I have been to a few weddings at the Semple Mansion and each time I had an amazing time. The venue…read moreis absolutely gorgeous! I love the rich, historic feel. I highly recommend this venue. Parking is right across the street, too!

THE STAIRS. This is…read morea beautiful venue, but it's an old old building with a tiny super slow elevator. Slower than you can imagine. No, slower. Just be prepared for that. If you are hosting an event here, be kind to your guests and have a bar on both the first and third floors.

This is a great space for events. I really love and appreciate that there's an elevator, and not a…read moreslow one at that. The open space brings in a lot of sunlight and gives the space a nice glow. The wooden floors are nicely polished and not creaky. I believe that a person would be quite happy to have a Chowgirls catered event here. The food and the location would be top-notch.

OH MY GOSH. My husband and I just got married at the Solar Arts Building. The space itself is…read moreincredibly beautiful and perfect for a wedding, but what put the icing on the cake was the customer service. We worked with two women, Eleni and Lauren. They were exceptional during the planning process. Always answering emails right away and helping us figure out anything and everything. I had only been involved in one wedding beforehand and was totally new to all things planning and they were both always ready to answer questions. One example is when we found our there was an event in the space when we were supposed to have our rehearsal. My mom and I had a quick freak out but their team was able to get us in the 2nd floor to practice and even sneak us upstairs before the event to do a quick run through. When the day came, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. Everything was PERFECT. Sometime during the reception, another woman on the team, Nathanya, took over and she came up to introduce herself and complimented me on the wedding. It made me feel really taken care of. My mom and I developed friendships with our planners and it was a much more personal experience than I expected which made it all the more wonderful. The space is not only beautiful, but the art studios on the 2nd floor make a perfect spot for the cocktail hour. We loved this because no one had to leave the venue at any time! Chowgirls is also the most amazing caterer. I got endless compliments on the food and desserts. I was nervous about having a buffet, but everything came out piping hot, and the staff just dismissed the tables one by one and it went off without a hitch! I would recommend this venue to anyone. It's beautiful and the staff truly cares about making the day special!

Lovely small room for the ceremony (we were at a wedding). The whole building has great design…read moreelements. Very groovy stairs in the center of the room, nice angles and attention to detail were all on point. The large hall is gorgeous, and a truly enviable wedding reception locale. The crumblesome stone walls offset the highly modern feel of the rest of the plaza. The three, rustic, arched, little niches at the one side kept the word "oubliette" pacing 'round my head all night. The upstairs bathrooms, by the bar, are WAY NICER than the rather decrepit ones by the reception hall... truly the only strong disappointment of the night. The fact that we were able to take the skywalk from our hotel was the cherry on the whipped cream on the chocolate sauce on the ice cream. Not that the wedding served ice cream. That would've been SWEET!

We have been to two weddings at the Lowertown Event Center and disappointed both times…read more The first time was for the ceremony and reception. There is a lot of noise in the ceremony room from above due to foot traffic in the old building and a popular restaurant being above the ceremony room. The reception area is very attractive and looks beautiful especially with uplighting. The staff needs a lot of work...weddings should be fun and personable but the staff is often times in fact rude nor do they have respect for the minor details as shown in the example of the men's room in the picture I posted.

An enjoyable stay! The entire experience was easy and…read morepleasant. Check in/out was a breeze, as was the valet parking (it was well below zero, so why not). Our room was clean, and quiet. The air handling system provides a nice white noise, without being too much. I slept in as a result, and that was great.

I finally had the opportunity to check out the Blitzen bar at the hotel. Located on the first floor…read moreis a decorated and overly festive bar. No reservation required however they do get busy. We ordered the holiday cocktails and were told limited time seating is 90 minutes due to demand. Lots of people taking pictures and selfies at the wall. They don't offer food, however there's a snack store next door. Otherwise a restaurant on the second level.

