Plymouth - October / September 2024 by Local.

Twelve years of training culminates in a solo concert

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“Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He’s gotta pick this one. He’s got to. I don’t see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there’s not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see.” —Linus, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Photo: Drew Gray Photography

Living room designed by Eminent Interior, featured in White Glove Service, page 20.

Resident spreads the Halloween spirit, one gourd at a time.

Nonprofit

Paintbrush Pedagogy

Artist turns her passion for education into her own studio and teaching space.

There’s more that goes into a turnkey experience than meets the eye.

Dancer’s Debut

Twelve years of training culminates in a solo concert.

One local man launches a line of tailgate-inspired seasoning blends to

from the EDITOR

This summer, I finally set out to do something I’d been considering for a few years now: planting a vegetable garden. In July, I stocked up on young pepper plants, cucumber vines, herbs and more from both the farmers market and Bachman’s. By now, I suspect the season is well-past for most of my plants, but there are two that might still be growing strong: a spaghetti squash and a pumpkin.

I have culinary designs for the spaghetti squash, but the rationale behind the pumpkin is a bit more whimsical: I want to see if I can grow a pumpkin large enough to be carved into a clever jack-o’-lantern. I’d have to agree with Quinn Schomburg, Plymouth’s own Pumpkin King (page 12)—I think all pumpkins inherently have jack-o’-lantern aspirations.

As I write this Editor’s Letter, I have two kohlrabis, five cucumbers and an unmentionable number of jalapeños in my refrigerator. The spaghetti squash has grown exuberantly. The cilantro has given way to coriander, and the Italian parsley has drowned out the dill. My pumpkin vine hasn’t had a strong start, but there’s a bud or two yet. In any event, it’s been sweet to enjoy the literal fruits of my labor.

Right about now, I’d guess Schomburg is doing just that. After all, he has his own crop of pumpkins that need to be transformed. I hope I end up having just a fraction of his success in my own modest pumpkin patch.

Happy Fall,

Madeline Kopiecki madeline@localmedia.co

On the Cover

Mahati Rayadurgam, Photo by Chris Emeott, page 33

CELEBRATING THE PLYMOUTH AREA SINCE 2004. See what we’re doing behind the scenes and around town! Plymouth Magazine @plymouth_mag @plymouthmag

Photo: Chris Emeott

Jamie Klang associate art director

Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: I love that I’m able to be creative and work with creative people. I’m always getting inspired and learning new things from my coworkers.

Q: What are you reading right now?

A: I’m currently reading Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology. It’s a collection of horror and mystery stories written by various Indigenous authors.

Q: What’s currently sparking your interest?

A: Because I spend so much time looking at a computer screen, I’m trying to express my creativity through other mediums like drawing, painting and knitting. I also want to get into pottery.

VOL. 20 NO. 2 plymouthmag.com

PUBLISHER

Susan Isay

EDITOR

Madeline Kopiecki

MANAGING CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Renée Stewart-Hester

MANAGING EDITOR

Hailey Almsted

DIGITAL EDITOR

Madeline Kopiecki

COPY EDITORS

Kellie Doherty and Sherri Hildebrandt

STAFF WRITERS

Kelly Cochrane, Mollee Francisco, Emily Gedde, Meredith Heneghan, Daniel Huss, Jennifer Pitterle and Rachel Schuehle

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Douglas Broman, Emily Maxson, Ashley Meyers, Amy Sundet, Katie Timcho and Grant Whittaker

DIGITAL INTERN

Alexandra Tostrud

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Tia Benson and Findlay Drabant

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Kelley Giancola, Interfaith Outreach ; Meghan Milovich, blogger and fundraiser for Children’s Hospitals ; Zach Nelson, Wayzata School District ; Mark Poppendeck, Beez ‘N Treez Foundation ; Brian Rosemeyer, City of Plymouth ; and LuAnn Svendsen, Plymouth Reads chair and community volunteer

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, Sara Johnson and Lauren Warner

PRESIDENT Pete Burgeson

Twin Cities Health Insurance Solutions secures

Shopping for Medicare, individual, family or business health insurance is an important process, which is why it’s crucial to work with an agency that understands your coverage needs. Twin Cities Health Insurance Solutions Inc. is a family-owned insurance agency with 20 years of combined experience.

This local agency of licensed health insurance advisors, specializing in Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, Medicare prescription drug plans, individual health and small group insurance, represents many national and local carriers.

“We provide clear, easy-to-understand information through personalized consultations to help consumers find the right plan that fits their needs,” says Jill Mudd, agency owner. It’s important to note that there are no costs or fees to consumers for using their services.

“Shopping for health insurance can be challenging and confusing,” Mudd says. “There are rules and sometimes penalties if you make the wrong choice or delay getting coverage. We take the guess work out of it for consumers by providing guidance and solutions.”

