Hello everyone and @emilyengberg! Today were going to learn about Emily and her work with @TwinCities_Live. Lets begin!

Emily    Hello! @JoelECarlson Thanks for having me!!!

Tell us a little bit about your background to start off with. Where did you grow up and what did you enjoy doing?

Emily:    My hometown of Burlington, IA is a historic town right on the Mississippi River. Lots of time spent on the river.

Loved going to watch the @BurlingtonBees, the minor league baseball team.That’s why I love the @StPaulSaints so much!

Fun fact: My hometown is also known for having the crookedest street in the world.Lombard in San Fran is the curviest

Sounds like a fun time!  So when did you decide to get into TV, and how did you get started?

Emily:    I’ve always known I would work in TV. Have loved it since I was a kid.

I used to convince my classmates to do projects with a TV theme…usually with me anchoring. :)

Even had a “talk show” in middle school during home room called “Yak it up with Emily”.

Went to @ASU‘s Walter Cronkite School and took internships in TV and radio. Got lots of hands on experience.

Then, moved to small market and did every job. Awesome experience that teaches you a lot about yourself and the biz.

Good to know early what you want to do. How did you get started after schooling and when did you start at @kstp?

Emily:    I have a news background. After AZ, worked in IA, IL, WI and have now been here for 3 years. Loving lifestyle tv!

Hard to believe it has been 3 years at @twincities_live. Love coming to work! Never know what I’ll be up to!

Did you connect well right off the bat with @ElizabethRies and the now departed, John Hanson? #GoodChemistry

Emily:    Thank you! @elizabethries and I got along really well right away. Same thing with John. We really are buddies.

We have a hard working group of folks that work on the show and it’s a bonus that we enjoy each other’s company!

I bet it was hard for you and @elizabethries to say #GoodBye to John. Now you’ll get to make a new friend/co-host. :)

Emily:    It was tough to see John go, but @elizabethries and I are happy for him. The search continues for the new co-host!

The new host will have big shoes to fill, but we are excited about what’s to come. Change can be good.

With all of the stunts/traveling that you’ve done for @TwinCities_Live, what have been some of your recent favorites?

Emily:    I have had so many amazing experiences on @twincities_live. I get to try some crazy things.

I’ve hidden in trash cans, dangled from the @GuthrieTheater’s stage, been a goalie for the @Minnesota_Swarm...

I’ve even had knives thrown at me! The list is endless. Scary sometimes, but always memorable.

But I have to say my favorite is meeting all sorts of people in MN. They are so sweet.

The traveling isn’t bad either. Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Bahamas and Wine Country in May with TCL fans! I’m grateful.

Your personality makes all of it fun to watch. :) When you’re not on TV, what do you like doing in the #TwinCities?

Emily:    Thank you! I laugh a lot. It’s a great gig.

When I’m not working, I love to check out all the great restaurants the cities have to offer.

You can usually find me at a concert or sporting event. We have so much to do here! Never boring.

Are you a crafty, cook or sports minded person?

Emily:    Love sports. Definitely not crafty and you don’t want me to cook. But I’m a lot of fun!!!! :)

Joel:    Thank you so much for your time today! Have fun on @TwinCities_Live, and keep up the good work! :)

Emily:    Thank you!!! Always a pleasure!!! Be sure to watch @twincities_live at 3! Have a great day.

Welcome everybody and welcome Katie Holley of @RestoreHealing for today’s @MNMOmag Twitterview. Lets get things rolling!

Katie:    Hi Joel! Happy to be here in virtual land.

Tell us a little about yourself Katie. What’s your role so that we understand your perspective?

Kaite:    I’m the marketing & social media director for Restore – an online community who supports conscious living in the TCs.

Okay good. So explain then what kinds of things are offered.  Are they from you or partnered companies?

Katie:    Restore is a resource guide. We promote our members – the best in local health and wellness businesses.  restorehealing.com/

We do that with consistent education through social media, blogging, weekly deals, events – offerings vary from…

acupuncture, organic facials/haircare/beauty, ayurvedic massages, eco-friendly apparel, chiropractic – the best local

That’s awesome! So share some of the history. When did it start and why was it deemed important to start?

