AT HOME WITH THE KOWALSKIS
Leona Rose Interiors curates a distinctive holiday tablescape that embraces family and tradition
Conveniently Delicious, page 22
by: Chris Emeott
from the EDITOR
As time passes, it’s beautiful to recognize the moments that become memories. I think it’s one of the most brilliant parts of aging, collecting core memories and recalling them with friends and loved ones. As we put together this issue—in which music is very much a key theme—my memories returned to a special day of fifth-grade choir. While our class was singing Bill Withers’ Lean on Me, we put our arms over each other’s shoulders and began to sway. Smiling, our voices rose to a shout as the song reached the bridge, “We all need somebody to lean on.” We ended the song in a fit of laughter (and maybe a few misty eyes).
Our community is tied together by these small moments and shared memories, and it’s a wonderful feeling to be a part of sharing some of these stories. Don’t miss our update on the McNeely Music Center’s opening—I’m sure that it will be a place where many musical memories are made in the years to come (page 10). I’ve always enjoyed sharing book recommendations with the people in my life—and what could be better than gifting these tomes? On page 12, Renée Stewart-Hester shares a curated selection of book recommendations, which are ideal for gifting this holiday season.
I’m sure many of us in this community have memories of visiting Kowalski’s Markets through the years! For the business’s 40th year in White Bear Lake, we connected with co-founder Mary Anne Kowalski and her daughter, Kowalski’s Markets CEO Kris Kowalski Christiansen, both North Oaks residents. The family opens their home and hearts to us in this issue, sharing insights into the opening of the White Bear Lake location of their specialty grocery business and recipes from their holiday table (page 14).
I encourage you to take a mental snapshot of moments you love this holiday season. Sometimes, it’s as easy for me as saying, “I want to remember this moment.” Still, being present and living in each moment fully is more than enough.
Zoe Yates zoe@localmedia.co
Photo: Chris Emeott
Photo
VOL. 13 NO. 2 November 2025
PUBLISHER
Susan Isay
EDITOR Zoe Yates
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, Jennifer Pitterle and Paige Udermann
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Cynthia Maya, Rachael Perron, Amelia Reigstad, Katie Tomsche and Kia White
DIGITAL INTERN
Claire Krieger
EDITORIAL INTERNS
Diane Meyer and Avery Vrieze
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Kevin P. Donovan, White Bear Rotary ; Kelly Neeb, community volunteer ; Lexi Munson, White Bear Center for the Arts ; and Russ Reetz, White Bear Lake Area High School
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 and Sara Johnson
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Rochita Chatterjee and Gina Neumann
PRESIDENT Pete Burgeson
To subscribe to White Bear Lake Magazine , please visit localmedia.co. For customer service inquiries, please contact hello@localmedia.co, or call 612.208.6248. ©Local LLC 2025. All rights reserved.
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• Student-centered instruction. We believe all students grow and learn in different ways and at different rates — that all can achieve.
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• Inspiring, nurturing educators. Our educators facilitate learning and challenge students — fostering curiosity and confidence.
• Transformative learning. Our flexible learning spaces and learning studios ignite opportunities for communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.
ENDURING HOSTESS GIFTS
A great hostess gift doesn’t just say “thank you”—it paints a portrait of thoughtfulness and, more often than not, a bit of the giver’s personality. The next time you’re looking for the perfect hostess gift, consider supporting artists in your community while giving something beautiful and enduring.
Just because it’s art doesn’t mean it has to be intimidating. Start by considering the host’s personality. For someone who prefers a little vibrancy, a bright ceramic oil dispenser adds a bit of color
to a party. For those who prefer a more neutral or minimal vibe, a handwoven towel or fused glass coasters might be the perfect fit.
One of the most memorable gifts I have received is a tea set, consisting of an artist-made mug, a tea strainer, three locally harvested and hand-crafted tea blends complete with a hand-stamped card. Not only does it fit perfectly in my routine—I love my morning tea—but it adds a bit of artistry, and I appreciate enjoying tea in my metallic-glazed mug
even more. And I think of the person who gave it to me with every sip.
