Noteworthy

local tips, tidbits & insights

SHAKE OR STIR YOUR WAY TO A GREAT COCKTAIL.

IT’S TIME TO PREP FOR Halloween and Day of the Dead. This hearty cocktail pairs with colder weather, and it’s also great for entertaining. Shaken or stirred, here we go:

Blood and Sand Cocktail

» ¾ oz. Scotch (Use a blended

Scotch for lower proofs and smoother cocktails. There’s no need to break out the single malts.) » ¾ oz. sweet vermouth » ¾ oz. cherry Heering liqueur » ¾ oz. freshly-squeezed orange juice » orange peel for garnish

Pour liquids into a cocktail shaker. Shake and pour. Or add ingredients to a pitcher, stir and pour. Add orange peel for garnish.

Kevin Castellano is an area wine and liquor expert. wayzatawineandspirits.com

A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRM, A DIFFERENT KIND OF WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Client Focused: Our family is the largest client of the firm Experience: Josh has been a money manager in the Twin Cities for over 40 years. Judd spent almost 20 years on Wall Street at 3 of the largest hedge funds in the industry Performance: Since 2016, our proprietary client portfolio has generated net returns of +230.4% compared to 80.6% for the S&P 500 1

We offer a free, 48-minute no cost, no obligation consultation on your investment portfolio. We regularly meet with clients in our Edina Office.

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ORGANIZE

Tackle the top three “problem” areas to organize.

I am often contacted for help with three “problem” areas. These areas are easily filled due to over-owning, forgetfulness or procrastination. Let’s get organized.

Closets: Try the KonMari method, popularized by organizing expert Marie Kondo. Take all items out of your closet (dressers, too), and put everything on top of your bed. I guarantee seeing the amount of items piled up will motivate you. Review each piece, and set aside items that do not fit or “spark joy” or are older than 10 years. Bag up the unwanted items, and deliver them to a local charity. Consider cutting up worn items to use as rags. Put the remaining items back in your closet, grouping by color.

Pantries: Toss out expired items. Identify products that you have in abundance or do not plan to use and drop them off at a food bank. Group remaining items by category (i.e. soups with soup, pasta with pasta). Place grouped items in storage bins, labeling for easy identification. I recommend putting flour, sugar, rice and beans in airtight containers.

Garage: Back out your cars and mark off three sections using painter’s tape. Label the sections “donate,” “keep” and “junk haulers.” Start on one end of the garage and work your way around. Don’t forget items stored in the rafters or attic. After you take your donations and have the junk hauled away, you can then assess what type of storage system and bins you will need.

Take 15 minutes a day to accomplish your goal. You will be amazed by how much you can get done. Put on a timer, and get started!

Kira Vanderlan operates a decluttering, organizing, staging and design company. zestfuldesign.com

READ

Fall calls for suspense and thriller novels.

Curl up with a good thriller!

Killing Kate by Alex Lake: Kate just broke up with her boyfriend, and now there is a serial killer murdering women resembling her. Is this her boyfriend seeking revenge or a stalker? This fastpaced book is a puzzle to the very end.

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian: This historical thriller (Boston in the 1600s) finds Mary, a victim of domestic violence. When she tries to lawfully separate from her husband, the men in power are not interested in hearing her side of the story, so she takes matters into her own hands.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen: If you were a fan of The Last Mrs. Parrish or Gone Girl, this is your next read. The book’s premise is that life is not always as it appears. The multiple perspectives throughout the book build the suspense to make for a twisty read.

Verity by Colleen Hoover: Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer, who gets a job offer that will solve her financial woes. Little does she know what she is getting into when she enters Verity Crawford’s house. The book is full of suspense with steamy scenes and creepy undertones.

When the Stars Go Dark by Paul McLain: This circa 1993 thriller follows Anna, a female detective, who specializes in missing children. She gets pulled into a case in her hometown, and the book focuses on healing past wounds.

Hunting Wives by May Cobb: Think of the juiciest Us Weekly article, mixed with the Bravo’s The Real Housewives franchise, and add a murder. Readers can fall in love with and hate these women all while getting sucked into their drama.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides: This book stars Alicia, who is a famous painter married to a fashion photographer. She shoots her husband then refuses to speak. The story follows the psychotherapist, who is trying to unravel the mystery of her actions.

Plymouth residents Amy Sundet and Katie Timcho can be found on Instagram at @overbookedmoms.

GET FIT

Residents open the first Fitness Machine Technicians location in the Twin Cities.

Plymouth’s Brian and Bethany Dillon are serving the area’s gym equipment needs by teaming up with Fitness Machine Technicians, a national franchise that services corporate and residential gym equipment, to open the Twin Cities location.

“Fitness has always been a passion of ours,” says Brian. The Dillons saw an opportunity for the business when they realized how many Twin Cities residents rely on fitness equipment in local or home gyms.

Brian enjoys the strategic side of running a business; Bethany handles customer service. “He’s the numbers guy. I’m the people person, so both of us bringing those different skill sets into owning this business together has really created this nicely balanced partnership,” Bethany says.

In the first year of operation, the Dillons fielded a greater number of residential calls, likely because more people bought home gym equipment during the pandemic. Since the spring, they’ve noticed an uptick in calls from professional gyms that are expecting new and returning customers.

“It is great to see our fellow Minnesota residents having greater access to fitness options as facilities reopen. We are happy that we can play a role in helping local health clubs, hotels, and apartment and condo communities to safely resume activities at their facilities,” Bethany says.

Fitness Machine Technicians of Minneapolis & Saint Paul takes calls from customers as far away as Rochester and western Wisconsin. The business’s social distancing protocols are in place, and technicians wear masks in customers’ homes and

businesses. —KIRA SCHUKAR

Fitness Machine Technicians of Minneapolis & Saint Paul; 612.605.7558 fitnessmachinetechnicians.com @FMTMSP @fmt_msp

REALTOR

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