Posted on July 16, 2020
by Give Me The Mike
7 Comments
From a bottle of wine worth your age to free car washes, I rounded up the best freebies you can snag on your birthday.
Category: randoMNessTags: 6Smith, 7th Street Entry, Acapulco, ACME Comedy, ACME Comedy Company, Acme Comedy Company Minneapolis, Al's Place, Andover, Apple Valley, Arc's Value Village, Arden Hills, Baldamar, Baxter, Benihana, Birthday, Birthday Freebies, Blaine, Bloomington, botox, Brueggers Bagels, Buca di Beppo, Burnsville, Can Can Wonderland, Caribou Coffee, Chanhassen, Cherokee Tavern, Coon Rapids, Crooked Pint Ale House, Denny's, detroit lakes, Duluth, Dunn Brothers Coffee, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Fine Line, Finish Line, Firehouse Subs, First Avenue, Free, Freebies, Garrison, GODIVA, Golden Valley, Grand Casino, Green Mill, Grizzlys Grill, Ham Lake, Hinckley, Hogan Brothers, HopCat, Houlihan's, IKEA, IKEA Family, Jake's City Grille, Jamba Juice, Jersey Mike's, Lindey's Prime Steak House, Mankato, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Mario's Italian Kitchen, mini golf, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Nadia Cakes, New Brighton, New Hope, North Oaks, Northfield, Nothing Bundt Cakes, OC Rewards, Old Chicago, Panera Bread, Paradise Car Wash, Park Tavern, Pazzaluna, Perkins, Plymouth, Prior Lake, Pub 819, Ramsey, Red Cow, Red Rabbit, Red Robin, Red Robin Royalty, Red's Savoy, Richfield, Rochester, Roseville, Saint Cloud, Saint Louis Park, Saint Paul, Shoreview, Skinner's Pub, St. Louis Park, Stanley's Northeast Bar Room, Starbucks, Stillwater, Sunshine Factory Bar & Grill, Texas Roadhouse, TGI Fridays, The Bar Draft House, The Block, The Howe, Timberlodge Steakhouse, Treasure Island Resort and Casino, Tria Restaurant, Turf Club, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Live, Uptown Dermatology, Uptown Dermatology and SkinSpa, Waite Park, Watertown, Wayzata, Welch, West Saint Paul, Which Wich, Wild Bill's Sports Saloon, Wildfire, Willmar, Woodbury
Do your Brainerd Lakes stay the right way by skipping the conventional hotel and heading to a resort.
Category: randoMNess, TravelTags: Baxter, Brainerd, Brainerd Lakes, gay travel, Grand View Lodge, Gull Lake, KSTP, KSTP TV, Minnesota, National Register of Historic Places, Nisswa, Rafferty's Pizza, Stonehouse Coffee and Roastery, travel, travel writing, Twin Cities Live, Zaiser's
Posted on March 1, 2020
by Give Me The Mike
8 Comments
I went on the search for the best pizza in Minnesota. Votes were collected on my Facebook page, the Twin Cities Live Facebook page, on my Twitter and by email. I shared the top 5 on Twin Cities Live.… Read the rest
Category: randoMNessTags: all you can east pizza buffet, Aurelio's, Aurelio's Ramsey, Barstool Sports, best of minnesota, best pizza in minnesota, best pizza in mn, Calabrese, Cheese Curd Pizza, cheese curds, El Pres, Ellsworth, Flavor Explosion, Gluten Free, gluten free pizza, Greg's Meats, Hampton, Heggies Pizza, International Pizza Expo, King's Place, KSTP, KSTP TV, Mama's Pizza, Mama's Pizza Saint Paul, Meric's Hampton, Meric's Woodfire Oven and Tavern, Meric's Woodfire Oven and Tavern Hampton, Miesville, Milaca, Minnesota, Montgomery, Montgomery Brewing, New Trier, Pizza Barn, Pizza Barn Princeton, Pizzeria 201, Pizzeria 201 Montgomery, Princeton, Ramsey, Saint Paul, Trophy House, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Live, Worth the Trip
Posted on January 27, 2020
by Give Me The Mike
4 Comments
After counting thousands of votes, I visited the spots selected as the five best coffee shops in Minnesota. And at the bottom of this page, check out a list of spots receiving honorable mention.