Gifts like these support artists, reduce waste and add a little art to everyday life. After all, the best gifts are those that tell a story—or maybe paint a picture.
Cynthia Maya is the marketing associate at White Bear Center for the Arts (WBCA). Shop holiday gifts at WBCA’s Ann Tousley Luther Art Shop, and learn more at whitebeararts.org.
Photo: White Bear Center
A Book for Foodies
While you may know Stanley Tucci from his work on screen, he is just as passionate about food as he is acting. His 2024 memoir, What I Ate in One Year: (And Related Thoughts), is exactly what I want to see from someone who spends a lot of their time thinking about good food. What fun to get a snapshot of Tucci’s daily life and food choices with a few recipes tossed in here and there! He seems to embrace any culinary experience that comes his way, giving equal consideration to tater tots as to Leek Puff Pastry Tarts. Tucci’s book is a great holiday gift for the foodie in your life, and reading it will definitely make you hungry.
Kia White is part of the team at Lake Country Booksellers. For more recommendations, visit whitebearlakemag.com or call the shop at 651.426.0918.
When you trust Bonfe with your furnace or boiler installation, you’re not just getting a heating system. You’re getting a promise: that we’ll stand by our work with a Lifetime Warranty on all recommended repairs and replacements.
That means we’ve got you covered for as long as you live in your home and maintain your equipment.
The Bread Church
At White Bear Lake United Methodist Church, a community bread oven is a cornerstone of a mission to care. The traditional brick oven was built by members of the church in 2010 after former pastor Bryce Johnson attended a bread school during a sabbatical in Tuscany. In the 15 years since, Baking with a Purpose has produced more than 10,000 loaves of bread and raised an estimated $75,000 in donations.
Baking with a Purpose holds monthly bakes about seven months each year, with volunteers spending a Saturday preparing sourdough loaves in a traditional method. On designated Sundays, more than 100 fresh loaves are sold in the Fellowship Hall in exchange for donations. “When people try it, they say it’s the best sourdough they’ve ever had,” says lead baker John Schmidt.
The initiative has brought new people into the church and even connected White Bear Lake United Methodist Church to other congregations looking to build a similar program. Past proceeds have supported causes like Bridging, Century College scholarships, White Bear Center for the Arts, White Bear Area Food Shelf and the Willow Lane Elementary Book Fair. —Zoe Yates
To learn more, visit wblumc.org.
Photos: White Bear Lake United Methodist Church
Holiday Family Dynamics 101
The holidays are a time for togetherness, giving back and enjoying family time, but sometimes drama and miscommunication can arise. Navigating family dynamics and ensuring effective communication is key to a fun-filled (and hopefully stress-free) holiday season. Here are my top tips for effective holiday communication:
Setting expectations helps to ensure everyone is on the same page and sanity is maintained. Make lists, check them twice and delegate tasks so everyone has a part in family festivities.
The holiday season can be dif ficult for some. Having empathy and understanding, without pass ing judgment, is important. Grant space, and offer grace to those who may need it.
We can easily become over whelmed with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, so staying present (even when we are with challeng ing family members) can help us enjoy every holiday moment.
Amelia Reigstad, Ph.D., is a com munication consultant, best-selling author and founder of The Women Collective, a curated retail experience in White Bear Lake. Learn more at thewomencollective.com.
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Elevating the Arts
At McNeely Music Center, Manitou Fund creates a futureforward teaching space to connect the East Metro.
By Zoe Yates
White Bear Lake’s flourishing arts district has a new addition. Three years after breaking ground, the McNeely Music Center opened its doors for music lessons and programming this autumn.
A project of the Manitou Fund, a White Bear Lake-based charitable foundation, McNeely Music Center will bring opportunity to musicians of all ages in a future-forward environment. Music educators and recording engineers on staff will provide private and group lessons and master classes, and the center hopes to host schools and community groups for experiences, performances and workshops. “Music can be transformative and change people’s lives, and that’s what we’re trying to create in this space,” says Oliver Din,
president and CEO of the Manitou Fund.
