Special Deliveries

Elevated Boxes

gift sets.

By Kristie Smith

REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG and looked forward to getting a package in the mail? A dad and his daughter are recreating that excitement by taking things a step further with their own gift box company—Elevated Boxes.

Alan Haskins sources local makers for items that turn a box in the mail into a delightful, purposefully-culled gift. Haskins says he focuses on unique products that showcase the talent of small businesses and makers, including those around the Lake Minnetonka and White Bear Lake areas. “All of these makers appreciate every order at every size,” he says.

Haskins says the idea came from his wish to support local businesses around his hometown of Excelsior and White Bear Lake, where he and his family now live. “I decided to do both boxes at the same time,” he says. The Tonka Box ($75) is a sampling of local, artisan products from around the Lake Minnetonka area and include: Apple Cinnamon Peanut

Butter, Boundary Waters Blueberry

Kakookies, Eden Apples, Oatmeal

Chocolate Chip Bites, Lake Minnetonkathemed items and more.

The White Bear Box ($75) features Annie B’s Caramels, Kowalski’s Original BBQ Sauce, Peaceful Aromatherapy

Room and Linen Spray, Premiere

Traditional Dark Balsamic Vinegar, ’Sota Crackers Candle, White Bear Lakethemed items and more.

Haskins runs his business out of his garage with the help of his daughter Eva. At 15, she does the assembly and sometimes recruits friends when the order list gets long. “I pay them, of course, and Eva’s saving her earnings for college,” he says. “She’s been doing this since the beginning.”

Connecting with the makers who supply the boxes’ elements is important to Haskins. He recalls driving to Hamel to meet with the Jordans and the Leuers to pick up Hamel Syrup from their familyowned farm for one of the boxes. “I get to chat with all of my makers,” he says. “I like hearing their stories, seeing them thrive.”

That desire to see small businesses thrive was cemented during the pandemic, especially as local creators lost business when they relied on farmers markets as a core of their business. Haskins had a plan. The Uff Da! Box ($75) was the first to be created. He says he loved Pa’s Barbeque Sauce, but the pandemic meant the maker would have to destroy the extra product he produced for sale at summer 2020 farmers markets. As a result, the sauce became part of The Uff Da! Box, which includes plenty of Uff Da!-themed goodies. Since then, hundreds of that box have been sold. Along came the Love Minnesota Box

($75), which has sold thousands all over the country and includes favorites from around the state, including natural products for the home and delectable treats that taste like homemade.

Haskins’ fifth and the newest of his planned 20 boxes is the Slope Box ($60) Think snowboards and downhill skis for this one. “I’m a bootstrapper. I’ve pared this down to about 18 items after polling groups of passionate snow people to learn what may be most helpful in a box dedicated to their favorite hobby,” Haskins says. The Slope Box includes anti-fogging spray for goggles, a cellphone holder, hand warmers, lip balm, a neck gaiter, a ski and snowboard lock and lots of snacks for before, during and after time on the snow.

6 Bedroom / 8 Bath

$2,199,000.00

Exceptional custom home on an estate like setting, situated on a private 2.37acre lot set amongst nature and mature trees. Decadent & quality fi nishes at every turn. Modern open fl oor plan with vaulted ceilings, great room concept and walls of west facing windows overlooking a pond and pool with seasonal lake views. Notable fl oorplan features include a main fl oor owner’s suite and guest suite, a large bonus/guest space above the garage complete with a ¾ bathroom. The kitchen is one of a kind with it’s grand spaces, thoughtful design and details. The lower level includes an amusement space, 3 additional bedrooms, craft or work/study space and walks out to the pool and hot tub area. Dedicated home gym and sauna.

• Awarded top producer and established expert in the Lake Minnetonka community

• In-depth understanding of today’s market and trends

• Experience and creativity for all real estate needs

• Unmatched service and results elevatedboxes.com

Elevated Boxes

@elevatedboxes

Add a spirited mix into your recipes.

By Renée Stewart-Hester

SOMEONE WANTS TO MOVE FROM THE BAR and into the kitchen—and her name is Mary, as in bloody mary.

Talk about thinking outside the box—or bottle. Did you know that bloody mary mix can be the secret ingredient to everything from hors d’oeuvres and entrées to desserts? Pete Holzer of Sideshow Bloody Mary Mix says the mix can augment flavor profiles in dips, entrées, sauces and even—hold onto your aprons for this one—cupcakes.

