The Free Press
SIMPLY THE BEST Our annual Best of Mankato issue is finally here!
also in this issue: The debut of our new COMIC Take a trip to FARGO Smile for BRITTANY NASH Lindsay Boutchee JULY 2019
The Free Press MEDIA
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Congratulations to Ophthalmologist Dr. Emily Birkholz M.D. at Ophthalmology Associates & Lasik Center Best of 2019 The Free Press
Optometrist / Ophthalmologist Ophthalmologist Dr. Emily Birkholz M.D. is one of several premiere doctors who specializes in Cataract Surgery including Multifocal and Toric intraocular lenses, Laser Refractive Surgery (All-Laser wave front guided LASIK and PRK), medical retina including laser and intraocular injections for macular degeneration and diabetes, glaucoma management, as well as functional eyelid surgery. At Ophthalmology Associates, you will receive the highest standard of care for your LASIK procedure and post-operative care. The same surgeon that will perform the procedure will meet with you personally during your consultation to discuss your options and answer your questions. Our ophthalmologists are experienced, caring and from the region. Procedures are done on-site at Ophthalmology Associates, so there is no need to travel out of the area for LASIK. We use the most advanced LASIK technology– Bladeless Wavefront Guided LASIK that allows us to provide a customized approach for each patient’s needs. While many providers only offer this technology as an upgrade, this is Ophthalmology Associates’ standard for LASIK.
• Ophthalmology Associates & LASIK Center offers a variety of financing plans through our new Wells Fargo Health Advantage card. • We offer interest-free financing for up to 36 months on your treatment, along with low-interest options for extended periods. • Receive a $100 American Express Gift Card that can be redeemed anywhere when you have your LASIK performed at Ophthalmology Associates & Lasik Center
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FEATURE S JULY 2019 Volume 14, Issue 7
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The Free Pre
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Who won? We’ll tell you
Our annual Best of Mankato issue is here, just waiting for you curious eyes.
ABOUT THE COVER Lindsay Boutchee gets everything right at Tav on the Ave. restaurant. She was photographed by Pat Christman, who probably ordered extra onion rings with his burger. MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 3
DEPARTMENTS 6 From the Editor 10 Faces & Places 14 This Day in History 15 Avant Guardians Sarah Houle
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16 Beyond the Margin Appreciating summer
18 Familiar Faces Brittany Nash
20 Day Trip Destinations Fargo
58 Wine
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Of rosé and riesling
61 Beer
Beer cocktails, undressed
62 That’s Life
You can go home again
64 Garden Chat Pesky possums
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66 Your Style
The art of giving
68 Comic
Mankato’s Roller Derby Scene
70 Coming Attractions 76 From This Valley Inaugural ‘Steinies’
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Coming in August Our first-ever beer and wine tour!
Thank You For Your Votes! Thanks To Our Great Team & Customers!! www.demarsgc.com
DeMars Construction 507-387-5933 327 N. Riverfront Drive Mankato
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FROM THE ASSOCIATE EDITOR By Robb Murray
And the winners are ... YouT can todaY!
JULY 2019 • VOLUME 14, ISSUE 7 PUBLISHER Steve Jameson EDITOR Joe Spear
ASSOCIATE Robb Murray EDITOR
CONTRIBUTORS Bert Mattson James Figy Jean Lundquist Jessica Server Leigh Pomeroy Nell Musolf Pete Steiner PHOTOGRAPHERS Pat Christman Jackson Forderer
PAGE DESIGNER Christina Sankey ADVERTISING Danny Creel SALES Joan Streit Jordan Greer-Friesz Josh Zimmerman Marianne Carlson Theresa Haefner ADVERTISING Barb Wass ASSISTANT ADVERTISING Sue Hammar DESIGNERS Christina Sankey CIRCULATION Justin Niles DIRECTOR
Mankato Magazine is published by The Free Press Media monthly at 418 South Second St., Mankato MN 56001. To subscribe, call 1-800-657-4662 or 507-625-4451. $35.40 for 12 issues. For editorial inquiries, call Robb Murray at 344-6386, or e-mail rmurray@mankatofreepress.com. For advertising, call 344-6364, or e-mail advertising@mankatofreepress.com.
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ruth be told, July really isn’t the best time for lists, or “best of” compilations. December is the time for that. That’s when every publication under the sun puts together neatly packaged and reader-friendly collections of things that were the “best,” or the “worst.” Sometimes it’s a knowledgeable critic looking back with an informed eye at music, theater, food or art. Sometimes an entire newsroom gets into the act; each year our Mankato Free Press news staff puts together a list of nominations for top stories of the year, and then that same staff votes. The result of it all is the annual December countdown in the pages of the Free Press, a popular feature (or perhaps space filler) for that last week of the year. This month in Mankato Magazine, we bring you a different kind of list. YOUR list. We do it every year, and every year it’s our biggest and most popular issue. A few months ago, we began the process of accepting nominations for our annual Best of Mankato issue, the definitive such contest/ survey in southern Minnesota. We advertised and publicized both in the print edition of Mankato Magazine and online over at mankatofreepress.com. Once we had all our nominees, the contest was on. Now, some might say the Best of Mankato edition amounts to nothing more than a popularity contest. It is, after all, based solely on voting. There is no objective metric we can employ (or have the time to employ) to truly figure out, for example, which tavern has the best happy hour, which doctor or dentist heals people the best, or which car dealership is best at selling cars. So we do the next best thing, of course: ask the people in the community. Is it a flawed system? Perhaps.
It’s vulnerable to influence by social media-savvy competitors, and some people will vote in categories on which they have zero knowledge. But, at the end of the day, it’s hard to argue with the winners, especially in categories where we’ve had repeat winners. I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: The Best of Mankato issue is our most popular because readers are invested in it. They had a say, they picked the winners and this issue is a celebration of some great things happening in our community. My annual caveat for this issue remains: It’s just a list. Many many great businesses and professionals operate in Mankato without ever getting a mention in our annual Best of Mankato issue. We respect and appreciate every professional and business serving the people of Mankato. Not getting recognized here changes nothing. Enjoy the results! I also want to direct your attention to our Familiar Faces feature this month. We’ve chosen photographer/social activist/ Bethany Lutheran College graduate Brittany Nash. I met
Brittany during a discussion our newsroom had with people from diverse communities in our region. The thoughtful way she approached our dialogue made me want to know more about her work. When I checked out her photography and talked to her about her life, I decided the rest of our community should see her what she has to say about living and working in Mankato as a woman of color. Please read that piece. You won’t regret it. Finally, we’ve got a new feature in Mankato Magazine this month. Our new comic created by Kat Baumann debuts, and it’s a doozy. You’re going to love it.
Robb Murray is associate editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at 344-6386 or rmurray@ mankatofreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @freepressRobb.
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Best of 2019 The Free Press
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FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports
Raw Fusion
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Raw Fusion is a fashion competition sponsored by the Minnesota River Builders Association where contestants build outfits out of building materials. It is also a fundraiser. This year’s charity was the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund. 1. A ray of light shines upon the audience members as they socialize before the event. 2. Casey Ek, modeling for Bellissimo Paint and Coatings, gets his photo taken backstage by his girlfriend Bridget Ireland. 3. Judge Tami Paulsen, director of the Jonathan Zierdt Fund of the Mankato Area Foundation, waves as Emcee Ryan Sturgis introduces the panel of judges. 4. Jeremy Fields, who won the Showstopper Award as “Eros: Greek God of Love,” poses for the audience as he walks back on the runway. 5. Brianna Long (left) and Megan Hornaman blow glitter toward the panel of judges. 6. Jessica Blais, modeling for Vivian Rose Boutique as the “Greek Queen of the Sea Sirens,” points directly at the judges. 7. Kara Sullivan, who won the People’s Choice Award as “Eir: Norse Goddess of Healing,” poses at the end of the 2 3 runway. 8. This panorama showcases the atmosphere in the Mankato Civic Center Grand Hall. The ninth annual RAW Fusion theme was Mythology and proceeds benefited the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund. 9. Emcee Ryan Sturgis greets everyone to the ninth annual RAW Fusion.
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FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports
Mankato Go Red for Women Luncheon
Go Red for Women fundraisers raise money for the American Heart Association. 1. Ashley Hanley, News Director at KTOE, shares her story of her mother, Michele Goettl, who passed away unexpectedly in 2017. 2. About 300 women and men attended the luncheon at the Country Inn and Suites Conference Center in Mankato. 3. Jenny Herbst (left) and Ruthann Cantile are part of the Go Red for Women Executive Leadership Team and co-chairs of this year’s event, thanked everyone for supporting their mission to prevent heart disease. 4. Attendees enjoy a sit down lunch prior to listening to speakers share heart disease stories. 5. Women pose in front of a Mayo Clinic backdrop for group photos. 6. To aid the battle 2 against heart disease, blood pressure screenings were offered prior to lunch.
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FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports
Educare Spring Benefit Educare Foundation provides financial support to Mankato Area Public Schools to fund programs and activities that enhance educational opportunities for all students. 1. Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery hosted this year’s Educare Spring Benefit. 2. Mark Zenk, head coach of the Mankato West Robotics program, fixes one of the robots. 3. During the social hour people helped themselves to food provided by Absolute Catering. 4. People gathered to socialize at the Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery. 5. Live and silent auctions were held to benefit the Educare Foundation and support Mankato Area Public Schools. 6. The Mankato 2 West Robotics program hosts a Vex Robotics Tournament at MSU. Benefit attendees had the chance to sponsor the programs. 7. Robot play time.
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FACES & PLACES: Photos By SPX Sports
Hosanna Kato Color Fun Run
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This year’s event was held at Hosanna Lutheran Church and benefited the church’s youth group. 1. Runners take off at the starting line in the second annual Hosanna Kato Color Fun Run. 2. After the fun run participants threw orange powder into the air. 3. Runners got hit with plenty of color at the halfway mark and at the end of their run. 4. Time to reload. 5. Hal Boher, youth and family ministry assistant at Hosanna, runs through the colored powder. 6. Becca Stidham, broadcast and media creator at Hosanna, makes her way through her last lap.
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THIS DAY IN HISTORY Compiled by Jean Lundquist
Corporate Graphics Your Printing Solutions Company
1750 Northway Drive North Mankato, MN 56003 800-729-7575 www.corpgraph.com
Fourth of July benefit revue staged in Clark Street garage Juvenile stars present neighborhood extravaganza Wednesday, July 1, 1936 Seven neighborhood children started rehearsing in June to present their show in the Leslie Morse garage at 216 Clark Street. Both matinee and evening performances were presented. Playbills posted along the alley advertised the events, and there were capacity crowds at both performances. The revue featured a Ginger Rogers influence in songs. A blanket fastened to a rope with clothes pins provided the curtain, air conditioning was supplied by a fan, and a light bulb shaded by a bridge shade above the stage provided the spotlight. The show opened with a tap dance, followed by acrobatics and a trapeze bar, a dramatic reading, and a torch song or two. Applause was reported to be deafening, and the performances brought in $1.86. But while patriotism was strong among the youth in the community, the Blue Earth County Board refused to issue a dance permit to the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization for its fourth of July dance. The VFW had hoped to extend its dance on Saturday night, the 4th, into the wee hours of Sunday morning. It was ordered shut down at midnight. “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy,” said commissioner William C. Minks of Minnesota Lake in voting to deny the Sunday permit. Transplanter missed one (or two) Tuesday, July 23, 1957 Ditch diggers in Blue Earth unearthed a gruesome surprise and some anxious moments when a human skull was dug up just outside the city. Expecting maybe a few old bottles and some ancient garbage is one thing, but a human skull is something else altogether. Was it a lost soul wandering the area who fell and died unbeknownst to anyone? Murder? No. A check of city records showed that a cemetery was established in the area in 1846. Changing land use meant the area was no longer used for that purpose, and in 1870 someone was hired to move the graves. Apparently, that person was not very thorough. Other human bones estimated to be between 75 and 100 years old were also found. All were re-buried in a Blue Earth Cemetery. Don’t come as you are Thursday, July 2, 1970 Restaurants are frowning on bare feet and hairy bare chests in their restaurants. As one owner in the business for 25 years put it, “Why should we advertise for people to come as they are? We did that and we got the whole gamut, from barefeet to swim trunks.” “Teenyboppers” led to the movement, according to one restauranteur. They didn’t want to become hangouts for teens visiting with their friends (while not spending any money) because they were encouraged to “come as you are.” The Mr. Steak restaurant posted a sign that read, “You can go barefoot in the park, but not at Mr. Steak.” The Mankato Free Press surveyed 27 restaurants on the issue. Of them, 25 said they disapproved of bare feet. All said they disapproved of bare chests, except for one topless bar/restaurant in the city. Weekend heat wave sends 23 to hospital Monday, July 11, 1983 It was a hot weekend in Mankato, and it was the weekend of the Bend of the River Festival. The 90 degree-plus temps took a toll on the festival’s parade participants. Seventeen of the 131 band members from the Albany band fell out of the Sunday parade due to the heat, all of them female, it was noted, according to their band director. One person in the Emergency Room came from the River Bend Road Run on Saturday. Of the 23 treated for heart-related illnesses that weekend, none was from Mankato. Lancer’s Band Director Ed Stock said his performers were told to get out of the heat at the first sign of dizziness or nausea. Air-conditioned buses and campers followed every band in the parade to provide that respite.
