Minnesota is known for it’s winters, (with the exception of the 2011/2012 winter, but we don’t talk about that one.) and so anything that draws people to the outdoors for fun and excitement is welcomed. Skating, sliding down hills, skiing, snowmobiling and many other activities are draws for many that live here.

Another draw for those living or visiting Minnesota for the 2012/2013 winter season, will be the Ice Castles at the Mall of America.  Built on the North side parking lot, or just East of the IKEA store.  They range in height anywhere from roughly 10′ – 12′ high, and some have tunnels that separate them for you to be able to get around or through them.

They are illuminated with lights inside of them, so at night they are a spectacular sight to see.  (As a word of caution though to those with ankle, knee or hip issues, you will want to be cautious when walking in the area, as the ground is not level due to snow and ice that was used to create these castles. Heels of any kind would not be a good idea for you to wear.)  As you tour the area, you might find a person or 2 playing with fire, or you may see one of the Ice Castle princesses enjoying her reign.

If you’re in need of a bit of refreshment while visiting, hot chocolate and mini donuts are available for you to indulge in. Many families will enjoy this, and young children will be especially excited to see it.  No doubt many family and kid pictures will be taken with the Ice Castles as the backdrop. Tickets for the site are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids.  A very visual display of what can be done with winter weather and lots of water!

Hello everybody! Welcome to today’s Twitterview with @Real_Genevieve! Lets get things rolling!

I’m ready

Great! We’ll talk about your work, but lets first talk about your experience with Hurricane #Sandy. Where were you?

Genevieve:    I was in Jersey City during hurricane Sandy….coming from MN I’m a dramatic weather lover, having no power for 8 days and

worrying the walls would fall in…not so fun.

I just feel terrible for all of those who lost their homes. We have a bit of survivor guilt here in Manhattan

I’d imagine it was difficult. Did you learn anything about yourself or change your view of priorities on anything?

Genevieve:    I learned that people were very dirty before electricity, time wo tech spent with children is so important, that the art of

conversation is something we should practice more fluently, and getting up and going down w the sun…is pretty incredible

and in the end, helping people in need makes you feel bigger, always

I would imagine so. Are you, your family and your home restored back to normal now?

Genevieve:    We are. it’s just helping the shore communities now that are still wo anything.

That’s good! :) Lets move on to your design/judging work. What shows are you currently work on for #HGTV?

Genevieve:    I”m shooting my new show….Genevieves Renovation which is at my own house which will air on @hgtv July 2013

I leave for DC day after Thanksgiving to shoot this years White House Xmas special….@hgtv

I’m also leaving for California in Feb. to shoot the next Design Star @hgtv

Your own house being renovated on @hgtv? That sounds like it would be a very personal show. Has it been?

Genevieve:    Yes, it is very personal, very invasive but really incredible to have the time to work for myself

Some judges on talent shows have said that judging and giving opinions is tough. Is it for you with #DesignStar?

Genevieve:    Tough? no. But a lot of the audience thinks you’re being mean when in

reality we’re just being honest and doing our job at the same time, trying to help the talent.

How is the product endorsement/support work been going for you lately?

Genevieve:    Good! I have a successful rug line with @capelrugs just launched my 3rd collection

working with Mirassou wines, Valspar Paints, and SC Johnson oh and Lowes

That’s awesome! Being such a creative person as you are, can it be difficult to turn your brain off and just relax?

Genevieve:    I can’t turn my brain off unless the electricity is out or I leave the country. This is why I need to leave the country.

often, just how I”m wired.

Sure. In the design world, are there any big “shifts” that have been happening? Like colors or styles.

Genevieve:    There are always big shifts in desgin…we follow fashion traditionally

Right now, it’s all about plums, burgundys golds and pewters, very barouque, very over the top castle style

It’s quite heavy, I”m trying to deconstruct and make it feel cool.

To close, what do you hope to accomplish in the next year? Thanks again for being a part of #MNMOtv today Genevieve. Enjoy your free time!

Genevieve:    This coming year, is a new life. I’m creating a new home have a new relationship, doing new shows, it’s a transition, a really

Happy, healthy transitional year. You have to go through a couple hard ones to get to the good ones. Time for good

Thanks for having me!

Good afternoon everyone! Welcome to today’s Twitterview of @ShopLen, with Kara Nesvig handling their Tweets. Lets begin!

Kara:    I’m here!

Super! To begin, where are your stores located currently?

Kara:    We’re at Southdale, Rosedale, MOA, Maplewood and City Center!