“By swapping out tomato sauce with bloody mary mix, you are adding so many new ingredients within the mix to the recipe that you normally would not,” Holzer says. For the most part, mixes include horseradish, lemon and pickle juices, Worcestershire sauce and other savory ingredients. While it makes a great addition to recipes, he also recommends using the mix as marinade for vegetables and proteins.

Let’s dig in.

(Recipes provided by Holzer.)

Bloody Mary Deviled Eggs

(This is ideal for using up some extra Easter eggs or as a way to add zip to your celebration brunch.)

» 6 boiled eggs

» 1/2 cup Thai chili pickles

» 1/4 tsp. prepared horseradish

» 2 Tbsp. Sideshow Bloody Mary mix

» 2 tsp. pepper sauce

» 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise

» black pepper, freshly-ground, to taste

» 6 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled, as garnish

» pimiento stuffed green olives, thinly sliced, as garnish (Consider one of Sideshow’s stuffed olive varieties for extra flavor.)

» celery leaves, as garnish

» Spanish paprika, as garnish

Peel boiled eggs. Cut a tiny piece off each end of the eggs, so the eggs will sit up straight on a serving plate. Cut eggs in half vertically. Remove yolks from eggs, and place in a small bowl. Mash yolks with fork, and add horseradish, bloody mary mix, pepper sauce, mayonnaise and black pepper. Stir to combine. With a pastry bag or spoon, place filling into each egg half. Garnish with bacon, olives and celery leaves. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve chilled.

Bloody Mary Shrimp Dip

(Play around with flavors by using any of Sideshow’s four flavor varieties.)

» 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

» 1/3 cup mayonnaise

» 1 1/2 Tbsp. Sideshow Bloody Mary mix

» 2 Tbsp. tomato paste

» 1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

» 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh

» 1 Tbsp. Tabasco

» 1 1/2 tsp. minced onions

» 1 tsp. parsley flakes

» 1/4 tsp. black pepper, freshly cracked

» 1/4 tsp. salt

» 4 oz. canned shrimp, drained well and coarsely chopped

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and the mayonnaise until smooth. Add all the remaining ingredients except the shrimp, and mix until combined; gently fold in the shrimp. Cover, and refrigerate overnight before serving with crackers or vegetables.

Family-owned and operated, Sideshow Bloody Mary Mix out of Jordan is available at local liquor stores, including at Haskell’s The Wine People and at the Excelsior and Wayzata farmers markets. Mixes include Classic Original, Horseradish, Jalapeño Garlic and a seasonal mix. Last year featured Habanero Bacon.

Four stuffed olive varieties are also in the product lineup and include Bleu Cheese, Jalapeño Garlic, Onion and Lemon Peel.

(Pro Tip: Brighten up a Dirty Martini with a few olives stuffed with lemon peel. So good!) sideshowbloodymarymix.com

For Holzer’s recommended recipes for Bloody Mary Cupcakes, Bloody Mary Chili and Baking Sheet Pizza with Olives and Sun-dried Tomatoes, visit lakeminnetonkamag.com.

Sideshow Bloody Mary Mix @sideshowbloodymary

WAYZATA

HIGH SCHOOL

GRADUATE TEES

UP GOLF AND TRAVEL.

written by SUSIE HOPPER photos by CHRIS EMEOTT

Ashlee Ciora was living in downtown Los Angeles when her life coach repeatedly told her, “I see green in your future,” Ciora says.

As senior director for international travel for the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, Ciora’s work world was upended in March 2020 when the pandemic hit. “Do I stay in L.A. or what?” she asked herself. Ciora called her family in Minnesota and moved back in early 2020. “I had to figure out a new path,” she says, though staying in tourism and hospitality was a given.

“I didn’t really have anything to do, so I played golf with my family,” says Ciora, a Medina resident. She grew up in a golfing family, so it was a way to be outdoors, have fun and stay healthy. Ciora also joined the LPGA Amateur Gold Association Minnesota Metro Chapter, the largest women’s golf organization in the world and played with local members. She heard those women say, “’When travel opens up, we want a golf trip,’” she says, and a light came on.