What do you do when you can't decide where to go for dinner?…read more You go to @malcolmyardsmarket in Minneapolis (nestled close to Roseville just off of University and 280) This is such a different experience where you have so many options to order from with major ease. Check in and get a Market Card then walk around to find what sounds good. I've always thought this is the perfect place to go when you... -can't figure out what you want to eat -when you're meeting up with friends or coworkers -going on a first date -want adult food but also have a kiddo along. The Market has a beer wall, a full bar and multiple food vendors to order from. Over time new vendors take residence of the spots though there are some that have been around a long time. It's fun to get favorites and try new things. I'd suggest you go with the mindset to try different things and share with who you're with to find your favorites. They also have many areas to grab a seat and visit inside and outside. As well as special event space to rent. There is often activities at the Market so make sure to check them out if you're looking for more than a meal. Favorites Pictured food: Beef Bulgogi Egg Flip Sandwich (@eggflip.usa ) Red Curry Burrito (@eatwsk1 ) Additional Favorite spots and recommendations: @wrecktanglepizzamn - The Shredder @delsurempanadasmn - The Empanadas @kinsleys_deli - The Ruben @bebe.zito - The Cheeseburgers This is a fun spot regardless of the season or type of event. Essentially a one size fits all type of place. Enjoy! For more awesome food spots check out the account mallorymademetryitmn on Instagram!

Malcolm Yards review 080226…read moreBrunch Malcolm Yards is a fun place to get different kinds of food. It has a cool industrial vibe. You have to get a card when you enter which you use to scan & pay for your order. We haven't gone in a while and there were a few changes. We loved Abang Yoli's charred cauliflower and we're so sad that it's no longer there. We also like the dosa from Momo Dosa that's no longer there. We ordered from different places: * Kinsley's - pastrami Reuben - pretty good for Minneapolis but nothing like a NYC meat sandwich * Del Sur - choripan, beef & chorizo empanadas * Wrecktangle - Splinter pizza to go - it had everything we wanted on a pizza, really crispy & tasty * Eggflip - cool guy bacon - my husband says it's the best breakfast sandwich he's ever had * Saturday Dumpling - pork & cabbage pan fried dumplings were a bit smaller than expected but tasted fine; scallion pancake chips were amazing, we had it with the Szechuan cream cheese dip, so good * World Street Kitchen - tofu yum yum rice bowl was good as expected; also ordered the caramelized Brussels sprouts - they didn't tell us until we were picking up the order that they were out of the fish sauce dressing. We tried it, but it didn't taste like nothing so we asked them if they had any other sauce that we could put on it and they said there was none so we unfortunately had to ask for a refund. We offered to return it, but they said it was ours so we took it home and it's still in the fridge days later untouched. * Bebe zito - had olive oil & another ice cream - very good and creamy

Just had our wedding at the Historic Concord Exchange Friday the 11th. It was amazing! Karna was so…read moreincredible to work with! She did way more than I expected. I was stressed trying to get the last things done on the day of, and she was amazing and came in and helped me finish setting things up and helped organize people. She was willing to meet with us before, if I had any questions and was very responsive on emails. We found them on the Knot and WeddingWire and we actually just live up the street from the venue so we knew what it would look like inside. It's such a beautiful setting you hardly have to decorate it all. We obviously brought in some of our own touches, though. They have chair covers and other decorations that you can rent. Duke was the chef and did a great job. Food is obviously a little different on the day of with how much they have to make versus the tasting day, but we received positive comments from all of our guests. We actually rented some of the hotel rooms upstairs too, which anyone who stayed there was super excited about. It's nice to just be able to go right upstairs and not have to transfer to a hotel. The rooms are very unique and were fun to stay in. Serving staff and bartenders were on top of everything! I don't think I can say this enough...Karna is AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING!!!! I hope someone else I know gets married there so I can go back to experience it from the guests side too :-)

From start to finish Karna was a dream to work with at the Historic Concord Exchange. I talked to…read morea lot of friends who got married at different places and they were surprised by the end cost because so many things "were not included" this was not the case at the Historic Concord Exchange. The quote we got to start with was what we ended with and Karna added a few amazing extras. She was organized and flexible. I didn't have to worry about a thing on my wedding day because she took care of everything. She knew the venue really well and made great recommendations. I have already recommended this venue to all of my friends. It was a dream wedding thanks to Karna.

