Two of Chicago’s finest and best gal pals from college came to visit me for a weekend. We engaged in lots of shopping at MOA, fine dining at Haute Dish and dancing on at least three Minneapolis dance floors. It was a weekend for the books.

It’s become sort of a tradition for my high school friends to all meet up at a bar on Christmas evening. It’s really the perfect time for everyone to catch up since everyone is home at the same time. This year the tradition lived on. We celebrated baby Jesus at McCoy’s and cheers’ed my birthday at midnight (yep, I’m a Christmas baby). The best part of that night might’ve been the car ride in Blake’s convertible…with the the top down…because it was like 50 degrees out…on Christmas! A Minnesota miracle.

Got a chance to pop into the new(ish) Social House in Uptown. I have yet to eat anything there, but can definitely recommend the chocolate espresso martini. Don’t ask questions…just get it!

I know what you’re thinking: Gee, Katie. That’s a lot of man thigh you just posted. Is this really appropriate? And to that I say, yes! Because if you take a closer look you’ll notice the dude throwing the deuce is Nick Swardson of Reno 911 and comedy fame. And that guy with the glasses? Josh Hartnett. And the man thighs belong to Har Mar Superstar while performing at Nick and Eddie last month. So you’ve basically got a trifecta of Minnesota man talent captured in one iPhone photo. My timing was so on point.

More high school reunion shenanigans took place on New Year’s Eve. Here are some of my favorites before we headed to Honey to ring in 2012.

Got to take photos of the Red Bull Crashed Ice event in St. Paul. While I’m pretty sure I was seconds away from getting frost bite, I’m so glad I got to check this out. It was insane! Dudes (and two girls!) on hockey skates shooting down a downhill ice track that wrapped around the Cathedral. So fun to watch. And I got to meet up with my friend/prom date BJ after his first run down. I took a short video of the Thursday trials you can watch here.

Checked out Theophilus London at the LOFT. Fun times were had. Read up on my little Q&A with him here.

So that’s what I’ve been up to. 2012 is off to a good start with plenty ahead.

Peace!

I spent half of this week being sick and therefore have fallen behind on scoping out new music. So I’ve decided to resort to some old-school Janet this week because you can never go wrong with Miss Jackson, if you’re nasty. Plus, this song is especially weekend-worthy.

Minneapolis!

(The best part, of course.)

Happy Friday.

If you want to see him live, you can see him at the LOFT on Saturday, January 14 (tomorrow!). Ticket info here. Here’s a snippet of my Q&A with him:

You’re calling this tour “Tour de Roses.” What’s the significance of that name?

Theophilus London: The rose symbolizes this year for me – 2012. I’ve been designing a lot using the rose. It’s a very inspiring flower to me. You know, “Lovers Holiday 2: Rose Island,” is what I’ve been working on recently. I’ve been working on this mind state, “Rose Island,” that’s going to be 25 songs. It will be like a free street album that’s coming out in a month or two.

This is your first performance in Minneapolis. What can people expect from your show?

TL: Yeah, it’s my first time ever in Minneapolis. This is something very energetic. This is something brand new — a new idea. This is a very, very exciting energy. A lot of new songs from “Lovers Holiday 2” and all the good ones from “Timez Are Weird.” You know, this will be a good introduction to the city of Minneapolis. And I’m just psyched to come out and play for you guys.

You’re really active on Twitter and Instagram and are great about interacting with fans. Do you use those outlets to get feedback from fans and influence what you’re working on?

TL: Yeah, that’s all that I have. Of course I use it to influence my stuff. I use it to get my music out there. Any person in this business model today should be using it as their outlet. [That] should be no surprise. You know, you have all these different social outlets [and] I focus on them every single day.

It’s clear you have a thing for clothes. How would you describe your style? And where do you get all your cool hats?

TL: My personal style is raw. It’s just how I’m feeling. It’s a very tasteful selection. [And] I make all of my hats.

So how did you end up in Beyonce’s “Party” music video?

TL: I’m friends with the family. I’m friends with Solange and Lil J. Solange invited a couple of her friends to hang out on the set. I knew the director that was shooting the video and they wanted us to be in the video so we came to show love and support to Beyonce and the whole family. It was a dope video.