Any mens or womens only stores? Do you have an outlet anywhere as well?

Kara:    LEN stores sell both men’s&women’s merchandise @ 50% off the ticket. If they go on further sale, clearance store @ Southdale.

What is a “typical” shopper at Len like? Moms & Dads? 1st job outfit hunters? 20 or 30 somethings?

Kara:    It depends. Downtown: skyway workers. Southdale: Lotsa teens. MOA: Anyone & everyone! We carry many different styles.

Good to know! Variety is good. Tell us some of the history of the company. When did it start, why and where?

Kara:    Len Druskin (the man) opened his 1st store in ’70s in Edina. LEN stores began late 2000s, Southdale & DT were first.

It’s important not to mix up Len Druskin (Galleria/Gaviidae) and LEN! Same company, totally different stores! :)

For those not aware, what’s the difference between the 2 types of stores?

Kara:    Len Druskin sells full-price, brand name merch @ Galleria/DT (Len D Man, LD Len Druskin, LD Blues)

LEN stores = completely different buy, sold 50% off ticket. A “baby sister” store to Len Druskin. More fast fashion.

Nothing in a LEN store comes from Len Druskin.

Thanks for the explanation. So what are some “hot trends” at the store these days? What’s really moving of the racks?

Kara:    Women: Coated denim, infinity scarves, chambray shirts, “leather” jackets, fur vests, sheer blouses.

Men: Retro sports tees, office-to-”out” sweaters, straight leg jeans, wool peacoats

We get new merch almost daily so it’s always changing!

What is the general range of sizes that you have available in mens and womens clothing?

Kara:    Women: 0-12 or waist 24-30, S-XL, occasionally up to a size 15 jean. Men: 30-40, S-XXL. It depends on the vendors.

Good to know and make sure to ask of course. What are the store hours, and any #SpecialTips for shoppers?

Kara:    Probably easiest to direct you to our Facebook! http://facebook.com/shoplen  – All the stores have different hours!

#specialtips: Ask 4 help! Sales staff is trained to provide awesome service. Stop in frequently, merch changes often.

Good suggestions! Any special sales that people should come in for now or look out for soon?

Kara:    We’re always 50% off, but stay tuned for Black Friday! We’ll be doing something really fun!

Joel:    Ah, I see! :) Thank you very much Kara for talking about Len and what the store has to offer. Have a good weekend!

Kara:    For sure! Thank YOU!

[Interview was conducted on Friday Nov 2,2012]

Any mens or womens only stores? Do you have an outlet anywhere as well?

LEN stores sell both men’s&women’s merchandise @ 50% off the ticket. If they go on further sale, clearance store @ Southdale.

What is a “typical” shopper at Len like? Moms & Dads? 1st job outfit hunters? 20 or 30 somethings?

It depends. Downtown: skyway workers. Southdale: Lotsa teens. MOA: Anyone & everyone! We carry many different styles.

Good to know! Variety is good. Tell us some of the history of the company. When did it start, why and where?

Len Druskin (the man) opened his 1st store in ’70s in Edina. LEN stores began late 2000s, Southdale & DT were first.

It’s important not to mix up Len Druskin (Galleria/Gaviidae) and LEN! Same company, totally different stores! :)

For those not aware, what’s the difference between the 2 types of stores?

Len Druskin sells full-price, brand name merch @ Galleria/DT (Len D Man, LD Len Druskin, LD Blues)

LEN stores = completely different buy, sold 50% off ticket. A “baby sister” store to Len Druskin. More fast fashion.

Nothing in a LEN store comes from Len Druskin.

Thanks for the explanation. So what are some “hot trends” at the store these days? What’s really moving of the racks?

Women: Coated denim, infinity scarves, chambray shirts, “leather” jackets, fur vests, sheer blouses.

Men: Retro sports tees, office-to-”out” sweaters, straight leg jeans, wool peacoats

We get new merch almost daily so it’s always changing!

What is the general range of sizes that you have available in mens and womens clothing?

Women: 0-12 or waist 24-30, S-XL, occasionally up to a size 15 jean. Men: 30-40, S-XXL. It depends on the vendors.

Good to know and make sure to ask of course. What are the store hours, and any #SpecialTips for shoppers?

Probably easiest to direct you to our Facebook! http://facebook.com/shoplen  – All the stores have different hours!

#specialtips: Ask 4 help! Sales staff is trained to provide awesome service. Stop in frequently, merch changes often.

