@JoelECarlson – Hello everybody, and welcome to the Twitterview of @actheisen of @kstp news. It’s Monday, so lets start it off right.

Amanda – Happy Monday, Joel! I’m ready!

Q – #1    Having grown up in WI but now living in MN, do you get teased about that much?

Amanda: Every now and then, but especially during football season! It’s a little tough being a #packers fan in my newsroom!

But I’m in good company…we have several #packers fans in my newsroom

But it’s all in good fun, though! Overall, MN people are very nice to WI people. We just point out each others quirks

Q – #2    What kind of schooling did you get, and how did that lead you to working as a producer at @kstp?

Amanda: I went to @UofStThomasMN and got degrees in broadcast journalism and mass. comm. but I did a lot outside class

I worked at the campus TV station, joined #SPJ, and did 3 internships, one at @wbay in GB, and 2 and @kstp

All that “out of the class” prep really helped me as I applied for jobs and went on interviews

My first job was at @wsaw in Wausau, WI where I was a reporter/photographer for two years

My goal was always to return to the Twin Cities, so I used my @kstp connections to get into producing

Q – #3    Having good networking skills and connections is important these days. Are you a producer of 1 particular time slot?

Amanda: No, I’m what you’d consider a “utility” producer. I’ve produced almost every @kstp show at one time or another

And if you watch @kstp, you know we have a lot of newscasts!

I worked on the AM show for 3 yrs. Now I mainly do early evenings and 10pm on Fri/Sat

I’ve also done field producing, which is similar to reporting, except I’m not on air

Q – #4    I see. Does a news event like the gas-explosion last week in Minneapolis really test a new producers skills?

Amanda: It really does. When it’s happening there’s a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into getting stuff on air

You’re working with other producers, reporters, assign. desk folks to get the right information and get it on air

@JoelECarlson . . . I meant news producer.

I know…as producers we’re trying to get the right information into the show and get it to reporters/anchors

Once the event is over, then the challenge becomes, what other stories can we tell from what happened?

That puts a producer’s critical thinking skills to the test. That’s how we end up building our newscasts

Q – #5    Keeping it fresh & interesting! I understand you and your husband are part of a special group for journalists. Explain.

Amanda: We’re both board members of @mnspj, a local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists

@mnspj does a lot of work to bring journalists around MN together with educational events, social hours, etc.

My husband @stheisen and I actually ended up meeting through #SPJ.

I’m also the regional director for @spjregion6. So I oversee pro and student chapters in MN, WI, SD, and ND

Q – #6    Busy lady! Lets shift to your FAVORITES: Restaurant, store, comfort food, area of the Twin Cities and Nat’l news anchor.

Amanda: Restaurants, too many b/c I’m a big foodie! I did just go to Bar La Grassa for the first time and loved it!

Store: for clothes, I love The Limited! I also love kitchen stores like Kitchen Window, Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma

Comfort food, you can’t go wrong with my mom’s chili. Pasta is fantastic, too

Twin Cities area, I love visiting Uptown and Lake Harriet.

Nat’l news anchor, I really admire Diane Sawyer

Q – #8    As a foodie, do you like to cook yourself? Are there enough options for you in MSP as a foodie?

Amanda: I love to cook, as well! I’m also discovering lots of new options for food in the #twincities

A great food blog I look at is @heavytable…they have a lot of great insight into new restaurants

Q – #9    What kind of foods do you like to cook? What’s your specialty?

Amanda: I love making all kinds of food…steaks, chicken dishes, pasta, desserts, etc.

I also did an experiment in January where I did a lot of cooking with vegetables

That’s where I discovered my love for mushrooms!

@JoelECarlson – Thank you very much @actheisen for your time and comments today. Enjoy your exploring of restaurants to check out in the TC.

Amanda: Thank you very much! It’s been fun!

@JoelECarlson – Hello everyone, and welcome to the Food-Friday Twitterview of #MNFoodBlogger @amybpeterson. Lets cook up some Tweets!