Katie:    Restore began as a holistic event, our founder, Pam LaBelle, saw there was a need to build a bridge from the general..

…public to credible, high integrity health and wellness practitioners and businesses in the Twin Cities. With her…

Masters in Holistic Health from St. Kates, her passion was to increase exposure to the best of the best. The event…

tripled in size and has evolved into a consistent online community – that’s when I became involved- to help be a voice

I love the immediacy of social media. I also really enjoy being able to connect our members to their target markets.

What would you say are the TOP 5 services/products that you feature to your community?

Katie:    It’s difficult to give a top 5 – since we have almost 80 FABULOUS members…but, we are a feature in itself…

We offer a vetted community to the general public. People can be hesitant to try new healing modalities. That’s why..

Restore features quality products and services right in the Twin Cities’ backyard. Online research is the 1st step…

for most people when it comes to healthcare. Our space provides experiential opportunities and education through…

our quality weekly deals, blogs/vlogs, resources http://bit.ly/SH3qWS , and offline events. http://restorehealing.com

To someone new to your community that wants to start slowly, how do you recommend they begin?

Katie:    Visit us online, follow us here, Like us on FB https://www.facebook.com/restorehealing , and check out our Weekly Deals – IN FACT…

…we have a promo just for your viewers. Get $10 off your first Weekly Deal http://www.restorehealing.com/deals.html  code: joelcarlson

Good through 12/31/13! Get an organic facial, massage, acupuncture, etc. Or buy eco apparel, green products and more!

To see some of the great work our members are doing, check out @hammsevent, @chowgirls Valentine’s event,

Free yoga at @sparkwellnessmn this Sat, plus our pop up Restore events throughout the year. @JGrunewaldHNC telesummit!

Joel:    Nice! :) Thanks Katie and Pam for helping create a healthy environment for Minnesotans! Enjoy yourday!

Katie:    SUCH a pleasure! We love TCs and staying connected to people like you – thanks for taking SM to the next level!

Thanks @MNMOmag for the opportunity to connect online with you today. WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!! -Katie & Pam

Good morning! Today’s Twitterview is with Mandy of the @IvySpaClub. Looking forward to talking to her about health & fitness.

Mandy:    I’m excited to chat with you!

To start Mandy, when did the Ivy Spa first open it’s doors to the public, and how big is it space wise?

Mandy:    Ivy Spa Club, along with Ivy Fitness Club, opened in February of 2008. We live on the entire 2nd fl of the Hotel Ivy.

So, in total we are 17,000 square feet.

That’s a good sized space! What was the goal/focus of the spa so that it would stand out from other spas in the area?

Mandy:    Downtown Mpls didn’t have a real destination spa. The owners wanted a luxury hotel setting.

Ivy Spa Club also is the largest, full-service spa. We have a large relaxation area and a wealth of spa amenities.

It’s truly a getaway in the middle of the city

In having a spa & fitness club together, a lot of good healthy work can be done there. What spa services do you offer?

Mandy:    We have 90+ services with inspirations from all over the world. We use some of the finest facial and body products.

These services include massages, body treatments & scrubs, nail services, hair services, makeup & airbrush tanning.

Have you ever experienced any for yourself, Joel? If not, you must visit asap! Everyone deserves a little pampering.

I should mention we also have specialty treatments for expecting mothers, new mothers, people w/sensitive skin, etc.

Yes, everyone does! Some men though are squeamish about spas. Do you have any male specific treatments?

Mandy:    Ha! Yes, we know there may be a stigma out there, but we actually have quite the male following.

Some of our male-focused services include: men’s maintenance manicure, deep tissue and sports massages, haircuts, etc.

We also have a Gentleman’s Fitness Facial and carry a lot of fabulous products for men’s skin and hair care.

We love to see men enjoying pedicures and other spa services as well! We’re all human and must care for ourselves.

Nice! In addition to spa services, there also some Ivy branded products. Can you share what some of them are?

