The Yogurt Lab

I absolutely love when a new, creative, energetic concept hits town.  Well, this one might not be "new" per se, but it's a solid concept that took a twist, got turned on it's head and scaled up a notch or two.  It's The Yogurt Lab in Minneapolis and let me tell ya folks, this ain't no TCBY.  This is a modern, fresh, cool, fun, healthy (organic milk!), and utterly delicious soft serve frozen yogurt destination.  With flavors like Green Apple, Salted Caramel, Chili Chocolate, Cupcake and Mango (to name just a few) your options are endless.  And there are even more choices when it comes to toppings- be the healthy type with fresh fruit or go bananas with every type of cereal imaginable, all kinds of nuts, your favorite candy bars, Gummi Bears and marshmallows- there are simply too many to list.  You just need to check it out for yourself and have your own little yogurt experiment.  The place was packed and given that it was a Monday afternoon in the middle of winter, I can only imagine what summer will bring when the crowds flock to nearby Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles to take their yogurt for a stroll. 

Endless options to top off your yogurt.

My personal fave.

The Yogurt Lab has an industrial, lab-chic vibe that not only serves inventive flavors of frozen yogurt, but pumps great tunes and loads of energy into the experience.

Cooper's eyes were definitely bigger than his belly when it came to making flavor and topping decisions!

The wall says it all!!

The Yogurt Lab is located at 3100 Excelsior Blvd. near Whole Foods.

Don't miss it!

"Somebody That I Used to Know..."

If you haven't seen this video from Walk Off the Earth, the Canadian, YouTube viral sensation (almost 36 million hits this month alone!) you must watch right here, right now.  There are kind of no words to describe it.  Just watch it- a few times, and then maybe a few more.  Make sure you get past the first 1.5 minutes to hear the haunting voice of Sarah Blackwood.  This collection of musicians is clearly talented, imaginative, inventive, and there is just some super crazy symbiotic sound they produce that transcends all conventional music.  Even if the song is a cover of Gotye's hit (FYI, he's coming to the Varsity Theater on April 4th, but unfortunately it's already sold out) I think they made it their own by mastering the solo guitar with ten hands on it.  Weird.  But it works.  Really, really well.  I see raw, eager talent, humor, commitment, and soul when I watch these guys.  I love it.  I showed it to my music loving eldest son and he was instantly mesmerized by their hypnotic, almost haunting melody.  Now check it out and let me know what you think.  Click here to watch the video...enjoy.  You will be singing- I guarantee it! 

Brrr...

Think positive and stay warm.

San Francisco Trifecta

Three of my favorite things collided when I saw this post on the super fun blog, Hooked on Houses the other day.  What are three of my favorite things, you might ask?  In no particular order, they are...

Words with Friends.  San Francisco.  One King's Lane.

They all came together when I found this gorgeous listing of The City's  uber-power couple Mark and Alison Pincus' Presidio Heights home.  It went on the market last month right before Mark's online gaming company, Zynga, went public.  If you are not familiar with Zynga (Words with Friends, Farmville, etc.) than maybe you are familiar with One King's Lane, the incredibly successful online home decor site that was founded by Alison in 2009.  If you're not familiar with either one of these, well, I can't help you out.  Google them.

This 4,000 square foot home (on a 4,199 sq. ft. lot no less- can you say, "San Francisco??") is absolutely stunning, gorgeous, happy, and oh so bright and spectacular.  I can just see myself curled up on the sofa off the sunny yellow kitchen playing Words with Friends.  Can't you?  

It's in my favorite neighborhood of The City, Presidio Heights, and sits on a tiny, tree lined block that backs up to The Presidio.  Within walking distance to great shops, world class restaurants, beautiful parks, and schools (private, of course), this little dream could be yours for a cool $8.95 million.  

Doesn't that equate to about $447 per square foot?  

Kind of a deal if you consider that it's never even been lived in.  The family (they have twin daughters) apparently never took up residence due to a little stalker issue that forced them into their much smaller home across town in Cole Valley, which is also on the market.  I wonder where last month's Zynga IPO (no matter how luke warm it turned out to be) has the family moving next?  It hasn't been revealed publicly but I know I can't wait to get a glimpse once Alison gets her hands on it!  

Check out her impeccable taste in the Presidio Heights home below...

