Edina Magazine - November 2022

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OUR MOST DELICIOUS NEIGHBOR MARGO BREDESON HAS KEPT EDINA SWEET FOR 25 YEARS

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NOVEMBER

Photo: Chris Emeott
edinamag.com PAGE 32
2022
“If you are in a movie theater, you can look two people down and they are laughing while you are laughing or you can look three people down and they love that song that you love. It is living proof that you are not alone.” —Stephen Chbosky, American screenwriter, film producer, film director and novelist

Delivery

Joie de Vivre

Curtains Up

TASTEMAKERS

Our Most Delicious Neighbor

7 IN EVERY ISSUE 8 — Editor’s Letter 11 — Noteworthy 38 — On the Town 48 — Last Glance DEPARTMENTS 16 — Parents’ Night Out Expert tips for hiring a babysitter you trust. 18 — A Very Scandi Thanksgiving Get inspired by some of Minnesota’s roots this holiday season. 20 — The Overdressed Duo Local professional musicians are making opera accessible to all. FEATURES 24 — Special
Lifelong Edina resident shares his passion for coffee and community. 28 —
How one Edina family embraces the joy and delight of French culture in their daily lives. 32 —
Family-owned Edina Theatre reopens after full renovation.
42 —
Margo Bredeson has kept Edina sweet for 25 years.

It’s hard to believe the holiday season is already upon us. How is it that Halloween costumes and candy are already being clearanced out, and store shelves are filled to the brim with holiday decor?

It feels like just yesterday that pumpkin spice lattes were hitting coffee shops. While my social schedule tends to get a bit over-full in the last two months of the year, I take solace in the fact that I can also fill up on time with loved ones—not to mention delicious seasonal food, drinks and treats.

If you need some help preparing your schedule and your menus for the holidays, you came to the right place. This month, we’re cel ebrating some of Minnesota’s cultural heritage with Scandinavianinspired Thanksgiving recipes (page 18). We’re also getting to know local baker Margo Bredeson, the kind-hearted woman behind Edina’s beloved French bakery, Patisserie Margo (page 42). (Pro tip: order the quiche.) And speaking of French pastries, we chatted with one Edina family that is deeply connected in the French-speaking com munity, connecting with fellow Francophiles over food, wine and culture (page 28). But it’s not all food. For those of you parents who are equally excited and nervous to leave your kids with a babysitter for upcoming holiday parties, we’re sharing some expert advice on how to find a babysitter you trust (page 16).

So, pull up a chair and gather ’round the table (ideally with a good snack and drink!) as you enjoy our food, wine and entertaining issue!

On the Cover

8 Photo: Chris Emeott AMY OVERGAARD — AMY@LOCALMEDIA.CO FROM THE EDITOR Find more stories & photos online. Plus, tag us in your Edina pics! Edina Magazine @edinamag @edinamag November 2022 edinamag.com
Patisserie Margo, photo by Chris Emeott, page 42
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WINDOW TO EDINA’S PAST

THE STAINED GLASS WALL on the east side of Edina City Hall is exactly where it should be: close to the site of Edina Mill. Its blue, gold and green shapes, highlighted with copper, feature elements of Edina’s history: the circle of gold glass at the top of the twostory window represents the water wheel of Edina Mill, which turned just a few blocks from this site more than 150 years ago. On the north side of the window, a column of blue glass symbolizes the falls of Minnehaha Creek. The beautiful and balanced composition of this window emphasizes how crucial Minnehaha Creek was to the development of our community.

The artist of the window is Michael Pilla, a glass artist in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Pilla creates win dows for homes, churches, libraries and many other commissions and projects. He also restores historic stained glass. The geometry in the window at Edina

City Hall reflects the arts and craft style often visible in Pilla’s art, and one of his signature technical char acteristics is used here as well: Copper plates and clips (rather than lead or zinc) are placed over the joints and glass to reinforce the points where these come together, adding strength and color to his windows. Looking through the window from the City Hall staircase, we see our active, busy city—traffic on 50th Street along with bikers and pedestrians. Pilla’s creative stained glass depicts the energy and enter prise of the late 1800s, and his references to Edina’s history and landscape resonate with the nearby com memoration of these landmarks and their contribu tion to Edina’s story.

11 local tips, tidbits & insights NOTEWORTHY
Photos: Laura Westlund Contributed by Laura Westlund, a tour guide at the Weisman Art Museum and an art hound for Minnesota Public Radio.
EXPLORE A
November 2022 edinamag.com

CITIZEN OF EDINA

Shrey Ramesh

As a junior pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering at the University of WisconsinMadison, Edina native Shrey Ramesh spends much of his time studying or at the lab. But in what is undoubtedly a very technically challenging field, he draws much of the drive for what he does from people. The end of the product life cycle is, for Ramesh, the patient.

“Even though you have to put in a lot of hours and a lot of hard work for it … there’s obviously things that motivate me through out the semester, like going to clinic and seeing patients,” Ramesh says. “I think about what my end goal is.”

Ramesh traces his initial interest in the biomedical field back to Project Lead the Way engineering classes offered through Edina Public Schools and a longtime affinity for biology and healthcare. In 2019, Ramesh was awarded the Connecting With Kids Leadership Award for volunteering for more than 800 hours at a hospital.

When looking at colleges, he says, “I thought, why not be an engineer and a doc tor? … There are not a lot of people who are both, and it’s a really, really cool space.” Ramesh plans to attend medical school after he graduates with his engineering degree.

Ramesh has been conducting research since freshman year in a radiation oncology lab, and he has played a role in two papers which are soon to be published. The first explores the effectiveness of using highpowered X-rays as opposed to radioactive material in cancer treatment. The second examines the radiation-enhancing effect of inhibiting the expression of a mutated receptor to treat lung cancer patients. This year, he also presented research at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting.

This past summer, Ramesh built on his engineering experience by interning at Boston Scientific. He also returned to vol unteering at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital. “After COVID-19 shut [volunteer ing] down, I was bummed because I never really got to ease out of it,” Ramesh says. “I’m working with a lot of really good people and getting a lot of really good experience.”

Contributed by Izzy Wagener on behalf of the Edina Community Foundation.

