Food + Beverage

HopSpot Brew Hall

Private Events Perfected at Fat Pants Brewing Co. Article by David Scheller Going to parties? I’m all in favor of it. Promise to put good food, drink and company around me, and I’ll be right there. Planning parties? Count me out. I’m strictly in the business of enjoying good things. I never absorbed the moral of The Little Red Hen . Thank goodness Fat Pants Brewing Co. is here for people like me. The family-owned brewery offers far more than exquisite beer. It also presents the perfect...

September 2024

Food + Beverage

Brazin Public House

Extraordinarily Out of the Ordinary Article by David Scheller When Kevin Champlin was 13 years old, he entered a loaf of challah bread in the Pierce County Fair. The judges would have been amazed enough to discover any example of traditional Jewish cuisine in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. That the child’s skill surpassed that of many professional bakers surprised them even more. Why challah, of all things? It was simply Kevin’s stab at creating something out of the ordinary. Kevin proceeded to spend...

September 2024

Event Planning + Services

The Boardroom

Office Golf: Much More Than Golf Article by David Scheller I’m in Bloomington, just off 494, watching deer taking turns sipping from Nine Mile Creek. They look discontent on this dour, drizzly autumn evening. I’m sure it would comfort them to know how cozy The Boardroom is keeping me. You seldom associate warmth with the phrase “30,000 square foot facility,” yet The Boardroom glows in its own hospitality. It is Office Golf’s full-service restaurant, which serves elevated American fare and...

September 2024

Food + Beverage

Baker's Ribs

A Barbecue Icon Is Back and Better Than Ever Article by Bill Scheller It was a beautiful wedding. The music, the flowers, the pretty bride and the handsome groom, the happy families. The ribs. The brisket. The smoky baked beans. We all know that a good marriage starts with a proper feed. And this one was off to a stellar start, because the barbecue entrees and delicious sides were provided by Baker’s Ribs. “We cater quite a few weddings,” says Al Killion, proprietor and pitmaster of the...

September 2024

Home Services

Cleaner Spirits

Fast. Friendly. Thorough. Guaranteed. Article by David Scheller It’s not just Thanksgiving dinner. It is the most important Thanksgiving dinner you will ever host in your entire life. Everyone you love, respect and admire will be there. Everyone. There’s your older sister, the deaconess, whose baking has historically overshadowed your cooking and who is bringing two pies. There’s your 20-something daughter, who seems quite serious about her handsome new plus-one. There’s your boss, Mr...

September 2024

Finance + Legal Services

First Western Bank & Trust

Home Equity Loans by Eden Prairie’s “Big-Small” Bank Article by David Scheller Your home is more than just a place to live. It’s a part of our community, and a cornerstone of the life you’ve built here. When it’s time to turn your home’s value into something more, it’s important to choose a financial partner who understands the unique needs of our local area. By choosing a home equity loan from a community-focused bank, you’re not just investing in your future. You’re also investing in the...

September 2024

Food + Beverage

Nothing Bundt Cakes

How a Non-Baker Became a Sweet Sensation Article by Graham Johnson Kim Cassens, owner of the Nothing Bundt Cakes locations in Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Eagan, and Mall of America, admits she is no baker. Her background is in business and marketing, and before coming to Nothing Bundt Cakes, she worked as a project manager at a software development company. After leaving her position, Kim stopped at the Eden Prairie Nothing Bundt Cakes to pick up a bundt. After that one cake, she decided it was...

September 2024

Finance + Legal Services

Andy Gregory Law

Certainty After the Inevitable Article by David Scheller | Photography by Emily John Jeremiah described it as “resting with your ancestors.” John Cleese called it “joining the choir invisible.” Brendon Small dubbed it “hamburger time.” Referring to it euphemistically does help to make that fated celestial tea party a touch more palatable. Just don’t forget: You received your invitation on the day you were born, and attendance is mandatory. You would much rather have the world keep turning in...

September 2024

Health + Wellness

QC Kinetix

Non-Surgical Regeneration Article and Photography by Arthritis. Degenerative joint disease. Overuse syndrome. Sports injuries. If you have one of these, then you already know it. You can feel it in your bones. Discomfort. Loss of mobility. Loss of joy. Any TV drug commercial would remind you of the tolls of chronic pain. And it only gets worse. It’s chronic . Its defining trait is that it sticks around, which it could do for as long as you stick around. Chronic pain drives many to...

September 2024

Food + Beverage

Pampered Pork

Pork as It’s Meant to Be, With Free Home Delivery Article by David Scheller Minnesota’s highest-quality brats, chops, hams, tenderloins, ribs, bacon, cottage bacon, and more – raised humanely, sustainably, and on a non-GMO diet free of growth additives, antibiotics and animal byproducts – delivered straight to your doorstep by the same farmer who produced them. It’s the Connolly family’s gift to the Twin Cities: pork as it’s truly meant to be. “Every pig we raise lives out their entire life...

September 2024