Twin Cities Love Letters: Part I

First of all, THANK YOU from the depths of my heart to everyone who has reached out this week to congratulate me, share advice, and offer Bay Area connections in light of the news about my upcoming move! Not gonna lie, I’m just as nervous as I am excited about this change, and hearing from so many people was an absolute joy. I am so lucky to have such great people in my life, near and far!

That said…oh man, with the countdown clock under a month, I’m getting seriously nostalgic about my beloved Twin Cities, and every day seems to bring to mind something else I’m going to miss terribly once I relocate. With that in mind, expect a few of these love letters to my hometown over the next few weeks…starting with my Lakes!

This time of year is truly one of my favorite seasons in the Twin Cities. Once we get over the hump (snow on 5/1, omg seriously just demoralizing in every way), everything seems to suddenly, simultaneously burst into bloom. Tulips, the pink trees, dandelions and fresh foliage compete with babies everywhere...fawns in our backyard, ducklings and goslings all over the place, you name it. I adore Minnesota's springtime vitality, and nowhere is it on better display in Minneapolis than around the Lakes. 

That said, brave Minnesota ducks never let a little ice stop them...nor do we intrepid Minnesotans, who will get out and get our miles in whenever possible. Kels and I did Lake Harriet a few times in February (to be fair, on unseasonably warm days, but still!), and last fall my parents and I went as late as November. I'm going to miss the sheer brute determination of Minnesotans to enjoy our weather as much as humanly possible...though I'm not sure I'm going to miss having to brace myself for subzero walks to work every morning. 

I will immensely miss the Lake Harriet Yoga Project, one of the most cherished parts of my summer last year. Waking up at the crack of dawn and catching the sunrise spilling over an empty Bandshell...

...and spending mornings stretching and centering myself, while the birds wake up, the breeze blows off the water, and the boats bobbing up and down. Those mornings were so relaxing and satisfying, and my foray into the world of "being a yoga person" 

I will miss hot, sultry summer walks, admiring the rainbows of canoes docked around each of the Lakes. 

And watching sailboats and canoes mingle with the ducks and loons, on the calmest and windiest of days! It's a moderate regret of mine that I've never actually gotten myself out on one of the Lakes...lord knows I've spent enough time around them. 

I will miss peaceful twilight evenings around the walking paths...watching the sun fading slowly over the Bandshell, the water reflecting it all right back, and things quieting down as we lap the water. It's one of the most peaceful places I can think of to enjoy a sunset.

I will miss Concerts in the Park...and randomly stumbling on them during outdoor book club, and most of all making my family be two hours early to the Orchestra's annual Lake Harriet performance just so we can be front-row for magic like this: 

(Don't even get me started on how much I'll miss this orchestra. I can't actually contemplate it without getting a little bit teary-eyed.)

I will miss the stunning fall vistas around Lake of the Isles, and the way that, on a clear day, it seemed like there were two sets of gorgeous old homes and churches to admire. 

I think most of all, though, I'll miss this skyline view. The years of memories around the Lakes feel even more special when I think of how they've been a constant thread through my six adult years here...coffee and chatting with Hannah or Kelsie, dragging anyone I can to Lake Harriet Yoga Project, meeting my parents for walks and hitting up Isles Bakery afterward...even heading over by myself for a few hours of solitude with headphones or a book. I've loved these perfect little pockets of relaxation right in the heart of the city, and I know there's no real replacement for them. 

My new life in California, of course, won't be without water. We're living right on the bay, out near Bair Island, a reclaimed marine area dedicated to the protection and rehabilitation of a natural habitat. 

There are miles of walking trails, and should be plenty of wildlife to satisfy my urge to get away from the city, in my own backyard. I'm excited to explore a totally different world...while I'm a child of the Land of 10,000 Lakes, life by the ocean is a new animal for me!

That said...it's going to take a lot to fill the hole(s) in my heart left by Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet, and Lake of the Isles. Friends, if you find yourself over there, snap me a picture and savor every minute of it! I'll miss it so dearly!

A proud big sister moment...

Guys, I have to brag on my amazing sister Emily for just a minute. As I've gushed before, she is an incredibly talented graphic designer, who works in packaging design (formerly in Cincinnati, now Chicago!). While she's had a plethora of products on the shelves since, literally, her internship...this summer one of her coolest projects is on sale at a liquor store near you! 

