Rochester Magazine | October 2024

The true, 14K-mile story of Dave Kunst. THE MAN WHO WALKED AROUND THE WORLD.

Top local shops, Hot local fashion

6 TOP SUSHI SPOTS ACTIVE LIVING Tips for staying fit.

It’sGreekMonth!

PAPPASAVGOLEMONOSOUPBOWL

TraditionalGreeksoupofchicken,lemon,andrice.

KOTOMEKOUKOUNARI(GREEKCHICKEN)

Pansearedchickenbreastwithfetacheese, greenonions,tomatoesoveraspinachmanestra withpinenuts.

G ARIDESTOURKOLIMANO(GREEKSHRIMP)

Gulfshrimpsauteedwithfetacheese,green onions,tomatoesoveraspinachmanestrawith pinenuts.

LAMBCHOPS

Greekseasonedlambchopsservedwithmintjelly.

BEEFSHISHKABOBS

Greekmarinatedfiletmignon,bell peppers, onions,tomato,andmushroomsoverabedof mixedriceandpeas.

GREEKSALAD

Romainelettucewithtomatoes,cucumbers, redonions,kalamataolives,fetacheeseand Greekdressing.

GYRO

Blendoflambandbeefservedonawarmpita withtomato,onion,andtzatziki.

26 The Man Who Walked Around The World

In 1970, brothers Dave and John Kunst—with $1,500 in cash, a letter of recommendation from former VP Hubert Humphrey, and a mule named Willie Makeit—left Waseca, Minn., on foot. They hoped to walk around the world. In 1974—after 14,000 miles and 20 million steps—Dave Kunst walked back into Waseca. He carried with him the title of “The Man Who Walked Around The World.” And the memory of John, who was murdered along the way. 36

Fave Looks For Fall

Top local shops, hot local fashion.

56 6 Of The City’s Best Sushi Spots

Rainbow Roll. Stupid Cupid. Rochester Roll. Godzilla. Snow Mountain Roll. Firecracker Roll.

Active Living, Active Life

Chess. Tai chi. Coaching. Two retired Rochesterites talk tips for staying active.

78 The Walk Through

Creepy

Tiffany Piotrowicz talks about owning a shoe store, meeting her husband (at a shoe store), and her biggest adventure (owning a shoe

One group doing good in Rochester. And how you can make a difference for them.

Inside a $1M cabin “Up North.”

82 Ten (or so) questions

Chia-Hsuan Lin, the new Music Director and conductor of the Rochester Symphony, talks travel adventures, going “crazy with gardening,” and the accident that changed her life (“It made me really treasure every opportunity that I get to play, get to perform.”).

THE POST BULLETIN COMPANY

Publisher FORUM COMMUNICATIONS CO.

Editor

STEVE LANGE 507-285-7770 slange@rochestermagazine.com

Advertising Director

TESSA OLIVE 507-281-7469 tolive@rochestermagazine.com

Advertising

MELISSA CHERRY ADAM GEHLING LISA SCHELL advertising@rochestermagazine.com

Graphic Designers

MOLLIE BURLINGAME BETH KROHN

Contributing Writers

ALEXA ANDERSON

JENNIFER HAUGEN KOSKI

HADLEY LANGE MEGAN MALUGANI ABBY SMITH

Photo Supervisor JOE AHLQUIST

Contributing Photographers LILY DOZIER MAYA GIRON KEN KLOTZBACH OLIVE JUICE STUDIOS

GET HOME DELIVERY!

For $29.95, you’ll get a year’s subscription to Rochester Magazine. Or $50 for two years. $65 for three years.

Just call 507-285-7676.

Volume twenty-five I Number ten

Rochester Magazine is produced monthly by the Rochester Post Bulletin, and distributed throughout Rochester, MN. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Editor, Rochester Magazine, 1700 Greenview Dr. SW, Rochester, MN 55902 or SLange@rochestermagazine.com. Call 507-285-7676 for home delivery ($29.95 for 11 issues).

Junk Drawer

Three things you didn’t know about this month’s fashion photo shoot. Until now.

1. Whenever we ask about using a location for a Rochester Magazine photo shoot, we are always—always!—amazed by the positive response.

This year was no exception. When we reached out to Powers’ Ventures about using Mayowood Stone Barn, they gave us everything we could possibly ask for. And it shows.

2. Whenever we work with local shops to put together models and outfits (often in August, for fall fashion) for a Rochester Magazine photo shoot, we are always—always!—amazed by the positive response.

This year was no exception. And it shows.

3. Oh, and when we say “we,” above, we mean Roch Mag Ad Director Tessa Olive as well as Scott and Kelly from Olive Juice Studios Photography and, this year, local model-turned-fashion editor Abby Smith. These shoots center around lots of logistics—scheduling models, coordinating outfits, scouting locations (see above)—and Tessa, Scott, and Kelly took care of that, and Abby helped with the shoot and wrote the fashion story.

Model Lexie wears an outfit from Poppi Italian Leather at Mayowood Stone Barn. Photo by Olive Juice Studios.

shortcuts

They’re back! Creepy Dolls return to History Center

(and a night out at Chateau Theatre)

BY HADLEY LANGE PHOTO BY ASHLEY EVANS

CREEPY DOLLS, BY THE NUMBERS.

125. More than 125 “creepy dolls” make up the History Center of Olmsted County’s collection. The dolls were made anywhere “from the 18th to 21st century” but they all have one thing in common… a tie to Olmsted County! Some of the dolls were owned by Olmstedians “from early settlers to the Mayo family,” according to OCHS events coordinator Ashley Evans.

8. Eight dolls were abandoned at the circus and learned new “tricks of the trade,” according to this year’s display. These contortionists, animal tamers, Trapeze Twins, and more are going to show off their new skills at The Creepy Dolls Present: Circus After Dark at the Historic Chateau Theatre on Oct. 19.

ONE MONTH. If you can’t make it to the Chateau event, head to the History Center of Olmsted County Museum to learn more about these 8 performing dolls, their circus jobs, and where they’re from. The exhibit is open Tue.-Sat. until Halloween ($9 adults, $5 for children).

ONE CREEP(IEST) DOLL. Who will be named creepiest doll of the year? Vote in person at the History Center or online via one of their social media platforms. Last year’s winner was the truly terrifying Poppy Hanscom who has a porcelain head, human hair, and “metal joints that allow her limbs to move.”

ONE NIGHT. Circus After Dark has it all: “dinner, costume contest, DJ, circus entertainment, and more,” says Evans. And don’t forget about all the creepy dolls … “they’re back and ready to party.”

The Creepy Dolls Present: Circus After Dark at the Historic Chateau Theatre Oct. 19 at 6pm. Tickets are $50, you must be 18+ to attend. olmstedhistory.com, 507-282-9447.

One 16-year-old, one year in Belgium.

BY STEVE LANGE

In August of last year, our 16-year-old daughter, Emma—alone, fighting back tears, barely able to speak—turned back to nod goodbye at me before she passed through the security gate at MSP to board a plane for 10 hours’ worth of flights to, eventually, Brussels.

“Fighting back tears” and “barely able to speak,” above, describes me in that moment as well.

Because Emma—our baby, our only kid still at home, a kid who actually likes hanging out with us—would be spending the next 11 months, her junior year of high school, in Belgium as part of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program.

When she asked if she could go—when she sat us down on the couch and made her pitch—Lindy and I didn’t want to say yes.

But we couldn’t say no.

So Emma got a job at Hot Chip. Started studying French.

When she arrived in Brussels, Emma’s host family, along with a few friends and Rotar y officials, greeted her at the airport carrying Belgium and Minnesota flags and handmade signs:

“Bienvenue Emma!”

Her new family sent us video of Emma arriving at the airport. Photos of Emma wearing a Belgium-flag-colored hat in front of Manneken Pis.

When Emma finally called us that first night, we put her on speaker phone.

“Tell us everything!” we said.

“I got off the plane and everyone was there to greet me,” Emma said. “They all seem really nice.”

“Go on, go on!” we begged. “We want to hear all about the first night of your adventure!”

“We saw the famous statue of the little boy peeing,” she said. “Then we went to a restaurant.”

“Go on, go on!”

“We were all there,” she said. “The family, some friends, the Rotary people. They couldn’t wait for me to try my first Belgian waffle.”

Here, there was a longer, more dramatic pause than one might expect from someone telling a story about eating a waffle.

“I took one bite,” she said, “and instantly— in front of everyone—I threw up on some woman, a stranger, sitting at the table right behind us.”

We stopped with the “go on”s.

Luckily, she said, the woman put her at ease by loudly demanding that Emma pay for a new sweater.

Well, at least it couldn’t get any worse, we told her.

Except it did. On the drive home, with the entire family crammed into the small vehicle, Emma threw up in their car.

Her host mom made sure Emma knew everything was OK. Took her home and helped her to bed.

And so began Emma’s exchange year in Belgium. And so it went.

When the principal sent Emma home on the first day of school for having rips in her jeans, her host mom rushed Emma to a nearby store to buy a new pair of pants and get her back before school even started.

When Emma found herself sitting alone in the lunchroom for the first few days of school, three girls invited her to walk to the nearby mall for lunch.

When Emma dislocated her shoulder playing badminton, her host family—all of them—stayed with her in the emergency room all night long.

Emma toured an olive oil factory in Sicily, visited the Parthenon, hiked Mount Etna.

During a trip to Paris, Emma Zoomed us from atop the Eiffel Tower.

“We climbed the Arc de Triomphe!” she said. “And we ate at a French Burger King! I’ve never even eaten at an American Burger King!”

But it was the human connections that meant the most.

Emma spent Wednesdays with her host mom’s Italian mother, Nonna. They couldn’t communicate much, at first, but they didn’t need to. They crocheted and made French fries together.

Emma spent Saturdays with the local co-ed Scouting group. They camped in the woods and watched outdoor movies.

Emma spent Fridays walking to lunch with those three girls, who, seeing that foreign exchange student sitting by herself, first invited her to lunch.

Sure, Emma admitted, she had cried a few times—secretly, in her room—during those first few months in Belgium.

(I plagiarized these next parts, with permission, from a beautiful essay Emma wrote.)

She cried after coming home during that first week of school, after sitting in classes listening to a teacher—in a language you barely speak—ask you questions about physics.

She cried after dislocating her shoulder. After missing her first family Christmas in 16 years.

And she cried, openly, in that last month as well.

She cried when she had to leave her Scout group after her final get together, and when they chanted her name as she walked away.

She cried when she left her hand-written letters in the hands of her Belgian friends. When she hugged her host families goodbye for the last time.

Then, in July of this year, Lindy and I were the ones standing in the airport, MSP, to greet Emma as she stepped off that plane. This time, we were the ones carrying the flags and the handmade sign:

“Welcome home, Emma!”

RandomRochesterite

One resident, numerous anecdotes |

Name: Tiffany Piotrowicz

Age: 42

Occupation: Self-employed store owner

Where we found her: TerraLoco

Are you originally from Rochester? We moved here when I was about seven. Dad’s an IBMer, so we moved from Florida and I’ve been here ever since. I went away to college at Winona and that’s it.

What did you study at Winona? I have bachelor’s degrees in English and paralegal, and a master’s in English language and literature.

How did you become the owner of TerraLoco? The short version—and it’s not really that short—is that I did a lot of different jobs as a kid and as a young adult. I was always looking for a job that was important—the kind of job where you had a title and a business card. The kind of job that you think you should have when you’re growing up. I realized pretty early on that those kinds of jobs weren’t for me. I hate sitting in front of a desk all day long. I always worked retail, and it took until I was 30 years old to realize that working retail is a real job. To realize I’m good at it and I enjoy it, so why not make it a career? That’s how I ended up in the run specialty space. I started as an employee at TerraLoco, then manager, buyer, and then they offered to sell me the store. That was August 2015.

What’s your favorite part? It’s making connections and telling stories. I love social media. I love chit-chatting with customers, meeting new people, making those connections. I love bringing people together to celebrate something. We just did the Lance Pfrimmer Memorial Run. One of my employees’ 19-year-old son died in a drowning accident last summer, and we did the first-annual “Live Like Lance” run in his honor. Over 500 people were there, and we were able to raise over $20,000 for the scholarship fund.

That’s impressive. The fundraising’s all great and awesome, but what was really

By JENNIFER KOSKI Photo by JOE AHLQUIST

cool was all the people there to support the Pfrimmers. People came across the country. Teammates came from UW-Stout. His coach was there. It was cool to see everyone coming together to celebrate his spirit, his legacy—and to support the Pfrimmers in that way.