Educating clients about insurance options begins with agents being properly trained and certified. “Our

agents hold health insurance licenses with the State of Minnesota and are certified with the Medicare companies we represent,” Mudd says. “We stay up-to-date on industry and plan changes, enrollment periods as well as compliance regulations to make sure that we are providing accurate information and guidance to our clients,” Mudd says.

Twin Cities Health Insurance Solutions is a local, family business of health insurance experts. “Anyone can help you enroll. What sets us apart is that we provide ongoing service throughout the year by answering your questions and conducting annual policy reviews to ensure our clients are always on the plan that fits their needs,” Mudd says. “We are passionate about helping people feel confident in their health insurance decisions.”

A FALL FAVORITE

IT CAN BE difficult to find good substitutes for baked goods when following a grain-free diet. I love pumpkin bread and was determined to create a grain-free and refined-sugar-free recipe that would satisfy my memories of fall treats. I baked many loaves before landing on the perfect combination of ingredients that produce a similar texture and taste to a loaf with traditional ingredients. Even if you are not following a grain-free or gluten-free diet, you might just love this healthier pumpkin bread.

Emily Maxson is a Plymouth food blogger and author of Emily’s Fresh Kitchen Cookbook. For more recipes, visit emilysfreshkitchen.com or follow her on Instagram @emilysfreshkitchen.

Grain-Free Pumpkin Bread

» 2 1/2 cups almond flour

» 1/4 cup coconut flour

» 1 tsp. baking soda

» 1/4 tsp. sea salt

» 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

» 1/2 tsp. ginger

» 1/2 tsp. cloves

» 3 eggs

» 3/4 cup canned pumpkin

» 3/4 cup pure maple syrup

» 2 Tbsp. melted butter or coconut oil

Visit plymouthmag.com for the full recipe and directions.

Send in the Subs

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the things you are grateful for, but let’s be honest … It’s mostly about the food. However, for someone with food allergies, safely navigating a Thanksgiving dinner could be more stressful than celebratory. If your guest list includes someone with food allergies, here are tips to help you prepare a delicious—and safer—meal that everyone is sure to enjoy. There are eight foods that cause the majority of allergic reactions: eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soybeans, tree nuts and wheat. If your recipes contain any of these items, look for allergy-free substitutions. For example, if you need to use an egg in a recipe, you can use a packaged egg replacer, or mix 1 Tbsp. of ground flax seeds with 3 Tbsp. of water. If dairy is the problem, replace cow’s milk with nondairy milk. Just make sure that the replacement does not also contain an allergen.

Ashley Meyers represents Hy-Vee as a nutrition expert, promoting healthy eating throughout the community. Learn more at hy-vee.com.

The information is not intended as medical advice. Consult a medical professional for individual advice.

Costume Party

Halloween is the perfect time to get creative and have fun with costumes, but it’s also an opportunity to be environmentally conscious. Here are some of my sustainable style tips for a successful ensemble.

Reuse Costumes: Mix and match elements of old costumes and accessories to create something new. Last year’s Zorro whip can be this year’s Lasso of Truth. Restyling a red wig can turn Ariel into Daphne from Scooby Doo

Shop Your Closet: Look for everyday items that can be transformed into a costume. That little black dress can become Breakfast at Tiffany’s. A peasant blouse and leather boots are halfway to a complete pirate look.

Upcycle Clothes: Take old, worn-out clothes and turn them into something new. A few rips and some fake blood can turn a normal shirt into zombie garb.

Costume Swap: Organize a party where everyone brings costumes they no longer want. It’s a fun way to find something new-to-you without buying a thing.

Thrift Shop: Visit your local thrift store (I’m partial to Plymouth’s Turnstyle.) to find unique pieces that can be used for your costume. It’s a treasure hunt that’s good for the planet and your wallet.

Rent Instead of Buy: Consider renting a costume instead of purchasing one. It’s a great way to get a high-quality costume without the commitment.

Plymouth’s Grant Whittaker is a seasoned fashion insider, specializing in style consulting and production. Style more at grantwhittakercreative.com.

READ Books That Go Bump in the Night

This Halloween, ensure your little trick-ortreaters have both their book bags and candy bags brimming with our selection of Halloween-themed books suitable for kids of all ages.

Board Books

• That’s Not My Bat by Fiona Watt

• Peekaboo: Pumpkin by Camilla Reid

• Booook! A Spooky High-Contrast Book by duopress labs

Picture Books

• The Goodnight Train: Halloween by June Sorbel

• Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete by Kimberly and James Dean

• Pop-Up Haunted House by Sam Taplin

Early Reader/Chapter Books

• Crimson Twill: Witch in the Country by Kallie George

• Eerie Elementary #1 The School is Alive! by Jack Chabert

• School of Monsters: Bat Boy Tim Says Boo by Sally Rippin

Middle Grade

• Goosebumps House of Shivers #1: Scariest. Book. Ever. by R.L. Stine

• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

• The October Witches by Jennifer Claessen

Amy Sundet and Katie Timcho are local book reviewers. They can be found @overbookedmoms on Instagram.