The center features state-of-the-art design, acoustics and equipment. Every room in the building is interconnected, allowing musicians to listen, learn and create collaboratively in various spaces in the building. “The whole building is like a giant recording studio,” Din says. “It was well thought out in terms of flexibility and use, and being future proof.”
Architecture and interior design firm MSR Design and Chicago-based Threshold Acoustics employed a technique of structural decoupling when creating the lower-level recording studio. Because the inner rooms are not connected to the outer rooms, external sound and vibration from the nearby highway are mitigated. Absorption
panels throughout the building showcase enhanced design and efficiency. From the exterior, large glass windows reveal the high-ceilinged lobby and performance space.
“The intent is to light a spark in the community,” Din says. “We have so many talented and driven people … here who may never get this opportunity [otherwise].”
McNeely Music Center is part of a broader play by the Manitou Fund to elevate arts in the region through action. The building works in tandem with the Manitou Fund Education + Arts Center in Stillwater, and people can record, listen and observe in both spaces simultaneously.
The Manitou Fund was created by
McNeely Music Center has music educators and recording specialists on staff to provide a variety of lessons, experiences and workshops in the community.
Minnesota businessman and active civic leader Donald McNeely and his wife, Marjorie, in the 1960s to support humanity and the arts. When its endowment rose nearly $1 billion in 2019, the Manitou Fund became one of the largest charitable foundations in the state. It has put those resources to action. With McNeely Music Center, the Manitou Fund Education + Arts Center and the Wilder Forest property in May Township, the fund now has more than 55,000 square feet of charitable-use indoor spaces and 1,440 acres dedicated to nurturing the arts and environment.
“I am particularly interested in the younger demographic of musicians. Hopefully, the center will help motivate young people to pursue careers in music and music production,” says Greg McNeely, Manitou Fund board chair. “The center is open for all.”
Din is enthusiastic about seeing these spaces meet their full potential and is looking ahead to even bigger projects to come in the East Metro. “I’m a firm believer that we’ve got to take some risks here, and we really have to push the envelope,” Din says. “If we want to create a level of change and connection … It’s about providing not just the space but the vision and the opportunity to create projects, create experiences that hopefully create a level of community inspiration.”
McNeely Music Center mmcwbl.org
Books and Bows
Open up a world of experiential gifting, learning and living.
By Renée Stewart-Hester
With experiential gifting maintaining its holiday footing and the inclination to eliminate clutter remaining strong, the gift of books, which can be shared with others to enjoy or repurposed into topshelf décor (Think: “bookshelf wealth” and coffee and end table styling), can easily wrap up your holiday shopping endeavors.
To provide a starting point for your book selections, we’ve included titles that have received appreciative nods in our Noteworthy section in White Bear Lake Magazine and a few of our sister publications across the Metro.
Children’s
Sarah Nelson’s Firefly Galaxy, illustrated by Estrellita Caracol, celebrates the magic of fireflies on a summer night. Many of Nelson’s heartfelt books center on nature themes and are a pleasure to read for both children and adults.
Known for his whimsical stories, David LaRochelle’s book, Go and Get with Rex, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, follows Jack, Jill and Rex as they play a game with some very silly outcomes.
Plant a Pocket of Prairie by Minnesota author Phyllis Root and illustrated by Betsy Bowen highlights how native prairie
plants help recreate food and habitat for birds, butterflies and other animals.
Fiction
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Daisy Jones & The Six) follows Joan Goodwin, a physics and astronomy professor. When a position opens to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program, Goodwin applies and is selected.
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston features Evie, a swindler deep in the depths of the perfect con, but she begins to suspect that she might be the one being deceived.
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte
Photo: Chris Emeott
McConaghy features Inti Flynn, part of a team of biologists who come to Scotland to reintroduce wolves to the landscape. This novel has conflict, mystery and romance and an intriguing cast of characters to keep readers hooked from beginning to end.
The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski includes a hotshot chef who arrives in a small town and a group of Wisconsin church ladies, coming together to create a cookbook.
Nonfiction
Birding to Change the World by Trish O’Kane is a heartfelt memoir of an “accidental ornithologist.” O’Kane artfully weaves personal stories with scientific knowledge and social justice commentary to chronicle the powerful connections that can be forged from a shared love of birds.
