Edina Magazine - March 2022

E D I N A MAGA Z I N E MARCH 2022

Urban Oasis

Owners of Fox Homes transform their mid-century Edina house

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Stunning Edina Rambler one level living opportunity!

Fresh updates with mid-century flair. Open kitchen, dining room, large main level family room, sun-filled for fabulous natural light. Beautiful woodwork and hardwood floors throughout. Spacious LL with fireplace. 5BR/3BTH. Fabulous location close to parks, schools, shopping and dining.

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MARCH 2022 This month, we’re celebrating homes—the spaces that ground us in the midst of life’s uncertainties.

Home, where we begin and end each day, where we gather and celebrate, where we find shelter and rest.

DEPARTMENTS 14 — Calling Edina Home With new First-Generation Homebuyer Program, Edina seeks to create a more diverse city.

16 — Getting in the Groove Edina’s Hayley Lewis sings lead in local band, The Violet Nines.

18 — Spirits Are High with Low-Sugar Drinks Edina resident launches a unique liqueur company.

22 — Gopher State Grapes Scientists at the University of Minnesota develop cold-hardy grapes for Minnesota wineries.

FEATURES 26 — A New Space for New Spaces Award-winning design-build firm that helps homeowners create their forever homes now serves clients from Edina office.

31 — Urban Oasis Owners of Fox Homes transform their mid-century Edina house.

PAGE 26

TASTEMAKERS 44 — Pop the Cork on Crémant Let’s lift a glass to spring entertaining and celebrations with this sparkling wine.

IN EVERY ISSUE

Photos: Chris Emeott

PAGE 44

6 — Editor’s Letter 9 — Noteworthy 40 — On the Town 42 — Gallery 48 — Last Glance

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F R O M T H E E D I TO R Amy Overgaard, edinamag@tigeroak.com

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3937 Market Street, Edina 952-746-4440 DressUpGoOut.com @dressupgoout

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Find more stories & photos online. Plus, tag us in your Edina pics!

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On the Cover The Fox’s home, photo by Sierra Barker

March 2022

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Photo: Chris Emeott

e’re entering the month that signals the official end of winter, with the spring equinox taking place on March 20. But that certainly doesn’t mean that winter weather will magically disappear. This is a month of uncertainties intermingled with hope. Will the snow melt and usher in an early spring? Or will we spend another month or more bundled up, digging ourselves out of snow drifts? It’s a month where even warmer weather can feel discouraging as old snow mingles with mud, covering the world in a blanket of brown mush and where daily weather changes leave our minds and wardrobes confused. (All of this, I think, is the true meaning of March Madness.)

It’s in this month of atmospheric uncertainty that I think it’s especially important to ground oneself in something expected. For me, that’s often creating a predictable and comforting home environment. On cold days, I revel in creature comforts of tea (or a cocktail) and favorite books or movies, cozied up under blankets and a sheepskin throw. On warmer days, I take the opportunity to throw open the windows and do some furious spring cleaning to make my home feel fresh again after a long winter. And, no matter the weather, I make sure my home reflects my style and interests, while also serving my functional needs.

Of course, home looks and feels different for each person. Not just in how we decorate but what we value and what brings us comfort. For some, the sense of home is less a place and more of a feeling. For others, it’s found in a person or an activity that makes you feel most alive.

This month, we’re exploring homes—the literal places of shelter, yes, but also the food, drinks and activities that bring a sense of peace and grounding to our chaotic lives. I hope you enjoy these stories of home as much as we enjoyed putting them together!

VOL. 18 NO. 7 edinamag.com publisher SUSAN ISAY

editor AMY OVERGAARD

managing creative director RENÉE STEWART-HESTER

managing editor HAILEY ALMSTED

copy editor KELLIE DOHERTY

staff writers DAN AMUNDSEN AVA DIAZ DANIEL HUSS MADELINE KOPIECKI STACI PERRY MERGENTHAL

contributing writers HOLLIE BLANCHARD IZZY WAGENER LAURA WESTLUND MAUREEN MILLEA SMITH TAYLOR ELLINGSON TINA BOHRER

editorial interns BRYCE HELMBRECHT-LOMMEL GRACE MASUDA

editorial advisory board Jeanne Anselmo, JJ Designs Tina Bohrer, Edina Community Foundation Sarah Dulong, Ron Clark Construction Cheryl Gunness, Edina Community Education Krista Johnson Elizabeth Kriel, Jerry’s Foods Jeff Ohe, Cahill Financial Rebecca Bell-Sorensen Jasmine Brett Stringer Erin Zosel, Sloane’s Beauty Bar

senior managing art director SARAH DOVOLOS

art director ALLISON NOLDEN

lead staff photographer CHRIS EMEOTT

print production director BRITTNI DYE

digital production director DEIDRA ANDERSON

project coordinators ADRIANNA BLACK BULL LISA STONE

senior account executives BROOKE BEISE KATIE FREEMARK CYNTHIA HAMRE SARA JOHNSON

circulation and marketing KATIE RINGHAND

credit manager APRIL MCCAULEY

chief operating officer SUSAN ISAY

chief financial officer BILL NELSON

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Transformative Home Remodeling 8

N OT E WO RT H Y

lo c a l tip s, tidb its & insights

SET ME FREE Artist paints with “a colorful hopefulness.” “ T HER E’S N O P L AC E L I KE H O M E ,”

proclaims Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz. Our homes are the foundation of all of our hopes and dreams while exuding a warmth beckoned by the people that inhabit the space. They are a reflection of our hearts, our personalities, our travels, our furry friends and our treasured memories. I love how local artist Ky McDonald exquisitely captures the architectural elements of a space as it unfolds with drama upon the canvas. My imagination takes off with anticipation as

March 2022

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I dream about who will gather to share a story at this table that McDonald paints with a colorful hopefulness. Home, sweet home.

Artist: Ky McDonald

Set Me Free 36x48 Medium: Original oil on canvas Title:

Scale:

Contributed by Hollie Blanchard of The Art Girls Find more at artgirlsmpls.com.

Art Girls Minneapolis @artgirls_mpls

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N OT E WO RT H Y

Bigbee with artist renderings of Sound on 27th, an affordable housing community opening in Edina this spring. Renderings courtesy of Aeon.