Regardless of color, size or shape, Schomburg’s jack-o’-lanterns are nothing but smiles.

PORTRAIT

Pumpkin King

Resident spreads the Halloween spirit, one gourd at a time.

By Daniel Huss

QUINN SCHOMBURG arrived for our interview sporting a sweatshirt decorated with pumpkins. The T-shirt underneath was pumpkin-orange and featured the face of a perfectly carved jack-o’-lantern.

A couple of years ago Schomburg’s girlfriend, who was away from home on a family trip, fretted over missing the opportunity to carve her own pumpkin. Schomburg jumped into action, carving a jack-o’-lantern for her and 100 additional grinning gourds to line the sidewalk of her house.

Schomburg, 25, is nonverbal and utilizes text-to-speech technology, as well as drawings, imagery and photos, to communicate. Evidence of his early infatuation with the orange gourd dates back to 1999 when Schomburg was first photographed with a pumpkin at 10 months old. His interest carried through to his preschool days where he could be found drawing jack-o’-lantern faces on construction paper. Since then, his passion has only continued to grow.

Schomburg believes that all pumpkins are happy—and that all pumpkins strive to become jack-o’-lanterns one day. He helps them reach their full potential.

A Typical Workday

Mark Twain once said if you find a job you enjoy doing, you will never have to work a day in your life. Twain’s message fits Schomburg’s life like a pair of favorite work gloves. He works at Knapton’s Raspberries, Pumpkins & Orchard in Rockford and Pleasant View Gardens, which operates out of the Maple Plain area.

Gabe Knapton, co-owner of Knapton’s, remembers the Schomburg family visiting the farm years ago. “They were regulars,” he says. “Quinn liked pumpkins, among the other things.”

Photos: Carol Schomburg

Quinn Schomburg is right at home in a pumpkin patch.

Quinn Schomburg

Eventually, the visits turned into an opportunity. “We had an agreement,” Knapton says. “We gave Quinn a chunk of land to grow pumpkins, flowers, potatoes and tomatoes. In exchange, he would pull weeds and help with the harvest.”

Knapton guesses Quinn’s garden plot measures 100 feet wide by 200 feet long. “And it keeps getting bigger,” Knapton says.

Today, Schomburg is a Knapton’s employee. He works with raspberries, apples and vegetables in spring and summer and pumpkins in the fall.

Schomburg started working at Pleasant View Gardens when he was a senior in high school. “It’s his fourth year already,” says owner Anita Volkenant. “He started in the greenhouse, and plants, weeds and waters.”

During the fall, Schomburg’s focus is on the Pleasant View pumpkin patch. “We harvest 1,500–2,000 pumpkins and gourds,” Volkenant says.

As a team-building exercise, Volkenant initiated an employee photo contest. Schomburg won his first contest with a photo of orange tulips. He would win another with a photo of a pumpkin. “He almost always wins,” Volkenant says.

Rumor has it Schomburg entered hundreds of images per day. “He is tough to compete against,” Volkenant says.

Schomburg’s images can be found framed on the Pleasant View Garden walls. They can also be purchased as greeting cards. He sells his cards at Pleasant View, the Plymouth Farmers Market, the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and on his own online Etsy shop under the name PumQuinns.

Proceeds, in part, go toward seeds, which makes perfect sense since The Baker Creek Seed Catalog is a Schomburg favorite.

Harvest Time

Fall does not culminate with a pumpkin harvest for Schomburg but rather a jack-o’-lantern carving extravaganza. Schomburg’s favorite design is a smiley face. In truth, it is his only design. His rationale is straightforward: “Pumpkins are happy, and pumpkins make me happy,” he says.

PumQuinns Quinn Schomburg PumQuinns @pumquinns

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Home Sweet Home

Nonprofit offers specialized care for people with disabilities.

By Mollee Francisco

FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T BE IN THEIR OWN HOME , Homeward Bound is the next best thing—high-level specialized care in a home-like setting.

“These are people who were dealt a bad hand,” says Lori Merriam, former director of development for Homeward Bound who retired this past May. “They need help. They need people to love and appreciate them.”

The Plymouth-based nonprofit was founded in 1973 and is licensed to serve children, teens and adults. “We started with 64 kids in New Hope,” Merriam says. “We serve just under

100 now. They all happen to be adults at the moment.”

Homeward Bound operates 22 homes in 10 Twin Cities communities, the majority of which are located in the West Metro. “We operate like a home hospital,” Merriam says. “We’re in neighborhoods like yours and mine.”