Her design work was selected for Domaine Chandon's Limited Edition Summer bottles for 2017, and I could not be prouder. To contextualize this, the last Limited Edition bottles they did were by fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff. So, in other words, this is a huge deal. 

And look how CUTE they are!

It goes without saying that one of my first weekend trips out in the Bay Area will be to Chandon's winery in Yountville, solely so I can buy up as many bottles as possible (and photograph EVERY display for her!). 

So proud of Meems!! 

MinneapoLiz's Next Chapter

Surprise! I'm moving! I'm moving to San Francisco! 

The SparkNotes version: 

Who: me (and future roommates Laura and Dave)

What: MOVING

Where: San Francisco/Bay Area (Palo Alto-ish, to be specific)

When: June 1!

Why: ...see below.

The worst-kept secret in the Twin Cities is finally out, and I am ecstatic, giddy, terrified, discombobulated...you name it, I've felt it over the last FIVE months. 

It all started in late January, when I was browsing a website of national opera job postings. The San Francisco Opera had a role open for a production accountant, and I, fresh off the holidays in the Bay Area/wine country, applied before I had even really thought about it. Then I found out that life coach/dear friend Laura had accepted a job at Facebook (nbd), and our mutual friend Dave had matched for a medical fellowship at Stanford (also nbd, my friends are really dumb). They would both be in the Bay Area starting late spring/early summer. 

Despite the lack of success in landing an opera job, suddenly, my on-a-whim desire to relocate seemed not soooo totally out of left field, and I spent a few weeks in February soul-searching. Could I do this? Could I really completely uproot my life, for very little apparent reason, and relocate to the West Coast? 

While this space is 90% sunshine and roses...while I do my very best to present the happiest, brightest possible picture of my life in writing, the truth behind the blog screen is that I've been pretty unhappy for the last several months in the Twin Cities. 2017 has brought increasing stagnation in the actual work part of my job, leaving me frustrated and bored for a large portion of every work week. My social life has really fragmented, with unnecessary angst and drama with friends increasingly leaving me left out of social functions or, at best, an afterthought. While I count myself lucky to have a few of the best people in the world by my side here, socializing at large has gotten harder and less satisfying (my favorites obviously excepted). And relationships? HA, let's not even start that one. Dating in the Twin Cities has been incredibly hard for me...the community is small and insular, most men I've gone out with have been horrifying mismatches on numerous levels, and I'm finding it near impossible to actually connect with guys. 

By the end of that soul-searching period in February, I realized that I'm not content anymore to be comfortable and accept mediocrity. I could sit in this job for ten more years, hang out with the same group of people drinking and watching sports in the same basement on Saturday nights, eat at the same five (amazing) restaurants, visit the same theaters and see the same orchestra. As ungrateful as that sounds...my life IS wonderful...it's not good enough for me anymore. 

The more Laura and I talked, the more it seemed like I could do this. So we texted Dave...and the wheels were set in motion for ND Band Bay Area Family House, as Dave dubbed it. She house-hunted in March, we signed a lease in early April, and I've been job-hunting pretty hard since February. I was out there last week for a final round with an organization I'm really excited about, and I'm hopeful that I'll have good news to share soon on that front. Laura moved into our brand-new, very fancy and fabulous apartment complex in April, and I'm in the process of packing up and getting organized to make my own move in June. Dave will be out at the beginning of July...which will 100% for sure guarantee ridiculous stories and shenanigans galore.

This is a move of epic proportion for me, and is incredibly out of character. I am the kind of careful, Type-A, risk-mitigating person who never leaps without looking, who always has a plan (and a backup plan). I am not the kind of person who one would ever describe as "devil-may-care," "spontaneous," "adventurous." For me to be moving across the country, with no job in pocket (yet! fingers crossed!), and really no true plan, is akin to jumping out of a plane without a parachute. To be honest, I still don't entirely know what impetus ultimately drove me to take this very not-Lizzie leap. But I do know that it's necessary, and it's exciting, and it's right. 