I was on KSTP’s Twin Cities Live with the stories of the top coffee shops.… Read the rest
Category: randoMNessTags: Annandale, Baxter, Bella Caffe, Black Sheep Coffee, Brainerd, Buffalo, Buffalo Books and Coffee, Cabin Coffees, Cafe Astoria, Calf Fiend Cafe, Caydence Records and Coffee, Coco Moon, Coffee, Coffee Corner, Coffee Hag, Coffee Shops, Emily, Fairmont, Gathering Grounds Coffee Shoppe, Gert and Ermas, Glencoe, Graffiti Corner, Grand Marais, In Hot Water Coffee Shop, Irish Blessings Coffeehouse, Iron Ranger Coffee House, Java Moose, Kahvila, King Sparrow Coffee and Soda Shop, Lindstrom, Loco Espress, Lulu Beans Coffee Shop, Mandy's Coffee and Cafe, Mankato, Maple Lake, Masters Coffee Shop, Menahaga, Milaca, Minnesota, Mocha Monkey, Mudslingers, Muskie Waters Co, Nest, Nevis, Nisswa, Northwoods Roasterie, Olivia, Ottertail, Owly Coffee Co, Park Rapids, Perham, Pine City, Princeton, red wing, Redwood Falls, Roseville, Ruby's Roost Bakery, Saint Bonifacius, Saint Paul, School of the Wise, Sleepy Eye, Sleepy Eye Coffee Co, South Saint Paul, Staples, Stillwater, Stomping Grounds, Stonehouse Coffee and Roastery, Stonhouse Coffee, The Anchor Coffee House, The Daily Grind Espresso Cafe, The Williams Company Store, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Live, Victoria, Waconia, Wadena, White Bear Lake, Willmar, Worth the Trip, Yellowbird Coffee Bar, Zimmerman
Posted on November 12, 2019
by Give Me The Mike
8 Comments
I tallied your votes for the best bakeries in Minnesota. Most of them are outside of the immediate metro (none are in Minneapolis or Saint Paul) and they all have been around for generations.
I was on KSTP-TV’s Twin Cities Live to share their stories.… Read the rest
Category: randoMNessTags: Anoka, bakeries, bakery, Benson, Benson Bakery, Blaine, Cold Spring, Cold Spring Bakery, Cold Spring Bakery Connection, Emily's Bakery, Emily's Bakery and Deli, Emily's Bakery Hastings, Hanisch, Hanisch Bakery, Hanisch Bakery & Coffee SHop, Hanisch Bakery Red Wing, Hans, Hans Bakery, Hans Bakery Anoka, Hans Bakery Blaine, Hastings, kolachies, KSTP, KSTP TV, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Peanut Squares, Prison Bars, red wing, Saint Paul, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Live, Waite Park, Worth the Trip
It doesn’t sound super fun, but there’s a lot happening inside the Agriculture Horticulture Building at the Minnesota State Fair.
I appeared on KSTP’s Twin Cities Live to share some of my highlights.
If you miss out on the First Kiss Apple, it’s still worth a visit to the Minnesota Apples booth for a Cider Pop!… Read the rest
Category: randoMNessTags: Ag Hort, Agriculture Horticulture, Crop Art, First Kiss Apple, KSTP, KSTP TV, Minnesota, Minnesota Apples, Minnesota Bonsai Society, Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota State Fairgrounds, Prince, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Live, University of Minnesota
Posted on August 19, 2019
by Give Me The Mike
10 Comments
Breakfast becomes a passionate subject for many people. And for good reason.
For starters, it’s the most meaningful meal of the day. You need fuel to be productive.
It’s food people love, too: omelets, pancakes, French toast, hash browns.
Sitting down for breakfast is also the chance to connect with the people who mean a lot to you.… Read the rest
Category: randoMNessTags: 49er Flapjack, avocado verde, Beef Hash, Best breakfast in Minnesota, Bloomington, breakfast, Brooklyn Park, Burnsville, Cajun Skillet, David Nat, Denny's 5th Avenue Bakery, Eden Prairie, Edina, Eggs Bacon Avocado Benedict, Fat Nat's Eggs, Forest Lake, Gluten Free, Gyro Omelet, Hudson, Jeff Nat, Keys Cafe, Keys Cafe and Bakery, Keys Restaurant, Keys Saint Paul, Linda Frigaard, Linda Grady, Lindas Cafe, Lindas Stuffed, Lisa Nat, McGriddle, Michael Nat, Minnesota, Mounds View, New Brighton, New Hope, pancake, RJ Riches, RJ Riches Family Restaurant, Rogers, Roseville, Saint Paul, Spring Lake Park, St Anthony Village, The Original Pancake House, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Live, White Bear Lake, wild rice soup, Woodbury, Worth the Trip
Hopkins, located in the west metro, is home to one of the cutest Mainstreets in Minnesota. I was on KSTP-TV’s Twin Cities Live with places worth checking out if you’re looking for a date night, including one shop mixing books with beer.… Read the rest
Category: randoMNessTags: Cream & Amber, date night, Date Night Minneapolis, Date Night Minnesota, Date Night St. Paul, Hopkins, Hopkins Activity Center, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hopkins Raspberry Festival, KSTP, KSTP TV, Minnesota, The Sunset Series, Thirty Bales, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Live, Wild Boar Bar and Grill
Posted on June 25, 2019
by Give Me The Mike
7 Comments
Something peculiar of the top 5 spots voted in: none of them make their own ice cream.
