PASSION PROJECT
Jodi Martin’s love for dahlias blossomed into Rusty Bucket Flower Company
yourbody can.
Lace your boots. See the world. You want to show her the places you love. After all, you love her. And a sore back doesn’t have to take that away. Because with TRIA by your side, your body can do amazing things.
Spine care | Schedule online
“It
has always been a priority for us to ensure our children also know and remember those we lost and their sacrifice,” Susan Craig, Marine veteran and coordinator of Lakeville’s wear blue: run to remember (page 14)
Finding Wisdom in Words James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw’s children’s book highlights the Ojibwe language.
Pawsitive Outreach
A Prior Lake dog rescue opens a new community resource center this summer.
Blue for Remembrance
Local veterans and military families run together in honor of fallen heroes. FEATURES
Passion Project Jodi Martin’s love for dahlias blossomed into Rusty Bucket Flower Company.
Social Skills
Step inside a Spring Lake retreat designed for entertaining.
Guiding Lights
Apple Valley’s Constellation Coffee empowers young adults with autism.
Editor’s Letter
On the Town
Glance
Photos: Chris Emeott
Guiding Lights, page 28
from the EDITOR
This is nothing I’m proud of, but my gardening style could best be described as “set it and forget it.” Only the strong survive in my yard where I start out solid in the spring by applying fresh layers of mulch, sowing seeds and planting annuals. Then I tend to let things slide, weeding infrequently and watering only what the preprogrammed sprinkler system will reach as summer kicks into high gear.
For this reason, I have always avoided dahlias. Despite the fact that I’ve swooned over the dramatic, dinner plate-sized blooms, as well as the more playful little poms, and marveled over the depth and range of colors that can be found on one bloom, I’ve always regretfully passed them over in my garden plans, lamenting my woeful limitations as a lazy gardener.
But after talking to Jodi Martin (page 16), owner of Rusty Bucket Flower Company and unofficial dahlia ambassador, I’m rethinking my moratorium on growing dahlias. At the very least, I can pop a few tubers in the ground this year and see what happens. And if they don’t grow, I’ll make sure to seek out a cut flower bouquet in the fall to ease my disappointment.
It must be a change in the weather, but spring often finds me questioning long-held assumptions and seeking out new adventures—at least on a small scale. And I’m hoping this issue will inspire you to do the same. Whether you make room for a new flower in your garden, find a new coffee shop (page 28) or bring home a new pup (page 12), I wish you a spring filled with novel delights.
Liz Potasek liz@localmedia.co
16
SEE WHAT WE’RE DOING BEHIND THE SCENES AND AROUND TOWN! Cities South @citiessouthmag @CitiesSouthMag
Photo: Chris Emeott
Rusty Bucket Flower Company,
Photo by Chris Emeott, page
VOL. 3 NO. 2 citiessouthmags.com
PUBLISHER
Susan Isay
EDITOR
Liz Potasek
MANAGING CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Renée Stewart-Hester
MANAGING EDITOR
Hailey Almsted
DIGITAL EDITOR
Madeline Kopiecki
COPY EDITORS
Kellie Doherty and Sherri Hildebrandt
STAFF WRITERS
Mollee Francisco, Emily Gedde, Meredith Heneghan, Daniel Huss, Jennifer Pitterle and Rachel Schuehle
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ashley Christopherson, Kathy Dawson, Scarlett Larson and Katie Tomsche
DIGITAL INTERN
Taylor Hamilton
EDITORIAL INTERNS
Ellie Heyerdahl and Emma Souza
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Kati Bachmayer, City of Lakeville ; Jeffrey DeMars, City of Prior Lake ; Jeanne Hutter, Lakeville Chamber of Commerce ; Jenny Nagy, Prior Lake Savage Area Schools ; and Janet Swiecichowski, ISD 196 Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan
SENIOR MANAGING ART DIRECTOR
Sarah Dovolos
ART DIRECTOR
Allison Nolden
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
Jamie Klang
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Yaz Lo
LEAD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Chris Emeott
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Brittni Dye
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Lisa Stone
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Mimi Coz
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Laura Bjorgo, Cynthia Hamre, Mary-Catherine Hartel and Sara Johnson
PRESIDENT Pete Burgeson
To subscribe to Cities South Magazines , please visit localmedia.co. For customer service inquiries, please contact hello@localmedia.co, or call 612.208.6248. ©Local LLC 2025. All rights reserved.
YOUR WEDDING, OUR PAGES
Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life—filled with romance, the love of family and friends and, of course, all those wonderful, unforgettable details. At Cities South Collection, we embrace celebrating local love stories, and we want to feature yours!
We’re interested in showcasing your extraordinary
wedding in our very special wedding issue, which will be published in February/ March 2026. Your wedding could be featured alongside articles highlighting other premier, local businesses in the wedding industry and information important to others planning their upcoming nuptials.