We had heard about Prohibition before, and given its historical significance in the Foshay Tower,…read morewe had to check it out! Located inside the Foshay Tower, there's street and valet parking available! We entered through the W hotel lobby and took the elevator up to the 27th floor! We were met by a fun, retro-inspired lounge with many couches and tables available in a 360-degree set up. It has Prohibition-themed decor, but I wouldn't quite call it a speakeasy, as there wasn't any guise to entering or accessing the space. My only critique is that the space is quite dated, but not in a cool way. It could really use an update to the paint and interior to maintain itself as a "destination" versus just another hotel bar with a view. The bartenders were quite friendly and helpful during our visit. We had an Old Fashioned and a Paper Plane during our visit! Both cocktails were absolutely delicious and perfectly made. Now, at around $26 each, I would expect that level. Overall, a cool, historical spot to grab a drink!

Easily one of the best bars I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. It has a laidback, speakeasy…read morevibe with an assortment of comfortable seats arranged in nooks. Their drinks are well-made and aren't shy on the spirits. Take the elevator to the 27th floor. It's up to you how you figure out how to get to that floor (suggest asking the front desk.) The elevators open up right into the bar. It's very cool.

I went to Nicollet Island Inn for a baby shower brunch and they did a nice job of accommodating a…read moregroup of ~18 people. We were in a side room with a door that closed, and it had a window with a nice view. They provided a shortened menu, with mimosas and coffee, mains, and dessert. There was a burger and one other item on the menu besides the traditional breakfast and french toast options. I got the traditional breakfast option of 2 eggs, hash, sausage and toast, but was also tempted by the french toast. The food was good, but not very plentiful. If I had ordered the french toast, I would definitely have been hungry. As it was, I could have eaten more even of the traditional breakfast. We were scheduled for 2 hours, but it took much longer. I had to leave before desert was even served. We were not the only people in the restaurant, but I think the portions could have been bigger, and the food could have come out faster. I would go back again not in a large group and try some other things!

Oh, this place is charming. Located in a historic building on Nicollet Island, the Nicollet Island…read moreInn is a comfortable and peaceful place to enjoy a meal with friends, family, or that special someone. Stepping into the building is like stepping back in time in the best way possible: dark wood, leaded glass windows, pretty chandeliers that catch the light, and other touches are instantly calming. We received wonderful service from Lilliana, whose recommendations never steered us wrong. She was prompt, helpful, and truly a delight. The food was also wonderful and featured classic dishes, including Minnesota favorites. We started with the bread service, which is a must-have. The bread slices are grilled to perfection, and the compound butter was on point. I started with the wild rice soup, which was very tasty indeed and really showcased the taste and texture of this local ingredient. For my main, I had the Impossible Burger. This was easily one of the best presentations of Impossible that I have enjoyed: savory mushrooms, crispy onions, melty cheese, and tangy whole grain mustard topped two juicy patties. Add in a pile of light and delicious fries? Goes perfectly with a Nah Hellen (which, incidentally, I was stoked to see--zero-proofers, Nicollet Island has you covered!). For dessert, I had the cheesecake. I chose wisely. This creamy, chocolatey slice of heaven is the perfect blend of tastes and textures: a bit of crunch from the Oreo crust, sweet from the caramel, a hint of tanginess from the cream cheese, and just the right amount of bitterness from the chocolate--my friends, it's a winner. If you're dining with someone else, be sure to ask for an extra fork (to defend your plate, not to share!).