Dickinson Read-a-Thon!

The craziest, coolest event is being held in the Twin Cities this Friday! In celebration of National Poetry Month (and what a great month it is!), University of Saint Thomas is hosting a day of Emily Dickinson. Every poem of hers will be read––from #1 to #1,789. The event begins at 8 in the morning and is anticipated to last an exhausting total of 14 hours. If you can't attend, the University is planning to have a live stream here. But really, who wouldn't want to cozy up in a gorgeous library and listen to the mysterious lines of our good gal, Emily?

Photo via

{Weekend Update}...Coffee + Books, Naturally

What did you all do this past weekend? Abby and I tried something new (kind of) and went to Nina's Coffee Cafe and Subtext Books. Located on Cathedral Hill of Saint Paul, Nina's is a dark, moody/cozy cafe that made me feel like I was in New Haven, CT (don't ask me why, but it felt East-Coast collegiate). The sun was perfectly bright that day, so it was only natural to grab a delicious cup of coffee and buy a new book.

Subtext Books is amazing. It is directly underneath Nina's and interior stairs connect them, so it feels really intimate and perfect. Subtext is painted primarily white and is colorful due to the gorgeous array of book spines in their floor to ceiling shelving. Plenty of light streams in from a sunlight-esque window and minimal furniture. I'm in love with them for having real seating. Like couches, tables, chairs! Finally a book store that gets seriously everything right.

We love you, Nina's and Subtext!

{Weekend Update}...A Day for Doing

In an effort to be more adventurous and also become unofficial experts on the Cities, Abby came up with a brilliant idea...

Every Friday we'll do something new in our area. A "Friday Try-day," if you will. The name may sound a little juvenile, but it encapsulates the basic premise. Last year one of our New Year's resolutions was to try more new foods and it went so well that we're extending it!

Starting last week, every Friday we'll either try a new cafe, go to the art museum (this MIA event looks amazing!), see a cool movie, check out an unique store, or something "culture-y" and new. In an effort to keep it sans arrogance/hoity-toity, some Fridays might be something as ordinary as going to the ice-skating rink or going to a new public library.

(This past Friday we went to Birchwood Cafe in the Seward neighborhood. They are a farm-to-table restaurant that use organic, local ingredients––No GMOs––and have a fun, quirky atmosphere. Their coffee is delicious; it's rich and full without being overly bold and the savory pancake (see above) was insanely delicious! Two words: bacon tidbits.)

By the end of the semester, we will have (hopefully) tried a ton of new things our lovely Twin Cities have to offer!

Do you have a day for doing? I have a friend who doesn't spend any money Monday through Friday, so weekends are super special for her. In the summer, my mom and her friends have a Coffee Talk Tuesday at the local cafe. It gives you something to look forward to. But is there something weird about "ritualized fun"? Perhaps. I'd love your thoughts!

Top two photos me; last photo Abby Carlson

Driving and Cities

Do you live in a big city and still drive? I know a lot of people in NYC don't drive, and even don't own a car, because public transportation is so great. Likewise, I know buses, taxis, and walking are popular in Chicago. My first two years at college, I relied on walking and buses to get around the Twin Cities; this can be somewhat difficult, though, since it can take an hour with connecting stops to get from campus to Grand Ave.

Abby and I have talked about brining a vehicle to the cities. This way we could actually buy ice cream at the grocery store! We could get two gallons of milk, frozen pizzas, etc. It would also be nice so we could go wherever, whenever!

But I have some reservations. First off, our vehicle (which currently is at our parent's house) is quite large. It feels powerful on the interstate, but is a beast to park. Moreover, it guzzles gas. Not the most ideal situation for a tight-fisted college student. When we add up insurance, gas, parking (meters are everywhere in the cities!), along with the anxiety of driving in the cities, it feels overwhelming!

Do you have any advice for driving in big cities? Everything is so incredibly fast-paced, close quarters, and generally confusing! Obviously, it will take practice, but I would love you input! Is a car a pro or con in big cities?

Photo via Flickr

{Weekend Update}...Big Girls

My beloved Minneapolis (this is from early spring thaw).

After turning a momentous age last Sunday, Abby and I (along with our parents, naturally) went to St. Paul to sign our lease on our new apartment for the school year! It felt very exciting and mature, because we are no longer in an apartment complex, nor are we living with hundreds of students our age. It is in a small, residential neighborhood, complete with a gazebo-topped park. It's pretty much romantically picturesque. With a local market and butcher shop, a cafe that could become my "regular", and scenic shops, I'm feeling at home and I haven't even moved it yet! It feels very adult.

While in the cities, we decided to make a day of it, shopping and eating on Grand Avenue with a pitstop to the Rosedale Mall. (We much prefer this one over MOA.) It has seemed like eternity since the weather felt like summer, today being no different, but Friday and the rest of the weekend was a gorgeous combination of food, sun, travel, and family.

Our new favorite restaurant on Grand Ave. –– Salut.
Pictured here: Ze French Onion Soup

And our best kept secret of the Chippewa Valley––Foster Cheese Haus