12 November 2022 edinamag.com NOTEWORTHY
Photo: Shrey Ramesh

SUPPER AT SIX

In the early days of television, the period of time after lunch and before dinner was considered a vast desert for producers. These hours reflected the doldrums when human attention spans were foggy. Soap operas and clown shows lulled viewers throughout the afternoon.

Author Bonnie Garmus takes on this his torical period in Southern California in her debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry. In the book, Walter Pine knows that he has met someone special when chemist Elizabeth Zott bursts into his office at KCTV to tell him that his daughter has been taking her daugh ter’s lunches. Elizabeth is wearing her lab coat and a pencil behind her ear and begins explaining the nutritional significance of the lunches she prepares for her daughter.

Elizabeth commands Walter’s atten tion with her detailed explanation of the chemistry experiment that is cooking, and he’s suddenly struck with an idea. He needs a cooking show to fill the 4:30 p.m. time slot, and he thinks pretty, blonde, brilliant Elizabeth would be a perfect fit.

For her cooking show, Elizabeth prepares school lunches that are executions of high science while being nutritious and delicious. She speaks directly to the women who watch her show, believing they are capable of great things—a notion not widely held in the early 1960s.

As readers take on the great chemistry experiment that is Thanksgiving dinner, I hope they will have time to enjoy this novel. It is a mid-century story with both sorrow and immense humor.

Contributed by Maureen Millea Smith, a librarian and readers’ advisor at the Edina Library and a Minnesota Book Award–winning novelist. You can find her books at maureenmilleasmith.com.

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HEAL

The Importance of Hydration

Water and salt are two of the least expen sive and most abundant substances on Earth; at the same time, they are also two of the most valuable. Aside from clean air to breathe, proper hydration is one of the most important needs of the human body.

But what is “proper hydration?” Believe it or not, true hydration requires more than just water. In fact, water is only half of the hydration equation. Without salt and other electrolytes like potassium and magnesium, you can actually deplete yourself by drinking too much water.

How is this possible? It has to do with how cells absorb water. The inside of the cell is where water needs to be to sustain

the life of the organism. Electrolytes help shuttle water across a cell’s water-repel ling membrane to the inside of the cell. True hydration is not determined by how much water is inside of your body but how much of that water is inside of the cells.

So, how can you properly hydrate your body and even assess how much water is inside of your cells?

• Consume up to half of your body weight in ounces of water per day.

• Add a pinch of salt for every 8 oz. of water consumed (up to 2 tsp./day).

• Athletes might consider higher salt intake or electrolyte supplementation.

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• Avoid electrolyte drinks that contain sugar, caffeine and artificial colors.

• Determine, track and measure cellular hydration levels with the help of a healthcare professional. (My colleagues at Statera Health are well-versed in this area if you need a starting point!)

Contributed by Timothy Borowski, M.S., a natural healthcare professional special izing in neurological function, injury reha bilitation and complex pain management. His complementary healthcare practice, Axon Movement, is located at Statera Health in Edina. You can find him on Instagram @timothy_borowski.

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TRUNK SHOW NOVEMBER 4–5

Parents’ Night Out

Expert tips for hiring a babysitter you trust.

THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, and for many parents this means more kidfree evening commitments than usual. Between holiday celebrations, year-end company parties, New Year’s Eve and perhaps an extra date night or two, many parents will be turning to babysitters.

For those who had babies during COVID-19, this holiday season may be the first time you’re calling in a sitter. For others, it may be the first time that you’re having someone other than family watch your children.

Laura Davis, Edina franchisee of Jovie (formerly College Nannies + Sitters), says the anxiety of leaving your kids with a sitter for the first time is very real. To help alleviate some of that anxiety, Davis shares some tips on how to find a baby sitter you trust.

First and foremost, “You need to build your team of caregivers,” Davis says. “That can be family [members], it can be a referral—somebody that you work with, the neighbor girl down the street—or it can be through a professional agency such as [Jovie].”

If you’re embarking on finding a sit ter on your own, be sure to discover more about a potential sitter’s back ground through an in-person or video interview. Here’s what Davis says you should ask:

• Experience: Don’t just ask about how long they’ve been babysitting, but ask specifically about their experience caring for children that are the same age as your children.

“Care for a 6-month-old and care for a 6-year-old is very different,” Davis says. “So you want to ask about the length of experience with the age of children that you have.”

• Preparedness: Davis suggests follow ing up with a more specific question. She says, “Tell me about what you’ve done when you babysat for an X-yearold.” Hearing about activities they’d

16 November 2022 edinamag.com istock.com/LanaStock
ENLIGHTEN

plan, food they’d prepare or how they handle bedtime will help you get a bet ter idea of how experienced they are.

• Emergencies: Davis says it’s also important to ask about if they’ve ever dealt with an emergency when babysitting and how they handled it. “You’re not looking for how or why [it] happened. You’re looking for what was the [solution] and how did they solve that,” she says.

• References: As with any job—but especially when the safety of your children is in the balance—it’s so important to ask for references. Davis suggests asking for three: two work references and one character reference. And don’t neglect actually calling and checking in on the refer ences, Davis says. But ultimately, “Trust your gut,” she says.

If you feel overwhelmed at the search process, Jovie’s sitter service can help. “When you enroll in our service, we meet with you virtually, and we do an intake,” Davis says. “So, we know the ages of your children, if you have pets and if there’s allergies and the profile, if you will, of your family and where you’re located, and then you have access to our team of caregivers.”

Davis notes that all Jovie caregivers are “fully vetted, meaning we have inter viewed, we have determined what ages they're qualified to work for, we have done all the references and we have done background screening at the county, state and national level.”

But once you have a babysitter in place, then what? How do you handle the anxiety of leaving your child at home with a sitter for the first time—or your child’s separa tion anxiety? Davis is sharing more tips on how to prepare you and your kids for your big night out on edinamag.com.

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TASTE

A Very Scandi Thanksgiving

MINNESOTA HAS SCANDINAVIAN ROOTS that run deeper than just our football mascot and our icy ter rain. In fact, Minnesota has the larg est Scandinavian population in the U.S. With these cultural roots, some American holidays are celebrated a bit differently by local families.

Want to join in on the fun? This holi day season, bring Scandinavia to your table. With the help of two local organiza tions, Norway House and the American Swedish Institute, you can cook up some Nordic-inspired Thanksgiving dishes ranging from gravlax to roasted turkey breast with lingonberries.