And while the houses may blend into their suburban neighborhoods, they are customized for their high-needs occupants. Most recently, Homeward Bound partnered with a Minnetonkabased custom builder, Boyer Building Corporation, to build three homes in

Brooklyn Park. It is the third time the two organizations have teamed up on a project. “They get us,” Merriam says of Boyer. “They understand; they care.”

“We like the partnership,” says Tom Henjum, Boyer president. “We feel good about working with them.”

The new homes are each four-bed facilities and include kitchen and office space for staff. Merriam says each home features wide hallways and extra-large doorways with specialty doors that can easily accommodate the removal of a patient bed. “To be able to wheel a bed out is so much less

One of Homeward Bound’s residences in Brooklyn Park.

disruptive and comfortable for everyone involved,” she says.

In addition to reinforced hallways to protect patients during storms, Homeward Bound homes are zero-entry and can accommodate handicapped vans. “These are the kinds of solutions Boyer offers us,” Merriam says.

“We have the ability to do whatever kind of work they need,” Henjum says.

Homeward Bound and Boyer worked with architect Steve Lanak on the building plans for the homes. “Steve is a wonderful architect who has worked with Homeward Bound for over 30 years,” Merriam says. “He asks the right questions: ‘What would make life easier for patients?’”

The results are both functional and attractive. “Our staff can do a better job in these homes,” Merriam says. “They’re built to our needs, and they’re beautiful.”

“These are places that look like houses, feel like houses,” Henjum says.

For Merriam, being able to offer individuals a home-like environment means a greater sense of dignity. “You would want them to live in a home like ours,” she says.

It also means that individuals can live in a traditional neighborhood. “We get to know our neighbors, and our neighbors get to know us,” Merriam says. “Friendships develop. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Homeward Bound, 12805 Highway 55 Suite 400; 763.746.4821; hbimn.org

Homeward Bound, Inc.

@homewardboundmn

Boyer Building, 3435 County Road 101, Minnetonka; 952.475.2097

Boyer Building Corporation

@boyerbuildingcorporation

Lori Serum and Beth Ulrich

ARTS & CULTURE

Paintbrush Pedagogy

Artist turns her passion for education into her own studio and teaching space.

By Jennifer Pitterle

Photo: Chris Emeott

Ashm Verma

ASHM VERMA has never questioned that art is her calling. “It was always my passion. I started learning art at age 4,” says Verma, who grew up in India and has called Plymouth home for five years, along with her husband and two kids.

Even when she was a pint-sized artist, Verma had a supportive family and the space to develop her talents. “My dad was an artist,” she says. “He used to paint, and he painted when he was a child. I got a lot of skills from him and learned from him.” Her dad also helped her discover that she especially wanted to branch out from traditional paintings.

“He bought me some mediums, and I used them to create some threedimensional sculptures,” Verma says. “Then I wanted to sculpt, more than just two-dimensional paintings. It stimulated more imagination. Threedimensional paintings push the boundaries of conventional art and offer more connectivity.” The figures reaching out from her signature canvases—an elephant in sunlight or the figure of a woman in water—are lively and textural. “I love capturing the sense of movement in 3D space,” she says. She works with everything from Plaster of Paris to clay to oil paints.

Although she never had any formal training, Verma has exhibited and sold her work in galleries and shows in the U.S. and India. Even while she completed multiple degrees in microbiology, she kept making art. During her doctoral work, focused on biotechnology and cancer research, Verma would often encounter kids in the local park on her walks home. She started talking with them about art, and it reminded her how much she loved it.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Achieving the title of Super Lawyer is a mark of excellence, awarded to attorneys who have reached the highest standards in their field and earned the respect of both peers and the public. We’re so proud of Plymouth residents Jessica, Kojo and Cody to have been honored with this distinction.

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AT THE ART-ORIUM

Ashm Verma’s ART-orium studio in Medina offers a variety of art classes for kids, usually on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings. There’s a sculpting camp, textured painting and knife painting classes, one-day workshops, birthday parties and classes for grandparents and parents with their little ones. “I also offer custom, private classes for kids and adults,” Verma says. Interested artists can contact her to talk about what they’re hoping to learn.

A painterly technique adds texture to the peacock feather on the left. In the painting on the right, the woman’s skirt is sculpted, adding an additional dimension to an otherwise two-dimensional painting.

Soon, Verma found that what she really craved was sharing the artmaking experience with others. “I dropped everything in 2009 and started teaching art,” Verma says. “I wanted to enhance the inner talents and hidden creativity of each child.” She now teaches art classes full time in her Medina studio, ART-orium, mostly to kids, although she also offers some parent-child and adult-only classes. Her philosophy puts each student’s creativity at the fore. “I want kids to imagine on their own and just use the skills and techniques I’m teaching as tools,” she says.

Verma offers classes on fundamentals like sketching and sculpting, as well as seasonal, project-oriented classes. She’s developed her own stepwise curriculum, so returning students can progress as they learn new techniques.