“It’s time to live it up” is a repeated lyric in your song, “Wine and Chocolates.” What’s your idea of “living it up?”

TL: Just true happiness inside of yourself. Feeling good, feeling healthy and the ability to do anything your mind tells you. Be free.

It’s really not fair that this chic looks AND sounds the way she does. It should only be allowed that you can either have a strikingly gorgeous face OR have a hauntingly pretty voice. Not both. But since it’s Friday and I’m feeling generous I’ve decided to give Lana Del Rey some blog love. By the way, who’s the smarty that started that silly rumor about redheads not being pretty? Nonsense!

This dude is playing Minneapolis on Jan. 14.  And since I’ve had his album on repeat the last few days, I might have to make an appearance.

Happy New Year!

Enjoy.

CAMP Gaga “Born This Way” CD release party

Photo: Claire Molepske

We were highly anticipating Lady Gaga’s new album, so we decided to throw a party in her honor. Held at CAMP in St. Paul, the event featured an elaborate costume contest, Gaga tunes, Gaga drinks and plenty of dancing. All ticket sales went directly to The Aliveness Project.

Top Tweeps in the Twin Cities

Graphic: Bryan Shackle

This project was so fun. We scoured the interwebs for our favorite 11 Twitter peeps (aka “tweeps”) and profiled each one for online and on KARE 11. We talked to a range of folks with different backgrounds, interests and perspectives about Twitter. A highlight: doing a Skype interview with Vikings tight end Vistanthe Shaincoe where he taught me a new catch phrase, “That’s a bet.”

Twin Cities Comedy Guide

Photo: Andy Erikson

In case you didn’t already know, the Twin Cities is home to a slew of comedic talent. Here, we profiled a number of local and nationally touring comedians with Minnesota roots. The local comic Q&A’s we did were especially entertaining.

“The Playboy Club” pre-screening party at Prohibition

Photo: Claire Molepske

Okay, so NBC’s “The Playboy Club” may have only lasted two or three episodes, but that doesn’t take away from how fun our pre-screening party was at the W Hotel’s Prohibition. Champagne, appetizers, a sexy atmosphere and an invite-only guest list made for a memorable event.

111 things every Minnesotan should try in 2011

We knew there was plenty to experience in Minnesota, but when we asked Metromix users what they thought should be on everyone’s Minnesota bucket list, we were even more impressed. Including everything from cocktails, concerts and road trips, this list became Metromix’s most-viewed feature for 2011.

Soundtown Showdown – Twin Cities band contest

Photo: Sophie Snyder

The first-ever SoundTown Music and Camping Festival partnered up with Metromix to host a battle of the bands-type contest to give local musicians a chance to be a part of the lineup. With headliners like The Flaming Lips and The New Pornographers, this was an exciting opportunity for us to offer up. Ghostmouth and Rustpocket were the two finalists who got to play on the Metromix stage. On a side note, I was able to attend this fest and thought it was really well done. I’m excited to see what they have in store for next year.

Look Good, Do Good contest with Children’s Cancer Research Fund

Photo: Claire Molepske

We had so much fun working with Children’s Cancer Research Fund to promote their annual fundraiser/concert/fashion show Glamorama. We hosted a fun contest on our site profiling some of the most stylish Twin Cities dwellers who were also community minded — and there were plenty to choose from. Pictured is the Metromix team (Blair, Shayne and me) at the party for all the nominees at CRAVE downtown.

Hanson at First Avenue

I got to live out my pre-teen fantasy and take photos of Hanson. I wrote about that here.

“Feast your eyes” series

Some of my favorite memories of the job happened over team lunches at new restaurants around town. We’d document our foodie experiences through photos and reviews in a series called, “Feast your eyes.” Some personal favorites include The Bachelor Farmer, Tilia, Travail and Wok in the Park.

These are just a few examples of work I’ve been proud to be a part of with Metromix. The list could really be much longer than this. It’s been a great experience working on a team that has worked hard to provide creative, relative content for the Twin Cities entertainment scene.

While I’m sad to see Metromix go, I’m anxious to move on with the next step (details on that still pending). Everything happens for a reason, right?