AVANT GUARDIANS By Leticia Gonzales
For Houle, music is essential, emotional
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ersed as a euphonium and trombone performer, composer, arranger, low brass instructor, and musical instrument repair technician, it’s quite obvious that music encompasses the life of Sarah Houle. “Music has been an essential artistic outlet for me,” said Houle. “Not only do I love playing in many different types of groups and playing different types of music, I love to compose and arrange as well. My first musical love will always be the euphonium, so nearly all of my original music includes a part for it.” Houle’s musical abilities began in her youth by process of elimination. “When I started my musical journey in 6th grade band, I was given only two choices of instrument, euphonium or tuba, and I chose the euphonium as my first instrument,” she shared. “I had terribly overcrowded teeth, so these two instruments were really the most forgiving for a
student who would go through braces and several pulled teeth in middle and high school.” To get more playing opportunities outside of concert band, Houle took up the trombone, followed by the trumpet, tuba and clarinet. “I think one of the reasons I really got into composing and arranging music was so that I, as a euphonium player, could have the opportunity to play other types of music,” said Houle. “Euphonium is mostly used in concert band, seldom in orchestra, in British brass band, and in tuba quartet.” She has also been inspired by other genres of music. “The joyful sounds of New Orleans and the brass band scene there created in me a feeling of desire — desire to play that music and create in that art form.” Houle said. “So, when I was in college, I formed a New Orleans Brass Band with friends, transcribed several tunes from recordings, and we played.” After earning a Bachelor of Music Euphonium and Trombone Performance from Minnesota State University, Houle toured the U.S. for four months as a pit musician for a Maryland theater company. In 2017, she received a McKnight Artist Grant from Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council to put on two concerts of original music. “Each concert was about an hour and a half and included my original brass music and arrangements of public domain pieces for solo euphonium, euphonium and tuba duet, brass quartet and quintet, brass quartet with radio actors, and New Orleans Brass Band,” said Houle. She currently performs with a variety of musical groups, including the Mankato Area Community Band, the Minnesota River Valley Wind Ensemble, and the Mankato Symphony Orchestra. She can also been heard with the 10-piece band, Powerhouse, and Schell’s Hobo Band. Houle also manages to carve out time to compose music. “Much of my original music is inspired by emotion,” she said. “I love nature and being outdoors, whether it is camping, hiking, gardening, kayaking, snowshoeing, or biking.” Her next original music project involves traveling to natural locations along Minnesota’s North Shore and Iron Range. “There is always music in nature, even in the silence of the most remote places,” she added. “It’s not birds singing or the sounds of water, but actual music and melodies and rhythms that present themselves in the form of emotions. I take that information, put it to notes on a page, and then, hopefully, I’m able to transfer it to other players and share the emotion with them and anyone who may be listening.” MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 15
BEYOND THE MARGIN By Joe Spear
Images of summer A reminder for gratefulness
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parade through the summer months in Minnesota reminds us that the best things in life are usually jewels of nature that are free of charge. Early evening sunlight on a flower. A sparkling lake amid the northern Minnesota pines. The howling of coyotes at night and the call of the barred owls. Some flowers like tulips and irises are long gone by July, but they return each year without much effort on our part. Nature on autopilot. When you come to expect summer greenery like Mankato’s famous hanging flowers in downtown, or its lush gardens along Riverfront Drive, it’s easy to take summer for granted. The first perfect days of summer allow us to put winter out of our minds. Still, we would do well to look back at the news headlines of winter storms for this past year just to get the right context for the presence of perfect summer days ahead. It was one of the snowiest winters on record with 96 inches of snow in Mankato for the season through April 14. A Feb. 19 snowstorm that dropped 9 inches of snow on the area broke the February record by about 10 inches totaling out at 36 inches for the month. Let’s not forget April 12 and 13. Wind gusts of 50 mph, freezing rain and snow cut off thousands of people in Mankato and the surrounding area from power, some for days. Benco Electric saw 200 power poles knocked down. It was snowmageddon. The people of summer are not to be taken for granted either. Humble gardeners toil near the earth with dirt underneath their fingernails and contentment in their hearts. Gardeners remind us that we should respect the earth. It was here before us and will be here long after us. We can only honor it by nurturing it with daisies and pansies and sunflowers. Maybe if we had remained an agrarian society full of farmers and gardeners, our environment would have been more respected. July is a good month to show appreciation for things around us. Our “best of” issue will feature dozens of the best things in Mankato from burgers to beer and
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from patio dining to a place for a date. The issue is a way to highlight the everyday work of honorable people who serve tasty meals, fix your car or do your nails. We come to expect their goods and services but don’t often stop to recognize their efforts. A Fourth of July parade is just another one of those gifts we sometimes take for granted in the summertime. The color guards march by with the flag as we stand and remove our hats, but we don’t think about things like D-Day and Iwo Jima much. They say a little meditation in the morning can help with depression. One therapist says we ought to consider everyday who and what we are grateful for. Writing for PsychologyToday.com, Dr. Deborah Serani says gratitude can combat depression. People can practice gratitude by meeting with friends and offering their time, writing someone a note or email about how you’re grateful for them, or writing down three things a week that went well for you. She writes: “So, why do these gratitude experiences boost happiness and alleviate depression? Scientists say that these techniques shift our thinking from negative outcomes to positive ones, elicit a surge of feel good hormones like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, and build enduring personal connections.” So what can we do? Bring flowers from your garden into your office. This simple gesture will reap benefits far beyond its inconvenience. Golf, fish, hike, bike and walk with friends. Take in the smell of corn dogs and onions and freshly made French fries at a county fair. Enjoy refreshments of cold craft beer or a frozen margaritas on a warm sunny day. Watch the sunset over a pristine lake or river. Sit in a lawn chair on your porch or in your garage and listen to the quiet of the night. Joe Spear is editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at jspear@mankatofreepress.com or 344-6382. Follow on Twitter @jfspear.
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Familiar Faces Mankato Magazine: Tell us how you got into the photography business? Brittany Nash: I have loved photography for the longest time. I received a journalism scholarship for college and became a layout editor and photojournalist. After college, when I had my first son, photography was the way I captured his every moment. I would share the images on social media just to keep my family updated. I started to get so many requests to take photos of other people’s kids with my point and shoot that my husband purchased me my first DSLR for my birthday in late 2009. I took a few months and created a business plan and get my business license and I was in business! I fell in love with the process of not only capturing moments and the celebrated milestones for people and their love, but also the business aspects of it too. I am just as excited about researching, networking and marketing my business as I am out on location with my camera. This is what led me to launch my business consulting and photography brand in the last year and a half.
Photos by Pat Christman
Name:
Brittany Nash City of residence:
Vernon Center Township
Job title:
Photographer/Business Consultant
Brief work history:
Owner ID Photography 2010-Present Owner Ebon Business Photography & Services 2018-Present Coordinator of Career Services Bethany Lutheran College 2011-2014 Coordinator of Paul Ylvisaker Center for Personal & Public Responsibility 2012-2014 Co-Chair, Government & Nonprofit Career Fair 2012-2013
Education:
B.A. Communication Magna Cum Laude - Bethany Lutheran College 18 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
MM: Part of your specialty is something called “homebound” photography. Tell us about that and why you’ve pursued that as a niche. BN: In 2015 our youngest son was born a month early due to my developing HELLP syndrome. It was one of the scariest situations I have ever endured in my life. After being told I may die and that our son may die, I was left shaken. It made me examine the moments I loved capturing the most and those images were of my own children at home. Home is such a sacred place for me and it played a big role in helping me heal from a traumatic birth. I started sharing some of the images here and there on social media,. While the concept was pretty nontraditional, I realized people loved the images. But the gem about these sessions is that they take place in a space that is completely yours. Your HOME. A place that is an extension of the identity of the people who reside in it. It’s a place that brings you to peace but gives you moments that fill you with every emotion under the sun. These moments should be captured memorialized also. MM: You were raised by adoptive parents in a living situation that ended poorly. How has that experience shaped your outlook on life and how has it impacted who you are? BN: “Ended poorly” is the nice way to put it. To state it more directly I was abused and I am still learning how come to terms with how that has impacted my life in very significant ways, a lot of which I detail in my blog called “The Daily Adoptee” (www.brittanynash.com/ the-daily-adoptee). 2018 was a year where I found that my adoption trauma was deeper than I perceived. The day after my 32nd birthday, I started writing to help me come to terms with the gravity of what I endured as a child and young adult. While it is therapeutic, it has allowed me to find deep honesty of who I am as a person and what influenced that. It has become even more valuable two months later I was diagnosed with a mental disorder due to the trauma I faced as a child. Being adopted is a heavy and confusing experience even in adulthood. Adding the trauma of being abused holds an added sucker punch. No one really wants to hear that
your adoption didn’t have a “fairytale happy ending” as the narrative of adoption suggests. Adding in the fact that I am a transracial adoptee (meaning I was adopted into a family that wasn’t the same culture as I was, i.e. white family) makes it extremely messy and really uncomfortable for other people to talk about. White people hold the rights to my identity and black people think my life was better off because I was “raised white.” I often think that adopted children are the forgotten children of the world as we are the very evidence of society’s cruelty and ignorance in the pursuit of power and wealth. But it has made me a practical but a compassionate person who has a pretty deep critical thinking bone and voice to speak up when needed or asked. I am pretty sure this comes from always having to fight to be heard in a world where no one claims you but has more rights to your identity and existence than you personally do. I have had to “forge my own way” pretty much my whole life and it’s given me an added layer of confidence and determination that I have come to love. MM: You’ve been an outspoken advocate for racial and social justice. Having lived in Mankato for a number of years, what grade would you give the Mankato area in terms of dealing with issues of diversity, and what areas are ripe for improvement? BN: I would give it a C-. This area loves pseudo-diversity/ inclusion efforts and lacks the drive to do racial justice work that changes the lives of people of different cultures and gives them access to wealth which gives them more power to overcome the barriers and circumstances of racism. Very often racism is the white elephant in the room. I say this without malice because, if we start looking at the statistics, there’s no denying that white privilege is protected in Mankato. With the demographic break down of the city of Mankato is 89% white, 4% Black/African American, 3.5% Hispanic/Latinx and 3% Asian, you can’t convince me that 89% really cares about the success and failure to thrive of the other 10.5% of the population who identifies with a specific cultural group/race. (areavibes. com/mankato-mn/livability/). The trickle-down effect is vicious when it comes to other cultures thriving in the greater Mankato area. No matter how the cookie crumbles on the outside looking in, its non-welcoming from the cultural aspect. Being on the inside living it is even worse. We can tell you the barriers we face and we can tell you the changes we can implement to ensure that this area is more welcoming, diverse and inclusive, but this area is committed to not allowing minorities to hold leadership positions that impact the community as a whole, even in the initiatives that affect our cultural communities the most. If not for the efforts of many people of culture who are leaders the score would be lower. There’s Bukata Hayes and his work with The Greater Mankato Diversity Council. Ayan Musse and the work she does for the Council, but also the work she does in the area schools as a social worker and she advocates for many causes in our community. Destiny Owens also works with the Mankato school district and created B.E.A.M (Black Excellence Around Mankato). There are so many others who bring a deep well of knowledge and expertise. I have a list of them on my FB page (see link) https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ fbid=758550472495&id=88400033) . I could tell you what all of them do, but I would encourage you to reach out to them take them out for coffee or lunch to hear about the
work they are doing. Support their efforts. MM: You attended Bethany Lutheran College; tell us a little bit about that experience, including how well BLC prepared you for the real world. BN: It was interesting. Bethany is where I actually got my feet wet in working in social justice and advocacy. I worked for the Diversity Center (now defunct) under the guidance of both Bukata Hayes and Thomas Flunker. I would say my time at BLC helped shape my view on racial inequalities and the reality of how the consequences of barriers and inequalities play out in real time and how complex they are. While the diversity work may not have compared to what was going on at the other larger fouryear colleges in the area, the ratio of white students vs minority students better reflected the demographics of the greater Mankato area. Despite this, it provided a familiar space to launch me into adulthood. I learned very important lessons in advocacy and servant leadership. To understand how this is important you have to understand, statistically, very few women and men of culture have graduated from BLC’s 4-year program. But if you look at those who have, we are rocking our success. We took our degrees and have started our own businesses, become advocates for our communities and much, much more. MM: What’s on the “Recently Watched” tab on your Netflix account? BN: Thor Ragnarok. I am a huge Marvel fan! MM: Tell us something that would surprise us about you. BN: My music choices, depending on what mood I’m in I could be dancing in my kitchen to Ariana, belting out Kane Brown or Jimmie Allen lyrics with my window down, having an emotional moment with Evanescence, rapping with 6lack, being woke with Tobe Nwigwe, caught in a vibe with DVSN, falling deeply in love with Dan + Shay, getting a little ratchet with Nicki Minaj, making boss moves with Beyonce. You never know what’s going to be playing off of my Spotify playlists and I LOVE making playlists. Compiled by Robb Murray
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DAY TRIP DESTINATIONS: Downtown Fargo Street Fair By James Figy
Taking to the streets Enjoy food, fun and art for days at the Downtown Fargo Street Fair
T
hree days. Seven and a half city blocks. About 250 vendors. More than 120,000 visitors. The Downtown Fargo Street Fair promises an incredible amount of art, food and drinks, music and fun for everyone. Now in its 44th year, the festival has become the largest free outdoor event in North Dakota for clear reasons, according to Melissa Rademacher, president and CEO of Downtown Community Partnership in Fargo. Just like the city, she said, the Downtown Fargo Street Fair offers something for everyone and is always adding more. “We want to keep it fresh and relevant because we want to invite back people who have been coming all those years to experience something new,” she said. “So this year we’re going to have a stage and program it all three days, with a big headliner and concert on Friday evening. The programs will be a variety of things from dance to theater to music.” 20 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
The most important part in choosing the artists and vendors for the event is variety, Rademacher added. “The Street Fair attracts all ages and all walks of life for three days. We want to make sure we have entertainment for everybody. Arts, music, fun, local businesses — it’s a great opportunity to highlight all the local diversity and culture,” she said. There are also vendors from 22 other states, and of the 250 total vendors, nearly one in five focuses on food. With food trucks selling everything from cheese curds to street tacos and local breweries and wineries serving drinks, attendees are able to snack and enjoy a beer and wine as they walk the fair route. Because of this, Rademacher offered an important piece of advice for fairgoers: “Come hungry.” Despite the event’s growth from one block to more than seven, some part of the street fair must take place
on Broadway near the historic Fargo Theatre with its lit-up sign. This is something attendees love about the event year after year. “The route started on Broadway, so (expanding) it off Broadway has been a challenge. But people love coming down Broadway for nostalgia,” Rademacher said. “It’s just finding that balance, because in Fargo, there’s always something going on. There’s always construction, there’s always revitalization, there’s always movement.” The Downtown Fargo Street Fair may be large today, but it wasn’t always. The event started out as an annual sidewalk sale for businesses in a small segment of the city, according to Rademacher. “ D o w n t o w n re t a i l e r s c a m e together and started doing it on their own in terms of being a destination and marketing themselves way back in the day,” she said. “Year after year, it just started to gain momentum and national recognition.” Fargo began to gain greater awareness around the country after the release of the Coen brothers’ movie of the same name in 1996. That was unexpected, according to Rademacher, but it did make people from coast to coast curious about what the North Dakota city had to offer. “The downtown businesses — kudos to them — saw that opportunity to entertain the people that were coming during a really hot time of year to downtown Fargo,” she said. However, downtown Fargo offers a wide selection of food, fun and entertainment year-round. There are art walks, historic tours and food tours. The Plains Art Museum has permanent and rotating exhibits, and the Fargo Theatre shows a range of movies and hosts an annual
film festival. With a wide variety of restaurants and breweries, there is plenty to eat as well. No matter a person’s interests or age, the city provides opportunities for weekend trips and longer getaways. “There’s something for everyone here in Fargo,” Rademacher said.