Good suggestions! Any special sales that people should come in for now or look out for soon?

We’re always 50% off, but stay tuned for Black Friday! We’ll be doing something really fun!

Ah, I see! :) Thank you very much Kara for talking about Len and what the store has to offer. Have a good weekend!

For sure! Thank YOU!

Art can be a difficult subject for people to agree on. Art to one person can be confusing or unappreciated to another. It’s hard to unite people on exactly what art is all of the time. What though if it has elements that allow everyone to understand what it is? Say images of a neighborhood or community, all combined into one piece of art, like a collage.  That’s exactly the type of art that you’ll findGiesla Hoelscher working on and sharing with others.  Get to learn more about her and her art that honors cities and neighborhoods from around the country.

Hello, and welcome to today’s @MNMOmag Twitterview with Twin Cities collage artist, @GieslaAnne. Lets get this started!

Tell us a little bit about your background. Where you grew up and when your interest in art started.

Giesla:    I’m a lifelong MN resident & currently live in St. Paul.

When asked in kindergarten what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said “an artist”!

I never really faltered from that. I studied psychology for a brief period, then interior & graphic design.

Where did you go for your interior and graphic design schooling? What kind of art were you drawn too?

Giesla:    I went to the U of MN. I graduated with an Associate’s in Graphic Design from Globe College (now Globe University).

I appreciate all kinds of art, it’s really hard to pick an absolute favorite. I’m really drawn to modern art.

As far as graphic design, I have a soft spot for vintage design, particular graphics from the 50s and 60s.

When did you start making your own art for selling publicly, and what made you choose collages?

Giesla:    I had a difficult time finding a job after 9/11. There were more layoffs than hiring so I started doing freelance.

I just wasn’t crazy about the work. I started making things by hand at the encouragement of a co-worker at the time.

I started my own business in 2002 & started doing art fairs. The collage work wasn’t the main focus initially.

I started doing collages b/c it was my favorite college project. I chose the local theme b/c I love where I live.

Can you describe some of the pieces that you’ve done to give people an idea of your local themes?

Giesla:    The artwork is mostly done with my own photography, but I’ve also used vintage postcards & maps in some pieces.

The theme is either a major city or focuses on part of the city, for example, San Francisco or Bourbon Street.

Here in MN, I generally focus on parts of Saint Paul or Minneapolis or areas of MN, like the North Shore.

I’ve had a great deal of requests for MN colleges as they make great gifts & I’m slowly building a collection.

I also like to highlight the greatest parts of the Twin Cities, like the lakes and the arts, for example

When it come to MN and the arts community, is their a good network to connect with, or lots of independent people?

Giesla:    There is an AMAZING arts community here in MN. One of my favorite parts of doing art fairs is connecting w/artists

We also have great organizations like @mnartistsdotorg and @SpringboardArts that do excellent work w/artists.

Great to know about @mnartistsdotorg and @SpringboardArts. Any location offline that people can see your work at?

Giesla:    Absolutely! My favorite independent shops are the Artist Mercantile in St. Paul or Your Art’s Desire in Minnetonka.

If you prefer shopping at a mall, my work is at Deck the Walls in @mallofamerica or their new Rosedale location.

I’ll be at the Rosedale location on October 20th for a signing event from 1-4pm.

Joel:    Thanks so much @GieslaAnne for sharing some of your life and activities on #MNMOtv today. Have a great rest of the week!

Giesla:    Thank you, @JoelECarlson, for having me on #MNMOtv. It was my pleasure!

Hello to all of the #MNMOtv followers! Today’s guest is singer/songwriter and a co-host on @Cities97radio, @KeriNoble1. Lets welcome her!

Keri:    Super excited. My very first “Twitterview”!

Glad to have you as a guest! Tell us a little bit about your background. Where you grew up & childhood interests.

Keri:    I was born in Ft Worth, Tx. We moved from TX to IL, b4 moving back to TX.

Eventually, when i was in 2nd or 3rd grade, we moved (& settled) in Detroit, MI

I was home-schooled ’til 4th grade.

I was home-schooled ’til 4th grade. My mom was a teacher at the school, and my dad was a southern baptist pastor.

I spent most of my time, as a kid, at church. Choir, Sunday School, Bible studies, etc.

When i finally went 2 school, took me a while 2 b comfortable, but by 6th grade, i discovered boys & being social.

Later, i got super involved in the drama program, & was certain i was gonna b an actress!

At what age did you start writing your own songs, and what kinds of music did you listen to?