Was your wedding (or
one you photographed!) an elegant, one-of-a-kind celebration? Were your guests treated to a black-tie affair, a lavish destination event or a curated soirée? From couture fashion and bespoke décor to breathtaking venues and personal touches, we’re looking for weddings that stand out and inspire.
—Editorial Staff
To be considered, wedding gallery submissions will be accepted from May 1 through September 1, 2025, for weddings that took place from September 1, 2024, onward.
For all submission requirements, guidelines and FAQs, visit citiessouthmags.com.
To view our debut wedding issue, visit citiessouthmags.com.
Spring Quencher
Riesling Campari Punch is a very modern, low-ABV cocktail that has big-time ’70s vibes. It’s bright and beachy with a bold citrus flavor, and it’s got the groovy orange color. The ingredient list is breathtakingly short, and prep is practically nonexistent.
» 3 ¾ cups riesling
» 2 ¼ cups orange juice, freshly squeezed
» 1 cup Campari
» ice
In a large pitcher, stir together the wine, orange juice and Campari. Cover, and refrigerate until chilled through, about two hours. Stir the cocktail immediately before serving. To serve, fill six tall glasses with ice. Pour the cocktail over the ice, and enjoy.
Katie Tomsche is the content manager for Lunds & Byerlys. Taste more at lundsandbyerlys.com.
Books for All Seasons
April and May should bring warmer weather, but since anything can happen in Minnesota, these book picks offer frigid snowy highlands in one and a hot, humid swamp in the other.
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy Set in the not-too-distant future in Scotland when wolves are nearly extinct, Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy features Inti Flynn, one of a team of biologists who come to reintroduce wolves to the landscape. Even if wolves and conservation aren’t
Vibrant Blooms
Katrina Pete’s painting, Dancing Light, beautifully captures the strength and delicacy of nature with sunlight dancing across the petals, bringing them to life. Pete’s artistic process is deeply rooted in her love for gardening. She draws inspiration from the changing colors and light in her garden, using quick, impressionistic brushstrokes to convey the movement and vitality of the flowers. Her style has evolved over time, shifting from detailed realism to a looser, more expressive approach. Inspired by artists like Monet and Cheng Khee Chee, Pete’s work celebrates the cycle of life, capturing the resilience and beauty of flowers as symbols of growth, patience and the natural world.
Title: Dancing Light
Artist: Katrina Pete
Medium: Oil on canvas
Scale: 20x20 inches
On exhibit: May 20–June 28, Lakeville Area Arts Center
Scarlett Larson is the recreation program coordinator for the Lakeville Area Arts Center. View more at lakevilleareaartscenter.com.
interesting to you, this novel has mystery, conflict, romance and an intriguing cast of characters to keep you hooked from beginning to end.
Banyan Moon by Thao Thai
Banyan Moon by Thao Thai is an evocative debut novel set in a swampy area of Florida as a woman goes back to her childhood home, reconnecting with her estranged mother after her grandmother dies. These second and third generation Vietnamese-American women must deal with family secrets, their fractured relationship and the crumbling house left to them.
Ashley Christopherson is the owner of Niche Books in Lakeville. Read more at nichebooksmn.com.
VIEW
DESIGN
Light Fixture
There’s nothing standard about the hand-poured candles made by the sisters behind Apple Valley’s Chicwood Candle Co. From the unusual dough bowl and cheese mold vessels to the pressed wooden wicks to the custom designed scents, the candles exceed expectations in both form and function. “I was looking for something that was a statement piece and home décor,” says Krista Vanderveren, who was inspired to start Chicwood Candle Co. with her sister, Jill Kotz, after picking up candle pouring as a hobby during COVID-19.
The two sisters create the candles in Vanderveren’s Apple Valley home and sell them online and in stores throughout Minnesota. The candles come in 10 signature scents, as well as rotating seasonal fragrances. Watch for Wild Flower Fields, Laundry Day, Sweet Sunshine and more for spring and summer. After enjoying the candle, the vessel can be washed and repurposed as a décor item in the home. —Liz Potasek
chicwoodcandleco.com
Chicwood Candle Co. @chicwoodcandleco
ARTS & CULTURE
Finding Wisdom in Words
James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw’s children’s book highlights the Ojibwe language.
By Meredith Heneghan
After 25 years working as an Ojibwe educator and consultant, James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw recently published his first children’s book, Wisdom Weavers.
“The inspiration to write a children’s book was the ability to share the Ojibwe language with a new audience,” he says. Kaagegaabaw, who lives in Apple Valley, has previously published The Seven Generations and The Seven Grandfather Teachings, a book that guides readers to the idea of “the good life.”
James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw’s son, Jack, was his inspiration for writing Wisdom
In Wisdom Weavers, Kaagegaabaw— a well-known international speaker, digital creator (You might recognize him from his Ojibwe word of the day series on Instagram and TikTok.), educator and author—narrates the day in the life of an Ojibwe family, teaching Ojibwe concepts and vocabulary to readers. In total, the story introduces 73 Ojibwe words and phrases with QR codes that link to recordings of each.