Five things you love? I love my dogs, Toby and Riker. I’m a big animal lover. I’d probably have six dogs if I had the space for them. And my husband, Josh. (He’d put the dogs first, too!) Family is another one. My mom and my sister both work for me, and they’ve both been there since the beginning.

Just one more to go. Creativity. I’m also an artist, so I do a lot of drawing and acrylic painting. That’s something I picked up during the pandemic, and I’ve kept at it—which is not something I can say for a lot of other things! It’s really grounding and good for my mental health. It teaches me about patience—because with acrylic, you’ve got to put a layer down and wait. If you don’t, it muddies up the results. You have to have patience, and patience is not necessarily a strong suit of mine so it’s been good for me.

How did you meet Josh?

a shoe store. We both worked at Foot Locker in the Galleria. It was the summer I graduated high school. He’s a year older than me, and I thought he was way too cute and too cool to have anything to do with me. I don’t remember this, but he asked me what I liked to do and I just said, “Read.” That was it. He still asked me out. We’ll be married 22 years in November.

Biggest adventure? This is kinda cliché, but owning the store. This is never in a million years something I imagined would happen—that I would own this store and have 20 employees and would be so involved in the community. And, yeah, it’s been an adventure. Every couple months there’s something new to figure out and move forward.

If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be? It’s an impossible question for me to answer because we are movie buffs. But for the sake of this article, I’ll say Demolition Man. It’s Sylvester Stallone and Sandra Bullock when she’s super young. It’s a really stupid sci-fi, action, comedy thing. It takes place in the future and the best line of the whole thing is when Sandra Bullock and Stallone are in the car, and Stallone has been in cryo-sleep for the last 20 years or something, and she says, “Let’s go look it up at the Arnold Schwarzenegger presidential library.” It’s hilarious. It’s one of those movies that you don’t want to admit

Best advice you’ve been I’m usually the one giving advice. “Bad advice I’ve gotten” pops up in my head

OK, give me the bad advice. I’ve been told basically all my life that I talk too much. That girls are not supposed to be in charge and be leaders and be bossy. All these things that came naturally to me. This has been part of my journey—to get to this place that retail is a real job. That I don’t need to hide certain parts of who I am. Realizing that these parts of me are actually my strengths.

OCTOBER 2024

TRICKS AND TREATS. Celebrate Halloween at Valleyfair with Tricks and Treats. Dance along at the Skelebration! Dance Party, collect treats on Trick or Treat Trail, and ride some of Valleyfair’s most popular rides. Don’t forget your costume! valleyfair.com, 952-445-7600

HAVE A (FALL) BALL!

There’s something for everyone at Camp Victory’s Fall Ball Family Festival. Paint pumpkins, play laser tag, drink apple cider, ride on the mini zipline and more! campvictory.com, 507-258-3200

LEARN A HISTORY LESSON.

From 1886 to 1945, 10,000 kids— orphaned or abandoned—lived strict, simple lives in Owatonna’s state-run orphanage. Today, the Minnesota State School Orphanage Museum lets that story live on through original artifacts and first-person accounts of life at the orphanage. orphanagemuseum. com, 507-774-7369

KEEP IT FRESH. It’s the last Village Farmer’s Market of the year at the History Center of Olmsted County. Grab food from the food truck, listen to live music, and buy fresh food and flowers. rochvillage.org

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$5 5K. For just $5 you can run, walk, or wheel a 5k (pre-marked with chalk). Meet at TerraLoco, bring your water bottle, and run easy knowing your entrance fee goes to a good cause! This month’s run benefits the Rochester McDonald House of Rochester. runterraloco.com, 507-289-5626

A SHELL OF A TIME. This month’s Quarry Hill Critter Spotlight is all about turtles. Join one of Quarry Hill’s naturalists to talk about the nine turtle species native to Minnesota and learn how they eat, sleep, and survive! qhnc.org, 507-328-3950

FREAKY FAST AND FREAKY FUN. It’s the 4th annual Freaky 5K and Kids Fun Run at Pine Island Secondary school. This free event includes a t-shirt and prizes for the best costumes. www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100094701100841r

PICK

YOUR OWN GIANT

PUMPKIN. Pick your pumpkin (and some apples, oh, and some gourds) out at Sekapp orchard. After you pick out your produce, try your hand at the corn stalk maze, ride on the wagons, and snap some photos with your face in a pumpkin sign. sekapporchard.com, 507-282-4544

8 1 15 22 29 7 14 21 28

A PLETHORA OF PUMPKINS. Walk a trail with lights, fog, music, and thousands of hand carved pumpkins at the Minnesota Zoo’s Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. Personalized pumpkins are available–just submit a message or image, see the pumpkin on the trail, and take it home to display the rest of the season. mnzoo.org, 952-431-9200

LEAF IT TO NATURE. Parents and littles can take a guided hike through the woods at Quarry Hill Nature Center to learn about identifying leaves and their yearly color-changing process. After the hike, grab a few of the most perfect leaves and a hammer to turn your fall finds into colorful leaf prints. qhnc.org, 507-328-3950

MINNESOTA IN THE RAW. Poet Tom Gillaspy is at Assisi Heights to read from some of his collections including Minnesota in the Raw, a series of poems dedicated to “calming thoughts for troubled times.” rochesterfranciscan. org, 507-282-7441

LIFE AND DEATH. The Oakwood Cemetery has served Rochester for more than 160 years. Learn how views of death, mourning practices, and the cemetery itself have changed over time at the “Life and Death in Olmsted County” exhibit at the Olmsted History Center. olmstedhistory.com, 507-282-9447

QUEEN’S GAMBIT… THE GAME! You don’t need to be a chess expert like Beth Harmon (or Gary Kasparov) to join the Rochester Chess Club. Come to the Harwick Building today (or any Tuesday) for a game or two and maybe some pointers from one of Rochester’s finest players. rochesterchess.com

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

BOOKS AND BEERS. The Van Horn Public Library and South X SouthEast Brewing Company (SxSE) are collaborating to bring you Books & Brews at SxSE in Pine Island. Pick a book from the month’s genre (dystopian), grab a beer, and connect with other readers (and brew enthusiasts)! pineisland.lib.mn.us, 507-356-8558

LET ME IN! Rodney Carrington is a comedian known for comedy albums including Greatest Hits which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Top Comedy chart. He’s also known for starring in the sitcom Rodney, writing the book Coming Clean, and performing in his Netflix standup special Here Comes the Truth Tonight he’s at the Mayo Civic Center! mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040

A NIGHT OF POSSABILITIES. PossAbilities of Southern Minnesota, a group that supports children and adults with disabilities, is hosting their annual fundraiser, A Night of PossAbilities. Held in the Hilton Ballroom, this event features dinner, a silent auction, a live auction, and more! possabilities.org, 507-281-6116

EAT SOUP. DO GOOD. Empty Bowls: To Go is a fundraiser for Channel One Regional Food Bank, which serves people struggling with food insecurity in and around Rochester. Place your order and sample the selection of delicious soups from local restaurants, pick a hand-painted bowl to take home, and support a good cause! helpingfeedpeople.org, 507-287-2350

HUT HUT HIKE! Take a (short) trip to watch two of Rochester’s high school football teams play today. The John Marshall Rockets take on the Jefferson Jaguars in Bloomington while the Century Panthers travel to Winona to face the Winona Winhawks. maxpreps.com

BURIED BY BOOKS. It’s the annual Autumn Book Sale at the Rochester Public Library. This sale is packed with used picture books, CDs, mysteries, and much more. Become a member of the Friends of Rochester Public Library to access the sale a full day early! rplmn.org, 507-328-2300

A COUNTRY GIRL. RaeLynn is a two time ACM New Female Vocalist nominated singer-songwriter with songs including “Love Triangle” and “God Made Girls” (which went platinum). She also has a children’s book and a Hallmark Movie to her name. Tonight she’s at the Mayo Civic Center. mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040

ONE BAD CAT. Bad Kitty, the star of books including Puppy’s Big Day, Camp Daze, and Happy Birthday Bad Kitty, is at the Rochester Public Library. Kids and parents alike will get the chance to meet Bad Kitty and attend a special storytime. rplmn.org, 507-328-2300

“I’M SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON.”

Dropkick Murphys, a Celtic punk band from Massachusetts, is playing songs from their 12 albums (including three Billboard Top 10 hits) at the Mayo Civic Center tonight. They’re joined by special guests Pennywise and The Scratch. mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040

ABOUT LAST NIGHT. Brad Williams is a comedian best-known for comedy specials including Fun Size, Daddy Issues, and The Degenerates. Williams also headlined a Cirque du Soleil show, appeared on Sam and Cat, and is now at the Mayo Civic Center! mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040

GET READY TO ROCK. Touted as “a bombastic celebration of arena rock,” Hairball plays the greatest hits, from Van Halen to Journey to Queen and more. Celebrate the band’s 25th anniversary at the Mayo Civic Center with costumes, pyrotechnics, and smoke machines! mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040

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PINCH ME. The Barenaked Ladies have released 14 albums, won multiple Juno awards, sang the Big Bang Theory theme song, and even have their own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor! The band is at the Mayo Civic Center, along with special guest Toad the Wet Sprocket, as part of their In Flight Tour. mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040

A COMEDY OF TERRORS. Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is a play that’s part Bram Stoker, part comedy. The show follows Jean Van Helsing on her quest to take down Count Dracula ... with more than a few mishaps. Tonight’s performance at the Rochester Civic Theatre also offers ASL interpretation and audio descriptions. rochestercivictheatre.org, 507-282-8481

UNPLUGGED AT TI. Canadian rockers Theory of a Deadman are at Treasure Island with Citizen Soldier and Adelitas Way. Their “Unplugged” tour features a “stripped down set” of some of their top hits including “Rx (Medicate),” “Bad Girlfriend,” and “Hate My Life.” ticasino.com, 800-222-7077

FROM RUSSIA TO ROCHESTER. Leonid & Friends started in Moscow as a YouTube tribute to the band Chicago. Now this 11-piece band performs top hits from Stevie Wonder, Deep Purple, Steely Dan, Chicago and more all around the world. Catch their “Only The Beginning” tour at the Mayo Civic Center. mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040

DUELING PIANOS. What’s better than one pianist? How about two! The Dueling Pianos show, held at Peace Church, features two pianists who: take requests, tell jokes, and tinkle some grand piano ivory keys. peaceunited.us, 507-282-6117

CIRCUS AFTER DARK. Eight unsettling dolls were accidentally left at the circus, and they picked up some tricks along the way. Meet the dolls (all with Olmsted County ties), watch circus performances, and enter the costume contest all at the annual Creepy Dolls: Circus After Dark event at Historic Chateau Theatre. olmstedhistory.com, 507-282-9447

TRUNK-OR-TREAT! Ridgefest 2024, hosted at Autumn Ridge Church, is “the biggest trunk-or-treat in Rochester.” Dress up in your best costume, jump in the bounce house, get your face painted, and collect some candy. There is also free food including hot dogs, cotton candy, and plenty of chili to try as part of the chili cookoff! ridgefest.net, 507-288-8880

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507-258-4607

19 1st Ave SW Rochester oldebrickhousepub.com

Enjoy a delicious mix of Traditional Fare, Steaks, Seafood, Burgers, Sandwiches, Tacos and more. With over 200 Whiskeys, classic cocktails, and tap beer, There’s truly something for everyone. Join us for lunch Monday through Friday, starting at 10:30 AM, and don’t miss our Irish Recessour unique Happy Hour with discounted drinks and appetizers.

2550 Broadway Ave S Rochester, MN 55904 (507) 206-3031 savoypizza.com

Red’s Savoy Pizza is known for square-cut Sota-Style pizza featuring thin crust, family recipe sausage, passive-aggressive sauce, mounds of cheese & toppings cooked to crisp perfection. Round out your meal with wings, appetizers, salads, pasta & dessert. Options for Glutenfree, team orders & catering available. Located on South Broadway, featuring a petite dining room, drive-thru, delivery & take-out. Open 7 days a week 11 AM-9 PM. Jumbo slices served daily 11-4.

2043 Superior Dr NW Rochester

507.288.5283 zenfusionmn.com

It’s our 5th YEAR Anniversary & Yes, we do Burgers too! Visit Zen Fusion for weekday lunches and receive half off our signature house fried rice and burger meals throughout the month. Zen Fusion... where food is ART.

