"Best Of 2013" Lake Minnetonka Magazine Awards Party

Lake Minnetonka Magazine just hosted their "Best Of" party where they announced the winners of their annual "Best Of Lake Minnetonka" awards. This is one of my favorite parties of the year, and not just because they provide free wine, though that is a definate bonus.

The June issue of Lake Minnetonka Magazine lists all of the 2013 winners. We were able to get our sweaty hands on copies last night.  Some of the winners were no surprise, whereas a few were shockingly surprising.

Reading about the winners of the Lake Minnetonka Mag Best Of 2013
Photo by Susan Austin

As the winners were announced it was obvious that businesses in the Excelsior area were racking up the awards.  It was no surprise that Joey Nova's won for Best Pizza.  I'd personally like to thank Joey Nova's for their great delivery service, which has kept my kids fed many a night when I couldn't be home.

The fabulous team from Joey Nova's winning Best Pizza
Photo by Susan Austin

The Excelsior Brewing Company won the Best Small Business Customer Service Award.  They really are known for fabulous service and having a friendly staff, not to mention wonderful beer with a delightful kick.

Excelsior Brewing Company
Photo by Susan Austin

I'm lobbying Lake Minnetonka Magazine and asking that they add a category called "Best Looking Staff".  The Excelsior Brewing Company would take that one hands down.  That place is staffed with good looking guys.  It's almost ridiculous.  Above you have John and Rob both total cuties, pictured with Rob's wife who is just gorgeous.  Then there is Amar and Ben pictured below.  There are even more hot guys working there than the ones I'm showing here.  They serve my beer how I like it; tall, dark and handsome.  Maybe they should do a "Men of the Excelsior Brewery" calendar? Hmmm.....

Ben and Amar delivering growlers from the Excelsior Brewing Co.
Photo by Susan Austin

Best Non Profit Charity went to a personal favorite of mine, the ICA Food Shelf.  Congratulations to Cathy Maes, her staff and all of the volunteers that make the services of the ICA possible.

ICA Food Shelf Director Cathy Maes
Photo by Susan Austin

Excelsior area businesses went home with almost half of the 30 awards given out.

A few of the awards that went to Excelsior area businesses
Photo by Susan Austin

All in all it was a fabulous night.  By the end of the night I had reunited with friends I hadn't seen for several years, and also committed to zip lining with Kerfoot Canopy Tours.  They are opening in Belle Plaine in June.  I really need to stop committing to things when the wine is flowing.  Pictured below are the guys who will be holding my life in their hands when we go zip lining in a few weeks.

Kerfoot Canopy Tours
Photo by Susan Austin

Be sure to pay attention when the voting starts next year for the Best Of Lake Minnetonka 2014.  A full list of winners can be found here: Lake Minnetonka Magazine Best Of 2013.  Yours truly is also in the June issue of Lake Minnetonka Magazine sharing my favorite places to shop: Retail Border Battle.

Here is a bonus photo for you.  My friend Annette is visiting from Texas and came along to see how we party in Lake Minnetonka. I'm not quite sure what is going on in this photo or why Susan Austin thinks I should give her a piggy back ride.  I think it's what happens when you let the photographer out from behind the camera, shenanigans ensue.  Just some good clean fun.

Susan, Annette and me keeping it classy at the Carlson Towers
Photo by: Bob Edmondson

Excelsior Farmer's Market

Well spring has finally arrived in Minnesota, or as I like to call it "That time of year when my winter jeans are too big, and my summer jeans are too small."  It's time to shed my winter insulation.  It's also time for the Excelsior Farmer's Market, which started last Thursday!

For the first time the Excelsior Farmer's Market is right down Water Street in downtown Excelsior between 2nd and 3rd street.  From 2pm-6pm each Thursday you can hit the market and find all types of goodies.

Excelsior Farmer's Market Photo by Susan Austin

Now keep in mind this is Minnesota and we had a late spring.  One retail store owner told me that at least 10 people came into her store stating that they wished there was more produce at the market.  People, they need time to grow the produce!  It isn't shipped in from California, or wherever it is vegetables come from in the winter.

