band that I might have never heard of. I am open to suggestions.
16. Take a walk over the Stone Arch Bridge. Sometimes it is nice to do something relaxing.
17. Visit the buffet at one of our casinos. Just for fun! What casino has the best buffet?
18. Dakota Jazz Club. I love jazz and I had some of the food from the Dakota Jazz Club at the Food and Wine Show last year and it was delicious. I need to get there. The whole needing to pay to get in to pay for dinner scares me a bit. But, I need to take a jump off the cliff and try it.
19. Go to the Opera! I am hoping to go see a show at some point this year with the Minnesota Opera.
20. Do something uniquely Minnesotan. I don’t know what this is particular goal is… but I will know once I partake in something uniquely Minnesotan. What do you think is something that every Minnesotan has to do?
because 2013 is going to be epic.
@mplsgossipgirl
mplsgossipgirl 