Hands On
A little shout-out to old-school artisans and new-school do-it-yourselfers
DIYers
BEST BUTCHERY CLASS
The Whole Hog
Mike Phillips’s class at Kitchen in the Market usually sells out right as it’s posted, because having the local king of charcuterie teach you how to break down a whole hog is higher education, indeed. 920 E. Lake St., Ste. 107, Mpls., 612-568-5486,
kitcheninthemarket.com
BEST PICKLING SECRET
Menards
You can go to the fancy kitchen store for classes and books, but for supplies no one beats Menards on value for Ball jars, funnels, and beginner kits. Remember, a jar is a jar. 16 metro locations including 6800 Wayzata Blvd., Mpls., 763-541-9300,
menards.com
BEST HOME CHEESE-MAKING HERO
Cedar Summit Milk or Cream
Beyond mastering your cheesecloth technique for kitchen ricotta or the right pull for your own mozzarella, the thing that turns cheese makers into cheese masters is the quality of the base. 25830 Drexel Ave., New Prague, 952-758-6886,
cedarsummit.com
BEST HOME BREW SHOP
Northern Brewer
With locations in both towns, this place is like a clubhouse for beer nerds. 6021 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls., 612-843-4444,
northernbrewer.com
BEST CITY FARM STORE
Eggplant Urban Farm Supply
It’s the coolest weed ’n’ feed by a parking meter. 1771 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-645-0818,
eggplantsupply.com
Artisans
BEST WOODWORKER
Willie Willette
We keep spying gorgeous custom, modern furniture in homes on photo shoots, and so often the incredible pieces are tied to this clever guy. Willie Willette Works, 3338 University Ave. SE, Mpls., 612-333-3022,
williewilletteworks.com
BEST WALLPAPER HANGER
Kurt Peterson
This guy is proof that wallpaper is here to stay. He’s constantly busy with huge designer projects and little bitty rooms. If you need a pro, Peterson’s your man. 651-485-1806
BEST RENOVATING STAR
Nicole Curtis
The single mom and star of HGTV-DIY’s Rehab Addict tackles some of the grittiest projects in town, salvaging historic properties and bringing them back to life. The community—and her (nearly) 20,000 Facebook fans—thank her.
nicolecurtisdesign.com
BEST REGIONAL DESIGN
Forage Modern Workshop
This quirky newbie is winning indie hearts with its mission to bring together Midwest designers, builders, and artists. Find furniture, accents, and plenty of local love. 4023 E. Lake St., Mpls., 612-886-3603,
foragemodernworkshop.com
BEST ACCESSORIES DESIGNERS
Jennifer Wight and Julie Driscoll
We started seeing their darling Belle Vache leather bags and cuff bracelets a couple of years ago. Then they added Furbellish, a wide-ranging line of recycled fur products including luxe Christmas stockings, footstools, cell phone cases, and vintage jewelry. This year they also opened Crowned Cottage, an occasional shop in New Market. And, oh yeah, they do decorative and faux painting. No wonder they call themselves My Sister & I, Inc.
mysisterandiinc.com