If you have been to Minneapolis, you have most likely seen the Foshay Tower.  The Foshay Tower was really the first skyscraper in Minneapolis and was built in 1929 remaining the tallest building in Minneapolis until the IDS tower opened in 1972. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places as an example of Art Deco Architecture.  The Foshay Tower has 32 floor and it 447 feet tall plus its antenna making it a total of 607 feet tall and was built at a cost of $3.75 million.

The Foshay Tower was the idea and namesake of Wilbur Foshay who was a wealthy businessman.  Foshay amassed his fortune in the utility company business during the booming economy of the 1920’s.  Foshay invited 25,000 people to his grand opening party including many prominent politicians. Unfortunately, shortly after the Foshay Tower was completed the stock market crashed and the Great Depression began.  Just 6 weeks after opening, Wilbur Foshay’s empire was sent into receivership and he never actually got to live in the tower where he had planned to make his home.

The word “FOSHAY” is lit up on the top of the building on all 4 sides in 10 foot lighted letters.  A patent for this lettering was granted in 1931. Many different broadcasters have used the antenna atop the building such as WTCN, WCCO and KMSP.

In 2006, the building was sold and conversion to a 230 room W Hotel began.  The hotel renovation took about 2 years and opened in August 2008.  Even if you are not a hotel guest, you can still go up to the 30^th floor museum and observation deck or the 27^th floor Prohibition Sky Bar. Hours vary by day and there is also an admission charge.

The Foshay Tower is definitely an historic Minneapolis place and well worth visiting.

Some of the lakes up north still have ice on them so the DNR is urging people on those lakes to use caution and good judgment, the water temperatures are also quite cold which presents a hazard to anyone falling into the water.  If you are in a boating incident in waters below 60 degrees it is five times more likely to result in fatalities.

Why exactly is fishing opener weekend this weekend in May?

• It is always the Saturday 2 weeks before Memorial Day weekend
• It allows most walleyes to spawn before being caught by anglers
• It ensures that the opener is on a weekend, when most anglers can fish
• This date ensures two full weekends for anglers and businesses before the Memorial Day weekend.

Another notable change this fishing season is the extensive crackdown on invasive species.  From zebra mussels and carp to milfoil and curly leaf, the state is cracking down on boaters who don’t follow proper invasive species protocols and fishermen can expect to be checked and cited this weekend for aquatic invasive species violations. They have also trained dogs to sniff out the invasive species on boats coming out of the water. The dogs are much faster and much more likely to find the invasive species on boats coming out of the water.

If you are wondering where to purchase your fishing license, they can be purchased at most gas stations, bait shops and sporting goods stores.

If you live in the Twin Cities you need to make sure you make it to Grand Avenue in St. Paul!  Grand Avenue itself is about 5 miles long, but there is a 1 mile stretch between Lexington and Dale that has the most “action”.  Grand Avenue is probably the best place to shop in St. Paul, they have many great restaurants and cafes, they have nightlife and also many community events.

You won’t find any big name stores on Grand Avenue which is really part of the charm. The Avenue has numerous smaller shops and boutiques with something for everyone and it is a great place to go if you need a unique gift! Grand Avenue pride itself in creating a unique shopping experience for visitors, which is largely credited to the specialty businesses, and the outstanding products and services they offer. Many of these Grand Avenue shops and restaurants are family owned and run, and several have been part of the avenue for decades.  There are gift shops, jewelry stores, clothing stores, stores for pets, places for kid’s stuff, cooking stores and so much more. When the weather is nice it is fun to just stroll along and check all the shops out!

Hungry or thirsty?  Grand Avenue has you covered.  There are numerous coffee shops, cafes, restaurants and bars, some are fancier than others.  The Lexington is an older upscale restaurant, there is the Grand Ole Creamery where the ice cream is to die for or Café Latte where you can satisfy all your coffee needs. If you are looking for wonderful baked goods, Woullet’s Bakery is located on Grand and is a traditional European style bakery.

The biggest event is Grand Ole Days which is held in June, they also have a Halloween Event, an event for pets and several others. Take a look at the Grand Avenue website for more information on everything there is to see and do on Grand Avenue.

The second Saturday of each month the Brickmania Toyworks building is open to the public from 10am to 4pm.  The main attraction is the Lego set up but you can also purchase Lego kits in a side area of the building.  The building host 2 local Lego clubs, one of which is the Lego Train Club.  People of all ages will find something fun to do and see at the open house! The train set up has very real recreated war scenes, a subway, models of actual buildings in our cities and so much more!

