Meetings: Minnesota's Hospitality Journal

Weekly Roundup: Magazine news, Hotel accolades, Restaurant news & more.

First, if you missed our BIG news from earlier in the week, please come help us celebrate our revamped magazine, RSVP MN, in a couple weeks. Our readers are our biggest supporters; we'd love to see you at the party!

Here's your news:

+ We're not surprised, obviously, but it's still awesome that both Punch and Pizzeria Lola made Food & Wine's Best Pizza Places in the U.S.

+ The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe has purchased two hotel properties in downtown St. Paul, rumored to be the DoubleTree by Hilton and the Crowne Plaza Riverfront.

+ Another food truck, Potter's Pasties, is opening a bricks and mortar store.

+ Jason DeRusha reviews the new Warehouse District spot, The Belmore/New Skyway Lounge.

+ The Advocate named the Twin Cities one of the Gayest Cities in America.

+ We just found out that SPINCon 2013 will take place in Atlantic City, June 5-7.

+ Great news that the Penumbra Theatre met its fundraising goal and will be back performing this spring.

+ Once again Travel + Leisure named the Saint Paul Hotel to its 500 World's Best Hotels List.

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Weekly Roundup: Restaurant news, Star Awards noms, Pulltabs at the airport & more.

Happy holidays & Happy New Year! We'll see you in 2013, but first here's your news:

+ The Bullfrog in downtown Minneapolis is now the Bulldog.

+ Soon you'll be able to play electronic pulltab games at MSP Airport.

+ Both the Guthrie and the Walker end the 2012 fiscal year on high notes, budget wise.

+ City Pages has an informative piece on the Commons Hotel's new restaurant, the Beacon House.

+ Did you hear about the new restaurant, Borough, coming to Washington Avenue? Opens Jan. 2 and comes to us from two former Travail chefs.

+ Speaking of Travail, the Star Tribune has a little more on the restaurant's move down the block in Robbinsdale.

+ Now Brainerd Lakes has its own brewery: Jack Pine Brewery.

+ Big kudos to Hopkins for making Forbes' list of America's Friendliest Towns.

+ If you need family friendly New Year's plans, head to Nickelodeon Universe for Rock the Universe.

+ Blu Ice Bar at Grand Superior Lodge opens today.

+ ISES MSP is now accepting STAR Awards nominations!

+ Gather at the Walker announced its next guest chefs: Sameh Wadi (January), Lucia Watson (February) and Don Saunders (March).

See you next year!

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Weekly Roundup: Zoo master plan, holiday events, restaurant news & more.

Now that we've all dug out of the snow, it's time to celebrate the holidays. Plenty of organizations and associations are throwing their annual gatherings in the next week - maybe we'll see you there! Here's your news:

+ While it's been publicized a bit already, the Minnesota Zoo unveiled its Master Plan, including a fresh snow monkey exhibit, more African and Asian animals, a revamped Central Plaza and more. So exciting!

+ The Normandy Kitchen named Adam Droski its new executive chef.

+ Will the Smack Shack finally open its restaurant in January?

+ There's lots of holiday cheer going on at the Saint Paul Hotel this month. Don't miss jazz on the weekends in the lobby, It's A Wonderful Life, holiday teas, carolers and more.

+ Liquor Boy in St. Louis Park will be the exclusive outlet for Grand View Lodge's signature wines. Grand View introduced its new wines just this past year.

+ In national news, it's interesting that the Denver Sports Commission (which strives to bring high-profile sporting events to Denver) has decided to join forces with Visit Denver CVB.

+ Public voting has begun in the new annual, $50,000 competition for Minnesota-resident architects, landscape architects, urban designers, planners, engineers, scientists, artists, students and individuals of all backgrounds to create and install a temporary, interactive, site-specific, eco-focused portal to the City of Minneapolis on the Plaza of the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC). There are 16 entries, ranging from issues of recycling to water to architectural “follies” to a giant plaza xylophone. Voting is open to all, but voters must be on Facebook and "like" the Minneapolis Convention Center page to be able to vote.

+ For a great roundup of more holiday events happening all over the state, head over to Minnesota Journeys.

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

 

Weekly Roundup: Restaurant news, St. Paul in a video game, Union Depot reopens & more.

Are you ready for some snow this weekend? Here's your news:

+ The Union Depot in St. Paul reopens tomorrow, with special remarks from Mayor Coleman and Senator Klobuchar and plenty of family friendly activities all day. The Star Tribune has more on the project.

+ Some Minnesotans, including the Minnesota Orchestra, were nominated for Grammy Awards.

+ Crashed Ice, which takes place again in St. Paul next month, has become a video game -- with our capital city as a choice of background!

+ PlannerWire asks conferences to think hard about registration.

+ Draft Magazine named Minneapolis-St. Paul: Beertown USA. Cheers to that!

+ People are very excited Kim Bartmann is opening another restaurant.

+ Spill the Wine is moving.

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Weekly Roundup: Restaurant news, Body Worlds, H&M and more.

Sorry we've been silent around here lately, but we have some big things in store for the New Year. Busy, busy! But for now, here's some news:

+ Adrian Seger had an interesting post on what conference planners can learn from Netflix.

+ Intelligent and tech savvy - hey! Travel + Leisure editor talks to CNN about America's favorite cities, and there we are in all our brilliance.

+ Body Worlds is coming back to the Science Museum of Minnesota.

+ H&M is set to open in Calhoun Square on Dec. 14.

+ The Twin Cities has some big years coming up with the All-Start game (2014), MPI WEC (2014) and SGMP National Education Conference (2015). And now the U.S. Figure Skating Championships are returning in 2016 (last held here in 2008).

