Girl Friday

Unsolicited Pimping: Rituals Bath & Skin Care Products

This blog post is long overdue. Not only because just now have I been able to log into my Typepad account for the first time in weeks, but because Rituals lotions are the best I've ever found and I think you should know about them.

I first tried one of these lotions at a bridal shower that my Auntie Honey threw at her house. She had stuffed a handful of the purse-size versions in gift bags for us to take home. I loved the scent -- Calypso Sunrise, holla -- but after applying it to my hands and washing them once or twice that afternoon, I noticed that my skin was still soft. The lotions and body butters are incredibly emollient without being greasy at all. And both the softness and the scent lasts longer than any other products I've found anywhere near this price point.

When I pull the purse-size lotions out in public, the awesome scents attract immediate attention; all my friends must try it and, once they've worked it into the skin, they must know where I buy it. You can find these wonderful lotions, body butters, balms, soaps, candles, oils and incense -- which come in literally dozens of scents, so be prepared to spend some time picking your favorites -- only at Midtown Global Market. The shop is located almost dead center of the market, adjacent to the large seating area where there is occasionally music and dance performances, and across from Midtown Produce Exchange and La Sirena Gorda.

I have my favorite lotion scents (Cedar Saffron, Bitter Orange and aforementioned Calypso Sunrise) and my favorite lip balm (Brown Sugar), which I love. I recently tried the soy candles, too, which burn long and give a mellow but lasting fragrance. Pick up some goodies for yourself or give some as gifts for Christmas and let me know what you think.

Rituals website

 

 

Pretending to Sound Smart on Fox 9 News

Wow, it only took me 2 days to log into Typepad this week. I better double up on the blog posts while I'm in!

If you didn't catch it, here's me on Fox 9 news the other night looking like I know what I'm talking about.

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/sex-survey-an-eye-opener-for-couples-oct-4-2010

In Season by Don Saunders to Open Early November

Yay, Typepad let me log into day! Seriously, you guys. One of these days I'll stop complaining and actually fill out a help ticket. Although I can see some very slight tweaks in the design as I'm typing right now, so maybe the site just got a little upgrade.

Anyway, I got this in my inbox last week and got very, very excited. My love for the cuisine of Chef Don Saunders is well documented here on Girl Friday. I'm thrilled that, after the closing of our beloved Fugaise in March of last year, Don is opening In Season:

Critically acclaimed local chef Don Saunders is opening a new restaurant in South Minneapolis. The restaurant, which will be called "In Season," is scheduled to open sometime in early November at 5416 Penn Ave South (the former Armatage Room space).

Congratulations to Chef Don on his new venture!

After the Summer of Amazing, I'm getting back on track with the cookbook. I made a superb three-squash soup earlier this week and will post that recipe in the next day or two. My weeks are staying pretty busy thanks to the trivia and bingo gigs. Come on down and say hi one of these nights:

• Sunday: Trivia at The Lyndale Taphouse 7:30pm (we may be pushing it back to closer to 9:00pm soon)

• Monday: R-rated Trivia Mafia at Nomad World Pub at 9:00pm

• Tuesday: BARGO (that's bingo at the bar) at The Lyndale Tap House at 9:00pm

Always free to play, always good prizes, always a good time.

 

The next Generation of Sartorial Blogging

Girl Friday posting has been weak at best lately. Not entirely my fault; I can't log into my account more than 50% of the time. I've been hella busy lately, too, so when I have something to say here and I can't say it, I get really frustrated because then who the hell knows when I'll be able to sit down at my desk again.

Anyway, who is this Ulla? She's adorable.

What the F**k are YOU Wearing? State Fair Edition from MPLS.TV on Vimeo.

From the Department of Wah-Waaahh

Caloric value and fat content of all your favorite foods at the Minnesota State Fair.

I better not see another article like this again, Star Tribune.

Pepsi and Pakora

I've been a little off the grid lately, my apologies for that. Sometimes life just presents you with so many more fun things to do than sit down at your laptop for more than a few hours a week. Perhaps there's something going on in my life that may be of interest to you? Let's see:

What I'm wearing:

MAC Opulash mascara is awesome. In addition to adding more volume and length than Diorshow and being clump-free, it also comes off sooo easily. It almost slides off your lashes in pieces; no raccoon eyes when using remover, not even in the morning if you forget to take it off before bed.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On eye pencil. Holy crap, you cannot bust this stuff. It has way more staying power than MAC pencils, not to mention any drug store brands, even on the waterline. Somehow it still magically comes off easily with remover towelettes.

I've gotten so many compliments on the green Red by Ecko handbag I bought at Macy's this winter that I decided to explore the line a little bit more. Who knew this company made such cute and affordable bags, and that they're all leather-free? I bought this black handbag this week at DSW with my latest Rewards certificate. I don't think the photos do them much justice; they are super adorable.

What I'm eating:

The sweet and spicy burger at Mac's Industrial (with a veggie patty, of course). I can't get enough of this thing. It's the ultimate indulgence, with melted cheddar, barbecue sauce, pickles (key to anything covered in barbecue sauce) and a pile of spicy onion straws. Served with your choice of Mac's 19 different sides. I'm currently stuck on the cucumber salad, which is fat chunks of cucumber and tomato tossed in a tangy and sweet vinegar-based dressing. If you've never thought to stop in and grab a bite to eat here, do it. Not only is the full menu available 'til 2:00am every night, but there are a ton of options and everything is good. Well, nearly everything. They put the shredded lettuce inside the quesadilla before they grill it, which results in warm, soggy strings of lettuce, which kind of grosses me out.