Her own daughters, ages 13 and 10, love art, too, and often attend their mom’s classes. “I love teaching, especially smaller kids,” Verma says. “They feel so proud when they create something on their own.”

ART-orium, 825 Meander Court, Medina; 763.607.7480

Ashm- ART orium @ashmverma_art

Sue Gartner

WHITE GLOVE SERVICE

There’s more that goes into a turnkey experience than meets the eye.

Written by Madeline Kopiecki

The high point of most HGTV home shows is in the last few minutes. The mess and stress of remodeling is resolved, the music swells and the homeowners are welcomed back to a new, sparkling space that turns their design dreams into reality.

“I tell clients, ‘Delivery day from Crown is the only day that is anything like HGTV,’” says Brandi Hagen, owner and principal designer of Plymouth’s Eminent Interior Design. “Delivery day is super important to us, and that’s what Crown does. They make delivery day happen.”

Crown Warehouse and Delivery Service, Inc. is the 48,000-square-foot warehouse off Berkshire Lane in Plymouth that receives and delivers furniture for hundreds of interior designers across Minnesota and beyond.

“It is a specialty that, unless you’re in the industry, you maybe didn’t know existed,” Hagen says. “But a good receiving warehouse, a white glove receiving warehouse for an interior design firm, is mandatory.”

Photo: Chris Emeott

Crown has been operating out of Plymouth for the past 20 years, with current owner Sue Gartner taking over in 2020. “I, myself, am an interior designer,” Gartner says. She speculates that her background has made her more relatable to the hundreds of designers who use the space and services.

“On delivery day for an interior designer, I can relate to them,” Gartner says. “Delivery day is a scary process. It’s like, ‘... Is everything going to fit? Is it going to work out? Is it going to look good? Is it going to be okay?’ And so I think they understand that I know what they’re going through.”

But delivery day is just the culmination of Crown services. “We receive

furniture in every day,” Gartner says. “And then we open it, inspect it, tag it and receive it into our warehousing program. Then we store it until the home is ready for it. Sometimes things come in at all different times, so a project could take up to a year—even longer—for everything to arrive.”

These behind-the-scenes services keep design projects running smoothly. Besides avoiding a chaotic, piecemeal approach for large projects, the team at Crown also intercepts any imperfections at the jump. Hagen estimates that someone from her team is at the Crown warehouse every couple of weeks inspecting a new arrival. If it’s not up to snuff, “We can either

send it back to the manufacturer, or Sue can help us with who’s going to repair it to make it look great before the client sees it,” Hagen says.

When it’s time for the big day, Crown loads its deliveries into a truck and alerts the design team that it’s on the way. “Every day, we’re pulling product that’s going to be going out on a truck the next day,” Gartner says. “We deliver all over Minnesota and [to] outlying areas.”

Hagen says that sometimes, if it’s a smaller delivery, she’ll send a sketch of where it goes. “I trust the Crown guys to go into the home and to do it,” she says.

But, when the project requires additional attention, Hagen says the Eminent team also goes out to meet the

Photos: Drew Gray Photography

A single room design can incorporate numerous vendors from all over the world. For this recent living room and kitchen project by Eminent Interior Design, everything from the curtains and lamps to the sofa and coffee table are new.

“Part of being a warehouse is you have to be very organized, very lean, just make it super easy for all the employees to know the process.” Sue Gartner, owner of Crown Warehouse and Delivery Service, Inc.

delivery crew. “It’s the best part of my job, and it’s also the most nervewracking, right?” Hagen says, echoing Gartner’s sentiment. “The clients have been waiting for the furniture and waiting. You just want it to look exactly like they thought it was going to look.”

Every install is as specific and unique as every client—and every designer, for that matter. “We have all different kinds of designers,” Gartner says. “Sometimes people get stuff in and they want to just onesie-twosie it over to their client. Others want to wait until everything comes in and have the big moment.”

When the stars align, Crown delivers an as-seen-on-TV moment for Eminent and other designers. “We try to make sure [the homeowners] aren’t home. We send them out for dinner,” Hagen says. Is Hagen on site for the initial client reaction? “It really depends on the client. Sometimes, I love being there and walking through with them, so they can see it all,” she says. “Sometimes, I just set it all up and walk out. They should see it for themselves. They don’t need me standing there watching them.”

Either way, Hagen finds delivery day rewarding. “I mean, that doesn’t always happen, right? There’s many projects where I deliver one thing at a time [because] the homeowner needs it or wants it or it’s late,” she says. But the grand reveal appeals just as much to this designer as it does to the HGTV audience. “I’m not interested in selling a client one piece of furniture,” Hagen says. “I’m interested in designing their room, and Crown helps us do that. I don’t know how to do it without them.”