Minneapolis-based Norway House started when Norwegian-owned orga nizations began to pop up throughout Minnesota. Today, there’s more than 100 Norwegian organizations and busi nesses in Minnesota alone, and five Midwest Norwegian colleges. “Norway House was meant to be a convening place for all the Norwegian activity in the area,” says Ethan Bjelland, commu nications director at Norway House.

The folks at Norway House are experts on everything Norwegian, so bridging the gap between American and Norwegian culture comes quite easily, especially when it comes to delicious traditional Nordic food.

“The November month and Thanksgiving for Nordic families is really the process of getting prepared for Christmas,” Bjelland says with a smile.

“In Scandinavia, Christmas is huge for us, so the food we make around Thanksgiving is the kickoff to the holiday season.”

For many people of Norwegian descent, that means making lefse. In the Norwegian-American community, lefse is not only a comfort food, but a staple.

“It’s quite literally a mix of Minnesota and Norwegian cuisine,” Bjelland says. The way lefse is made and how it’s con sumed differs from family to family.

“We like to use this as a side or a dessert.

18 November 2022 edinamag.com
Photos: Chris Emeott
Get inspired by some of Minnesota's roots this holiday season.

Sometimes we put sugar or cinnamon on them to make them sweet,” Bjelland says. He notes that, in Norway, it is also common to wrap lefse around a hot dog to make a savory delight.

Lutefisk, a fish preserved in lye, is another classic and is served throughout Norwegian churches around the holidays—though it’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. Roasted turkey with lingonberry sauce is likely more of a crowdpleaser and today is served more often in Norwegian-American households.

“In Norway, we do not eat turkey often. So, this dish is the perfect mix of Norway and America,” Bjelland says. “We eat with a fork and a knife, and it is custom to pick up the meat with the fork and scoop with the knife. We scoop the sauce, potatoes and gravy onto the meat and have it as a full bite. Scandinavia really focuses on having a full, loaded bite. Nordic food gets the reputation that it’s bland, but if you think it’s bland, you’re just not eating it right.”

Norway’s neighbor, Sweden, has similar staple foods during the holidays. At the American Swedish Institute, food and handcraft programs coordinator Erin Swenson-Klatt, who works with Twin Cities and Swedish chefs, says comfort foods are a must for Thanksgiving.

“Our comfort foods during Thanksgiving are traditional [rosette] cookies, glögg [mulled wine] and pickled herring—but we really love our glögg,” Swenson-Klatt says.

If you’re looking to introduce some of your own Scandinavian heritage to your Thanksgiving table this year, head to our website, edinamag.com. There, SwensonKlatt shares a few Nordic-inspired dishes that are sure to give a Scandi twist to your Thanksgiving menu. Our own editor, Amy Overgaard, is also sharing some of her Nordic heritage with her grandmother’s Norwegian cookie recipes.

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ARTS & CULTURE

The Overdressed Duo

Local professional musicians are making opera accessible to all.

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Photos: Overdressed Duo
November 2022 edinamag.com

IT’S NOT EVERY DAY YOU HEAR OPERA MUSIC. But two best friends and professional musicians are working to change that. Local nonprofit musi cal group, the Overdressed Duo, creates musical experiences that are accessible and enjoyable for all. The duo itself is composed of vocalist Carole Schultz and pianist Elizabeth Chua.

It started as an ongoing joke that they would someday combine their love for over-the-top fashion with opera music. But it wasn’t until the onset of the pan demic when they made this idea a reality.

“COVID-19 happened, and we could either mope around and be unhappy that we don’t have a gig, or we could make the best out of it,” Chua says. “So, we decided to pull out my keyboard and sing in my front yard.” Dubbed their Tiny Lawn series, these concerts take place in Chua’s yard; she lives in the 50th and France neighborhood near Red Cow.

As professional musicians (they both received their doctorates in music performance at the University of Minnesota), Schultz says their mis sion is a way to make opera music more approachable. “For many, opera is a genre that seems out of reach,” she says. “The audience feels like they must be cone sours of the genre to understand it and that is not true. Most of the shows and plot is very similar to any of the other songs you hear about. It is just a different sound, with some poetry.”

Considering a large variety of their music choices are in different languages (like French, Italian, Russian and German), Schultz says, “We like to chat about the songs not only to explain what they are about but to verbalize why we engage with it, why it is fun for us and what we connect with.” This not only helps to create a stronger bond with their listeners, but it also helps to eliminate the performer-audience gap.

Susan &

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22 November 2022 edinamag.com

Though opera is their central focus, the two also perform a variety of musical theater numbers and familiar tunes to not only appeal to the listeners, but also infuse their own personal taste in music.

Beyond public performances, the duo has also opened offerings to include pri vate events (such as parties and fundrais ing events). The private event services are open to all, but the most common gigs lately have been at local senior living communities. The duo performs regu larly at The Waters on 50th.

“One of my favorite things about the senior living centers is that we get to program what we call our ‘nostalgic music.’ Unchained Melody, La Vie en Rose, Golden Era music[al] theater, a few other jazz standard covers,” Schultz says. “It’s really fun to explore those genres for something different alongside our usual opera classics. Also, [seniors] make the best audiences.”

What makes these events so special is the opportunity to get to know their audiences, Chua says. “We have more flexibility to do that as they ask ques tions between songs and also after the concerts,” she says. “We see our con certs as more than just entertainment. We love being able to build relationships with our audiences.”

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overdressedduo.com.

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SPECIAL

Lifelong Edina resident shares his passion for coffee and community.

As a kid growing up in Edina, Steve Brehm loved biking around town and spending time with friends. Along with his four sib lings and many friends, he rode his Schwinn bike all over the streets and trails of Edina.

“Minnehaha Creek was a play ground for me and my friends back in those days,” Brehm says, flash ing a big smile accompanied with a chuckle. “We would bring our inner tubes, rafts or fishing rods and hang out there all day!”

Brehm’s family moved to Edina when he was 6 years old, and he’s lived in and around Edina ever since, other than his college years.