They also have a motto that if a child brings their own Lego train, the club will run it on their track for the child.  Be forewarned – if you are not into Legos either stay at home or bring along something to do because Lego fans will want to spend a lot of time at the open house.

The Brickmania Toyworks is located at 1620 Central Ave. NE, Ste. 177, Minneapolis.  The open house is the second Saturday of every month and is free.

The theme of the show this year is Asian, specifically India. Throughout the auditorium, paths take visitors through the display, and each section of flowers is marked to help gardeners and aspiring gardeners identify their favorite flowers and plants. Once again Bachmann’s has provided the exotic floral displays the show off the beauty and landscapes that are native to Asia. Bachmann’s has been providing the floral displays for the flower show for almost 50 years.

The Macy’s Flower Show began in their Union Square store in 1946, becoming the very first department store to hold such an event.  Around 500,000 people visit the flower show each year to see all the beautiful floral displays and landscape scenes from around the world.  Bachmann’s has been providing the flowers for the Minneapolis show for almost 50 years. They are a local company that has been around for 125 years and has numerous stores, outlets, greenhouses and garden centers around the Twin Cities.

Get set for spring by checking out Macy’s Flower Show!

There are a few things to keep in mind when you get totally frustrated with the snow and cold.  The average high temperature for March in Minnesota is 28 degrees which is below the freezing point.  March is also known to be one of our snowiest months of the winter with around a foot of new snow, so getting a lot of snow is nothing unusual. The latest snow recorded in Minnesota was on June 4, 1935.

Last year we really got a jumpstart on spring with fertilizing lawns in early April, mowing in April, planting in early May, but that is really risky business in Minnesota.  This year these things will be delayed whether we like it or not as it is rather tough to fertilize a lawn that is buried under snow!

Even if the weather does warm up soon and the snow all melts away, keep the basic rules for our climate in mind and never forget that while it may be 70 one day, it could be 30 the next and this is true until around mid-May.  Most years the lawn does not need a first mowing until sometime in May, the rule of thumb for outdoor flower pots is to wait until after Mother’s Day but still be prepared to bring them in or cover them if we should have frost in the forecast.  As for planting gardens, wait until the end of May unless you are planting hearty plants that can handle a good frost or two.

While you are waiting to get out and do some yard work, make sure that your lawn mower is in good shape and if it needs a tune up, now is an ideal time to get that done. Get your lawn fertilizer and garden seeds so you are ready when the warm weather hits.

This time of year we all have had our fill of winter and want spring to appear, but you can’t force nature so sit back relax and wait for that stronger sun to melt that snow cover and bring our temperatures up.

Some of the biggest stressers for the kids are moving to a whole new city and/or school where they have to make all new friends or moving because of a family event such as a financial hardship or divorce.  If you notice your child acting different, acting out and behaving in ways that are negative that he had not done before these may be signs that the moving stress is too much.

What can you do to help your child cope with your upcoming move?

• Don’t keep it a secret – tell them that you are going to be moving and why, always talk about it in a positive manner even if you aren’t happy about it, they don’t need to know that
• Be honest – let them know that it will be a new place with a new school and it might be hard to make friends at first but you have to do the same and make it sound like an exciting adventure rather than a really rough project. Let the child know that you will always be there if they need help with any issues.
• Keep an open dialog – have discussions about the move often and leave time for any questions that may come up. Your child probably has a million questions and the more you can answer the better he will feel.
• Spend time together – you will be busy getting everything in order for the move but make sure that you leave plenty of time to spend with your child.  Go to a favorite restaurant or play area, visit places your child loves to go to before you leave. Take pictures and create an album of memories.
• When you start packing have the child help out. Don’t just decide what goes and what stays, let your child help in that decision when it comes to his things.
• How about a going away party?  Have your child invite all his friends over for a nice going away party, maybe set up something to get exchange addresses so all the friends can remain together as pen pals.  Nothing is more exciting than getting a letter from a friend when you are feeling lonely in your new home.
• Once you get to your new home, let your child get their room set up as they like it right away, take them to their new school to become familiar with it before the first day, find some fun activities to participate in in the new area, you may be busy but always make time for your child.

After another round of shoveling today, this story came to mind. I don’t know who wrote it originally but I’ve had it “typed” on a piece of paper that someone gave me for years now. I have seen various versions online but this is the version I have and will share. I wish I knew the author as they were right one!

