Finland is a coastal country, and the southwestern region is home to the world's largest archipelago by number of islands (approximately 40,000). One of the best ways to experience this part of Finland is the Small Archipelago Trail, which can be explored by bike, car, or mass transit.
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. If I'm going to treat myself, it has to be the good stuff: premium, housemade ice cream with natural ingredients and interesting flavors.
Whether you want to savor the all-too-brief Minnesota summer or are trying to reduce your COVID risk, patio season is here. Here's a roundup of my favorite restaurant patios in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Mike and I spend our weekends running in opposite directions (literally in my case: seven miles on Saturday and three miles on Sunday). After one too many weekends when the only significant chunk of time we spent together was grocery shopping, we realized that we needed to prioritize time with each other. So we instituted a standing coffee date on Sunday mornings.
Santa Fe's most popular nickname is "The City Different." It's a reference to the New Mexico city's distinctive architectural style: starting in 1912, city officials recommended (and later mandated)...
For the past several years, I've had a Capital One Venture credit card. I like it because the annual fee is lower than similar travel rewards cards, and it's easy to redeem points for travel expenses...
At the end of February, I went to Santa Fe, New Mexico for an early spring break getaway—after a couple of years spent mostly in Minnesota, I was eager to experience a place that's very different geographically, culturally, and culinarily from the Midwest.
Have you ever wanted a peek behind the scenes at Tangled Up In Food? Would you like to learn more about food blogging? Do you want to improve your food writing? Tune in to my virtual food blogger...
Throughout my twenties and early thirties, I regarded people who were into skincare with the same envious fascination that my teenage self reserved for the popular girls. I can't redo high school (nor do I want to—being a socially anxious nerd sent me down a far more interesting life path), but I eventually realized that I could get into skincare.
This will be my 12th season as an Untiedt's CSA member, and over the years I've noticed that family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances tend to ask me the same questions when they're considering CSA membership. If you're wondering if a CSA is right for you, here are those frequently asked questions, with my honest answers as a longtime CSA member.
Since I quit my day job, my freelance work has gone through so many different iterations (and oh yes, an ongoing pandemic). Here are my takeaways from the past year.
Spending the evening with Mike at the Mall of America (MOA) in Bloomington, Minnesota is one of my favorite date night traditions. As a child of the late 90s and early 00s, I really enjoy malls. I appreciate that they're walkable and climate-controlled, unlike the open-air "lifestyle centers" that are now all the rage. I revel in the sensory overload of having so many things to see and smell and eat.
In an inspired gift-giving move, Mike's parents presented us with an L.L. Bean tote bag filled with food for Christmas. Fancy tortilla chips and salsa that became the base for sheet pan nachos. Mixed...
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.
Disney's Art of Animation Resort is like stepping into a Disney or Pixar animated movie—obviously, it's a great base for your Disney World vacation if you're a kid. However, Mike and I discovered that the Art of Animation is an excellent resort for grownups, too.
Housed in a historic brick building in the heart of Minneapolis' Marcy-Holmes neighborhood, Alma is a lot of things. There's a fine dining restaurant on one side, and a more casual cafe on the other. Upstairs, you'll find a boutique hotel. There's even a retail aspect to the business, offering hand-crafted bath and body products, gourmet ingredients, and home goods. It seems like an odd mashup, but on a recent staycation...
Occasionally, I get invited to media previews and influencer events, like a party Wicked Foods hosted to celebrate their U.S. launch. I wasn't able to attend, but they kindly sent me a box of samples so that I could try their plant-based products at home. I've spent the past few months cooking my way through Wicked Foods' breakfasts, meal pots, meal kits, and condiments, so I wanted to share an honest review.
Pine forests, lake views, and a historic lodge straight out of central casting: Grand View Lodge is the quintessential Minnesota resort. It's located in Nisswa, a small town in the Brainerd Lakes area in central Minnesota.