Gorgeous inside and out...this is the view from the back courtyard

I think this is my favorite room in the house.  I LOVE the shocking green lacquer paint- what an entrance!

I could find a lot of inspiration in this sunny kitchen and can see my three boys sitting on those cool counter stools

That's my Words with Friends couch...

I love all the color.  And the view ain't so bed either...

When you need a break from all the color, here's your room

The light is incredible

Once again, a lacquer love affair

The entrance- two balconies and a double garage.  Two San Francisco rarities.

What do you think?

Are you there Chelsea?

It's me, Kristin.  
You know, your number one fan.  In fact, I adore you so much and think you are so clever and hysterical that I actually want to be you.  Seriously, who doesn't want to sit at a desk with their three best friends and rip on stupid people who do stupid things?  And get a Belvedere vodka sponsorship to do it.  Daa- that's my kinda gig.  
BUT...we need to address what happened last night.  Let's just say that little show you created on that very large network...you know, the NBC project?  Ummm, it's not working out so well.
Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea. 
I am so sorry to tell you but the new show sucks.  Simply- it's totally, terribly, off the charts awful.   It sucks so big and bad I feel like an asshole just talking about it.  
But here's the deal- your comedic tone can only be delivered in it's ballsy, brazen manner on a cable network like E!.  A mainstream network is not going to understand your humor, your outrageous stories and outlandish behavior let alone allow you to stick around.  I'm afraid it's going to be canceled after a few measly episodes.  It was... that bad.  
I'm sorry, Chels, but when we hear the name Chelsea Handler we expect the real deal, the "in the flesh" Chelsea Handler.  Not some cut rate stand-in from That 70's Show that reads her lines like a blond robot.  It was painful.  And the most disappointing part of the whole deal was seeing you with brown hair portraying your straight laced, boring sister!  It was a total tease, not to mention downright confusing. The show was so slow, so boring, and so un-Chelsea like that it was a complete catastrophe.  
Pleeezzzz, I beg you- and I still love you and want to meet you in person and aspire to actually have a show like yours where I can actually get paid to sound like I feel...
please don't quit your night job.

Here Today...

Gone tomorrow. 

Edina, Minnesota.  January 10, 2012.

Novato, California (my sister's house).  

Same time, same date as above.

Never, ever, ever, ever happened before.

And I am sure it will never, ever, ever, ever happen again.

But kinda cool that I caught it.

Moments are too fast...

Tonja's Table

I want to introduce you to my friend, Tonja.  She's invited you to her table and I suggest you take her up on the offer.  Sign up for her newsletter and bring fresh ideas and inspiration to your own table this week.  You can email Tonja at tlengen@comcast.net if you want to get on her distribution list.
Bon Appetit!

Introducing Tonja's Table  Welcome to Tonja's Table. I have been inspired by many friends and family to share my recipes and love for cooking. Having had  many recipe requests over the years, I thought it would be fun to share a weekly recipe with all of you. So here is my very humble, not-too-fancy newsletter.  And while I can't guarantee it will always be healthy, low cal, low carb, low sodium, gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, or 100% organic, it will hopefully be tasty and worth making for you, your family and friends.  You will get to hear what's going on in my kitchen and what I think is the latest and greatest in food. Please feel free to forward to any friends who might be interested.  If you would prefer not to receive this email, click on the unsubscribe link and you will be removed.    Mini Croque-Monsieur Sandwiches Appetizers. We have them every year for Christmas Eve. It's a tradition that my Mom started when we were young and its stuck. We love to feast on these little bite sized treats at our Christmas table. This year I made a new one and it was a hit. The béchamel sauce is so simple and worth learning how to make.  It's a base for so many sauces and so easy. These little gooey sandwiches can be made ahead of time and baked right before serving. Cut into triangles or squares. You may even want to be fancy and spear a toothpick with a pickle through the top. Set out on a pretty platter and enjoy! Mini Croque-Monsieur Sandwiches Ingredients: 1 loaf of your favorite white bread 4 tbls. unsalted butter ¼ cup of all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups of whole milk Salt and pepper to taste 8 ounces of boars head tavern ham thinly sliced 12 ounces of shredded Gruyere cheese Directions: Trim all the crust off your loaf of bread. Toast each bread slice in a toaster until pale gold.   Melt butter in a sauce-pan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and whisk 30 seconds more.  Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.    Spread a spoonful of béchamel on 1 slice of bread. Top with 2 slices of ham and ¼ cup of cheese. Top with 1 slice of bread and then another spoonful of béchamel.  Repeat with all the remaining toasts to make the rest of the sandwiches.  When finished top all the sandwiches with any remaining cheese and wrap each individually in saran wrap. Refrigerate at least an hour ahead of time. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375. Remove from wrap and place on cookie sheet.  Bake 10 minutes. Turn oven to broil and bake until light golden brown and bubbly, 1-2 more minutes. Remove from oven, cut and serve immediately. Hope you have a great week! Happy Eating, Tonja Tonja's Table

Hockey.