Bite by Bite by Aimee Nezhukumatathil explores the way food and drink evoke our associations and remembrances. It is a lyrical book of short essays about food, offering a banquet of tastes, smells, memories, associations and marvelous curiosities from nature.
Houses That Can Save the World by Courtenay Smith and Sean Topham shows how creative thinkers are embracing new challenges in building and design, and readers take a tour of ingenious homes. Along with practical ideas, the dreamy, gorgeous visuals are ideal to serve as a coffee table book.
In her newest memoir, Where Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother’s Life, Hmong-American author Kao Kalia Yang continues her family’s powerful story from a refugee camp in Thailand to life in America. This is a retelling of her mother’s life—a beautiful and haunting story of the human spirit and extraordinary love.
Visit whitebearlakemag.com for more book recommendations to inspire your holiday gifting.
Written by Jennifer Pitterle
A Taste for Good
The Kowalski family celebrates 40 years of their White Bear Lake store.
If you ask any Twin Citian to free-associate with the words “grocery store” or “supermarket,” there are likely just a few names that come up—and perhaps only one that truly captures the essence of the small, neighborhood grocer in a world where that paradigm is quickly disappearing.
The Kowalski family has operated grocery stores in the Metro since 1983, when founders Jim and Mary Anne Kowalski purchased their first Red Owl franchise on St. Paul’s Grand Avenue. Jim, who passed away in 2013, had worked for Red Owl corporate since 1978. “We decided to do this together,” Mary Anne says. “I quit my counseling job, we got a loan from a friend, and we used all of our savings and bought the store.” The couple had both grown up in St. Paul, so opening a market on Grand was
“like coming home,” Mary Anne says. “We knew we were going to be a small, neighborhood-oriented grocer. That meant we needed to figure out what the neighborhood wanted.” They held their inaugural consumer group meeting—something they still do today—on their front porch in St. Paul and asked the neighbors what they’d like to see in the market. “They suggested taking the candy out of one of the checkout lanes so the kids wouldn’t start grabbing it,” Mary Anne remembers. “So we did those things—those small details.”
The couple purchased their second store—a Red Owl franchise in White Bear Lake—in 1985. Over the next year or so, they remodeled it, turning it into a prototype for what Kowalski’s Markets would be and adding the Kowalski name. “We knew we couldn’t compete with the big-box stores, so we needed to be something different,”
Mary Anne says. “It really became a specialty market.”
The Kowalskis’ daughter, Kris Kowalski Christiansen, who’s now the company’s CEO, explains the “Kowalski makeover.” “We aesthetically changed the grocery shopping experience, so it was focused on comfort and beauty,” Christiansen says. “We took out the fluorescent lighting. We added the stone arches. We wanted people to be excited to grocery shop.”
They hired directors for all of the departments, folks who knew their stuff about cheese, meat, veggies and more, making Kowalski’s Markets a place where neighbors could go when they needed highquality produce or guidance on choosing steaks for a cookout.
The White Bear Lake market, still in its original location on Lake Avenue, has become a cornerstone of the neighborhood. “We actually moved to White
Bottom: Jim, Kris and Mary Anne in 1995, shortly after Kris
Bear shortly after we opened the store, because we loved it out here,” Mary Anne says. She and Jim spent many happy years in White Bear Lake, and now she lives nearby in North Oaks, where she’s just a few minutes from Christiansen and her kids—a grandmother’s dream.
Christiansen officially joined the family business in 1990 after she’d already started her career in a different field.
“I loved my parents so much, and I respected them,” she says. “They took me out to lunch while I was still at my other job and asked if I would give them three years to learn the business.” The rest is history. Christiansen worked her way through all aspects of the company.
“I worked in the accounting department, in HR. I have experience in store management. I’ve done customer service and worked in the deli,” she says. “I’ve had my feet in all the areas.”
She remembers her initial nerves about taking on a bigger role in the company.
“Growing up, I’d gone to meetings with my parents, and I was completely intimidated,” Christiansen says. “I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do that, but now I’m CEO, and, of course, I have a lot of meetings. I love them, and they’re fun!”