Keri:    Music’s always been a part of my family/life. Mom was a choir director, i took piano lessons, sang in the choir, etc

But i didn’t start writing ’til i was a freshman in college, after hearing Joni Mitchell’s “Blue”

That was a game-changer 4 me. B4 that, i listened to contemp. christian music as a kid, and R&B/hip hop as a teen

Once i discovered Joni, i devoured any singer-songwriter i could get my hands on Shawn Colvin Carol King Patty Griffin

I’d listened 2 music my whole life but hearing singer-songwriters made me want to actually create music 4 the 1st time

Something about that music made it feel safe 4 me to express things i wasn’t sure i could say in real life

That’s a great list! In addition to singing and songwriting, what musical instruments do you know how to play?

Keri:    Piano’s my main instrument. I can play a little guitar. Not well, but i can hack it if i have to!

Some people write music from personal experience, others write from observations. What moves you to write?

Keri:    Always personal experience. Not necessarily something that happened directly 2 me, but maybe someone close 2 me

Sometimes i can write like crazy & other times i have nothing 2 say. Has everything 2 do w/what’s going on in my life.

More than anything, my songs have been directly related to whatever i’m feeling/going through

When writing a new song, can it be difficult to, in a sense, edit your feelings? To make the lyrics work better.

Keri:    The goal is NOT 2 edit, if possible. U can edit l8r. The writing process should b as pure/unfiltered as possible.

Nearly impossible 2 turn the internal critic off, but if u can get in2 a zone w/no distractions & a quiet mind…gold!

2 many details/specifics can yank a listener out of the “painting” that they’ve created, so i do try to avoid that

for example, i don’t need 2 mention names, eye color, the city, what we were eating, etc. 1 or 2 details is plenty

People connect when they can picture themselves in songs. That’s what i try 2 do. Tell a story but not get in the way.

For sure! Shifting gears, your BIO says that you’re a Detroit loyalist. Has it been tough watching their hardships?

Keri:    Heartbreaking.

It’s not hard to cheer for Detroit. There’s SO much history. It’s made up of fighters. Don’t count ‘em out yet!

My family’s still in D, so i go home several times a year. It’s hard to see the pain, but there’s a lot of beauty, too.

They seem to be working at innovative things to revive the area. Lastly, lets talk about your @Cities97radio gig…

Keri:    YES! Let’s talk about my @cities97radio gig! I’m having a blast!

Had you ever done radio before and did you know who @BrianOake was?

Keri:    I have the BEST partner/co-host IN THE BIZ! @BrianOake

@BrianOake He had interviewed me several times as an artist at Oake on the Water. We always had a good time.

I was doing the @PowerTripKFAN on @KFAN1003 for the last year b4 joining @cities97radio in April of this last year.

I was the “Girl Around Town”, talking about what was happening in the Twin Cities.

@Chawk1003 producer of @PowerTripKFAN was the 1st person 2 give me a chance on the radio.Wouldn’t b here w/out him

@LMac97 gave me my BIG break on @cities97radio & @BrianOake & i have been having a blast ever since.

@BrianOake Oake’s been a radio staple here in the TC for a long time. It’s really an honor 2 share the mornings w/him.

With both radio programs being in the morning, I’m guessing that you’re a “morning person”? No on-air chemistry issues?

Keri:   Oddly enough, i love mornings. don’t get me wrong-i’d love to sleep in a little l8r, but…

i get up at 2:45 most mornings 2 hit the gym b4 coming in to work. helps me get my head clear & ready 4 the day.

I still pop over 2 the @PowerTripKFAN every Mon/Fri @ 8:30 just 2 give ‘em a hard time.

“on-air chemistry issues” LOL! @BrianOake & i spar every morning, but its brother/sister teasing that makes it so fun!

Joel:    The @PowerTripKFAN needs a rough time. :) Thanks for your time today and Tweeting some of your thoughts on #MNMOtv. Good work!

Keri:    Thanks for being my 1st ever Twitterview! Anytime!

Welcome everybody! Today’s @MNMOmag Twitterview guest is @christinasandok of @StyleArchitects. Expect design & style Tweets!

Christina:    Thanks for having me!

Lets start from the beginning. Where did you grow up, and what were some of your interests early on?

Christina:    I grew up in rural MN…with a pony and your typical small town upbringing.

My grandmother was an entrepreneur – she inspired me daily!

And my grandfather was a jeweler so my love for design started at a young age.