REA D

AUTHOR JAYNE ALLEN’S DEBUT NOVEL

It’s not easy to be a woman in your 30s. Potentially all at once, you’re climbing career ladders, dating and looking for a spouse, saving to buy a house, raising children, maintaining friendships and caring for family members.

In her debut novel, Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, Jayne Allen explores all of this through 33-year-old Tabitha Walker, a Black Los Angeles television reporter for KVTV. Everything in her life is turned upside down when she learns that she has a narrow window of opportunity to bear children. Decisions have to be made about her fertility im-

C I T I Z EN OF ED I N A

A Volunteer Geek

mediately. Tabitha wonders how her boyfriend, Marc,

Arnie Bigbee refers to himself as “kind of a

ing (ENAH) was formed and created a com-

will respond to the news.

volunteer geek.” After retiring in 2007 from a

munity impact fund with the Edina Community

She worries about how this

32-year career in administration at Mayo Clinic,

Foundation to advance the mission of expanding

development might impede

he has committed his time to organizations in

and protecting affordable properties. ENAH seeks

her chance for a promotion

Edina and the Twin Cities, focusing on the issue

to have Edina meet or exceed the Metropolitan

at the station and how she

of affordable housing.

Council goal of 994 new affordable housing units

Affordable housing is a cause that holds

in the city of Edina by 2030.

tial expenses. Her friends,

personal significance to Bigbee. After his family

Alexis and Laila, are her

was evicted from their home in south Minneapolis

Bigbee served on the Edina Human Rights and

sounding boards while her

when he was 9 years old, Bigbee—along with his

Relations Committee for six years and received

namesake and grandmoth-

mother and sister—moved to Glendale Homes,

the Tom Oye Human Rights Award in 2018. In

er, Tabitha Walker, is her

a federal housing project in south Minneapolis.

2020, he also served on the Edina Community

constant source of love.

“We got lucky,” Bigbee says. “Affordable housing

Foundation’s COVID-19 Relief Committee and the

did exactly what it was supposed to do, providing

Edina 2020 Census Complete Count Committee.

Readers of Terry McMillan, Fannie Flagg and J. California Cooper will enjoy

stability for my family.”

Several years ago, Bigbee and other like-

In addition to his work on affordable housing,

As he reflects on his years of advocacy work, Bigbee emphasizes the importance of commu-

this novel. It’s the best kind

minded Edina residents rallied around the cause

nity engagement and inviting people to engage

of read, one that elicits

for expanding affordable housing in Edina. “We

in new causes. “At some time in the past, some-

both laughter and tears.

started asking questions of the people who can

body invited me to consider doing something,”

make that happen—the City Council—and they

Bigbee says. “And that’s how we get people

listened and took action,” Bigbee says. The city

started in work like this.”

Contributed by Maureen Millea Smith, a librarian at the Edina Library and a Minnesota Book Awardwinning novelist.

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hired an affordable housing development manager in 2018 and approved a Tenant Protection Ordinance in 2021.

In 2019, Edina Neighbors for Affordable Hous-

Contributed by Izzy Wagener, a senior at Edina High School, on behalf of the Edina Community Foundation.

March 2022

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Photo: Barbara La Valleur

will pay for all of the poten-

ESTABLISHED 1980

TASTE

CARROT LEEK SOUP This time of year always has my taste buds confused. I’m ready for spring, but sometimes the Minnesota weather doesn’t agree. So, when it comes to meal-planning, I crave something light, yet comforting.

That’s where Carrot Leek Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons comes in! This soup is filled with spring produce and made extra special with croutons made of grilled cheese sandwiches.

CARROT LEEK SOUP WITH GRILLED CHEESE CROUTONS Serves: 4 » 4 Tbsp. olive oil » 1 yellow onion, diced » 3 large leeks, white and light green parts sliced » 5 cups diced carrots (about 10 large carrots) » 3 cloves garlic » ½ tsp. salt » 4 cups vegetable broth » fresh tarragon or thyme for garnish » 4 slices sourdough bread » 4 slices cheddar or mozzarella cheese Prepare the soup: In a large soup pot, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, leeks, carrots and garlic; season with salt and cook about 7–10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to mediumlow, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Puree with an immersion or standing blender.

Top each bowl of soup with croutons.

To make the grilled cheese croutons: With the remaining olive oil, brush one side of each slice of bread with oil. Place two slices of cheese each on two slices of bread, then top with remaining bread to make two sandwiches. Heat skillet over medium heat.

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Contributed by Taylor Ellingson, a local cookbook author and food blogger at greensnchocolate.com.

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N OT E WO RT H Y

specializing in

CURB APPEAL Landscaping the Minneapolis lakes area

VIEW

“Slapshot” Embodies the Spirit of the Game

S UN N YSIDE - GARDE NS .C O M • 612 - 92 6- 26 5 4 Slapshot, a steel sculpture by Minnesota artist Judd Nelson, stands across the driveway from Braemar Arena’s front doors, welcoming all players and fans to the rink. And what would coach Willard Ikola, “coach Ike,” whose statue is next to the doors, want to look at more than a scoring hockey player?

Slapshot is both abstract and representational. It doesn’t portray an individual in specific detail like the realistic depiction of coach Ike, but these metal strips bound together still create a hockey player in motion. It weighs 300 pounds, but the natural stance and gesture give the impression that the figure has paused for an instant and in another second will be

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March 2022

YOU R DREAMS / O U R EXPERTISE / YOU R H O ME

dashing fast across the ice again, surrounded by the action of the game.

It’s not hard to imagine the sharp scrape of skate and the breeze of cold air as the player rushes by. Rather

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than showing a particular person, Slapshot symbolizes all players who want to learn and play hockey.

Nelson grew up in Minnesota and first studied welding in high school.

He now teaches art welding to teens and adults at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts. Another of his hockey sculptures is at Plymouth Ice Center, and his work Up, Up and Away, of birds

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in flight, resides at Hopkins City Hall.

Nelson’s Slapshot was part of Public Art Edina’s rotating exhibition at

SPRING REMODELERS SHOWCASE

the Edina Promenade near Centennial

APRIL 8-10 / 12-6PM 4720 Phlox Lane, Edina UNVEILING PARTY: Friday April 8, 4-6pm

Lakes and was purchased for the city through a combination of donations.

Photo: Laura Westlund

Like the sculpture of coach Ikola, it is an iconic figure outside Braemar Arena that commemorates the sport

Visit crystalkitchen.com for details.

that is a passion and commitment for many in our community.

