by liz-potasek | Oct 1, 2023 | Local Makers, Noteworthy
Baking has always been a hobby for Bill Von Bank of Prior Lake, but a few years ago, Von Bank realized that his hobby could provide him a new way to give back and connect with the community. After perfecting his pie crust, he started selling fruit-based pies as Bill...
by Zoe Deal | Oct 1, 2023 | Drinks, Local Makers, Shops
Shop owner brings a taste of her culture to Prior Lake. At Titima Vangvanitchyakorn’s Prior Lake tea shop, a world of flavors sits in clear glass jars and cute labeled bags. The delightfully color-coded, fragrant rows are ladened with loose leaf teas and blends....
by Clare Greeman | Oct 1, 2023 | Giving Back, Outdoors, Sports
Hit the trails in Lakeville. Run the Ritter combines beautiful trails and a great running community with homegrown conservation efforts. In 2018, seasoned running director and passionate trail runner Paulette Odenthal was encouraged by friends to start the Run the...
by Lily Schlobohm | Oct 1, 2023 | Outdoors
Spend an evening strolling through thousands of glowing, carved pumpkins at the Minnesota Zoo’s fifth annual Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. This year’s theme highlights the beauty of the four seasons, along with a rotating selection of pumpkins carved to depict people,...
by Liz Potasek | Oct 1, 2023 | Photo Contest
Savor the beauty of fall before winter sets in. With little more than his trusty iPhone, David Ring focused on the sun setting at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in early October 2022. “I love exploring parks and trying to capture some of the beauty,” he says. Follow...
by Carlos Espitia | Oct 1, 2023 | Book Club, Noteworthy
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix Horrorstör answers the question we all have had: What would happen if an unspecified ready-to-assemble furniture store was haunted? Grady Hendrix takes you on a uniquely terrifying, and darkly comedic journey through an overnight stay at...
by Rachael Perron | Oct 1, 2023 | Noteworthy, Recipes
I’ve lived in Minnesota for nearly 30 years, but I didn’t grow up here. Hotdish wasn’t part of my culinary upbringing. I didn’t have my first bite of Tater Tot Hotdish until I was in my 30s. Decades later, I’m a hotdish connoisseur. Beloved for its warmth and...
by Jennifer Pitterle | Oct 1, 2023 | Interior Design, Renovate
Make better use of your basement with inspiration from a local designer. As the weather turns cool and the snow begins to fall, Minnesotans put away the lawn chairs and the patio umbrellas. It’s time to turn to indoor entertainment—those board games, movie nights and...
by Madeline Kopiecki | Oct 1, 2023 | Photo Contest
Check out the winners of our first Focus on Cities South photo contest. This summer, we asked readers to share their shots of Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville and Prior Lake. Shutterbugs from the four communities sent in their scenic shots, nostalgic memories and more....
by Liz Potasek | Sep 21, 2023 | Local Makers, Shops
A couple hundred people gathered to celebrate the official opening of the new Lunds & Byerlys store in Apple Valley. Here are some highlights from the event. Brian Miller, the General Manager of the new store, is a 1982 graduate of Apple Valley High School, and he...
by Madeline Kopiecki | Sep 15, 2023 | Photo Contest
In July and August, we invited you to submit photos of your Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville and Prior Lake in our first ever Focus on Cities South photo contest. Now, we’re excited to share these images with the community for our Readers’ Choice vote. Follow the link...
by Editorial Staff | Aug 1, 2023 | Photo Contest
Use the link at the bottom of the page to submit your images! Throughout its pages, the Cities South Magazine Collection showcases the communities of Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville and Prior Lake in a multitude of ways, and we’re excited to add another....
by Liz Potasek | Aug 1, 2023 | Uncategorized
I graduated from college the spring after the World Trade Towers collapsed and went to work at a daily newspaper in central Minnesota. In my first year or two of reporting, I felt like every story I wrote had at least one paragraph that started “In the aftermath of...
by Liz Potasek | Aug 1, 2023 | Drinks, Noteworthy
It doesn’t have to take much effort to transform a basic drink into something special. A little muddled fruit, a citrus garnish and a few pumps of flavored syrup are the keys to these specialty drinks from Ze’s Diner in Prior Lake and Eagan. Amal Arafa, the diner’s...
by Daniel Huss | Aug 1, 2023 | Interior Design
A new office in Eagan builds camaraderie among co-workers after working remotely. When GovDocs Inc. moved from St. Paul to Eagan last year, it represented more than a change in location, it was also a reimagining of office culture in a world still emerging from the...