He attended Edina’s Wooddale Elementary, Southview Middle School and Edina High School (EHS). He attended his 50-year EHS reunion this year. “Our class of ’72 is still really, really tight,” he says. Brehm married his wife, Gayle,

in 1982, and together they raised their two children in Edina. Their children are now grown, and the Brehms have two grandchildren.

After all these years, Brehm still loves being an Edina resident, not ing the constant improvements to the area. “Edina City services and the school system are second to none,” Brehm says. “City planning did a fantastic job with all of the local green spaces … I’ve always felt a sense of community living here.” He’s been a member of the Edina Country Club for over 30 years, and to this day still loves riding his bike on local trails.

His passion for the city of Edina is perhaps matched only by his pas sion for the coffee and hospitality industries. Although he prefers to fly under the radar, Brehm is largely recognized as a pioneer in the local and regional coffee service industry.

He’s the founder, CEO and president of Berry Coffee Company, based in Eden Prairie, which pro vides coffee, equipment and other refreshment services to businesses

DELIVERY

November 2022 edinamag.com 25

Above: Photos from Brehm’s trips to coffee farms in Central America.

Far right: Coffee being roasted at the Berry Coffee Company roasting plant.

throughout Minnesota, the Dakotas and western Wisconsin. He started his company in 1979, making all the deliveries himself with just one vehicle—his personal station wagon. He now has a fleet of more than 20 trucks and vans delivering around 1,500 products and servic ing coffee equipment.

Berry Coffee Company started out simply distributing coffee—it was the first exclusive distributor of Starbucks coffee in this region and is currently the largest regional distributor for both Starbucks and Caribou. Today, it also roasts its own beans at its roasting plant in St. Louis Park, cultivating a variety of coffee with beans that are sourced from around the world. This has given Brehm the opportunity to visit coffee farms in places such as

El Salvador and Panama. “It’s really fun to be on the ground and meet the people who are actually picking and harvesting the coffee crops,” Brehm says. “It’s pretty special.”

Brehm appreciates that, with Berry’s roasting plant, it offers ultra-fresh, high-quality coffee to customers at a more competitive price. As someone who didn’t have a background in the coffee industry (not many people did back in the ’70s), Brehm says, “I jumped into this industry by accident, but it’s been a blessing to have been in a business and industry that I have so much passion for. People love to talk about and drink coffee. It’s a really fun product to be involved in.”

The business has also grown far beyond coffee. Today, it also distrib utes water coolers, soda, sparkling

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water, teas, snacks and much more, delivering to over 4,000 offices throughout the four-state region. It also supplies and services any and all required coffee-related equipment to its customers, with over 16,000 machines currently in place. “It’s fascinating to see the growth in the coffee service sector,” Brehm says.

All of this growth and success hasn’t gone to Brehm’s head, how ever. Rather, he recognizes how for tunate he is, and in both his business and personal life he seeks to give back. “Berry Coffee has contributed to nonprofit organizations for many years,” he says.

Brehm has served on the boards of multiple nonprofits throughout his career, including Youth Forum, which gives youth an opportunity to express their ideas, opinions,

and needs to decision makers, com munity staff or to other youth. He’s also deeply involved with Matter (previously Hope For The City) of which he is one of the founding board members. With his business, Brehm is currently in the process of partnering with Matter to build a coffee house in Zimbabwe, com plete with a roasting and produc tion plant, which will help create jobs in the local community.

He credits his father for instilling this value of service and giving back in him and his siblings. “[I’ve] been blessed being able to work in a com munity and build a business … [and] be in the position to give back.”

Berry Coffee Company, 14825 Martin Drive, Eden Prairie; 952.937.8697; berrycoffee.com

November 2022 edinamag.com 27
Photos: Berry Coffee Company

Joie de Vivre

Jonathan and Cynthia Vessey have a deep love for French culture—particu larly the language, the food and the wine. And it’s a love they’ve also passed onto their children, Julian and Sebastian. (Well, at least the language and food part—the wine will have to wait, since they’re only in elementary school.)

For Jonathan, the love affair with French culture all started when he was in eighth grade and took his first French class at Southview Middle School in Edina, a language he continued to study throughout high school and college.

Around the same time Jonathan started learning French, his family hosted an exchange student from France. The following year, he and his brother spent a month with their exchange stu dent’s family in the South of France. “It was the first time I’d ever been abroad and to live with a French family—it was great,” Jonathan says.

That was also when he had his first experience with the delights of French cuisine. “I remember [our host family] wanted to cook escargot, so they went and picked snails off their garage door, where it was just covered in snails and said, ‘This is dinner,’” he says. He recalls another part of that trip, when they vis ited an island off the Atlantic Coast of France for a few days. “They were pick ing oysters off the rocks, and we were just eating them right there! So that was fun, and that was kind of the first intro duction [to French culture and cuisine].” This was Jonathan’s first of many trips to France; his current visit count is over 10.

After becoming a lawyer and practic ing law for four years, Jonathan joined the Peace Corps. All of his French lan guage study landed him in Chad, Africa. “I lived there for two years; I taught English, speaking only French,” he says. He then spent two years with the Clinton Foundation in Benin and Morocco, run ning its pediatric anti-AIDS program in 15 West and Central African countries.

After a little over four years in French-speaking Africa, Jonathan moved to New York, which is where he met his wife, Cynthia. It didn’t take long for Jonathan’s love of French culture to rub off on her, and the two of them visited France several times, even bring ing their oldest child, Julian, there when he was a baby. By the time their second child was on the way, they moved back to Edina to be closer to family. Having heard about the French community at the Alliance Française Mpls/St. Paul (AFMSP), they knew they immediately wanted to get plugged in. So, Jonathan applied to be a board member and says, “We’ve been involved [in] the French community since.”

EXPLORING ALL THE ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE HAS TO OFFER

The mission of AFMSP is to “serve our community by promoting the use and appreciation of French language and cul tures” from around the world. “The way that we do that is through French classes for children and adults, through cultural and social events, and then resources like our library, our film collection, even

our gift shop,” says Christina Selander Bouzouina, AFMSP’s executive director.

It was that mission and the resulting cultural offerings that drew the Vesseys to get involved with the organization. Jonathan served on the AFMSP board from 2016 to June of 2022. He now serves as legal council to AFMSP, and his firm, Fredrikson & Byron, provides pro bono legal services.