IF YOU GO:
DOWNTOWN FARGO STREET FAIR When: 10 a.m.-9 .p.m. July 18-19, and 10 a.m.-5 .p.m. July 20 Where: Multiple blocks of downtown Fargo, starting on Broadway N near the historic Fargo Theatre Admission: Free
Visit downtownfargo.com for more information. MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 21
BEST BEST The Free Press
OF THE
Photos by Pat Christman
F
inally! Our Best of Mankato process of nominating businesses, counting votes, assigning and writing and editing stories, shooting photos and designing pages is over and … TA-DA!!! The results are IN!!! This issue is a big deal for us, you guys, because it’s a big deal for you. These results are yours. These are your favorite pizzas and margaritas, doctors and lawyers, lawn care and mattress businesses. You go there, you shop there, you trust these people. And now you’ve voted. The publication of our annual Best of Mankato issue is a cause for celebration of the excellence happening in our region. Once again, thousands of votes were cast. Southern Minnesota folk are passionate about favorites, and their mouse clicks have decided the winners. It’s all in good fun, folks. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we loved putting it together for you. MM
22 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
People Financial Planner
First: Ryan Spaude, Eide Bailly Second: Doug Helget, Northwestern Mutual Third: Matt Norland, Meyer & Norland Financial Group
Insurance Agent
First: Aaron Hatanpa, Hatanpa State Farm Insurance Second: Lonnie Bristol, State Farm Insurance Third: Jon Michaletz, Kato Insurance
Photographer
First: Dan Dinsmore, Daniel Dinsmore Photography Second: Christy Bode, Christy Bode Photography Third: Gregg Andersen, Gallery 19
Real Estate Agent
First: Angie Van Eman Riley, American Way Realty Second: Jen True, True Real Estate Third: Jason Beal, JBeal Real Estate Group
Chiropractor
First: Mark Dehen, Back to Wellness Chiropractic Clinic Second: Monica Schugel, Schugel Family Chiropractic Third: Keith Kuch, Kuch Chiropractic
Pediatrician
First: Dr. Katie Smentek, MD, Mankato Clinic Second: Dr. Chaun Cox, MD, Mayo Clinic Health Systems Third: Dr. Donald Putzier, MD, Mankato Clinic
Dentist
First: Dr. Daniel Osdoba, Oz Family Dentistry Second: Dr. Tom Pooley, River Valley Dental Third: Dr James Kalina, James K. Kalina DDS
Family Physician/ Primary Care Provider
First: Dr. Chaun Cox, MD, Mayo Clinic Health Systems Second: Dr. Katie Anderson, MD, Mankato Clinic Third: Dr. John Benson, MD, Mankato Clinic
Optometrist/ Ophthalmologist
First: Matthew Downs, CarlsonTillisch Eye Clinic Second: Emily Birkholz, Ophthalmology Associates Third: Nathaniel Graham, Mankato Clinic
Auto Mechanic
First: Lynn Austin, Austin’s Auto Repair Center Second: Nick Zuehlke, Nick’s Car Care Third: Brandon Johnson, Rock Street Auto
Bartender
First: Jeni Bobholz, Circle Inn Second: Peter Whiteman, Pub 500 Third: Chelsea Morning
Waiter
First: Alberto Alonzo Lara, Mazatlan Second: Adam Andersen, Pub 500 Third: Pat Van Beckum, Pub 500
Waitress
First: Lindsay Boutchee, Tav on the Ave Second: Layla Pappas, Pappageorge Restaurant & Bar Third: Danielle Wegman, Weggy’s On Campus
Radio Personality
First: Stunt Monkey, Hot 96.7 Second: TJ and Lisa, Minnesota 93 Third: George and Jess in the Morning, Country 103.5
Television Anchorperson
First: Mark Tarello, KEYC Chief Meteorologist Second: Stacy Steinhagen, KEYC News 12 Third: Lisa Cownie, KEYC News 12
Newspaper Reporter
First: Robb Murray, The Free Press Second: Tim Krohn, The Free Press Third: Kristine Goodrich, The Free Press
Architect/Engineer
First: Bryan Paulsen, ISG Second: Jeremy Wiesen, ISG Third: Corey Brunton, Brunton Architects
MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 23
BEST CHIROPRACTOR: Mark Dehen
He’s got your back! Doc by day, mayor by night
Y
ou might say Mankato’s Best Chiropractor has the profession in his bones. Mark Dehen joined his father’s practice, and worked alongside Dave Dehen for 20 of his 33 years (so far) as a chiropractor. “It was an interesting transition, going from kid to colleague,” he said. Mark Dehen says he approaches chiropractic care with a patientcentered style designed to keep his patients independent. And in some ways, he views himself as a health coach. After-care is important he says, so he offers nutritional support, exercises, and a variety of other services to keep people engaged in life at both work and home. With a motto of “Move to Embrace Life,” Dehen says we aren’t designed to be sedentary, and we need to “use it, or lose it.” Dehen’s patients range from newborn babies to one patient who is 100 years old. Generally, though, his Back to Wellness Clinic sees an aging population, in keeping with the general population. For these patients, Dehen says he encourages them to work on balance. “Balance is the key to independent living,” he said. “If you fall, you generally can’t live at home.” Dehen says chiropractic care is a great, conservative way to ease spinal pain or injuries. “We don’t use drugs, and we don’t do surgery,” he said. “This is the first step.”
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BEST OPTOMETRIST: Matt Downs
Seeing is believing: Downs credits team for win
M
ankato has made quite the spectacle out of Matthew Downs as he tries to make seeing the eye doctor a bit more fun. Downs has stayed humble throughout his win as Mankato’s best optometrist, crediting his staff at the Carlson Tillish Clinic and their work. “I view it as our clinic won the award, not me,” Downs said. “I’m just the face of it. It’s really just our patients and our clinic.” Growing up, Downs had always wanted to do something with medicine, and optometry was the right fit for him.
“Every day I get to help people. Hopefully people walk out of here better than when they walked in,” Downs said. His favorite part of his job is building relationships with his patients and working to make their visits as enjoyable as possible. He believes that knowing so many people and building these relationships is what helped him to win best optometrist. “I try to talk with people. It’s fun to get to know them,” Downs said.
Downs became an optometrist in 2002 and started practicing in Mankato in 2004. As a child, Downs also came to the clinic he now works at as he grew up nearby in Butterfield. Now, he gets to pay it forward with his team. “It’s gratifying and it’s fun. To me it means the team has won. Without the team, I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing,” Downs said.
MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 25
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Mankato’s locally owned independent agency.
BEST ARCHITECT: Bryan Paulsen
THANK YOU FOR VOTING US #1
Quality by design: Paulsen stays on top
B
ryan Paulsen, principal and senior architect at ISG, has practiced architecture for 37
years. “It all started when I was in elementary school,” shared Paulsen. “I enjoyed drawing city street views and buildings in twopoint and three-point perspective.” With a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota, Paulsen has been with ISG since October 2013 after they acquired his own firm, Paulsen Architects, which he and his wife Tami started in 1995. Paulsen said there is no typical Submitted day for him as an architect. Photo “Some days I design, somedays I manage and mentor staff on projects we are working on together, some days I am meeting with existing clients or developing new clients,” he said. He is currently working on projects involving higher education, city and county buildings, and healthcare, as well as corporate and sports and recreation projects.” Some of his past work includes the corporate office for Midwest Wireless (now Federated Insurance), the Student Union on the Minnesota State University campus, Honsey Hall on the Bethany Lutheran College campus, and the St. Peter Community Center. You can also see his work in Austin, Minn. by visiting the Hormel Corporate South building, the Spam Museum, and the Hormel Nature Center. “I believe in contextual design, building materials and building massing that are in context with their surroundings,” said Paulsen. “I also think about design and materials that create timelessness.”
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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 27
BEST BARTENDER: Jen Bobholz
Tending bar, building community
J
eni Bobholz, owner of the Circle Inn in North Mankato, is this year’s Best of Mankato Bartender. “I have been bartending and serving for over 15 years,” said Bobholz. “I have always been in customer service and enjoy being a social person, which is what drew me to this profession.” Bobholz, who is 36, was a manager at the Circle Inn for five years before purchasing the business in January. “I am a big believer in learning as you go and getting thrown to the wolves as they saw,” she said.
BEST WAITRESS: Lindsay Boutchee
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28 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
Boutchee has got that special something
C
ommunication and patience are the most valuable skills needed to be a top-notch waitress, according to Tav on the Ave waitress Lindsay Boutchee. “If you’re shy or not a people person, this isn’t the job for you,” said Boutchee. “Every day is different and you meet new people every day.” The 35-year-old Eagle Lake resident has 14 years of experience in the profession. “It started as a weekend thing just for extra money,” shared Boutchee. “After a few shifts, I knew I really enjoyed serving and bartending.”
There are certain personality traits essential to the professional. “You can’t train or teach people to be likable and fun. Either they are or they are not, and that’s okay,” she explained. “Anyone can make a drink, not everyone is made for the service industry and can be good at it. You have to have fun with the job and people will want to have fun with you.” Some of her popular drinks include bloody Marys, margaritas and vodka coolers. Bobholz also gives a lot of credit to her customers and staff. “I feel very lucky to have staff that can have fun at work and bring the customers in,” she shared. “You really are only as good as your staff.” It’s also about building community. “Here, we have 22-year-olds sitting next to 84-year-olds, and they are having a real conversation,” said Bobholz. ”Again, its community at your local neighborhood bar.”