My weekends were spent playing dress up…baking with my Mom…harassing my brother…building forts in our backyard

Neat! So were you creating and designing things when you were young? Like your bedroom and outfits?

Christina:    Absolutely. I love change so there was always a design project in the works…my world was a live Pinterest board! :)

So what was your journey from HS to starting @StyleArchitects. You’ve got 5 Tweets! :)

Christina:    After HS I attended college at UST. My degree was in Mass Comm + Journalism with a minor in Psych.

During my Sr. year I accepted a job @Target in Corp Media Center as a producer producing PR reels.

Post-Target, I launched beauty/apparel/wellness lines for @shopnbc.

After a few years in the world of fashion, I decided to leave and work for a children’s non-profit – @CHeartLink

Then a couple years in b2b marketing and 4+ years as a magazine style & beauty editor. I loved that job!

Two years ago I took the plunge and started @StyleArchitects – a creative lifestyle services agency.

So explain what kind of projects that @StyleArchitects does, and how have you gotten into working with magazines?

Christina:    I am lucky to have an amazing team @StyleArchitects: http://style-architects.com/about/  #mnmotv (cc: @FaithBrue @RanoshaC @CarlynMcClure)

We have wardrobe styling & event planning teams. We LOVE photo shoots – lots of creative pow wows @StyleArchitects

Each month we team up with @MNMOstyle on a makeover candidate (cc: @FaithBrue). We love our collaborations!

Sounds like a great place to work at! When you’re not @StyleArchitects, what kinds of things do you enjoy doing?

Christina:    On the weekends @Craigsandok and I head up to our lake cabin. We cook, drink wine and do cannon balls off our dock.

When we stay in the city we LOVE kicking off our Saturdays @Patisserie46 on our way to the farmers market.

Sounds like fun! :) Last point, what’s one bit of style advice you’d give to people looking for help?

Christina:    Be true to yourself – only follow trends that you truly love and that fit your lifestyle.

And follow the @StyleArchitects blog for weekly style inspiration! http://style-architects.com/blog/

Joel:    That’s pretty clear I’d say. Thank you for your time and Tweets today.  Keep up the good work that you do!

Christina:    A huge thanks to you and @MNMOmag for having me! It was fun :)

Hello everyone! Today’s Twitterview is with the #DavannisWithJoel winner, @RubyMadisonLLC. Lets get this going and get on our way!

Latrenda:    Yay I’m excited to start!

So share a little bit about your self Latrenda. Where did you grow up and what kinds of things interested you?

Latrenda:    I grew up in MPLS until 8th grade then I moved to Eagan when I was in High school. I ran track and was a varsity comp

Cheerleader I started modeling in high school as well

I always had to be involved with something I never really liked sitting at home. Sports was my way of staying active.

Did modeling come easy for you, and when did you decide that you wanted to make it a career for yourself?

Latrenda:    Modeling came easily to me because I loved fashion and wearing all the fun clothes; that made me excited to do it!

i decided I wanted to pursue modeling full time after high school I realized how much I loved it and decided to focus..

after college I had time to pursue it more and my love of fashion and modeling grew as I became more involved

What did you focus on in college, and when did you start your own company?

Latrenda:    I studied Marketing Communications at UWRF and I started my company in February 2011

So what kind of work does you company do, and what kinds of companies do you work with/for?

Latrenda:    I do fashion and image consulting which involves closet makeovers, personal shopping with &4clients for everyday &

and special events. I put on fashion shows and do media work. I work with malls such as @EdenPrairieCtr and …

and Ridgedale center I have worked with @twincities_live And @EdenPrairieCtr on a couple of fashion segments.

I pretty much deal with all things fashion!

What are some of your favorite stores to shop at, and who are some of your favorite designers?

Latrenda:    I enjoy online shopping and shopping in store.I love @shopbop it is an online store & has many great designer options.

I also enjoy shopping at Von Maur @EdenPrairieCtr one of my fave designers is Micheal Kors I love the simple chic of…

of his designs and he makes great watches. I also like Tom Ford.

If you could give one tip for dressing for the FALL season, what would it be?

Latrenda:    Don’t be afraid to wear color! Fall clothing will still be rich in color, however the color palette has changed to…

rich jewel tones such as merlot reds and purple popular for this fall is hunter green.Hunter green is a great…

alternative to wearing black and hunter green looks great on just about everyone.

Joel:    Thanks for your time today Latrenda. Keep up the good work of helping people look their best!

Latrenda:    Thank you Joel! This was a blast. Have a great day!