Amy: Good morning

Q – #1    Lots of things to cover with you @amybpeterson. First, tell us where you grew up and how you got to become a blogger/photographer?

Amy: Grew up in Coon Rapids, graduated from Coon Rapids HS and went to college at Bradley University in Peoria, IL

Majored in Intl Studies & French, studied abroad in Uni of Hull, UK. After graduation, got a job in marketing consulting

Have always loved food, got into cooking after college. Since I love cooking and writing, decided to start a food blog

Didn’t have much photography experience prior to this, but I’m learning as I go

Q – #2    Good way to learn! Now you had some HUGE blogging news this week. Please share it and how you found out.

Amy: On I got an email from FoodRevolution.com saying I was chosen as Blog of the Month for their March newsletter

Wasn’t sure if that was a big deal or not, didn’t realize at first that it was @Jamie_Oliver #FoodRevolution.

Checked blog stats on Weds. & # of hits had skyrocketed. Clicked link & saw my photo on newsletter. Crazy exciting!

My blog’s pretty small, so I don’t know how #FoodRevolution folks found out about it. But I’m not complainin’. Surreal!

Q – #3    What an honor for you. Congrats! Regarding your blog, what kind of cooking is your focus? Easy? Complex?

Amy: GYP is about trying to cook & eat more local, seasonal whole foods from scratch. But I’m also a working mom…

..so the recipes have to be quick & fairly easy. Definitely less than 1 hr to prepare but ideally closer to 30 mins

I used to be a Bon Appetit style cook, now as parent w/ young kids I’m more of an Everyday Food / @Cooking_Light type

It’s important to me that our family eats fresh, healthy foods but foodie in me requires recipes to have full flavor

Q – #4    When they’re open, do you get a lot of foods from open-air markets? Are you a co-op or CSA member?

Amy: Member of @msmarketcoop thru my office, we joined when Selby store opened. Also a member of East Side Coop in NE Mpls

I shop the farmers markets during spring/summer/winter, there are two near my home I shop in the workweek …

Then on weekends, I like @MplsFarmMarket, @MCFarmersMkt, and market in NE Mpls. There’s really no excuse not to shop

Obviously I don’t go to all of these every week, but there are so many FM options if you live in Mpls or St. Paul

Q – #5    That’s great! Lets now get some of your FAVORITES: Restaurant, store, comfort food and least favorite ingredient.

Amy: Fave restaurants: Alma and Brasa – Alex Roberts rocks!, & I love shopping @CooksCrocusHill for kitchen equipment

My favorite comfort food is cold breakfast cereal, believe it or not. Always hit the cereal box after yoga class.

Least favorite ingredient? Bitter balls from @MplsFarmMarket, apologies to the growers but I can’t make myself eat them

Q – #6    Whaaaa? Is that a spice or vegetable or some kind? Please explain.

Amy: They are these tiny little eggplant type vegetables that are horribly bitter, I’m shuddering now http://bit.ly/efyo4w

I’ll have a go at eating many things at the FM, sometimes you have to try things more than once but not those again

Q – #7    Thanks for the explanation.  Now if you could cook a meal for any 1 person dead/alive, who would it be and why?

Amy: I’d probably cook for my grandma Gladys who’s passed away. She was family member who cooked most in my life growing up

I didn’t really start cooking a lot until the last ten or fifteen years, she was in a nursing home by that time

I think she would be proud to see what I can cook and bake in the kitchen now

Q – #8    To close, please provide a link to your blog and let us know what are some upcoming posts that we can look forward to?

@JoelECarlson – That’s a touching story about your grandma. :)

Amy: Green Your Plate is at http://greenyourplate.blogspot.com

In the next week or so, I’ll be writing about #MNFoodBloggers & @ctkitchentable offerings, how local can you go…

…school lunches, and stupid pineapple tricks

@JoelECarlson – Pineapple tricks? Definitely a post to look out for! :) Thanks for your time and comments today. Have a great weekend!

Amy: Thanks so much for chatting with me, Joel! Enjoy the balmy MN weather

@JoelECarlson – Having a good Wednesday? If not, check out today’s Twitterview with my guest @timotis of GdB. Lets get this thing started!

