STAINED GLASS’ ‘A History in
2,000 years
JOIN US FOR THE 39TH ANNUAL AND HELP
RAISE FUNDS FOR HIAWATHA HOMES.
The Kahler Grand Hotel
November 29 & 30, 10 am - 7 pm & December 1, 10 am - 2 pm
DiverseAbility Day: Saturday, November 30, 10 am - 2 pm
This is a fun event for children and the kids in all of us! DiverseAbility Day will feature hands-on learning stations where kids can explore different abilities and learn about living with a disability. It will also feature story time from a local children’s book author, photos with Santa, and more!
Festival After Dark: Saturday, November 30, 7 pm - 10 pm
This adults-only event is the perfect time to enjoy a cocktail among the trees! There will be a cash bar and live entertainment by Jeremy Jewell. Festival After Dark includes a $10 cover charge.
Sensory Friendly Hour: Sunday, December 1, 9 am - 10 am
Our Sensory Friendly Hour will feature no entertainment, subdued lights/no flashing lights, and other sensory friendly features.
30 “We live with it 24-7”
Three of his kids were diagnosed with diabetes. So Quinn Peterson changed his career path, and now leads a cutting-edge Mayo Clinic lab searching for a cure.
43 “A history in stained glass”
Displayed in a great hall in a building in downtown Rochester, a work of stained glass—considered one of the finest in the country—depicts 2,000 years of medical history in 12 panels. Only a lucky few get to see it.
56 Active living, active life (Part II)
Dance classes. Quilting. Pickleball. Three retired Rochesterites—as well as a few area experts on aging—talk tips for staying active.
18 Random Rochesterite
Sandhya Pruthi, a Mayo Clinic physician, talks about her family fleeing the Ugandan dictatorship of Idi Amin, her take on Rochester (“We will stay and retire in Rochester. We love this city.”), and meeting her husband (“It was an arranged marriage!”).
28 Three Ways You Can Help
One group doing good in Rochester. And how you can make a difference for them.
78 The Walk Through
Inside a $1M cabin “Up North.”
82 Ten (or so) questions
Jeanna Liu, an '03 Century grad, talks growing up in Shanghai, her favorite Kellogg teacher, and leaving 15 years on Wall Street to create Cowbell (a plant self-watering device).
On the cover: Quinn Peterson. Photo by Joe Ahlquist. See his story (“We live with it 24-7”) on page 30.
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
MICHAEL CAMILLERI
JENNIFER HAUGEN KOSKI
HADLEY LANGE
MEGAN MALUGANI
ELLIOT MANN
CYNTHIA STANISLAV
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 eleven 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 reasons to travel with Rochester Mag to Scotland/England/Wales in 2025. (And one reason, maybe, not to.)
1. You can travel with other Rochesterites (and invite people you know) Because, from October 12-21 of 2025, Rochester Magazine and the Post Bulletin will be partnering with Collette Travel for a 10-day trip to England, Scotland, and Wales on the Discover British Landscapes Tour.
2. You’ll get a chance to do a LOT of cool stuff: Tour Edinburgh Castle (and see the Scottish Crown Jewels) in Scotland; spend an afternoon in London’s Trafalgar Square; follow in the footsteps of William Shakespeare in the English countryside of Stratford-upon-Avon (and see one of his plays at a local dinner theater). You’ll hear Big Ben toll, taste Yorkshire wines paired with a homemade meal, smell the salty air at a Welch sea salt company. You’ll also have plenty of time to hike in the countrysides, explore the cities, or to nap in your room. The "tour" side of things is fairly minimal.
3. You’ll get a great deal, with a relatively small group. The 10-day trip includes 12 meals, all lodging, tours, transportation from Rochester to Minneapolis (and back), and round trip tickets to/from MSP for $4,599 per person (double room); $5,599 per person (single room). The tour is limited to 44 people, and prices will increase on April 14.
4. And the one reason you may or may NOT want to go? Well, you'll be traveling with Steve Lange, the longtime editor of Rochester Magazine (and the GM of the Post Bulletin). For 25 years, Steve has shared his love for finding those littleknown and interesting area travel destinations. And now he (and his wife, Lindy) will bring that same focus to England, Scotland, and Wales with some kitschy and quirky side-trip suggestions.
Get all the info here (and there's lots more): gateway.gocollette.com/link/1294280 Or call 800-581-8942 (booking #1294280). Really hope to see you there!
It’s the original. It’s the most respected.
It’s Rochester Magazine’s 26th Annual
RESTAURANTS CONTEST! Best shortcuts
We have, as always, added a number of new categories. Put a few others on the back burner.
Here is all you need to do: Turn the page (or go to RochesterMagazine.com) and vote for your favorite Rochester restaurants.
Bonus for you: Two lucky entrants will be randomly drawn to win a $50 gift certificate to a Rochesterarea restaurant (read: one of our advertisers).
Now turn the page, and show your support.
Best
ROCHESTER MAGAZINE’S
RESTAURANTS BALLOT
All entries are confidential. Name, address, and phone required to verify entry, but will not be used for any other purpose. One entry per person. Must be received by Nov. 30, 2024. We reserve the right to discard ballots designed to stuff the ballot box. To vote online, go to RochesterMagazine. com. Or mail (and we will accept photocopies, but entries MUST have a verifiable name, address, and phone number) to Rochester Magazine, Best Restaurants Contest, 1700 Greenview Dr. SW, Rochester, MN 55902.
