Date Night with TED

For the last few years I’ve been hearing about these things called “TED” talks popping up in conversations and occasionally being circulated via Facebook and other social networking mediums.  I’d watched a few of the videos and knew they were high quality, but had never  taken the time to check out the site and understand the concept behind TED.

So today I thought I’d share a little background on it for those who are also unfamiliar.  Quite simply, TED is a non-profit devoted to sharing “Ideas Worth Spreading.”  Starting back in 1984, they created a conference that brought together people from the fields of Technology, Entertainment and Design.  Over the years more disciplines were integrated and the event expanded from one conference to four.  Of utmost importance at the conference is the fact that all talks must be recorded under a Creative Commons License, so that they can be freely shared across the internet.

Here’s a blip from their website that summarizes what they do:

“We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we’re building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other.”

To get a taste of what a TED Talk looks like, check out this 3 minute talk from Bobby McFerrin:

The Implications of Finding TED

Nick and I both love learning about random things, so discovering TED was a major find in our world.  In fact, we spent our entire Friday night watching Ted Talks that ranged from anywhere between 3 to 20 minutes.  We had a blast rotating back and forth, each choosing subjects that were of interest to us.  In the 90 minute span we would typically spend on a movie, we learned about:

• A family escaping the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia,
• Dan Pink talking about what motivates people,
• Malcolm Gladwell talking about innovations in Food science, and
• Jill Bolte talking about what happened to her brain function when she suffered a stroke.

All were equally captivating and when you add a little popcorn to the mix, you’ve pretty much got a perfect date night!  I recommend that you give it a try on your next designated “night in”.  I think you’ll find it a welcome change-up from the norm!

Cheap Date Ideas: Summer Concert Season is underway!

Seriously, there is no better time than June and July in Minnesota.  Not only do you have the great outdoors to romp in, but there are great concerts every weekend (that cost little or next to nothing to get into).  My hands-down favorite is the Basilica Block Party, which I had been involved in for the last three years.  I am VERY SAD to be missing it this year (tear)!  This is easily the best line-up they’ve had in 5 years.  Not only will there be a reunion concert by the Jayhawks, but performances by Mat Kearney, Matt Nathanson and Counting Crows (to name a few).  This year should not be missed!  Get your tickets now.  I am certain it will be sold-out by the night of.  For those of you who are curious about the summer music scene but have not yet attended, here are a few of my top picks:

1. Basilica Block Party, July 10-12th, Minneapolis Basilica, www.basilicablockparty.org
2. Grand Old Day, June 7th on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, www.grandave.com
3. 24 Hours of Music, This has been a favorite of mine for years that Macy’s has sponsored at Orchestra Hall/Peavey Plaza, but details about it are strangely absent online…. budget cuts perhaps?
4. Sommerfest, July 18th-31st, Orchestra Hall, indoor and outdoor concerts abound with this festival.
5. Aquatennial Block Party, July 17th, on Nicollet Mall, Free, www.aquatennial.com, The Gin Blossoms performing
6. Minnesota Fringe Festival, through August 9th, various venues, Not technically a concert, but very definitely a unique performing arts festival.  www.fringefestival.org

A Moroccan Feast!

I arrived in DC late Friday night and Nick treated me to a fun new cuisine I had never sampled before – Moroccan!  Wow.  What a feast!  We ate at Taste of Morocco in DC, one of the best know venues in town for that type of cuisine.  We each sampled a tasting menu for $25 a person consisting of 6courses:

• Harrira or Lentil Soup
• Royal Salad (a mix of 3 different cold salads – eggplant, carrot and cucumber)
• Chicken Bastilla
• Chicken and Lamb Tagine
• Moroccan Mint Tea
• Moroccan Pastries

I was simply blown away by the deliciousness of this cuisine.  I can’t remember liking something this much in a VERY long time.  The tastes were an interesting mixture of savory and sweet.  Particularly perplexing but OH SO FABULOUS was the Chicken Bastilla.  Pictured atop, this phyllo-pastry is stuffed with a marinated chicken, almonds, parsley and onions and topped with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.  I know it sounds disgusting, but the combination is HEAVENLY.  One of the most unique, memorable dishes I’ve tried in the last year.  The soup was my other favorite of the meal, followed by the Tagine.  Everything had this interesting mix of savory and sweet.  Bread had a unique sweet finish.  The Tagine had raisins with the lamb, etc. As if the food wasn’t delightful enough, we also were treated to a 30 minute Belly Dancing Show while we dined.  2 hours later we left with a full belly and a big smile on our faces.

