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Flower Sandwich
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There is no snow in the forecast. There will be sunny days in May. You will have to start thinking about your lawn mower soon. You should not mow your lawn this week. There will be more food than plants at the farmers markets. You will once again grapple with the idea of buying a boat. You can put your trust in new brunch options, in fresh taco hangs, and in more sandwiches popping out of the ground like so many tulips.
NEWS
\\ I love this story about my favorite badass Salsa Lisa, who founded a salsa company while bartending her way through law school. She then sold it for a big payoff in 2010, and just last month, she bought it back. It's a fully women-owned business now, and she's ready to take it back and make it better.
\\ Did a little First Bite on The Champagner: the Saturday feast that is the all-you-can-eat-and-drink brunch from Baldamar. TLDR; I went in a skeptic, came out a convert.
\\ Apparently Kevin from The Office has some chili for you.
\\ And remember how Steve Schussler was going to team up with Famous Dave and recast the Galaxy Drive In as a pizza spot? That plan is nixed. So, can someone please scrub that place down, take its makeup off, and make us some tasty burgers? Can we wayback machine it to Wagner's please?
OPENS
+ Oro by Nixta is open as of today. The new dining room that's been built next to Gustavo and Katie Romero's popular tortilleria in Northeast is filled with beautiful local art. You can order real meals at the counter and then have a seat as they whisk you local beef birria, soft shell crab tacos, chochoyotes which are fun dumplings to say and funner dumplings to eat.
+ In other taco news, Centro is opening their third location today in Highland. There's also an Everywhen Burger situation happening there, and yes there are signature Crunch moments on the menu, you bottomless fiends.
+ Speaking of endless love, Sushi Train is now open FINALLY in the Greenway Lakes Commons (formerly Calhoun Square). This is the second location for the conveyor belt sushi spot, the original is on Nicollet Mall. It's got everything: fast moving fish, miso ramen bowls, train kink.
+ SEASONALS: It's opening weekend for both the Minneapolis Farmers Market on Lyndale and the St. Paul Farmers Market in Lowertown! …
CLOSES
- Arts & Rec in Uptown has closed temporarily to do some more buildout and improvement on the space which should be done in May. Look for that rooftop to open back up next month too.
- A Piece of Cake bakery and Bon Vie cafe on Selby have closed after 25 years. Doug and Mary are retiring and have sold the building.
- Both PF Changs and Buffalo Wild Wings have closed their locations in Southdale.
COMING SOON
>> The Jame Beard Foundation has a new touring dinner series called Stadium Chef Series, and they are coming to only three ballparks this summer: Wrigley Field in Chicago, Fenway in Boston, and Target Field! Though there is little info on who will be cooking what, it looks to be a seated dinner in the ballpark a la Outstanding in the Field. More like outField, ammirite? The set date is June 25th and details will be coming soon.
>> Herban Wolf Deli, a panini laden food truck that prowls the north metro and breweries, is putting it in park. The crew will be opening up a new shop in Anoka, in the former Cork space which closed in March. Starting summer, year round melty sandwiches!
>> Happy to hear that Toma Mojo Grill is opening another location in Richfield. The original location near Ridgedale should be on your heavy rotation for that pulled chicken sandwich. Stay tuned for deets on the new spot.
>> And more brunch! Blondette in the Rand Tower Hotel launches brunch on May 7. Young Joni is launching brunch service on May 27.
AGENDA
// If you really love trees, like I really love trees, you should head to Windom Park today to celebrate Arbor Day! Not JUST hugging trees, but hugging is allowed. Besides live music, food trucks, and a beer garden, they'll be planting over 100 trees, do some roped tree climbing, and hanging out with the gang from Brewing a Better Forest (water a tree, beer for free!)
// SO MUCH going on in Roseville on Saturday. There's the Party Boards Party (which we really missed an opportunity to call it Party Broads Party, but, there you go) and there's the Roseville Spring Food Truck Fest where more than 10 trucks will be cooking with gas for you. I say do both.
// Do not forget that the Seward Co-op Annual CSA Fair is on Saturday. It's basically speed-dating your farmers as you stroll around and meet them to see if their farmy goals are your farmy goals, for a match made in dirt. Then you give them money ahead of time, and they use it to plant and grow the things that they'll then send back to you. As one does with Community Supported Agriculture, one supports.
// There's an Uncorked: MN Wine Fest happening on Saturday at the Science Museum, though we need to clear a few things up. This is not WineFest, the long-running charitable wine gala that supports children's health, which is happening in a few weeks. It's an out of town event group using the space for a big ol' wine tasting party. Just to be clear.
// If you celebrate at one Independent Book Store Day spot, make it the one with beer. Cream & Amber in Hopkins is partying down with featured bevvies based on bestselling books, 15% off all staff picks in-store and online, a golden ticket hunt, passport stamping, and sincere intellectual superiority. Enjoy.
// If you missed Record Store Day last weekend, you can head up to Forgotten Star Brewing on Saturday to rifle though the stacks of the Twin Cities Record Show Awesome April Pop-up.
// Feels like you may need this. At Blooms & Brews on Sunday in Lakes & Legends brewery, you can take a little flower class from Sip 'n' Bloom during which you'll learn tips and tricks for floral arranging while creating your own bouquet and drinking beers. Girl, spring for the VIP upgrade that lets you pick the best blooms first.
// Hit up the local chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier on Monday for some great online silent auction goodies. The society of female food professionals have pulled together some nifty packages to bid on: a private wine tasting for 6, a private cooking class for 12, professional home chef services, a special takeaway box from Paris Dining Club, and so much more. The monies raised will be used to support local women in the culinary fields through academic scholarships and professional grants, as well as high schoolers through Urban Roots. This auction link will go live on May 1 at 8am.