Wisdom Weavers follows a mixed Ojibwe child, inspired by Kaagegaabaw’s son, throughout his day. “He was the main reason I took on the project,” Kaagegaabaw says. “It’s based on all true stories of my son and I.” Kaagegaabaw, who grew up in north central Minnesota, is a member of the Turtle Clan and a descendant of Turtle Mountain.
The number four is important from an Ojibwe perspective and comes up throughout the book. “The story begins with the four times of day. Dawn, midday, evening and nighttime,” Kaagegaabaw says. “Dawn is waking up and getting ready; midday and evening are going out and harvesting willow and putting the dream catcher together; nighttime is going to sleep and dreaming.” Readers get the chance to learn everyday Ojibwe vocabulary alongside cultural concepts.
“When children’s stories are told very well, they can get a lot of information across to a diverse audience,” Kaagegaabaw says. “There were these cultural things that I wanted to embed in the book. Dream catchers originated with the Ojibwe people, so I had this chance to share more about them with kids who may have seen dream catchers and wondered about it.”
Wisdom Weavers is illustrated by Marcus Trujillo, a tribal member with the Pueblo of Laguna in affiliation with the Village of Paraje. “This brilliant illustrator
Photos: Chris Emeott
Weavers
documented a very special time in our lives,” Kaagegaabaw says.
Kids have the innate ability to connect with what’s familiar while processing new information. Kaagegaabaw recently carried out an international book tour for Wisdom Weavers and The Seven Generations and The Seven Grandfather Teachings. “I just read it to an auditorium filled with pre-K through third graders, and the one that was a hit with them was the main character learning about a dream catcher and then saying, ‘Cool, what’s for breakfast?,’” he says.
Kaagegaabaw is also active on social media, sharing his Ojibwe word of the day series that relates to the time of year, the day’s weather, natural phenomena and current events. “People have shared that they sit with their children and go over the word of the day, and it’s a moment to learn together,” he says. “For people my mother’s age, who went to boarding and residential schools, it’s an opportunity to learn at their own pace. As an educator, to provide people with that opportunity really compels me and brings me joy.”
Wisdom Weavers is available for purchase online or in store at Birchbark Books (2115 W. 21st St., Mpls.; birchbarkbooks.com).
James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw; jamesvukelich.com James Vukelich @jamesvukelich @jamesvukelich
PHILANTHROPY
Pawsitive Outreach
A Prior Lake dog rescue opens a new community resource center this summer.
By Jennifer Pitterle
When Casey Adams started Spot’s Last Stop in 2015, it was a grassroots operation born of necessity and passion. “I started with me driving my tiny Honda Accord to high-kill shelters, stuffing the back of my car full of dogs from the euthanasia list and bringing them home,” Adams says.
She’d take the pups to the vet and get them ready for adoption, all on her own. Though she spent most of her career in corporate roles, Adams says she was
always drawn to helping animals, especially after growing up on a hobby farm. “I was born an animal lover,” she says.
But what began as a solo effort has blossomed, 10 years later, into a vibrant nonprofit rescue organization based in Prior Lake—and as of this writing, Spot’s Last Stop has saved more than 9,500 dogs. The organization works primarily with canines (and the occasional feline) that are rescued from shelters or have been abandoned. The foster-based
organization relies on a network of around 500 foster families across the Twin Cities. “Some take dogs back-toback; others might foster once or twice a year,” Adams says.
Adams and her volunteers make sure fostering is accessible to everyone. “It’s completely free, and we provide all the supplies. Plus, there’s a built-in support system,” she says. “Our volunteers, trainers and other fosters are there to guide you every step of the way.”
Photo: Spot’s Last Stop
The Parence Family fosters dogs through Spot’s Last Stop. (These lucky pups have all been adopted!)
The organization also encourages a foster-to-adopt model. Families looking to adopt a dog can foster various breeds, sizes and ages to help find the best fit. “And in the process, you’re saving multiple lives,” Adams says.
Spot’s Last Stop has mostly been operated out of Adams’s home office, but that’s about to change. Last June, the organization received a large grant from the Prior Lake Rotary, which offered up to $1 million to a local organization with a compelling mission. “Our proposal was to open up an animal community and resource center in Prior Lake and to double as a location where we can store our crates and food, do intake and things like that,” Adams says. Spot’s Last Stop purchased a Prior Lake building for the center and hopes to open by late summer.
In addition to administrative space, the center will offer a place for lost pets to be reunited with their families; to intake animals who need short-term care after their humans fall on hard times; and to offer low-cost spay/neuter referrals and microchipping.
While the rescue will remain fosterbased, the new center will also offer educational opportunities and a place for local groups to gather. “We’re creating a space where youth organizations, church groups or anyone can volunteer,” Adams says. “They can make tie blankets for foster dogs, help with tasks or even interact with the animals. It’s all about community.”