Start after Rochester itself... take out our live hibachi chefs’ sentence and the end we cater.

507.424.1227

247 Woodlake Drive SE Rochester whistlebinkiespub.com

Situated in a business district on a small lake with beautiful patio views, two private dining spaces, a large dining room, and an extensive menu with something for everyone, and a beer list to impress. WBOTL is thankful for their guests, friends, and family that make us a destination that all love and enjoy.

507-288-9481 1251 Cedar Center Ave SE twosisterskitchenmn.com Oronoco

Two Sisters features blends of traditional, made-from-scratch American dishes. Indulge in steak and salmon burgers, along with a variety of soups and sandwiches, highlighting some beloved Minnesota comfort foods. Hotdish will Always be on the menu!

507.226.8146 4 third St SW Rochester thaipopmn.com

Lunch + Dinner + Event Space. Voted Minnesota’s Best Thai restaurant 2023, 2024 + Rochester Magazine’s best ethnic restaurant 2023 and 2024. We serve unique cocktails and cuisine on historic 3rd Street in downtown Rochester. Open Monday - Saturday.

507.286.1101

706 Broadway Ave. N.

507.258.5300

2483 Commerce Drive, Rochester greatharvestrochester.com

Dedicated to the traditional ways of bread making we are a ‘low tech,’ old fashioned, scratch bakery & cafe. We use pure, wholesome ingredients, add no fats, oils or preservatives. Each loaf is kneaded by hand. We grind high protein Montana spring wheat into the freshest flour possible. This is the magic of our whole grain breads and sweets. Where the “outside” of a sandwich is as good as the inside!

(507) 285-9229 1654 US-52 Rochester, MN 55901 www.charlieseateryandpub.com

A ROCHESTER FAVORITE. If you’re looking for a great time in a fun atmosphere with friendly staff, look no further. Charlies Eatery & Pub is locally owned and is located in the Hillcrest Shopping Center next to the Indoor Golf Center. Enjoy a meal in our restaurant with live Bluegrass music on Wednesdays or visit our pub for food, drinks, entertainment, music and games.

507.424.7800 130 5th St SW Rochester pnpizza.com

Chef Pasquale Presa is serving the food he grew up with....authentic NY style pizza along with simple, traditional Italian food including fresh salads and amazing desserts. Daily lunch and dinner specials. Dine-in or carry out. To place orders call 507.424.7800. Voted Best Pizza Place 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 by Rochester Magazine readers.

507.741.6222

150 Broadway Ave S Rochester www.millvalleykitchen.com

Experience Mill Valley Kitchen in Rochester, where 13 years of culinary refinement bring you the finest natural flavors, paired with our commitment to sustainability and health-conscious dining. Enjoy our robust wine menu and signature craft cocktails, all crafted to elevate your dining experience. Join us and taste the difference.

Specialty Coffee| Breakfast Lunch | Wine | Small Plates

507.285.2516

120 Elton Hills Dr NW Rochester

FOLLOW US @novioscafe on Instagram and Novios Cafe on Facebook. Use your phone camera to scan the QR code and order online now!

507.536.4748 212 1st Ave SW Rochester creativecuisineco.com

Voted Rochester’s Best Deli and Sandwiches. A bustling, urban deli set in the heart of downtown Rochester, featuring big New York style sandwiches, filled with large portions of fresh sliced meats, gourmet cheeses, crisp vegetables, and one-of-a-kind spreads on bakeryfresh breads. Signature salads and soups with quick and easy delivery service. Catering as well as box lunch delivery.

507.361.3636 300 1st Ave NW Rochester TildasPizzeria.com

Tilda’s Pizzeria is a locally owned one-of-a-kind wood-fired pizza restaurant in Downtown Rochester. Unique flavors, and a welcoming atmosphere for everyone! We offer dine-in, online ordering, and delivery. Mon-Sun 4 pm - 9 pm.

(507) 289-9200 3120 Wellner Drive NE Rochester www.whistlebinkiespub.com

Locally owned for 22 years tucked in NE Rochester. Providing a pub atmosphere that makes you feel at home with comfort. Awesome summer patio, two private spaces for events, with one of the largest menus and beer selection in all of Rochester. We are happy to be serving you all for years to come.

507.635.2331

502 N Main St Mantorville hubbellhouserestaurant.com

The Hubbell House has been Rochester Magazine’s Best Restaurant within 30 minutes for the past fourteen years. Our extensive menu includes appetizers, salads, sandwiches, choice steaks, prime rib every day, chops, & seafood. Just a short drive from Rochester, whether you’re looking for a formal experience in one of our dining rooms, or a more relaxed setting like the Stagecoach Bar, the Hubbell House is the place for you.

507.361.1208 10 East Center St Rochester skyway level benedictsrochester.com

Benedict’s is the place for warm, approachable food with new takes on familiar dishes and killer morning cocktails (it’s never too early). Great food and hospitality shouldn’t be relegated to dinnertime, and at Benedict’s, we are ready to champion the morning. Bring your family, become a part of ours. Open 6:00am - 3:00pm daily.

Ristorante & Wine Bar

507.280.6232 7 1st Ave SW, Rochester victoriasmn.com

Locally owned for 25 years. Specializing in traditional Italian. All sauces are scratch made. Victoria’s has four private dining rooms for all your events. Looking for a quick lunch? Victoria’s Express (Grab and Go) is adjacent to the restaurant and is open Mon through Fri from 10 am to 1:30 pm. Join us Wednesdays for Bottomless Wine.

507.361.7910 217 14th Ave SW Rochester redcowmn.com/rochester

Red Cow’s founder and owner, Luke Shimp, was born and raised in Lake City, MN! Family owned and locally operated, Red Cow provides a modern tavern feel and celebrates finally crafted eats and drinks with a focus on gourmet burgers, craft cocktails, wine & beer. #Followtheherd to Red Cow!

Chef inspired Casual American restaurant that is family friendly. Some menu features include our Rotisserie Chicken, Kranz Smash Burger, Sheet Ton Chicken Nachos, or Chipotle Salmon Rice Bowl. Dine next to our 16 foot fireplace, or on our patio during the summer that includes fire pits, an outdoor bar, kid play area, and yard games. We also feature plenty of screens inside and out to catch your favorite games!

longer to visit with friends and family over dinner and wine. Scan the QR Code to make a reservation or just come on through. Walk-ins are always welcome! We are open Tuesday - Saturday from 5 - 10 pm. Happy Hour at the Bar Tuesday - Friday from 4 - 6 pm.

507-322-5041 161 13th Ave SW Rochester Saintson2nd.com

Book your holiday party with Saints on Second! We are located in the Courtyard by Marriott across from Saint Marys Hospital. Whether you are a visitor or a lifelong resident of the city, we hope to embody everything that Rochester has to offer. Enjoy our “Minnesota Nice” hospitality while eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Chef Lela Tweed has crafted a menu sure to please – try our legendary sticky chicken sandwich!

507.516.1050 244 Soldiers Field Dr SW Rochester towniessubs.com

Best Philly in Rochester! Stop in for our signature Grill’d Philly, a Grill’d Bowl or one of our delicious Smash’d Burgers. There is something for everyone to enjoy. We are open year-round at Soldiers Field Golf Course. Dine in or carry out. Voted Best Sandwich Place 2023 & 2024.

Crooked Pint Ale House is a nouveau urban pub with the feel of a local neighborhood

The menu includes classic pub fare with nearly

and weekend brunch as well as kids’ menu selections.

the best Lucys in town and you will be back again and again for our Pub Pot Pies, Pub Tacos, and our Jumbo Tator Tots. At Crooked Pint, we are known for our beer list, but we don’t forget about the wine and spirits! Open Monday - Sunday!

1155 16th St SW, Rochester

507.516.0641

Sorellinasmn.com

Open Mon-Sat at 11AM Open Sunday at 10:30AM

Cousins Nadia Victoria and Jordan Victoria are excited to introduce you to: Sorellina’s Italian by Victoria’s. The latest Italian kitchen next to Apache Mall. You will find classic Victoria’s Italian dishes, as well as a few modern takes. Scratch pizzas, our famous sauces, cheesecakes and craft cocktails. Enjoy dining on the pizza counter side, the enclosed four-season patio, the swanky dining room, or sit at the bar and enjoy the view!

& Sun 9:30-3. We believe that good food and friendly faces bring a community together. We are locally owned and love living in Rochester! Hours: Wed. & Thurs. 11 am-1:30 pm, 5-7:30 pm, Friday 11 am-1:30 pm,

bleuduckkitchen.com

Duck Kitchen offers brunch every Saturday from 10am-1pm. Join us for live music, bottomless mimosa’s and fun & unique twists to classic brunch dishes. Make your reservations today at www.bleuduckkitchen.com or call 507-258-4663.

507.288.0206 401 6th St SW Rochester twigstavernandgrille.com

Unleash your inner foodie and explore our exciting new Korean BBQ dishes! Our passionate team has crafted a unique menu that showcases classic flavors including, Korean BBQ Chicken Bacon Swiss Sandwich, Korean BBQ Ribs, Korean BBQ Wings and Korean BBQ Tacos. Embark on a flavorful journey like no other! WE GET IT. BECAUSE WE LIVE IT. Rochester’s only restaurant with a separate dedicated GLUTEN-FREE kitchen. Seasonal Cocktails & Desserts | Small Plates | Bowls.

the local table {where we eat}

507.258.4550 1635 Highway 52 N Rochester PappysPlaceRochester.com

Locally owned by the Pappas family; same family as former owners of Michaels and Hubbel House. Whether it’s our salad bar, onion ring appetizer, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, steaks ribs, seafood, cocktails or craft beers there’s something for everyone. Daily lunch and dinner specials on Facebook or PappysPlaceRochester.com. Now serving brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-2pm.

507.282.6572 1203 2nd St SW Across from St. Mary’s Hospital Rochester

Celebrating 40 years! Since 1984, the Powers family and the Canadian Honker Restaurant have taken great pride in serving fresh, home-cooked meals to you and your family. Whether you enjoy our award winning Eggs Benedict, Walleye Sandwich, or Filet Mignon, one thing is for sure, you will not leave hungry! Stop by today, and don't forget to order a piece of our world famous Bunnie Cake.

507.424.7800 130 5th St SW Rochester pnpizza.com

Little Italy Marketplace. Shop Pasquale’s quality Italian Ingredients direct from Italy. Everything from frozen meals, amazing sauces, scratch-made pasta, and our farm-to-table Olive Oil. Our products are available at Pasquale’s or Hyvee Stores.

South- 1201 S Broadway North- 5231 E Frontage Rd NW Express- Downtown Skyway Apple Valley - 15610 English Ave creativecuisineco.com

A local tradition since 1980, is the only place for great burgers and cold beer. Hand pattied fresh burgers, grilled to perfection, piles of nachos, tasty sandwiches, loaded bloody mary’s and much more!

507.281.2978, 300 1st Ave NW Rochester creativecuisineco.com

Rustic comfort food, hand-crafted cocktails, and an intimate, romantic ambiance define this hidden gem of a restaurant. Live local music every night makes this a top-notch date night spot for any day of the week. Make the Redwood Room your new go-to! Voted Most Romantic Ambiance and finalist for Best Fine Dining.

3 Ways YOU CAN HELP

Families First

BY ALEXA ANDERSON

For more that 40 years, Families First has been a non-profit proudly taking steps to ensure positive beginnings for all young children and their families.

The organization works toward their mission by offering various programs which serve child care providers and the children and families in their community.

“Early childhood care and education are the cornerstones of a strong, vibrant community and a healthy workforce,” says incoming Executive Director Kristin Quenzer. “At Families First of Minnesota, we know that investing in our youngest children is one of the most impactful ways to shape a brighter future. We also know that when children receive quality early education and care, their families are better able to contribute to a healthy, productive workforce. By supporting our mission, you are helping to ensure that every child and family has the resources they need to thrive, which in turn supports the well-being and prosperity of our entire community.”

Here’s how you, too, can help Families First:

DIAPERS. As a non-profit organization, Families First relies heavily on community members’ donations. The Crisis Nursery program strives to prevent child abuse by providing temporary, short-term childcare for families in Olmsted County during a crisis situation. By donating diapers to the organization’s Crisis Nursery and Head Start programs, your generosity will ensure that Families First has the required supplies for the children they serve.

MONETARY GIFTS. Families First offers support through their various programs to children and families in the community. Your generous donations would help the organization provide food and hygiene items for those in need.

SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE. The organization invites you to become informed on early childhood and advocate for increased funding and resources. Families First serves more than 3,000 children across their programs. The organization helps more than 500 children in Early Head Start, Head Start, and School Readiness. They also offer an Early Learning Scholarship which has enabled them to serve 2,400 more children. Their Child Care Wayfinder program, funded by a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, assists families in finding childcare and supports the professional growth of childcare programs.

The Family, Friend & Neighbor (FFN) Childcare program offers support and resources to individuals providing, often free, childcare for their friends, family, and neighbors. These homebased caregivers typically work outside the formal child care system and receive no assistance.

By learning about and supporting the various programs offered by Families First, you can make an impact on the children and families they serve.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Anyone interested in learning more about the programs offered or supporting Families First can find more information at www.familiesfirstmn.org.

3 WAYS YOU CAN HELP IS SPONSORED BY:

organizations through sponsorships and hundreds of volunteer hours through our employee volunteers.

FEAST! Fest is back!

Photo by Corrie Strommen Photography

The first Saturday in November is Local Foods Day in Rochester.

And you can celebrate at the FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace, Sat., Nov. 2 at the Mayo Civic Center, 10am-4pm.

The nonprofit festival brings tasty fare from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa to your front door (well … almost). You can:

Sample & Shop 100s of Unique Foods. Aged cheddar to spicy peanut brittle. Plus, craft alcohol: cider, beer, spirits, and awardwinning wines.

Entertain the Kids! Under age 12 are free. Admission includes a special kids’ section with games, activities, and snacks.

Learn to Cook Local. Area chefs demonstrate delicious ways to incorporate local foods into meal planning.

Enjoy music and giveaways!

“FEAST! is a fantastic convergence of foods made right here,” says Beth Dooley, James Beard Award food writer, who will present a cooking demo with Rochester’s own Tiffany Alexandria. “Best of all, FEAST! supports area farmers, foodmakers and the regional economy.”

For tickets and more details, visit local-feast.org/festival2024

by Steve Lange

THE MAN WHO WALKED AROUND THE WORLD

In 1970, brothers Dave and John Kunst—with $1,500 in cash, a letter of recommendation from former VP Hubert Humphrey, and a mule named Willie Makeit—left Waseca, Minn., on foot. They hoped to walk around the world.

Photos from Dave Kunst and Waseca

Historical Society

In 1974—after 14,000 miles and 20 million steps—Dave Kunst walked back into Waseca. He carried with him the title of “The Man Who Walked Around The World.” And the memory of John, who was murdered along the way.

Dave Kunst, accompanined by two Iranian soldiers, walks through Iran in 1972.

It’s a dark Afghanistan night in October of 1972, and Dave and John Kunst-33 and 25-year-old brothers from Waseca, Minn.-are 8,000 miles and nearly two-and-a-half straight years into, well, walking around the world.

They are setting up camp in the remote and rugged foothills outside of Kabul. They are without their police escort, who, after accompanying them for two weeks, left a few days ago.

And they are in real trouble.

There, from the rocky roadside where they have stopped to camp for the night, they see a half dozen or so people lurking in the distance. Bandits, they figure. The kind of criminals the local police had warned them about.

The figures creep closer.

Dave Kunst takes out his 12-gauge. Fires it above the heads of the men. The figures slip back into the darkness, out of sight.

He finally gets up, and walks over to John.

But John Kunst is dead.

And Dave is losing a lot of blood. He stumbles to the road and collapses.

50 YEARS LATER

“My wife Jenni and I live a nice, quiet life,” says Dave, 85, from his home on Balboa Island, a small island and harbor community in Newport Beach, California, between L.A. and San Diego.

“The weather is wonderful all year,” he says. “We enjoy being alive and healthy. Thank you, God.”

Then, a shot rings out from that darkness.

“Run for it!” yells John. Both brothers run.

The second shot hits Dave in the chest. He falls. “Play dead!” he yells to John.

Dave hears a third shot. Hears John groan. Hears the bandits walking toward them. Dave Kunst makes his body go limp. Holds his breath the best he can.

Someone grabs Dave and turns him onto his back. Takes his wristwatch off his hand and his knife from its sheath.

Then, just 20 or so feet away, a muffled gun shot. Right where John had been lying.

The bandits rummage through the brothers’ wagon. Steal the pots and pans. Take the food and the blankets and the clothes and the camera and the radio.

Dave hears them loading the stolen stuff into a truck. Then hears the truck drive off.

This month—on October 5th—marks the 50th anniversary of the day that Dave finished his Walk Around The World, the day that he stepped back onto Waseca’s State Street heading the same direction-west to east-he had walked out in 1970.

Following the trek, Dave wrote a book (“The Man Who Walked Around The World”), told his story to schoolkids and Rotary groups, was dubbed by Guinness Book of World Records as “the first verified person to have walked around the world.”

But his around-the-world adventure never really paid off monetarily. The book did not sell well. His script pitches for the movie about his walk were never picked up.

Still, though, Dave has loved telling his story, and parlayed the adventure into fame.

Even today, Dave Kunst is never far from that walk. The Balboa Island Museum, just a halfmile walk from their apartment, features, among their archives, an oral history of Dave’s trek. The Balboa Island Newsletter newsletter lists Dave as “a resident who was the first individual to walk around the world’s land mass.”

Brothers John (left) and Dave Kunst in 1970, before leaving on their trip.

From left: Willie Makeit II, Dave, and John walk through the Arc de Triomphe in Montpellier, France on April 13, 1971.

“RIGHT AWAY I KNEW I WAS GOING TO DO IT.”

Dave Kunst

And Dave met Jenni on mile 10,000 or so, in late 1973, as he trekked across Australia. They got married in 1976.

He still gets back to Minnesota periodically.

“Last fall we returned to Clear Lake, Iowa, where my son Brad and his family live,” he says. “I got to meet my first greatgrandchild, Josie, and attend the wedding of my granddaughter Katie. We drove to Caledonia during that time to visit different memorable places including family graves in Calvary Cemetery and North Park, where there is a huge sign and plaque memorializing the first walk around the world.”

Dave Kunst does not give many interviews these days. He doesn’t much like talking on the phone. (And, for this interview, Dave referred me back to video presentations he has previously recorded, as well as his website and excerpts from his book.)

Today, he still does some walking, though it’s mostly along the “wide sidewalk that circles the island and the quaint downtown with lots of restaurants,” he says.

I ask him whether someone could re-create his same walk around now.

“Anything is possible,” he says. “But because of the terrible circumstances in the world today, I don’t think so.”

“AN ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT”

David William Kunst was born on July 16, 1939, in Caledonia, the then-2,000-person town in the southeastern corner of the most southeastern county in Minnesota.

Dave was the first child of Aloysious (“Al”) Kunst and Augusta Onstad, who married at age 19 at Caledonia’s St. Peter’s Catholic Church.

When Dave was 3, Al was deployed to the Philippines by the U.S. Army during World War II. When he returned home in 1944, Al Kunst managed a local lumberyard before becoming a salesman for CertainTeed.

Dave’s brother Pete was born in 1944. Then came brother John in 1947.

“My mom had an adventurous spirit, and she instilled that in me during my Caledonia years,” said Dave.

From an early age, he said, his mom would drop Dave and his brothers off in the nearby woods to explore.

Dave and his brothers took part in the local Boy Scouts, attended the Catholic church, graduated from Loretto High, part of Caledonia’s Central Catholic School System.

In 1959, at age 19, Dave married a local woman, Jan Wabner, 20. Jan grew up as the oldest of four kids, with a mom who worked in the garden and made bread from scratch every Saturday.

Dave and Jan’s first child, daughter Debbie, was born in 1961. Three years later, in 1964, son Bradley was born. Three years after that, in 1967, son Daniel.

Dave worked for the county surveying highways. By 1969, the family had moved 120 miles west to Waseca, the then-7,000person town just west of Owatonna.

Dave took sociology classes at Mankato State University between his surveying work. Picked up a part-time job running the projector for Waseca’s movie theater (the State Theater).

Dave Kunst, though, was bored with his normal life. Bored with his wife. Bored with his job.

Then came the 1969 moon landing, and Dave found himself excited about life again. But not the life he was leading.

He started thinking about the kind of adventure that would give him a reason for leaving it all behind.

One night, Dave stayed after work at his job at the State Theater, had a few beers with the theater owner as well as his best friend, Richard.

Dave talked about driving south to the tip of South America. He talked about driving across the Australian Outback.

Then the theater owner suggested that Dave should do something no one had ever done.

“What hasn’t been done?,’” Dave asked.

“No one has ever walked around the world,” he said.

“How can you walk around the world? There’s water,” Dave told him. “I’d get my feet wet.”

But the theater owner had already mapped out a plan. Walk the entire length of the world’s land masses. East to the Atlantic Ocean, then touch the western edge of the ocean. Fly to Europe to touch the eastern edge of the Atlantic. Walk across Europe and Asia. Fly to Australia and walk across the continent. Fly to California and walk back to Waseca.

“Right away I knew I was going to do it,” Dave said.

Dave Kunst had found his way out.

“I was doing this for myself mainly,” he would tell the Minneapolis Tribune in 1974. “I was tired of Waseca, tired of my job, tired of a lot of little people who didn’t want to think, and tired of my wife. The walk was a perfect way to change all that: I just walked out of town.”

Dave immediately reached out to his youngest brother, John, 23, who was finishing up his degree at the University of Minnesota.

We might not be back home for a couple years, Dave told him. It might be dangerous.

John was scheduled to graduate on June 15. He said he could leave on June 20.

When Dave Kunst told his wife about his plan—about leaving her and their three kids for what could be three years, about quitting his job—Jan simply said “I always knew you’d do something crazy like this someday.”

She was hurt. Shocked. Angry. But not, she said, really surprised.

So Jan took on the role of trip planner. Sent

out letters asking for donations and pledges. Started looking for a job so she could support the family with Dave gone.

Later, when Dave would mail home the notes from his daily diary, she dutifully typed them up for what would become “The Man Who Walked Around The World.”

Dave, over the next few months, spent much of his free time in the library, researching routes and reading about the customs and climate and road conditions of the dozen or so countries he expected to walk through.

“John and I had never been anywhere,” Kunst said. “We were very naive. We spread a world map on the living room floor and tried to do a circle as much as possible.”

Dave and John met with former vice president (and soon-to-be senator from Minnesota) Hubert Humphrey, who helped them secure visas and gave them contacts in foreign countries and a letter of recommendation. The Waseca mayor gave them a special scroll to be signed and stamped by the local officials of each town.

In May of 1970, Dave and John Kunst publicly announced that they would be embarking on a 14,000-mile, three-and-a half-year walk around the world to raise

money for UNICEF (the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund).

John came up with the UNICEF idea. He knew it was recognizable worldwide. He knew it gave them some credibility.

Dave took a test hike—of five miles—to see if he was ready. He decided he was.

Then Dave Kunst quit his jobs and cashed out his $4,000 in retirement savings. He gave $3,000 to Jan. He hoped the other $1,000 would be enough to last him three years.

Just before they left, a financial supporter—a woman from Minneapolis—suggested the brothers take a mule along to carry their supplies, and to make them stand out from all of the other hitchhikers.

They agreed.

The Waseca Chamber of Commerce bought the brothers a 370-pound mule from a local farmer. They held a naming contest. The winning entry was Willie Makeit.

STEP ONE: JUNE 20, 1970.

On 4:30 on Saturday afternoon, June 20, 1970, after a news conference and a cheer from the large gathering in front of downtown’s State Theater (The marquee read: “Site for the start of the world walk”), Dave and John Kunst walked east out of Waseca.

The high school band played “King of the Road.”

The brothers were carrying $1,500 in cash and that letter from Hubert Humphrey. Willie Makeit was carrying tents and clothes and food and supplies.

“They walked out of town to much fanfare, and in the rain,” according to the Post Bulletin.

On day one, the brothers walked 16 miles, and, exhausted, set up tents in a town park in Owatonna. On night three, they walked into Rochester, and spent the night at the home of friends Jess and June Little. In Winona, they found a local farrier to put shoes on Willie. The women from a local beauty salon gave the mule a “beauty treatment.”

In Madison, Wis., Willie grazed on the capitol building grass.

And so it went, step by step, day by day.

Brothers Pete (left) and Dave Kunst pause in the Khyber Pass in Pakistan in 1973. Pete temporarily took the spot of brother John, who had been killed in Afghanistan.