For the past 12 years, Christiansen and her mom have made a dynamic duo. “It’s been a journey and a pleasure to run alongside my parents and keep the company moving and growing,” Christiansen says. “After my dad passed away, my mom and I just locked arms and continued everything we knew how to do.”
In particular, they wanted to carry forward Kowalski’s Markets’ focus on community and giving back. “We’re what we call a ‘civic business,’” Christiansen says. “It’s about democracy and showing people they have power and to help them learn to use that power for the common good.” Their employees—whom they refer to as
Top right and left: Jim and Mary Anne Kowalski at their Red Owl store on St. Paul’s Grand Avenue in 1983
joined the family business.
stakeholders—learn even in entry-level training that they can share their ideas for improvements and be a force for positivity in the workplace. The company also gives generously to many nonprofits; each store focuses on local causes in its respective neighborhood.
“Employees are encouraged to help set policies that are good for the whole,” Tim Fortier, a longtime employee, says. “What sets us apart in the industry … is how Kowalski’s is operated.”
Fortier is a Kowalski’s success story. He started bagging groceries at the White Bear Lake store in 1988 when he was just 16. “After a few months of employment, I was given the opportunity to work in the produce department,” Fortier says. “This was a good fit for me, and I spent the next 37 years [there], going from a part-time,
high school job to the one I would raise my family with.” More recently, Fortier shifted gears to a less physically demanding position—he’s now the White Bear Lake store manager.
“Our employee base is our golden ticket,” Mary Anne says. “They’re amazing people. Our training includes a leadership program that teaches people how to lead, no matter where they are or what they’re doing in the world.”
In tandem with exceptional employees, the quality of Kowalski’s Markets products sets them apart. In the early years, when Jim and Mary Anne knew they didn’t want to compete with bigbox stores, they went all-in on specialty products. “We opened our own bakery. We opened our own production kitchen where we make all of our salads. We have
a smokehouse where we make all of our value-added meats,” Mary Anne says. A team from Kowalski’s Markets visits every production facility with which they partner, from cattle ranches in the West to fisheries in Alaska. They also carry products from many small-scale, local producers, like baked goods, cured meats and preserves.
“We’ve never strayed from what our brand is,” Christiansen says. “Sometimes, that’s a little uncomfortable because we’re a higher-end and higher-priced store, but that’s who we are. That’s what we’re committed to. And I think our customers appreciate that—they trust us.”
Kowalski’s Markets kowalskis.com
Kowalski’s White Bear Lake
Since the beginning, Kowalski’s Markets has focused on bringing comfort and beauty to the shopping experience. Starting with the White Bear Lake location, the Kowalskis added stone arches and removed flourescent lighting—all while prioritizing high-quality, specialty products.
Leona Rose Interiors curates a distinctive holiday tablescape that embraces family and tradition.
Kelly McGauley
Written by Zoe Yates
Photos by Chris Emeott
At Home With the
Kowalskis
To be a holiday host is to take on an important role in the seasonal landscape. And while the responsibility may bring a modicum of stress, it presents an opportunity to whip up some holiday magic.
Comfort food will undoubtedly be a fixture of the festivities, elevated by exceptional presentation and decor. For our holiday issue, Leona Rose Interiors owner Kelly McGauley created a tablescape at the home of Kowalski’s Markets CEO Kris Kowalski Christiansen, using new and heirloom items. The result is fun, festive and tailored to the Kowalski family’s traditions.
We connected with McGauley to learn her approach to creating a holiday tablescape that elevates and accommodates an abundance of victuals.
How do you approach the planning and curating process? What are some logistics to keep in mind? With the Kowalskis, we started with some initial communication. What do you have that we could utilize? How large is the table? How many place settings? Do you have place settings that you want to utilize? How are you serving? Do you want to do family style? Buffet style? Keep in mind conversation [when selecting items]; we want some height to make it interesting, but the height has to be see-through versus blocking. You want to be able to see the people across from you. So, that’s how we start, and then we take Lorraine, our
van, and we fill her up with options to supplement so that we can be efficient in our time, as well.