Please try out some local Moroccan cuisine in your city.  For Minnesotans, your best options are Mairin’s Table and the Marrakesh Cafe in Minneapolis.  Expand your horizons and treat your tummy – all in one!  And don’t forget to order the Bastilla!

Feed My Starving Children

This month I had the opportunity to do a night of service at Feed My Starving Children.  I had been there in the past, but forgotten what fantastic work they do.  This is yet another fabulous MN-based non-profit, founded by a businessman after he saw devasting hunger on a mission trip to Honduras.  The organization has grown to 4 sites in: Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Chanhassen and Chicago.  Each shift is an hour and a half long and will have anywhere from 50-90 volunteers.  There are two shifts per night, so it can easily fit into any schedule.  During the hour and a half you will pack meals for children in over 60 different countries.

What’s unique about FMSC is that the dry food mix was designed by scientists at Cargill and General Mills to meet the nutritional needs of a 4-8 year old malnourished child.  Each pack of food only needs to be mixed with water and contains 20 different vitamins and minerals to meet a child’s nutritional needs for one day.  This is a great date night or family activity as well – any kids over third grade can participate.  It’s very hands 0n- the time flies by!  Click here to sign-up for an upcoming volunteer shift!   They have a big goal of 70 million meals to pack in 2009!  Please consider helping them reach this goal.

Restaurant Week: March 1st-6th

Okay folks.  It’s time to go out on the town for one of the best deals of the year!  Restaurant week is an annual event where local restaurateurs showcase their finest offerings at remarkably low prices.  Here’s how it works: Lunch fare will showcase 2 courses for either $10 or $20.  Dinner fare will showcase 3 courses for either $15 or $30.  Each restaurant has different menus and reservations MUST be made in advance at Open Table.  Click HERE to see participating restaurants and their featured menus.  These are definitely some of the hottest dining tickets in town, so please seriously consider having a fun night out!

Restaurant Review: Flame

Photo courtesy of Star Tribune.com

This is NOT your typical mall restaurant.  Located in Rosedale Mall on the upper level between AMC and Herberger’s, Flame changes it up a bit and surprises you with its trendy decor and reasonable prices.  I should know, I dined here on both Monday and Friday!  First thing to note: Happy Hour is Monday through Friday from 4-6 PM with $3 wines, $4 apps and beer specials too.  Thursday night is also ladies night, with drink specials for women. 

Now on to the important stuff.  The decor rocks- make sure and check out the bathrooms!  The fire all over gives it a warm, intimate feel.  If the Winter Carnival Vulcans were going to start a restaurant, this would be it!  The food spans a variety of categories: burgers, wraps, pasta, etc.  Their specialty is anything flame-grilled (duh!).  The skewers are top-notch, in addition to the chicken and 8 hour potroast.  Entrees were generally within the $9-16 range, making this a pocketbook-friendly night out as well!

Don’t Delay… Get to the Brave New Workshop

Over the weekend I had the chance to visit the Brave New Workshop to see their show about dating, romance and everything in between.  I’ve a huge fan of the BNW and have seen 10-12 shows over the years.  This was hands-down the most side-splitting, relatable show I have seen yet.  The acting was spot on and I guarantee there will be at least one moment where you will shrink down in your seat a bit because you realize that the person onstage is portraying behavior you have exhibited in the past! 