I need the challenge of being totally out of my comfort zone. I need to not be a big fish in a very small pond anymore. I need to force myself to take risks, to live more boldly, and to keep building a life I'm proud of and excited to wake up to every day. And while San Francisco may not be the panacea for the problems I've found myself facing lately, it's sure as hell going to jump-start me...in all the best ways. 

So, long story short, stay tuned! While I haven't decided if I'm going to rename the blog (MinneapoLiz becomes SanFranLizco, maybe?!)...but I will for sure be sharing as much as I can find time to over the next several weeks as I prep for the move. And once I'm out there, it's no holds barred on adventures, and adjustments, and all that jazz. 

EEEEEEEEK! 

101 in 1001 #89: Try five new Twin Cities restaurants!

Confession: I am a foodie. 

I mean, duh, anyone who follows me on Instagram or has met me even a handful of times knows that. I eat at Spoon and Stable more than most 28-year-olds eat at Taco Bell. I'm growing more and more adventurous and proficient in the kitchen, but dining out and well has always been my first love. 

I do, however, get in the habit of going to the same few places over and over again. Current faves: Spoon, duh (always and forever, and yes it's so pretentious that I just called it Spoon)...Cafe Lurcat, right across the park from my apartment...Saint Genevieve for champagne and delish snackies...and of course Meritage and the St Paul Grill across the river in St Paul. So I made it a goal to branch out as part of my 101 in 1001, and I've hammered this one out in record time. 

1. Revival St Paul

My coworker AJ and I headed here for a spontaneous lunch outing one day when he was taking a half day. I had the sweet tea to drink, and he had the bourbon sweet tea...I was very jealous that he didn't have to go back to the office :) 

Revival is famous for having the best fried chicken currently available in Minnesota, but also for a damn good burger, so we did what all the cool kids do and got both, to split...plus some cornbread and a side of pimento mac and cheese: 

Verdict: There is no overhyping in the Cities when it comes to Revival. Both the burger and the chicken were high up in the pantheon of MSP GOAT, at least in my book. I left totally satisfied and spent the rest of that afternoon in a finger-licking food coma at my desk, fantasizing about fried things and the crispy, perfect top of that mac and cheese. 

2. Young Joni

Dick and Jodester beat me to Young Joni, the newest offering by Pizzeria Lola's wonder woman Ann Kim (nominated for a James Beard award, woo!). Young Joni, in Northeast just around the corner from Dangerous Man, offers her famous woodfired pizzas, but also expands into Korean-influenced riffs on other favorites. 

We ordered the "La Parisienne" pizza (prosciutto, gruyere, ricotta, brown butter, caramelized onions, and arugula), and it was revelatory. As was the shishito-pepper-laden cauliflower with golden raisins, though we weren't as wild about the Sweet and Spicy Pork Spare Ribs. The cocktail list was craft/artisan-level good, which is rapidly becoming de rigeur around the Cities, but my personal fave: 

The "Church Basement Bar Platter" for dessert. SO MINNESOTAN. Tiny morsels of Brownie, mini chocolate chip cookies, and dark chocolate-coated Special K bars, all served with a tiny carafe of ice-cold milk. Such a novel presentation and exactly what I love about creative dining in the TC. 

3. The Lexington

The Lexington, affectionately known by locals as "the Lex," has a storied history in St. Paul but has been closed for years due to a never-ending renovation and endless disputes with the city. It reopened this February, restored to its former glory, and it's just lovely.

I grabbed a spot in the bar on a frigid late-February day with Dick and Jodester, marveling at the gorgeous wainscoting, beamed ceilings, roaring fire and gorgeous vintage white baby grand piano. 

We got to enjoy the view through rose-colored (and blue, and green, and lavender, and yellow!) glass...the famous stained glass windows are original. 

Dad enjoyed a Vesper, Mom a "Minnesota Collins." 

I hollered back to my London days with the prettiest take on a Pimm's cup...

...and of course a little bubbly, because that's my jam and why not pop bottles on a Tuesday at happy hour? We also enjoyed their fried chicken sliders and garlic parsley fries (seriously such a good snacky dinner).

4. Mercury Dining Room and Rail

We hit up Mercury before my dad and I went to our Whiskey on Ice event, so I was coming out of the dark, terrible throes of the flu (plague). As such, I was not at my dining-out best, and barely touched my food, and skipped a drink altogether (also, duh, we were going to go drink copious amounts of whiskey). That said, the atmosphere is a huge improvement over former tenant Brasserie Zentral...

