Meetings: Minnesota's Hospitality Journal

Lake Street Love

I was delighted to see this article in the Star Tribune yesterday. Back in January I posted about The Lake Street Council's new marketing efforts to clean up the street's image and promote all the fantastic cultural attractions it offers. At the center of this campaign is VisitLakeStreet.com, which has been spruced up considerably since my January post. Check out their new videos, photos and follow them on Twitter and facebook.

--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor

Chambers' New D'Amico Kitchen Sneak Peek

The good folks at D'Amico Kitchen (the new restaurant at the Chambers hotel) hosted myself, Editor Joel Schettler and Associate Editor Ellie Bayrd for lunch today. It was delightful.

The new restaurant had its soft opening on Monday but the Grand Opening will be Sept. 9. The space still looks conducive to the rest of the hotel--very clean and simple, very Chambers--but with new works of art and splashes of lavender and coral on a few of the walls. The low couches have been replaced by tables and (very comfy) creamy-white leather chairs. I peeked out onto the patio, where a few people were sitting in what used to be known as the Gorilla Bar and is now called Eden. It seems aptly named, as our server told us they're going to plant some vines and make it more garden-like, reminiscent of the patio at Campiello's old Uptown location. I'm not sure if the new name for the upstairs bar (formerly Red White and F*#%ing Blue) has been announced yet, but I asked our server and he said it will be called XO.

We started lunch with lamb meatballs and yogurt sauce. There were golden raisins, onions and mint involved as well. I'm no wine pairing expert but I thought they were delicious with the Malbec I ordered. Then Joel and I both had the garganelli carbonara with pancetta and fava beans. SUPER flavorful. Ellie had the grilled chicken sandwich, which was tasty but I liked my pasta better. I was intrigued by literally everything on the dessert menu (a common issue for me) but we settled on two tasty little numbers: warm almond frangipane-filled crepes with vanilla mascarpone and almond brittle (my favorite of the two) and warm chocolate cake with olive oil gelato and cherries. Although I've never been big on chocolate cake (freakish, I know) I have a deep, unwavering affection for ice cream in all its forms. I could not pass up the chance to try this olive oil gelato and it was rich and creamy and everything I thought it might be. Don't know if I could eat more than just that one scoop though.

Our server was professional, attentive and offered suggestions when we asked. The food was very tasty and very interesting, with options for the less adventurous eaters among us (ahem, Ellie) and for the types who will eat just about anything (me and Joel). All in all, it was everything you'd expect from D'Amico and I'm very excited to see what they'll cook up for our Sept. 24 Vision Awards we're holding in the ART room (pictured). I'll try not to spend all my time stuffing D'Amico appetizers in my purse, but if I am, hopefully now you'll understand.

--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor

Image from Chambers' Web site

Tour de Farm recaps

Thanks to City Pages, I discovered that the folks behind Tour de Farm have been blogging recaps and video from the events. (I wrote up a short blurb about this new local dining experience in the summer issue.)

The first Tour de Farm event was held at Hidden Stream Farm in Elgin on June 7. Click for recaps Part I and II and III and video (by Bob Seabold). The set up looked cozy and rustic, the pigs active and the food divine.

The second event took place on the greens of the Walker Art Center on July 30. I watched the video (also by Seabold), and it really gives a lovely interpretation of the day, from set up to dessert. First, I love the music ("Can't Count to Four" by Opposable Thumbs). Second, watching all the different chefs, including Alex Roberts and Asher Miller, from around the Twin Cities gather and cook together to pull off this event, and then to see all the people (spot Mayor Rybak) enjoying the food, really showcases what a wonderful community of food appreciators we have here. Imagine plating all those dishes, grilling on huge grills and working (and eating) amongst the rain sprinkles - what an accomplishment! Once again, see Parts I, II, III and video. 

Only the first post is up for the Aug. 16 event, set at Grass Roots Farm in Saginaw, so be sure to check the Tour de Farm blog for more updates, about this event and the ones in September and October. (Updated 9-22-09: Saginaw parts II & III, and Cedar Summit Farm, part I, this past weekend. I also should've sent a shout out to Kris Hase, the brains behind the Tour de Farm blog, for his great posts/photography.)