When asked about the high rates of dogs currently needing rescue help, Adams acknowledges that the landscape has changed dramatically. “For years, we mainly pulled dogs from Southern states where shelters were overwhelmed,” she says. “But now, shelters in Minnesota are full, and euthanasia rates are higher than I’ve ever seen here.”
Despite these challenges, Adams remains hopeful. “We’re really trying to get creative to get more people to adopt and sign up to foster,” she says. “We’re doing everything we can.”
Learn more—and see a list of current dogs up for adoption—at spotslaststop.org.
Spot’s Last Stop, 6025 170th St. E., Prior Lake
Spot’s Last Stop Canine Rescue @spotslaststop
Customized Graduation Flowers
Capt. Bryan Willard, 1st Lt. Brandon Dronet, Staff Sgt. Donnie Levens, Sgt. James Fordyce, Sgt. Jonathan McColley, Cpl. Matthieu Marcellus, Lance Cpl. Samuel Large Jr., Lance Cpl. Nicholas Sovie, Staff Sgt. Luis Melendez Sanchez and Senior Airman Alecia Good.
Blue for Remembrance
Local veterans and military families run together in honor of fallen heroes.
By Liz Potasek
On February 17, 2006, Marine Pilot Susan Craig was serving her country in Africa when the helicopter she was flying crashed. She was one of two people who walked away from the crash that killed eight marines and two airmen.
Susan has carried their names with every step she’s taken since. She’s run with the names on her shirt in the Marine Corps Marathon; she keeps a framed picture of everyone who died in the helicopter in her home; and she calls out the names each month when she gathers with the Lakeville chapter of wear blue: run to remember, a group dedicated to supporting the military, veterans and their
families. “I have always felt a great responsibility to them and their families to keep their memory alive and at the forefront of my life and my family’s life, but I did not always know how,” Susan says.
On the fourth Saturday of the month, Susan gathers with veterans, military families and supporters to create a living memorial at Casperson Park in Lakeville. Each meeting starts with a Circle of Remembrance, and participants are invited to call out the names of military members who died in service.
After the names are called, the group runs or walks about 3 miles. Some run longer distances and others walk shorter
Photo: Chris Emeott
Susan Craig holds a framed picture of the colleagues who died in a helicoptor crash in 2006:
distances, but it’s not the miles that mat ter, it’s the act of recognition. The meetups are inclusive events with everyone from parents pushing strollers to mara thoners. Susan and her husband, Steve Craig, often bring their children. “It has always been a priority for us to ensure our children also know and remember those we lost and their sacrifice,” Susan says.
Susan, who teaches math at Apple Valley High School, moved to Lakeville in 2013 after Steve, who also served as a helicopter pilot in the Marines, retired from service. She learned about wear blue: run to remember when she was running in the Marine Corps Marathon in 2015 and connected with the group about starting a Saturday running com munity in Lakeville.
Wear blue was founded in 2010 in DuPont, Washington, as a grassroots effort to honor the memory of fallen heroes through active remembrance. The nonprofit does this through several dif ferent programs, but its cornerstone program is the Community Run, a no-cost run or walk hosted by wear blue volunteers in cities and towns throughout the country. Each event starts with a Circle of Remembrance where names of the fallen are spoken by participants.
HUGE DEALS
The Lakeville group got its start in spring 2016, and more than 100 people showed up for its first Memorial Day run. “I was shocked to have a bunch of people show up and join us,” Susan says. “Wear blue is the way that I continue to honor and remember those that I have lost, and that I bear a responsibility for. I feel like it's important that the memory of them stays alive in my life.”
While Memorial Day typically attracts a larger group of runners, Susan organizes wear blue runs on the fourth Saturday of each month with a few dozen participants. “It’s just kind of nice to connect and spend some time taking purposeful steps in their honor,” she says.
wear blue: run to remember; wearblueruntoremember.org
wear blue: run to rememberLakeville, MN @wearblue
Memorial Day Run
All ages. Registration required. 9 a.m. May 26. Casperson Park, 19720 Juno Trail, Lakeville; wearblueruntoremember.org
PASSION PROJECT
Written by Liz Potasek Photos by Chris Emeott
It all started with Jodi Martin’s bridal bouquet. She wanted to add a few dahlia blooms to the stems she carried down the aisle at her fall wedding in 2019, so she decided to grow a few varieties. Her little project in the garden was not only a success, it inspired her to continue growing dahlias, and it bloomed into a hobby business, Rusty Bucket Flower Company.
With more than 1,200 plants representing over 200 dahlia varieties, Jodi supplies local florists with cut dahlia blooms for fall bouquets and sells dahlia tubers to gardeners in the spring—in addition to her full-time job as a nurse practitioner. “They’re divas, but I feel like it’s worth it,” Jodi says of her favorite flower.