As I mentioned before, the show is a series of 20-25 short skits.  Usually I like about 75% of them, but this time it was hard to pick one that didn’t hit the mark.  YOU MUST SEE THIS SHOW.  Couples, singles – it’s perfect for everyone (except maybe children) as there were quite a few slang terms and pictures of genitalia.  They’re still in previews right now, so you have plenty of time to see the show.  Click HERE to buy tickets!  When you go, make sure to watch for these superb skits:

1.  Match.com vs. Cupid
2.  The “Dream” Scene
3.  Love poem

Winter Date ideas- Part 3

If you’ve never been to the Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis, then it’s time to go.  No more excuses- it’s hands-down one of the most enjoyable nights you will have for the entire month.  Their next production is particularly appropriate for date nights, as it’s called How to Make Love Like a Minnesotan: Sleepless in Shakopee.  I’ve seen over 15 of their productions and have never been disappointed.  They write all their material from scratch and perform it in a series of 5-10 minute skits related to the theme (in this case love/dating).  This show starts previews on February 5th and opens on the 12th.  During the preview time they try a variety of skits that they’re testing to determine the crowd’s reaction.  By opening night the show is set…

Once you go to a show, you’ll be able to sign up for an email list that allows you to receive deals on tickets to certain show nights.  I’m a big fan of it and I think you will be too.  Sometimes you just need a break from MN Nice, huh?

Recessiontainment – Twin Cities style!

You know me, I’m pretty much the Queen of Free.  This FREE thing I came across, pretty much takes the cake though.  It’s called the Twin Cities Experimental College.  Basically, it’s a collection of free classes on a variety of topcis, where you’re welcome to be the teacher or the student!  Spring classes start the week of February 9th, so check into this ASAP if you’re interested.  Here are some of the most intriguing class titles I found for spring:

• Basic Bike Maintenance
• Activist Writing Lab
• Body Wisdom and Vital Energy Workshops
• Eat for free in the T.C.
• International Travel: No strings attached
• Introduction to Business Terms and Concepts
• New Ways of Loving: How Authenticity Transforms Relationships

Any of these intrigue you?  Click the link above to check out the class descriptions and get signed up!  If you’re curious to learn more about this organization, come to the Kick-off on Saturday, January 31st at 5:15 at Coffman Union at the U of M.  Bring a dish to pass.  More details on the website.  I hope I can fit one in before I take off for D.C.!

Date Night for Grad Students!

You know me, I’m always on the hunt for a good deal.  One deal that I’ve been using for a VERY long time is Student Rush.  Alas, it does not work for me any longer, but it can work for high school students, Undergrad Students and Graduate Students.  All you need is a valid ID!  For example, Spring Awakening, winner of eight 2007 Tony awards opens next Tuesday at the Orpheum in Minneapolis.  It’s here for one week and student rush tickets are available 1 hour before the show.  You get best available seats for $20 a ticket.  Each valid student ID can purchase up to 2 tickets.  Cash only!  Student rush can vary by show, so it’s always a good idea to call the box office and confirm.  I always advise calling again a few hours before to make sure the show didn’t sell out.  Tuesday, Wednesdays and Sundays usually have the most Rush availability.

Other places in town also do Rush lines.  For example, the Ordway does a student rush with similar restrictions as above, but also offers rush discounts to educators with a valid Teacher ID.  The Guthrie’s Rush policy is the broadest.  Last time I checked, general rush tickets were around $15 for anyone (no stipulations).  You can only begin buying them an hour before and once again, it’s best available seating.  I hope this gives you some incentive to get out there and see a show!

Winter Date Night: Part 2!

ATTENTION EVERYONE: The St. Paul Winter Carnival starts tomorrow.  Now for those of you who’ve never attended before, let me tell you where to begin.  Hands down, my favorite part of the Winter Carnival are the Parades.  I’ve been attending them for years, rotating between the King Boreas Grande Day and Torchlight for variety each year.    The Grande Day parade takes place on Saturday, the 24th at 2 PM.  This parade is a bit more kid-friendly.  The temps are better and there’s occasionally candy-throwing.  Oh, and of course the uni-cycle club and irish dancers.  The Torchlight, on the other hand, closes the Winter Carnival on Saturday, January 31st at 6 PM.  Warning: THIS ONE CAN BE COLD!  What I love about it is that magical MN feeling- everyone sipping hot cocoa, sharing hand-warmers,  craning to see if the parade is coming yet, perhaps popping into the nearest hotel or skyway to break from the cold.  This Parade has always felt more adult-oriented.  The St. Paul Bouncing Team is there (see picture above), one of my all-time favorites in the parade.  The Vulcans also make an appearance, causing many individuals to back away for fear of being “greased” with a V.  All I can say is, this is one MN tradition you can’t miss.  See you out in the cold- I promise I’ll share my hand warmers!