Looks like a success. Congrats to founder Scott Pampuch and all involved!

--Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Favre Fever

It's only been a couple of days, but Brett Favre joining the Minnesota Vikings is already beginning to have an impact on the region's hospitality industry. In my in-box this morning I received a promotion that is just underway at The Hotel Minneapolis that hopes to capitalize on a bit of the Favre Fever.

From the press release: "Guests who stay three nights at The Hotel Minneapolis and trade in their old Brett Favre Green Bay Packers jersey (any NFL jersey will do) will receive a third night stay for just $4.  The jerseys will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club. This package, with rates starting at $99 per night, is available for Friday to Sunday stays, is subject to availability and will be available throughout the NFL season.  It is a pre-paid, non-refundable package.  Jerseys must be given to The Hotel Minneapolis upon check-in. 

Being an ardent Green Bay Packer fan, Brian Schmechel, General Manager of The Hotel Minneapolis, states, "I feel it is paramount that we reach out to both those who are elated and deflated at this latest and unexpected turn of events. With such a great deal, everyone wins!"

--Joel Schettler

Editor

All The News That's Fit to Blog

Several local hospitality-related news bits today:

• This caught my eye because I stayed at a Radisson this past weekend. The Star Tribune reports that Minneapolis-based Radisson Hotels & Resorts has announced its computer system was hacked between November 2008 and May 2009. Whether guests' names and credit card numbers have been compromised is still uncertain but the company is advising customers to monitor their credit accounts and report unauthorized activity to their banks. For more, visit Radisson's FAQ page on the incident.
• Finance and Commerce reports that the developers of the Hotel Ivy is playing a "he-sued, she-sued" game with their lenders. The article explains: "Minneapolis-based Dougherty Funding claims that the developers are in default on their hotel loan and owe $1.8 million in principal and penalties. The developers claim Dougherty is holding onto more than $1.4 million in 'excess proceeds' from condo sales."
• And to top off this big bummer blog post, the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal reports that Delta is going to stop directly serving Duluth by the end of August.    

On the upside, we didn't get swept away in the tornado that hit near our office today.

--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor

Why You Should Take Our Survey

We hope that, between our e-blasts (Don't receive these? Sign up here.), Twitter reminders, blog posts and Web site links, you are already aware of our sixth annual State of the Industry Survey. Whether the survey is old news or new to you, we hope you will take the time to participate (10 or so minutes).

Wondering WHY? Well, here are a few good reasons:

+ The data we collect helps us all examine the status of the local hospitality industry and find out what has changed over the past six years.
+ Your contributions inform our annual winter State of the Industry Report (see last year's results) and inspire the topics of conversation at our annual State of the Industry Event (Feb. 2, 2010, at Saint Paul RiverCentre).
+ The data and discussions could help you learn from others in the industry about how they are faring in this economy or help you become a better planner or vendor.
+ By reflecting about the last year of your career and answering these questions, you may learn something about yourself.
+ The information and opinions you share help us better write about the local hospitality industry.

That's not all ...
+ Participants who complete the survey receive $10 off admission to the State of the Industry Event and are entered into a drawing for a weekend getaway "up north."

Convinced? Get to clicking and answering. Remember, this survey is for all of you in the local hospitality industry: full- and part-time planners (even those of you without "planner" in your official title) and vendors (that's anyone who provides services to the local hospitality industry).

Your time and thoughtful responses are very much appreciated.

Thank you,
The Editors of Meetings: Minnesota's Hospitality Journal

Glamorama 2009

Associate Editor Ellie Bayrd and I attended Glamorama on Friday night. A fashion show event to raise money for Children's Cancer Research Fund, Glamorama is put on by Macy's every August. The evening begins (unless you attend a pre-party) with an hour-long fashion show, featuring top-name designers Jean Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs and high-profile entertainment, this year R&B superstar Ne-Yo, pop newcomer Kristinia DeBarge and jazz trio The New Standards. After the fashion show, guests who paid for the opportunity head up to Macy's Eighth Floor for the after party.