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It’s only fitting that the most enjoyable part of her job are the customers. “I’ve gotten to meet some pretty awesome people over the years,” she shared. “They start to know about my kids and my family as much as I get to know their kids or grandkids or life in general.” Boutchee’s personality and energy also contribute to her work. “I’m always joking at work,” she expressed. “You can be 70 years old and order a beer; I’m going to ask for your ID just to see the look on your face and to laugh once you know I’m just kidding.” And if you are indecisive about what to order, Boutchee recommends “The Morning After” burger, topped with pepper jack cheese, onion rings, white cheddar cheese curds, with buffalo ranch sauce. “It’s like you get an appetizer with your burger,” she exclaimed.
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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 29
Shopping Nursery/Garden
First: Drummers Garden Center & Floral Second: Edenvale Nursery Third: Hilltop Florist & Greenhouse
Automotive Dealership (New Vehicle)
Jewelry Store
Antiques
First: Salvage Sisters Second: Mankato Vintage Market Third: VINE Home Thrift Store
Grocery Store First: Hy-Vee Second: Aldi Third: Cub Foods
Liquor Store
First: MGM Wine & Spirits Second: Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits Third: PJ’s Liquor Emporium
Meat Market
First: Schmidt’s Meat Market Second: Hy-Vee Hilltop Third: Hilltop Meat Market
First: Exclusively Diamonds Second: Williams Diamond Center Third: Patterson’s Diamond Center
Home Improvement Store First: Menards Second: Home Depot Third: C & S Supply
Men’s Clothing
First: J. Longs Second: Graif Clothing Third: Scheels All Sports
Women’s Clothing
First: Kohl’s Second: TJ Maxx Third: Mainstream Boutique
Children’s Clothing
Place to Buy a Mattress
Thift/Consignment Shop
First: Mankato Mattress Man Second: Rooms & Rest Third: Slumberland
Place to Buy Appliances First: DeGrood’s Home Store Second: Quality Appliance & TV Third: Menards
30 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
Automotive Dealership (Used Vehicle) First: Mankato Motors Second: Snell Motors Third: Adams Auto Sales
Power Sports/ ATV/Motorcycle
First: Mankato Power Sports/Snell Power Sports Second: Starr Cycle Third: Harley Davidson
RV Dealer
Place to Buy Furniture First: Rooms & Rest Second: Ashley Homestore Third: Johnson Furniture
First: Mankato Motors Second: Snell Motors Third: Heintz Toyota of Mankato
First: Kohl’s Second: Old Navy Third: Target
First: MRCI Thrift Shop Second: Again Thrift & More Third: Once Upon a Child
First: Keepers RV Center Second: Gag’s Camper Way Third: Kroubetz Lakeside Campers & Motors
Tire Dealers
First: Discount Tire Second: Tire Associates Third: Mankato Motors
Home Entertainment/ Electronics
First: Best Buy Second: DeGrood’s Home Store Third: Sam’s Club
Place to Buy Pool/Spa Supplies
First: Sawatzky Pools & Spas Second: Sweet Living Pools & Spa Third: Midnight Sun Spas
DOUBLE WINNER: BEST PLACE TO BUY WOMEN’S, CHILDREN’S CLOTHING:
For clothes, Kohl’s is dressed to impress
I
t can be a challenge when it comes to finding a wardrobe that fits with the ups and downs of Minnesota temps, but Dave Stengel, store manager at Mankato Kohl’s, has created a one-stop shop for clothing for anyone. “Kohl’s offers a wide range of great products for the whole family at a value our customers know and expect from us,” said Stengel. In addition to their only-at-Kohl’s brands like LC Lauren Conrad and Simply Vera Vera Wang, which Stengel said “offer our customers unique styles at an exceptional value,” Kohl’s features private brands such as Apt. 9, Croft & Barrow and Sonoma Goods for Life. “Kohl’s has a large selection of apparel with something for every style and occasion — from casual wear and dress clothes to seasonal outerwear and national brand activewear,” added Stengel. The store even carries top national brands such as Nike, Under Armour, adidas, and Levis. “We’re also excited to continue introducing new and exciting brands to our portfolio,” shared Stengel. “We recently launched EVRI, a new women’s plus brand, and we are excited to add Nine West and Scott Living this fall.” With warm weather in full swing, Mankato Kohl’s is stocked for the occasion. “Summer staples for warm weather are always popular, including shorts, sandals and swim suits,” said Stengel. “This summer, Kohl’s is standing for family fun, so we’re seeing a lot of bright colors, fun patterns, and even a selection of matching tees for the whole family — perfect for family vacations or holiday celebrations.”
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Fourth Year in a Row
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433 Belgrade Ave., North Mankato | 507-388-3624 sawatzkypools.com | pools@sawatzkypools.com MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 31
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CONGRATULATIONS, DR. CHAUN COX! BEST OF MANKATO — FAMILY PHYSICIAN
BEST PLACE FOR POWERSPORTS/ ATVS/ MOTORCYCLES: Snell Powersports
POWER trip: Snell has your ATVs
A
Congratulations to Chaun Cox, M.D., Mayo Clinic Health System, for being named Mankato Magazine’s Best of 2019 Family Physician. Dr. Cox displays a compassionate, patient-first approach to caring for everyone he sees.
Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato mayoclinichealthsystem.org 32 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
ccording to co-owner Tony Steffensmeier, Snell Powersports in Mankato began because of a broken engine. “That’s one of the reasons they started the business,” he said. “They went to get a snowblower fixed, and [the timeline] was a month out. We thought, ‘Obviously, there’s a demand.’” Snell Powersports was founded in 2010 as a small engine repair shop and part of the greater Snell Companies, but Steffensmeier and his father, Pat, bought the business in September 2018. Pat Steffensmeier had worked with Snell since 1982, while Tony moved back from Colorado to become his partner during the store’s new chapter. Throughout the years, Snell Powersports has expanded greatly, adding 30 employees and an
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inventory that includes snowmobiles, jet skis, ATVs, pontoons motorcycles and more. One of the biggest changes was when Snell bought the old Rasmussen College building in December, with plans to use it as offices and a showroom. Work began in June and will more than double the store’s showroom space compared to its current location. Steffensmeier said engine repair is still a key part of the business, even though cheaper prices mean people often simply buy a new engine. Snell’s selling point, though, is its quick turnaround time—48 hours or faster, whenever possible. “It’s not always doable, but that’s our goal,” he said. That ambition is part of a bigger commitment to customer service that drives Steffensmeier, his father and the rest of the business’s employees.
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BEST PLACE TO BUY A MATTRESS : Mankato Mattress Man
A RESTful victory: Mattress man repeat
A
“No Frills” approach is just what Mankato Mattress Man has and is what has helped them to win Best Place to Buy a Mattress in Mankato, yet again. The store works to keep prices down by training their employees to do everything from selling the mattress to unloading it off of the trucks. “We are able to have really low costs because we have really low expenses,” said the store’s owner, Paul Scheman. Mankato Mattress Man also works to create a one-on-one relationship with customers in order to help people find exactly what they need in a non-pressured environment. “I really think it’s the one-on-one service that sets us apart. The same guy will sell it, deliver it and service
it for you,” Scheman said. There is no question on who to call if something goes wrong or if a customer has questions about their order because they work with the same person throughout the entire process. There is no confusion or worrying about making that big purchase. Their low prices, non-pressured environment and the store’s relationship with customers helped them to win this File Photo year’s title. “It’s a good feeling knowing that your community supports the business and what you do,” said the store’s manager, Jovan Ramos “It means a lot to have that voted for.”
Best of 2019 The Free Press
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A PLACE TO BELONG MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 35
DOUBLE WINNER: BEST CAR DEALERSHIP: new and used
Putting the customer first: Mankato Motors
M
ankato Motors has been voted Mankato’s Best New Car Dealer six times in the past, and Mankato’s Best Used Car Dealer four times. This year, they are best in both categories, according to our readers. Brian Taylor is the General Manager at Mankato Motors, which includes the Chevrolet, Volkswagen and Nissan divisions. When Mankato Motors bought the Clements Chevrolet dealership in 2009, there were 40 employees. Today, Mankato Motors employs 140 people, including some of the original 40. “We have longevity with our management team, and a low turnover in employees.” Taylor says while some dealerships still negotiate prices, Mankato Motors does not. “We
post our best price, and put the customer first. Most people don’t like to negotiate.” In addition, all salespeople are paid a salary, not a commission on sales. “We want to create a relaxed shopping experience with no pressure, and put people in the vehicle they want.” Last fall the dealership separated the three divisions by placing them in separate buildings. In addition to the Chevrolet division on Madison Avenue, there are new buildings for the Nissan and Volkswagen divisions on Fern Lake Road on the eastern edge of Mankato.
BEST THRIFT OR CONSIGNMENT SHOP: MRCI Thrift Store
Like poppin’ tags? MRCI’s the place
M
ankato is home to several thrift stores, which makes it all the more impressive that the MRCI Thrift Store was chosen as this year’s best thrift shop by readers. But when you learn more about the store—and its mission—it really isn’t so surprising after all. The MRCI Thrift Store is part of Mankato’s MRCI office, which is itself part of the statewide MRCI nonprofit organization. MRCI focuses on adult rehabilitation and is one of Minnesota’s largest providers of employment and day services. In Mankato, all the profits from the MRCI Thrift store go back towards this mission. According to store manager Allyson Storm, who has worked at the thrift store for four years, the store is constantly receiving more donations. In fact, the last few
36 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
years have seen so many donations that the store had to move its donation center from its current location to the space next door. “Every single day, I see cars lined up,” Storm said. “We have a wide variety of donations. Anything you’re looking for, you can come in and find it.” As for the donations, Storm said she is “not really picky,” as long as items are clean, usable and able to be sold. There are some items they can’t accept, such as appliances. Donations are accepted during the store’s hours of operation, and Storm asked people not to donate at other times because no one is there to bring the items into the building. Because of this, items can be ruined if the weather is poor.
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REFLECTIONS By Pat Christman
38 • JULY JULY2019 2019 •• MANKATO MAGAZINE MANKATO MAGAZINE
I
t’s time to go outside and do something. Sure, it’s great to sit in a deck chair and watch the grass grow from time to time, but it’s good to be active when the weather is nice. Outdoor sports are becoming more and more popular. Softball, baseball, volleyball and soccer enrollments grow every year. Tennis courts buzz with folks wanting to get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors at the same time. People come out of the woodwork during the summer to bike and walk the many area trails. It’s time to go and do, before the mosquitoes take over or the snow flies. MM
MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 39
Goods & Massage
Fitness Center
First: YMCA Second: Fitness for $10 Third: Anytime Fitness
Place to Take the Kids First: Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota Second: Sibley Park Third: WOW! Zone
First: Liv Aveda Salon & Spa Second: Mankato Chiropractic & Mankato Healing Touch Third: Indulge Salon & Tanning
Hair Salon
First: Liv Aveda Salon & Spa Second: Indulge Salon & Tanning Third: Raydiance Salon
Barber Shop
Accounting Firm
First: Eide Bailly Second: Abdo, Eick and Meyers Third: CLA Mankato (Clifton Larson Allen)
Child Care Center
First: Lil Bee’s Learning Center Second: Little Stars Early Learning Center Third: Jesus Loves Me Learning Center
First: Y Barbers Second: Dan’s Barber Shop Third: Fantastic Sams
Tanning Salon
First: Sun Tan City Second: Indulge Salon & Tanning Third: PerfecTan
Nail Salon
First: Nails by Jordan Second: Liv Aveda Salon & Spa Third: TT Nails
Law Firm
First: Knutson+Casey Second: Maschka Reidy Reis & Frentz Law Firm Third: Blethen | Berens
Snow Removal
First: Affordable Lawn & Snow Second: Spring Touch Lawn & Pest Control Third: Total Lawn Care & Landscape of Madelia
Kennel
First: The Paw Pet Resort Second: Heartlund Kennels Third: Fur’s a Flyin’
Pet Grooming
First: Fur’s a Flyin’ Second: The Paw Pet Resort Third: Haute Dog
Veterinarian Office
Lawn Care
First: GreenCare Second: Peters Lawn Service Third: Total Lawn Care & Landscape of Madelia
First: Minnesota Valley Pet Hospital Second: Nicollet Veterinary Clinic Third: River Hills Pet Care Hospital
Golf Course
First: Mankato Golf Club Second: North Links Third: Terrace View Golf Course 40 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
Hotel/Motel
First: Courtyard by Marriott Second: Hilton Garden Inn Third: Country Inn & Suites
Florist
First: Hilltop Florist & Greenhouse Second: Hy-Vee Hilltop Third: Drummers Garden Center & Floral
Auction Services
First: Bid Kato Second: Miller Auction Services Third: Dailey Auction Services
Auto Repair Shop
First: Austin’s Auto Repair Center Second: Mankato Motors Third: Fromm’s Auto Repair
Auto Body Shop
First: Jerry’s ABRA Body Shop & Glass Second: Mankato Motors Third: Snell Collision Center
Car Wash
First: Snell Auto Wash Second: Kwik Trip Third: Gerring’s Mankato Car Wash
Dry Cleaner
First: Like Nu Cleaners & Laundry Second: Americlean Dry Cleaners Third: Hy-Vee
Alterations
First: Pins & Needles Second: Chris’ Tailor Shop Third: Barb’s Sewing Room
Service Senior Living/ Retirement Facility
Plumbing Service
First: Ecumen Pathstone Living Second: Oak Terrace Assisted Living Third: New Perspective Senior Living
First: Northern Comfort Inc. Second: Kaduce Plumbing & Heating Third: Jerry’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning
Funeral Home
First: Cherry Creek Second: Custom Craft Cabinets LLC Third: Acorn Custom Cabinetry
First: Mankato Mortuary Second: Northview North Mankato Mortuary Third: Woodland Hills Funeral Home
Water Service/ Conditioning
First: McGowan Water Conditioning Second: Culligan Water Conditioning of Mankato Third: Garlicks Water Conditioning of Mankato
Bank or Credit Union
First: Minnesota Valley Federal Credit Union Second: Community Bank Mankato Third: Wells Fargo
Carpet Cleaning
First: Vanderberg Clean Second: MV Carpet Cleaning Third: Shine Way Services Inc.