...and the quarter of the avocado and smoked-tomato relish grilled cheese I choked down was delicious (and made great leftovers once my stomach was back up to actual food)! I really ought to go back and retry this one when I'm feeling less like microwaved death.

5. Bellecour

BELLECOUR! Oh Bellecour. The new restaurant by my favorite person, Gavin Kaysen of Spoon and Stable, resides in the old Blue Point space in charming downtown Wayzata. Just like big sis S&S, it's nearly impossible to score a reservation, but Jodester did on the day the restaurant officially opened, and we headed there last weekend for our inaugural trip.

Much like Spoon, it is immediately apparent just how much thought and intention went into designing the more classic-French Bellecour. It's absolutely lovely, from their enticing pastry window and bakery...

...to the cozy bar, walls of wine, gleaming kitchen, and this mural, which I am utterly obsessed with, in their light-flooded Garden Room (where we dined). The feeling is so different from Spoon, but the same level of attention to detail ensures that the experience, once again, leaves visitors spellbound. 

We started with the most gorgeous Cremant de Loire, a Champagne-adjacent wine region in France, and also enjoyed a fantastic, very mineral Sancerre with our entrees. Adding to the fun of the night: I had made the acquaintance of sommelier Nicolas Giraud at Spoon and Stable on New Year's Eve, when we chatted in French for about 10 minutes about the dinner's wine pairings and his background. He remembered me, and came up to our table launching straight into French, for another quick chat about Bellecour, the wine, and the adventure of running two restaurants with exquisite wine offerings. I was on cloud nine, and it wasn't just the cremant!

On to food! We started with oeufs mimosa, a Belgian endive salad (front), and a fabulously savory salade frisée (right) with quail egg and sherry vinaigrette. All fantastic, and so carefully executed and plated that it took the entire experience to a visually delicious level as well. 

Dad ordered steak frites, with a beautiful filet and fantastic fries. Mom ordered short rib, served with a sauce au poivre and the teensiest mushroom duxelles...fall-off-the-bone tender and so savory. My duck a l'orange, meanwhile, was flawless...and I'm very picky about duck. Just LOOK at that!

We wrapped up with two desserts...a honey-and-cream vacherin and a Paris-Brest interpretation of a profiterole...and a chat with the hostess and Gavin himself, who came over and graciously indulged our gushing for nearly ten minutes. We're total groupies, and I feel no shame...my dad, in particular, is obsessed. A quick shout-out to Gavin - he is truly the warmest, most personable restaurateur I've ever encountered, and his pride in his establishments, staff, service and cuisine is palpable. It makes dining at his places an absolute delight, and completely guarantees I will be a lifelong Kaysen loyalist. 

Can't wait to see what he does next...and what the next big things in the Twin Cities culinary scene will be! 

For more 101 in 1001, head here. And if anyone wants to HH at Bellecour, pound through some fried chicken at Revival, chill at the Lex, or go on new adventures...hit me up, yo!

the Twin Cities Arts Roundup - Winter 2017

Wow, I completely skipped a winter arts roundup, and it’s probably about time I hop back on that bandwagon…this has been a crazy winter and spring of hitting up my favorite places and trying out a few new ones for the best of the Twin Cities arts scene!

Guthrie Theater

- My little Open Call crew saw “The Lion In Winter” in early December – a witty and sarcastic Goldman play famously turned into a 1968 film starring Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn. Covering the end of the reign of Henry II, it centers around his desire to pass his kingdom down intact to one of his three sons, and his estranged wife Eleanor of Aquitaine’s machinations to ensure her favorite wins the day. We loved it...I particularly enjoyed Laila Robbins as Eleanor.

- We were supposed to see “King Lear” in mid-February, but due to our group’s crazy schedules we ended up pushing to March 7. I studied Lear in college and have always had a soft spot for this, arguably the darkest of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Our crew was not impressed in general, not being as Shakespeare-obsessed as I am, but I loved it and thought the production was incredible…especially Stephen Yoakam as Lear (I wish I would have seen it again just to see the double-cast Nathaniel Fuller!).