For the minimalist, what items are non-negotiable for a tablescape? At a minimum, you want to have your place settings because we need to accomplish what we’re there for, right? You need a meal. But then you want to incorporate some items to create some softness and some tactile interest with nice tablecloths, nice linen or cotton napkins. Add just a little bit of greenery to speak to what the holiday is. It might be just a simple napkin ring that’s done in garland with a little bow. The end. A couple of candles—and it’s simple. It’s easy. I think it doesn’t need much more than [a few] well-appointed items.
For the maximalist, what can be left out?
I don’t always need the big floral arrangement. It can be really successful, but how are you executing it? It’s all in how it’s executed, versus what it is.
What color palettes are you drawn to for the holidays?
The traditional red and green is always nice, but if you don’t want to go that route, I would go neutral with a little bit of metallic. Less is more. When you keep a nice, neutral color palette, it lets other things become more important. The people become more important, the furnishings, the china, the goblets.
Kowalski’s in the Kitchen
The Kowalski’s Markets team shares one of their favorite holiday recipes.
Prime Rib Roast
This recipe comes from Joe Crow, meat and seafood director at Kowalski’s Markets.
• prime all-natural rib roast
• balsamic vinegar
• Kowalski’s Garlic & Herb rub
Coat the prime rib completely in a layer of balsamic vinegar. Liberally apply Kowalski’s Garlic & Herb rub over the entire roast. It will be impossible to overseason. Cook the prime rib at 500 F for 10 minutes to get a delicious crust. Turn oven temperature down to 200 F, and cook for approximately 35–40 minutes per pound. Oven temps vary, and we strongly recommend using an oven-safe meat thermometer. Pull roast when internal temperature is 125 F, and let sit for 20–30 minutes before slicing.
You have to make sure, when you’re doing any kind of design, who is the lead singer? Who are the backup singers? And making sure that everybody’s playing their part appropriately.
What is your favorite way to elevate a tablescape?
I love repetition. For example, let’s say we’re using eucalyptus leaves. [Add] more eucalyptus leaves, more eucalyptus leaves! Lots of the same thing, and then lots more of the same candlesticks up and down, so it’s repetition. The same items, just repeat them over and over.
How do you balance a lush tablescape with family-style meals?
There isn’t one correct answer for everything, and it’s about the ability to think outside the box and create new ways of making something work. One of the thoughts that I had with this particular project is to incorporate tiered items [to] create some interest, and we have different bowls that sit on those, so they have a home once they go around the table. [Another approach] is to have a cart off to the side, pass dishes around, and then set them back on the cart.
Where else in the home can hosts look to extend their seasonal decor?
Where will the guests be in your home? In your initial entryway, I would definitely add a little something there. You want to make sure that you’ve touched on the powder room because almost every one of your guests will be there once or twice. You could decorate every single room in the house if you want to, but if you’re really trying to focus on just a few and doing it well, make sure it’s the areas where your guests will be.
Leona Rose Interiors offers holiday styling services for the entire home.
Leona Rose Interiors
leona-rose.com @leonarose_designs
Kowalski’s Markets
kowalskis.com
Kowalski’s Markets
Award Winner Best Roofer
Written by Jennifer Pitterle — Photos by Chris Emeott
Conveniently Delicious
Let’s Dish celebrates two decades and expands its ready-to-bake options.
When the holiday season kicks into high gear, the heat is on—especially in the kitchen. Meal preparation can feel like it’s on a never-ending rotation. Cooking food for a celebration here or there is manageable, but when faced with the deluge of other holiday preparations, even making daily meals can be overwhelming.
Having extra help in the kitchen is invaluable. Let’s Dish launched in 2003 with a handful of meal-preparation locations. Co-founder and CEO Darcy Olson has seen two generations of families enjoy Let’s Dish. “We get to hear so many stories,” she says. “People have said our meals have made it much easier for their kids to help out in the kitchen or for them to grow in their careers because making dinner is an equal partnership.”
More than two decades later, Let’s Dish has adapted to families’ changing needs. Instead of assembling meals themselves, customers can shop in the stores or order online to pick up fully prepped kits (over 100 appetizers, mains and desserts), and many can go from freezer to cooked in 30 minutes.