Q – #1    So @timotis, you’re originally from the Chicago area and started studying music. How did you end up switching to SM and PR?

Tim: It was on a whim. In 2007, the agency I worked for said, hmm, this stuff is taking off. How would u like 2spearhead it?

I’ve been unknowingly an expert since 2005 ;)

Q – #2    Better to use expert over guru right? :)  Can you give a brief rundown of how you to got to be with GdB?

Tim: Right. I was looking for an opportunity to learn more than I already was and what was presented to me was a duel role

I met with my now boss’ wife, had to give a presentation to the agency on my understanding and my take on social media.

Boss was so impressed I was asked out to coffee next day and was offered the job. I LOVE my job.

correction: *dual. Then again, I suppose there’s a fight over what department owns social media lol. Here, it’s PR.

Q – #3    You’re a real believer in companies that build a strong brand. (@McDonalds) IYO is that easy to do with social media?

Tim: No, with social media you must think long-term. One-off campaigns may give a bump, but we’re talking about building

Brands like @McDonald’s do a great job bc they integrate in every facet of their operation. It’s about trust & triggers

more on that: trust = brands need to be human, approachable. Triggers: talk about things that everyone is talking about

@JoelECarlson - Agreed! Social Media can start as a “grass roots” approach for a new biz, but it has to build beyond that.

Tim: saying that, a local brand that does it really well: @summitbeer (GdB client)

Q – #4    More about you. Your FAVORITES: Restaurant, store, comfort food, hobby or non-work interest.

Tim: Dakota Jazz Club- awesome food, fun atmosphere. You might say I’m a 40 year old stuck in a 27-year old’s body

Store would have to be BestBuy. Comfort food is mashed potatoes or pot roast (I like hearty meals)

My wife and I are working on giving back to the community. We are blessed with a lot. So perhaps a coffee shop for the homeless

I also write songs. The goal is to go around to nursing homes and churches and perform them. Encourage/inspire others

In my leisure time, I enjoy running. I know people say runners don’t run for any reason, but c’mon now. It’s fun

Q – #5    Exercise should be fun! What if you could pick 1 person, dead/alive to have a meal with. Who would you choose and why?

Tim: Martin Luther King, Jr. To introduce a message at a time that message was hated and do so with a great outcome, wow.

Division is commonplace in the world and keeping one’s integrity and mission amidst it is hard to find. Ppl compromise

Q – #6    With your background and experience, what kind of schooling/training would you recommend to people interested in SM?

Tim: Great question. You absolutely need to know Web design. If ur client asks you to create a social presence, it’s key

It’s important for companies to work w/ media partners and see how they can leverage digital buys to drive the message

You also need to be intellectually curious. ALL THE TIME. I say “intellectual” bcuz there are dumbheads out there.

We’re all aware of those gurus who think updating on Facebook = intellectual expertise

@JoelECarlson – The 5 W’s Who? What? Where? When? Why? are important! Thank you @timotis from your time and insights today! Have a great day!

Tim: anytime, Joel.

On what felt like the 1st day of Spring in Minnesota, the MN Food Bloggers group had their 2nd meetup at the South Minneapolis restaurant owned by Scott Pampuch, Corner Table.

Corner Table is located in the King Field neighborhood of Minneapolis and has a wonderful feel to it when you step inside.

Stephanie Meyer, the organizer of the group, has many and wonderful connections with the Food Bloggers in Minnesota, and so getting a ticket to this event is a prized gift.  You get the opportunity to meet many talented people who cook in a variety of styles and complexities. Each with their unique take on cooking, and they are also very welcoming when you get to meet them for the first time in person.

To say that Scott Pampuch knows how to cook and put on a good spread of food is an understatement. You can tell when he talks about his work that he really has a passion for it.  His presentation shows that he genuinely loves what he does and takes care in doing so. Below is just a brief showing of what his talents are.