Help Needed with the Winter Carnival!

Winter Carnival is one of my all-time favorite Minnesotan events, hands-down.  Thousands of volunteers are needed each year to make this a success and this year they are particularly desperate for more people!  I’ve done it before and had a great time!  This can be a great thing for singles, coules or families alike – opportunities come in all shapes and sizes.

To give you an idea of what kind of slots are still open, you could sign up to:

-Carry banners in the parades
-Help with the coronation 
-Assist with the ice carving contest

Click here to see a calendar of volunteer options and register yourself.  If you have questions, contact Jody Worth at jlworthy16@hotmail.com.  It’s only 11 days away, so the time to sign up is now!  Come celebrate the best that MN has to offer – our very own celebration of winter!

Cheap Date Night- Winter Fun!

As I’m always harping about, it’s important to take advantage of the FREE activities in your community.  WinterSkate in downtown St. Paul is one of those must-do’s.  The rink is set up right in front of the Landmark Center, with beautiful views in every direction.  Besides the free skating, rental of skates is only $2 or FREE if you have a Wells Fargo check card to show!  In addition, there’s a warming house, hot chocolate and a community hearth.  The rink will be open through February 1st.

Click HEREto get all the latest information on hours, etc. and to watch the live Webcam!  One more fun idea- they’re open on New Year’s eve until 1 in the morning, so consider making that your plans for the evening!

I’m not ashamed to say it… I like folk music!

courtesy of mpr.org

Peter Mayer’s folk music, that is.  I was first introduced to him in College when he’d come do coffeehouse performances at St. Ben’s.  There’s something entrancing about the combination of his voice, the chords from the guitar and the tapping he does on the actual guitar itself.  Pure magic!  I try to see him in concert at least once a year.  Your next chance to see him in MN is Saturday, November 29th at the Fitzgerald Theatre.  Click here for ticket information.  Fear not, for those of you who live out of state, he travels too!  There’s a show schedule on his website: www.petermayer.net.  Just in case you’d like to sample a bit of his brilliant music, just search under Peter Mayer in itunes.  My favorites are (in order):

Everything is Holy Now
The Birthday Party
Earth Town Square
Yukon Sally
Molly O’Malley
Africa
Christmas Morning
Scatterbrain

Specialty Drink Bars all the Rage

A new trend has been making its way to Mpls/St. Paul – upscale specialty drink bars.  We saw the onslaught of wine bars a few years back, but this takes it to a whole new level.  Take Barrio, for example, on Nicollet Mall.  The full-service Tequila bar serves a variety of tapas in addition to over 100 types of tequila.  Some of the reasons to check out Barrio include: Mixologist Johny Michaels, Western movies and dancing marionettes.  Oh, and did I mention that Tim McKee is behind the food, so you can’t go wrong?

If Tequila’s not your thing, then perhaps a sake bar is just the thing?  I-moto is the new sake brewery in Uptown.  What makes this place unique is that it’s the first place outside of Japan to brew sake!  Cool, huh?  They also serve other drinks and a full menu as well.  The sake bar is reminiscent of Japanese speakeasies and can be found at the intersection of Lyndale and Lake in the old Machu Picchu location.  This place also has a solid owner behind it, Blake Richardson, owner/passionate brewer at the Herkimer Pub and Brewery a few doors away.  With Richardson as a certified sake sommelier (who knew there was such a thing??), you can’t go wrong!

Not just your everyday sidewalk

Let me introduce Marcus Young, St. Paul’s official artist-in-residence.  His latest project could be coming to a sidewalk near you.  His idea was to take local artists’ poems and imprint them into sidewalks that were being redone.  How is this possible?  Well, basically you need to create a giant stamp that gets imprinted into the concrete as it dries.  Pretty ingenious, huh and very under budget!  A great combo.  St. Paul announced a poetry contest last March calling for entries for this project.  The hope was for 300, over 2000 came pouring in.  The 7 person committee, including St. Paul’s Poet Laureate Carol Connolly narrowed it down to the top 20.  These poems should be available to see for the next two decades (assuming normal depreciation schedules).  Check out this website to see the poems and their new locations!  Sounds like a fun, cheap date for a nice fall day!

