Author: Christy DeSmith

Anyone who’s traveled the back roads of western Wisconsin has probably spotted the bait shops, pole barns, and even semi-trailers that serve as watering holes. On my many passes through the area, en route to a friend’s cabin or a visit with family, I’ve happened upon bars made from substandard shacks and, in one instance,…

Made-in-Minnesota fashion has been getting a lot of attention lately, but it’s local jewelry designs that have impressed us most with their beauty and breadth. (Note: We’re thinking beyond the surfeit of reindeer-shaped pendants and other novelties peddled on the craft-fair and church-bazaar circuits.) While area boutiques like Bluebird, Karma, and Ivy have imported clothing…

Any foray into local Scandinavian style—as purveyed by a number of area emporiums, boutiques, and gift shops—rightly begins at Ingebretsen’s. This stalwart Lake Street retailer offers Scandinavian wares in their most basic forms: wool cardigans with pewter clasps, traditional Norwegian hardanger doily cloths and embroidery, and countless varieties of the painted wooden Dala horse. For…

Photo courtesy city of circle pines; An early brochure touts the cooperative, courtesy minnesota historical society The landscape of Circle Pines is bleak. Entering town off I-35W, drivers are greeted by a stretch of newly constructed townhouses in varying shades of fawn and ecru. The wayside scenery along Lake Drive, the main thoroughfare, is similarly…

Chris Osgood Age: 52 Background: Formed the seminal Minneapolis punk band, The Suicide Commandos, in 1974 and then went on to serve as label manager/producer for Twin/Tone Records. Currently serves as director of artist services for Springboard for the Arts, a St. Paul-based nonprofit dedicated to helping self-employed creative folks earn a living. Name some…

I used to be an overdressed runner. For example, at my first marathon, Grandma’s in 2002, I sported a pair of cropped cotton pants despite the steamy weather that day along the North Shore. The reason for this is that I, like many runners, was born bearing an extra-heavy burden, so to speak. But it’s…