In addition to perennial favorites (like the beloved Cheese Curd Crusted Chicken Ranch
Bake), Olson says popular items include Midwestern standbys Swedish Meatballs With Egg Noodles and Skillet Pot Roast, and global dishes like the Burrito Bowls with barbacoa beef, shredded chicken or vegetables and Chicken and Vegetable Pad Thai.
All of this goes to getting three square meals on the table during busy work weeks or preparing for the holidays. “We want to offer a variety of classic comfort foods that you can make really easily,” Olson says. In addition to classic dinners like Family Style Chicken Pot Pie, Let’s Dish offers breakfast and lunch options, featuring Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Icing, Sausage and Hashbrown Breakfast Bake and a variety of sandwiches and wraps. (Grabbing an extra 30 minutes of sleep while your teenagers bake a pan of gooey cinnamon rolls or prep an early lunch? Priceless.)
Apart from daily meals, hosting duties can get a boost. Olson recommends stocking up on easy-to-heat appetizers, including Baked Ham and Swiss Sliders, Bourbon-Glazed Wild Rice Meatballs, Pulled Pork Sliders on Pretzel Buns and Shredded Beef Wellingtons.
Swedish Meatballs With Egg Noodles
Cheese Curd Crusted Chicken Ranch Bake
Let’s Dish is now available at select Target locations, including Shoreview, with 9 three-serving-size meal options.
Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat, StrawberryRhubarb, Dutch Apple, Apple-Pecan Pies ... from Pine Tree’s own recipes. Great selection of apple gifts, too! Pine Tree Apple Orchard 651.429.7202 | www.pinetreeappleorchard.com North of White Bear Lake o East Hwy. 96
Gift-giving has become another significant part of Let’s Dish’s service, offering delivery across five states and free, handwritten gift messages with each order. Olson says delivery boxes have also become a popular option for supporting parents with new babies, families dealing with illness or elderly individuals who struggle with cooking—something her own family knows well. “My mom isn’t able to cook anymore, so my dad, at 89, does all of their cooking,” Olson says. “Let’s Dish has been a big help with that.”
While Olson witnesses the importance of convenient meal preparation in her own family, she has spent her entire career in the food industry and loves seeing the impact of wholesome, easyto-make food for busy families. “I’ll see women who were young moms back when Let’s Dish started, and now they’re buying meals for their new grandkids or their college students,” she says.
This summer, a new partnership between Target and Let’s Dish brought the company’s beloved meals to the freezer aisles of Metro Target locations. When Target reached out about the collaboration, Olson and her team leapt at the opportunity to expand the reach of their accessible meals. “It’s pretty surreal and has really meant a lot to the company,” she says.
As of publishing, nine of Let’s Dish’s three-serving-size meals are in 25 Target locations. “We’re really excited to continue to grow with Target,” Olson says.
Find Let’s Dish at Target, 3800 Lexington Ave. N., Shoreview., and more at letsdish.com and target.com.
Let’s Dish! @letsdishmn
skelly@sheilakellylaw.com sheilakellylaw.com
GIFT GUIDE
1. Diamond Stud Earrings The Jeweler’s Bench, 216 Locust St., Hudson, Wisconsin jewelersbenchhudson.com
2. Marquise Frame Earrings with Green Tourmaline and Diamond Center $8,855 JB Hudson, 3555 Galleria Edina; jbhudson.com
3. Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie $36 Ben The Baker LLC, 4522 Otter Lake Road, White Bear Lake benthebaker.com
4. Family - People I Love 18 x 32 $73 Board & Brush, 2230 Eagle Creek Lane Suite F, Woodbury boardandbrush.com
5. Best Sellers Collection $27 Olive Branch Oil & Spice, 4770 Banning Ave, White Bear Lake olivebranchmn.com
6. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres Performance Gift Cards Available Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 W. 78th St., Chanhassen chanhassendt.com
Equity-Based Ownership
Enjoy the pride of homeownership and the potential for asset appreciation, all without the complexities of traditional real estate.