“TWO KUNST BROTHERS STARTED THE WALK. AND TWO KUNST BROTHERS WILL FINISH IT.”

—Pete Kunst

In Illinois, they didn’t have to cook a single meal—they got regular invites to restaurants and family dinner tables. In Ohio, a local police station let the brothers spend the night in empty jail cells.

They appeared on the “Mike Douglas” show in Philadelphia, walked over the George Washington Bridge and right down Broadway in New York City. A NYC hotel offered a free night for the brothers and Willie (although he stayed in the courtyard).

It was Oct. 8, 1970. The brothers had walked 1,500 miles in 108 days. They had spent $100.

“DON’T

GIVE UP.”

During a nearly two-month delay as they tried to secure passage on a freighter ride to Europe, the brothers rented a truck and drove back to Waseca (and dropped Willie Makeit off to a local farmer). They finally flew from New York to Portugal, mainland Europe’s westernmost country, on Dec. 3, 1970.

In Portugal, the Tourist Bureau presented the brothers with an Army mule. They named it Willie Makeit II.

The brothers were walking 20 miles a day. In most every town and village, they were offered meals and places to stay and, often, a stable for Willie Makeit II.

“That scroll we carried turned out to be one of the smartest things we did,” Dave told the Post Bulletin in 1974. “It made each mayor feel important. In each town, we’d find the mayor to sign and stamp it. They would take us our to dinner, maybe buy us drinks, find places to stay for us and Willie.”

The brothers spent two weeks in Madrid. In Monaco, they made contact with Princess Grace, a big UNICEF supporter. She agreed to meet in the royal courtyard of the Monaco Palace.

As the princess—“she was beautiful, and acted just like a real princess,” said Dave— walked down a spiral staircase to greet the brothers, she stopped halfway.

“I’ve seen lots of people before, but never have met two guys with a mule,” she said. “Will she kick?”

The brothers presented Princess Grace with one of Willie Makeit’s horseshoes.

In a restaurant in Italy, they met Thor Heyerdahl, the legendary Norwegian adventurer. “The world needs people like you,” Heyerdahl told them. “Don’t give up.”

The restaurant owner insisted they bring Willie Makeit II into the restaurant to eat, and they did. “Everyone was cheering and singing,” Dave said. “That was one of those special times where John and I couldn’t believe what was hapening.”

In Yugoslavia, a farmer gave them a dog, which they named Drifter. In Communist Bulgaria, they found themselves mostly ignored, and camped out in high winds and sub-freezing temps.

After they crossed the border into Turkey, Dave and John spent three weeks at the American Embassy at Istanbul. There, the Turkey tourist bureau bought the brothers a 200-year-old wooden wagon (4-feet wide, 6-feet long).

In Turkey, Drifter was attacked and killed by three Turkish sheep dogs. An American family living in Turkey, having heard the story, gave them another dog, Drifter II.

By February of 1972, the snow drifts were six-feet high in the eastern mountains of Turkey. The brothers spent 70 days living in an empty American Embassy apartment until the mountain roads became passable.

Finally, in May, they entered Iran. Things, though, were getting more dangerous. The American Embassy warned the brothers to avoid the small villages there. The brothers walked quickly through the country.

They reached the Afghanistan border in September of 1972. They had walked nearly 8,000 miles. They had been traveling for two years and three months. They were halfway around the world.

“YOU ARE IN DANGER.”

As they crossed the border, they were handed a note from the American Embassy.

“Make no mistake,” it read. “You are in danger in this country. The people in this country will kill you for your possessions.”

Two Afghani soldiers were assigned to accompany the brothers, and they escorted them for two straight weeks. When they reached Kabul, the escorts, believing the brothers had passed the country’s most dangerous stretch, left.

Then came that October night of 1972, and those shots in the darkness.

Then John was dead. Then Dave was lying on the road, bleeding out.

Just before dawn, a passing Land Rover stopped alongside Dave.

He didn’t know if the people inside were friendly or not, and he didn’t care. The Land Rover was filled with Afghani soldiers. They loaded Dave into the vehicle. They drove him to the hospital in Kabul.

Dave spent the next few months recovering.

John’s body was flown home. His funeral was held on October 29, 1972. Hubert Humphrey attended. Dave was still in a Kabul hospital.

In December, Dave was flown by military transport back to the U.S., back to Waseca.

He planned to return to Afghanistan to finish the walk as soon as he could. He was waiting for clearance from a lung specialist at Rochester’s Mayo Clinic.

Then, Dave called brother Pete, 28, a former marine who lived in California. Pete and his wife Nancy had four kids.

“Two Kunst brothers started the walk,” Pete told Dave. “And two Kunst brothers will finish it.”

THE RETURN TO AFGHANISTAN.

On March 26, 1973, Dave and Pete Kunst—surrounded by onlookers and reporters from around the world—stood on the same spot when their brother John had been killed just six months earlier.

The brothers—along with Willie Makeit II, who had been staying at a farm in Kabul since the shooting—headed east.

They were accompanied by eight Afghan policemen on two motorcycles and in two jeeps. The Afghanis stayed with them all the way to the Pakistan border.

In Pakistan, Dave and Pete walked over the treacherous Kyhber Pass. Spent a few weeks in Islamabad trying to get permission to walk through China. They were denied. The Soviet Union denied the brothers as well.

India, though, granted their visa requests.

Jenni Samuel, hearing the news, showed up with her car. They attached the cart to the vehicle. Jenni drove 3 mph as Dave walked.

Dave made it to Sydney in early July, stayed there for a few weeks. Flew to Los Angeles.

“AN EGO AS BIG AS THEY COME”

Dave’s family—including his parents, wife Jan and their three kids—met him at LAX. He took Jan to a bar, told her he would be leaving her when he got back to Waseca.

ignorant people in my life”).

In the book Kunst would publish in 1979, he republished Wolfe’s entire interview.

“I love it,” Kunst wrote. “Finally, someone’s written down what I think about things.”

Back in Waseca, just two weeks before Dave’s scheduled return, the story caused local businesses to pull Dave’s sponsorships. The Waseca Chamber of Commerce, which had planned a large welcoming event for Dave’s return, now voted to “honor the completion of the walk, but not Dave Kunst’s ideals.”

They headed east once again. Visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar, spent weeks in New Delhi, walked through the crowded streets into Calcutta. From there, they would fly to Asutralia.

Dave said a sad goodbye to Drifter II and Willie Makeit II, who were left with a local stable. Dave and that mule had traveled 8,000 miles together since Portugal.

“We loved that big mule,” Dave said.

The brothers flew to Perth, in western Australia. There, while waiting for the delivery of a replacement mule, Dave met an Australian schoolteacher, Jenni Samuel.

There, Dave said, he fell in love. The brothers stayed in Perth for a month.

They picked up a new mule (named Will Willie Makeit II), and walked across Australia in the 120-degree days (and 40 degree nights) of the Australian summer.

In March of 1974, halfway across Australia, Pete was having leg and foot problems that caused him to fly back to California. A month or so later, the mule died from colic.

And, Dave Kunst took off walking.

His new mule—named Willie Will Makeit II—had been retired from Knotts Berry Farm and donated by Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce. The mule lasted two days. It refused to move out of an intersection, and kicked out the headlight of a police car that had stopped to help.

Dave walked on, through California’s Mojave Desert, into Las Vegas, through the Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado (local officials paused tunnel traffic just for Kunst).

In Nebraska, Dave Kunst gave a newspaper interview that changed everything.

On Sept. 22, 1974, Warren Wolfe, who had walked with Dave for two days while interviewing him, published a profile of Kunst.

During that interview, Dave Kunst—after admitting that “I’ve got an ego as big as they come”—bragged about the women he had slept with along the trip, took his jabs at Waseca (“Some awfully small people live there”), dismissed his wife, called out many of the foreigners he met (“I’ve never seen so many

“I never thought he would make a public issue out of our marriage,” wife Jan told a reporter. “Everybody is up in arms in Waseca ... I just can’t understand why he ruined everything so close to the end of it.”

THE FINAL STEP: OCT. 5, 1974.

On Oct. 5, 1974, Dave Kunst stepped back onto Waseca’s State Street heading the same direction—west to east—he had walked out in 1970.

He had spent 4 years, 3 months, and 16 days walking 14,452 miles through 13 countries and across four continents. He had taken an estimated 20 million steps and worn through 21 pairs of shoes (his favorite: A Red Wing 100 work shoe).

He had lost his kid brother.

But he had completed something no one believed he could.

He walked that last mile surrounded by dozens of reporters and TV crews, and a crowd of people, and brother Pete, and a mule (they had brought the original Willie Makeit back for the ceremony).

And Dave Kunst, with a thousand or so people crowding Waseca’s State Street, placed—stomped, really—his foot on the very spot he had stepped off from on that rainy day on June 20, 1970.

Dave waves his hat in front of the crowd on State Street in Waseca after competing his around the world walk on October 5, 1974.

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Fall FAVORITE LOOKS FOR

PHOTOS BY OLIVE JUICE STUDIOs

SHOT ON LOCATION AT MAYOWOOD STONE BARN

FOR FALL FOUR Faves Top fashion trends from local shops

by By Abby smith

CROCHET AND CARDIGANS

Not your grandma’s sweater—or is it? Straight out of the 70s, crocheted “granny square” vests, sling bags, and long cardigans (peep the one Ann is wearing from On Track) are everywhere. Patchwork jackets and quilted puffer bags continue to defy one season. All these stitchedtogether textural pieces make for a colorfully eclectic and cheerfully bohemian vibe. A retro trend revived.

Shop: The Nordic Shop, On Track, Bungalow Boutique, Ama La Vita

LEG ROOM

Sorry to all the skinny jean-loving millennials out there, but the wide leg denim trend is here to stay. Especially in darker washes and different waistlines, as seen on Ginger of Ama La Vita. From baggy boyfriend to high-rise sailor to barrel jeans (new trend alert!), this sizable style serves up comfort and chicness simultaneously.

Shop: Bungalow Boutique SCHEELS, Ama La Vita, On Track, Poppi Italian Leather, Style by Hanny’s

DOUBLE TROUBLE

The top-and-pant sets of summer are back in demand. “Matching sets are still huge,” says Ama La Vita owner Ginger Knapp. “They just fly out the door, I can’t keep them stocked.” Returning for fall in thicker fabrics and textures, these dynamic duos help simplify your outfit decision-making process while offering the ultimate mixand-match potential. Pro tip: pack multiple sets on your next getaway to make vacation styling a breeze.

Shop: Bungalow Boutique, Ama La Vita, Poppi Italian Leather

BROWN IS THE NEW BLACK

From chocolate brown and animal print at Bungalow to cinnamon and rust at Hanny’s and corduroy at Real Deals, earth tones are the grounding force this season. These hues on reimagined leather suede trench from Style by Hanny’s seen on Sai give a rugged but refined approach to outerwear. Shades of brown leather bags are popping up at Poppi Italian Leather and SCHEELS. Go against the grain by mixing brown and black (gasp!) via tweed or cheetah.

Shop: Hanny’s St. Croix, Style by Hanny’s, The Nordic Shop, Real Deals, Bungalow Boutique, SCHEELS, Poppi Italian Leather

Real Deals

Model: Ashely Olive jumper, $56.99

Black wash shirt, $29.99

Boots, $74.99

TREND: REIMAGINED

You may recall seeing cover girl and Real Deals owner Ashley Moberg in bright pink jeans gracing our May 2024 Fashion Issue. Colored denim is everywhere still, Moberg says, but just like the leaves, the colors have changed. Spring’s pastel shades have darkened into vibrant plums and eggplants. For an even bolder take, throw on a contrasting-colored shoe or tone it down with a clean white sneaker.

BACKROOM SCOOP

For those already looking forward to the holiday season, you’ll be delighted to know that Christmas is coming early to Real Deals this month. “Everything turns into a winter wonderland, it’s so fun,” says Moberg. For now, embrace pumpkin patch and PSL season by trying out the overall trend. “[We’re seeing] tons and tons of overalls of all kinds of styles and fabrics—comfy, dressy, corduroy, denim—you name it,” Moberg says. “Another trend on our overall jumpsuits and dresses is the reverse strap— gotta look as good comin’ as you do goin.’”

The Nordic Shop

Model: Louise

Dale of Norway women’s Peace sweater, $325

Colors: Red, Navy, Ice Blue, Goldenrod, Purple and Peacock

Design detail: The intricate design of the Peace sweater was created for the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics. Aptly named, it symbolizes the Olympic concept of Peace.