- A scant three days later we were back at the Guthrie for “The Royal Family,” a Kaufman and Ferber play loosely based on the Barrymore acting dynasty. Several of us brought new friends with us for the evening, so our usual group of five swelled to eight or nine! I found “The Royal Family” to be such a fun, refreshing romp after the darkness of “Lear,” and my group really enjoyed it as well.

Minnesota Orchestra

- My family has an annual tradition of seeing a show the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and this year it was “Ratatouille in Concert!” I had never seen this particular Disney-Pixar show, and really enjoyed it…enhanced, of course, with the divine Sarah Hicks conducting and with the Orchestra’s usual flair.

- We also saw “Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone” in concert at the Convention Center! This is apparently going to be an eight-year undertaking for orchestras across the country – a new film will be made available in the accompaniment-ready format each year. I had SUCH an amazing time…I think “Harry Potter” has one of the best scores in modern cinema for sheer catchiness and I have zero shame in admitting that.

- Michael and I spent New Year’s Eve (at least the first part!) at Orchestra Hall for their annual gala. While I loved the discovery of Puts’s “Millennium Canons” and really enjoyed Rachmaninoff’s Symphony no.2, I could have done without Dawn Upshaw’s Great American Songbook. Oops.

- Jodester and I immediately purchased tickets to the vaunted Sir Neville Marriner performance last summer, and I was dismayed by his passing last fall at the age of 93. The Orchestra turned his planned appearance into a beautiful and touching tribute concert, highlighting his experience with the MN Orchestra musicians and performing a few of his favorite pieces. A fitting tribute to a giant of the classical music world!

- Hal and I took up Open Call on a free-tickets offer to Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony in February, and I had the worst seats I’ve ever had at Orchestra Hall…eep! That said, Hugh Wolff conducting the symphony with no break and no SCORE blew my mind – such a great roommate date.

- Jodes and I found ourselves at Orchestra Hall last weekend for an Elgar and Schubert program conducted by Osmo Vanska, who is one of my all-time favorite people in the state of Minnesota. The program was unbelievable – the Elgar utterly blew me away – and watching how athletically he conducted it made me inordinately happy.

Minnesota Opera

- Michael and I saw “Diana’s Garden,” a delightful Mozart-era work that’s been essentially unperformed for years, in January. Focused on Greek mythology and featuring the most charming costuming and an absolutely sick soprano aria in the first act, it was the perfect light, fun thing to get through a dreary sub-zero Minnesota winter.

- In March, the Minnesota Opera world-premiered a new work, “Dinner at Eight,” based on another Kaufman and Ferber gem. I saw it with my new friend and fellow Notre Dame grad Nicholas, who is a talented collaborative pianist and opera lover. We both really enjoyed it – though it wasn’t my favorite work I’ve seen at the Opera, there was some truly beautiful and interesting music in there, and the juxtaposition of humor and poignancy was very well done.

- Last Saturday, Michael and I headed to the Metropolitan Ballroom for Cabaret 2017, an event put on by the members of the Opera’s Resident Artist Program annually. The 40s-themed evening featured a variety show-style revue featuring the dozen young artists, and we had a ball watching the performance and then dancing (and drinking!) our faces off afterward with the cast!

Others

- Kels and I saw “The Bodyguard,” the Whitney Houston musical based on the movie of the same name, in January – while it won’t win any awards for plot, the music was KILLER. My particular favorite: joining the whole audience in rocking out to “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” at the end of the curtain call, of course!

- Hannah and I scored amazing tickets to The Lumineers at the Target Center thanks to my amazing sister Em. I’ve loved the Lumineers as long as they’ve been played on the radio, and their live show was right up there with everything I’ve seen and loved of them so far. I especially enjoyed the fact that they opened with “Submarines” straight off taking the stage to Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” Win.

- Dick, Jodes and I took in Theater Latte Da’s “Peter and the Starcatcher” in mid-February, mostly because Tyler Michaels was playing Peter/Boy and I will see anything and everything that he appears in. I really liked it, but I think other things Latte Da has done have been better – notably “Sweeney Todd” and “C.”

WHEE what a marathon it’s been lately! No signs of slowing down either – I’ve still got a half-dozen events in the next month to look forward to. Can’t wait for more amazing performances in the near future!