The Vesseys are still deeply involved at AFMSP, attending classes and events, as well as simply enjoying the cafe and library. Cynthia has set out to learn French through classes at AFMSP. “I’m a non-French-speaker, completely cold to the language. And so the opportunity to work with an instructor [has been] helpful,” she says.

And it’s also been helpful for their boys. “They’ve [taken] classes there from about 18 months of age,” Cynthia says. “They had a great time interacting with the teachers who are enthusiastic and happy to teach French [and] share their love of the language.”

The organization’s French classes range from beginner to advanced and meet a variety of needs—from parent/child classes for toddlers to “survival French” when preparing for a trip to France, and even advanced literature courses for native or fluent French speakers.

AFMSP also hosts over 100 cultural events each year, including its Bastille Day party each July and the Francophone country or region event series it does each March, in honor of Francophone Heritage Month. (Francophone is just

November 2022 edinamag.com 29
HOW ONE EDINA FAMILY EMBRACES THE JOY AND DELIGHT OF FRENCH CULTURE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES.

another way to say “French-speaking.”)

Each year, AFMSP also hosts one or two guided trips to France or another French-speaking country.

“What I love about Alliance Française is that we show not just the stereo typical France, but we really celebrate the diversity of French speakers and French-speaking cultures,” Bouzouina says. “We all love Édith Piaf [a French singer] and baguettes, but there’s so much more to discover.”

FRENCH-IMMERSION LEARNING AT NORMANDALE ELEMENTARY

While Julian and Sebastian started French language-learning through AFMSP, Jonathan and Cynthia were hopeful that they could continue their language and cultural learning through the French immersion program at Edina’s Normandale Elementary. Enrollment at Normandale is a lottery system, requiring an application process, so the Vesseys are very grateful both of their boys were able to get in.

“Our students learn to understand, speak, read and write in French as they’re learning to do math, science, social studies and language arts. Those content areas are delivered in French,” says Chris Holden, Normandale’s prin cipal. “We want to build some cultural proficiency as well, exposing students to Francophone cultures across the world, not just France.”

This immersive language-learning starts from day one for kindergarten ers. “The students get off the bus [on the first day of school], and their teachers … greet them in French and start teaching them the basics of school right away in French,” Holden says. “Obviously, the kids are a little bit confused, but … within several weeks, they’re able to understand most of the instructions and the day-today things that a student would need to understand to navigate school.”

Students also benefit from learn ing about French language and culture first-hand from Normandale’s intern ship program. Through this program, Edina Schools brings in about 25 French natives each year who assist in classroom instruction. “They bring a cultural spin into the classroom, as well as [being] living language and culture models for our staff and students,” Holden says. And before wrapping up their time at

Normandale, fifth-grade students are given the opportunity to go on a twoweek-trip to France.

Holden finds great joy seeing the growth from kindergarten students trying to understand those teachers to developing an understanding of the language. “It’s really fun for me to see kindergartners and first graders—when the light bulb switches on, and they don’t even realize that they’re understanding French [or] using French,” Holden says.

He’s passionate about second-lan guage learning, as it offers “another lens through which they can view the world and process information, and so it cre ates some flexible brains.”

FRANÇAIS À LA MAISON

Beyond involvement in AFMSP and Normandale, the Vesseys embrace French culture in their own home through cook ing and conversation. “We frequently try to make special food like crêpes, or pick up special foods like croissants or macarons for the kids,” Cynthia says. But it’s not just for the kids. They love French wine; through Jonathan’s involvement in a French wine club called Commanderie de Bordeaux, Cynthia says they often meet up with other French wine lovers.

Jonathan often speaks French with the boys at home, and the kids also use it as their “secret language” with friends. “It’s pretty cool when you hear the two [boys] speaking French themselves or with their friends from school,” Jonathan says. “Our kids already speak better French than I do at 6 and 7.”

They continue to build on language skills by reading French books with the boys. “We read French most every night to them,” Jonathan says. “It’s a good chance for me to practice my French skills, too.”

And, though it’s been quite a few years since they were last in France, another trip is hopefully on the horizon. “For us, travel and understanding of other cul tures and food and wine and people has always been important,” Jonathan says. “We speak other languages. We’ve trav eled together a lot, and France has always played a special role in my life.”

Alliance Française Mpls/St Paul, 227 Colfax Ave. N., Mpls.; afmsp.org Alliance Française Mpls/St Paul @afmsp @AFdeMSP

30 November 2022 edinamag.com

Mastering the Art of French Cooking

After moving from its longtime location in the North Loop to Minneapolis’ Harrison neigh borhood in 2019, AFMSP has had the opportunity to expand its offerings. One thing that Bouzouina knew she wanted to start offering was cooking classes. After all, “Cuisine is culture,” she says, and food and wine truly are integral parts of French culture. So, in the spring of 2022, AFMSP opened its teaching kitchen. It brings in local chefs who are originally from a Frenchspeaking country or who have worked in French restaurants to teach members about Francophone food and culture.

Bouzouina says, “French cuisine is a very easy way for anyone to connect with French culture and Frenchspeaking cultures from around the world … We want ed to open our organization to not just French speakers, but people who enjoy French cuisine and world cuisine with a French influence.”

Classes are open to everyone; you just pay the nominal membership fee to sign up for AFMSP classes. “It’s an opportunity to learn about French cooking from experts,” Cynthia says. “We’re excited to learn how to prop erly make these dishes that sound incredibly complex from people who absolutely know what they’re doing.”

Bouzouina’s vision for this teaching kitchen is to give participants not only a literal taste of French cuisine, but also to slow down, enjoy time with others, savor flavors and share ideas. “It’s a whole experience. It’s not just mak ing the food or watching someone make it,” Bouzouina says. “It’s listening to [the chefs] tell stories about it and then enjoying a glass of wine as you taste the flavors.”

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Curtains Up

The Edina Theatre marquee has been a landmark and mainstay in the Edina community since 1934. But in 2020, it seemed this iconic theater may have met the end of its nearly century-long life when Landmark Theatres ended its lease.

The City of Edina, recognizing the importance of this arthouse theater to the community, went in search of new tenants to take over the theater. Mann Theatres, a Bloomington-based movie the ater chain, jumped at the opportunity to lease the space from building owner Suzanne Haugland in the fall of 2021. A three-generation, familyowned business that’s been around since 1935, the Mann family actually owned Edina Theatre from 1979–1982. And they’re very excited to be back at the helm.