+ The food truck-to-restaurant initiative of World Street Kitchen has opened and appears successful.

+ Last week, Jason DeRusha compiled a list of the best holiday restaurant gift card deals. Great ideas for corporate gifts and incentives.

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Weekly Roundup: Big plans for the Zoo, Restaurant news, Crashed Ice gets bigger & more.

Happy Friday everyone! Here's your news:

+ Have you heard about the Minnesota Zoo's plans for the future? We're talking African animals (giraffes! rhinos!), an adventure park (zip lines!), a carousel, maybe sea lions (!?) and more over the next several years. In the short term, we're excited that both Africa and Dinosaurs will be back next summer.

+ Kare Anderson writes about how to Make Your Conference the Centerpoint for a Tight-Knit Community.

+ You can now buy tickets for the Winter Carnival's Beer Dabbler, which will double in size this season.

+ Did you see the winners of last Sunday's Charlie Awards?

+ Broders' is planning to open up a new wine bar at 50th & France.

+ The Metropolitan Airport Commission will vote on a new flight plan next week. It's been a bit controversial.

+ Red Bull Crashed Ice is back in January (woo!) and it's going to be bigger and longer than last year.

+ Osmo Vanska, the Minnesota Orchestra's music director, pleads for both sides to end the lockout.

+ For its 20th season, the Holidazzle Parades will have a full schedule this year, plus grand marshalls like Garrison Keillor and Mayor Rybak.

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Weekly Roundup: Duel winners, Sandy fundraiser, Pinterest news & more.

First, congrats to The Duel of Design winners from last night, Sarah Trotter of Lasting Impressions, Chef Schellin from Smack Shack and Pam from Fleurissima. Now, here's your news:

+ Cheers to much more of a good thing! Summit Brewery is expanding its cellar, breaking ground tonight!

+ Downtown Minneapolis restaurants are receiving questionaires regarding their accessibility. Do they have phones for the hearing impaired? Are portions of the bar lower for those in wheelchairs?

+ Mystic Lake started serving alcohol this week.

+ A big Arts & Crafts show takes place at Canterbury this weekend.

+ A one-day Hurricane Sandy fundraiser took place at Mall of America yesterday, raising more than $185,000.

+ It seems we hear of this discussion every few years in both downtowns, but will we see streetcars in St. Paul once again?

+ You've probably already heard that Pinterest is offering secret boards for the holidays. The idea would work great for birthdays, baby shower ideas, anniversary parties and other secret events, too.

+ It's the end of the season for Nice Ride (nearly 275,000 bike rides in 2012!) and MN2020 has an interview with the executive director.

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Weekly Roundup: Big hotel news, Best bike city again, Ice castles & more!

Happy November everyone! Here's your news:

+ The building that used to house Nate's Clothing in downtown Minneapolis may become a boutique hotel. Does the Twin Cities need another boutique hotel?

+ Both The Hotel Minneapolis and the Comfort Inn in downtown have been sold to new owners. Expect some changes and renovations.

+ Outside magazine named Minneapolis in its top 10 Best Bike Cities in North America.

+ Jeff Hurt has an interesting column: Is Your Conference Focused on Speakers or Attendees?

+ Do you need a little help with your event website? Here are some tips on how to fix it.

+ Both the Graves 601 Hotel and The Saint Paul Hotel were named to Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards Top 25 Hotels in the Midwest list.

+ Grand View Lodge has been bestowed the honor of one of the best resorts in the world according to Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. The Brainerd Lakes’ premier resort was ranked number #4 among the top 5 resorts in the Midwest and named to the top 160 in the United States.

+ Did you hear about the huge ice castle that will be constructed outside Mall of America? Starting soon!

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Weekly Roundup: Duel of Design, Restaurant news, Charlie Awards & more

Looks like it might be a lovely fall weekend. Enjoy! Here's your news:

+ Wondrous Azian Kitchen has closed (can anything make it in that spot?) and looks like owner Thom Pham is in a little financial trouble.

+ The Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC) and the Mayor’s Office of the City of Minneapolis announce a new, annual, two-stage competition for Minnesota-resident architects, landscape architects, urban designers, planners, engineers, scientists, artists, students and individuals of all backgrounds to create and install a temporary, interactive, site-specific, eco-focused “portal” to the City of Minneapolis on the Plaza of the Minneapolis Convention Center beginning summer 2013.

+ Minneapolis was named the No. 11 place to trick or treat in the country.

+ I thought this was a cool column about a local journalist being reawakened to the wonders of the Twin Cities.

+ The Studio ArTour of South Central Minnesota takes place this weekend.

+ The new Commons Hotel, which just opened on the U of M's East Bank, will open its gastropub, Beacon Public House, in the new year.

+ Have you bought your tickets for The Duel of Design yet? Takes place Nov. 8!

+ Have you voted for your favorite food items for Charlie Awards? You have until Oct. 28.

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor

Weekly Roundup: Light rail, weekend events, tech news & more.

If you haven't read our new issue yet, it's online now! Here's your news.

+ Corbin Ball gives 13 meetings technology predictions for 2013. (For ex: Event Wi-fi problems will get worse before they get better.)

+ The first light rail car for the Central Corridor arrived downtown this week.

+ Ever wanted to be on Master Chef? You could have your chance. Open auditions held locally tomorrow!

+ Will you Zombie-fy your life this weekend? What about attend Book Fest? Fall on the Farm?

+ Starting this Tuesday, Oct. 16, SIX15 in the Grand Hotel Minneapolis will start offering Pimm's & Polish -- mini manicures and drinks for $20 -- open to the public. Every third Tuesday!

-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor