And actually, I have something exciting to share. On a recent plane ride, as I sat between the window and my new friend Paul, ideas of writing started filling my head. I politely cut Paul’s “When I was in the Air Force” conversation short, picked up my weapon of choice (a pen) and semi-clean sheet of paper and wrote this:

“I am currently high over the US on a plane bound for DC. I don’t have access to my computer, so this note paper will have to do. I’m bursting with excitement and ideas at the moment. Which is probably due to numerous things: 1. I had a lot of caffeine and a cold slice of pizza for breakfast 2. I just skimmed through an issue of Fast Company and was utterly inspired by all the social innovation out there and 3. I recently decided to start a journaling and creative writing class with my friend Dani.

The best part of this soon-to-be writing class? We’re offering it at the local YWCA women’s shelter in Fargo. And if there’s anything that gets me going, it’s the philanthropic process. Add writing to that and BAM! Instant excitement in Lauren’s world.

So far, Dani and I have brainstormed a few ideas of class topics (creating characters, composing poetry, developing short stories, writing fairy tales with your kids, etc.), but some of the ideas I’m most looking forward to trying out are the ones that involve collaboration. I know “teamwork” is a common trait among my generation, but I fully believe in working together. Why not tap into resources and create connections to do even more good?

Speaking of, I can’t wait to collaborate with local musician and writer Diane Miller. She is incredibly talented and graciously agreed to be a guest at our class. We’re hoping she’ll walk us through the elements of songwriting and help us create amazing jams like this one of hers. She has a brilliant mind and a heart for helping – I’m thrilled that our paths have crossed in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

My in-flight daydreaming also led to the eventual creation of a nonprofit that empowers girls through writing. I haven’t done a lot of research on what’s already out there, but as far as I know, there isn’t an existing nonprofit doing this work. But hey, if there is, let’s join forces and get even more good stuff done (there’s that teamwork again)!

The more I think about this concept, the more I’m getting excited. From my own experience, I know that writing can be such a therapeutic process, especially is times of trial. Not only that, but to call someone a “writer” is an empowering experience. I’ve kept journals for as long as I can remember, written papers for class, articles for publications, and I never thought to call myself a writer. But once someone else defines you in that way, believing it slowly becomes easier. I want to be that person in young girls lives. I want to help them recognize their emotions and put them on paper. I want them to feel like their stories are worth writing down. I want them to feel like writers. Everyone wants this recognition, don’t they? People want to be heard, they want their life story to mean something, to affect others.

Every big idea has to start somewhere, so this upcoming writing class will be a great experience. Don’t get me wrong, I’m slightly terrified. What if no shows up? What if I can’t actually teach writing? What if no one feels inspired? But that’s the best part of giving back and putting yourself out there. Not only am I hoping the ladies in our class will gain something from the writing process, but I have a feeling that my future students will also help me realize my own writing aspirations.”

So if you’re reading and you have ideas, feedback or (constructive) criticism – let me know! I’d love to hear from you and make this next adventure even better.

Despite growing up in Minnesota, I never realized just how much Scandinavia has infiltrated popular culture. It wasn’t until Tom and I moved back to the Twin Cities three years ago that it really sank in. All of a sudden, the regional pride was obvious. And it wasn’t just coming from Lutheran churches waving their Norwegian and Swedish flags. Scandinavian décor, food, gifts, art, furniture, and music were undeniably mainstream.

Take, for example, the wildly popular Minneapolis restaurant Bachelor Farmer. It’s nearly impossible to get a reservation at this swanky Minneapolis establishment. When we finally ventured in for a bite to eat, I was struck by all the smoked, braised, poached, and pickled cuisine on their menu. Then again, as their website proudly explains, “The Bachelor Farmer draws inspiration from contemporary Nordic cooking, which emphasizes simplicity and fresh ingredients of the highest quality … And no, we don’t serve lutefisk.”

Recently, we headed to the newly reopened Swedish American Institute for a Yelp event, aptly called Yelp du Nord. Dozens of Twin Cities’ restaurants and breweries set up shop in the ballroom, providing partygoers with an endless supply of Swedish pancakes and lingonberries, meatballs and gravy, and more Nordic delicacies. Many of the restaurants paid homage to the Institute’s roots, and it made for an awesome night. The museum is found in the Turnblad Mansion (the Turnblads themselves an immigrant family from Sweden), and endless amounts of Swedish paintings, photographs, and artifacts line its elegant walls. Plus, the modern gift shop offered a chance to check out Nordic jewelry, books, and art.

Further evidence that Nordic culture spreads far and wide: I was recently visiting Lauren in Fargo, and we noticed a Scandinavian-designed furniture shop. Upon returning home, a quick Google search provided me with an endless list of similar stores found throughout the metro area. Though Ikea is often perceived as the go-to for inexpensive dressers, desks, beds, and the like, it emulates the designs found at these more sophisticated shops.

This homegrown pride really hit home for me a few months ago when Mpls/St. Paul magazine dedicated an entire issue to Nordic shops and eats found around town – and it was HUGE! It’s easy to forget just how much the Twin Cities thrives on this culture, but it’s everywhere – on every street corner and in nearly every popular restaurant. And so, it seems, Scandinavia is here to stay.

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As I sat with one of my best girlfriends last week, enjoying good beer and Thai food, we were unaware of an event that should’ve been at the forefront of our day.

It wasn’t until a server (a male server, I might add, who made witty comments every time he walked by our table on his way to the kitchen) stopped to say, in all seriousness, “Hey, Happy International Women’s Day.”

Bethany and I both paused, a bit bewildered that this tough looking, dreadlocked guy was genuinely saying this to us. His mama raised him right.

I laughed and said, “Thank you, but now I feel like a horrible woman because I had no idea it was International Women’s Day.” He replied with, “No! You are both beautiful and independent women.” And with that, his witty, sarcastic tone returned. I wasn’t offended. He was complimenting us in a way that any stranger would – joking around, but sincere.

Either way, this interaction made my night (a delicious meal at Mango Thai and laughing with a friend only improved it). His genuine acknowledgement of a day for women, made me want to continue the recognition. Although I’m a few days late, I’ll use this post to say Happy International Women’s Day! And take a minute to praise some pretty kickass women.

Disclaimer: This list is by no means comprehensive. The following women are just a glimpse, through the eyes of Lauren, into a world of some amazing human beings.

Oldies but Goodies

We’ve mostly likely all heard her name and are eternally grateful for the work of Susan B. Anthony. If it weren’t for her nerve and passion for social activism and equal rights, the world would look a lot different. Not only did she rally for women’s voting rights, but she was also the founding publisher of The Revolution – a weekly women’s rights journal.

Of course I have to mention an inspirational writer. And honestly, Emily Dickinson is the first to come to mind. Maybe it was because she was introduced to me at a young age or that her writing was some of the first poetry I encountered, but this unique and intelligent young woman’s words have stayed with me.

And they keep getting better …

India Arie’s soulful and reflective lyrics have always had such an impact on me. I first heard her wise words at the ripe old age of 15 – a time when most girls’ are feeling insecure about a changing body and other people’s opinions matter most. India’s songs reminded me that it’s ok to be exactly who I am and I’m more than my outward appearance. Hearing these ideas at such an impressionable age, I really took her message to heart. And for that, I’m grateful.

While these next women didn’t directly inspire my day-to-day activities, their actions opened up a new world for girls everywhere. Without the accomplishments of Dr. Sally Ride and Dr. Mae Jemison, stories about space travel wouldn’t speak to little girls in the same way. Now, after hearing about the first American woman and African American woman in space, the sky’s the limit (pun unintended … but I’ll leave it). And being a woman doesn’t define them – both are extremely intelligent scientists and astronauts. Dr. Ride told Newsweek, “I did not come to NASA to make history. It is important to me that people don’t think I was picked for the flight because I am a woman and it is time for NASA to send one.” Instead it was her bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s and doctorate in astrophysics from Stanford University that helped her make history.

I realize I’m getting long-winded (I can’t help it when the topic is so easy to write about), so I’ll speed things up.

Eve Ensler caused necessary discomfort, enlightenment and empowerment with her work, The Vagina Monologues. I’ll never forget watching this play my freshman year of college and how I felt walking out of the theatre. I was a woman!

Andrea Nix Fine of Fine Films and Kathryn Bigelow are both incredible directors. I admire Andrea’s ability to capture the beauty and humanity of all people in her raw documentaries – War/Dance and Inocente are two of my favorites. And while I’ve only seen Zero Dark Thirty (so good), Kathryn made history by becoming the first woman to win an Academy Award for best director … in 2008. About time!

And while I’ve recognized some of the giants of women’s history, no post about inspiring women would be complete with mentioning the most important women in our lives. The real women who build us up, mentor us, love us and continue to inspire our thoughts and actions daily. Here’s to our grandmas, mamas, sisters, cousins, wives, daughters, aunties, friends, teachers, coworkers, professors, co-bloggers … the list goes on.

To the women in my life – you all are extraordinary people and I feel blessed to know you.

From the moment the curtain went up, it was easy to tell what all the fuss is about. Since opening in New York City in the spring of 2011, The Book of Mormon has won nine Tony Awards (including Best Musical), a Grammy (for Best Musical Theater Album), and continues to receive endless praise. In fact, the Star Tribune wrote an article on the play last weekend, saying that between the Broadway shows, the national tour, and a Chicago production, the musical brings in a whopping $19 million a month!

Created by South Park scribes Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and Avenue Q writer/composer Robert Lopez, the play follows the lives of two newly minted Mormon missionaries who are sent to Uganda to convert and baptize an unassuming and tragedy-laden tribe. I had no doubt that crude jokes would abound (after all, a single viewing of South Park shows you just what Parker and Stone’s sense of humor is like). In that regard, they delivered. What I wasn’t expecting: full-blow musical numbers with sequins and disco balls and coordinated tap dancing. I knew once I heard the electric guitar chime in during “All-American Prophet” we were in for a real treat.

 The entire production is one big tongue-in-cheek parody, and is definitely not for the weak at heart. To be fair, it falls squarely in the South Park category of dark, farcical humor and is intended, to quote the television industry and the Federal Communications Commission, for “mature audiences.” Matt Stone and Trey Parker have never shied away from religions, political, or pop culture skewering. But I can honestly say I’ve never witnessed an audience laugh so hard, or whistle so enthusiastically, for three hours straight.

It was a great night, and definitely worth the long wait. For those of you interested in seeing Book of Mormon, it’ll be in town until Sunday, February 17. The shows are mostly sold out, but a few seats are available for a day-of lottery. In the words of another famous Parker and Stone character Eric Cartman, “That [play] has warped my fragile little mind.” And it was awesome.

One of the many reasons I enjoy working downtown is the Minneapolis Farmers Market that sets up shop on Nicollet Avenue every Thursday. I love having the opportunity to stretch my legs during the workday and pick up a couple treats along the way. Whether it’s veggies for dinner or my favorite spicy pickles, I make a point, at least once a week, to get out of the air conditioning and into the fresh air. It’s a novel idea, I know!

We’re lucky here in the Twin Cities – from mid-spring through early-fall we can visit a farmers market nearly every day, if desired. I’m not quite that hardcore, but I have been known to walk up and down the aisles of the farmers market, sniffing raspberries, herbs, carrots, and honey and snapping pictures along the way. The sites and smells of brightly colored harvested food often feel like a healthy version of eye-candy for me.

Since moving back to Minnesota, Tom and I have made a point to head to the North Lyndale Market nearly every Saturday. Hitting the asphalt when it’s still cool is just one of the many reasons we go early in the morning. Mainly, we make a beeline for our favorite vendor, Smokehouse Snacks, before they inevitably run out of the THE BEST breakfast burritos known to man. With the perfect balance of sausage, eggs, and homemade relish, we’ve discovered the ideal way to start the day.

