February 2015

In the February issue of Lake Minnetonka Magazine you'll go on a jewelry journey with local gem Jen Scheffler, discover the lake area's rich past while sipping on a local brew, and find winter hair tips from DIY style expert Jan Hendricks.

Soup is a transformative food. It has the power to heal, comfort and fortify—in short, it’s the ideal winter nourishment.

 

In September, Top Dog Country Club hosted its annual event, Howlin’ for Growlers, at Excelsior Brewing Co. The event benefited the organization’s charitable arm, the Top Dog Foundation, which is committed to providing loving homes for aging and ill dogs who would otherwise be euthanized.

 

Bray Homes thanked supporters with its first-ever client appreciation party at Excelsior Brewing Co. in October. The party events featured a raffle of items including Minnesota Gopher hockey tickets and restaurant gift cards, all to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network.

 

As Minnesotans, there are landscapes we become accustomed to seeing. Wise old trees reflected in glassy lakes are as familiar to us as our own reflections in the mirror. It’s easy to lose sight of how majestic our sights really are.

 

The beloved story of a little bunny who doesn’t want to go to sleep is being brought to life by the Stages Theatre.

 

In our modern society, moving back home after college or for a stint during adulthood usually brings to mind unemployment, lack of success or a failure to launch. But that stereotype doesn’t allow for the diversity of many parent-child relationships.

 

When Nathan Rowbotham responded to a call for auditions for Blue Water Theatre Company in the local paper, he had no idea becoming part of a show would introduce him to his second family.

 

You’re not imagining it: The dreariness of February isn’t just impacting our moods. With a few months of winter already under our belts and another couple to go, the lackluster outdoors are seeping into our bodies, stealing our skin’s glow and our hair’s shine.

 

Ron Kamps of Minnetonka is no stranger to a full workweek. The former director of worldwide sales and marketing at Control Data Corp. (now Seagate) spent a large part of his life serving in high-profile leadership positions at a number of worldwide companies for more than four decades.

 

Connie Frederick is in the business of keeping Excelsior fashionable. Her women's clothing store, Ooh La La, has been a fashion mainstay in the Lake Minnetonka community for 17 years.

 

On the second Monday of each month, a crowd of lake-area residents gathers at the Excelsior Brewing Co.’s taproom to learn about local history over a pint.

 

It’s not likely for a Minnesotan to become a pro tennis player. “That’s like becoming a Jamaican bobsledder—but in reverse,” says David Wheaton.

 

The early-morning sun floods through the windows of Hans’ Bakery and illuminates the cases of seemingly endless baked treats and novelties.

 

Parents aren’t the only ones who stress out. School-related stress is common among kids, yet it’s often tricky to handle. To help, Susan Berdahl and the St. David’s Center’s School-Linked Mental Health team gathered these tips for parents of young kids with school anxieties.

 

This Valentine’s Day, tell your sweetheart you love her in the language of flowers, with our top picks from local florists.

Candlelight Floral

 

Celebrate the chilly season with the Wayzata Chilly Open (and maybe a cup of chili). The event returns with three nine-hole ice-golf courses for those willing to take on the challenge.

 

Years ago, if you told Marian Quanbeck Dahlberg that she would be
honored as a finalist in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards for her
linen weaving, she might have laughed. The Minnetonka resident did,

 

John Breyfogle of Minnetonka kept his favorite local magazine close by his side even as he visited the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, while on a World War II history tour through France, Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany.

 

Just because the landscape can be a little drab this time of year doesn’t mean you have to be. Brighten your look with these makeup tips from Missi Davis of Bella on the Bay:

 

We were taught to stop, drop and roll, but how much do we know about fire safety beyond that?

 

It’s hard to believe that Jen Scheffler didn’t start out making jewelry. Originally interested in photography, she had a love of all things vintage that led her to explore reworking antique jewelry.