Crown Warehouse and Delivery Service, Inc., 1000 Berkshire Lane N. Suite 8–11B; crownwds.com

Crown Warehouse & Delivery Service, Inc.

@crown_warehouse_and_delivery

Eminent Interior Design, 11140 Hwy 55 Suite C; eminentinteriordesign.com

Eminent Interior Design

@eminentinteriordesign

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DANCER’S DEBUT

Twelve years of training culminates in a solo concert.

Written by Madeline Kopiecki

Photos by Chris Emeott

On June 29, 2024, Wayzata High School graduate Mahati Rayadurgam entered into a lineage of artistic practice that traces its roots back nearly 3,000 years. Her arangetram—a solo dance performance, spanning two-anda-half-hours—is a graduation in its own right, marking her debut as a qualified bharatanatyam artist.

Bharatanatyam is one of the most widely practiced styles of classical dance in India. “I think that the best way to describe it is that it’s a dance vocabulary and style that encompasses both a very emotive, personal storytelling as well as abstract movement to complex rhythms,” says Suchi Sairam, founder of Kala Vandanam Dance Company in St. Paul.

Sairam has been Rayadurgam’s dance teacher for the past 12 years and has been working closely with the 18-year-old over the course of a year to prepare her for this performance. “In this debut concert, the dancer must be able to perform all of the fundamental aspects of the [bharatanatyam] repertoire in a suite of eight to 10 dances,

based on their years of training,” Sairam says. “This debut is a major milestone for a dancer, to publicly demonstrate their high level of competence in the art form. It is also considered to be a launching point as an artist.”

Sairam says that, as the teacher, she makes the judgment call if she thinks a student is ready for the immense undertaking of the arangetram. “It’s not solely about dancing,” she says. “It is about your mental toughness. It’s about fitness. It is about resilience. It is about your desire and passion because none of this should be forced. It’s a beautiful experience. You learn and grow so much, but also it requires such an immense commitment from that student [and] from their family.”

Once a student is ready to commit themselves to arangetram, Sairam sets to work choreographing a performance specific to the student. She explains that there is a set framework for arangetram performances. “Then within those [categories], you have hundreds, maybe thousands of compositions that you can choose from,” she says.

“We had a conversation beforehand about what type of dances I wanted

Photo: Kala Vandanam Dance Company

Plymouth resident and dancer Mahati Rayadurgam.

Suchi Sairam and Mahati Rayadurgam at Rayadurgam’s arangetram, which was held at Wayzata Central Middle School.

“Dance went from being a hobby for me to just being a passion … something that’s so integral in my life that it guides me through all aspects of my life. I’ve learned so many skills— commitment, dedication, how to grow myself within the art—which I carry through for all my other hobbies and passions.”

Mahati Rayadurgam, dancer

“You automatically see a beautiful sincerity in [Mahati’s] dancing as soon as you see her. It’s very, very sincere, very authentic, and you can automatically see that she loves doing what she’s doing.”

Suchi Sairam, founder of Kala Vandanam Dance Company

Mahati Rayadurgam performed to an audience of family and close friends, accompanied by five live musicians.

to do, what type of dances my parents wanted to see, what was important to us in our family history,” Rayadurgam says. “[Suchi] does a very, very good job of including all those things and also knowing where to challenge me and what pieces play to my strengths and can help me improve my weaknesses.”

Sairam makes a point to include pieces from her teachers and her teachers’ teachers. “Some of these pieces were choreographed in the 1930s and ’40s,” she says. “Some of the compositions go back several hundred years or even a thousand years. Some of the poetry goes back to the fourth century.” She also choreographs at least one new piece for each student. “It’s a way to carry on tradition but also a way to create new and keep it as a living art form,” she says.

With compositions spanning different centuries and languages, Rayadurgam says one of the things she’s been working on during her study is, “learning to really understand and develop the stories that I’m telling through my dancing, both personally and the way that reflects the intentions of the poet or composer who wrote it. Those are conversations that we have a lot in the studio. I have to understand both what I’m trying to convey and how to personalize that to me as a dancer.”

There is, of course, the physical

demands of a two-and-a-half-hour performance, but dancers also require mental stamina and resilience for their arangetram. “I think a lot of it is being in the moment when I dance, being concentrated on the one thing that I’m doing and then developing the muscle memory to go along with that,” Rayadurgam says. “Then there’s also the other part of it; if I do make a mistake, if I do forget what I’m doing, being confident in my skills to be able to adapt in the moment.”

Four weeks out from her arangetram performance, Rayadurgam says, “I think I’m most looking forward to the contrast in the pieces, different emotions that I will be portraying to my audience that day and showcasing the breadth of all of my skills that I’ve developed in dance for 12 years.”

Although the performance marks a culmination of Rayadurgam’s skills up to that point in time, she says her arangetram will mark the beginning of a new chapter, not the end. “I will be dancing for as long as I can,” she says.