I realize it probably seems cruel to be talking about warm weather, flowers, fruits, and vegetables this time of year. So, when I saw that Bachman’s is hosting the Kingfield & Fulton Farmers Markets in their greenhouse for two weekends this winter, I could hardly contain my excitement. Call me a fool for fresh produce, but I love checking out what people are growing, canning, baking, and brewing. I may not get my corn on the cob, but I’m guaranteed at least a few good meats and cheeses. Also, I’m always looking for a pop of color, a warm atmosphere, and a way to support some great local business – so I’ll happily plug the inaugural Winter Market happening January 26 and February 23. You know where to find me …

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I’ve been writing a few things down that I need to do, professionally and personally, over the next week and I can’t help but leaf through the rest of the year. What’s ahead? My golden birthday – I’ve been waiting for this since I enviously watched my little brother celebrate his at age three. There are weddings to celebrate, babies to be born, adventures to take and so many possibilities in between.

I think that’s what I love most about the time surrounding New Year’s. The air is buzzing with anticipation for the months ahead. And while I’m also trying my best to live in the present and be grateful for every day, I can’t help but let that American way of making grand plans slip into mind.

That being said, I give you my magnificent ideas for the year ahead. Some are quite specific, some are a little more vague – all are personal.

Jamison and I have recently been discussing the idea of “rejection therapy.” The idea is that you try so many things, go out on so many limbs, that you eventually become ok with rejection. I think it’s a brilliant idea and I’ve tried to follow this rule to some extent in my life. I try my best to operate under the pretense that you never know if you don’t try. Plus, rejection seems to fuel my fire. So this year, I’ve resolved to enter as many writing contests as I can find. A part of me is terrified – because rejection when it comes to my writing feels more personal – but another part of me is excited at all the creative thinking I’ll be encouraged to do.

As a writer and lover of stories, I’ve really enjoyed listening to the Moth podcast. Not only does this creative group collect live stories from across the US, but they also host live Story Jams. There’s one tentatively on the books at the end of January in Minneapolis, but what about Fargo? Another resolution: bring the Moth to my new hometown.

Also in the year ahead, I want to continue learning. Sounds nerdy, I know (must go hand in hand with carrying a planner). But ask any of my friends and they’ll tell you, I’m full of random facts. And I’m sure they’ll be delighted to know that in 2013, I’d like to bolster my collection of random tidbits. One way I plan to accomplish this is by committing myself to at least one Khan Academy video a week. I think it’s easily doable; I just have to make time to sit and learn something. Maybe I’ll write a weekly recap of what I’ve learned on H&C?

That thought brings me to why I’m writing about this – I need and want to be held accountable. After this post is published, the world (or Katie, my mom and a few friends) will know what my goals are for the coming year. So stay tuned, I’ll keep you posted as 2013 unfolds and my resolutions become reality. Well, at least that’s the plan.

With a new year comes a whole host of new happenings – some in the Twin Cities, and some on a national level. Two thousand and twelve was a great year for food, drink, art, entertainment and so much more. So here’s looking forward to twelve more exciting months! Without further ado, here are thirteen things I’m looking forward to in 2013:

1. Movies: I’ve always loved The Great Gatsby, and was totally floored when Baz Luhrmann announced his plans to re-invent this classic. The novel’s story is ageless and it has a fantastic tie to Lauren’s and my alma mater, St. Olaf. Luhrmann did wonders with modern music and retro style in 2001’s Moulin Rouge and I can’t wait to see what he does with the roaring 1920s.

2. Plays: Book of Mormon was on my list last year, and it was a premature addition. Not this year though! Our tickets are purchased and I can hardly wait to see this smash Broadway musical written by the South Park scribes when it rolls into town in February.

3. TV: My all-time favorite television family, the Bluths, is back! Arrested Development may have officially gone off the air in 2006, but with the help of Netflix it’ll be back for at least ten more episodes, airing in the spring. That’s enough to make me seriously jump for joy.

