Minnesota Monthly: As the official press partner of @fashionweekmn, we want you to get to know the faces that are shaping the local fashion scene, and beyond. Our first spotlight of this series features @djkt27, a @mnufc player and owner of @venciofficial_
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DJ’s self-made brand will showcase its fall collection @fashionweekmn’s Creative Renaissance show @artsmia on October 12th, where he will also walk the runway as a community luminary—
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“It’s a blessing to be recognized as a community leader. I think it’s a testament to us and the work we’ve put in over the years. It’s just about growing together as a community.”
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About
Fashion Week Minnesota’s marquee event, “Creative Renaissance,” at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, celebrates the vibrant surge of creativity flourishing across Minnesota. Unlike traditional runway shows, Creative Renaissance will feature community luminaries from across various industries—celebrity chefs, professional athletes, political figures, and more—who are actively shaping culture and creativity in Minnesota. This unique approach turns the spotlight on those who inspire and lead, making Creative Renaissance a true celebration of community. Through a fusion of fashion, art, and culture, the finale showcases how collaboration and shared creativity can spark groundbreaking ideas, fostering a spirit of inclusion and progress as Minnesota’s creative landscape continues to evolve.
The La Carte series offers a one-of-a-kind culinary experience from a surprise local chef
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Minnesota Monthly: Unique dining experiences have a strong grip on the Twin Cities’ culinary scene—lines form out the doors of coffee shops and eateries for Dahlia’s rotating pastry pop-ups;food halls offer an all-in-one sampling of local flavors; the list goes on. So, it’s no surprise that Minneapolis is one of just three locations selected to host La Carte by Le Creuset, a brand-new dinner seriescollaboration with culinary events companySecret Supper.
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The La Carte series is headed to Minneapolis on September 12th, preceded by Santa Barbara, California, on August 8th, and the sold-out inaugural event in New York City on June 20th. These immersive dining experiencesare an extension of Secret Supper’s already well-established “Supper Series,” with the addition of Le Creuset’s iconic cookware and tablescapes.
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La Carte in New York City, June 2024
Photo by Hitched Willie
Here’s how it works: Attendees purchase tickets knowing only the event date and the closest major city to the venue. Coordinates for the supper location are sent out 24 hours before the event, but the menu and bespoke details remain a secret until guests sit down at the table.
The company typically works with renowned local chefs in each area to curate a regionally inspired menu with sustainable ingredients. At thelast Minneapolis supper in January,Chef Yia Vang (of Union Hmong Kitchen and Vinai) curated three courses of Hmong cuisine alongside Basil Hayden cocktails and wine pairings at The Neu Neu in the North Loop.For dessert, the menu featured an inventive twist on the classic Minnesotan bake sale platter, with Miso scotcharoos, Szechuan coffee brownies, and Thai tea custard bars.
Tablescape at The Neu Neu
Photo by Kelly Russo Photography
This tradition continues in the La Carte series, and while the upcoming Minneapolis chef will remain under wraps, a few prominent names come to mind: Will dinner guests be greeted with Korean Americanfusion from Chef Ann Kim? Orperhaps they will enjoy Southeast Asian dishesby Chef Christina Nguyen, who won the 2024 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest.
The series kicked off with a bang at the New York City event in June. Guests were welcomed to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Boathouse with live music, drinks, and waterfront views before sitting down for a family-style dinner by private chef and cookbook author Gaby Dalkin. The fresh summer menu featured dishes like Stone Fruit Peach and Nectarine Panzanella, Charred Corn Summer Alpine Flatbread, and Grilled Tomahawk Steak.
Larissa Loden To Open New Storefront at Mall of America
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Minnesota Monthly: Visitors from around the world and those locals in the know will be able to step into the expanding world of Minnesota entrepreneur Larissa Loden at Mall of America opens. Located on the second floor (W292), the store will feature Loden’s jewelry meant to express “badness” and other cheeky sentiments. The new space will feature Loden’s signature designs, including semi-precious gemstones, brass, sterling silver, and gold-filled components made to last.
The busy entrepreneur with a flagship store at 2032 Marshall Ave. in St. Paul says she wanted to expand into the megamall “because I believe that bootstrapped, female-owned Midwest brands can be major players in the retail space. So, this is our first step in proving that to everyone. Also, I just personally think everyone should have a pair of f*ck studs (her signature jewelry).” For Loden, it is about “doing good through jewelry that is unapologetic.”
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The St. Paul store will remain open and the new storefront will also be filled with a large gift selection curated by Loden herself that showcases other female-owned small businesses.
