This is my 12th annual summer recap post—I've been writing them every September since 2013. They've become a nostalgic throwback to a time when blogging was a more personal medium, when the text...
On a recent trip to Montreal, I discovered an amazing Canadian invention: all dressed potato chips. The flavor combines a bunch of common chip flavors into one, and instead of tasting weird or muddled...
The Minnesota State Fair is known for deep-fried food, including cheese curds, Pronto Pups, pickles, cookie dough (one of my faves!), and candy bars. But what if deep-fried food isn't your thing? No...
Most coverage of the Minnesota State Fair is food-focused, although the live entertainment, farm animals, butter sculptures, crop art, and Midway rides also garner plenty of attention. Something that usually doesn't get mentioned is that State Fair is great destination for history buffs—the Minnesota State Fair dates back to 1859, and many of the fairgrounds' buildings were constructed in the 1930s and 1940s. From a walking tour to free museums, here's how to nerd out on history at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.
I go to the Minnesota State Fair for many reasons: nostalgia, the live entertainment, the livestock, the educational exhibits, the display cases full of prizewinning knitwear. But mostly, it's about the food.
My two-week trip to Japan was one of the best travel experience of my life. From fabulous food to serene temples, my time in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka changed how I think about the world, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to experience Japanese culture. Here are my tips for making sure your trip to Japan goes as smoothly as possible, from planning and packing to navigating mass transit and restaurants.
Montreal is often pitched to U.S. travelers as a budget-friendly alternative to Paris: plenty of French cuisine and culture, a cosmopolitan feel, a charming historic district. But as Josh and I discovered on our weeklong trip to Canada's second-biggest city, Montreal isn't a European knockoff—it has a Quebecois appeal all its own. From poutine to pastries, here are my favorite things I ate in Montreal.
Ramen, sushi, udon, tempura, mochi—Japan has an incredibly rich cuisine, with specialties that are popular worldwide. As I planned my trip to Japan, I knew that dining would be a highlight, but I wasn't expecting Japanese food culture to be such a multi-sensory experience. Meals are carefully prepared and presented, often featuring a balanced assortment of dishes. The quality of food (at all price points) was noticeably better than the U.S., and we were constantly impressed by how delicious everything tasted.
Thanks to geothermal activity throughout the country, bathing in onsens (or hot springs) is a quintessential part of Japanese culture. The options range from remote, scenic pools to large resorts and urban hotels, and soaking in the hot, mineral-rich water promotes relaxation. But I had a problem. Most onsens don't permit visible tattoos, and I have three of them.
When I moved to the Twin Cities, a scoop of raspberry chocolate chip ice cream was what convinced me to stick around. Since then, I've become an ice cream connoisseur, scouting out the best frozen treats in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the suburbs. Here are my picks for the best ice cream in the Twin Cities—plus my all-time favorite.
It's time to savor the all-too-brief Minnesota summer by dining outdoors at a local restaurant patio. Here's a roundup of my favorite restaurant patios in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Afternoon tea is fun treat, with fancy china, tiered trays of beautiful desserts, and often, a unique, historic setting. Ready to settle in for an afternoon of tea, treats, and conversation? Here's where you can find afternoon tea in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the Twin Cities suburbs.
On our first few journeys along the Road to Hāna, Mike and I skipped the banana bread stands along the route. It seemed like a novelty for people who never made homemade banana bread, and I'm an avid...
Instead of choosing one full-sized espresso drink, a coffee flight lets you sample three or four miniature-sized beverages. Ready to start sipping? Here's where you can find coffee flights in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding suburbs.
I love numbers and baking, so Pi Day is my kind of holiday. As you may recall from geometry class, pi is a circle's circumference divided by its diameter. If you go out to two decimal places, pi...
Singer-songwriter Carole King is a musical icon: she wrote or co-wrote 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100, has won four Grammy awards, and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame not once but twice, both as a performer and as a songwriter. You can learn more about her career and personal life—and enjoy dozens of her songs—at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.
Disney World is much more than an assortment of rides—each section (or "land") of the theme parks is intended to transport you somewhere magical, whether that's a Parisian streetscape or a galaxy far, far away. The theming also carries over to the decor and menus of Disney World's restaurants.
I recently updated the head shot over on my writing portfolio site, as well as on this blog. For the past six years, I'd been using a photo from the law firm I used to work for—I got a new head shot...
As a Twin Cities-based blogger and food writer, there's one question that I hate more than any other: "What's your favorite restaurant?" Immediately, my mind goes blank and I forget everywhere I've ever eaten. Typically I stammer out the first place that pops into my head, and my questioner inevitably looks disappointed.
Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday. I'm a sentimental sort who loves celebrating my relationships, and I also like the relatively unstructured nature of Valentine's Day. Sure, there are upscale...