Contributed by Laura Westlund, a tour guide at the Weisman Art Museum and an art hound for Minnesota Public Radio.

LIC# BC007200

P/ 763.544.5950 / 3620 WINNETKA AVE. N / CRYSTAL, MN 55427 edinamag.com

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DOING GOOD

Calling Edina Home With new First-Generation Homebuyer Program, Edina seeks to create a more diverse city.

By Madeline Kopiecki

FOR OVER 20 YEARS, the Come

Home 2 Edina 2nd Mortgage Program has helped over 100 families to call Edina their home. Now, a new program in concert with Come Home 2 Edina sets its sights on closing the housing gap by assisting first-generation homebuyers. Through a partnership with the Edina Housing Foundation, the city of Edina launched the First-Generation Homebuyer Program in November 2021.

The program is for households in which the parents or guardians of the prospective homebuyer did not own their

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home. The hope is that this program impacts the economic and racial diversity of the Edina community.

The Come Home 2 Edina program, created and funded by the Edina Housing Foundation, offers down payment assistance—lending up to $60,000 or 25 percent of the purchase price of a home and requiring no monthly payments on the principal. The assistance helps break down some barriers for families hoping to move to Edina, explains Stephanie Hawkinson, the affordable housing development manager for the city of

Edina. She is also a staff liaison to the foundation and works closely with both of the foundation’s programs.

Hawkinson explains that, through the First-Generation Homebuyer program, prospective homebuyers will not only have access to that $60,000 down payment assistance but they can also get an additional $15,000 that is forgiven over 15 years.

This $15,000 is considered a third mortgage (on top of a traditional mortgage and the second mortgage offered through Come Home 2 Edina), but the loan is offered at zero interest. It is for-

March 2022

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Grandview Townhomes of Edina

iStock.com/fizkes

givable at a rate of $1,000 per year of ownership and is completely forgiven 15 years following purchase.

“The foundation hopes the new program will help make the dream of homeownership and the ability to gain wealth through owning a home more achievable to households that have been historically excluded,” says Hawkinson.

Minnesota has the third highest homeownership disparity between white and diverse households, Hawkinson notes.

“We think that’s a problem; it needs to be addressed,” she says. The FirstGeneration Homebuyer’s Program will address this disparity on a local level.

Hawkinson says that first-generation homebuyers “don’t have the benefit of being able to access generational equity to give a down payment on their home.”

She explains that when someone invests in a home, they get equity—which in turn accrues value over time and can be passed down to descendants. “It has multigenerational benefits,” Hawkinson says. “If you don’t have access to homeownership, then you don’t have access to that increase in equity. And then you don’t have that multiplier effect throughout generations of how people have benefited.”

Although it's diverse households that are impacted by the housing disparity in Minnesota, Hawkinson notes that the program applies to any first-generation homebuyers. “We’re becoming more [racially] diverse … but Edina, in the past few years, has become less diverse economically,” she says. “And so, one of the goals is that this will allow [people with] a broader spectrum of incomes … to be able to live in Edina.”

The hope is that this includes opportunities for people who work in Edina but cannot afford to live in the city.

Hawkinson points out the average incomes of Edina’s largest employers do not pay salaries that are sufficient for someone to actually buy a home in the city. With the assistance of the FirstGeneration Homebuyer program, some employees may have the opportunity to live closer to their workplace.

First-Generation Homebuyer Program; The City of Edina; 952.927.8861; edinamn.gov City of Edina, MN (Local Government) @edinamn

@edinamn

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ARTS

Getting in the Groove Edina’s Hayley Lewis sings lead in local band, The Violet Nines.

THE VIOLET NINES’ lead vocalist Hayley Lewis laughs when asked how one trades an Edina High School choir robe for a set of tattoos, purple hair and a nose piercing. “I think it’s ... just a rebellious streak,” Lewis says.

In any event, Lewis suspects that the change is related to going away to school at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, after graduating from Edina High School in 2015.

“Actually, Fort Collins isn’t much different than Edina,” Lewis says. “Its Old Town reminds me a lot of 50th & France.”

When circling back to the choir robe,

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the singer mentions the irony of her current career as a professional musician.

“I wasn’t ever thinking about a singing career,” she says. “But I was surrounded by choir students who were not only highly motivated, but were thinking in terms of making music a part of their own careers. I guess that’s how you rise to the occasion.”

Beyond choir, Lewis grew up with a mother who played cello for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. “Her music was [an] influence at an early age,” Lewis says.

Consequently, Lewis started her musical journey early on—though she says she was

never one for practice. “I started with piano lessons, and then the trumpet and then the flugelhorn,” Lewis says. “If I hadn’t stopped playing the flugelhorn, I am sure I would have been asked to,” she says, laughing.

Lewis says singing is different, however.

She says, “It’s the practice I like.”

Lewis released her first solo EP in 2019 under the name Corzine, and her song Summer Fling got picked up by local alternative radio station The Current.

Eventually, the single became a track on her first full-length album, Look What We Made, released in early 2020.

No longer a solo act, Lewis currently

March 2022

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Photo: Sara J Fish

By Daniel Huss

JIM KIDD performs with a Minneapolis-based band called The Violet Nines. The band’s selfdescribed style is “groove pop,” which they say is a mix of alternative groove-centric pop, fused with funk, rock and R&B. The Violet Nines’ band members— guitarist and vocalist Nick Eagon, vocalist Lewis, saxophone player and keyboardist Ben Cline, bass guitarist Delon Smith and drummer Austin Kurtz—all hail from the Twin Cities. The band got its start in 2018 as an extension of Eagon’s solo act.

But how did Lewis go from solo artist to lead vocals in the band? Eagon recalls that it all started with a lunch chat he had with Lewis’ father, who he works with at his day job. “We met for coffee so he could pick my brain and maybe help his daughter,” Eagon. says.

But Eagon helping Lewis quickly turned into Lewis helping Eagon and the band. When the band's lead vocalist couldn’t make a performance, Lewis was asked if she could step in at the last minute. The concert was in three short days at the Seventh Street Entry—a venue nothing like a high school performance center or the farmers markets she had performed at as a solo artist.

“I said she could bring a stand on stage in case she needed to see the words,” Eagon says. “But she had it all down.