Model: Walter

Dale of Norway Vail unisex sweater, $350

Colors: Navy, White, Smoke and Mountain Stone

Design detail: The Vail sweater pattern was originally made for the Norwegian Ski Team for the 1968 Alpine World Cup Championships in Vail, Colorado in Red, White and Blue.

TREND: REIMAGINED

While many stores are carrying earth tones for fall, it doesn’t get more earthy than the natural color of wool in its pure state. The Nordic Shop is carrying a curated capsule collection from Dale of Norway that showcases their sheep’s natural colors—creamy tan and ivory with hues of soft brown and gray. Not only are the colors natural, but the sweater itself contains no additives or dyes, making it ecofriendly and healthier to wear. Win-win.

BACKROOM SCOOP

Owners Louise and Walter Hansen have been keeping Rochester cozy for 50 years.

In true European fashion, Dale of Norway (one of their biggest vendors) continues to bring fresh new colors and designs to the shop, including an ongoing collaboration with Norwegian influencer Ingrid Hennig. With bright, bold patterns and a retro feel, the last Ingrid sweater sold out in an hour. Stay tuned for the big reveal of their Fall edition.

Bungalow Boutique

Model: Megan

BLANK crop tee in Birch, $18

Just USA denim jacket, $78

Wishlist floral midi skirt, $54

Ccocci suede boots, $82

Herringbone chain hat, $32

Meadow & Mae Isa earrings, $30

THEIR FAVORITE FALL TREND?

“Barrel jeans—I just love the way they’re sewn. The brand we carry, we call them ‘half barrel jeans’ because they’re not as dramatic, but they’re still flattering. They come in a size 0 to a 3X, so they’re fun for everybody. If a line we carry doesn’t offer plus size, we try to find something similar that comes in extended sizing.”

– Becca Haugen, store owner.

BACKROOM SCOOP

Becca Haugen opened Bungalow Boutique on Main Street of Stewartville in May of this year. She says the biggest reward so far has been meeting people, hanging out with them all day and hearing their stories and working with local makers. “It’s been so fun,” says Haugen. Bonus: Bring your kiddo to shop with you—Bungalow carries on-trend children’s clothing, accessories and books by local authors and illustrators.

Ama La Vita

Model: Ginger

Habitual Drawstring wide leg jean, $118

Free People Frankie cable sweater, $98

S ol and Selene Sky’s the Limit bag, $180

L ittle Words bracelets, $25-$40 ALCO Apple watchband, $80

Model: Kennis

Amber Plaid long flannel, $85 Charlie Tank in light brown, $43 Mavi Anika cropped flare jeans, $128

Romee woven saddle bag, $60

THEIR FAVORITE FALL TREND?

Make new friends but keep the old... Ama La Vita’s already popular “charm bar” allows shoppers to build their own charm necklace, mix and match chains and charms and stay on trend with gold layering necklaces. Coming soon is a silver charm bar to meet the style needs of the other half.

BACKROOM SCOOP

Exciting things are happening for the Ama La Vita family: The store hosted a soft launch of their second location in the Peace Plaza on August 8 during a bustling Thursdays on First. Get ready for their Grand Opening happening this fall.

SCHEELS

Model: Miranda

Women’s DV by Dolce Vita Rielle

Chelsea boots in Truffle, $70 Women’s 7 Diamonds

Generation shacket in tan, $148 Women’s 7 Diamonds Core ribbed full-length tank top in Deep Teal, $39

Women’s Flying Monkey Satisfactory slim fit wide leg jeans, $74.99

THEIR FAVORITE FALL TREND?

Marketing and Events Coordinator Mariah Palmby’s personal favorites are the western trends taking storm, specifically the barrel jeans and overalls from Free People. Fashion Assistant Store Leader Michaela Moser adores the trend of styling lace long sleeves under graphic-tees, overalls or over a tank top.

BACKROOM SCOOP

Join SCHEELS for their annual Ladies Night, taking place on Sunday, Nov. 10. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 4th and proceeds benefit the Jeremiah Program and Girls on the Run. Visit the Rochester SCHEELS Facebook page for more details.

for 2024 Fall Trends

Written by Jennifer Koski

Fall fashion is in the air—and in the aisles at SCHEELS.

What’s hot this season? Here’s the inside scoop straight from Michaela Moser, SCHEELS’ Assistant Store Leader:

Patterns, textures and layers. Fall 2024 is the season to play with a variety of fabrics and textiles—alone and together. From intricate lace to cozy cable knit, now is the time to mix and match. “We’re seeing a lot of crochet, a lot of texture in sweaters, and a lot of layers,” says Moser. One Scheels’ favorite this season? The Lady Lux layering top from Free People. Boot cut denim. You read that right: Boot cut denim is back and it’s hotter than ever. How hot? “It’s our No. 1 selling fit,” says Moser. “We’ve got it back in every brand.”

But not just boot cut. As denim reigns supreme this season, other fun fits are making their marks, too. “Barrel jeans [pictured above] are a very fun, different fit that you’re not used

to seeing,” says Moser. “But they’re selling fast—we’re not able to keep them in stock.” Some of Scheels’ top barrel jeans come from popular brands Free People and Mica.

Overalls. Fitted? Oversized? In jumpers? Yes, yes and yes. “We’re seeing overalls all over the place,” says Moser. “And how they’re worn ties back into those layers. I’m seeing lace, crochet tops and graphic Ts worn under them, and sweaters worn over them.”

Mixed metals. A gold ring with a silver bracelet? Silver earrings with a gold necklace? That’s no faux pas this fall—it’s a go for it. “There’s no limits this season when it comes to mixing metals,” says Moser. “We’ve even got bracelet sets that come in both silver and gold.”

Western wear. From cowboy- and Aztec-themed graphic Ts to leather belts, the out-West theme is in (and in Rochester) this fall. So much so, says Moser, that, Wrangler has become one of Scheels most popular brands.

The SCHEELS Difference “Our goal is to be the best retailer in the eyes and minds of our customers, associates and business partners,” says Moser. “And that’s not just me saying that — that’s our business model.”

A big part of that shopping experience — in any season — is being happy with how you look.

“I want you to leave feeling so excited about the outfit you bought that you wear it out of the store,” says Moser.

Featured Models Michaela Moser and Bryan Cook

Hanny’s

STYLE BY HANNY’S

Model: Sai

Handcrafted Remy leather suede trench coat in Diego/Rustic, $1,495

NIC+ZOE Harvest Dot Top, $158

NIC+ZOE Weekend wide leg

trouser denim in Skyline, $158

L ongchamp Cabas Replay large colorblock tote, $385

H ANNY’S ST. CROIX

Model: Larish

Remy Handcrafted suede bomber jacket in Bourbon, $1,395

St. Croix Chunky Cable Merino wool sweater in Pesto Marl, $925

St. Croix plaid brushed cotton shirt in Sage, $278

Meyer denim, sustainably crafted in a non-fade blue, $245

TREND: REIMAGINED

Style by Hanny’s is also keeping up with the wide leg denim trend, but with a flair—their trousers feature subtle distressing, a raw edge and shorter length, all while maintaining that classy look. At Hanny’s St. Croix, classic plaids are evergreen, but retro notes on awning shirts and chunky cable knit sweaters give an on-trend twist.

BACKROOM SCOOP

Don’t sleep on their fall accessories. According to Hanny’s Jessica Murphy, colorblock bags are all the rage with their bold pops of trim and subtle neutral hues. Learn a new fashion term: Shoe-boots or “shoeties” are a store staple.

Poppi Italian Leather

Model: Lexie

Palazzo Trousers from the Club Voltaire Collection

Classic Vest from the Club Voltaire Collection

Pearl embellished Blouse by Club Voltaire

It alian Leather Handbag by Ripani

THEIR FAVORITE FALL TREND?

“I can’t pick a favorite, I love everything!”

– Rebecca Calhoun, store owner.

BACKROOM SCOOP

Luxury is ever emerging at Poppi Italian Leather. “We are seeing interesting layering pieces in luxurious fabrics and sleek silhouettes that are timeless and versatile for fall,” says store owner Rebecca Calhoun. Don yourself in patterned sheer tights under skirts or party dresses, vests and layers of pearls. And don’t fear a pleat!

On Track Boutique

Model: Anne Crochet coat, $179

Embroidered denim pants, $114 Ribbed tank, $59

Boots, $69.99

HydroBag in gold, $69 Gold pendant, $87

THEIR FAVORITE FALL TREND?

“My favorite trend is the wide leg pant! Their loose-fitting leg is forgiving and very comfortable to wear. They are a flattering, fashion-forward choice. Everyone needs to try them on!”

– Brenda Dahlstrom, store owner.

BACKROOM SCOOP

“We carry the HydroBag exclusively in the Rochester area at On Track Boutique and Hers. It has been a trend since winter of 2022 and is still going strong. The sling bag is still popular because it keeps your hands free and comes in beautiful fall colors. It’s stylish and functional with a zip pocket for your phone, credit cards and other essentials. Great for gift giving...it even holds a bottle of wine!”

– Brenda Dahlstrom, store owner.

Pete Erickson Welcome,

Market President

Proud to be a community bank. Local people. Local decisions. Our staff are proud members of Rochester and the surrounding communities. At MBT Bank, we believe in partnering with our customers and communities to help them reach their financial goals.

4408 W Frontage Rd NW | Rochester, MN www.mbtbank.bank | Member FDIC

Special thanks to Mayowood Stone Barn (see page 8) for allowing us to shoot on location. (And for our behind-the-scenes crew, like photographer Scott Schoeberl, on the ground.)

Ama La Vita

Hillcrest Shopping Center

1624 Hwy 52 N 507-281-1401

Downtown Peace Plaza 104 1st Ave SW 507-735-2029

Bungalow Boutique

102 N Main St, Stewartville shopbungalowboutique.com

Hanny’s St. Croix

Kahler Hotel Subway 20 Second Ave. SW 507-289-4077 hannys.com

The Nordic Shop

Galleria at University Square (skyway level)

111 S. Broadway 507-285-9143 thenordicshop.net

On Track Boutique

200 N. Broadway 507-281-6877 ontrackboutique.com

Poppi Italian Leather

Galleria at University Square (street level)

111 S. Broadway 507-282-3088 poppiitalianleather.com

Real Deals

2050 Jordyn Rd. SW 507-322-6777 realdeals.net/rochester

Scheels

Apache Mall 1220 12th St. SW 507-281-2444 scheels.com

Style by Hanny’s

Kahler Hotel Subway 20 Second Ave. SW 507-287-0028 hannys.com

shopamalavita.com

Roll with it

RAINBOW ROLL. STUPID CUPID. ROCHESTER ROLL.

GODZILLA. SNOW MOUNTAIN ROLL. FIRECRACKER ROLL.

6 OF THE CITY’S BEST sushi spots

JUST 6 OF THE REASONS THESE ROCHESTER RESTAURANTS MADE YOUR LIST OF THE CITY’S BEST SUSHI SPOTS.

by Jennifer Koski | Photos by Ken Klotzbach

CRAVE

American Kitchen & Sushi Bar

Ootori Sushi

A meal with a view. CRAVE’s top-floor location offers fabulous views of downtown Rochester. We’re partial to the Godzilla roll. And here’s why: It includes spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, cream cheese, avocado, cucumber, seaweed salad, crunchy flakes, and a sweet sauce.

If your date doesn’t like sushi: You could leave ‘em at home. (We kid, we kid!) CRAVE offers an extensive menu that includes steak, seafood, burgers, chicken, pasta, poke bowls and more.

Also, this Yelp review: “My favorite is the Vegan Sunomono Salad. The vegetables are so fresh and the rice vinegar is delicious. My sushi was great! … I had the Godzilla one night and the King Kong roll another night. Both were so good!” — Krista G.

Try it yourself: 220 Broadway Ave. S. Check out the menu: craverochestermn.com

Like it hot? Try the Volcano. If you dare. This crab meat roll also includes “spicy tuna,” “spicy eel sauce” and “chili oil” in its ingredient list.

Not actually into sushi? Ootori’s menu includes salads and Japanese-style tapas.

If we had to pick favorites: We’d go with the Desert Storm (spicy tuna, avocado, cream cheese, crunchy carrot, spicy mayo, and sweet sauce) or the Stupid Cupid (fresh shrimp, avocado, cream cheese, crunchy carrot and sweet sauce).

