by Liz Potasek | Oct 1, 2024 | Uncategorized
The proverb says necessity is the mother of invention, but as many moms can attest, motherhood makes creativity and invention a necessity. As I put together this issue, I kept seeing a theme appear in stories: Mothers looking for creative outlets that allowed them to...
by Anne Messerli | Oct 1, 2024 | Entertain, Interior Design, Noteworthy
Staying organized over the holiday season can be difficult, but with these two tips, you can relax, enjoy the holidays and stay organized every year. Make time for fun. From trimming the tree to decorating cookies, you need a plan. Make a list of everything you want...
by Jennifer Pitterle | Oct 1, 2024 | Local Makers
A Prior Lake baker designs intricately decorated French macarons. Prior Lake’s Safeera Inayath’s unexpected journey from stay-at-home mom to celebrated macaron artist is a story of resilience, creativity and, most inspiring of all, a quest for personal fulfillment....
by Erin Holl | Oct 1, 2024 | Book Club, Noteworthy
A Better World by Sarah Langan The Farmer-Bowen family is invited to live in a company town of Plymouth Valley, a gated community for the .0001 percent. On a trial basis, Russell Farmer, a math genius, is allowed to bring his wife, Linda Bowen, a pediatrician, and...
by Liz Potasek | Oct 1, 2024 | Arts, Education, Interior Design
An Apple Valley artist builds a welcoming, creative space in her art-filled home. Just as a canvas is transformed into a work of art through many layers of paint, Apple Valley artist JuliAnne Jonker’s home has become a work of art through many years of living. For 35...
by Liz Potasek | Oct 1, 2024 | Drinks, Local Makers
Local coffee roaster celebrates the culture behind its beans. As a mom, Katherine Thovson knows the best coffee is whatever you have time to get in your mug during a sometimes chaotic morning routine. And as the owner of Idioma Coffee Roastery, Thovson also knows that...
by Madeline Kopiecki | Oct 1, 2024 | Photo Contest
Explore the winning photos from our Focus on Cities South photo contest. This summer, we asked local residents to scroll down their digital files or flip through their film—whatever it took to find their favorite shots of Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville and Prior Lake....
by Melissa Jaeger | Oct 1, 2024 | Entertain, Ingredients, Noteworthy, Wellness
Are you hosting this holiday season? While Hy-Vee dietitians can’t help you clean your kitchen in preparation for your guests, we can help you navigate their food allergies and dietary concerns. There are 33 million Americans with food allergies, including one in 13...
by Jennifer Pitterle | Oct 1, 2024 | Arts, Gift Guides, Local Makers, Shops
In her annual gift guide, a writer connects Minnesota artisans with shoppers. Michelle M. Sharp, though she’s originally from Chicago, is now a bona fide Minnesotan—and she’s devoting her work to celebrating the artisans who make our state so great. The Eagan resident...
by Tia Benson | Oct 1, 2024 | Photo Contest
An image of fog captured in a moment of clarity. Kirsten Otting, a hobby photographer in Lakeville, was on her way to a nearby park in October 2022 when she saw the fog settling on Lake Marion and quickly snapped this image. “Through photography, I am able to be more...
by Melissa Campbell | Oct 1, 2024 | Entertain, Noteworthy
The amount of choices for Halloween festivals is abundant, but our family doesn’t like to miss Lakeville’s annual Haunted Forest Festival at Steve Michaud Park. There are hayrides, a playground trick-or-treat maze, a haunted forest trail (enter at your own risk!),...
by Daniel Huss | Oct 1, 2024 | Giving Back, Local Makers
The Eagan Community Foundation creates an inclusive international food-tasting fundraiser. World flavors that highlight local culture are on the menu at the Eagan Community Foundation’s second-ever International Evening of Eagan this month. The event showcases...
by Meredith Heneghan and Liz Potasek | Oct 1, 2024 | Restaurants
Whether it’s a date night, brunch with besties or Sunday supper, The Better Half caters to friends and families. A perfect pairing is all about balance, and The Better Half restaurant in Lakeville has this concept baked into its name—an idiom referring to one’s...
by Tia Benson | Oct 1, 2024 | Noteworthy, Outdoors, Sports
Last year’s warm winter shortened the out-door ice skating season, but two refrigerated rinks in Lakeville and Eagan, set to open in November, will provide more outdoor ice time. The new Hasse Pavilion Outdoor Rink in Lakeville is a joint project, sponsored by the...
by Tia Benson | Oct 1, 2024 | Education, Entertain
An annual Halloween party brings the whole community together. Set the scene for Halloween with the Community Halloween Party in Prior Lake. The annual event, organized by Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Community Education, features a new DJ dance party and North Star...