She knew them all. When I look back at it, it was one of our best vocal shows ever.” When the band’s previous lead vocalist left in early 2020, Eagon created a permanent opening for Lewis.

Performing, and even practicing as a full band, can be a challenge, as Lewis still lives in Fort Collins. But she can work remotely at times, so she’s able to come to Minnesota for performances, while continuing to work. Like remote work, she can also attend remote practices. Eagon says the band Facetimes weekly, and, in late 2021, they all got together in-person for a writing retreat.

The Violet Nines has big performance aspirations for 2022—including the possibility of playing in Colorado this summer. “A chance to expand our fan base,” Lewis says. Coincidentally, it’s a chance for Lewis to perform near her current home. thevioletnines.com The Violet Nines @thevioletnines @thevioletnines

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White Russian with Dapper Barons coffee liquer

TA S T E

Spirits Are High with Low-Sugar Drinks Edina resident launches a unique liqueur company.

By Dan Amundson

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March 2022

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9 5 2 . 4 2 6 . 0 5 5 9 | s t u d i o 6 w e l l n e s s . c o m | 6 - 6 t h Av e N - H o p k i n s

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Photos: Chris Emeott

FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, it has

become more common for people to go on low-sugar, low-carb and keto diets— and companies in the food and beverage industry have responded with products containing significantly less sugar or no artificial sweeteners. One area that hasn’t responded the same? The alcohol industry. Until now, that is.

Edina resident Ryan Boudreau, along with his two friends, Jeff Roslund and Charlie Guan, discovered the lack of lowsugar cocktails and liqueurs when they started low-sugar diets. Roslund began making his own liqueurs at home so he could still enjoy the occasional cocktail but stay on his diet. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Roslund’s day job slowed down, and he started to investigate the idea of selling his liqueurs.

The three friends decided to go into business together, and they started Dapper Barons. “We started from scratch, went through all of the permitting and now have a distribution partner and are in stores,” Roslund says. “Now we’re just making liqueurs and still enjoying all of the flavor without the sugar.”

Dapper Barons, which operates under the company Low Carb Spirits LLC, uses only natural sweeteners to create lowsugar liqueurs. Still having sweeteners in the liqueur allows the drinks to have the same full flavor you’d find in a traditional, high-sugar option. “The feedback we almost always get is our product tastes the same or better than other liqueurs,” Boudreau says. “It’s not a watered-down version like people think.”

Even for those who aren’t on a diet, Boudreau says low-sugar liqueur is one way people can cut back on unnecessary calories and sugar. “A lot of liqueur companies don’t disclose nutritional facts because they don’t have to, legally,” he says. “People don’t realize how much sugar is in a traditional liqueur.”

The trio made sure to include nutritional labels on the products, so

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consumers always know what they’re getting. “We’re proud of the relationship with our consumers,” Roslund says. “They know what they’re buying and drinking.”

Learning the ropes of the alcohol industry and what legal parameters they must follow was something the three guys had to learn from scratch. Both Boudreau and Roslund agree it was interesting to learn about a new industry, and if it weren’t for the pandemic, they might not have had time to learn it at all. “Between the three of us, we [each] have our strengths,” Boudreau says. “Food and beverages

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weren’t one of them, so we had to learn.”

It currently offers several different liqueurs, including triple sec, amaretto, coffee and crème de cacao. Between all its liqueurs, Roslund says the list of cocktails someone could make is endless.

Roslund and Boudreau both agree using the triple sec to make skinny margaritas is one of the most common options, but people also like using their products to make drinks like sidecars, Colorado bulldogs and white Russians.

Dapper Barons products can be found at France 44 Wine & Spirits, and a full stocklist can be found on its website.

What started as a personal project at home turned into a new business for these three friends, and they’re pretty excited about it.

“We’re getting onto shelves now,” Roslund says. “We’re just trying to provide people the opportunity to enjoy popular cocktails without all of the sugar.”

Dapper Barons lowcarbspirits.com Dapper Barons @lowcarbspirits @lowcarbspirits @lowcarbspirits

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MIX IT UP! While the list of cocktail recipes may be endless, here are a few recipes Boudreau and Roslund suggest trying.

Margarita • 1.5 oz. tequila • 1 oz. Dapper Barons triple sec • 0.75 oz. lime juice Shake, and pour over ice.

Godmother • 1 oz. vodka • 1 oz. Dapper Barons amaretto Pour over ice.

White Russian • 2 oz. Dapper Barons coffee • 2 oz. vodka • 2 oz. cream Pour over ice in the order listed.

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ENLIGHTEN

Gopher State Grapes Scientists at the University of Minnesota develop cold-hardy grapes for Minnesota wineries.

By Hailey Almsted

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March 2022

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Photos: University of Minnesota, David L. Hansen

Grape varieties at left: marquette, Itasca, la crescent and frontenac.

WHEN SEARCHING FOR great domestic wineries, Minnesota might not be the first place you think of looking.

Yet, cold-climate Minnesota boasts 80 wineries. The key is breeding grapes that can handle the cold, something scientists at the University of Minnesota have been researching for decades.

Unlike in warmer-climates, Minnesota wineries rely on both cold-hardy and disease-resistant wine grapes. At the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, one of the top grape research programs in the country, more than 12,000 experimental vines are cultivated on 12 acres of land.

Matthew Clark, assistant professor of grape breeding and enology and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s director of research, says, “At the University of Minnesota, our grape breeding project has focused on developing new varieties of grapes … [It’s] focused on bringing in genetics through breeding methods of high-quality wine grapes that people are familiar with and bringing in the cold to learn what varieties can grow here.”

Although cold climates were once deemed “too cold” for fine wines, regions such as Minnesota are now capable of producing such wines, if the grape varieties possess the properties needed to sustain the climate. Two varietals that do particularly well in Minnesota? Fruity frontenac and sweet la crescent.

Clark says Minnesota’s short growing season and severe winters contribute to how long grapes are on the vine, which plays a major role in flavor and aroma development. “The grapes in Minnesota do quite well with our short season because they’ve been selected and adapted for those environments,” he says.

At the University of Minnesota’s experiment station, cultivating a new wine variety takes an average of 20 years. The enologists use traditional breeding methods to crossbreed the

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grapes in order to bring out the traits they are interested in. “[In 2021], we [planned] to make 50 crosses ... from that, we will target 5,000 seeds to grow [this] year,” Clark says. Genetic testing for specific traits and disease resistance follows; and after the vineyard produces fruit, three to five years later, the enologists taste it and determine if it is worth evaluating for a second time.