4. Books: This year is bound to be a great one for literature – the sequel to Devil Wears Prada is coming this spring, a new (posthumous) Maurice Sendak children’s book (My Brother’s Book) is coming soon, humorist Davd Sedaris’ Let’s Explore Diabetes will be out in April, and Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep, the long-awaited sequel to The Shining, comes out in September. My Kindle is already charged in anticipation.

5. Exhibits: The Science Museum of Minnesota’s BODY WORLDS & the Cycle of Life opens mid-January. It’s been described as a “new presentation on the original exhibition of real human bodies.” The original BODY WORLDS debuted in St. Paul in 2006, and the most recent round of enhancements is said to be remarkable and intriguing.

6. Fine arts: This month, you can find me at Highpoint Center for Printmaking’s current show “Art Formally Known as Prints” (great additional MN tie-in with that title!). And looking forward to warmer times, I can already anticipate the beauty and madness of local fairs: Art-a-Whirl, Art Attack, Uptown Art Fair, and many, many more.

7. Awards Shows: These televised nights of glamor have always topped my list, but this year is even more exciting. My two favorite comedians, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, are set to co-host the Golden Globes in just a few weeks. I can’t wait to see what Liz Lemon and Leslie Knope have in store for us couch potatoes.

8. Restaurants: Just down the street, we have the local, famed pasta shop Broders. This winter, the family who seems to love having restaurants in Southwest Minneapolis will be opening the doors to a new place featuring wine by the glass and small Italian plates. Sold!

9. Food Trucks: 2012 was a great year for food trucks in the Twin Cities. This coming summer, I’m challenging myself to visit each and every one of them parked in the downtown area. It may seem like a mighty feat, but my stomach and walking shoes are up for it.

10. Drink: Local breweries have been popping up around every corner in Minneapolis, many of which offer beer and wine-making classes. Tom and I have decided it’s time to hop on the brewing bandwagon. Stay tuned for a winter post about creating our very own signature ale …

11. Wacky outdoor activities: The Mall of America always seems to have something up its sleeve. Last year, H & C guest blogger Maggie Matson and I ventured to the Princess Diana exhibit. This year, I plan to head to the Ice Castles at MOA. It may not quite compare to seeing Diana’s dresses (perks: indoors and AWESOME), but I’d say giant ice castles are worth an afternoon visit.

12. Print & online media: I continue to love our local newspaper, and truly enjoy receiving Sunday’s Star Tribune each week. But with Newsweek’s print edition shuttering its doors, I look forward to seeing magazines and newspapers turning to new media. For insight into the incredible things they can do, check out the New York Times’ recent feature on skiing avalanches. It’s interactive and totally stunning.

13. Festivals: You may remember Tom’s coverage of this fall’s Cat Video Film Festival – it was truly a night to remember. Though the Walker Art Center hasn’t yet announced it, I am eagerly awaiting news for Cat Vid Film Fest #2. We’ve also been taking some videos of our own, in anticipation for open submissions.

Here’s to a happy, healthy, and busy New Year!

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But the time away has been good for my perspective. I’ve come to realize that I need to keep writing. I feel better when I write, I feel more like myself. This quote from Anaïs Nin resonates with me, “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” Well said, Nin.

All that being said, I am now going to relive my recent experience at the TEDxTC event.

Some of you may remember a post I wrote a while back confessing my love for TED. No, I’m not straying from Jamison, he’s still my main man. TED is a collaborative movement that strives to bring people together and spread innovative ideas. I was lucky enough to attend the Twin Cities TED event this month. AND it was in collaboration with TEDxWomen – even better.

The night started with a live teleconference into the TEDxWomen event taking place in Washington DC. The amazing Eve Ensler – playwright, performer, feminist and creator of the Vagina Monologues – was host for the evening and introduced some equally inspiring women. While all of them have a passion for helping women reach their potential, my favorite speaker was photographer iO Tillett Wright. She just had a genuine, easy-going quality about her. She wasn’t angry, she wasn’t sad, and she wasn’t demanding anything of the audience. She just presented herself and her art in a beautiful way. And she was honest about what she hoped to inspire with her photography. I think it’s best if you just watch it and come to your own conclusions.