When Jodi and her husband, David Martin, moved into their Prior Lake
home in 2016, they had dreams of a hobby farm, and with the help of some generous neighbors who lent equipment to till their first garden plot, they got started with a vegetable garden. Today, they care for bees, chickens, ducks, geese, goats, three dogs and a cat, along with a vegetable garden, several flower gardens and of course the dahlia gardens, on their 10-acre property. Jodi and David, along with their two kids, Luciana, 7, and Caleb, 6, like to stay busy. “I’m not very good at relaxing,” Jodi says, noting that she’d love to grow more perennial flowers and wants to introduce additional peony varieties to her gardens in the future.
But dahlias will always be her biggest passion. She loves spending time outside
Caring for Dahlias
Dahlia care tips from Jodi Martin: Dahlia tubers should be kept in a cool, dark space until they are ready to be started indoors or planted outdoors. Gardeners should inspect tubers to make sure they are free of mold, rot or soft spots. Dahlias can also be grown from seed (This would be a new variety, different from the parent plant.) or from rooted cuttings.)
Tubers can be started indoors under grow lights. To start indoors: Place tuber horizontally in a tray with the eye facing up and cover with a soil-less potting blend. Keep the potting blend moist but not too wet. Too much water before roots establish can lead to rot. When roots have developed and the shoot has broken the surface, dahlias can be watered like any other plant. Once the risk of frost has passed, tubers can be planted directly in the garden or a large pot. If you’re planting a dahlia that has been started indoors, slowly expose it to cooler outdoor temperatures before planting in the ground. The soil temperature should be above 55 degrees.
Dahlias like full sun and well-drained soil that is high in organic matter.
Stake dahlias to provide support as they grow. Once the plant is about 6–12 inches, pinch off the top shoot to the first or second set of leaves to promote branching and blooms.
One dahlia tuber will grow into a clump of tubers that can be divided and stored at the end of the season.
Jody Martin’s dahlia garden, which includes more than 1,200 plants, are arranged by variety.
Jodi Martin’s love for dahlias blossomed into Rusty Bucket Flower Company.
Spectrum of Blooms
Dahlias come in a wide spectrum of colors—from bright white to deep burgundy and butter yellow to bronze—as well as dramatically different shapes and sizes. “There’s a variety for everyone,” says dahlia grower Jodi Martin. These are a few of her favorite blooms from last summer’s garden:
• Bloomquist Blush: Buttercream yellow bloom with pink-tipped petals.
• Bloomquist Jean: Large copper petals form a bloom that’s 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
• Bloomquist Jody Lynn: Lilac purple tips with a touch of cream contrasted by a dark center.
• Castle Drive: Light pink petals with subtle hits of yellow and cream in the center of a 4to 5-inch bloom.
• Cornel Bronze: Bronze ball blooms about 4 inches wide.
• Hollyhill Black Beauty: Deep burgundy—almost black—blooms that are 6 inches wide.
• Irish Delight: Bright yellow blooms about 3 inches wide.
• Isabel: Ball-shaped blooms range in color from lavender to dusty pinks. Blooms are about 3 inches wide.
• Kelgai Ann: Soft blush petals with dark pink streaks on a 5-inch wide saucer-shaped bloom.
• RaeAnn’s Antares: Dark pink anemone-like petals with a light center.
• Shadow Cat: Dark brown/ burgundy ball form, 4-inch blooms that can almost appear black.
• Verrone’s Sandra J: Rust, raspberry and gold blooms that are 4 to 6 inches wide.
• Wowie: Brilliant orange red petals with a white collar and 3.5-inch blooms.
Kelgai Ann
Irish Delight
RaeAnn’s Antares
Wowie
Castle Drive Isabel
“ They’re divas, but I feel like it’s worth it.”
Jodi Martin, dahlia grower and owner of Rusty Bucket Flower Company
in the garden, whether she’s pulling weeds or cutting flowers. “Gardening is therapy,” she says.
The dahlia season for Jodi starts in mid-May when she begins planting tubers into the ground. Although the clusters of brown, carrot-like roots might not look too promising, given the right growing conditions (see Caring for Dahlias on page 16), dahlias begin blooming 12 to 16 weeks after planting and can continue blooming until the first frost.
In Minnesota, the plants can be grown as annuals, but Jodi extends the life of her dahlias by pulling the plants in October and November, and cleaning, separating and dividing the tubers to be planted next spring. She overwinters them in cold storage. Given Minnesota’s harsh winters, dahlia tubers wouldn’t survive in the ground—they’re native to Mexico and Central America. “If it’s too much work, you don’t have to save the tubers,” Jodi says to gardeners who are nervous about committing to the plant.
Dahlias can be propagated using plant cuttings or by dividing tubers, but when pollinated, dahlias produce seeds with unique characteristics, so many growers are experimenting with cross-pollination to create new varieties. “My dream would be to hybridize dahlias,” Jodi says.
The American Dahlia Society (dahlia.org) is a great resource for identifying and growing dahlias.
