Boots, Beats & Eats

~Jackalope~

Having lived in a house full of dudes for my last years of college,  saying I was excited about the idea of decorating a new apartment would have been an understatement. Though the furniture part was easy for me, when it came to the art aspect, I couldn’t justify shelling out hundreds of dollars on pieces I loved but looked like I could reproduce myself.

Below are a few paintings I’ve created since my move to Minneapolis. The “N” and “A” are hung above our bedrooms. My sister is sort of obsessed with cats, so I added a cat silhouette to the lower corner of hers. For mine, I had recently bought some Hunter Wellies and had immediately taken notice to the brand’s symbol. Here,  I simply swapped their H for my N and voila! I also created a vintage transit scroll that includes several Minneapolis neighborhoods coupled with a split piece of the city’s skyline.

~Personalized Canvas'~

Creating your own art not only brings about  originality, but it also makes the pieces more personal and significant, not to mention less expensive. The jackalope and letter canvas’ were purchased for less than 3 dollars each!

Twin Cities Transit Circa 1913

Ok, so it’s safe to say that I’m in awe of the Twin Cities. Minneapolis/St.Paul has to be the most underrated, undiscovered metropolis in the US.. Seriously, a place where artists like Atmosphere, Brother Ali, and Prince all call home (not to mention one of the greatest authors of the 20th century, F. Scott Fitzgerald lived here) has to be something special. The contrast of the historic red brick buildings in St. Paul to the contemporary skyscrapers of Minneapolis is intriguingly unique.

When I moved here I required the location of my apartment to be in a different district than the rest of my friends with this idea in mind; we’d all be able to explore the nooks and crannies of the neighborhoods, then share our city secrets with each other.

Outside Chino Latino

We’ve successfully covered our grounds. With friends in Uptown, Loring Park, The Warehouse District, and Grand Ave we can wander accordingly and look to each other for residential expertise. Besides the weekends, we get together every other week for happy hours in one of our own neighborhoods. This week’s was in Uptown at Chino Latino, such an awesome vibe (love the sequined decor on the outside of the entrance). Exploring the city + happy hour with friends…pretty solid combination.

Holidazzle Bus on Nicollet

Ahhhh the holidays are upon us, and what better way to spend them than in the beautiful wintry backdrop that Minneapolis provides? This year instead of dealing with the flight cancellations and delays that accompany every major holiday, I decided to stay put and have my brother battle his way over to the Midwest instead. Luckily he arrived on time, luggage and all.

This year marked the first time my siblings and I have ever had to prepare a Thanksgiving feast all by ourselves. Our brother was put in charge of the turkey, and surprisingly there were hardly any set backs (minus a slice to the bottom of the roasting pan during the carving process). Needless to say there was a huge surplus in food which have allowed for some creative, and equally delicious leftover meals. Today’s lunch; A whole wheat wrap with Laughing Cow cheese, cranberry sauce, tomatoes, lettuce and turkey. Next on the list, this Turkey Cuban Panini from Panini Happy.

Turkey Cuban Panini~~Click For Recipe

Eat, drink and be merry!

The Twits ~ Roald Dahl

Recently I came across a quote from my favorite childhood author, Roald Dahl. I was immediately reminded of how his books could transport me from my bedroom to a world of  friendly giants, peaches, witches, and chocolate factories (depending on which book I was reading). Needless to say I was on the phone with my mom five minutes later, begging her to dig up his books and mail a Roald Dahl care package out to me. I can’t wait to uncover the hidden messages the brilliant author provides that I was oblivious to the first time around.

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View of MPLS from the Stone Arch Bridge

Personal preference: the first snowfall of the year should be epic. When winter decides to announce its arrival I always hope for a ‘loud and clear’, booming entrance. These last two years I’ve been lucky enough to have just that. Last year in Madison the first blizzard prompted this along with the first snow day UW has called in over 30 years.

This years’ storm wasn’t nearly as intense, but I was still pleasantly surprised to wake up to 4 or 5 solid inches of snow Saturday morning. I know getting excited about snow in Minneapolis sounds..well, crazy – but who can deny how beautiful the city looks blanketed in a fresh, clean layer of  snow? Sometimes I wonder if this city was actually designed to look better in a winter backdrop…

“The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event.  You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?”  ~J.B. Priestley

This year my boyfriend and I traded in our Halloween costumes for an amazing weekend getaway with family and friends in Asheville, North Carolina. His little sister was celebrating her 21st birthday, and in sophisticated southern fashion we spent all of Saturday indulging in wine tasting and tours on the famous Biltmore Estate.

I’ve only been to the south a few times, however a tiny part of me has always wanted to live there at least once in my life. This last weekend solidified that desire.

Asheville, North Carolina is a bustling little city with a big appetite for the arts. Often referred to as the “Paris of the South”, or the “San Francisco of the East”, the city, with a population of just 75,000, is home to more than 26 art galleries, nine theaters, and is a mecca for live music. Over the weekend a music festival known as Moogfest (formally held in New York City, but transferred for the first time to Asheville) took over the town for three full days. The atmosphere was electrifying.

Aside from its character, the city’s surroundings are simply stunning. Nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountain Range, Asheville boasts breathtaking views from every direction, while providing the ultimate playground for outdoor enthusiasts.

Birthday Dinner at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa

The city has definitely wet my appetite for the South. Next on the list….how to acquire that cute southern drawl…

Dear Summer,

I’m going to miss you. Please feel free to stop in early next year. Beginning of March works for me.

Sincerely,

Your Biggest Fan

Last weekend I experienced my first ever Twins baseball game. For those of you who don’t know (or live under a rock) Target Field is the Minnesota Twins’ brand new baseball stadium, a major upgrade from the Metrodome.  In fact “upgrade” is an understatement. According to KSTP.com “When comparing 122 teams in the MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL, ESPN: The Magazine ranked the Twins and Target field number one overalll in stadium experience.”

My boyfriend’s dad was in town for the weekend and was generous enough to, yes, ‘take us out to the ball game’. To our pleasant surprise, we had booked some of the best seats in the house; row 1 center field.  Not only was our view of the field completely unobstructed, but we could also lean over and watch the Oakland A’s players warming up (What’s up Coco Crisp).

This weekend it finally hit me why baseball is one of America’s favorite past times. What could be better than drinking beer, eating peanuts and watching baseball on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon? To top it off, the Twins walked away with a win, after all what else can you expect from the only MLB team that has the word ‘win’ in their name?