Tag Archives: minneapolis

recently thrifted, ’80s-era minneapolis-st paul mags

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I need more magazines like I need a hole in the head, but when I saw these circa 1981 Mpls St. Paul mags at an estate sale last week, I just had to pick them up. And I’m so glad I did! From the advertisements ($179.95 for a Sony Walkman!) to the hilariously atrocious fashion spreads, flipping through them is like taking a trip back in time. Narrowing down what spreads to share was tough, but here are a few of my favorite pages.

Apparently Dayton’s thought hiring Hitler’s doppelganger to do a little modeling for them was a good idea…

Lounging in a saran-wrap hammock—every woman’s dream…

I would look sad too if I had to wear a giant glittery French horn on my head and hold hands with a man wearing more blush than me…

Haircuts at Horst and Friends salon in 1980 = $12.50. Today = $75.

So much lamé going on in the early ’80s…

At just 50 cents a piece, I consider picking up these babies the best $2 I’ve spent in ages. Have you found anything brag-worthy at the thrifts lately?

xo,

Meghan

{guest post} how to: make lavender-lemon ice pops

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I couldn’t be more excited about today’s guest how-to, courtesy of Andi McDaniel, co-owner of 10,000 Licks, the Twin Cities’ new gourmet farm-fresh ice pop business. You can find these gals’ insanely delicious treats at the Midtown and Uptown Farmers’ Markets, beginning July 16th. They’ll also be sampling mini-pops at the Mighty Swell’s “Summer in the City” event…an idea, I think is, well, mighty badass. Learn more (and peruse flavors!) on their website here. And for goodness sake, become a fan on 10,000 Licks on Facebook! Take it away Andi…

My husband and I bought our house in Longfellow in late winter, when the entire yard was still covered in a stubborn layer of snow. So imagine my surprise—and delight—when the snow melted and revealed a wealth of edible riches—Blueberries! Rhubarb! Thyme! And best of all—the healthiest looking lavender plant east of California. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but I’ve heard that lavender is finicky, and yet ours, miraculously, isn’t. But enough about our dumb luck. Let’s talk about how to turn lavender, and it’s flavor-soulmate, lemon, into delicious homemade ice pops. Because it’s finally summer and it’s best we forget about snow for awhile.

This recipe is actually the first “official” 10,000 Licks ice pop recipe my business partner shared with me the other day. We’ve been making our ice pops in our home kitchens so far (we move into a commercial kitchen on July 1), and as we’ve been test-driving recipes, we’ve each adopted our faves. I’m the Sweet Corn gal, as well as the steward of Rhubarb and Vanilla Beet. Meanwhile, Sarah is the genius behind Lavender Lemon. She’s been in charge of them—so I had no idea how to make them. I emailed her for the details and here’s the scoop.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

♥ Juice of six large lemons (makes about 1 1/2 cups juice if you use a juicer, so if you’re doing it by hand use extra lemons)

♥ Equal parts water (to match the lemon juice)

For the simple syrup:

♥ 1 cup of honey (raw is tastiest, I’ve found)

♥ 1 cup of water

♥ Approximately 4-5 tablespoons of lavender

 HOW TO MAKE

1. Juice the lemons.

2. Combine lemon juice with equal parts water (strain out lemon seeds and pulp if you’re doing it by hand).

3. Refrigerate lemon mixture.

4. Meanwhile, combine honey, lavender and 1 cup of water in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir to dissolve honey, then remove from heat almost immediately. Cover and let sit for as long as overnight or as little as one hour (if you can’t let it sit overnight, just use more lavender—it’s all about flavor potency!).

5. Once syrup is cool, combine with lemon mixture and poor into molds. (We use these.)

6. Freeze overnight.

Note: These pops would do fabulously as ice cubes, for use in the cocktail of your choice. If freezing in an ice cube tray, a few hours in the freezer will be plenty of time.

 Enjoy!

heads up: mighty swell sidewalk & rummage sale!