Rusty Bucket Flower Company; rustybucketflowercompany.com
Rusty Bucket Flower Company @rustybucketflowercompany
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Lead Photographer
Q: How do you like to unwind?
A: I live part-time in my van, and whether I am parked in a parking lot or on the North Shore, I’m completely content and relaxed. I also just became a sauna owner and I love it because it’s a good way to unplug and relax. I am still working up to my cold plunges though.
Q: What’s currently sparking your interest?
A: More cooking! I feel like I’ve gotten a bit away from creative and fun cooking. I’ve been cooking for function but not fun and I’ve been working to reverse that.
HOME & GARDEN Collection
Photo: Ruby + Suede
Our team is dedicated to designing a space that’s perfectly tailored to your style, whether it’s traditional, modern or somewhere in between. We can help you with everything from window treatments to furniture, creating a cohesive and functional environment that reflects your personality. And we’re more than just interior design—we bring a solid construction background to the table, ensuring every detail, from electrical to plumbing, is considered. Whether you’re working on a small update, building new or tackling a major remodel, we’re here to collaborate on every design aspect. Let’s bring your vision to life!
KRISTEN SCHAMMEL
Senior Interior Designer
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RUBY+SUEDE
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HOME & GARDEN Collection
FALL 2025
At Highmark Home Services, we’re not just your average handyman—we have luxury builder-level expertise. Our skilled carpenters understand the high standards that come with working in your home, so whether you need siding repaired, floating shelves installed in your home office or a new screened porch, we’ve got you covered. We use only the best materials and tools to ensure every project meets the highest standards. We specialize in fixing, repairing or building new spaces both interior and exterior to make your home the best it can be for you and your family. No job is too big or too small!
An all-season porch overlooking Spring Lake provides a perfect space for watching a big game or curling up by a fire with a glass of wine.
GARY GUNNERSON
When it came to finding their dream home, Gwen and John Radosevich wanted a comfortable, cozy space for daily life that would effortlessly lend itself to indoor-outdoor gatherings for frequent entertaining. They ended up building that dream with Pinnacle Family Homes, designing a home overlooking Spring Lake that serves as both a lake retreat and a place to make memories with family and friends.
To make the transition from daily living to easy entertaining as smooth as possible, the Radoseviches designed several noteworthy features into their home, including an all-season porch with lake views, a scullery and a wine cellar.
ALL-SEASON PORCH
Having options for enjoying their lake view was also important to the Radoseviches. One of the most exceptional places in their home is what they refer to as “the porch.”
It’s an indoor-outdoor room with a fireplace and heated floors, a TV and one full wall that’s open to the lake view. “We wanted to have an area where we could both be indoor and outdoor,” Gwen says. “We love it because there’s a phantom screen that comes down that blocks it off from the elements. It has the look of a window, so it allows us to utilize the porch or sunroom in all seasons.”
This type of all-season room also works perfectly for gatherings and entertaining, as it’s a lovely space where people can gather to watch a sporting event, movie or the latest streaming gem or just relax without giving up the experience of watching the sunset and enjoying the beautiful lakefront.
SOCIAL SKILLS
Step inside a Spring Lake retreat designed for entertaining.
SCULLERY
One remarkable feature in the Radoseviches’ home is their scullery. A scullery, sometimes considered an overflow kitchen, is a small area off the kitchen that satisfies some kitchen-related needs like appliance storage or dishwashing, but it is set apart from the main kitchen.
“The reason that we wanted to have the scullery as a separate part of our kitchen is that we like to do a lot of entertaining,” Gwen says. It serves as a place where friends and family can easily access any needed items without having to go all the way into the house. Snacks, cups and towels, for example, can be easily grabbed when coming in from the outdoors.
Adding a scullery is trending in new home design since the space is so versatile. “People use it for a breakfast nook, just a space for a coffee maker and toaster, so that it can get left out because it’s tucked away and not in the main kitchen area on the counter,” says Cece Just, owner of Pinnacle Family Homes. “You could also use it for parties—have buffet-style appetizers, with a plug for a crock pot, so your main island doesn’t get overwhelmed with the food.”
Just affirms that the scullery in the Radosevich home is perfect for their lifestyle—and that’s exactly the point. When you’re building a new home, you can choose how to make the spaces work for you.
WINE CELLAR
The scullery isn’t the only clever use of a special small space in the Radosevich house: A beautiful wine cellar serves as a stunning focal point on their main floor. The cellar, which is visible through a glass wall, is used to store and display wine the Radoseviches bring home from trips to California.
“The wine cellar is important to us because we go to Napa every year, and we love to bring back good wines,” Gwen says. “We have our white wines in the scullery pantry in the fridge, but we wanted a place to showcase the red wines that we have, as well as some of the memorabilia. We have a matted and framed map of the Napa and Sonoma area[s] and remember where we got the various wines.” For this family, the wine cellar is more than storage, it’s a destination in the home that holds special memories.