“In many cases, the answer is no.

Things that perform well is one in 1,000 vines,” Clark says. “In our case, we grow 10,000 vines at one time, so we go through and pick out the vines performing well. Over the year, we make 75–100 wines and taste those to help us make decisions about a new variety.”

To produce a new variety, the station relies on university collaborators, such as nurseries, to test the vines. Once there is

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a new variety released, the station works with growers to produce the vines, nurseries to propagate the vines and licensees to sell the vines.

“We often hear people say that wines in the Midwest are sweet,” Clark says.

“One reason we might see more sweet wines in the Midwest is because the grapes have a higher acidity.”

Residual sugar, found in wines with a good balance of sugar and acid, can offset the tartness in wine grapes and, in turn, create sweeter wines. Although many of the wines produced by the University of Minnesota have been on the sweeter side, Clark says the program is focusing on developing new wine grapes with lower acidity, with the goal of producing more dry wines.

The most recent variety, Itasca, released in 2017, features lower acidity

and high sugar levels. The variety outperformed everything in its class and survived the 2013–14 polar vortex. “It received an A+ grade,” Clark says. The white wine has been a best-seller among the University of Minnesota’s varieties.

Currently over 100 selections are being tested for cold hardiness and disease resistance, as well as viticultural traits such as productivity and ripening times.

However, it may just be another 20 years before we see another variety released.

Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station; mnhardy.umn.edu Edina Liquor; edinaliquor.com Edina Liquor @edinaliquor

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Photo: University of Minnesota, Dylan VanBoxtel

Matthew Clark

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TRY MINNESOTA WINES AT EDINA LIQUOR Want to check out some Minnesota wines? Head to one of Edina Liquor’s locations. It carries three different wines from Carlos Creek Winery in Alexandria, Minnesota.

Mike McBride, the assistant general manager of liquor operations at Edina Liquor, says that Carlos Creek is one of his team’s favorite Minnesota wineries. “They offer a great variety of wine styles that are made to be paired with life occasions,” McBride says. Carlos Creek is located at Bold North Cellars— which McBride says is “fully powered by wind energy and utilizes sustainable wine-making practices.”

Learn more about the three Carlos Creek wines Edina Liquor carries below.

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Carlos Creek Frontenac Gris A beautifully balanced white, this 100 percent frontenac gris is made with locally sourced Minnesota grapes. It features aromas of fresh peaches and a hint of floral notes, with a flavor profile of peaches, nectarines and candied lemons.

Carlos Creek Marquette

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The marquette grape, developed by the University of Minnesota, is a descendant of the pinot noir varietal. The resulting wine is a medium-bodied, dry red. It features a complex flavor profile of bright cherries, spice, earth and hints of leather and melon—and finishes with notes of smoke and oak.

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A lightly sparkling “Minnescato.”

The blend of frontenac gris, brianna and frontenac blanc results in a bright and fruity white with notes of tropical fruits, making it easy to sip and pair.

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By Staci Perry Mergenthal

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AWARD-WIN N IN G D ESIG N -BUILD FIR M T HAT HELP S HO M EOW N ER S CR EAT E T H E I R FO R EV ER HO M ES N OW SERVES CLIEN TS FR O M ED IN A O FFICE.

When you realize your home is no longer serving your needs, you typically have two choices: renovate or move. With the inflated nature of today’s housing market, many homeowners are opting to renovate their current home rather than move somewhere new. Locally, some homeowners are turning to second-generation design-builder-remodeler, New Spaces.

New Spaces, founded by Doug and Carol Nelson in 1981, has its own experienced in-house designers, master carpenters and production teams. (Shawn Nelson, Doug and Carol’s son, currently serves as president.) The team regularly helps clients reconfigure spaces in their homes, bringing back period-appropriate luster and incorporating the 2022 amenities people long for.

While the New Spaces team has historically worked out of the company’s Burnsville showroom location, it has responded to growing west Metro inquiries by opening a satellite design office in January 2020 in Life Time Work Edina at Southdale.

This Life Time Work location hosts more than 100,000 square feet of smart coworking spaces and meeting areas, along with a rooftop terrace. The design of the space is what drew the New Spaces team to this location.

“The beauty for us, and for the clients who come in, is the space is beautiful,” say Björn Freudenthal, vice president of business development. “... We can sit on the rooftop deck, go through selections, have beautiful sunlight and bring coffee.

It’s just a great location to come and work with our team.”

HELPING CLIENTS REALIZE THEIR FOREVER HOMES

The company designs room additions and remodels for every house style and vintage you can imagine. In 2021, the

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company earned two industry design awards—Remodeler of Merit Award from Housing First Minnesota and Contractor of the Year from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. Both awards were for a modern and contemporary kitchen and main level transformation project for homeowner Amy Haugen’s 1987 architect-designed and modified two-story home in Minnetonka.

Haugen wanted to modernize the main level with an open concept, and the New Spaces team helped her realize her vision. Her redesigned space opened the kitchen to the living room, eliminated the formal dining room, gave her more work surfaces for cooking, brought in more natural light, added a dramatic two-story fireplace wall, expanded the mudroom with more storage capacity and updated a powder room, among other amenities.

“I have never worked with a team of people that are so patient and understanding of my needs,” Haugen says. “[Freudenthal] was extremely fun to work with, and he was a great problem solver. The New Spaces design team was brilliant with their vision of the design part of it. They put me at ease with trusting them with the selections.” The element of the remodel that makes her smile the most? The open space they created for her.

Freudenthal notes that the awards they earn are a byproduct of helping clients realize their dream homes. “We’re proud of it, but the reality is this: When we change the way a family lives and we help them live better—when we help them create their forever home—it is an incredibly rewarding experience,” Freudenthal says. He also says that he loves “when we’re standing at the project completion party, hoisting the Champagne, and [the homeowner] says this is everything they wished their home

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Amy Haugen’s remodeled home, modernized with an open-concept layout by the New Spaces team.

could be, and we helped them change it to make it their forever home.”

A DESIGN-FIRST COMPANY

To accomplish this, New Spaces operates as a design-first company, which Freudenthal says is a rarity in the construction industry. Rather than making design decisions along the way, after the construction contract is underway (how many firms operate), the heavy lifting takes place at the beginning of a project.