It’s also that time of year when we all start to question what the HELL we’re supposed to buy for our friends and family. And what I’ve always found to be helpful are OTHER people’s wish lists. So in an effort to provide inspiration to your Santa duties, I give you a few things I wouldn’t mind finding under the tree.

Fingerless gloves – Patina- $16.95

Have you been to any of the Patina locations lately? They are stocked full with fun holiday gifts including these fingerless gloves in plenty of styles. How cute are they? They combine style and function for any lady with a smart phone. And you’ll be buying local…always a good idea!

I heart MPLS hoodie – Urban Bean Coffee – $45

I spotted this hoodie from Urban Bean Coffee a few weeks ago at a Movember Mobecue in Uptown and decided I need one of these in my life. Imagine my delight when I found out they come in different colors. Loving this turquoise one sported by the lovely Mimi (way to get your model on, girl!). This is the perfect gift for any proud Minneapolite. And another local business item!

Makeup brushes

We all use them and probably rarely replace them (guilty!). A new makeup brush kit is one of those things we all could probably use but don’t want to fork over cash for. Which is why they’d make the perfect holiday gift for any cosmetically conscious lady in your life. This set is from Sephora, but you can find them pretty much anywhere makeup is sold. And while you’re at it, throw in some brush cleaner.

Ready to hang, hand-stitched Kanye West tweet - Etsy – $40 

Whether you like Kanye or not, you’ve gotta admit the man has spewed some memorable quotes in his lifetime. Many of which have appeared on his Twitter feed. So why not have a little Kanye musing for display on your wall, bookshelf or nightstand? You can pick any tweet of your choosing. Although the one pictured above is pretty fabulous. Sometimes he just speaks to the soul. (Heads up: the Etsy seller has been bombarded with requests and has a waiting list in place. Turns out everyone wants a piece of ‘Ye)

Moroccan Oil – $15

This stuff is like vitamins for your hair. I was introduced to Moroccan Oil back in my salon working days and have been hooked since. It’s a super light leave in conditioner that adds shine, silkiness and I’m convinced it cuts down on my drying time. The $15 bottle is the perfect travel size (3 oz) and lasts a long time. Good for all hair types.

Rebecca Minkoff iPhone case – $28-38

How cute are these? Clothing and accessories designer Rebecca Minkoff recently came out with a collection of fun iPhone/tech accessories that would make any stylish techie happy. I want the black one with studs! Make sure to check out her eBay listings and Nordstrom for several designs/colors.

I hope this put a little pep in your holiday shopping step. Happy hunting!

A friend passed this on to me the other day. Might try to attempt some of this over the weekend…maybe not, though:

I’m obsessed with the new Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover from Community) album:

And I’ll throw some Rihanna in there for good measure:

Happy Friday! Have fun and don’t be stupid.

Proceeds from the night benefitted the Child Neurology Foundation and the sweetest part of the show was when Straub took the stage with Maya – a girl who is dealing with neurological issues and who he dedicated the show to (she’s wearing a Straub original, btw).  She was so cute and pretty much stole the show.

Straub described his collection as a day in a life spent under the sea. You definitely got the sea urchin feel with some of his looks. Especially this one (styled with Black Swan makeup?):

I’m not sure how one would sit down in this number. Clearly this was one of his more avante garde pieces, but this patteren was also used in a few more everyday looks as well. If Ursula were an everyday woman, I would think she’d wear something like this:

I wasn’t particularily fond of the colored patterns used in this collection — the color combos just weren’t speaking to me. I was more drawn to the solid white looks. This was Straub’s final piece on the runway which I thought was really well constructed, super chic and incorporated a just a pop of his aquatic theme (in the back) to make this very wearable. This would look awesome with some bomb-ass accessories:

A few more shots:

I must’ve really been feeling the sea life vibe because I ended up topping the night off at Fuji Ya with some delish sushi. Yum!

Be sure to check out Metromix.com for more photos.

Is this not the happiest song ever? Reason #7408 I want to be Beyonce. And I wouldn’t mind owning those kicks she’s wearing in the beginning.

And because it’s Halloween weekend, I gotta throw in some MJ. I was obsessed and terrified of this video as a child — fast forwarding through the scary beginning and ending. Good god, this video is so great.

Have a great weekend!