As the night went on, we heard from leaders from around the Twin Cities, who also happened to be women, each with their own powerful and personal message. To me, that is the best part about TED talks – you come together, listen and absorb everything. Take it in, be inspired and apply whatever you’ve learned to your life. I left TED feeling equipped to make some changes. I wasn’t sure what exactly I was going to do, but whatever came my way, I’d make it better. And hey! I’m writing again, so that’s something. Improving oneself is a great place to start.

That said, I’d like to discuss something that’s been on my mind all week: zombies. Of course it makes sense, yesterday was Halloween, after all. But the zombies I’ve been thinking about are not your traditional stumbling, crazy-eyed monsters (à la The Walking Dead). These zombies are dancers!

Last Friday night, I hit the town with a friend, venturing to The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts in Minneapolis to enjoy the James Sewell Ballet perform “Dance Macabre.” Bizarre as it may sound, this was one of the most incredible viewing experiences I’ve ever had. A small group of dancers began the night performing five separate ballets, each inspired by a different Edgar Allen Poe story. We watched interpretive dances set to “The Raven,” “The Tell-Take Heart,” and “The Cask of Amontillado,” among others. Music ranged from classic Johann Sebastian Bach to the heavy metal group Nine Inch Nails. The sets were simple, the dances were brief, but each one packed a seriously Gothic punch.

After intermission, we were pleasantly surprised to find our selves watching a classic ballet in the form of “Giselle Pas de Deux.” The partnership on stage was elegant and romantic, though the overall eerie themes of death and mourning prevailed.

Quickly, though, the dancers transitioned to the grand finale: “Grave Matters.” This was the ultimate show-stopper – seven dancers came on stage in full zombie regalia, completely embodying the undead. Skilled choreography gave way, at times, to dance moves straight from Michael Jackson’s classic Thriller video and Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was a hoot! The crowd cheered and laughed together as dancers dragged their limbs around the stage, pretending to naw on each other’s limbs, then pirouetting together in time with the music. Would you believe me if I said it was beautiful? It really was! And so much fun.

So, if you find yourself in the throes of Halloween withdrawal these next few days, head to the Cowles Center. Performances of “Dance Macabre” continue through November 4, and this is not something you want to miss.

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Today, on the college campus where I work, I noticed the first sign of fall: a hint of red, orange, and yellow on the very tips of the trees. Though the sub-60 degree morning should have been my first hint, the changing leaves did it for me. Immediately, two simultaneous reactions were triggered: 1. “Aww, fall! I love fall! IT’S APPLE CIDER SEASON!” and 2. a quick shortness of breath as I quickly considered my professional obligations to come, dubbed “admissions travel season.” With the former, recollections of meeting my best friends on these same grounds eight years ago, as a shaky first-year, have the nostalgic glow of a Hallmark card. With the latter, visions of my Google Calendar, color-coded and cultivated to perfection and quick recollections of confirmation emails and college fair schedules evoke a quick “I should double-check my trip planned this week.”

Professionally, I measure the fall season in high school visits, conversations with seniors interested in the college, and an increasingly heavier jacket as I walk in and out of college fairs in cooler temperatures. It all begins with Move-In Day on campus, the Saturday before Labor Day when hundreds of first-year students arrive to begin their lives at this residential, liberal arts college. My colleagues and I enjoy meeting up with students and parents whom we’ve gotten to know quite well over the previous months (and sometimes years). It’s a culmination of the previous year’s seasons: travel, application reading, and yielding. It’s also a quiet reminder that our job never really ends — as we usher in the new class, we have already started to meet the students who will eventually schlep their boxes of clothes, books, and trinkets into their first-year dorms the following September.  My job rotates from season to season at a pretty good clip, and as such, it can be easy to miss. So, as I prepare for my first trip of the season, I reflect on past years and reasons why this time of year truly is remarkable.