This happens by determining and evaluating existing structures and conditions, designing every detail and selecting every material and line item prior to going into

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contract—all of which allows homeowners to arrive at an informed decision about pricing.

It begins with prioritizing. “We have developed a very effective, simple tool we call the ‘Needs, Wants and Wishes worksheet,’” Freudenthal says. “Our goal is to make sure all needs get met, and we get some wants in there as well, so you have some fun with it. And if possible, we include as many of your wishes because our job is to make you fall in love with your home again and become a raving fan,” he says.

Once the contract commences, designers use 3D modeling software to create

three unique plans, each with its own merits, features and investment ranges.

Freudenthal says the fun really begins at the design reveal meeting, which is held at their Life Time Work office. At this meeting, homeowners see the 3D renderings and can virtually walk through their space and provide feedback to scales, size, color and shapes. They can work with the designers to move things around and change colors. They can also morph and combine elements from different plans, visualizing how it will look and function.

“For people who have lived in their homes for 25, sometimes 30 years, they kind of have blinders on. But then, when

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MORTGAGES DESIGNED WITH YOUR

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Photos: Brian Schultz

Senior Mortgage Consultant our team reveals options and possibilities to them, they look at their home in a completely different way,” Freudenthal says. “It is sometimes a pretty passionate moment when things are just coming together, and people sometimes can’t even believe it’s possible.” It can be emotional—hence the small box of Kleenex on their conference table.

Why do people choose to work with New Spaces? Well, for Haugen it was the people. “[Freudenthal] and the New Spaces design team sold me the project with their winning personalities,” she says. More than half of the company’s 700-plus projects are either from a past-

client referrals or repeat business.

“Our business is a trust business,” Freudenthal says. “We move in with you for a little bit and that’s the reality, so we have to get along. And you want to do your due diligence when you invite people into your home, which a lot of times is the most significant investment that most people have. You allow us to come and help you live better.”

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Owners of Fox Homes transform their mid-century Edina house.

Photo: Tommy Mathews

BY AVA DIAZ

URBAN OASIS March 2022

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Sharing their talent and keen eye for sleek design are Edina residents and business owners behind Fox Homes, Brad and Heather Fox. While their day job involves helping clients buy, sell, design and renovate their homes, last year the couple took on a new role as

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the clients for their personal home remodel project. (Though, they were also the designers on the project!)

Their mid-century modern renovation granted them the honor of being a dream home for the 2021 Fall Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase. Taking pride in their newly renovated space, they say their home is a true representation of who they are as innovators.

WHEN DESIGNERS BECOME THE CLIENTS

Photography by Dylan Garrison, Press Play Media

What was it like for them to be the designers and clients? Heather says that was part of the fun. “It felt kind of easy and simple … I came in knowing that I wanted to take risks,” she says. “I was able to take some of the ideas that I have been dreaming of for years and finally was able to make it happen.”

Using organic woods and clean metals to keep things neutral and timeless, the couple opted for elements of surprise in the wallpaper choices, the free-standing Malm fireplace, the floating staircase, elegant tile backsplashes and one-of-a-kind décor. Drawing inspiration from their vacation home in Palm Springs, California (a mid-century mecca), their remodel showcases an eclectic take on mid-century modern design.

Though this was the third large personal renovation they have undertaken as a couple, Heather says they work well together, and it is easy to design with one another because of their similar aesthetics. Though, she says she did get to offer some surprise reveals, like they give to their clients, since her husband didn’t take part in all the design decisions.

S C H E D U L E Y O U R M A M M O G R A M T O D AY

AN UPDATED LAYOUT

Having undergone a major renovation in the 1980s, their 1950s lake home needed a major facelift. With 3,500 square feet on the main floor alone, there was plenty of space to go around. Though this may seem like a dream setup, the layout of the space was anything but. Featuring four living spaces, only one mainfloor bedroom, an enclosed kitchen and a sectioned-off floor plan, the home felt very confined. “It was very choppy,” Heather says.

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Second to the layout of the space was the organizational aspect of the home.

As one who thrives in tidy environments, Heather says she wanted to create effective storage solutions that would ensure that everything would have its own space.

“I have a calmer mind if my space is calm and decluttered,” she says.

Like the layout, the couple took their family’s needs into consideration and conceptualized a variety of features that would cater to their lifestyle. Elements to help with this include a hidden pantry in the kitchen and custom shelving from Built to Last, a custom closet and storage solution, in their walk-in closets.

Featuring a light and airy print, the wallpaper in their guest bathroom is an ode to their vacation home in Palm Springs. Reminiscent of a Hawaiian-print shirt with a twist, this paper features hues of bubblegum pink, navy and a hint of yellow in a whimsical palm tree print.

To compliment the warm tones in the wallpaper without distracting from the star of the show, Heather opted for a rose-colored tile to create a counter-toceiling backsplash. Pushing the theme of the wallpaper even further, the chandelier installed above the marble vanity mimics the organic shape of a palm tree in an eye-catching gold finish.

WALLPAPER

FIREPLACE

Heather says she loves using wallpaper to put a pop of color where it is least expected. With a neutral palette throughout the main spaces of the home, she turned to small peek-a-boo moments to bring a sense of unique personality to the space.

“I like to use it for surprise moments and make it a conversation piece,” she says.

Derived from the retro ’60s and ’70s eras, Malm fireplaces are vintage time capsules for mid-century modern design.

As a functional and decorative piece, these free-standing fireplaces provide a unique focal point to communal spaces.

With its unconventional, futuristic shape, the Malm works to add a degree

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Photos: Tommy Mathews

She notes that the former homeowners “liked to entertain, but their style of entertaining was unique … It was set up in a way to host large parties. We enjoy that too, but we needed [the floorplan] to work differently.”

Stylistically needing an upgrade, they turned to adjusting the purpose of the entire floorplan. Heather says they increased the number of bedrooms on the main floor from one to three to accommodate their two young boys and ensure that the whole family could be close together.

“We were able to reuse and reimagine the home with our family in mind,” Heather says.

In addition to the incorporation of more bedrooms, they installed more windows and moved the kitchen from the front of the house to the back, to overlook the stunning lake the property sits on.

“We really tried to do a lot of planning on the front end so that we were able to create a house that is going to grow with us and work for us,” she says. “We plan to stay in this house longterm.”