Curated Community Living
Thoughtfully designed common areas and vibrant social offerings create a connected, engaging lifestyle.
Worry-Free Maintenance
From snow removal to appliance repairs, let us handle the details while you focus on what matters most.
Rotarians and community members working and learning at the Rotary Nature Preserve.
SILENT BUT STRONG
Online auction supports the Rotary Club of White Bear Lake.
In a season dedicated to giving back, the Rotary Club of White Bear Lake’s annual Jingle Bear Online Auction couldn’t come at a better time. The auction will be live on the Rotary website from November 12 to 15.
The Rotary club is a pillar in the White Bear Lake community, addressing global and community needs and fostering healthy neighborhood connections. “We just step up where we feel we are needed,” says Patty Hall, Jingle Bear Online Auction committee chair. Maintaining parks, volunteering in schools and partnering with Solid Ground and local chapters of Scouts are just some of the ways Rotary uplifts the community. The club invites area residents to sustain these initiatives during the auction.
Interested in exploring new spots in town or return-
ing to your favorite local business? Browse and bid on gift vouchers for restaurants and boutiques. Hoping to travel more next year? Take your chances on an enchanting trip to South Africa.
“Our mission really is just to do good work in the community and support people,” says Bob Timmons, director of public image for the Rotary club. “This auction comes at a time when we should be selfless and consider others. Holiday spirit fits with our mission.”
—Diane Meyer
Rotary Club of White Bear Lake whitebearrotary.org
Rotary Club of White Bear Lake
DECEMBER 3 AND 10
HORSE-DRAWN TROLLEY RIDES
Attend White Bear Lake Winterfest, and take a break from the holiday shopping to enjoy a horse-drawn trolley ride in downtown White Bear Lake. Donations will support the White Bear Area Food Shelf. downtownwhitebearlake.com
11.01
Half Marathon
This certified half-marathon course on Bald Eagle Lake offers the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself this fall—and it promises pancakes at the finish line. mmraces.com
11.07
Ugly Sweater Dinosaur Ornaments
Visit White Bear Center for the Arts to learn special embroidery techniques, and add your own personal touches with beads and sequins, crafting your very own wool ornament to take home. whitebeararts.org
11.19
Gazebo Lighting
Enjoy an enchanted evening and sip on hot apple cider provided by the Rotary Club—plus, watch White Bear Lake’s winter wonderland light up. explorewhitebear.org
12.04–01.23
Community Reception
Support local art at this open-house
Photo: White Bear Lake Mainstreet, Inc.
Community Reception
event celebrating the annual White Bear Center for the Arts Members Exhibition, on display in the Ford Family Gallery, Exhibition Hall and Atrium until January 23. whitebeararts.org
12.06
Jingle Bear 5K Holiday costumes are encouraged, and jingle bells are provided at this fun, family-friendly event. Runners can register for the Kids Fun Run, Parents Fun Run or the 5K race, all of which finish in the lovely downtown White Bear Lake. mmraces.com
Compiled by
Diane Meyer and Avery Vrieze
To have your event considered: email whitebearlakemag@localmedia.co by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication. Please note that some events may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.
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Fall on Echo Lake
Mahtomedi resident David Marsh took up photography as a hobby a decade ago. Marsh says his interest in capturing wildlife and landscapes “gives me something to do” in retirement. This award-winning image, taken in Marsh’s backyard, showcases the moment autumn gives way to winter. “I like this photograph because of the story and diversity of the image,” Marsh says. “Fall and snow was the story, plus the colors.” —Zoe Yates
To view other Lens on the Lake photo contest winners, visit whitebearlakemag.com.
LENS ON THE LAKE
Photographer: David Marsh
Title: Fall on Echo Lake
Equipment: iPhone 16 Pro
Category: Seasons
Award: Third Place
for cheese lovers
BY CHEESE LOVERS
Enjoy our carefully curated Cheesemongers’ Picks of the Season Pack for the holidays! Our selection includes over 1 ½ lbs. of four stellar cheeses and additional accoutrements packed in a ready-to-go tote at the Specialty Cheese Counter. Pick one up on your way to a party or even gift one to your favorite cheese lover.
Selection