Kala Vandanam Dance Company; kalavandanam.com

Kala Vandanam - St. Paul @kalavandanam Kala Vandanam

TASTEMAKERS

Skol for Spice

One local man launches a line of tailgate-inspired seasoning blends to enhance any pregame party.

Written by Jennifer Pitterle — Photos by Chris Emeott

BEN THEIS describes himself as a diehard Minnesota Vikings fan—and that includes every element of Game Day, from watching the action at U.S. Bank Stadium to enjoying the tailgating festivities with his family and friends. Theis, who lives in Plymouth, says, “The reason I love football so much is because of my dad. Going tailgating with him and having those traditions—celebrating the wins and processing the losses— we’re still able to have that together today.”

Those “game before the game” memories of gathering around a grill or a minivan tailgate are at the heart of football season for many Americans. “It’s a great time to come together and share food, share drinks and share the optimism we have for the game,” Theis says.

After many years spent perfecting their own tailgating activities and recipes, Theis and a few friends brainstormed something new: Could there be a market for spice blends designed for tailgate food? The answer was yes. Theis and two business partners launched Tailgate Spices almost four years ago in Plymouth, focusing on a core group of gourmet cooking blends they developed in their home kitchens. The blends complement classic tailgate dishes

like chicken wings, steaks and burgers and are mixed and bottled by a local copacker, Theis says.

The punny spice blend names—like Intentional Grounded Beef and Kale Mary— were originally inspired by a tailgate fumble. “One of my friends tossed someone else a chicken wing, and he dropped it,” Theis says with a laugh. “Someone else joked that it was a ‘personal fowl.’”

Theis and his partners wanted to create spices that were not only flavorful but that had recognizable ingredients. “A lot of spices have fillers in them and extra glucose,” Theis says. “All of our formulas are gluten-free and with no MSG. Most of our flavors also have no sugar.” The spices have launched successfully into the foodie scene—and they’re available online and at more than 60 retail stores locally.

Tailgate Spices arrived on the scene at the same time as a cultural high point for tailgating, when technology and inspiration from social media are making pregame gatherings bigger and bolder. Gone are the days of cans of beer and a few hot dogs on a portable grill; 21st-century tailgaters bring elaborate setups to their parking lots of choice, hauling expensive smokers, from-scratch Bloody

Tailgate Spices seasoning blends pay homage to their tailgating roots with double entendre names like Red Zone, Personal Fowl, Intentional Grounded, Get Blitzed and Pigskin.

Mary ingredients and even hookups for big-screen TVs.

“Tailgating is much more extravagant than it used to be,” Theis says. “My friends and I will even create themes for our menus based on who the Vikings are playing. If it’s a ‘bird’ team, we’re having chicken wings. If we’re facing the [Chicago] Bears, we’ll sometimes actually bring in bear meat. If we play Philly, we’re having Philly cheesesteaks.”

Theis notes that, for some fans, the tailgate is even more fun (and often more affordable) than the game itself. “It really enhances the experience for some people,” he says. “It’s morphed into its own thing.”

For a stellar tailgate, Theis recommends having enough of the essentials: drinks, food and games. In Minneapolis, he and his crew tailgate near U.S. Bank Stadium, but he says nearby venues like The Corner Bar and Crooked Pint Ale House offer great Game Day experiences, too.

Bloody Mary Salsa

Game Day Spread

Tailgate Spices founder Ben Theis shares some of his favorite game day recipes to make with the popular spice blends that are a parking-lot success story. Visit plymouthmag.com for Theis’ recipes for Buttery Pulled Chicken and Shaved Steak French Dips.

Bloody Mary Salsa

4–5 ripe tomatoes

2 stalks of celery cup onion, sliced

2 jalapeño peppers

cup Spanish pimento olives juice of 2 lemons

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. Get Blitzed Bloody Mary seasoning

Dice vegetables or blend in a food processor to desired chunkiness. Add lemon juice, zest, Worcestershire sauce, Get Blitzed seasoning and vodka. Mix well. Serve as a dip or as a topping for tacos or sandwiches.

Tailgate Spices; tailgatespices.com Tailgate Spices @tailgatespices

Get a head start on holiday shopping.

THE ARTISAN MARKET is returning for its second year to the Plymouth Community Center on November 23. Local makers will be selling a variety of giftable goodies that showcase their creativity and craftsmanship. “It’s a great way to shop local during the holidays,” says Plymouth recreation supervisor Alyssa Fram.

It’s estimated that 50 vendors will sell handmade items, including baskets, fiber art, fine art, jewelry, pottery, photography prints, soaps and more. —Findlay Drabant All ages. Free. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. November 23. Plymouth Community Center, 14800 34th Ave. N.; 763.509.5280; plymouthmn.gov

Shawn Sailer D.C., Caroline Brost-Sailer D.C., Ryan Elton D.C., Barbro Brost D.C., Tyler Knutson D.C., Aarti Goyal D.C.