1). Apple orchards. Thank you, Minnesota, for introducing the novelty of picking your own apples in an endless field of apple trees. As a Wyomingite, apple trees exist, but not in rows of thousands and not around every corner. Do you want a heart-wrenchingly adorable display of frolicking children and picturesque scenery? Pack up the minivan and head to one of Minnesota’s finest. Personally, I’m partial to AppleWood Orchard and Fireside Orchard, both located in southern Minnesota. There is something refreshing and light-hearted about picking your own apples, walking in rows of trees, and even maybe trying the apple donuts or admiring the great pumpkin. A word from a seasoned orchard fan: limit yourself on apple samples. Five in less than an hour may seem fun at the time, but may end in a less-than-desirable manner.

2) Defeat of Jesse James Days. This is small-town Minnesota at its finest. As a former resident of Northfield (both as a college kid and post-graduation), there was no finer holiday than DJJD. For a non-native Minnesotan who cowers at the overwhelming thought of the massive Minnesota State Fair, DJJD is a perfect compromise: it offers food carts (cheese curds, pronto pups, corn on the cob, gyros, funnel cakes, crab fritters, among the many); entertainment (a beer tent and Bingo tent, featuring live local bands); a carnival (though even a relatively tame Ferris wheel freaks me out, I’m sure some enjoy it); and even a local tradition: the DJJD reenactment. For those of you not familiar with outlaw history, the James-Younger gang experienced its last stand at the hands of local townspeople during the Northfield Bank raid. If it’s hard to visualize, worry not: there is a close-to-authentic reenactment, complete with period costumes, charging horses, and discharging guns. For a huge history/small town festival nerd like myself, this is the piece de la resistance of the DJJD experience.

3) Homecoming. Though I spend every day at my alma mater, the sight of old friends and classmates instantly transports me back. As at any campus, Homecoming is a tradition meant to combine alums and current students in an all-out, school-colors-soaked weekend of celebration. While tromping through fall-hued leaves and admiring the beauty of the limestone, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride . Part of why I enjoy what I do is because I get to constantly welcome groups of young people to campus; they cultivate and care for a place that holds meaning for thousands. Over Homecoming, with old friends, I get to walk in my shoes from 2004-2008 (not literally, as they were smelly, holy Ugg boots) and enjoy visiting favorite spots, fighting over the best seats in the Caf, and finding that our best downtown haunts haven’t changed.

4) Hot apple cider. Anyone who knows me well understands my addiction/love for all things coffee-related; they may not, however, realize I also have an intense affinity for hot apple cider. Sure, it’s great once the snow starts to fall, but there’s something incredibly wonderful about sipping it in a cozy scarf, watching leaves fly, and strolling around town. My favorite place for hot apple cider is, incidentally, another favorite Northfield location: Goodbye Blue Monday Coffeehouse. As a barista emerita of GBM, I offer to you this hint: add a half-shot of caramel syrup. It is absolutely the best (and less indulgent than one of GBM’s Mexican hot chocolates… though I highly recommend that, too).

5) Fall colors. Once I landed in Minnesota for college and experienced my first fall here, I understood why so many people consider it a big deal: indescribably vivid, intense colors, all-natural. During my first two falls on campus, I carried with me a digital camera to snap photo after photo of fire-spotted trees. When I received my territory assignment for work, I was lucky to be gifted with the Northern half of Minnesota. This means fairs in both the Northwestern and Northeastern part of the state, where week after week, the trees become brighter as the green fades to vibrant hue. Sometimes it’s hard to keep my car on the road as I twist my head at tree after beautiful tree. Every year, I feel as if I see it for the first time. If you get the chance to cruise any of Northern Minnesota’s highways, do it; but be sure to have someone else take the wheel.

I can’t help but succumb to my professional sensibilities and offer advice: take advantage of seasonal events. The more locally established, the better. They may just be tree leaves, but slow down and indulge in a good look. Call up a friend you haven’t seen in awhile and stroll through some apple trees. Take a favorite book to Blue Monday and sip some caramel-enhanced cider. This is a season of transition and change, but it’s only made better by appreciation for the beauty — and delicious tastes — it can bring.