Also, this Yelp review: “Ootori is amazing! I love their spicy salmon roll. … The flavor, texture, composition is among the best sushi I’ve ever eaten, and I’ve been to Japan.”

— Joseph M.

Try it yourself: 2665 Commerce Dr. NW, Ste 100 Check out the menu: ootorisushi.com

Ichi Tokyo

Wabi Sabi

Vivé la variety. Sushi is just part of Ichi Tokyo’s full menu, which also includes teriyaki and hibachi, entrees, fried rice, and more.

Fun fact: Ichi means “number one” in Japanese.

Crowd favorites. For us, it’s a toss-up between the Snow Mountain Roll (smoked salmon, avocado, cream cheese, snow crab and lobster sauce) or the Naruto Roll (spicy tuna crunch, caviar and avocado rolled in sliced cucumber).

Also, this Yelp review: “Lunch buffet … is well worth the price. The sushi was incredible as were the gyoza, seaweed salad, teriyaki, and spring rolls. All this is included! Some of the best sushi and Asian food I have ever had!” — Michael B.

Try it yourself: 3449 22 nd Ave. NW (Ichi Tokyo North) and 102 20 th St. SE #300 (Ichi Tokyo South) Check out the menu: ichitokyomn.com

Don’t miss the starters. Order a miso, egg drop, or spicy hot and sour soup with your meal. All three options get raves from customers.

Sushi for every taste. From the California Roll to the Spicy Tuna Roll, and the Salmon Roll to the veggie-friendly avocado and cucumber roll, there’s something for everyone in your lunch group.

In a rush? Wabi Sabi’s express location—in the First Avenue Food Court—offers take out sushi and ramen noodle bowls. (And bubble tea!)

Also, this Yelp review: “As soon as I stepped in the door I knew this was the kind of place that was going to have authentic Asian food. I ordered several items … and everything was 5 stars. Loved the hospitality.” — Maribel T.

Try it yourself: 1505 12th St. SE and 100 1st Ave. SW (First Avenue Food Court) Check out the menu: wabisabirochester.com

Kumo Sushi Zen Fusion

Go with an empty stomach. Check out the restaurant’s all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner options. Not in the mood for sushi? Kumo Sushi’s miso, calamari, and ramen also get rave reviews.

Even in July: Try the Christmas Tree roll (shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, avocado, wrapped with green soybean paper). And we’re fans of the Rainbow roll with cucumber, avocado and crab meat topped with escolar tuna and avocado.

Crowd favorites. Try the Christmas Tree roll (shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, avocado, wrapped with green soybean paper). We’re fans of the Rainbow roll (cucumber, avocado, and crab meat topped with escolar tuna and avocado).

Also, this Yelp review: “Great place for some [all-youcan-eat] sushi. … We enjoyed trying all the different bites of the menu, including the hand rolls, sushi, deep fried goodies, and soups. This is a value meal for the price.” — Kenny N.

Try it yourself: 460 Crossroads Dr. Check out the menu: kumosushirochester.com

Dinner and a show. In addition to sushi, the restaurant offers hibachi—with hibachi chefs adding an entertaining flair to your meal.

We may be biased. But we’re drawn to the Rochester Roll (fried jalapeno stuffed with spicy tuna and cream cheese, with eel, avocado, spicy mayo and eel sauce on the outside).

Taking “dog friendly” to a new level. Zen Fusion’s dog-friendly patio includes a menu especially for your four-legged friends. So go ahead and order Fido “The Scrappy” (fresh loin scrap cuts sauteed with white rice) or a “Frosty Paw Dessert” (doggy protein ice cream bar).

Also, this Yelp review: “Great food, best hibachi in town. Also the all you can eat snow crab is great! Sushi is off the charts as well. … Favorite place to go in Rochester.” — Joshua Z.

Try it yourself: 2043 Superior Dr. NW Check out the menu: zenfusionmn.com

by Megan Malugani

Active Living, ACTIVE LIFE

PART I

CHESS. TAI CHI. HIKING. Two retired Rochesterites talk tips for staying active.

Photo by Maya Giron

Chess. Camping. Chemical magic shows.

How “Dr. Boom” (well, Chuck Handlon) focuses on the mental, the spiritual, and the physical

Chuck Wheeler Handlon, AKA “Dr. Boom,” is that energetic, fun-loving and ever-punny science teacher who always kept you alert in high school.

You know the type–they conduct scientific demonstrations with flair and say things like “old chemistry teachers don’t die, they just stop reacting.”

There’s no doubt that at 72, Handlon’s energy is still nuclear-grade. Eight years after he retired from teaching chemistry at Century High School, he brims with vitality and humor. He coaches high school chess, performs chemical magic shows, instructs STEM classes, substitute teaches, and prioritizes staying active and fit.

A Michigan native, Handlon moved to Minnesota in the mid-80s and to Rochester in the ‘90s after he took a job teaching in the Rochester Public Schools. His wife Nancy, who is a United Methodist minister, was later hired to serve Christ United Methodist Church.

How was your motivation to stay active in adulthood shaped by your childhood?

When I was five, we moved to a community way north of Detroit. In our neighborhood you could knock on the door at one or two houses and get together enough kids for a football or basketball game… There weren’t many organized sports, but we were always having adventures. We’d get on our bicycles and be gone all day. When we’d tell our dad where we went, he’d say “you rode 20 miles to get there!” Growing up, the

worst punishment for us was to be grounded and have to stay inside.

You and Nancy raised two sons in Rochester. How did you stay active with them?

Where we live is about 10 minutes from the Douglas Trail. Being a teacher was wonderful because I’d have time to pack a lunch and go biking with them. I also took them camping a lot when they were younger, and Nancy taught the boys how to downhill ski. We stayed active as a family.

What keeps you busy post-retirement?

I’ve coached the Century chess team for 24 years. It keeps my mind active and keeps me connected with the kids. Working with kids keeps me young. I also have a 4-year-old dog, Cally, who is three-quarter lab and onequarter golden. I walk her for over a half hour a couple of times a day. Cally and I also go backpacking together in places like the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan.

And I work out regularly on my exercycle (stationary) bike.

How did you get the nickname “Dr. Boom”?

It’s more than a nickname. It’s the moniker I use for my side hustle doing chemical magic shows and teaching STEM classes. I came up with the name myself. You might see me around town with the DR BOOM license plate on my car. I tell kids “if you hit me you might blow up.”

Tell me about your workouts and how you feel after.

I have used an exercycle bike for 40 years and am a strong proponent of interval training. I do sets of intense cycling and arm movement for five minutes, then stop to catch my breath for one minute, then repeat. I do it for 35 minutes every other day. To me it’s had great benefits to push my heart rate as high as I can. Your heart is a muscle that needs to be worked out…. The term “leave it all out on the field” applies. I am so drained at that moment when I’m done. I’ve always enjoyed the feeling of pushing myself physically.

How do you keep your mind active?

I love puzzles and playing chess myself on my computer. I use a daily calendar that has some kind of puzzle. I love mathematical puzzles. Having interesting things to solve helps your brain. I’m less of a reader and more of a problem-solver.

Your approach to keeping both the body and mind healthy is inspiring. I want to add to the mind-body idea—for me it’s also spirituality. In the morning, I do readings from the Bible and other inspirational books and also meditate. I do attend worship services and also consider being in nature to be very spiritual. When I’m walking Cally in the wetlands and we see an owl, it is very spiritual being a part of creation.

I

love the quote in your email signature line

“I

don’t know, but I’ve been told, you never stop moving, you never grow old,” by Tom Petty from “Last Dance With Mary Jane.” Are those words you live by?

I like that quote but I change them up regularly. I used that one because we were going to talk about this topic!

by Maya Giron

Photo

Pool aerobics. Tai chi. Memoir writing.

How Linda Hanson has kept her spirit of adventure alive »

Linda Hanson has such a powerful way with words that it’s no surprise when she mentions that she just finished writing a memoir, “Building Bridges.”

Written as a way to connect with her five grandkids “over the years and the miles,” Hanson’s life story is compelling enough to keep even the most apathetic of teens interested.

The daughter of an airline mechanic, Hanson moved between Washington, California, Japan, and Haiti as a child, and then started college in Puerto Rico before moving back to Washington. That’s where she met her husband, Mickey, who worked for Boeing but was originally from North Dakota. Soon the adventurous Linda–who had no prior ties to the Midwest–was married and raising kids on a farm in rural Edmore, North Dakota.

After her husband died three days before their 30th anniversary, Linda moved to the Rochester area to be closer to her daughter. She finished college with an education degree at age 55 and worked as a behavioral therapist at the Rochester Center for Autism for 11 years.

Now 75, Linda stays active in diverse, fun and interesting ways.

What do you remember about being active in your childhood?

I wanted to have a horse, but what I really wanted was to BE a horse. I couldn’t do either, but I sure pretended. I bucked kids off my back in the grass and went around shaking and whinnying… I would’ve loved to be on a junior high track team because I could outrun all the boys, but they didn’t have anything like that for girls. My mom kept trying to get me to act like a lady and not a horse.

How were you active during your North Dakota era?

When I got to the age that I stopped pretending to be a horse I became overweight. I battled my weight for most of my adult life… I was always very active, though. I would still take walks on a regular basis, and I ran the combine and tractor. We had a huge garden.

How and why did you ramp up your efforts in healthy living in recent years?

Ten years ago, I changed doctors. My previous doctor had said I was pre-diabetic, and the new doctor said, ‘No, you’re diabetic.’ I was put on a controlled carbohydrate diet that worked. I lost 40 pounds

Photo by Joe Ahlquist

My advice to other people is to start easy so you don’t get discouraged or get hurt right away.

»The Kahler Grand Hotel

Tuesday, November 26

5-6 p.m. – Underwriter Preview Party & Tree Selection

6-7 p.m. – General Check-In & Cocktail Hour

7 p.m. – Dinner Service & Program

Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating Hiawatha Homes and the holiday season: Tree Viewing Fund-A-Dream Live Auction Raffles Silent Auction Entertainment

$125 per person

Includes seated dinner and wine Ticket sales close Nov 7 www.hiawathahomes.org/gala

Semi-Formal Attire Required (Tuxes and gowns are welcome, as are suits and cocktail dresses)

Proceeds from the Festival of Trees help Hiawatha Homes further its’ mission to provide quality support services to people with disabilities at home and in the community.

without counting calories or intentionally trying to lose weight. Since then, I’ve mostly maintained my weight loss and have never needed medication, so my doctors are happy. ... Also, even before my diet changes I had always tried to be fit and was the only one at the Autism Center who consistently rode my bike to work even though I was the oldest behavioral therapist by far. It was a very active job, getting up and down on the floor and constantly playing with the kids.

What has postretirement been like for you?

I never belonged to a fitness center until I joined 125 LIVE after I retired. I started taking classes like pool aerobics and branching out from there. I discovered that I enjoyed it. I’d go to a class and everyone else would be coming out saying ‘Oh, I’m exhausted.’ I don’t know if I’m that crazy person with different genes, but I would come out feeling energized… When weather permits, I like to ride my bike to and from 125 Live and also belong to a Friday morning bike group.

What do you enjoy about riding your bike?

I liken riding my bike to flying with the eagles. I love that feeling of ‘aaaah, away I go.’ It’s freedom… I need to sit straight on a comfortable seat, so I’ve got a classic

cruiser. My bike’s name is Mabel. It was love at first bicycle when I got her.

Your photo for this article shows you doing tai chi. Tell me about that.

The photo shows me with my wooden sword by the river. I practice tai chi every morning solo form and sword form. I got interested during an 8-week community ed class. Watching the more experienced group going through these beautiful, synchronized moves together in silence looked like a beautiful dance that I wanted to be able to do… That was between 15 and 20 years ago. I no longer go to the classes, but I go through the forms myself every morning in my living room. It’s very relaxing and has really improved my balance. It feels so slow and gentle and looks easy but it’s not. When you’re done you know you’ve had a workout.

What is your overall approach to healthy living and what advice can you offer?

I’m not without health issues. I have rheumatoid arthritis, regular arthritis, sciatica and curvature of the spine. But I just try to be as healthy as I can with the body I’ve got… My advice to other people is to start easy so you don’t get discouraged or get hurt right away. Just be consistent and make yourself exercise regularly. Pretty soon you’ll become addicted to it!

From the experts:

Find people that share a similar mindset

“My advice is to start any wellness journey by recognizing that this is about a positive relationship with your body and mind and creating a new relationship with people that share a similar mindset. It is also about effort and smart choices that will help you greatly increase your chances to lead a healthier, happier and longer life.”