Compiled by Tia Benson and Findlay Drabant

LOCAL EVENTS

Farmers Market 10/02

Sink your teeth into farm-fresh produce harvested locally. All ages. Free. 2:30–6:30p.m. Parkers Lake Playfield, 15500 County Road 6; 763.509.5000; plymouthmn.gov

Music in Plymouth Wine Tasting 10/10

Sip on wine, beer and spirits while enjoying live music at the Plymouth Community Center. Ages 21 and older. $40–$45. 6–8 p.m. Plymouth Community Center 14800 34th Ave N.; musicinplymouth.org

Halloween at the Lake 10/25

Celebrate spooky season at Parker’s Lake Playfield, where you can expect food trucks, pumpkin bowling, pumpkin golf, an apple launcher and lots of treats. All ages. Free. 5–8 p.m. Parkers Lake Playfield, 15500 County Road 6; 763.509.5000; plymouthmn.gov

Veterans Drive-Thru Breakfast 11/07

Veterans will receive a drive-thru breakfast, letters of appreciation and a small gift at this free event. All ages. Free. 9:30–11 a.m. Veterans Memorial, 3400 Plymouth Blvd.; 763.509.5000; plymouthmn.gov

Caregiver Support Group 11/20

Senior Community Services offers this support group for caregivers to share,

listen and connect with one another. All ages. Free. 10–11:30 a.m. Plymouth Community Center, 14800 34th Ave. N.; 952.767.7899; trellisconnects.org

Parents Night Out 11/30

Parents, enjoy a well-deserved night off while your kids have a fun-filled evening at the Opus Music Academy. They’ll be entertained with games, music and more for three hours. All ages. $15–$25. 4:30–7:30 p.m. Opus Music Academy, 12800 Industrial Park Blvd.; 612.217.0415; opusmusicacademy.com

AREA EVENTS

Guided tour of Cedar Lake 10/02, 10/04, 10/09, 10/11, 10/16

Guided tour of Cedar Lake

Explore the most hidden of the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes with this guided tour through trails and secret pathways. Ages 13 and older. $65. 8 a.m. Cedar Lake South Beach, 3500 Cedar Lake Parkway, Mpls.; 612.440.8303; hiddencedar.com

BT5K Run and Walk 10/05

Run or walk a 5K through Como Park to help raise funding for brain tumor research. All ages. $15–$45. 8 a.m. Como Regional Park, 1199 Midway Parkway, St. Paul; 773.577.8750; give.abta.org

Music in the Chapel 10/06

Enjoy the musical stylings of singer song-writer Amanda Grace in the gorgeous Lakewood Memorial Chapel. All ages. $20 advance, $30 at the door. 3–4 p.m. Lakewood Cemetery, 3600 Hennepin Ave., Mpls.; 612.822.2171; lakewoodcemetary.org

Twin Cities Film Fest 10/17–10/26

Witness magic on the silver screen at the 11th annual Twin Cities Film Festival. All ages. Prices vary. Times vary. Marcus West End Cinema, 1625 West End Blvd., St. Louis Park; 612.615.8233; twincitiesfilmfest.org

Star Party 10/25

Enjoy an evening of wonder at the Bell Museum. Look at the evening sky through high-powered telescopes and attend free

planetarium shows on a first-come-firstserved basis. All ages. Free. 7:30–9 p.m. Bell Museum, 2088 Larpenteur Ave. W., St. Paul; 612.626.9660; bellmuseum.umn.edu

Halloween Spooktacular 5K 10/26

Nine Mile Brewing hosts a Halloween weekend run—for beer. Those who are ages 21 and older will receive a finish line craft brew, a collector’s pint glass or swag item from the Brewery Running Series, a chance to win prizes and more. All ages. $35–$50. 11 a.m. Nine Mile Brewing, 9555 James Ave. S., Bloomington; 952.681.7493; breweryrunningseries.com

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To have your event considered: email plymouthmag@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.

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Farmers Market

Picture Plymouth

An autumn sunset brings Plymouth’s labyrinth to life.

“Labyrinths have been around for millennia and can still be found in modern-day cities,” Larry Paulson says. “They are symbolic of a meditative journey or pilgrimage toward enlightenment. Plymouth has its own labyrinth at the Millenium Garden. I like the geometric spiral patterns and how they are reminders of the distant past. I made many visits (my own pilgrimage) to this labyrinth to capture it with just the right light.” —Madeline Kopiecki

To view other Picture Plymouth photo contest winners, visit plymouthmag.com.

Photographer: Larry Paulson

Title: The Labyrinth in the Plymouth Millenium Garden

Equipment: Nikon Z6ii with a wide-angle lens

Location: Millennium Garden

Category: Places Award: First Place and Best in Show

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