Gandhi Mahal continues to make sweet love to my mouth and belly every delicious time I visit. I don't know what they do as far as meat but, for vegetarians, this is the best Indian restaurant in the Twin Cities. If you don't agree with me, I challenge you to a sitar-off. Also, for those who complain that local ethnic restaurants tone down the spice for the Midwestern American palate, try Gandhi Mahal. Start with "medium" and don't say I didn't warn you. I was there with my friend Ben earlier this week and had my favorite, aloo begun, as well as the mushroom paneer on the seasonal menu (I've been trying to replicate the aloo begun for a while now with little success and it's really starting to frustrate me). Both were spicy, fragrant, slightly creamy perfection.

Throwback is back! Pepsi, Mountain Dew and my beloved Dr. Pepper. Last week, all three were $2.98 per 12-pack at Cub Foods. Hopefully that throwback price sticks for a while.

What I'm doing:

Still bartending 1-2 shifts a week at Burger Moe's over in Shelbyville. If you haven't checked it out yet, come on down. There have been no major paper reviews of the food yet, but it's been getting high marks on Chowhound. Tom Horgen also gave props to the big and beautiful patio at Moe's in his recent article on the best patios in the TC.

You already know I'm co-hosting R-rated Trivia every Monday night at Nomad World Pub. As of this week, I've also started hosting BINGO every Tuesday at Lyndale Tap House. Winners get a free tee shirt that brags a bingo win, plus a round of shots for your table. Tuesday is also service industry night, so shots of Grand Marnier, Rumpleminze and Patron are just $4 from 9:00pm to midnight. Party!

Speaking of the service industry, my latest cover story for Vita.mn came out yesterday. Check it out for tips on how to get the best possible service at a restaurant or bar. Yes, it's pathetic that people actually need to be taught such simple lessons but, believe me, there are a lot of clueless and inconsiderate a**holes out there.

Where the Hotties At?

Question: What bar or restaurant employs the hottest servers and bartenders in the Twin Cities? I'm doing some research for an upcoming story and I'd like your input.

Contribute to Vita.mn's Hottest Servers & Bartenders list, or just give me your opinions in the comments here.

New Gigs, New Restaurants, Farewell to a Minneapolis Favorite

Someone call blog protective services, because I have been very neglectful of poor Girl Friday the past two weeks. In my defense, I've been so busy I also forgot to mail my rent check and send $42.00 to the City of Minneapolis for a minor parking violation. In other run-ins-with-the-law news, I got a speeding ticket two nights ago: 44 in a 35, on Johnson Street coming off the East Hennepin Avenue exit. $145.00. Grrr.

So this is what I've been busy doing:

I now co-host trivia on Monday nights at the Nomad on the West Bank. I joined up with the notoriously gangsta Trivia Mafia, and Matt Perkins and I bring you R-rated Trivia every Monday night at 9:00pm, with 2-4-1s until midnight. What is R-rated Trivia, you ask? Not your mother's trivia, that's what, unless your mother happens to be a porn flick aficionado with vast knowledge of sex, crime and consensual sex crimes, not to mention drugs, booze and the occasional acid flashback. Errrybody has fun, it's free to play, cheap to drink and the prizes are good.

After a nearly 8-year hiatus, I am back behind the bar at a new restaurant in St. Paul. Burger Moe's officially opened Monday across the street from Downtowner Woodfire Grill and next to Tom Reid's. Burger Moe's is owned by Moe Sharif, who also owns the Downtowner. The website isn't up yet, but Burger Moe's is open for lunch and dinner, with an emphasis on hamburgers and hot dogs of all kinds -- yes, there is a tasty house-made black bean veggie burger -- and the kitchen is open until 1:00am. At the bar you'll find 40 tap beers and 20 more in the cooler, with two happy hours daily on taps and rail drinks (3:00-6:00pm and 9:00pm-1:00am). You'll also find me behind the bar a few nights a week, probably working the first happy hour shift. Check out the Pi Press's first impression of Burger Moe's.

Yes, it's true: Azia is closing! But kinda more like moving. Thom Pham secured the space at 6th & Hennepin and has been quietly remodeling the inside in anticipation of a August opening of Wanderers Wondrous Azian Kitchen. That opening will be preceded by Azia's closing, after which most of the staff and a fair amount of Azia's interior will make the trek from Eat Street to downtown.

I know what you're thinking, but don't worry. I'm not spiraling into a depression the depths of which Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio wouldn't even know. This is a good move for the company (the old building is falling apart), a good option for downtown (late-night Asian-fusion, holla) and now it's even closer to me! Congrats to Thom, and best of luck. Read the details of the move on Horgen's blog post at Star Tribune.

'Senses' Tonight!

We hope to see you down at LUSH tonight for the premiere of 'Senses.'

This multimedia collection is Red Card's biggest and possibly best yet. 5 films and 5 photo collections, breathtaking illustrations, original music, specialty cocktails and, for the first time, a fashion collection.

All this art is centered around one or all 5 of the senses: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell.

I made a movie with my pal Ben Quam, with a big hand from Erik Janzen and Tim Davis, not to mention some awesome extras.

We're super pumped about what we've all put together tonight. It's going to be great!

Come kick off Pride with us and check out what we made!

Holy Land Deli in NYT

Thank God today's one of those days when I just happen to have a spare lemon lying around. I just read this article about the widespread popularity of hummus, and now a serious hummus and chips jones is happening.

The story focuses on the Wadi family, owners of Northeast Minneapolis's Holy Land Deli. I guess they're pitching their 14 favors of hummus to Costco; best of luck to them! CC and I tried the guacamole hummus with blue tortilla chips last week and managed to clear the tub in one sitting (plus salads and a tub of spicy olives from Lund's). Thumbs up.

New York Times: Hummus Catches On in America (as Long as it's Flavored)