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Hi dolls!

One of my tip-top favorite things about Mighty Swell‘s storefront space is our ‘hood. Neighbors stopping in to say “hi” while I’m putzing around the store, knowing the man at the family run hardware store on a first-name basis, having a regular order at the hot dog shop next door—these small interactions in our nook of the community make my heart sing. So, when we learned about the Standish, Ericsson & Corcoran Neighborhood Garage Sale (the largest in the city!) we knew we just had to be a part! So, we’re having a sidewalk sale, TOMORROW from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.!

Rae and I have marked down a hefty amount of vintage merchandise, and we’ve also pillaged through our closets, garages, attics and basements, unearthing all kinds of fun stuff. And everything outside will be priced to GO. After all, we’ve got to make a little room for all the pretty stuff we’ve found for our upcoming summer sale right? (Details on that coming soon, promise!)

Anyway, if you are in the area and want to experience summer bargain hunting at its finest, I highly suggest checking this event out! You can pick up sale maps starting at 8:45 a.m. at the following locations:

Angry Catfish Coffee / 4208 28th Avenue South
Midtown Farmers’ Market / Lake Street & 22nd Avenue
Caribou Coffee / 4745 Cedar Avenue South (Cedar & Minnehaha)
Holiday Station Store / 3550 Cedar Avenue South

And don’t forget to highlight Mighty Swell Vintage when you’re circling the sales you want to hit—we’re at 3109 East 42nd Street. (Or just look for the cute teal open sign, a bunch of balloons and a sidewalk full of stuff!!)

See you there, rain or shine!

xo,

Meghan

heads up: veterans day sale at savers

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Happy Monday, thrifty shoppers!

In honor of Veterans Day, shoppers at metro-area Savers stores will enjoy 50 percent off all clothing, shoes, accessories and items marked bed & bath this Thursday, November 11. Find the Savers closet to you by clicking here. You can also check out my review of the Lake Street Savers store here. I’m thinking of heading up to the one on Central Ave. It’s huuuuge.

Happy saving!

xo,

Meghan

store review: savers on lake street

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Savers Thrift Store, Lake Street, Minneapolis

I have a love-hate relationship with Savers thrift stores. I love that they have high standards for quality, and that the stores are clean and open on Sundays. But it drives me up the wall that their prices are ridiculously high. This Savers, the only one in Minneapolis proper, has been a go-to thrifting spot for me for years, so I figured I’d tell you all a little about it, and some tricks for saving even more money there.

WHAT’S GOOD

♥ Vintage clothes: Unlike some of the other Savers, this one has a whole section devoted to vintage in the middle of the store, with men’s and women’s wear mixed in together. I’ve found some really bitchin’ dresses from the ’70s-’90, 1960s wool skirts and men’s button-downs. Prices are fair, with dresses running anywhere in between $4-12, skirt for $6-8 and blouses for $5 here.

♥ Books: Taking up a good portion of the store is an assortment of well-sorted and in-good-condition books. I’ve spotted some really nice art/coffee table-type tomes, too.

♥ House wares: This Savers is in many ways my Target alternative, when it comes to household necessities. It’s easy to pop in here to see if they have a casserole dish in the size I need, or a baking pan—usually there’s something here that will work. I’ve also found really nice decorative plates here, and little vases to add to my collection.

WHAT’S NOT GOOD

♥ New clothes: A lot of the store’s clothing is newer, cheap clothes (Target brands, Old Navy), marked stupidly high, especially considering they’re used.

♥ Picked over-ness: Since this Savers is close to a light rail stop and right in the middle of town, it can be crazily picked over, especially if you stop in later in the afternoon or evening or during sale days.