For me, the fashion show was the highlight. And I'm not even a fashionista in any sense of the word. But, the show was well choreographed and the music was awesome. Ne-Yo was fantastic and The New Standard's version of Britney Spears' "Toxic" was superb. The models strutted around differently for each designer, and while many didn't smile, I think you could tell they were having fun up there. (For more on the fashions found at Glamorama, see Allison Kaplan's column in Saturday's Pioneer Press.) It takes a lot to orchestrate and plan a fashion show, and I thought it was very well done. (For more on the year-long planning, check out this article from Vita.mn.)

The after party was also a good time, with lots of food stations - from mini burgers and nachos to mini ice cream cones - and overflowing beverages. While the food wasn't quite as amazing as years past, I did think the way they arranged the food around the eighth floor and the mammoth patio worked well. A DJ spun tunes over the dance floor, I heard Ne-Yo partied in the VIP lounge most of the evening, Dance Dance Revolution and Wiis were set up off to the side of another dance floor and the who's who of the Twin Cities interspersed with long-legged models.

I took some photos of the evening, but please forgive the awful lighting in some of the shots - I'm an amateur! We weren't allowed to take photos during the show, but if you're interested in the fashions, you can find slideshows at City Pages and the Star Tribune.

Were you at Glamorama this year? What did you think of the evening?

--Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

On the Roll

Recently, Sue Pelletier of Face2Face took a break from her regular blog posts to look through her blogroll, post new links and share a bit about each blog/blogger. I always enjoy checking out the blogrolls of sites. Those recommendations have directed me to some sites I visit daily.

If you look to the left of this page, you'll see we list our own recommendations. As you might guess, Face2Face is on there, and that's how I found the link that inspired this post (she's also among those we follow on Twitter). I also find that I enjoy checking in with Geri Wolf of Style Laboratory's Eventful Rambling blog often, whether for insights on event planning or for dining recommendations and to see beautiful photos of events she's organized. Often I start my day with a look at what's on the mind of HotelChatter, which features a mix of useful travel/hotel news and hilarious hotel dos and don'ts. Another great voice for the travel industry: Christopher Elliott, who seems to get to the heart of travel problems and solve issues for travelers. I found him through his articles on CNN.com. Jeff Hurt's Midcourse Corrections blog often draws me in; he recently started a spirited discussion about having to pay for virtual event attendance to MPI's WEC. For social media thoughts I often turn to Chris Brogan and Chris Lower, whose post yesterday about a PR mishap was quite interesting.

Which sites/blogs do you visit daily and who would you recommend to us or to your fellow hospitality professionals? Check out our updated blogroll for more suggestions.

--Ellie M. Bayrd, Associate Editor

Will Work For Food: Fresh Taste Festival Recap

You may or may not know that Minnesota Monthly is a sister publication to Meetings: Minnesota's Hospitality Journal. So when the office started to buzz with preparations for Minnesota Monthly's Fresh Taste Festival, a light went off in my little foodie head. If I volunteer to help at the festival, I thought, I'll be able to nibble fancy snacks and hobnob with local chefs and organic produce suppliers ALL DAY! So I showed up, helped out, made new foodie friends and had a generally delicious time. Here are some highlights:

• With the folks at the PastureLand Coop booth, I discussed (and tasted) the merits of butter from grass-fed cattle. I've seriously never had butter this delicious. It was just butter on bread, and yet when I tasted it, I momentarily forgot there was any other food in the room. Corner Table Chef/Owner Scott Pampuch was just a few booths away, cooking up popcorn with PastureLand's butter and serving it in very tiny, very cute brown paper bags.
• And then I smelled the bacon and burger patties at the Thousand Hills Cattle Company booth. (This is probably the only thing that could have torn me away from that creamy, rich, golden-yellow butter.) If you're not familiar with the Cannon Falls-based beef supplier, go to The Strip Club in St. Paul, where Chef JD Fratzke (who did a demo at the festival) uses only beef from Thousand Hills Cattle Company. Order a steak there and taste the difference compared to a traditional steak from a grain-fed steer. It's funny that we call grain-fed beef "traditional" since cattle are ruminants and evolved to eat only grass--not the diet of corn and soy that we feed them today. I'll hold off on my diatribe about grass-fed beef and point you to Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl's take on the Thousand Hills Cattle Co. beef at The Strip Club, and this article from TIME.
• Two of my other favorites were the Chowgirls Catering booth (See those deviled eggs up there? You want one dontcha?) and the offerings from the folks at Birchwood Café (pictured at left). Whatever turkey gave his life for the cilantro-lime turkey salad made a noble sacrifice indeed. It was the brightest, summery-est thing I tasted all day. Also, their brownies made with Peace Coffee espresso were Killer. Yes, that's a capital "K."
• Speaking of dessert, I only was able to watch one of the three cooking demos, but I picked a good one. Michelle Gayer, confectioner extraordinaire, made plum- and cream-filled brioche while chatting with moderator Sue Zelickson about how she started baking, the many accolades she's earned and of course her year-old bakery inside the Midtown Global Market, The Salty Tart. Do yourself a favor and stop by for no reason whatsoever. Don't wait for a special birthday cake order, just go. The shop is cute as a button, with all the cakes and pastries displayed with as much love and care as the bakers put into making them. It's everything a bakery should be and it just makes you feel happy.