FOX HOMES SERVES CLIENTS ACROSS THE TWIN CITIES METRO

Launching Fox Homes in 2013, Heather and Brad Fox have had their hand in the industry for far longer. Prior to launching their business, Brad was a Realtor for a larger company, and Heather was a realtor who worked with a home-building company. When they joined forces, they decided to do it all: finding, building and renovating dream homes.

Offering a comprehensive, full-service approach to buying a house, the couple can assist clients with the whole process—from searching for a home to designing and renovating.

“When we are doing a project, it is fully for the client,” Heather says.

“Obviously, we are lending our eye [and] our ideas, but we are creating things specifically for each and every client that comes through.”

Priding themselves in being more than just a design studio, Heather says she values the all-encompassing process of working together with her team to create something “beautiful and incredible.”

Heather says their style sways toward “organic and modern, with a side of color and pattern.” Though the Fox Homes team often designs with a specific aesthetic, they encourage their clients to think outside of the box.

“Our style leans a certain way,” Heather says. “But it is all about where the client leads us and what colors, patterns or how many risks they are willing to take.”

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of height and dimension, with its long, skinny chimney and triangular body.

In addition to its intended function, Heather and Brad used their Malm as an opportunity to bring in color.

Finishing it in a mustard yellow hue, it combines the groovy aesthetic of the ’60s with the sleek notions of modern design from its glossy sheen. As a pop against the stark white wall, this color also works to complement the various earth tones throughout the space.

Photo: Tommy Mathews

VAULTED CEILINGS

The ceiling of the original foyer in the 1951 home only reached 8 feet tall.

However, to their surprise during demolition, the couple discovered that the original roof—shingles and all—was still intact inside the attic of the home. With the existing roof of the later-renovated 1985 home, they realized that they could raise the height of their ceiling in the entryway—thus granting the gift of 16-foot vaulted ceilings.

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Stop in and taste our award-winning EVOO, touch the luxurious Turkish cotton textiles and smell the beautifully scented Eau de Cologne. We have great selection of sale items too!

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Peruse our award winning selection of elegant silk slips, lace bras and beautiful pajamas. Stop in for a complimentary bra fitting.

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O N T H E TOW N

th in g s to se e a n d do in and aro und Edina

ENJOY SPRING BLOOMS A LITTLE EARLY THIS YEAR After a two-year hiatus, the Galleria’s Floral Experience Returns for 2022. is back this spring, from March 27–April 10, after a two-year hiatus. This floral installation extends the length of the mall and features flowers by Bachman’s.

This year’s theme is “Sugar Coated” and will include oversized candy sculptures amid the floral installations—from a 5-foot-tall gummy bear situated in a floral forest to a 13-foot-high Ring Pop. The Floral Experience was put on pause the past two years, with the 2020 event getting cancelled mere weeks before opening. To make sure the flowers grown for this event didn’t go to waste—and to spread some cheer during a difficult time—the Galleria and Bachman’s teams delivered them to hospital workers and local senior citizen centers that were in lockdown.

“After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, we are delighted for the Floral Experience to return,” says Wendy Eisenberg, Galleria’s general manager.

Guests can take in the Floral Experience simply by walking from one end of the Galleria to the other. Small gardens will be installed in the hallways and walkways, and in large, open areas there will be larger garden areas with specific themes.

Landscape architect Bryan Kramer is leading the floral installation design, bringing his 18-plus years of experience to the project.

Free and open to the public, Galleria guests can go on a self-guided tour of the Floral Experience any time the shopping center is open during the 15-day run. —Amy Overgaard

THE GA L L E R IA’ S F LO RAL EX P ERIENC E

Galleria Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Galleria Edina, 3510 W. 69th St.; 952.925.4321; galleriaedina.com Galleria Edina

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LOCAL EVENTS

Connecting with Kids Leadership Awards Breakfast 03/11

The Execs Big Band

The Edina Community Foundation is host-

03/06

ing its 15th annual Connecting with Kids

The Execs are an 18-piece Big Band

Leadership Awards Breakfast. The event

that was initially founded in 1965 by

honors a group of awardees who are

area businessmen. The group is dedi-

nominated by community members and

cated to keeping the music of the Big

demonstrate how they make a difference

Band era alive! Come out for a fun

in the lives of kids in the Edina community.

night of great music. All ages. Free.

Free and open to the public. 7:30–9 a.m.

Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Ave.; 952.300.2378; edinacommunityfoundation.org

6–7 p.m. Edinborough Park Amphitheater, 7700 York Ave. S.; execsbigband.com

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March 2022

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Photos: Galleria Edina; iStock.com/Furtseff

Compiled by Grace Masuda

Westwind Swing Band 03/20 The 18-piece Westwing Swing Band started in 2014 by Joe Singer, lead clarinetist, who was inspired by the music of Artie Shaw. You’ll hear music from the 1920s to 1940s, including popular tunes from Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and, of course, Artie Shaw! All ages. Free.

6–7 p.m. Edinborough Park Amphitheater, 7700 York Ave. S.; hopkinswestwind.org

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AREA EVENTS

Waitress, The Musical 03/09–03/13 Waitress is a humorous Broadway musical based off the acclaimed book by Jessie Nelson about friendship, empowerment and—most importantly—pie. The musical

INTERIOR IMPRESSIONS

www.interiorimpressions.org 651-337-2184

features music and lyrics from popular singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles. All ages. $44–$122. Times vary. Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; 651.224.4222; ordway.org

Princess + Easter Bunny Party 03/27 Join the Disney princesses as well as the Easter Bunny for a great Easter celebration! Professional portraits with the Easter Bunny, interactive story time with the princesses, songs and games, royal crafts and pixie wishes are on deck. All ages. $20–$40. 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Hyatt Regency Bloomington, 3200 E. 81st St., Bloomington; eventbrite.com

Architect Designed, Former Parade Home, Main Level Living To have your event considered: email edinamag@tigeroak.com by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication.

Susan & Gary Wahman 651.270.4709

Due to the fluidity being experienced in the current environment, please note that some events/dates and even some business operations may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.

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G A L L E R Y — Photos by New Spaces Webmaster, Videographer & Photographer Rob Satrom with FeedBack Wrench

New Spaces’ Edina Design Office Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting The grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration of the New Spaces design office, at Life Time Work Edina at Southdale, took place on October 28, 2021. A gathering of clients and community partners, the New Spaces team says the evening was filled with excitement, laughter and fun.