Aug. 12  Moved to our new home in Minnesota.  It is so beautiful here.  The woods are so majestic.  Can hardly wait to see them with snow covering them.  I love it here.

Oct. 14  Minnesota is the most beautiful place on earth.  The leaves are turning all shades of red and orange.  Went for a ride through the beautiful woods and saw some deer.  They are so graceful, certainly they are the most wonderful animal on earth.  This must be Paradise.  I love it here.

Nov. 11  Deer season will start soon.  I can’t imagine anyone wanting to kill such a gorgeous creature.  Hope it will snow soon.  I love it here.

Dec. 2    It snowed last night.  Woke up to find everything blanketed with white.  It looks like a postcard.  We went outside and cleaned the snow off the steps and shovelled the driveway.  We had a snowball fight (I won), and when the snow plow came by we had to shovel the driveway again.  What a beautiful place.  I love Minnesota!

Dec. 12  More snow last night.  I love it.  The snow plow did his trick again in the driveway.  I love it here.

Dec. 19  More snow last night.  Couldn’t get out of the driveway to get to work.  I am exhausted from shovelling snow.  Dang snowplow.

Dec.  22  More of that white crap fell last night.  I’ve got blisters on my hands from shovelling.  I think the snowplow hides around the corner and waits until I’m done shovelling the driveway.  Jerk!!!

Dec. 25  Merry Christmas!  More of that snow.  If I ever get my hands on the guy who drives that snowplow, I swear I’ll kill him.  Don’t know why they don’t use more salt on the roads to melt the darn ice.

Dec. 27  More white crap last night.  Been inside for 3 days except for shovelling out the driveway after that snow plow goes through every time.  Can’t go anywhere, car’s stuck in a mountain of white stuff.  The weatherman says to expect another 10” of this white crap again tonight.  Do you know how many shovels full of snow 10” is?

Dec. 28  The weatherman was wrong.  We got 34” of that white crap this time.  At this rate it won’t melt before next summer.  The snow plow got stuck up the road and that driver came to the door and asked to borrow my shovel.  After I told him I had broken six shovels already shovelling all the crap he pushed into the driveway, I broke my last shovel over his head.

Jan. 4    Finally got out of the house today.  Went to the store to get food and on the way back a deer ran in front of the car and I hit it.  Did about $3,000 damage to the car.  Those beasts should be shot.  Wished the hunters had killed more of them last November.

May 3    Took the car to the garage in town.  Would you believe the thing is rusting out from all the salt they put on the roads.

May 10  Moved to California.  I can’t imagine why anyone in their right mind would ever live in that God-forsaken state of Minnesota.

Brine’s Market is located in the Uptown section of Stillwater in the business district.  It is easy to find and has more than ample parking.  Although the building is newer, the market still gives off an old fashioned feeling and smells wonderful!  The market has full service counters for meat, poultry, deli and seafood with staff that knows their stuff and are happy to accommodate your needs and wishes.  They also have a wide variety of sausages which are made in-house.  Brine’s market is more than just a meat counter, they also bake their own fresh breads, they make their own salads and they have a line of grocery items from eggs and milk to noodles and various sauces. They carry many name brand items, imported brands and they also have some of their own Brine’s Gold Label Products such as BBQ sauce, salad dressings, marinades, jams and jellies.

If you are looking for a great place to sit down and eat or have a drink, you should stop at Brine’s Restaurant & Bar in the heart of historic downtown Stillwater in a 143 year old building!  They have a great American style menu and 20 beers on tap (micro brews, domestics and imports) as well as some specialty drinks all with views of the St. Croix River from the second floor restaurant.  The third floor is reserved for parties and catering.

Whether you are looking to cook something tasty at home or eat out, Brine’s is definitely a place you should stop by and check out!

The MNRG skate in St. Paul at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium and are the first league in the country to have a professional space for their practices and bouts.  As for attendance, the MNRG averages about 4000 spectators per bout.  The MNRG are in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association which now has 172 professional members in different divisions.  The Association is not limited to the USA, they also have associations in Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Sweden and the UK.  The US league is divided into 4 regions with the MNRG ranking second in the North Central region as of the end of January 2013.

If you are looking for something different to do, consider attending a MNRG bout!  People of all ages are welcome but do keep in mind that it can be an aggressive sport and there is occasional bad language.  The team says to view a bout as rated PG 13.  Tickets are reasonably priced and in some cases kids under certain ages are free with the purchase of an adult ticket. Head on down to St. Paul, grab a bite to eat and enjoy the Minnesota Roller Girls!  Click here for the MNRG website.