—Sylwia Bujak Oliver, 125 LIVE Executive Director

Embrace

opportunities and adventures

“Transitioning from living at home to moving into a community is a significant life change, and it’s natural to feel both excited and a bit apprehensive. My advice is to approach this move with an open mind and heart. Embrace the opportunity and adventure to build new friendships, engage in activities that bring you joy, and take advantage of the on-site support systems available. This is a positive step toward enhancing your quality of life—you’re not giving up independence, but rather gaining a vibrant community that will enrich your daily experiences. Take your time to adjust, and know that we’re here to make your transition as smooth and comfortable as possible.”

—Mike Anderson, Executive Director, The Homestead at Rochester

Central Towers 200 1st Ave. NW, 507-285-1118

Fontaine Towers 102 2nd St. SE, 507-288-1128

Northgate Plaza 902 11th Ave. NW, 507-289-2022

Zumbrota Towers 93 E 4th St., 507-732-5151

Applicants

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mn.gov/senior-linkage-line

foranyone 18 ars andolder.Weprovide ious physical,social, and ellectualoppor tunitiesto gageour community ’s nds andbodies. Through ensiveprogramming, ess amenities, gathering aces, and personalhealth ources, 125LIVEprovides por tunitiesforalladults to barkon theirjourneyto ingsuccessfully.”

Accept changes, accept help

“We all age and we all change. Many times, those changes result in some degree of physical limitations that we have never had to deal with before. Accepting that these changes may require some level of help at home is very important. That level of help could start as basic as homemaking assistance. If our needs change, then the level of help and care we can have at home can also change. This allows all of us the ability to remain in the comfort of our own home.”

—Joe Sedelmeyer, Director at Visiting Angels Home Care Director

Focus on finding a community that fits you

“When advising future residents, families, and others in the community about Senior Living Communities, I encourage them to focus on finding a community that fosters both independence and social connections. It’s about enhancing quality of life at every stage. Additionally, choosing a community that offers a full continuum of care, should their needs change, it allows for continuity of care. A full continuum of care community typically consists of independent living, independent living with nursing services, assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing facility for short term rehab and long-term care. This is the care model Benedictine Living Community Rochester-Madonna Towers follows. Having access to various levels of care ensures long-term stability and peace of mind for our residents and their families. Equally vital is selecting a community that nurtures personal well-being, offering opportunities for social connection and engagement, physical activity, spiritual care, and emotional support. Senior living should empower residents to embrace life, maintain independence, and thrive in a compassionate environment that evolves with their needs. I encourage people to tour multiple communities to find the community that feels like home because everyone has different idea of what ‘home’ is. Most importantly, tell their loved ones what their top choices are.”

—Vanessa Sherer, Director of Sales and Marketing, Benedictine Living Community Rochester-Madonna Towers

TheHomestead

TheHomesteadatRochesteroffersasafe, compassionateenvironmenttomeettheongoing needsforyourselforafamilymember—all convenientlylocatedwithinasafe,beautifulcampus minutesfromretail,restaurants,clinicsandchurches. Comeseeforyourself—scheduleatourtoday!

The Walk-Through:

INSIDE A $750K HOME IN COOK, MN

The home: 13.5 Acres, 1,385 feet of shoreline on Lake Vermilion. 2,080 square feet, 4 BED/ 1 BTH

The info: Imagine living the island lifestyle on Lake Vermilion with excellent fishing, swimming, seclusion and privacy. Located in Wakemup (Wake Em Up) Bay where there are miles of pristine shoreline, breathtaking blue water vistas and gorgeous sunset views. The main cabin features glowing floor to ceiling wood,

a massive stone wood burning fireplace, and walls of windows providing abundant natural light. An upstairs catwalk with bedrooms provides ample sleeping space. Outside is a log sauna guest cabin and a sleeping cabin grandfathered at the water’s edge. Unwind during days on the water and relax in the evenings by the firepit. Boat to waterside restaurants, a championship golf course, or to town for shopping! Two adjoining 10 and 22 acre parcels are also available.

Local Professional Expertise

Global Network | Unrivaled Personal Service | Ethics Committee Member

We listen to our clients and make buying or selling a straight-forward, transparent experience. Give us a call or send us an email and let’s get started today!

MARKETPLACE a selection of shops & services

SPECIALTY STORES

Galleria. 111 Broadway S. Shoppers will find a range of unique gift items, home decor, housewares, men’s apparel, games, and fashions for all ages. Clothing stores include: Hers, Poppi, Counterpoint, The Nordic Shop, and others. Gift items and housewares can be found at The Nordic Shop, Counterpoint Home, and Games by James.

Garten Marketplatz. Located six miles SW of Rochester on Olmsted Co. 15, this Civil-War era farm has beautiful display gardens, a great selection of Minnesotagrown perennials and garden art. The vintage brick “Garten Haus” is filled with gifts and home decor that changes with the season. The European-inspired carriage house is ready to host your meeting or special event year-round. 5225 Co. Rd. 15 SW Byron. 507-365-8891. gartenmarketplatz.com

Tyrol Ski & Sports. 1923 Second St SW. Selling quality outdoor gear since 1965. Featuring ski and snowboard equipment, snowshoes, winter clothing and footwear. Online at tyrolskishop.com.

Winter Hours: Mon & Thurs 10-8, Tues, Wed, Friday 10-6; Sat 9:305:30; Sun 11-5. 507-288-1683.

DELI & SANDWICH SHOPS

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches.

The Kahler Inn & Suites, 9 Third Ave. NW; Marketplace Mall, 2986 41st St NW; Crossroads Plaza, 90 14th St SW. Jimmy John’s is unlike any sub shop in the industry; no games or gimmicks, just oldfashioned, homemade sandwiches made from fresh-baked bread, allnatural meats and vegetables that are sliced daily. Downtown hours: 10:30-8; 507-289-9900. NW hours: 10:30-10; 507-424-0100. SW hours: 10:30-10; 507-424-2000. Catering and delivery available. Order online at jimmyjohns.com. V, M, D, and AE accepted.

ENTERTAINMENT

Rochester Civic Theatre. 20 Civic Center Dr SE. Just off Broadway in downtown Rochester, the Civic Theatre delivers a year-round slate of musical, drama, comedy, and young people’s theater productions. For a schedule of events, go to rochestercivictheatre.org, or call the box office at 507-282-8481.

Treasure Island. Just minutes north of Red Wing. Whether you’re looking for great food and drink, big cash drawings, a new car or free weekend entertainment—odds are you’ll find it at The Island. For more information call 800-222-7077. treasureislandcasino.com. The Island is calling! (See ad page 5)

BANKING

Mayo Employees Federal Credit Union.

We are dedicated to helping members achieve their financial goals. 100% financing to qualified borrowers, first-time home buyer programs, fixed rate conventional mortgages, FHA and VA financing, competitive rates and fair fees, up to 100% home equity financing, residential loan program. Apply at mayocreditunion.org. 507-535-1460. (See ad page 71)

Eagle Rock Bank. Formerly ONB Bank. Where community banking means more than a new account; we build relationships! Offering a wide variety of banking products for both your personal and business needs. Two convenient locations with experienced bankers to assist you with your financial journey. Call us today at 507-280-0621! www.eaglerock.bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. (See ad page 18, 79)

WHERE TO WORSHIP

First Presbyterian Church.

512 Third St SW. Sunday Worship: 8:30 a.m. Fellowship, 9-10 a.m. Christian Education, 10:15 a.m. worship. First Presbyterian Church is an inclusive community celebrating God with Energy, Intelligence, Imagination, and Love. Call 507-282-1618 or e-mail office@fpcrochester.org for information. May the Peace of Christ be with you!

Grace Lutheran Church. LCMS 800 East Silver Lake Dr NE. Worship services: Wednesday 6 p.m.; Saturday 6 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. Sunday School and Bible Class 10:30 a.m. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith...” Eph.2:8 NIV. We welcome you by God’s grace, will help you grow with God’s love, and prepare you to do His work. In addition to many mission projects in Rochester, Grace supports Lutheran Hour Ministries and is a member of Rochester Central Lutheran School Association. 507-289-7833, gracebythelake.org. Email: office@gracebythelake.org.

Redeemer Lutheran Church. 869 7th Ave SE. Saturday: Worship 5:30 p.m. Sunday: Worship 8 and 10:40 a.m. Sunday School & Education Hour: 9:20 a.m. Welcome to Redeemer Lutheran Church where you’ll find a small neighborhood church atmosphere of friendship and fellowship. Our members are dedicated to doing the Lord’s work. Our mission and purpose at Redeemer are to glorify God through the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to provide opportunities for spiritual growth. 507-289-5147, redeemer-rochester.com. Email: office@redeemer-rochester.com.

10 (or so) questions with ... Chia-Hsuan Lin, the

new Music Director and conductor of the Rochester Symphony

Rochester Magazine: What is the meaning behind the name “ChiaHsuan” [pronounced “jah-shwen”]?

Chia-Hsuan Lin: So Chia actually means “lovely” in Mandarin. Hsuan is a type of flower that is an orange lily. And my last name, Lin, often refers to woods or forest.

RM: When did you know that music was something you wanted to do with your life?

CL: I was very young. I grew up in Taiwan. I started piano at a very young age, and I was watching a concerto performance on TV. And I told my mom, “I love the piano. I want to play the piano.” And my parents believed in me. So my dad bought a piano. At a very young age, they sent me to piano lessons. Of course, I was a kid. I played for 10 minutes, and I said, “Okay. I’m done now. We can go home.” So as my dad put it, our piano took a nice break. I picked it up probably a year or two later and the rest of my childhood was music and music practice.

RM: And eventually you were majoring in percussion at the National Taiwan Normal University. Then came your accident.

CL: I was riding a scooter, and I was hit by a bus. I broke my left wrist and other things. Because I broke my wrist, I couldn’t play. I just couldn’t. The life without music— without playing music, without being in touch with music—was intolerable, unbearable. I was part of a chamber group, and most of the time they don’t have conductors, so you just conduct each other. I helped with that while I recovered, and I just loved it. And I was thinking, “This is what I want to do.” This is what I want, to be able to have a chance to create and to have a chance to share music with people.

RM: So it was a turning point.

CL: I applied to a conducting program, and that is what I’ve followed ever since.

RM: It’s awesome that you found something positive out of what could have been a negative.

CL: Thank you for asking about it. Sometimes we feel like tragedy only leads to bad things. But, because of my accident, I have learned that we are fragile, right? At the same time, it made me really treasure every opportunity that I get to play, get to perform. It makes every time on stage even more precious.

RM: Do you know the story about how your husband [James Ferree] was moved to music as an 11-year-old boy?

CL: He tells it better than me, but he was singing in the Children’s Choir in Atlanta,

with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He was standing behind the horns, and he just really enjoyed the sound.

RM: Yes. And now he’s something called the “principal horn” for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Though he’s playing this year for the Baltimore Symphony. Do you guys feel like your whole lives are music?

CL: Yes. We spend a lot of time performing. So both work on weekends. We did the most musician thing. James and I got married on a Monday, because Mondays are musicians day off.

RM: Most recent adventure?

CL: My husband and I took a last-minute trip to Puerto Rico. Our plan was to go to Mexico, but there was something wrong with our flight, so we got stopped at the gates and we couldn’t leave. We had to

go back home. And the same luggage—in December—was sitting right in our hallway, and I was determined. We’ve got to go somewhere. I was looking at all of the other places that we could go with the same luggage. So the luggage never left the front door. We took out our toothbrushes for that night. That was all. And then the next day, we went to Puerto Rico.

RM: That is determination. Are you always conducting things around you?

CL: When I first went crazy with my gardening, in like 2021, I would go into the garden and talk with my peas, and the other vegetables, and I’d start conducting them, and I believed they would grow with my gestures.

RM: I mean, that’s kind of what you’re hoping, I assume, to do as a conductor, is to take a group of disparate people and bring them together with onefocus: music.

CL: All these people in this symphony have spent their lifetime practicing music. The essence of the conductor is to get everyone working together to bring out the best music and to try to create that memorable moment and experience for us all. I feel that doesn’t change. The pursuit of the highest art to the best of our ability, that doesn’t. Sure, we rehearse a lot. But I love the sparks and spontaneous interaction on stage, especially during performance. I try to find that all around.

RM: So you are always conducting.

CL: That’s what I do.

Photo by Shawn Fagan