Where does the money raised here go? Into some rich folks’ pockets! Savers is a for-profit thrift store, and it is privately owned and operated. They do work with local nonprofits, however, which can lead to some confusion, with shoppers thinking what they spend at Savers is going solely to support philanthropic efforts. It works like this: The selected nonprofits will solicit donations from folks like you and me, and then turn over those donations to Savers, who in turn, pays them per bag or box of merchandise. Donations are then sorted by Savers staff. What’s not deemed acceptable for sale in their stores is then resold (and sometimes donated) to retailers in developing countries. So, Savers not only makes money from what they sell in their retail stores, but also by selling unwanted merchandise they got for free to other retailers.

According to their website, since 1954, Savers has paid more than $1 billion to fund nonprofits’ programs and services. And that is nothing to sniff at. You can learn more about the company here.

Here are some of my favorite finds from this shop:

I love this dress! The super faded floral print is sweet, and it has pockets, a flattering cut and lady-like length. It has this soft sheen, too, which I love. I believe it was $3.99 and it came with a matching belt.

This plate makes me so happy. Now, where to hang it?

I can’t take these leather kitten-heeled, wooden-soled beauties off! Check out the bows! They cost $4 (originally priced $8, but bought on a half-off day).

Go here to find: Vintage clothes, good quality housewares, nice used books

Selection/Variety: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Quality: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Pricing: ♥ ♥

Organization: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Customer service: ♥ ♥

Cleanliness: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Do they take credit cards? Yep!

Will they accept returns or exchanges? Yes, you can exchange items within seven days of purchase but only with a receipt and the tags still attached.

Other helpful hints: Click here to sign up for Savers’ e-newsletter. You’ll get advance notice of special sales and coupons. Sweet right? If you’re a  college student, or still have your ID, flash it on Wednesdays and take 50 percent off your entire purchase. Also keep an eye out for a calendar (usually found by the register) that lists the sales happening that month and any other special promo days (senior citizen discount days, for example).

While you’re there: On Tuesdays, from 3-7 p.m., and on Saturdays, from 8 a.m.- 1 p.m.,  hop across the street to the Midtown Farmers’ Market. If I’m famished after thrifting on a Tuesday after work, I stop and pick some yummy takeout from one of the food vendors or some veggies. Or, if you’re like my boyfriend, you can drop $5 and get a piping hot pizza at Little Caesars, which is in the same strip mall at Savers. Aldi, Wells Fargo, Family Dollar,  a barber shop and a liquor store all have a spot there, too.

Where it is: 2124 East Lake St, Minneapolis

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Contact: 612.729.9271, www.savers.org

Happy Friday, everyone! I’m so stoked for another long weekend. Two in a row! How lucky can one girl be??

xxoo,

Meghan

high plains stamp of approval: super friends zine (giveaway closed)

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Hi there, and happy Saturday.

It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Harold, creator of a super awesome zine, with a super awesome name, “Super Friends.”

I’ll admit, I went on quite a bit of a wild goose chase trying to track this fella down in order to interview him for the blog. I’ve been loving his zine ever since I found it at Zinefest last month, and, as a matter-of-fact, so have all of my house guests. I swear, no one can help themselves from picking it up off the coffee table once they take a seat on my couch! It’s irresistible!

Representing just a portion of his collection of photos and notes found while working at a Twin Cities-area thrift store, the 54-page publication is packed with LOL-worthy photos, poignant love notes, unfinished stories and all sorts of other random, found awesomeness. Every time I page through it, I’m comforted (and oddly validated), knowing that someone else has a similar (if not greater) appreciation for discarded photos and random ephemera.

Anyway, after a couple of dead-ends, and a handful of emails, I finally got a chance to talk with Harold about how he got started collecting found photos, his motivation for putting the pub together and to see if he has plans for “Super Friends II.” I hope you enjoy our little Q & A!

Me: So, we can’t get specific about where you work. But, it is a thrift store, right? What do you do there?

Harold: I work at a thrift store in the Twin Cities area.  I have a wide variety of responsibilities, but I mostly deal with the heavy lifting and truck unloading the no one else wants to deal with.