Heating/Air Service
First: Northern Comfort Inc. Second: Schwickert’s Tecta America Third: Davis Comfort Systems
Electrical Service First: BLK Electric Inc. Second: Ploog Electric Third: Jones Electric
Cabinetry
Construction Company
First: DeMars Construction Second: Deichman Construction Third: R. Henry Construction & Design
Cell Phone & Wireless Provider First: Verizon Wireless Second: Sprint Third: AT & T
Computer Repair
First: Mankato Computer Repair Second: Best Buy Third: Geeks 2 You
Rental Store
First: A to Z Rental Center Second: G & K Event Rentals Third: Just Ask Rental/Lloyd Lumber Co.
Employment Agency First: Express Employment Professionals Second: Manpower Third: Spherion
Specialty Printing First: B.Stark & Co. Second: Mr. Monogram Third: Insty-Prints
Roofing
First: Schmidt Siding & Window Second: Heyn Brothers Third: Ron Boelter Window, Siding & Roofing
Windows
First: Schmidt Siding & Window Second: Ron Boelter Window, Siding & Roofing Third: Lindsay Window & Door LLC
Siding
First: Schmidt Siding & Window Second: Ron Boelter Window, Siding & Roofing Third: Lacina Siding and Windows Inc.
Hearing Care Service
First: Mankato Clinic Audiology Second: RIver Valley Hearing Third: Miracle Ear
Insurance Agency
First: Kato Insurance Agency Second: Hatanpa State Farm Insurance Third: Alliance Insurance Agency
Real Estate Agency
First: True Real Estate Second: American Way Realty Third: Century 21 Atwood
Travel Agency
First: Travel & Cruise Center Second: Emerald Travel & Cruises Third: Amber Pietan Travel Agency MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 41
EIDE LIKE I’D LIKE A PROVEN TR ACK RECORD
Fur’s A Flyin’
Congratulations to Ryan Spaude, CFP®, on being named 1522 N. Mankato Magazine’s Best Financial Planner for an incredible fifth straight year! We are proud to see your commitment to your clients year after year. 1522 N.recognized Riverfront Drive
Mankato
eidebailly.com
388-3163
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Fur’s Flyin’ YourA Pet’ s
#1 Choice For:
Riverfront Drive Mankato
388-3163
fursaflyinmankato.com
Your Pet’s #1 Choice For:
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TRAINING
388-3163 TRAINING
fursaflyinmankato.com
GROOMING
DAYCARE Your Pet’ s Voted DAYCARE #1 Pet Groomer 6 Years Running! #1 Choice For: mer 6 Years Running! GROOMING
TRAINING
GROOMING
Thanks for voting us: DAYCARE
Voted #1 Pet Groomer 6 Years Running! 3rd Place Best Kennel
42 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
BEST HEARING CENTER : Mankato Audiology
Can you hear me now?
O
ne of the most common myths Tracy Altmann, Doctor of Audiology at Mankato Clinic Audiology, comes across is that hearing aids won’t help. “Once people begin wearing hearing aids and acclimate to them, they often wish they had gotten them sooner,” said Altmann. “They don’t realize what they are missing until they begin using them.” Mankato Clinic Audiology offers comprehensive hearing evaluations, digital hearing aids, assistive listening and alerting devices, hearing aid repair, hearing aid battery sales and even custom ear plugs for noise and water protection. Having served 3,722 patients in 2018, the center features two fulltime audiologists, two part-time audiologists and one audiology assistant.
THANK YOU YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN VOTING US
BEST OF MANKATO SIX YEARS AND COUNTING
mankatotechs.com 507.625.8324 507.625.8324
YO U R LO C A L T EC H N O LO GY E X P E RT S 424 N Riverfront Dr., #120 424 N Riverfront Dr #120 Mankato, MN 56001 Mankato, MN 56001
Many patients come to the center seeking help for a decrease in hearing, tinnitus or ringing in the ears, or a failed hearing screening. “We discuss why they are coming in and what issues they are experiencing,” Altmann explained. “We complete a comprehensive hearing evaluation, which can rule out underlying medical causes for their symptoms. We discuss the results with them and offer recommendations and options for treatment that may include hearing aids and hearing protection.” The clinic’s presence in the Wickersham Health Campus also plays a role in their service. “We practice in a medical center,” added Altmann. “We can work closely with other Mankato Clinic providers, such as their primary care provider, Ear, Nose and Throat physicians, neurologists and a variety of other specialists to fully evaluate the patient. We look at the person as a whole and in turn our patients feel comfortable at the Mankato Clinic.”
MANKATO MAGAZINE MANKATO MAGAZINE •• JUNE JULY 2019 • 43
no
wo pen in e ag le l ake
Bob Beadell
We’re not just your bank
Community Bank has a long history of serving the communities that we call home and we are committed to being your very best neighbor. We’re pleased to call Greater Mankato home.
Julie Vetter
We’re your neighbor
Locally and family owned since 1974 Mankato | Amboy | Eagle Lake | Vernon Center | cbfg.net
POWER EQUIPMENT
BEST LAWN CARE: GreenCare
Living GREEN
W
Thank you for your votes!
CHAINSAWS, BLOWERS, TRIMMERS, POLE PRUNERS, MULTI TASK TOOLS AS WELL AS BATTERY POWERED EQUIPMENT An Authorized Servicing Stihl Dealer
1951 Riverfront Dr., Mankato
507-387-1171 1-800-879-1938
Mon.-Fri. 8am-7pm • Sat 8am-5pm • Sun. 11am-5pm
www.candssupply.com AN EMPLOYEE OWNED & LOCAL BUSINESS SINCE 1957 44 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
hen GreenCare began as Crystal Lawn Service in 1983, it was only Tom Rieff and a lawn application truck. Since then, the company expanded to a staff of 10 full time and 30 seasonal employees. You could say they grew like weeds—which is a bit ironic, given how well they solve weed problems and anything else your lawn might need. Though commonly mistaken for a franchise, GreenCare is actually still owned and operated by Rieff and his wife June. The company is a full-service green industry provider, offering total project management for any landscaping project. For GreenCare, it’s all about the customers, some of whom have been with the business since the beginning. Just check out the company’s very own YouTube
New AFFORDABLE Homes NOW AVAILABLE!
AVALON ESTATES
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• 3 Bedrooms/2 Bathrooms Air Conditioning Check-Up
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• Kitchen Pantry CALL or TEXT to schedule • Wood Cabinets your appointment today! 507-407-8184 • Recessed Lighting www.schwickerts.com | 330 Poplar St. Mankato, MN
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Open to all area residents but Zone Fees will apply for all residents outside of Mankato, North Mankato and St. Peter. Payment is due at the time of the call. Offer expires: 7/31/19.
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channel, GreenCare Mankato, where different employees share “why GreenCare.” “There isn’t a day that we don’t talk about the customers and how important they are to us, because without them, we don’t have a business,” Rieff said in his video. Some of the services GreenCare offers include irrigation, lawn care, grounds maintenance, landscaping and mosquito mitigation. Project sizes have ranged from one residential lot to a full city block. GreenCare is the Mankato area leader in total number of projects installed since 1988. “Every day is a new day,” Rieff said. “Some days go well, some days don’t go well. It’s a matter of picking up the pieces and getting the job done for the customer.”
Preventative & Cosmetic Dentistry
New Patients Welcome Thank You For Voting For Dr. Pooley!
Tom L. Pooley, DDS 507-388-3384 www.RVDofMankato.com MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 45
BEST LAW FIRM: Knutson + Casey
A firm choice Knutson + Casey
T
Budget
Blinds
of Mankato
507-373-8535 Toll-free 877-373-8535
46 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
hree years ago, Randy Knutson and Patrick Casey, having worked together at another local law firm, decided to head out on their own with a new concept for a law firm. They wanted to be progressive and modern, says Knutson. “More like a California software company, fresh and new,” than an old-guard law office. With expertise in litigation, criminal and family law, the firm currently employs five attorneys. But the approach the firm takes in providing these services Submitted Photo is new and innovative, according to Knutson. When called on for advertising to support the Minnesota State Mavericks Hockey program, for example, Knutson + Casey gets involved to build community. Rather than buying a billboard, it sponsors the Maverick Veteran of the Game. Knutson + Casey also sponsors Leisure Education for Exceptional People (LEEP) and the Mankato Soccer Association Although Knutson + Casey is most certainly a law firm, Knutson points out that no where in their marketing will anyone see the words “law firm.” Being involved in the community and helping members of the community in fun and creative ways is how Knutson + Casey works, he says. In addition to the office on St. Andrews Drive in Mankato, Knutson + Casey also has offices in Madelia and Edina, for the convenience of its clients.
www.budgetblinds.com
sales@coolwindowshades.com
BEST CHILD CARE: LIL’ BEES
What’s the Buzz?
L
il’ Bee’s Learning Center won best child care for the fourth time in their four and a half years of business for “bee-ing” a part of helping children grow and develop. “It’s such a crucial time in a child’s life,” said the daycare’s owner, Brandon Olson. Olson created LBLC several years ago because he saw a need in the community. At the time, Olson had two twin boys who he needed to find a good childcare facility for, but all of the available options were either full or were only half day programs. Soon after, Olson bought their first property, and eventually LBLC grew into the four locations that exist today, three of which are on Bassett Drive while the other is located near Minnesota State University. “We’ve had a lot of growth,”
Olson said. “We will continue to grow and improve.” According to their website, LBLC works to support children and build a solid foundation for them and prepare them both for the classroom and the real world. Olson believes that his staff and their educational model is what makes this child care different from the others. He believes their
success is thanks to the wonderful people working to care for the children every day and their four directors. “I would like just to say thank you to all of the staff, parents and families for the continued support,” he said. “We are honored to be the No. 1 child care center in Mankato.”
THANKS FOR VOTING US #1 WINDOW, SIDING & ROOFING MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 47
Thank You FANS for your votes to complete our TRIPLE PLAY in the Best of Mankato Categories:
1st – Best Wings
2nd – Best Sports Bar
3rd – Best Family Restaurant
301 ST. ANDREWS DR. • MANKATO • 507-385-9464 We Are Truly Grateful for Being Voted #1 in HVAC & Plumbing
Thank You For Putting Your Trust in Us
Front: Brooke, Chris, Peggy, Keith, Greg, Julie; Middle: Monica, Lucas, Nick, Wendell, Roger, Korey, Jay, Jesse, Alex; Back: Tim, Travis, Lori, Mike, Derek, Paul, Rex, Mike
For over 40 years your comfort has been our business! Heating • Cooling • Plumbing Northern Comfort offers heating, air conditioning and plumbing services to residential and commercial customers.
Best of 2019 The Free Press
Thank You Mankato For Voting Us Mankato’s BEST!
Call today for a FREE in-home estimate for any replacement work!
917 Southbend Ave | Mankato, MN
507-387-6596
www.NorthernComfortInc.com 48 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
BEST TRAVEL AGENCY: Travel & Cruise Center, LLC
Getting you there: Travel in peace
T
raveling is fun—but planning a trip can be a little more daunting. From finding the best ticket prices to figuring out what paperwork you might need, it can be a headache to keep track of all the details of your journey. Luckily, that’s where Travel & Cruise Center, LLC comes in. This Mankato-based travel agency has been around for more than 30 years. The agency’s five travel agents boast more than 75 years of experience between them, and they’re eager to get you to exactly where you want to go. Current owner Bonnie Thompson has worked at Travel & Cruise since 1986. According to Thompson, it’s better to work with a travel agency than be tempted into doing everything yourself online, especially because the cost isn’t much different but comes with expert perspective. “Online doesn’t give you all the tricks of the trades,” she said. “With experience, we know how to get that cost down, or just ways to get a better fare through some of our packages.” Thompson recommends coming to her agency about 10 months ahead of your planned departure, though she can work with “last minute” trips too. She said lately, people have been most interested in the agency’s group trips to Alaska, Hawaii, New York and Branson, but Greece and Mexico have been popular destinations as well. As for why they were voted “best travel agency”—for not the first time—Thompson has a simple explanation. “I sum it up with two words—our experience and service,” she said. “You can’t get that online.”