The group that assembled together all came because they are Food Bloggers, or at the very least, a foodie. They aren’t looking to talk about the latest prepackaged food product or brand, they want to hear and taste things fresh from the market, garden or farm.

The topic was food, but even here, the paparazzi where in full effect. Snapping up pictures of the various food offerings and the foodies in the flesh.

At the event, Scott shared a new offering that he is going to make available soon, it’s a CSK or Community Supported Kitchen service. It will allow people to get on a weekly basis, a box of foods that have been prepared for families of 2 or 4, which are quality farm foods for people in the metro area.

After the presentation was done, Scott invited all of the guest that were interested, to come into the Corner Table kitchen and cook up the contents of a CBK box.

Scott Pampuch, Corner Table and Stephanie Meyer all did a great job with the 2nd, in what hopes to be many, MN Food Blogger events.  If you are a foodie and enjoy lively discussions as well as taste testing a variety of quality food, make sure you get a ticket this wonderful event.

@JoelECarlson – Hello everyone, and welcome to the Twitterview of Kieran Folliard. He will be using @TheLocalMPLS as his Twitter account. Lets begin!

Q – #1    To begin, this week is the launch of your new whiskey, #2gingers. What led to it’s development?

Kieran: Five years of being the #1 Jameson account in the world and the success of our trademarked drinks Big and Skinny Ginger gave us (con’t)

the opportunity to partner with Coolery Distillery in Ireland.

Q – #2    Had the thought/dream of the #2gingers been something on your mind to do for some time?

Kieran: You don’t have to be Irish to think launching your own whiskey brand seems like an interesting journey!

Q – #3    When will the #2gingers be available for the public to try?

Kieran: The christening of 2 Gingers will be at 5pm on Wednesday the 16th @TheLocalMpls. Then 530pm @KieransMPLS (con’t)

then 6pm @CooperIrishPub and 7pm @The_Liffey. There will be bagpipers, whiskey barrels and flame throwers. :)

With a free 2 Gingers for everyone (21+) at each pub!

Q – #4    I see. For those new to your establishments, what 2 featured drinks will the #2gingers be an ingredient in?

Kieran: Our featured drinks have become trademarked. They are the Big Ginger and the Skinny Ginger. Very simple yet egalitarian.

Fill collins glass with ice, 2 oz of Two Gingers, fill with ginger ale and garnish with a wedge of lemon and lime slice!

Q – #5    You first came onto the scene with @KieransMPLS. In a crowded food/drink scene in Mpls, what made you try?

Kieran: loved sitting in pubs drinking pints and talking rubbish. Why not punch the clock everyday?

Q – #6    I read in a @MNMOmag article that not only is the product important to you, but also your personnel. Can you explain?

Kieran: As an independent pub business, any product such as 2 Gingers or Green Ox that comes from us internally (con’t)

and is of high quality, all of us collectively feel a personal connection to it. We’re all part of the story. (con’t)

And with that comes a certain sense of pride which we all take ownership of.

Q – #7    Kudos to you! It seems like more companies that treat employees well have a good retention of them! True for you?

Kieran: Absolutely! We have colleagues who have been with us for 17 years @KieransMPLS, 7 ppl who have been with us for 10+ yrs

now have ownership in the company. And hopefully we’ll have many more to come.

Q – #8    Great format to ask this – Do you have any job openings at either of your 4 locations?

Kieran: We’re always looking for friendly people! Stop in and say you’re related to the 2 Gingers!

Q – #9    Nice. We’ll be ending soon, but you mentioned a product called #GreenOx earlier. Can you explain what that is?

Kieran: #GreenOx is our partnership with chef Mike Phillips. He purchases local pigs and lambs. He produces a wide variety of (cont)

charcuterie and sausage. Currently they’re on the menus at all 4 pubs, but hopefully they’ll be available in the (cont)

retail market with the next year or so.

@JoelECarlson – Thank you so much @TheLocalMpls (Kieran Folliard) for your time, comments and care that you bring to the Twin Cities! Excellent!

Kieran: Thank you for the opportunity to share. We hopefully see you on Wednesday for the big 2 Gingers launch!