“We cannot wait to welcome back Edina and the Twin Cities to a spectacular movie-going experience at the Edina Theatre,” says Michelle Mann, co-owner of Mann Theatres. “This is a historic theater to the city of Edina, let alone the state of Minnesota. So, when we were presented with the opportunity to possibly be back in the space after leaving it in the ’80s, it just made sense for us. Mann Theatres … is family owned. So, we’re very passionate about any type of proj ect that brings the community together … to be back in the iconic space is very special for us.”

Rather than immediately reopening, the Mann family decided to undertake a major restoration and renovation of Edina Theatre—adding mod ern upgrades like luxury heated recliners, new

flooring, new screens and new sound systems, giving the auditoriums a fresh look. New conces sions and restrooms were next on the list. But they also sought to restore some of the vintage charm of this 1930s Art Deco-style theater.

However, Mann says one of the updates she’s most excited about is the addition of The Gold Room, a bar designed to emulate the ballroom of the same name in the movie The Shining The bar will feature a selection of local beer, as well as hand-crafted cocktails and wine.

“It will truly be one-of-a-kind … you truly will feel as though you are stepping into the movie while sitting at the bar alongside Jack Nicholson,” Mann says, noting The Shining has a classic cult following, and her vision for the bar was to make it an Instagrammable space and experience. Even the second-floor bathrooms resemble the famous film, designed after The Red Bathroom in the movie. And the family bath room is designed after The Green Bathroom in Room 237 in the film. Two physical installations inspired by iconic scenes from The Shining are also part of this immersive experience, providing the perfect backdrop for photos.

And what types of movies are showing at the new and improved Edina Theatre? Moviegoers can watch blockbuster movies alongside art house and independent films. Mann says they wanted to create a space that welcomed families while also continuing to make space available for “the following that [Edina Theatre] has had traditionally for the past 25 years.”

32 November 2022 edinamag.com
FAMILY-OWNED EDINA THEATRE REOPENS AFTER FULL RENOVATION.
written by AMY OVERGAARD photos by CHRIS EMEOTT

Edina Theatre's new bar, The Gold Room, designed after the ballroom of the same name in The Shining

Right: The second floor bathroom, designed after The Red Bathoom in The Shining

The iconic Edina Theatre sign got a fresh paint job and was retrofitted with LED lightbulbs.

But they also wanted to take things one step further—making it “a destination that you’re going to want to go to because you feel like you’re on a movie set,” Mann says. And this truly was the goal in all of these updates—to make a night out at Edina Theatre a true experience for mov iegoers. “You can see movies anywhere, including, of course, your home,” Mann says, adding, “So we’re going to offer a space for people that’s going to make this a [unique] destination.”

But one thing that didn’t change amid all these updates? The exterior. The theater keeps its classic Art Deco feel, with the iconic city sign and marquee.

In the City of Edina’s written history of the Edina Theatre, it says, “An important example of public art in its own right, the sign defines the historic character of the 50th and France commercial district, where it evokes a strong sense of com munity identity as well as nostalgia.”

The current Edina Theatre marquee is actually a replica of the original, built in 1934 for the opening. The sign had to be restored in the early 1980s by the Mann family when they originally ran the theater

after a tornado tore through downtown Edina in 1981, destroying the original.

This restoration was so successful that in 2002 the Edina Heritage Preservation Board, according to the City of Edina, “found that the reconstructed theater sign was the property’s most historically significant architectural feature and determined it alone was eligible for Edina Heritage Landmark designation as a his toric object … The 2004 Edina Heritage Award was presented to the owner of the Edina Theatre in recognition of the care ful reconstruction of the historic sign. The attention to detail, referring to the original 1934 plans during reconstruction, resulted in a sign that continues to prominently identify downtown Edina.”

While the current restoration largely looks the same as the marquee Edina resi dents know and love, Mann says they retro fitted it with new LED lightbulbs to make it more eco-friendly. It also got a new paint job, restoring it to its original red and white colors, making “that strong statement that Edina’s downtown needs,” Mann says. “It was looking kind of drab, and we wanted to give it the love and justice it deserves.”

After months of construction, renova tion and restoration, along with a few delays, the theater held its grand re-open ing on September 30. The architecture and design plans were made by Vanney Associates, while the building updates were completed by Jaeger Construction.

“We’re just beyond excited to be back in the space and offer a place where this great mixture [of people] is going to be coming through,” Mann says. “It’s really exciting.”

The Edina Theatre is one of eight Mann Theatre locations in Minnesota, with two locations in St. Paul, as well as theaters in Plymouth, Champlin, Grand Rapids, Hibbing and Baxter, each owned by the Mann family.

Edina Theatre

3911 W. 50th St.; manntheatres.com/edinatheatre

Movie Line: 952.926.1575

Business Line: 952.926.1307

The Edina Theatre @theedinatheatre

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November 2022 edinamag.com

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Come join us at Town Hall Station on the corner of Valley View and Wooddale,in a converted 1950’s filling station. We’re focused on serving high-quality scratch prepared food accompanied by our world-class beers and drink in a welcoming atmosphere, with uncompromised hospitality and attention to our customers.

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LIGHT IT UP

Edina’s annual tree-lighting ceremony to take place at 50th & France.

KICK OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON with the City of Edina’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in the 50th & France District. The tree-lighting and accom panying festivities will be held from 1-6 p.m. November 26, with the lighting taking place at 4:30 p.m. This coincides with Small Business Saturday, allowing residents to patronize small and local businesses in between the day’s events.

“The 50th & France Tree Lighting festivities are a much-anticipated annual tradition that brings hundreds of people throughout the community to experi ence the magic of the holiday season,” says Max Musicant, acting director of the 50th & France Business Association. “It’s a moment to celebrate, feel grateful for the experience of being together and discover something new.”

This is the first of many events taking place in the 50th & France District throughout the holiday season. “This year’s Tree Lighting Ceremony and our subsequent month of holiday events is highlighting the new and joyful [things] that can be found throughout the district,” Musicant says. “We look forward to welcoming carolers, dancers, Edina Mayor Jim Hovland and, of course, Santa for this year’s event!” This event is free and open to the public.