Category: randoMNessTags: Adele's Frozen Custard, Afton, Amore Ice Cream Shoppe, Anderson's Ice Cream Shoppe, Anoka, Big Dipper Creamery, Big Lake, Blaine, Blast Softserve, Buffalo, Cedar Crest, Champlin, Chill Ice Cream Studio, Chocolate Shoppe, Conny's Creamy Cone, Coon Rapids, Cullen's Ice Cream, Cup and Cone, Deep Freeze, Elk River, Excelsior, Farmington, Flapdoodles Homemade Ice Cream, Freeport, Fridley, Fudging Delicious, Grand Old Creamery, Grandpa's Ice Cream, Hastings, Honey & Mackie's, ice cream, Izzy's, KSTP, KSTP TV, La Michoacana Purepecha, Lakeside Eats & Treats, Licks Unlimited, Lindstrom, LUV Ice Cream, Mankato, Milkjam Creamery, Minneapolis, Minnesota, MN Nice Cream, Mom & Pop's Ice Cream, Mr. Twisty, Nelson's Ice Cream, New London, Nisswa, North Oaks, North Saint Paul, Oak Station Coffee & Cone, Osakis, Owatonna, Plymouth, Prior Lake, Rochester, Saint Cloud, Saint Paul, Schoolhouse Scoop, Sebastian Joe's, Selma's Ice Cream Parlour, Stillwater, The Chocolate Ox, Tip Top Dairy Bar, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Live, Two Scoops, What's the Scoop?, White Bear Lake, Worth the Trip
Not much gets better than July in Minnesota! There’s plenty to do with long summer nights. Bonus: you don’t have to spend 20 minutes putting on a parka and scraping ice off your windshield!
I compiled a list of events happening around the state.… Read the rest
Category: randoMNessTags: 3M Open, 4 Bells, advice, Aerosmith, Alchemy 365, Alex Honnold, Alliance Francaise, Anoka, Apple Valley, Barbette, Basilica Block Party, Basilica of St. Mary, Bastille Day, Blaine, Bloomington, Bull's Horn, Cafe Lurcat, Canterbury Park, Cathedral of St Paul, Chaska, Chaska River City Days, Coco, Corner Table, Eagan, Eagan Funfest, Excelsior, Fine Spirits Classic, FireLake Grill House and Cocktail Bar, fireworks, First Draft Taproom & Kitchen, Free Solo, Hamel, Hamel Rodeo, Hanson, Holman's Table, Hopkins, Hopkins Raspberry Festival, Jason Mraz, Joey Chestnut, Kacey Musgraves, Lela, Libera, Lime, Little Log House Antique Power Show, Little Log House Pioneer Village, Little Mekong, Little Mekong Night Market, Loring Park, Loring Park Art Festival, Lurcat, Meritage, Minneapolis, Minneapolis Aquatennial, Minneapolis Movies in the Park, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Minneapolis Water Taxi, Minnesota, Minnesota Monthly, Minnesota Orchestra, Minnesota Scottish Fair, Monticello, Monticello Riverfest, Movies in the Parks, MplsStPaul Mag, MSP Mag, music, Mystic Lake, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, New Hope, New Hope Duk Duk Daze, Outdoor Movies, Pazzaluna, Pitbull, Prior Lake, Pun Slam, Pundamonium, Ramsey County, Ramsey County Fair, REO Speedwagon, Restaurant Week, Richfield, Richfield Red White and Blue Days, Robbinsdale, Robbinsdale Whiz Bang Days, Rondo Days Festival and Parade, Semisonic, Shakopee, Sommerfest, Soul Asylum, Spin, Spring Street Tavern, The Freehouse, The Great Midwest Rib Fest, Tim McGraw, Twin Cities, Twin Cities Beer Choir, Twin Cities Live, Twin Cities River Rats, Twin Cities Summer Jam, Wheels of Italy