Maybe the most unique patio in the Twin Cities, it’s more like a sculpture park nestled between 100-year-old brick buildings. It’s huge, it’s dog-friendly, and there’s a pizza oven in the bed of a 1976 Ford F250 with quality ’za, as well as great smoked-then-fried wings. A magical space with downtown views along the bike trail in Swede Hollow Park. 688 Minnehaha Ave. E., St. Paul
If snacking on salt-and-pepper mushrooms with the best gimlet in town while sitting in a lounge chair around a fire pit is your idea of a good time, All Saints is the place for you. Lights twinkle through the trees, which provide enough buffer from the bustle of Hennepin Avenue in northeast Minneapolis to make you feel like you’re somehow home, yet far from it. 222 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis
Most of Minnesota has lakes. Duluth has the lake. The Boat Club, in the lower level of the Fitger’s Brewery Complex, looks toward downtown and the lift bridge. What a spot to watch the sunset while eating the best seafood Duluth has to offer. It’s open for lunch and dinner with the full menu and often has live music on weekends. 600 E. Superior St., Duluth
A hidden gem on Payne Avenue, eastsiders know that Brunson’s Pub is the ideal hang. It’s a surprisingly large patio framed by tall ivy-colored walls, with some of the best sandwiches in St. Paul. A perfect burger and a pulled-bacon BLT, with a fried egg and avocado, are my favorites. You won’t leave thirsty: Brunson’s has 20 craft beer taps along with cocktails from its longtime bartender-slash-owner. 956 Payne Ave., St. Paul
Whenever anyone asks me for my favorite barbecue, Buddy Boy is always among my top choices. Now, with a freshly constructed palace befitting the awesome smoked ribs at Buddy Boy, the new patio features live music every Saturday. It’s between Minnetrista and St. Boni, and trust me, the drive is worth it to sit under the summer sun enjoying the perfect balance of smoke and tenderness from executive chef Joe Cox. 8175 MN-7, Minnetrista
There’s something about the casualness of Due Focacceria that feels right. It’s a Mac-Groveland neighborhood restaurant where you can sit with your friends at a picnic table under the canopy overlooking Randolph Avenue. Get one of the sharing boards of ricotta cheese or Italian carne, or the octopus salad with fried pepperoni, pair it with an Aperol spritz, and then rub it in that your neighborhood is the best. 475 Fairview Ave. S., St. Paul
Ann Ahmed knows how to create an outdoor respite. Her patio at Khâluna makes you forget you’re across the street from a south Minneapolis gas station. Her rooftop patio at Gai Noi takes advantage of one of the coolest spots in the city: at the front door of Loring Park, with a glorious skyline view. Plus, it has excellent cocktails, all on tap for fast service. Dip your sticky rice in the tomato jeow and celebrate. 1610 Harmon Place, Minneapolis
You’d never know you were in northeast Minneapolis, sitting alongside the stream of rainbow trout behind the iconic Jax Cafe. Trees and an awning provide shade, flowers bring the color. There’s even a fireplace out there. Net your own fish and have the kitchen prepare it, or order the legendary prime rib. 1928 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis
I love biking to Stillwater (I cheat by hopping on the trail in North St. Paul), and my final destination off the Gateway Trail is almost always the little back patio at LoLo. You can see the lift bridge on the St. Croix, and you can have a terrific cocktail with some fried Brussels sprouts and duck tacos. Then, get ready for the uphill ride back home. 233 Main St. S., Stillwater
A trip to Paris on the streets of St. Paul: Meritage’s sidewalk patio is the most urbane spot in our capital city. You can gaze at the ornate brickwork of the Landmark Center, and you’re also right by Rice Park and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Choose from the best French wine list in the state, enjoy the most interesting oysters with perfectly crisp pommes frites and bearnaise sauce—it doesn’t get better. 410 St. Peter St., St. Paul
Lush landscape and terrific beer complement a menu of smoked meat sandwiches and brewpub favorites. It way overperforms what you’d expect. Easy to bike to in southeast Minneapolis, Northbound has a solar-powered installation on the pergola above the patio. Don’t miss the 18-hour porchetta sandwich with smoked Swiss, or one of the best fried chicken sandwiches in town. 2716 E. 38th St., Minneapolis
Hudson, Wisconsin, has some terrific outdoor dining, but when I want to be transported to a warm-weather vacation, it has to be the patios at side-by-side restaurants San Pedro Cafe and Pedro’s Pizza Lounge (previously called Pedro’s del Este). Bold Caribbean flavors and bold flowers match at San Pedro. Next door, enjoy craft cocktails and lovely Spanish tapas as the sun sets on the patio. 426 Second St., Hudson, Wisconsin (San Pedro Cafe); 212 Walnut St., Hudson, Wisconsin (Pedro’s Pizza Lounge)
Minnesota Monthly‘s 29th annual Food & Wine Experience is the Twin Cities’ premier epicurean adventure. As a Midwest-leading tasting event, this must-visit experience includes wine and spirit tastings from local and national brands, chef and restaurateur interactions, samples of craft beer and beverage innovations, and shopping opportunities from local makers and national brands. The entire weekend at the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel – Home of the Minnesota Vikings.
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The Experiences Are All-Inclusive
Samples of unique varietals of local, regional, and national wines
Tastings of mouth-watering food from award-winning culinary experts