Mandy:    Our Ivy Signature line includes body lotion, bath gel, shampoo, conditioner, bath salts, massage oil and more.

They come in a variety of sizes from 1.5 oz to 32 oz. And they smell divine!

I’ll have to get a travel pack in the mail to you!

Fun! :) In addition to the spa, there is also a fitness club. Is it just an “open” gym or are trainers also available?

Mandy:    We have a team of really experienced trainers. Jacob, for instance, was in the Army and knows how to make you sweat!

He’s helped transform bodies like you don’t normally see. Along with him, we have other trainers.

They have exp. with different body types and any restrictions people may have. We also pride ourselves on our classes.

We have Barre classes, lunchtime yoga, & cardio/boot camp classes, etc. They are usually small for a better workout.

With it being the beginning of the new year, are there any special deals that the Ivy Fitness Club is offering?

Mandy:    Oh, yes! For those who join now, we are giving 300 Ivy dollars, good for spa, salon and fitness services.

For anyone within a company that is close to us, we also offer corporate discounts. Contact @kalsorie for more info!

Kristin is our fitness mgr! 612-353-3579 or kristins@ivyspaclub.com.

Share with those unfamiliar with your location, what your address is and what your hours of operation are.

Mandy:    We’re on the 2nd floor of Hotel Ivy on 2nd Ave and 11th Street S. Close to the Convention Center. 201 11th Street S

Ivy Spa is open 9 am – 8 pm Mon-Sat and 9 am – 7 pm Sun. Ivy Fitness is open 6 am – 8 pm Mon-Sat and 9 am – 7 pm Sun.

Some get nervous about parking. We offer valet parking (comp w/some services) and there are ramps or street pkg.

We’re also skyway connected. Stay warm!!

Joel:    That’s great Mandy. Thanks for taking time today to share what the spa and fitness club has to offer on #MNMOtv!

Mandy:    Absolutely! This was fun! Let me know if you want to visit for a getaway in the city. Thanks Joel!

(Conducted on January 9, 2013)

Jen Sinkler is a very successful fitness and athletic minded and active person  She’s the Editorial Director of Fitness Content for Experience Life magazine. Owned and operated by the Lifetime Fitness chain. She has played rugby at many levels, and even after ending her participation, she still keeps up on how to stay fit through exercise and eating right.

When she’s not working out, pumping iron, running and staying in shape, what kinds of things does Jen like to do with her time?  Even though she is very health conscious, does she have any weaknesses when it comes to food?  With the craze of Apps, does she have any that she uses to help herself with keeping track, monitor or improving her activities?

In this 3-part series of interviews, get to know more about Jen, her personality and what drives her to do what she does.

In part 1 of the Jen Sinkler interview, Jen talks about how she became interested in rugby and built up her interest in fitness. She then shares what some of her favorite fitness brands are and her thoughts on fitness apps.

In part 2 of Jen’s interview, she talks about her diet, her exercise regiment what she feels about lifting weights for women.

In part 3 of Jen’s interview, she talks about some of her interests outside of fitness. Where she’d like to travel to and what her favorite animals.

For the May JMU612 (Java MeetUp 612) MeetUp, the topic was Apps. In particular, what Apps had people in the group  tried, and also enjoyed using. In the health and fitness portion, there were a number of Apps that were mentioned, and so here is a list of some of them for you to try out yourself. See what works for you. As well as a few others that I came across that might assist you as well in your journey to a healthier and better you.

Click on the highlighted link to get the App from the iTunes store.

GymPact – Lets you earn cash rewards by going to a gym. (Free)

Tap & Track – A calorie counter App. ($3.99)

RunKeeper – Uses GPS to track your fitness activity. (Free)

100pushups – A 6 weeks training program to get you capable of 100 consecutive push ups.  (Free)

Run 5k - Personal workout training coach. Helps you get into shape from a beginner to running a 5k in 8 weeks. ($3.99)

Fitness Buddy – 1700+ unique exercises at your disposal. ($0.99)

MapMyFITNESS - Personal training log for tracking runs, rides and gym workouts. (Free)

MapMyRIDE  GPS Cycling – Map the route that you take when biking. (Free)

Hello everyone! Welcome to today’s @MNMOmag Twitterview with Stacie Clark of @TigerAthletics. Lets get running!