Me: How did you get started collecting strangers’ photos and notes?

Harold: The collection started when a coworker would find weird photos and write notes on the back to me as if the person in the photo was writing to me.  I started calling them my super friends because it was like I already knew these people and they were friends of mine.

Me:  How do you find these items? In albums? Tucked into pages of books? Pockets?

Harold: When people donate stuff, it’s usually in a cardboard box or a plastic bag.  Usually photos will be in albums, envelopes, or just loose in a box.  I’ll find some when I’m emptying the garbage as well.

Me: What makes something a “keeper?”

Harold: When I started collecting, I would save pretty much any photos that I found.  Now I have high standards of what’s worth keeping.  You gotta go through the checklist.  Is there a nipple showing?  Are they wearing an adult diaper?  The funnier the better.

Me: There are quite a few websites dedicated to showcasing hilarious photos similar to what you’ve found. Have you ever thought of starting a blog or website with your finds? Do you have any photo sites you like to visit?

Harold: I like Awkward Family Photos and Found Magazine (Dirty Found in particular) but I’ve never really had any plans to make a website.  Maybe when I have more free time in the future.

Me: How big is your collection of found stuff? Do you organize it in any particular way?

Harold: Right now I have two photo albums of my favorite pictures, a folder stuffed with notes and drawings, a couple diaries, and a plastic bag of photos that I don’t consider album worthy.

Me: Do you have plans to make a “Super Friends II?” Please say yes.

Harold: I don’t have any plans to make a second “Super Friends.”  I wanted to make one big zine with all my favorite photos rather than two or three smaller issues.

Me: What other zines/projects do you work on?

Harold: My friend Adam and I have been making a variety of zines over the past eleven years, starting with a skateboarding magazine in high school.  Nowadays the zines I make are mostly humor-related.  Outside of zines I do a lot of painting and T-shirt printing.

Me: Where can people get “Super Friends?”

Harold: The zine isn’t for sale at any stores.  I will have a table of zines and other goods at the Walker Art Center for the mnartists.org Field Day on August 19th.  Other than that, people can email me if they are interested in getting a copy (subtitlespub@yahoo.com).

And now, another giveaway!

Oh-so-generously, Harold’s offered up two copies of “Super Friends” to High Plains readers. Awesome, right? All you have to do is leave a comment and you’ll automatically be entered to win. I’ll be picking the two lucky winners Thursday night, and will announce the winners on Friday!

Good luck, friends! Hope y’all have had super weekends so far.

xo,

Meghan

busy as a bee

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Honestly, where the frick did this week go? This pic was taken on Sunday, just before my honey and I headed to the MOA for a little shoe-shopping action. It was an all-around awesome day.

Since then, I’ve been busy…

-dancing my fanny off at the George Clinton show on Monday

-eating the most delicious grilled cheese (with honey & apple!) at The Depot

-getting my socks rocked off by the Black Keys (awesome pic by a very talented & hard-working lady here) and then going next door to see the always entertaining Chooglin’

-nerding out over my pretty new iPhone case

-plotting July’s mind-untangling road trip to see Jessi

-happy hour-ing at Grumpy’s with a new co-worker, who turns out to be an old co-worker from my blink-and-you-missed-it stint at the Mississippi Market Co-Op

-meeting a blogger whose writing I admire

-hosting nacho night (<3 x a gillion)

-making plans for a picnic with this pretty lady

-playing this with my honey

-getting asked to judge a spelling bee

-dreaming of being a skilled enough baker to tackle some of these cupcakes

-watching the crap out of “The Golden Girls” Blanche-a-thon on The Hallmark Channel

-enjoying that heavenly awesomeness that is having my place to myself while the roommate’s out of town

Whew! I’ve got to make sure a night lounging on the couch is on the horizon soon. One where I can snap a pic or two of pretty pink clouds, watch some crappy TV, catch up on reading and get back to being a better blogger.

Couch photography from some night last week…

xo,

Meghan