Excelsior Farmer's Market Photo by Susan Austin

It was also time to tape another episode of "Out and About" for Community TV, which should be airing in the next week or so.  Cameraman Tyler and I had a great time chatting with some of the vendors.  I'm proud of the fact that though this is only my second taping, I did not swear once through the entire thing.

Tyler and I shooting Out and About. Photo by Susan Austin

Check out the Excelsior Farmer's Market where you may find something new each week.  Be sure to sample the jellies and jams.  The woman who makes those does an amazing job!

Mother's Day, Sex Toys and Good Friends

I've been dreading Mother's Day most of this last week. On Mother's Day last year, I was back home in Hawaii scattering my mom's ashes into the ocean, with my sisters, my friend James, my father and a Pastor.

Scattering Mom's Ashes and Flowers

Though I've come a long way in being at peace with my mother's passing, significant dates still bite me in the ass.  Mother's Day this year was no exception.  All week long I could feel a dark cloud forming over me and I knew a meltdown was coming.

It happened the day before Mother's Day in a grocery store parking lot. The thought of buying groceries to celebrate Mother's Day was suddenly more than I could handle. I sat in my car, thankfully parked far from the entrance, and had myself a state of the art meltdown, complete with the "ugly cry". The "ugly cry" is when your sobbing resembles a cat hacking up a fur ball, while snot cakes your face.  It's not attractive.

My friend Cami texted me and I admitted I was having a meltdown in the grocery store parking lot, made worse by the fact that I was about out of tissue and really had to pee.  She offered to come get me, but I ended up driving to her house for a very therapeutic chat. After some great TLC from Cami and her dog Pluto, I was able to head home.

I spoke to my daughter before I left Cami's and warned her that I was having a rough time because I missed Grandma, but I would be okay and home soon.  Like many kids, my kids can be selfish pains in the butt, but they really come through for me when I need them.

I arrived home to a clean house, my favorite pasta, and three kinds of cake!  My kids know what to do when mom is in crisis and they went into action.  They also gave me my Mother's Day presents.  When I pulled my first present out of the bag I thought it was a sex toy, which made me think "Geez they really are going all out to handle my stress.". Turns out the "Electric Rabbit" is an electronic corkscrew for opening wine.

Now keep in mind my two older girls are 22 and 20, and inherited my open sense of humor, so it was possible that they had gotten me a sex toy for Mother's Day.

Not a sex toy

The kids hung out with me, and we devoured the pasta and cake.  We watched spooky movies and I even took a nap, which I almost never do. Grief is exhausting.

I woke up on Mother's Day feeling a bit better, but still fairly depressed.  I wanted to just spend the day under my blanket in bed.  After crying away most of the prior day, my eyes were puffier than a puffer fish.

Unfortunately no one in my house was thoughtful enough to have had hemorrhoids recently.  If they had, we would have had Preparation H in the house, which would have done wonders for the bags under my eyes.

We headed to Lago Tacos for brunch. I made it through most of the meal, but then had to leave for the car when my grief overwhelmed me again.  If I was a more attractive crier I may have just remained at the table, but we all now know I am not, so for the good of the other diners I retreated to the privacy of my car.  I'm thoughtful like that.

In the last 24 hours I've gone from a very dark place, back into the light of life, because I'm surrounded by people who care and want to help.  Sometimes I just have to let them.

Weekly Wisdom: 5 Things I learned This Week to Avoid Being Sued for Sexual Harassment or Discrimination

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't learn something about myself or the world around me.  Each Saturday I hope to share my weekly pearls of wisdom, which I pick up during the week while out and about, in a new series called "Weekly Wisdom".

1. Older caucasian Minnesotan men instructing you on how to operate a Street Car Trolley don't find it amusing  when you point out to them how your fellow Chinese Street Car enthusiast is a pretty good driver, considering she is both female and Asian.  Lesson learned: Jokes about minorities can only be shared with other minorities, and despite the stereotype not all female Asians are bad drivers.

The First Hawaiian and Chinese Street Car Trolley Operating Team in Excelsior

2.  Mouthing the words to a song while on the elliptical at the gym can make others uncomfortable. Even if not out loud as previously requested by the health club's management. Especially if you are singing the chorus to the song "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails. Who knew there were so many lip readers at the gym. Lesson learned: People who read lips go to the gym so be careful.

3. This is a "Water element meant for decoration only" and not a place to soak your feet after a workout.  Since they feel so strongly about it, I suggested they post a sign.  Despite my impulse control issues, I tend to follow posted signs and written rules.  Lesson learned: Though my Hawaiian instinct is to enter a body of water, not all bodies of water are to be entered, and mainlanders can be uptight about such things.

4. When going to a couple's house for dinner make sure the wine you hand them isn't called "Menage a Trois".  If you do make this mistake and realize it as soon as you hand the bottle over, don't spend the next five minutes rambling and nervously tripping over your words, trying to explain that you didn't realize what the wine was called and it isn't some kind of message or hint.  Not that there is anything wrong with them, because if you were a swinger, which you aren't, they would totally be invited to the key party. Needless to say they now think I'm crazy and I may not be invited back. Lesson learned: It's better to just shut up and have people suspect you are a swinger, rather than just crazy.

5. When using google images to search for a picture of a bottle of Menage a Trois wine it's very important to add the word "wine" at the end of Menage a Trois, otherwise you get some very interesting imagery that you can't unsee.  Lesson learned: Think through phrases before using google images.

Making the Best of a Crappy Spring

If you live in the Lake Minnetonka area of Minnesota as I do, you have probably been experiencing the spring that never came. Snowstorms, rain and cold, with the rare nice day thrown in so we don't all slit our wrists.  My years in Minnesota have taught me that you have to get out and enjoy those nice days when you can.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is one of my favorite places to escape to for some outdoor time and exercise. With multiple trails and a three mile loop that you can drive or walk, there are opportunities abound to drink in the beauty of a nice day.

It was a favorite place of my mom's, so I sometimes take a bottle of wine to the Japanese garden she loved, and toast to her memory. Unless alcohol consumption there is illegal, if that's the case I meant to say I toast her with my "water bottle".

My favorite toasting spot

One of the many walking trails

I'm happy to say that I'm back hiking their trails again.  I had to take some time off after my "piss and fall" sometime ago.  I had slipped and fallen on dog pee at a big box pet store. Not my most graceful moment in public, but I like to think I did it with style. As a result my knee had been giving me problems.

I've been going to SuNu Wellness Center in Minnetonka for Chiropractic treatment, which has helped with my knee and also my back and shoulder pain from being on the computer so much. Keeping up on facebook drama is time consuming, and Pinterest doesn't pin itself. These things take time and dedication.

Additionally I've been seeing a Physical Therapist. Not really seeing one myself, my sister Lana goes to one. Oddly she has a similar knee issue but her's is not the result of a "piss and fall". Lana has way better insurance than I do so I ride on her Physical Therapy coat tails by copying her exercises.

My sister and I have share a couple of ailments, which has worked to my benefit in not having to seek out my own medical care. Sometimes I even suggest that Lana discuss some of my issues with her therapist.  Apparently I have ADD and a touch of OCD, which are probably a result of my years growing up in a cult.

Even though the weather isn't cooperating at the moment here in the Lake Minnetonka area, I think it's important we do our best to keep the spirit of spring alive.  There never seems to be a perfect time to do anything. Be it the interruptions caused by a "piss and fall" or the mood killer of a snowy spring.  So plan those BBQs, they just may have to be indoors. Get out and support our local businesses, and don't buy warm clothes. Go out and get a fabulous summer outfit!

This Saturday May 4th, 3-7pm in Excelsior at the corner of Lake and Water Street, you will find a "Bingo & Burgers by the Bay", a fun event with beer from the Excelsior Brewery and Burgers from Maynard's, happening rain or shine to benefit our Excelsior 4th of July fireworks. Hope to see you there celebrating spring, with or without the cooperation of Mother Nature.