Working with Pinnacle Family Homes meant that the Radoseviches were working with a small team who knows the area well. “We live where we work, so everybody we’ve built for is a friend from then on,” Just says.
Pinnacle Family Homes; 952.210.5037; pinnaclefamilyhomes.com Pinnacle Family Homes Pinnacle Family Homes @pinnaclefamilyhomes
Top Left: The scullery (also known as a working kitchen) is tucked behind the main kitchen.
Bottom Left: The scullery contains appliances, a wine fridge and an extra sink.
Right: The wine cellar serves as a distinctive focal point on the home’s main floor and provides the perfect space to display the couple’s red wine collection and memorabilia.
TASTEMAKERS
Guiding Lights
Apple Valley’s Constellation Coffee empowers young adults with autism.
Written by Jennifer Pitterle — Photos by Chris Emeott
Constellation Coffee, nestled in an unassuming office building in Apple Valley, is serene. Aside from the occasional whirr of the espresso machine and soft conversation, it’s quiet. Artwork featuring stars and galaxies (a nod to the shop’s name) adorns the walls. Acoustic panels help dampen noise, and no music is piped through the speakers. A young woman named Lauren Ziehwein greets customers cheerfully, taking orders and handing out a playing card in lieu of a number. “When you hear ‘nine of diamonds,’ you can pick up your drink down at the end of the counter,” she says.
The coffee is delicious.
This peaceful spot, designed by and for people with autism and other sensoryrelated needs, is more than just a coffee shop. Founder Liza Robson and manager Carrie Wetzler have an important mission: to provide meaningful employment for young adults with autism and other neurodiverse conditions. And the mission is personal.
“The idea really started with my son, Matty, who’s on the autism spectrum,” Liza says. Matty Robson is now a junior at Landmark College in Vermont—and thriving—but when he was younger, his mom often worried about what the future would hold for him and his peers. While there are many programs to support children with special needs in school, opportunities often dwindle as they age out of the system. “We decided that offering trainable skills to help kids on the spectrum or with other learning disabilities could help them find jobs,” Liza says.
Lauren Ziehwein, who has worked at Constellation Coffee since it opened in July, makes a latte.
“We decided that offering trainable skills to help kids on the spectrum or with other learning disabilities could help them find jobs.”
Liza Robson, founder of Constellation Coffee.
Wetzler met the Robsons 20 years ago when she first started working as Matty’s live-in nanny and aide. A few years ago, she and Liza started brainstorming ideas for a business that could serve as both a supportive workplace and a welcoming community hub for young adults like Matty. A coffee shop seemed like a natural fit—with lots of roles that can be cross-trained, and opportunities to interact with customers and practice social and work skills.
The shop had its soft opening, to give the baristas a way to ease into the routine, last July. After some publicity in the local news, Constellation was busy with a full slate of customers by fall. The shop currently employs around a dozen high school students and young adults from the Apple Valley area.
“We’ve got one manual espresso machine and one that’s a little more automated, for different abilities,” Wetzler
says. “Our drink recipes are all printed out. And we put a lot of thought into the coffee shop.” Wetzler selected a rubber floor and chairs that have curved, sledstyle bases instead of legs that scratch and squeak. There’s a calm space for employees to take breaks. Half of the baked goods are allergen- and gluten-free, since many folks with autism also have food allergies and sensitivities.
After all, the shop is not only for the young adults who work there. “I’ve got a lot of families who come in with adult children who have disabilities and special needs, and they feel comfortable here because nobody looks sideways at them,” Wetzler says. Parents of younger children with autism know they’ll find information and support at Constellation, too. Wetzler and Liza curate a resource corner with books and magazines, and there are plush armchairs (the “soft chairs,” as Matty called them when he visited coffee
shops with Wetzler as a little boy) in addition to table seats.
Ziehwein, who has worked at Constellation since it opened, enjoys her work. “I like drink making, but I also like doing cashier,” she says. “I like to multitask.” She also enjoys learning about new drink recipes from customers, like a recent request for a London Fog Latte, and socializing with her coworkers.
Ziehwein always remembers to mention Constellation’s punch cards, whereby customers can get a free brewed coffee with every 10 punches, and often wraps up conversations with her signature catchphrase: “Have a starry day!”
Constellation Coffee, 14800 Galaxie Ave. Suite 100, Apple Valley; 952.952.5448; constellationcoffeeshop.com Constellation Coffee @constellationcoffeeshop
Liza Robson and Carrie Wetzler
COMMUNITY READ
OneBook, OneLakeville features two books by Minnesota authors.