With her background, Ciora immediately thought about a business featuring women’s golf trips, consulted with other golf and travel experts and decided the niche was perfect for her. Women’s golf is big business in the U.S. There were 6.2 million women golfers in 2021, and, last year, $1.53 billion was spent on women’s golf equipment and apparel. There is a meteoric rise in the number of junior women golfers taking up the game.

After doing more research, Ciora learned that there are only about five companies in the country that specialize in women’s golf trips. She founded Women on Fairways LLC and was soon a solo entrepreneur, developing a concept of experiential trips for women golfers and bootstrapping her business from the ground up.

She’s done everything to get Women on Fairways rolling. Ciora designed her own website, wrote the copy and built its pages. She’s also her own public relations person, marketing professional, financial expert and operations leader. “Women want to talk to other women about a golf trip,” she says.

As part of the business model, Ciora pulls together Swing and Sip golf experiences, small escorted golf trips for women. She plans the transportation, activities, golf, shopping, spa time or whatever clients want. “It’s fun, noncompetitive and great for professional women, moms or a group of friends,” she says. “All they have to do is show up with their clubs.”

The trips aren’t just zeroed in on golf (two rounds are scheduled and a third round can be added). It’s that experiential element that sets Women on Fairways apart from men’s golf trips. “With guys, everything is about the

Fairway Fashion

Admittedly, golf sports some of the bests fashion options in the athletic world. Ciora shares her favorite styles: golf. They go to Ireland, to Scotland. They play all day. They stay out all night then tee off again at 6 a.m.,” says John Glozek, publisher of NYGOLF Magazine . “What women want is beyond the golf. They want dinners, spas, getting together, the entire experience,” he says.

Pullover hoodies are a must.

Golf attire translates off the greens, too. Think joggers on and off the course.

Golf skirts are functional, sporty and classy. She favors navy and white skirts by Puma and Calloway as part of her traditional, classic look.

Leave your handbag at home. Instead, get a wristlet or small makeup bag for essentials.

Splurge on golf shoes, which must be comfortable and structured to protect golfers from wet and cold surfaces.

“Ashlee’s timing is perfect for this,” Glozek says, and destinations like Palm Springs, California, and Boyne, Michigan, are prime locales. “Imagine walking around Mackinaw Island with a glass of wine at sunset after a day of golf,” he says. “She’s so focused and excited to present these trips,” he says of Ciora.

Other options include having a golf pro available before tee offs and offering wellness, yoga and health opportunities during the trips. “Women always want to improve their game, but they also love the 19th hole,” Ciora says, referring to a bit of post-round fun. “We want these trips to be very relaxed, have drinks on the course if desired, take carts and enjoy how good golf is for you,” she says. (Cost for an escorted Women on Fairways trip is based on single and double occupancy and varies depending on the destination and resort.) The second focus of Women on Fairways includes nonescorted golf travel trips.

As Ciora continues to chart her business, she evaluates golf courses for future trips. “These are not bucket list courses [Pebble Beach or Torrey Pines courses],” she says. “Those courses are hard to get on, and they are male dominated,” Ciora says. She has specific qualifications she looks for when deciding

Home Course

While getting her business going takes a tremendous amount of time and travel, Ciora loves spending time with her young nephews and her parents, who live in Medina. “Family has been a tremendous support system while I am building a company,” she says. A graduate of Wayzata High School, Ciora loves visiting Minnesota. And her favorite local course?—Rush Creek Golf Course in Maple Grove.

on a course. It must be a playable, but the amenities are just as important to her. “Off the fairways, I look at the pro shop,” she says. “Does it have a good selection of women’s clothing and gear? What are the carts like? Are the bathrooms great? Is the clubhouse welcoming with good food? I’m not interested in a place that [just] had a snack stand.” The resorts, in her estimation, need to be first class with great food, spa amenities and beautiful rooms.

As for the future for Women on Fairways, Ciora plans to offer golf trips for solo travelers and for couples. She’d like to help design member golf trips for private country clubs. “I want Women on Fairways to be golf and lifestyle,” she says. While a lot of golfers gravitate to Florida, she’s interested in booking trips to California and Arizona, which provide different experiences than the Orange State.

Speaking of color, evidently, Ciora’s life coach was right. “Now, my life is nature and trees and golf—all green,” she says.

womenonfairways.com

Women on Fairways LLC

@womenonfairways

Written by Zoe Deal Photos by Chris Emeott