Not sure where to begin? Whether you’re just starting to consider senior living or ready to tour, our team at Old Main Village is ready to walk through this important process with you.
Call Nancy at 507-388-4200 to schedule a tour!
INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING
301 South 5th Street | Mankato, Minnesota 56001 | oldmainvillage.com
Mankato’s Pet Resort thepawmankato.com Services: • Pet Boarding • Doggie Daycare • Training • Indoor Swimming • Grooming • Private Parties • In Home Care
507-625-7070
• Rehabilitation
Open for 10 years & family owned! A TWO NIGHT BOARDING STAY Four years voted best of Mankato $20 OFF NEW CLIENT TWO NIGHT STAY
$10 OFF
*One coupon per client. Expires 7/31/2019
Thank you for voting us #1 for 5 years in a row! MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 49
Dining Breakfast
First: Weggy’s On Campus Second: NaKato Bar & Grill Third: Perkins
Coffee Shop
First: Coffee Hag Second: Caribou Coffee Third: Tandem Bagels
Lunch
First: Panera Bread Second: Pub 500 Third: Olives by Massad’s
Hamburger & French Fries
First: The Boulder Tap House Second: Five Guys Third: Kato Cue Club
Beer Selection
Mexican Cuisine
First: The Boulder Tap House Second: Mankato Brewery Third: 7 West Taphouse
Asian Cuisine
First: Mom and Pop’s Second: Number 4 American Bar and Kitchen Third: Olives by Massad’s
First: Mazatlan Second: La Terraza Third: La Plaza F!esta
First: Shogun Sushi & Hibachi Second: China Star Third: Toyko Sushi & Habachi
Italian Cuisine
First: Olive Garden Italian Kitchen Second: Dino’s New York Style Pizzeria Third: Pappageorge Restaurant & Bar
Wings
First: Buffalo Wild Wings Second: Tav on the Ave Third: Buffalo Wings and Rings
Dessert
Fine Dining
First: Pappageorge Restaurant & Bar Second: Number 4 American Bar and Kitchen Third: Olives by Massad’s
Margarita
First: Mazatlan Second: La Terraza Third: La Plaza F!esta
Sub/Sandwich Shop First: Jersey Mike’s Subs Second: Erbert & Gerbert’s Third: Subway
Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt First: Mom & Pops Second: Cold Stone Creamery Third: Frozen Yogurt Creations
Fast Food
First: Chipotle Mexican Grill Second: Culver’s Third: Massad’s Mediterranean Grill
Pizza
First: Pagliais Pizza Second: Dino’s New York Pizzeria Third: Jakes Stadium Pizza
Bakery
First: Hy-Vee Second: Tandem Bagels Third: The Wooden Spoon
All-Around Restaurant First: The Boulder Tap House Second: Tav on the Ave Third: Number 4 American Bar and Kitchen
Wine Selection
First: Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery Second: Indian Island Winery Third: Wine Cafe Pub & Eatery
Buffet
First: Pizza Ranch Second: Hy-Vee Third: China Buffet
Catering
First: Najwa’s Catering Second: Hy-Vee Third: Absolute Custom Catering
Steak
First: Pappageorge Restaurant & Bar Second: Grizzly’s Wood-Fired Grill & Bar Third: Number 4 American Bar and Kitchen
50 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
Atmosphere
First: Number 4 American Bar and Kitchen Second: The Boulder Tap House Third: Pub 500
Winery/Brewery
First: Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery Second: Mankato Brewery Third: August Schell Brewing Company
Date Night
First: Pappageorge Restaurant & Bar Second: Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery Third: Number 4 American Bar and Kitchen
WHERE YOUR POLICY COMES WITH AN AGENT
Happy Hour
First: Ummies Bar & Grill Second: The Boulder Tap House Third: Tav on the Ave
HERE’S TO COUNTLESS BRIGHT TOMORROWS
Sports Bar
You can be confident knowing we’re here for you every step of the way. Count on us for all of your coverage needs. Trust in Tomorrow. ®
First: Big Dog Sports Cafe Second: Buffalo Wild Wings Third: Rounders Sports Bar & Grill
Patio Dining
First: Tav on the Ave Second: Blue Bricks Third: Pub 500
Live Music Venue
First: Vetter Stone Ampitheater Second: Mankato Brewery Third: Buster’s Sports Bar & Grill
Vegetarian
Jenny Zak
Christina Meyer
Mankato | Amboy | Vernon Center | cimankato.com
First: Noodles & Company Second: Massad’s Mediterranean Grill Third: In dia Palace
Locally Owned Restaurant
First: Pappageorge Restaurant & Bar Second: Pub 500 Third: Number 4 American Bar and Kitchen
Appetizers
First: The Boulder Tap House Second: Applebee’s Grill & Bar Third: Tav on the Ave
Seafood
First: Red Lobster Second: Pappageorge Restaurant & Bar Third: Number 4 American Bar and Kitchen
Thank You for Choosing Us!
#1 Mexican Restaurant 8 Years In A Row
Family Restuarant
First: Applebee’s Grill & Bar Second: Tav on Ave Third: Buffalo Wild Wings
#1 Waiter - Alberto Alonzo Lara 4 Years In A Row
1525 Tullamore Street (right off Madison Ave.) Mankato 507.625.2406 MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 51
BEST MARGARITA: EL MAZATLAN
Kato’s Margarita-ville
E
l Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant is a familyowned restaurant, established in Mankato in October 2004. Karina Felix is part of the family, and she’s proud of the fact that the margaritas her family makes are the best. “Everybody knows it,” she says with a laugh. The secret is the recipe that is unique to El Mazatlan. It’s made from scratch every day, she says, just like the salsa and chips. Of course, the recipe is a secret. “We never use a pre-made margarita mix,” she says. The part of the drink that is not secret, however, is the “top-shelf tequilas” used in many of the drinks. The menu offers regular lime margaritas, along with strawberry, strawberry banana, mango, pina colada, peach, and raspberry flavors, either frozen or on the rocks. Margarita lovers also have a wide variety of sizes to choose from: 14 ounce, 27 ounce, 46 ounce, and half or full pitchers. “We’ve used our recipe since the beginning,” Felix says. That’s why El Mazatlan has a reputation, and now an award, for the best margaritas in town.
FREE ride to the County Fair! Call (507) 388-8783 to book your trip
Blue Earth County Fair July 25 Nicollet County Fair Aug. 9 Le Sueur County Fair Aug. 16 truetransit.org 52 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
BEST RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE : NUMBER 4
4 pillars of quality: Air, fire, earth, water
N
umber Four American Bar and Kitchen works to incorporate its name into everything they do, from their food to their atmosphere, and it is paying off. According to Number Four’s website, the restaurant is named after that number for many reasons, including, “the four elements necessary for culinary perfection: air, fire, earth and water.” The number 4 is also the number of stability, raw energy and creativity, and they serve food from all four directions: North, South, East and West. This theme shows up a lot in the restaurant, and clearly it is impressing many. “I would say a lot of it is word of mouth,” said Tara Fliehman, the general manager of the restaurant. “When you’re there, it’s all about the employees and staff making it a fun atmosphere. We like to make it feel like you’re at home.” Not only are the employees welcoming of everyone, but also the location and beauty of the restaurant has helped Number Four to win, “Best Restaurant Atmosphere,” in Mankato. The restaurant is filled with sleek black booths, a beautiful bar and is decorated with velvety curtains and hanging lights. “We have a beautiful building in the heart of Mankato,” Fliehman said. “It’s an honor. We really strive for a fun atmosphere, and we cater to all types of people.
Best of Mankato: Architect
Simplified Solutions. Focused Approach.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Bryan Paulsen AIA, CID, LEED AP
Jeremy Wiesen AIA, LEED AP
Best of 2019
Best of 2019
The Free Press
The Free Press
ISG Principal and Senior Architect
ISG Architect
Explore ISG’s latest projects from around Minnesota! bit.ly/ISG_projectSnapshot Architecture + Engineering + Environmental + Planning
www.ISGInc.com
MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 53
BEST HAPPY HOUR: UMMIES
Happy times
U
mmies Bar and Grill won best happy hour for its great deals and service. “I would just like to thank my employees for being outstanding and getting us this award,” said owner Melissa Amdahl. They welcome anyone and work to keep the atmosphere, menu and prices perfect for people from all walks of life. The sports bar’s happy hour is from 3-6p.m. and 9-11p.m. daily and include: $2.75 25-ounce domestic beers, $3.50 rail drinks, $3 glasses of wine and $4 Ummies tea—a house drink with a secret recipe. They also have food deals during their happy hour which include $2 appetizers and $1 flatbreads. Besides their food and drink deals, Ummies is also known for its service. “It’s a place with great service for all ages and great food,” Amdahl said. “Ummies is known as a sports bar with a family environment. We like to cater to families because families keep coming back.” The sports bar opened in October of 2014, and is known for its great American food. Every so often the restaurant changes its menu a bit to keep up with competition and allow for regulars to try new things. “We specialize in hamburgers and people love our specialties,” Amdahl said. The restaurant’s unique name came from a family nickname for Amdahl that was created generations ago after people kept mispronouncing the name. Now, it would be hard to mispronounce their name since almost everyone in Mankato knows exactly what and where Ummies is.
"Move to Embrace Life"
Thank You Greater Mankato for all your Votes! Voted Best Chiropractor
Dr. Mark D. Dehen Doctor of Chiropractic
Your Spinal Healthcare Experts
1706 Lor Ray Drive, North Mankato, MN 56003 • 388-7744 • www.backtowellnessclinic.com 54 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
BEST BEER SELECTION: BOULDER TAP HOUSE
Boulder is best for beer
W
THANK YOU FOR VOTING US PAGLIAI’S #1 BEST PIZZA
NAKATO #2 BEST BREAKFAST
524 S. FRONT ST. 345-6080 or 387-7274
thenakato.com 253 Belgrade Avenue North Mankato, MN 507.388.8999
OPEN DAILY AT 11AM
dine-in • pick-up • delivery
hile you may have a favorite beer, chances are you don’t want only one choice forever. That’s not a concern at Boulder Tap House, where there are 38 beers on tap every day. Boulder Tap House carries traditional American lagers, craft beer and imports, with beverages ranging from ciders, stouts, IPAs and more. (That’s not even getting into their selection of wine and spirits.) They even have a kegerator for specialty beers, pushing the selection up to 39 varieties on some nights. General Manager Doug Hackett said he always tries to support the local community by offering several local flavors, but he also branches out to find obscure labels that people can’t easily find in the area. About 8-9 labels have permanent places on the roster, while the rest rotate depending on the time of year and what’s new. “We’re always constantly rotating different beers, because people like to try something they’d never had before,” he said. “We always like to mix up the styles and have a good variety.” Hackett said the Taphouse sometimes does “tap takeovers,” where they run several lines of the same brewery so people can experience all that brewery has to offer in one day. He also likes to keep something “very limited and expensive,” which can only be found in a few locations across the state. Want to go even farther? Join the Taphouse’s loyalty program. Beer lovers who try 200 different beers earn a tap handle on the wall with their name on it. Hackett said there’s about 30 names up on the wall so far.
262675-1001
MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 55
BEST LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANT:
‘A little bit of everything’: Pappageorge
P
appageorge Restaurant has been part of the Mankato dining scene since September 4, 2007. But long before that, the Pappas Family started its history of operating successful restaurants. It started when Michael Pappageorge emigrated to the U.S. from Greece around the turn of the last century, later changing his last name to Pappas. In this area, there were the Michael’s restaurants in Rochester in the 1960’s, and then in Mankato in the 1970’s. Next came Maggie’s Restaurant near the Minnesota State University campus, which was sold in 2006. The year after that, Pappageorge Restaurant opened on North Riverfront Drive in Mankato. Owner Layla Pappas describes Pappageorge as “a family-owned
restaurant trying to make the best food possible.” The menu offers steaks, seafood, chops, pasta and burgers, or as Pappas says, “We provide a little bit of everything.” Says Pappas, “This is our whole life. It’s where we raised our children. We’ve grown to know and love our customers. They are part of our family, and we’re part of theirs.” Whether it’s a graduation party, a wedding, anniversary, baptism, birthday party, a date night or an evening out with friends for Burger Night on Mondays, “we want to provide the best food and the best service possible.”
Celebrating 56 Years in Business
(507)625-4647
Hwy 22 South (east on 200th St.), Mankato www.Keepersrv.com
Come and See the New RV’s for 2019
Thank You
for Voting us #1 RV Dealer 8 years in a row!
Monday 8-8 Tues., Wed., Thurs. 8-6 Friday 8-5 Saturday 9-3
Silverback • NuCamp • Cedar Creek • Cottage • Flagstaff • Catalina • Little Guy 56 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
» C OME JU DGE
for Yourself.
GOLFERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO CHALLENGE THE JUDGE and the two other golf courses in Prattville at RTJ Capitol Hill. Bring your clubs and come take on Judge hole number 1, voted the favorite hole on the Trail. Complete your day in luxury at the Marriott and enjoy dining, firepits and guest rooms overlooking the Senator golf course. With the Marriott’s 20,000 square feet of meeting space, 96 guest rooms and luxurious Presidential Cottage combined with three world-class golf courses, business and pleasure can definitely interact in Prattville.
THE ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL AT CAPITOL HILL offers three magnificent 18-hole championship golf courses. The Marriott Prattville is part of the Resort Collection on Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Visit www.rtjgolf.com or call 800.949.4444 to learn more.
Wine & Beer
wines
By Leigh Pomeroy
Of rosé and Riesling
‘T
southern mn style
is midsummer. What to drink? If you’re having grilled meats, this usually requires beer or brute force. By “brute force” I mean raunchy reds: Zinfandels, Syrahs, Petite Sirahs, Cabernets, Malbecs, that sort of thing. But not everyone wants a wine that is so overwhelming, and that’s why I suggest a rosé or Riesling for a summer before-grilling sipper. In the bad old days, the majority of domestic and imported rosés were candy-apple sweet. UGH! But with American wine drinkers’ newfound appreciation of drier southern French rosés, more California, Oregon and Washington producers are making rosés in a similar fashion. Two recent domestic rosés I’ve enjoyed are the 2018 Stephen Ross Rosé of Grenache and the 2018 Tulocay Rosé of Mourvèdre that unfortunately is sold out. Stephen Ross Wines is the domain of Mankato native Stephen Dooley. Grenache is perhaps the most used grape for making rosé and constitutes the majority of the blend for most southern French and many Spanish rosés. Rosés from the mourvèdre grape are more unique, though mourvèdre often is added to grenachebased rosés for spice and acidity. Mourvèdre does play the principal role in the Bandol
58 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
region of southern France, yielding wines of more strength than the more delicate grenache-based rosés of Provence. You can buy other excellent dry rosés at your local wine shop. Several French rosés I’ve enjoyed are Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses, Maison Denuzière Champs de Provence, Domaine Lafage Miraflors, Fleurs de Prairie Côtes de Provence and Château Miraval Côtes de Provence (pricey!). Other French rosés hail from the Côtes du Rhône, Tavel (arguably the best), the Loire, Savoie, the Côtes de Jura and Bordeaux. I’d love to give a recommendation for domestic rosés besides the Stephen Ross and the Tulocay, but U.S. rosés can be a mixed bag with the better ones being a bit pricey. Some excellent Pinot Noir-based rosés come out of Oregon, but too often they are, to my palate, somewhat flabby. If you’re an Oregon wine aficionado, you just have to try some to see if they’re to your taste. Spain offers some reasonablypriced rosés (rosados) that have more color and body than their French Provençal counterparts and tend to be softer and more fruity. Italy has produced rosés (rosatos) ever since the advent of wine, but only recently have they come to U.S. shores in any quantity. One of their unique qualities is that they’re made from local grape varieties. Plus, due to Italy’s highly varied growing conditions, their styles and flavors vary greatly from region to region. One last note: Perhaps 95% of rosés are best enjoyed within a year after they are made. After that, they lose their liveliness and become flat or, as the younger generation might say, “meh”. Now to Riesling. In the past, Riesling has suffered from a poor reputation due to its sweetness and seeming lack of compatibility with food. Yes, the Germans drink Riesling, but with their food they consume imported reds from France and Italy or, of
course, beer. While Napa Valley today is known for its excellent but often ridiculously expensive Cabernet Sauvignons, Napa Cabernet was at one time a tough sell. Say what? When I started in the wine business in the early 1970s, Johannisberg (or White) Riesling — today called just “Riesling” — outsold Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, Warren Winiarski, owner and winemaker of the famed Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, hired me to help him sell his Cabernet Sauvignon, which sat in his warehouse, while he regularly sold out of his White Riesling. But in 1976, all that changed when the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon won the historic Tasting of Paris, besting all the other California Cabernet Sauvignons and First Growth Bordeaux in the competition. My, how things change. Back to Riesling. While riesling vineyards have diminished in Napa Valley, it’s still an important grape in Germany, Austria, the Alsace region of France, northern Italy, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington and the cooler areas of California’s south central coast. And a newfound interest in less sweet versions made from this grape is growing. While finishing Riesling with some residual sugar balances the natural acidity of the grape, vintners are producing versions labeled as “dry” or “trocken” to create more foodfriendly wines. Fortunately, there is a plethora of inexpensive Rieslings on the market, primarily from Germany and Washington state. One added attraction: The German Rieslings tend to be lower in alcohol, so you can drink more without deleterious effects!
Prost! Leigh Pomeroy is a Mankato-based writer and wine lover.
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BEER
By Bert Mattson
Beer cocktails, undressed
A
t an impressionable age, I witnessed a girl adding orange juice to beer and was appalled. (I mean … malt liquor, maybe.) Beer cocktails are a thing, and have been for better than a century. They can be divided into the cocktails in which beer is a supporting element and the ones to which it is the central element. While an innovative craft beer scene renders the former an interesting topic too, here I’d like to focus on the latter. Also, I’d like to set aside “dressed cans.” Not out of antipathy. Though a sous chef once argued convincingly in favor of beer without a fruit salad attached, I don’t object to the practice in principle. Nor in principle, would I marginalize Picon-Bière, the French blue-collar tradition of dashing orange-based bitters into a bottle of economy brew. My mind is in July. Even were I inclined to assemble a clutch of curated ingredients, and further, schlep them to someone’s backyard barbeque, I’d just as soon bring booze. But I don’t aspire to lugging a bar along any more than I desire to fill the invariable uncomfortable silences with gulps of fuming cocktails. A canned beer cocktail, or beer brewed in the spirit of that? Sure. It’s easy, and I’m shameless. Back to the historical aspect: In the early twentieth century some Bavarian innkeeper was inclined to add sparkling lemonade to lager in order to avoid running dry during a
boom in bicycle touring which took place at the time. “Radler” translates roughly to “cyclist”. (May pedalers never shed their tipsy reputations.) The English iteration, shandy, is said to date back to a half century earlier even. Then there’s the michelada, which legend alleges traces its origins to the Mexican Revolution. Debating if beer cocktails have a legitimate place seems like bumping into Hemingway in a bar and asking, “how much of it actually happened?” Who cares! Further, a guy named Roger Kugler, wine director at the Manhattan restaurant Boqueria, put a drink called Brewsky Sangria on the menu a few years back. The executive chef of that place is a Barcelona native and worked under Ferran Adria at ElBulli — a legendary restaurant if one ever was. If he’s not protesting, neither am I, and I was intrigued when I saw that Schell’s was to release something called Sangria Red Citrus Lager. I think they nailed it. That is all. I marvel we live in a time that there are enough radlers on the market to populate internet listicles. My favorite at present is Boulevard’s Ginger Lemon Radler. It’s only slightly sweet and the subtleties of grain and hops aren’t lost in the action — it is not shy with the ginger. I look forward to trying Mankato’s Juice Box Hero, included only in sampler packs — unavailable to me at present — or at the source. Frankly, fortunately michelada is marketed in singles. That said, Modelo’s entry wasn’t bad, and I’ll continue to track down Tecate’s yet elusive Mechelada Diablo.
Bert Mattson is a chef and writer based in St. Paul. He is the manager of the iconic Mickey’s Diner. bertsbackburner.com
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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 61
THAT’S LIFE By Nell Musolf
T
You can go home again, but maybe you shouldn’t
homas Wolfe once famously said, “You can’t go home again,” and while I know you actually can go home again, it’s not always recommended. I discovered that truism when I spent a week in my hometown helping my sister out following her hip replacement surgery. Thankfully, the surgery went smoothly. And while my sister was in the hospital I found myself with a rare thing on my hands: time. No husband, kids, house, dog, cats, work, friends … nothing but me alone in my old bedroom in the house where I grew up. Well, not exactly alone. There were about 10 million memories in the bedroom, so things got a little crowded. One of the memories I stumbled across was a postcard of the junior high I attended. A few seconds of gazing at the postcard gave me an instant urge to crawl into bed, tug the covers up over my head and tell my mother I was too sick to go to school. Unfortunately, my mom has been gone for several years so that wasn’t an option so I decided to muscle through at least a few of my dark junior high memories. Junior high was difficult in so many ways, especially the new and mysterious social situations that cropped up, such as the Fortnightly Dance held every other Friday in the basement of a local church. The lights were dim, the refreshments Hawaiian Punch and pretzels, and the music provided by a not very adept high school band playing “Stairway to Heaven.” At Fortnightly, the cool girls danced with the cool boys while the rest of us hid in the bathrooms. Those cool girls seemed to have caught on to growing up and wore eye shadow with aplomb while my best friend and I were still secretly playing with 62 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
our Barbies. Junior high teachers were tougher too. Our grade school teachers hadn’t held our hands, but they had held us up. That stopped in junior high. Instead we were expected to figure things out on our own. While I can see now that the general you’re-on-your-own attitude helped us in the long run since at some point we were going to have to develop a few problem-solving skills, at the time it wasn’t fun at all. Gym class was the worst with the 600-yard dash, the rope climb and endless physical education “units,” all requiring the wearing of a one-piece polyester uniform that never quite fit. It didn’t matter what kind of note you had from your mother (and I had an entire locker full of them), if you were well enough to be in school, you were well enough to participate in gymnastics. Oh, there were a few good junior high memories, such as the cooking class where Mrs. Townsend taught us how to make pizza on English muffins as well as how to scour a sink. I also remember Mrs. Townsend fondly for rescuing me before the Eighth Grade Spring Fashion Show when my creation — a blue and white gingham pinafore that looked like it had been whipped together in the dark by someone with bad taste and zero sewing skills — kept falling off my skinny junior high frame during the fashion show’s dress rehearsal. (I never did figure out how to put a zipper in.) Mrs. Townsend dried my eyes before strategically pinning me into my dress, thus saving me from the years of psychic scarring that undoubtedly would have occurred if my dress fell off on stage. The two years of junior high felt like two hundred
and I doubt anyone was happier on graduation day than yours truly. I can still remember thinking on that June evening that nothing in life could be as tough as junior high and, lo and behold, I was right. Nothing has been as dreary as seventh and eighth grades and hopefully nothing ever will be since I’m not planning on being incarcerated any time soon. Naturally, as soon as I found the postcard I took a picture of it and put it on Facebook, expecting to hear at least a few groans from former classmates about those ugly gym suits. Didn’t happen. Apparently everyone else enjoyed junior high, which was evidenced by comments such as “Wonderful memories!” “Wish we could go back!” “Where does time go?” I don’t get it. There was nothing about junior high I’d like to experience again — other than maybe having a skinny junior high figure that would once more fit into a test tube. Oh, and maybe another English muffin pizza. Nell Musolf is a mom and freelance writer from Mankato. She blogs at: nellmusolf.com
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GARDEN CHAT By Jean Lundquist
Tales of greenhouses, garden treats and
pesky possums
A
s I write this, my greenhouse is still in boxes in the shed. Hopefully, as you read this, the greenhouse stands on the sand and river rock bed I prepared
for it. I bought this greenhouse with expectations I could build it with help. Lots of help. The company I bought the kit from even gave me cell numbers for people to call on weekends in case I ran into problems. Even the customer service person was out of the office for a few days putting up a new style of greenhouse so she could answer customer questions, because she had built it. Then I read the instructions. I called a neighborhood contractor. Nothing is ever easy! But then again, what fun would that be? No challenge, no fun, right? My grow bags are doing great this year. I didn’t overcrowd them this year like I did last year. Only one tomato plant per bag, not two or three. When they are cute little baby tomato plants, it’s easy to forget what big, sprawling plants they are when mature. I did plant in my garden bed this year, but I didn’t till it first. No-till gardening and no-till farming is supposed to
keep topsoil in place. That’s why I didn’t use the rototiller — not because I’m lazy or because it hurts my back, of course. I peeled back the black tarps, and there were so few weeds sprouting that I thought I might have things under control. So I roughed up the soil with a garden rake, and spread my seeds in my square foot gardening pattern. After the first rain, all the pea seeds were sitting atop the soil. Granted, it was a two-inch rainfall, but I think if they had been at the proper depth, they would not have floated up. The crop is not looking promising. Since I only plant peas so I can have a treat in the garden, nothing is really lost, I guess. I used to glean peas from fields in the neighborhood after the pea pickers had gone through. Nobody I know plants peas anymore, because the timing of getting them out of the field is so tricky, and so dependent on weather. If I don’t plant my own, I won’t get any fresh peas unless I visit the farmers’ markets in the area. I always count on my ground cherries to reseed themselves. Last year, I grew them in one of my bags,
Nothing is ever easy! But then again, what fun would that be? No challenge, no fun, right?
