Curated City Guides by Your Favorite Designers and Tastemakers.
Minneapolis:
Tuesday Bassen
of Ghostly Ferns
Bars & Restaurants
Donny Dirk's Zombie Den
My favorite bar in Minneapolis! Hidden in an industrial area, Donny Dirk's has amazing cocktails like "Switchblade Sister," "Sasha Grey," and my favorite "The Donny Dirk"; great atmosphere with horror movies playing in the background and doctored taxidermy heads; the most badass bouncers with faux (?) bloodstains on their crisp white shirts--Need I say more? Maybe? Stay until bar close and watch their laser light show, complete with fog! 2027 N 2nd St
Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge
The big sister of Donny Dirk's is HUGE! A two-level tiki-trailer park themed bar with all the flaming, tropical, coconutty drinks you could ever want, complete with "trailer park" snacks like bacon wrapped lil' smokies, cheese curds, and pizza. You can easily drop $50 or more here, so dog-ear it for a big celebration! 1900 Marshall St NE
Peace Coffee Café
The best, I repeat, THE BEST coffee I've ever had. Their "Birchwood Blend" (made specifically for my favorite restaurant, Birchwood) is the stuff of this coffee addict's dream! Their cafe has a pleasant atmosphere, calm and quirky with lots of space and few people there. Another tick in their "best ever" box is that they deliver everything by bike as a part of their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint! 3262 Minnehaha Ave
Bad Waitress
A mere three blocks from my alma mater, MCAD, Bad Waitress has upscale diner-y food with superhero and murder mystery paraphernalia adorning their bright red walls. The waitresses are as surly as you'd expect, which is definitely a part of the charm for me. 2 E 26th St
Red Stag
German/American fusion! More amazing than you could ever expect with a rustic-ish interior and an excellent brunch. Highly recommended. 509 1st Ave NE
Wilde Roast
Oscar Wilde themed café around the corner from Red Stag--Interior decoration is a bit tacky, but pretty cosy. Nice for fru-fru coffee drinks and dessert. 65 SE Main St
Maria's Café
Family friendly Columbian restaurant with some seriously kick ass breakfast--go on Sunday and get the special, you won't be disappointed. 1113 East Franklin Ave
The Wienery
Hole-in-the-wall restaurant with two tables and a menu full of--you guessed it--hot dogs. Vegan options available. 414 Cedar Ave S
The Birchwood
My FAVORITE! Go for breakfast, go for dinner, you won't be disappointed! Locally sourced ingredients with a miniscule carbon footprint and the tastiest menu ever. My personal favorites are their savory waffles for breakfast and their black bean burger for dinner. Peace Coffee makes a special blend just for them, so be sure to order the "Birchwood Blend." 3311 E 25th St
Jasmine Deli
Ultra cheap Bahn Mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) and bubble tea--down the street from the Bad Waitress. 2532 Nicollet Ave
Shops
Axe Man
What is Axe Man? Who really knows! Things I've found there: plastic baby limbs, stamp kit, gas mask, marbles, an iron lung... 8100 Minnetonka Blvd
Hunt and Gather
Best resource for found vintage goodies, oddities, and art projects. + 1,000,000 points for amazing organization and decor! 4944 Xerxes Ave S
Supplies
The Art Cellar
Located inside MCAD, they have the best selection and cheapest prices in town! The staff is awesome and great about giving recommendations. 2501 Stevens Ave
ETC.
The Bakken
Museum of Electricity on the lake! Totally rad, a little campy, in a beautiful building, don't miss it. 3537 Zenith Ave S
Denny Kemp Salon
My favorite hair salon ever. Denny is a huge advocate of the arts and always has amazing pieces on the walls! I long for those haircuts. 605 Central Ave NE