LOCAL EVENTS

Edina Dance Team Kids Clinic

11/05

Let your kids move and dance to the music for a fun afternoon with the Edina High School Dance Team. Kids will learn and perform a routine with the Edina Dance Team while enjoying games and crafts. Grades preschool through sixth. $40. 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Edina High School, 6754 Valley View Road; eventbrite.com

The Mary Hall Show for Pipsqueeks

11/10

Groove to the music of singer Mary Hall at this daytime concert. She will play an

38 ON THE TOWN things to see and do in and around Edina
Photos: The 50th & France District
November 2022 edinamag.com
The 50th & France District, France Ave. S. and W. 50th St.; 50thandfrance.com

array of family-friendly compositions and covers that will encourage kids to sing and dance along to the music. All ages. Free with Edinborough Park daily admission. 11–11:45 a.m. Edinborough Park, 7700 York Ave. S.; 651.462.1098; maryhall-programs.com

Cake Eater Classic

11/25–11/27

Embrace your Edina pride while support ing the Edina Hornets Hockey Association at this weekend tournament. All ages. Free. Times vary. Braemar Arena, 7501 Ikola Way; 952.833.9500; hockey.travelsports.com

AREA EVENTS

Twin Cities Heart Ball

11/04

Celebrate the American Heart Association’s cutting-edge technology and science to progress heart health at the Twin Cities Heart Ball. Ages 21 and over. Prices vary. 6–10 p.m. The Depot Minneapolis, 225 Third Ave. S., Mpls.; 952.278.7703; ahaminneapolis.ejoinme.org

Minneapolis Gift and Art Expo

11/04–11/06

Prepare for the upcoming holiday sea son at the Minneapolis Gift and Art Expo. Browse categories, find holiday inspira tion or get your gifts early. All ages. Free. Minneapolis Convention Center, Hall A, 1301 Second Ave. S., Mpls.; giftandartexpo.com

Como Fall Flower Show

11/05–11/27

Celebrate the end of fall by wandering through Como’s Sunken Garden. The sec ond half of the fall flower show will feature fall-hued chrysanthemum blooms. All ages. Free. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. daily. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Drive, St. Paul; 651.487.8200; comozooconservatory.org

Winter Yoga at the Arb 11/06

Find your inner zen during a winter yoga session. Classes take place all sea son, starting on November 6. The class

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Holst, Franz von Suppe, John Philip Sousa and more. All ages. $15. 2:30 p.m. Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, 11411 Masonic Home Drive, Bloomington; 952.948.6500; masonicheritagecenter.org

Walker Teen Takeover

11/18

Give your teenagers an exclusive night out at the Walker Art Center. The evening will include live performances, music and giveaways. Highschoolers. Free. 6:30–9:30 p.m. Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Mpls.; 612.375.7600; walkerart.org

Turkey Trot St. Paul

11/24

Get out your running shoes, and par ticipate in the Turkey Trot 6K or 10K in St. Paul. Donations go toward the Open Door Pantry. All ages. Registration fees vary. 10K starts at 7:30 a.m. 6K starts at 8 a.m. Downtown St. Paul, parking at 150 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; turkeytrotsaintpaul.com

Beauty and the Beast at the Ordway

11/30–12/30

This holiday season, the Ordway Theatre invites you to return to the magical world of an iconic fairytale, Beauty and the Beast. Opening night is November 30. All ages. Ticket prices vary. Opening night starts at 7:30 p.m. Ordway Music Theater, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; 651.224.4222; ordway.org

is open to all ages and skill levels, with in-person and Zoom attendance options. All ages. Prices vary. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska; 612.624.2200; arb.umn.edu

How the Grinch Stole Christmas 11/08–01/08

This beloved family classic returns to Children’s Theatre Company this holiday season. All ages. Ticket prices vary. Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.874.0400; childrenstheatre.org

American Swedish Institute Holiday Experience

11/12

Celebrate Swedish culture this holiday season at the 72nd Holiday Experience at the American Swedish institute. Tour

the historic Turnblad Mansion, adorned with traditional Swedish Christmas decorations. Experience another holi day installation in the mansion, with a new secret twist this year. After you are through exploring, dine off the holiday menu at FIKA Cafe or get some Christmas shopping done in the gift shop, which features a unique selec tion of traditional Swedish products. All ages. Admission prices vary. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave., Mpls.; 612.871.4907; asimn.org

Twin Cities Trumpet Ensemble in Concert: A Formal Affair

11/13

This event will showcase the work of an array of artists, including perfor mances of pieces by Giovanni Gabrieli, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Gustav

To have your event considered: email edinamag@localmedia.co by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication.

Due to the fluidity being experienced in the current environment, please note that some events/dates and even some busi ness operations may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.

40 ON THE TOWN istock.com/JohnAlexandr November 2022 edinamag.com
Cake Eater Classic

Kris Rosen and Karen Knapp, best friends for over 20 years, didn’t plan to get into the beauty business—until they saw the opportu nity to remake the spa experience for today’s guest. “Thinking has evolved when it comes to selfcare—it’s not just for special occasions. We want to break the mold and offer spa-quality services in an environment that makes selfcare easy, fun and perfectly-executed—any day of the year,” says Knapp, co-owner of The Ten Spot® Edina.

“The Ten Spot® is a one-stop destination for selfcare services: nails, facial, waxing, lashes and brows,” added Rosen, co-owner. “We love that our guests can complete their selfcare rou tine, all at our location. To us, that reflects how our guests want to use their valuable time.”

“Our mission is that every guest leaves their Ten Spot experience not just looking like a 10, but feeling like a 10,” Rosen says. “Our team’s incredible attention to detail, passion for every

service and our clinically clean™ standards makes The Ten Spot® the destination for self care. In fact, our clinically clean™ protocols exceed the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology’s (MBC) standards for disinfection.”

As the holidays approach, Knapp recom mends guests keep two things in mind: First, book holiday nail appointments in advance. Knapp says, “We want every guest to have the nail look they’re dreaming of for the holidays.” Second, book a complimentary skin analysis, so winter skin receives the love it deserves. Rosen adds, “Seasonal shift in your skin care is a must and our estheticians can help you find the per fect routine for your skin year round.”