Tell us a little bit about yourself Stacie. Where did you grow up and go to school?

Stacie:    I went to college at Indiana University in Bloomington Indiana. But I call Minnesota “home”:)

I see. So when did you decide that you wanted to get into the training/workout business?

Stacie:    I’ve always been athletically inclined…loved sports and anything that had to do with working out.

So after college, I became certified and started training on the side and doing group classes, races,

I ended up having such a passion for it and life itself, I mean it is a “lifestyle”..that I decided

to do this full-time with my husband Chris Clark…LOVE IT!

So Tiger was born in 2005

That’s great to be able to share your passion with your husband! Did it take some courage to start your own Co?

Stacie:    ABSOLUTELY! A lot of hard work and passion…it’s a journey, but one well worth being traveled.

What was your orginal business plan as to what services you’d offer to the public?

Stacie:    The 1st biz plan was to originally offer classes and training for youth athletes ages 6-15yrs.

We have since expanded to over 20 youth/adult weekly class offering; summer FIT camps;

Mexico FIT adventures, private coaching, team coaching/training and more! You can now find us all over

the Twin Cities metro:) We are mobile so it’s generally easy to find us at one of our locations.

What would you say drives your passion to help people get or stay fit? Is mental coaching involved in what you do?

Stacie:    What drives my passion is seeing the joy of everyone’s success and seeing them move thru space…

so that’s a wide client base…but such a niche. It involves passion on our end just as much as the

physical ability and mental coaching aspect to motivate the audience we have.

If someone is thinking about starting on an exercise regiment for the 1st time. What do you recommend to start with?

Stacie:    From there, most people generally lack a cardio base/foundation and core training….so it’s our job

to assess and write a program that is realistic for them to handle and achieve with success. I always

like giving my clients “homework” to do on their own too. When they don’t do it, I know it…:)

More about you. Your FAVORITE: Place to run, restaurant, store, athletic gear, hobby other than exercise.

Stacie:    FAV places to run r: Mexico on beach & French Park in Plymouth…miles of trails. So beach + trails.

FAV restaurant: Kobe sushi Plymouth;my husband’s laughing b/c he says I need to say “Texas Roadhouse!”

FAV store: LOVE shopping in NY..fav is Zara, H&M, Barneys Coop…in my past life I was the

Fashion Director for Marshall Fields-turned-Macys..so I love Fashion. For me,what I wear has to be

functional as well…it’s my everyday outfit. I shop at Lululemon;looking cute is part of the job too!

Can you explain what MEXICO Fit is about and what you’re launching today?

Stacie:    Mexico FIT is a group trip we organize 2xs/yr; Feb and Nov. The great thing @ the trip is it makes you

want to train in advance and excel while your there. We train 2-3 hrs/day. You get results in just

4-5 days…then the last day we do an Adventure FIT race. U go beyond what u think u can do. Today we

we are launching 20+ classes geared towards youth & adult hi-energy fun, but result-oriented.

Sure to make u sweat! Classes are $20 single or class packs of 5,10, 20 for discounted px’s. Would love

to see you all come out & give us a try. Find us: Planet Spirit,Hot MamaEdina, MiniHops, Balanced Barre

Sounds like training for women since they are at womens stores? Anything going on this summer?

Stacie:    It’s training for men & women..only Hot Mama is a female store. YES! Summer FIT camp. Kids ages 4-18 train w/Chris

and the adults (moms,dads, nannies,athletes) train with ME! Think hurdles, strength bags, pushups, dirt

hills, weights, sandbags and more! SO FUN! Most importantly the kids and adults train simultaneously

Joel:    Thanks for sharing today Stacie some of your work and passions on #MNMOtv! Have a great week and keep up the good work!

Stacie:    on the field. Summer Camp starts June 12th! Thank you and hope to see you!