To have your event considered: send date, time, location, photos and contact information, and a brief description of the event, to edinamag@tigeroak.com.

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TA S T E M A K E R S

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Pop the Cork on Crémant Lift a glass to spring entertaining and celebrations with this sparkling wine.

BY STACI PERRY MERGENTHAL

PO P P ING THE CORK on a bottle of

bubbly can fill a room with celebratory spirits. As we move into brunch season and springtime celebrations, let’s take a closer look at a Champagne’s lesserknown cousin, crémant.

With the same richness and body of Champagne, crémant (pronounced kruhmaant) brings the same party vibes—at a fraction of the price. To learn more about this sparkler, we spoke with The Wine Shop’s wine buyer Gary Seelen, who has Level 3 certification from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

What is crémant?

Crémant is the name used for sparkling wine made in the same method of Champagne—often called traditional or méthode champenoise in other parts of France [and Luxembourg]. The term Champagne can only be used for sparkling wines made in the Champagne region of France. Crémants often use the same grapes as Champagne, however, the grapes or blends differ by region. Single varietal or blend rules are set by the regions. The two most well-known [varieties], crémant d’Alsace … and crémant de Loire, [sometimes] blend in different grapes than those allowed in Champagne.

What’s the production process?

The traditional method was discovered in Limoux, France, in the Pyrenees more than 100 years before Dom Pérignon in Champagne, who often gets credit ... [Briefly, the process includes fermenting still wine, usu-

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS EMEOTT

ally in a barrel, followed by bottling the wine and inoculating it to start a second fermentation.] As the second fermentation occurs, the creation of alcohol releases [carbon dioxide], but it cannot escape the bottle, thus creating the bubbles. Sparkling wines will age in the bottles on the dead yeast cells over time, where the bottles are partially turned in the racks (called riddling), creating the creamy texture you taste in traditional method crémants.

After aging on the dead yeast cells … the necks of the bottle are frozen, the yeast cells [emptied], and a small amount of dosage—either more sparkling wine or sugar and still wine— is added back to top off the bottles.

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Does crémant run sweet or dry?

It can be either. It depends on the amount of sugar added during dosage.

The driest crémants will be topped with wine, no sugar added.

How does crémant differ from Champagne?

[Crémant is] generally lighter, less PH, less acid and usually less time on the lees. [Lees are the dead yeast cells, mentioned earlier.]

How does crémant compare to prosecco?

Proseccos are made in large, sealed tanks with [carbon dioxide] added intank to help create bubbles. Crémants, similar to Champagne, are richer, creamier, less sweet and have a higher concentration of bubbles.

Jacob Smith Managing Broker 612.867.5667 Jacob.Smith@LakesMN.com lakessothebysrealty.com 45

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Does crémant have the ability to age?

They are meant to be [consumed] young; they will not age like Champagne, but three to five years is generally OK. What is crémant’s optimal temperature?

All sparkling [wines] should be served around 45–50 degrees F, [the same temperature as Champagne].

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How about food pairings?

I always want to demystify it, make it accessible to everyone. People should drink what they like with [the food] they like. However, there are some classic pairings. Oysters are usually number one in people’s minds, but other shellfish work well—lobster, scallops, crab. [You

can also consider] nonstinky cheese and salty foods, even potato chips.

Why isn’t crémant as well known?

Marketing—follow the money. The different regions that make crémants are more known for their still wines that can often age and can sell large quantities.

What are a few of your favorite crémants?

Alsace is number one for me—creamy and fresh with excellent rosé.

How does one shop for a crémant?

Ask your wine merchant for recommendations on what they carry. You can get great crémants between $15 and $25.

Contact Cynthia Hamre

952.843.8268 cynthia.hamre@tigeroak.com

The Wine Shop, 17521 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka; 952.988.9463; @wineshopminnetonka wineshopminnetonka.com @france_44 France 44, 4351 France Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.925.3252; france44.com

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BUYING CRÉMANT LOCALLY Looking to give crémant a try?

Local shop France 44 has several bottles under $30 from which to choose. “I love crémant for its ability to attain Champagne-quality status, while staying at a more affordable price point,” says France 44 wine specialist Karina Roe, who is a certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and holds a Diploma in Wines through the Wine & Spirits Education Trust.

“I also love that crémant can be far more diverse than Champagne, from where it comes from in France to the grapes used,” Roe says. “It’s inspiring to discover the small family estates that are producing crémant around [France]— it adds to the unique history and traditions that France has in the sparkling wine world.”

Below, Roe shares her two favorite crémant picks from the France 44 selection.

J. Laurens Crémant de Limoux “La Matte” Brut Nature “This incredible producer from southern France’s Limoux region has been a staff and customer favorite for years. This brut nature is bone dry but doesn’t skimp on flavor and texture. The blend is chardonnay, chenin blanc and mauzac, spending 24–36 months aging on the lees for a decadent, creamy texture.

Gustave Lorentz Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé “The Lorentz family has been making wine in France’s northern Alsace region for nearly 200 years. Their gorgeous brut rosé crémant is made from 100 percent pinot noir— Alsace’s red grape specialty. Expect notes of fresh strawberry, bright red cherry and hints of lovely floral notes with a long finish.”

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LAST GLANCE

By Bryce Helmbrecht-Lommel

WINNER: PLANTS & ANIMALS

A Proud Father Winning photo captures birds as they wake up on a cold spring morning.

MARTIN FREEMAN is a bird and wildlife hobbyist and amateur photographer whose photo, Visible Breath of Wren Song, was not only the winner of the Plants & Animals category of the 2021 Images of Edina photo contest but also took home Best in Show.

Freeman says he was walking through his backyard on a chilly morning in early June, seeing what he could find to photograph.

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“The light was perfect, and the highpitched male wren’s chatter-like song drew my attention to the nesting box where we knew these wrens were raising their brood,” he says.

Freeman says that his favorite part of the image is “the visible breath in the cold air and the message it sends about the proud father proclaiming his territory, guarding his mate who was raising a brood of chicks in the nesting box.”

Photographer:

Martin Freeman Title: Visible Breath of Wren Song Equipment:

Canon SLR and lens To view other Images of Edina photo contest winners, visit edinamag.com.

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EMILY WITT PHOTOGRAPHY