THE TEN SPOT®

41
SPONSORED CONTENT The Ten Spot® offers the best of spa services in a new fresh, fun all-in-one location.
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TASTEMAKERS

Our Most Delicious Neighbor

Our Noteworthy columnist Laura Westlund, a long-time Edina resident, is a regular at Patisserie Margo on Valley View Road. This fall, she stopped by to chat with the bakery’s owner and name sake, Margo Bredeson, to chat about the 25-year history of the business.

I FIRST HEARD OF PATISSERIE

MARGO at a party at an art museum in Minneapolis. Someone asked where I lived, and I was surprised by the response when I said Edina: “Oh! We love the quiche there. It’s the best quiche in America!” I learned then that a small bakery tucked in the middle of a strip mall in Grandview, across from Davanni’s, served the creamiest,

Frenchiest quiche in the Twin Cities (and perhaps the entire country), along with rainbows of macarons, cinnamondusted morning buns and such an array of croissants, breads, cakes, cookies and pastries that it’s impossible to run in for just one treat.

Fast forward 20 years to the spring of 2020, and I was often buying a quiche, a baguette or a few ginger cookies to bring to friends to keep us all connected dur ing the early isolating days of COVID19—and to support my favorite bakery. I couldn’t imagine living without Margo’s almond croissants, even (or especially) during a pandemic.

The many devoted customers of Patisserie Margo rallied, and this French

bakery and gathering place, now located in another strip mall at the corner of Valley View Road and Wooddale Avenue, is thriving. “People have been amazing,” Margo Bredeson says as she recalls the challenges of the past few years. “The community support was tremendous, and we’re doing great.”

Two themes emerge clearly as Bredeson describes her 25-plus years as a baker and business owner in Edina: family and neighbors. All of Bredeson’s four children have worked at the bakery, and her husband, Eric, handles the busi ness and wholesale distribution side of the business. “This is absolutely a family business,” Bredeson says, laughing, as her nephew and his family arrive for lunch,

43November 2022 edinamag.com

and his toddler immediately runs to Margo, requesting ,“Toast!”

Over the years, many longtime cus tomers feel like family as well. Bredeson has accompanied several clientele through major life events, attending (and providing dessert for) weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, another generation of weddings and even memorial services. “With some customers, we’ve come full circle … it’s lovely,” Bredeson says.

Bredeson began her immersion in French baking at a cafe in Madison, Wisconsin, followed by a stint at the Hotel

Sofitel in Bloomington. She was the pastry chef at 510 Groveland in Minneapolis— several times, as she took breaks while raising her children. She actually started Patisserie Margo in the kitchen at 510 Groveland, making muffins, scones, cook ies and bread for wholesale accounts dur ing the restaurant’s off hours. (By trading desserts and bread for the use of the space, Bredeson was able to start her business without going into debt.) After two years, she made these goodies available to all of us—first at the Grandview location on Gus Young Lane for 17 years, in a second loca tion at a tiny storefront in Excelsior for

10 years and now from the site in the Pamela Park neighborhood.

Moving the bakery across Edina was the most memorable event of Bredeson’s career. Patisserie Margo had to leave Grandview without knowing where it would go next, so Bredeson rented a semitrailer to store her equipment. “My enormous oven had to be cut in half,” she says. “I cried and cried. My bakery looked like a war zone—that was a low point.”

But family and neighbors came to the rescue. Bredeson found a former hardware store 2 miles away that could be transformed into a bakery, and her

44 November 2022 edinamag.com
TASTEMAKERS
46 November 2022 edinamag.com TASTEMAKERS

extended family painted, built the bathrooms, set up furniture, refinished the woodwork and did everything that needed to be done to create the space.

Her new landlord invited her to store her equipment at the adjacent gas sta tion, which was vacant before its own transition from Wally’s Mobil to Town Hall Station, now another immensely popular destination across the park ing lot from Patisserie Margo. And Jerry’s Foods, Bredeson’s neighbor in Grandview, welcomed her to its kitchen when the grocery store wasn’t using it (usually from 2 until 10 p.m.) so that she and her team could fill orders. “Jerry’s was so kind,” Bredeson says, noting how wonderful it is when local businesses can

help one another. Patisserie Margo oper ated from these various bases around town during an entire whirlwind summer until the bakery was established in its new home in September 2015.

“Margo is incredible,” says Rob Burley, whose salon is just a few feet west of Patisserie Margo’s door on Valley View Road. “I don’t know anyone who works as hard as she does. Margo never leaves anything to chance—even after baking for so long, and for so well, she still makes sure that everything is perfect before it goes out. She is absolutely committed to quality in everything she does.” Burley pauses, thoughtful, before saying: “Margo is also very committed to butter.”

“This is really, really fun,” Bredeson

says of her years baking French treats in Edina. “I’ve really had the best expe rience that could happen in this busi ness: such strong community support and remarkable, loyal customers.”

Everyone in town seems to enjoy Patisserie Margo—the mayor stops by for coffee, friends meet for lunch, fami lies reserve special cakes for parties and holiday traditions [and] people come together for business meetings. “Even the neighborhood boys ride their bikes here and come in for macarons,” Margo says, delighted. “How great is that?”

Patisserie Margo, 4510 Valley View Road; 952.926.0548; patisseriemargomn.com

@patisserie.margo

47

To

FIRST PLACE: BUSINESS

How

Sweet It Is

Local grandmother shares a beloved afternoon with her grandchildren.

AMATURE PHOTOGRAPHER

PATRICIA WILLETTE was out with her grandsons for a fun after noon just before Easter 2021. “I had a special day with my youngest grandsons, Luke and Mason; they are cousins,” Willette says. “I hid some plastic Easter eggs, which they scouted around to find [that after noon]. We also walked to Arden Park and enjoyed the new playground. After all this, they were both hungry so we went to Snuffy’s on Valley View [Road] in Edina, just a few blocks from my home.”

Willette snapped the perfect picture as her grandchildren started sipping their malt. “They’re just so cute,” Willette says. “With the technology used today, I take pictures like these to make personal cards for my friends and family.”

Title: Sweet Treat at Snuffy’s Equipment: iPhone 8

Location: Snuffy’s Malt Shop

visit edinamag.com.

48 November 2022 edinamag.com LAST GLANCE By Hanna McDaniels
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