@JoelECarlson – Hello everybody, and welcome to the landmark TwitterReview of @DepotMpls, because it is a local landmark. :)

@DepotMpls – Thanks for having us today, this is an exciting time of year for us!

Q – #1    So @DepotMpls, what is some of your history? How old are you and when did your use as a building change to what you are today?

A: The old MKE Road Depot was constructed in 1899 & remains 1 of the last long-span, truss-roofed sheds in the nation

The most activity was 1920′s when the Milling District & the trains were busling w/ activity. This was the hub of Mpls!

Last trains left in 1971 & it set empty for several years til Gary Holmes (CSM Corp) came up with an idea for it.

Here’s a cool pic of The Depot back in it’s prime day bustling w/ activity. http://twitpic.com/398kue

CSM proposed 2 hotels, mtg space, restaurant, bar, indoor ice rink & waterpark for the space.

Interestingly, 1 of components of the city accepting the idea was the Ice Rink! They wanted a “Rockefeller of Mpls”.

The original train shed & clocktower were renovated to ice rink/ mtg space & historic suites. Rest of Depot was built.

Pic of the clocktower bldg back in the day (former offices for railroad & ticket counters). http://twitpic.com/398mdk

Q – #2    When were the renovations done, and is the clock-tower open to the public to tour?

A: CSM renovated & built The Depot in 2000 and opened in July 2001. We’re getting ready to celebrate 10 yrs!

The clocktower is pretty amazing, but very difficult to get up so we aren’t able to offer tours of the tower.

You can tour the bldg, which features our “Great Hall”, original marble floor, gold leaf plated ceilings & woodwork.

If you pay close attention, you’ll even feel dips in the marble floor where ppl lined up to buy tickets & caused wear.

Q – #3    So what special opening is happening on WED Nov 24th?

A: Every year we turn the “Depot Pavilion” into an indoor ice rink for a few months. Wed, Nov. 24th is opening day!

Here’s what skating looks like, you can see all the original truss work & smoke stacks. http://twitpic.com/398p7n

It’s a holiday tradition & we see many families come each yr. Skate rental is available from kids 10 to adult 14.

We even get an occasional proposal on the ice & we’re happy to play a special song & clear the ice upon request. :-)

Q – #4    Better to have a proposal on the ice instead of being on “the rocks” right? :) Any wedding ever done there?

A: We haven’t had an actual wdng on ice (great idea tho), BUT we’ve had wdng parties skate after the I do’s still dressed

Q – #5    What other kind of events to you have at @DepotMpls, and when it’s not frozen over, what is the Depot Pavillion used for?

A: We host a lot of gala’s, awards ceremonies, wdngs, team building events, etc… in both Great Hall & Pavilion (rink).

Even w/ ice we have a temp floor + carpet we can put down in hrs & convert rink to this: http://twitpic.com/398t9x

Because the ice is cooled from below, room temp can be warmed for other events & most have no idea they are on ice!

Q – #6    I missed asking this earlier, what are the hours that the skating rink is open and what are the fees?

A: The ice rink is open a variety of hrs, always check DepotRink.com to verify. Admission is $8 (adults), $7 rental.

For all of our twitter followers & those that read your blog, here’s a $2 off admission/person coupon! http://is.gd/hmbKd

And new this year, we’re adding special treats to those that check in on @foursquare & possibly others. So check in there too!

Q – #7    That’s a nice offer! What are the less crowded times of day to come, and are skating lessons available?

A: Mornings are the least crowded. We don’t offer lessons, but you can rent a “walker” which really helps beginners!

Interesting point: Depot Rink reuses all its ice (scraped during season) to cool the heating equipment in the Depot!

Q – #8    Any tips or suggestions on how to dress for an indoor skating rink?

A: We keep the rink at 55 degrees, so it’s fairly comfortable w/ a sweater & jeans & maybe light gloves.

@JoelECarlson – Great! Thanks for your history lesson about the @DepotMpls and have another great season with the ice rink!

@DepotMpls – THANK YOU for having us, there really is a lot of fun history around here. If you come, explore the whole complex.