Two mystery novels written by Minnesota authors are the focus of this year’s OneBook, OneLakeville. In its 16th year, the annual community readalong, sponsored by the Friends of the Heritage Library, will highlight To Catch a Storm by Mindy Mejia and The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens. Readers are invited to a panel discussion with both authors—moderated by another prominent Minnesota author, Lorna Landvik—on April 26 at the Lakeville Area Arts Center. A book signing will follow the discussion, and there will be books available to purchase for signing. —Liz Potasek
OneBook, OneLakeville Free, ticket required. 7:30 p.m. April 26. Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville; 952.985.4640; lakevilleareaartscenter.com
Compiled
by
Ellie Heyerdahl and Emma Souza
LOCAL EVENTS
04.04
Air Supply at Mystic Lake
Get nostalgic with Air Supply as they perform their greatest hits, spanning decades. All ages. Tickets start at $49. 8 p.m. Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd. NW, Prior Lake; 800.262.7799; mysticlake.com
04.05
Easter Egg Scramble
Enjoy a breakfast of scrambled eggs, pastries and more as the Easter Bunny comes to visit. All ages. $9, registration required. 9–9.45 a.m. or 10–10:45 a.m. Lakeville Heritage Center, 20110 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville; lakevillemn.gov
04.12
Home and Garden Show
Explore over a hundred local vendors eager to help your home improvement ideas become a reality. All ages. Free. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Eastview High School, 6200 140th St. W., Apple Valley; 952.432.8422; applevalleychamber.com
04.26
Project Explore Waffle Breakfast Dig into an all-you-can-eat waffle piled high with any topping imaginable. Bring along friends or family to raise money for Project Explore. All ages. $10 ages 13 and older, $5 ages 6–12, children ages 5 and younger eat free. 8:30–11 a.m. Diamond Messiah Lutheran Church, 16725 Highview Ave., Lakeville; 651.423.7701; ce.district196.org
05.09
The Songs of Hall & Oates
Experience a night of tribute to Hall & Oates as Mick Sterling performs their greatest hits. All ages. $40–$45. 7:30 p.m. Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville; 952.985.4640; lakevillemn.gov
05.17
Lakeville Food Truck Fest
Check out local food trucks and listen
Photo: Chris Emeott
Two books from Minnesota authors are featured as a part of this year’s OneBook, One Lakeville on April 26.
to live music at this foodie festival, which also includes a Kid Zone and beer garden. All ages. 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville; lakevillefoodtruckfest.com
05.21
Valley Winds Concert
Experience a stunning performance of Gustav Holst’s The Planets by Valley Winds’ local musicians. All ages. Free, donations encouraged. 7 p.m. Eastview High School, 6200 140th St. W., Apple Valley; 507.420.8055; valleywindsmn.com
AREA EVENTS
04.02–04.13
International Film Festival
The 44th annual Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival returns to The Main Cinema, and other venues, which showcases more than 200 films from around the world. Parties, panels, filmmakers and special guests are also part of this celebration. All ages. Prices vary. Times vary. Venues vary. 612.395.4444; mspfilm.org
04.08–04.13
Mean Girls
From writer Tina Fey comes Mean Girls, a Broadway adaptation of the popular movie. All ages. Prices vary. Times vary. Ordway, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; 651.224.4222; ordway.org
04.10
Reading of The Great Gatsby
The Minnesota Historical Society and the Friends of the St. Paul Library honor F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby on its 100th anniversary with a live reading of the novel from start to finish. All ages. Free. 1:30–7:30 p.m. The Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; 651.222.3242; thefriends.org
04.26
RITE Day
With hands-on workshops, kids
MAY 10
DOWNTOWN LAKEVILLE ART CRAWL
Interact with local artists, enjoy live demonstrations and admire artwork within the historic downtown Lakeville area. All ages. Free. Noon–5 p.m. Downtown Lakeville; 952.985.4640; lakevilleartscenterfriends.org
activities, information stations and free recycling, this is an event for folks who are Really Into The Earth. All ages. Free. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Wildwood Elementary, 8698 75th St. N., Stillwater; 651.407.2018; communityed.mahtomedi.k12.mn.us
To have your event considered: email citiessouthmags@localmedia.co by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication. Please note that some events/dates and even some business operations may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.
Since 1986, we have been serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade. We offer a rigorous curriculum in a safe environment with no hidden agenda—building leaders with a heart to serve the world.
Christian Heritage Academy 7320 175th St. W., Lakeville 952.953.4155 chacademy.com
Running Free
A puppy’s boundless energy captured by a wildlife photographer.
Sean Schendel often focuses his lens on nature and wildlife, but he was out for a walk with his then 4-month-old Fox Red Labrador Retriever puppy when his focus abruptly changed. “I was looking for wildlife, and then the puppy ran away,” he says, noting that Toby’s return lended itself to the perfect moment for a picture of the pup in motion. Find more of Schendel’s work online at seanschendelphoto.com and on Instagram @seanschendel. —Liz Potasek
To view other Focus on Cities South photo contest winners, visit citiessouthmags.com.
Photographer: Sean Schendel
Title: Toby Runs
Equipment: Nikon D500 DSLR with 150–600 mm telephoto lens
Location: Trail along the Minnesota River
Category: Pets Award: First Place
life. at your summit.