As my two older boys raced through their homework yesterday after their first day back at school, I knew what the rush was all about.  Not because they didn't want to study spelling lists, complete their reading or struggle over Homelinks, but because they had a date at the skating rink down the street.  A date they have kept for the last two and a half weeks, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the same with New Years.  
My middle guy is a die hard hockey animal who plays every game with more speed, determination, and raw love of the game than star quality skill.  He watches more of the NHL network now than Nickelodeon, takes slap shots in the driveway before hopping on the school bus, and last night when I kissed his cheek, fast asleep in an exhausted, tranquil state, he was muttering something about a Boston Bruin being traded.  No lie.  
My oldest son does not officially play hockey, but has learned to love skating, the pick-up games and the camaraderie of the neighborhood park on a crisp winter afternoon.  Even after his right hand was run over by a hockey skate the week before Christmas requiring many stitches and a splint to keep the severed tendon in place, he's still at it. *
I have watched these two boys of mine walk out the back door with Edina sweatshirts and skull caps, leather "Choppers", and sticks threaded with skates over their shoulders for weeks now.  I am proud they are enjoying time together, that they are being so responsible out on their own at the park (even though I still worry), and that they are healthy, active, and able to embrace the love of a sport that has always been dear to my heart.  But it doesn't come without a certain level of risk and serious injury.

Last Friday when Benilde- St. Margaret's player Jack Jablonski was checked from behind and left with a severed spinal cord and paralysis, it left us all stunned.  Not surprised necessarily, but stunned and scared.  That young boy lying in the hospital with the possibility of never walking again could have been ours.  In a sense he is ours. The hockey community takes care of their own and so does this community.  Hopefully the news coverage, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, You Tube videos and Caring Bridge site that have all been set up for this young man will not only increase awareness about what is already illegal in the game, but provide Jack and his family with the outpouring of support, love, strength and blessings that will be necessary to navigate the tough road ahead.
At this point in time no one is sure whether or not Jack Jablonski will ever walk again, let alone get up on skates, but I can bet one thing to be true.  I know this sounds crazy, insane, and incomprehensible to most, but when he is conscious and able to share his thoughts with his community- local and hockey- that he will say how much he loved this sport and how much it gave him in his young life.  


 *I must take this opportunity to thank the local surgeon I have known for most of my life who kept his office open late just to stitch up my son when his hand was cut at the rink.  Dr. X, I know how private you are so I won't mention your name, but you are amazing and I can't tell you how much we appreciate what you did.  You are caring and professional and unbelievable at what you do.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!   xxoo to both you and your wonderful wife!

"You Say You Want a Resolution..."

Really?  
Why?  
Because you actually think you'll keep one?  I always find this a strange tradition, this resolution business.  Do you really want to stop eating chocolate?  Lose 20 pounds?  Quit smoking?  I have never made a conscious decision to make a resolution on New Years because if there is something you should change about yourself or a goal you want to achieve, you should really just set out to do it the minute you discover you need to.  Follow me?

I think everyone wants to be their best self; their most sensitive, caring, giving, fun, disciplined, loyal, honorable self.  At least the folks I know do.  But every now and then people fail, they fall, and they disappoint one another and themselves.  Such is life, so why make well intended, yet rarely fulfilled promises that will ultimately leave you disappointed?  I think it's a stupid practice and I resolved long ago not to make resolutions.  Simply live your life the best you can and the rest will follow.  I believe that.  If you have to make a resolution make it one you can believe in, that way you are sure to succeed because at the end of the day all we have is our faith and beliefs in whatever makes us happy, proud, honest, and whole.  That is my mantra and although some days it's more difficult than others, it's there, solid as a rock.  The best resolution I ever made was to never make one again.

You?