Yes, it was a good day. We're lucky to have so many catering companies, chefs, restaurants, bakers and produce suppliers in Minnesota who care about real food that's healthy, sustainable and delicious.

--Marni Ginther
Assistant Editor

Food and Dining News: August

IN THIS EDITION: Downtown's restaurant ruckus, Gettin' fresh at the Fresh Taste Festival, and Julie and Julia and ... my mom

Ok, Ok it's not really a ruckus here in the center of Minneapolis, I just really like that word and it made a nice alliteration with "restaurant." But with July's closing of Bellanotte and Morton's, plus the earlier news of D'Amico moving into the Chambers Kitchen space and the Oceanaire filing for Chaper 11, downtown dining has taken some pretty big blows in the last month. A lot of the trouble is concentrated along Hennepin Avenue and around Block E, an area already full of boarded windows and "for lease" signs. Bill Ward at the Star Tribune has a great article on the whole situation and talks to some folks right in the thick of it, including Craig Ritacco, manager of Mission American Kitchen and Solera owner Josh Thoma. It would be easy for Ward to write an article portending the doom of downtown dining, but he reminds us that we're in the middle of a recession, construction has the whole neighborhood looking like a war zone, and yet, new places are still opening up. (The Guthrie's Sea Change and Randy Norman's soon-to-open OM in the old Nate's Clothing spot are just two examples.) So there are just a whole lot of shake-ups going on. And although it's sad to see places closing, there are just as many (if not more) new places opening. Check out the City Pages Hot Dish blog, where Rachel Hutton does a monthly roundup of openings and closings. 

You know what else you should do? Come to the Fresh Taste Festival at the Nicollet Island Pavilion this Sunday, August 9! I'll be there! If you need a reason beyond that (although I can't imagine why) here are a few:

• Cooking demos by: The Strip Club's JD Fratzke, The Salty Tart's Michelle Gayer and Raghavan Iyer,  co-founder of the Asian Culinary Arts Institute and menu designer for OM. 
• Sample tasty victuals and libations from exhibitors on the leading edge of the local, sustainable and organic food movement.
• Proceeds go to Minnesota Public Radio
• Fresh Taste partners with Eureka Recycling to create a "zero waste" event--last year's event produced ONE bag of trash. That's it.

 And finally, you probably don't need anyone to tell you how delightful Julie & Julia is--but just let me tell you. It's delightful. I went to an advance screening with my mom on Wednesday and today it's open everywhere. I might go see it again.
Mom and I have loved Julia for a long time. I can trace this love back to a particular holiday episode of Martha Stewart's show on which the legendary cook made a guest appearance to bake croquembouche. This seemed an insanely elaborate undertaking for a home cook, involving stacking profiteroles into a pyramid and covering them with caramel threads. My mom and I couldn't stop laughing because Martha's wasn't turning out so well and she was clearly miffed at being upstaged by the shrill old lady. Rick Nelson has a funny post about his own personal story around the movie, involving the only time he ever met Julie Powell at the James Beard Awards.
How about you? Are you going to see the movie? Have either of these women influenced the way you think about food or cooking? 

--Marni Ginther
Assistant Edior

Photos: Julie & Julia from Sony Pictures, Fresh Taste by Jennifer Cress