Time to Pamper Yourself during Spa Week!

Ladies and Gentleman- The week of October 13th through 19th is Spa Week in Minnesota!  Several fabulous spas are serving up $50 treatments throughout the week.  Go to the SPA WEEK Website to get the details for each individual place.  Participating spas include:

Ava’s on Grand
New Reflections Salon and Day Spa – Plymouth Town Center
New Reflections Salon and Day Spa – The Fountains at Arbor Lakes
reVamp! Salonspa
The Wellness Center
Zhen Reflections Spa & Salon

Book now – slots are filling up!  You deserve a treat!  Nick and I already booked our massages for the 18th.

Up, Up and AWAY! (FINALLY)

I can’t believe it, but I finally got my long-awaited Graduation gift from Nick.  In May of 2007 Nick surprised me with one of the things I’ve always wanted to do – go up in a balloon.  Little did we know how hard it is to actually get up in the air!  6 tries later we finally made it happen.  While it was spectacular in so many ways, I think because we’d gotten our hopes up so many times prior to this that the actual experience could have never held up to what we’d built it up to in our heads…

We ended up with a picture perfect fall morning for a sunrise balloon ride.  We took off from Prior Lake at 7:15 AM as the sun was cresting the horizon.  The flight covered about 5 miles in 1hour.  I was amazed at the stillness of the world from that height, especially since there was relatively little wind (I learned that the wind must be below 15 MPG for the balloon to go up).  We started out in the suburbs and then made our way to the country.  You can’t steer the balloon, so it just kind of goes where it wants!  The landing part was bizarre too.  We came down in a farmer’s field and then the spotter went to get permission to see if we could deflate there.  It’s hard to control where you land, so it’s kind of at the mercy of the landowner.

Likes: The peacefulness of it.  The floating sensation.  The craziness of the experience as a whole (flames shooting above your head, standing in a wicker basket, etc.)  The view and ability to get close to things.  It was such a unique vantage point!

Dislikes: The basket was cramped- 5 of us in that little thing.  You become good friends fast!  The landing: the initial hit was fine, but then we couldn’t get out of the balloon (to prevent it from taking off), so as the air deflated the basket suddenly tipped over and we all fell to the ground hard. 

I’ve attached some of my favorite pictures from the experience.  If you want to try this for a special occasion, call Ed Chapman, the chief aeronaut.  He’s well qualified, as a past pilot for United.  He also will tell you fascinating stories about the 20 world records he’s set.  You can check out his website at www.BalloonRidesMinnesota.com or call 952-492-5331.

Oktoberfest on the River!

My good friend Jeannie passed along this delightful tidbit!  The Jonathan Paddelford Riverboat in St. Paul is hosting weekly Oktoberfest Lunch Cruises.  This rousing event includes polka (of course!), Helga the Hamburg Wench, and lots of beer.  Boats start boarding at 10:30 each Saturday in September and October and sail from 11 AM to 3 PM.  Tickets are around $40.  Not bad for 4 hours of fun!  Hope some of you take advantage of this!

Soggy Summit Hill House Tour

Nick is a trooper.  Yesterday I dragged him around the Summit Hill district to join me on the infamous Summit Hill Historic House Tour.  Each September this house tour is offered for the general public.  Tickets were $20 in advance and $25 at the door if any tickets were left.  In exchange for the entry price, we had the priveledge to go in 12 private homes, 3 public spaces and 1 private garden.  Nick and I dedicated 2 hours and made it through 6 homes.  It was open for 6 hours, but everyone must have decided to go right when it started because boy did it get crowded!  It also started to rain, which dampened the fun.  We got to see 1 mansion, but the rest were just beautiful old average-sized homes.  What caught my eye the most was the tiling, lighting and glass.  Such beauty in those old items… For house buffs, this is a definite must-see for next year.  Mark your calendar!