December 2013

In the December issue of Lake Minnetonka Magazine, you'll get wrapped up in the holiday spirit after you check out our feature about holiday drinks. We've polled local bartenders for their favorite winter beverages, and the results will warm you up and help you relax during a stressful time of the year. You'll also meet some of the Lake Minnetonka area's most dedicated volunteers - residents who spend their free time helping people in need. And, if holiday entertaining is a must for you this month, check out our menu of small-bite treats from around the world. You'll find all that and more in the new issue - pick up a copy today!

[People]
Deb Zeller Captures the Fun-loving Spirit of a Neighbor’s Dog

Poised, astute and composed are three characteristics a photographer dreams of in a subject. Often these prove to be difficult to find. Not so for Victoria resident Deb Zeller.

 
[Dining Out]
Review: Lake Minnetonka's Best Light Meals

’Tis the season of nonstop overeating, and already you’re starting to feel like the butterball turkey’s cousin. Your fat, sugar and salt intake is off the charts, yet unhealthy food seems impossible to avoid. How can you resist your neighbor’s special yuletide cookies?

 
Duck Calls

In October, the Minnetonka Center for the Arts celebrated internationally recognized wildlife artists the Hautman Brothers with a reception and display of their wildlife art. Together, Jim, Robert and Joe’s paintings have won 10 federal duck stamp contests.

 
[Arts]
Minnetonka Theatre Celebrates the Holidays with Oliver!

Perfect for the holiday season, Oliver! tells the tale of a courageous orphan seeking a better life. After escaping the drab confines of an orphanage, he falls in with a gang of pickpockets, but Oliver isn’t fit for a life of crime.

 
[Food & Drink]
International Small Bites from Lake-area Restaurants

Maybe your travels will take you to faraway destinations in the new year or perhaps you're just dreaming about exotic locations.

 
[Giving Back]
Vital Volunteers around Lake Minnetonka

Countless men, women and children in our community benefit from the tireless efforts of volunteers willing to dedicate a bit of their free time and lend their skills and experience to important causes.

 
[Drinks]
Lake Minnetonka Bartenders Serve Up Holiday Favorites

If there is one thing Minnesotans know about the long, cold winter, it’s that every once in a while you need a good, stiff drink to take the edge off.

 
[Homes]
Minnetonka’s Shady Oak Veterinary Clinic moves to a beautiful new location

When Dr. Barb Leppke decided to move her veterinary practice to a new, remodeled space, she was focused on the nitty-gritty details of a busy clinic. “We were looking for elbow room,” she remembers. “And good heating and cooling.”

 
[Giving Back]
The Mother Bear Project

Too often news stories of people in despair leave our minds once the screen switches images or the newspaper is laid aside. But once in a while, a story is so affecting that an individual is spurred to action.

 
[Wellness]
Lake Minnetonka Figure Skating Club Sparks a Passion

As the Winter Olympics approach, medal-winning heroes can ignite passion in young dreamers. The figure skaters of the games seem especially inspiring, combining both artistry and athleticism. Their graceful glides burst into phenomenal feats of aerial acrobatics. Onlookers gape in amazement.

 
[Outdoors]
Excelsior Couple Shares Joy of Reindeer During Holidays

In the middle of a long Minnesota winter, while most of us are pulling on our parkas and grumbling about the latest snowfall, a few lake-area residents are in their element. Can you guess who? With wet noses, shaggy coats and an Arctic appetite, we’re talking about reindeer, of course!

 
[Around Town]
Minnetonka Chamber Choir Sings Holiday Favorites

After a July trip to St. John’s, Newfoundland, the Minnetonka Chamber Choir is ready to serenade Lake Minnetonka residents with holiday tunes.

 
[Shops]
Gray Garden Home Store Celebrates December

With a chill in the air, Excelsior’s Gray Gardens Home Store embraces the changes that winter brings with celebration.

 
[Shops & Business]
Canvasback Liners Protect Vehicle Backseats from Wear

Cars never really interested Brooks Chandler, but after purchasing the Canvasback company from a couple in Sun Valley, Idaho (and moving it to Spring Park), the self-proclaimed pet lover discovered perks she knew would be popular with oth

 
[Around Town]
Excelsior Bay Books Sells Calendars Fit for 2014

Prepare for 2014 and browse Excelsior Bay Book’s selection of boxed and wall calendars. The store’s collection includes traditional Minnesota options, classic calendar photos and a few off–beat choices.

 
[Giving Back]
Lake Minnetonka Sites Host Holiday Gift Drives

The holidays present financial challenge for many families, so why not give back if you can? Check out two of the toy drives happening in the Lake Minnetonka area.

 
[Kitchen]
Recipe: McCormick's Small-bite Chicken Rolls

McCormick’s is an Irish pub, and a delightful one at that. The food exceeds expectations, pushing this pub into the realm of gastropub, a place to enjoy a pint that also has finely crafted, thoughtful and creative food.

 
[Giving Back]
Christkindlsmart’s Father Christmas Gives Back to His Community

He has the look: white hair, white beard, round shape. Russ Erickson embodies Santa without even trying. But Erickson didn’t always play the well-known North Pole resident.