64 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
but I dumped out the used soil at the end of the season. I forgot about the reseeding component, and I forgot to buy new seed this year. I also grew ground cherries to be a treat when I am working in the garden. No peas, no ground cherries … guess I’ll have to grab a green bean and call it a treat – which it is, of course. Last winter I heard about the concept of perennial gardening. The idea is to lessen the time and effort of gardening by not having to plant crops every year. Things like asparagus and rhubarb are perennials. Also, most fruit trees and bushes are perennials. Think apples, pears, cherries and blueberries, for example. Another component is to plant things that reseed themselves. Ground cherries, radishes, lettuce and spinach are samples of this. I came upon these ideas when I read an online article about how to be a lazy gardener. I ran across a video by a quirky gardener in England who promotes the idea. Google “Mike Feingold,” and see if you find yourself intrigued. The point is that you can have fresh produce that you can grow yourself without a lot of effort or even knowledge. If something doesn’t work, turn to something else without guilt. My black Spanish radishes have not yet been harvested, so I don’t know if I recommend them or not yet. But they sure look cool in the bed! I had a great early harvest of cherry bell radishes, and will plant radish seeds very early again next year. Like home grown tomatoes, there’s nothing like home grown radishes. They absolutely MAKE a salad and/or a sandwich! As always, after time in the yard or garden, be sure to check for ticks. Since I sold my chickens, we have bugs in the yard, including gnats, mosquitoes and ticks. (We also have clean steps with the chickens gone.) But if you happen upon a possum in your yard, consider yourself lucky. You might not like the way they look, or the way they are attracted to the cat food on your patio, but they will supposedly eat 6,000 ticks a week.
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Jean Lundquist is a Master Gardener who lives near Good Thunder. gardenchatkato@gmail.com MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 65
YOUR STYLE By Jessica Server
Past and presents
J
uly happens to be my birth month, meaning I’ve been fortunate enough to spend most of my birthdays outside, and also that I share a birthday with my idol, Frida Kahlo. It also means that sometime mid-June, my mother will start calling/texting/emailing me, demanding to know what I want for my birthday. Every year I say, “nothing.” It’s a fun little game. I love giving gifts more than receiving. Finding the perfect item or experience for someone else brings me true joy. But it’s not always easy. When stuck, I try to channel some of the best gifts I’ve received: n I once worked in a Chicago restaurant as a server. I’d only been there a few months, when one day I complimented my coworker, Peter, on his T-shirt. Two days later, he came in and handed me the T-shirt, washed and folded up. He said he could see how much I loved it and he wanted me to have it. I barely knew him. n When my dog Autumn died in January, my husband and I were devastated. Not only was she our best friend, but she wouldn’t get to meet our baby boy in February. One day after her passing, I got a package in the mail from my dear friend, who had unknowingly made us a children’s book for the baby called “This, My Dear, is Autumn.” It was illustrated with photos and written as a nursery rhyme. It became the first book I ever read to my son. 66 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
n My friend Sheryl lost her only son a few years ago. So I was taken by surprise at my baby shower when she gave me a gorgeous hand crocheted baby blanket, along with the first book of poetry she’d ever been given by her Mom. It had been in her family since the 50s. “I was saving it for my grandchild,” she told me, “but now I think your son should have it.” Needless to say, I was overwhelmed and touched.
I try to capture the spirit of gifts like these when giving — tapping into some intangible quality at the junction of unexpected generosity, thoughtfulness, and individuality. Often, a gift reflects the person giving it as much as it does the recipient. It’s a great practice to start honing your gift style, refining it to fit your values, personality, and pocketbook. I don’t want to give on command, and I don’t think others wish to receive that way. If you want to shift your gift
game, think about the recipient, not yourself. Gift giving should be thoughtful because a careless gift ultimately becomes a burden on the recipient. We’ve all been there: what do I do with this watch/ tie/robe/knickknack that I don’t want or need? A gift given willynilly is often re-gifted or, worse, wasted, thrown away, or dropped directly to Goodwill, another item on someone’s to-do list. When possible, include gift receipts. But perhaps the best option is to approach gift giving the way I’ve begun contemplating all of my purchases in life, which is to say I think about the entire life cycle of the gift. What’s the end result? What will happen when the battery stops working, or the person grows out of it, or they relocate? Will that gift simply become trash? Or can it be enjoyed for a long time? For this reason, I love to give plants, because they keep growing, don’t need to be thrown out, and bring color and life to any backyard or windowsill. Some tips for thoughtful gifting: Give an experience, rather than an item; make things rather than buy them; give subscriptions to apps, magazines, or programs; make donations to worthy causes in the recipient’s name; and ensure a successful gift by writing down ideas for people in your life throughout the year. For instance, my mother-in-law once mentioned her favorite bottle of wine, and I secretly wrote it on a note in my phone. When I need the perfect anniversary gift next year, not only will the wine itself make her happy, but the fact that I remembered the conversation will add extra surprise and special value to the gift. Most people want to feel loved and listened to, not bought. A gift does not have to cost anything to withstand the test of time. I still have Peter’s shirt in my dresser. I wear it often, partially because I still love it (it’s only gotten softer over the past 10 years) but also because the sentiment — giving freely what you have without the need for reciprocity — still brings me joy and reminds me to be generous whenever and wherever possible.
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Jessica Server is a writer who teaches at Minnesota State University. She lives in Mankato with her husband.
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COMIC
By Kat Baumann
68 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
We have been doing the Free Press digital campaign for several months now and we have been very happy with the results. It is nice to see that people that are actually interested in our products are getting served our ads instead of just a blanket spending of money on many people that may never be inclined to buy RV’s. It is the way of the future! I am also very happy with the timing of getting reports so we can track our progress and Lisa May, make adjustments when needed.
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• JUNE 2019 • 69
COMING ATTRACTIONS: JULY
9
Death Cab for Cutie 7 p.m. — Vetter Stone Amphitheater, Mankato — An American alternative rock band that rose from being a side project to the most exciting group from the indie rock scene of the ‘00s — Tickets are $75, $59.50, $49.50, $39.50 and $29.50 at ticketmaster.com
1
Riverblenders concerts 7 p.m. — Christ the King Lutheran Church, Mankato — FREE
2
Riverblenders concerts 7 p.m. — The Church of St. Peter — FREE
3
Sublime with Rome 6 p.m. — Vetter Stone Amphitheater, Mankato — The ‘Blessings’ album marks the bands 10-year anniversary as Sublime with Rome. Featuring special guests Common Kings and Seranation — Tickets are $49.50, $39.50 and $25 at ticketmaster.com
4
Red, Hot & Boom! 7 p.m. — Vetter Stone Amphitheater, Mankato — Patriotic favorites and theme music will be performed by the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and City Mouse. Fireworks start at 10 p.m. — FREE
6, 13, 20, 27
Music in the Plaza 5:30-8:30 p.m. — Downtown Mankato — Performers in July include Billy and the Bangers on July 6; Murphy Brothers Band on July 13; Michael Shynes on July 20; and Barefoot Winos on July 27 — FREE
70 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
10-14 North Mankato Fun Days 12 Hot Jazz for Decent People
7:30 p.m. — Arts Center of Saint Peter — Minneapolis-based singer/songwriter Nikki Roux performs — Tickets are $10 at the door
21
Disturbed 7 p.m. — Mankato Civic Center — See the much-anticipated second leg of arena shows for the Evolution tour with special guest Pop Evil — Tickets are $89.50, $69.50 or $49.50 at ticketmaster.com
25
Kip Moore 7:30 p.m. — Vetter Stone Amphitheater, Mankato — Moore has evolved from a struggling Nashville musician to a massive country superstar — Tickets are $75, $59.50, $49.50, $39.50 or $29.50 at ticketmaster.com
25-28 Blue Earth County Fair 27 Blues on Belgrade
Noon-11 p.m. — Central Business District of North Mankato — Band lineup includes: The Echo’s, Miss Myra & the Moon Shiners, Tas Cru, City Mouse, Rod Hamdallah and The Ghost Town Blues Band — FREE
BLK
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nicolletvet.com Nicollet Veterinary Clinic 1020 3rd St Nicollet, MN 56074 507-225-3401 Join the PetDesk app to make appointments and request your refills MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 71
Don’t miss out on the PorkPower Bacon 5k and the perfect Profinium10k, flat and downhill. Are you feeling Bold? Sign up for the Bold Challenge and run the 5K on Friday, followed by the 10K, Half or Full marathon on Saturday. Don’t let the fun stop there...We have lots of fun events and activities happening throughout Mankato on Saturday evening so... COME FOR THE RUN, STAY FOR THE FUN!
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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 73
Best of 2019 The Free Press
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RENOWNED AND RENEWED: RTJ TURNS 25
Acclaimed as one of the world's great golf destinations, Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail invites you to celebrate its 25th year by offering fantastic deals. Unlimited golf packages are easy on your wallet. All of the original RTJ Golf Trail sites have been renovated and are ready for your arrival. Celebrate our silver anniversary while saving some silver yourself.
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MANKATO MAGAZINE • JULY 2019 • 75
FROM THIS VALLEY By Pete Steiner
The First Annual L
“STEINIES”
ike many, I can be oppositional at times. My editors rarely complain, but sometimes — actually, most of the time — I am unable to stick with the monthly theme of Mankato Magazine. They surely understand as, for example, with the February issue, the one with the eye-catching cover of Courtney at the NaKato, a teaser for the theme of body art. Since I have no tatts and am generally put off by needles, I was unable to contribute a piece about body art, unless they had asked for (they didn’t) some really arcane meditation about contemporary parallels with Queequeg in Moby Dick. So I wrote about my radio colleague Don Rivet’s retirement (he did not get a tattoo to celebrate.) This month, however, I am trying to get on board with the “best of...” theme (and maybe some of the worst-of, too.) I had fun doing this last year, but this year, I’m augmenting my effort by presenting category winners an AWARD! Well, actually, the award is VIRTUAL. Still, winners can cite it for bragging rights. I am christening it: the STEINIE award. So away we go with the inaugural STEINIES: BEST MALTED MILK: I am so thankful for Mom & Pop’s, and Culver’s is a regular stop for me. But recently I visited Toody’s in Henderson again. They still give you a lot of extra in a “sidecar.” That earns them a STEIN. BEST VALUE MEAL (Not Fast Food): Don’t know how they do it for the price, and I probably shouldn’t share the secret, because it’s already hard to find an open table at times. But the first STEINIE in this category goes to the Red Eye weekend breakfast special at Big Dog. BEST HAPPY HOUR: Consider, I’m well into the over-50 crowd, but Mike 76 • JULY 2019 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
Layla at PappaGeorge wins the inaugural STEINIE for LEADING SOMMELIER! C R U E L E S T M O N T H : (Yes, I realize we’re really shifting gears here.) T.S. Eliot said it was April, but he never had to live through February in Minnesota. Granted, the demoralizing “Bomb Cyclone” of April 10-12 would lend support to Eliot. Nevertheless, I am the decider, so this year’s STEINIE goes to FEBRUARY! Short month, yet very cold, with RECORD snowfall, relentless. Need more evidence?
STEINIES at The Wine Cafe deserves credit for figuring out, we non-millenials like to hear live music, but we like to be home at a decent hour (in my case, 7 pm.) So Fridays, he starts the music at 5 p.m. But arrive by 4:15 if you want a seat. Those who crowd the place testify to why it earns an inaugural STEINIE. BEST VALUE IN WINE: Offerings of decent wine selections are increasing at a number of area restaurants, some of which you don’t even expect. But this is a snooty category, so Kendall Jackson chardonnay at $8 a glass at Olives comes up short. I am treading on my friend and fellow columnist Leigh Pomeroy’s territory here, but it’s partly his efforts that lead to this year’s STEINIE going to Stephen Ross wines at PappaGeorge. To get the value, you should take a foursome and order chardonnay, pinot noir or zinfandel at $40 a bottle. That’s a little less than $10 a glass for premium wine produced in California by Mankato native Steve Dooley. And because SHE made the effort to bring these wines in and didn’t mark them up by the typical 100-200% ...
FAVORITE TOOL: A novel category this year, but as I finally dared to put it away on May Day, I decided to give this year’s STEINIE to my ROOF RAKE. Prevented ice dams from causing me thousands in repairs. (Runnerup? my snowblower.) BEST COLUMNIST: Here’s a chance to upset some of my friends and editors! (By the way, the committee (of ONE) ruled Yours Truly was not eligible in this category.) Droll Tim Krohn certainly deserves consideration. But I am told that the most-read regular feature each week in the Free Press is the “Ask Us” column, usually put together by reporter Mark Fischenich. Since he did not even garner a nomination for B e s t R e p o r t e r i n t h i s y e a r ’s magazine awards, I’m throwing him a bone for deeply researched, often clever answers, served up with snarky humor to sometimes goofy questions. Mark nabs a STEINIE. There you go! The first annual STEINIES! Disagreements or suggestions for weirder categories for next year to pete@ktoe.com
Longtime radio guy Pete Steiner is now a free lance writer in Mankato.
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