No need to fill in every blank, but please keep votes to Rochester restaurants and businesses.
Best Burger Place
Best Appetizer (name app and restaurant)
Best Place For Cocktails
Best Breakfast Place
Best Caterer
Best Place For Trivia
Best Restaurant To Rent A Room For Events (less than 50)
Best Restaurant To Rent A Room For Events (50-plus)
Best Bar Food
Best New Restaurant
Best Locally-Brewed Beer (name brewery and beer)
Best New Bar
Best Bakery
Best Health Food Place
Coolest Looking Restaurant
Best Happy Hour
Best Sandwich Place
Best Buffalo Wings
Best Dessert (name dessert and restaurant)
Best Steak Place
Best Outdoor Dining
Best Italian Dish (name restaurant and dish)
Best Salad Place
Best Place For Seafood
Most Romantic Restaurant
Best Pizza Place
Best Coffee Shop
Best Restaurant Service
Best Bartender (name bartender and bar)
Best Mexican Place
Best Asian Place
Best Place For Vegetarian Food
Best Bar Service
Outside Of Rochester, Best Restaurant Within 30 Minutes
Best Restaurant More Than 30 Minutes Away
Best Bar
And Rochester’s Best Restaurant
Motorcycle trip, snowmobile weather
BY STEVE LANGE
It's 47 degrees at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning in mid-October.
I am sitting on my motorcycle in our driveway.
Here's my plan: Ride to Edina to play in a daylong chess tournament. Then, over the next few days, ride through northern Minnesota. Maybe Saskatchewan, even. I've never ridden in Saskatchewan. I've even got a city in mind: Flin Flon, Saskatchewan.
My plan, though, was concocted late the night before, after beers. And I now fear I picked my final destination because the name rhymed.
I am wearing a balaclava, long underwear (tops and bottoms), snowmobile gloves, leather jacket, ski socks. I am wearing those special foot warmers that stick on my socks and over each toe. I am wearing hand warmers on body parts other than my hands.
I am trying to decide if I really want to ride my motorcycle. My Jeep, sitting right next to me, has a heater, a windshield, doors.
But then there's this: I have, for 19 straight years, taken a big motorcycle trip on my 2004 Harley Sportster. Every year, from 2005-2019, my dad (from age 70-84) and I took the trip together.
We rode our Harleys through 31 states, onto 17 ferries, away from "The Wolfman Of New Hampshire" (who was chasing us). Saw the world's oldest peanut, the world's oldest edible ham, the Platters in concert.
Since 2020—when my dad's then-85-yearold back no longer let him ride—I've taken the annual ride solo, added five more states to the list.
I have not yet taken a trip this year. This may be my last chance before the snow flies. And, maybe, my last chance ever to ride my Sportster.
Just a few days ago, I bought my dad's 2013 Harley Heritage Softail Classic. It was a bittersweet buy.
My dad, 89 and realizing he probably won't be able to ride his bike again, made me an offer I couldn't refuse.
I start the motorcycle and head north, out of our driveway.
I couldn't refuse the offer for two reasons. First, he gave me a ridiculously good deal. Second, he added the following caveat: "Or you can just wait until I die, and you may get it for free anyway."
Yes, right. Maybe I'll turn down your first offer for the dying thing.
So I'll be selling my Sportster.
Halfway to Edina, shivering uncontrollably, I realize I've made a terrible decision. I'm actually wondering if, when I get there, my fingers will be too cold to lift my chess pieces.
At the tourney, I finish a mediocre four wins and five losses. Then meet my buddy Elliot for dinner. I check into my Edina hotel and sit by myself in the hot tub for an hour.
My family is not big on sentimentality. A few years ago, when we were cleaning out the garage, Lindy threw her wedding dress into the box for Goodwill. Right in front of me. As I stood there watching.
But I bought the Sportster when our oldest kid, daughter Hadley, was 6. There were days, after work, when Hadley would be standing at the end of the driveway, dressed in her helmet and riding gear, so we could tool slowly around the neighborhood as she sat in front of me and pushed the turn signals to determine which way we’d go.
There was the day, with her laughing the entire time, we made 20 straight right turns.
Or the time Henry, 6, rode his tiny gas-powered four-wheeler alongside me on our first-ever motorcycle trip as we road-tripped the three blocks to Ben Franklin Elementary.
Or the time Emma, 8, and I rode to Jeff’s Little Store. A dozen hardcore bikers, engines roaring, pulled in. Then, seeing that Emma was riding with me, fist-bumped her as they walked by.
On Sunday, I ride to New Ulm and watch the glockenspiel, to Darwin and visit the World's Largest Twine Ball, to Alexandria and take a selfie in front of Big Ole the Giant Viking.
The temps never get above 48. I keep telling myself to think of it as a good snowmobile ride, and not a bad motorcycle ride.
I see tundra swans as I ride along the Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway.
I check into my Alexandria hotel and sit by myself in the hot tub for an hour.
When I leave on Monday morning, it is 36 degrees. I put on every piece of clothing I have. I stick foot warmers over all of my body parts. I do not head north.
I ride, instead, to southwestern Minnesota and southeastern South Dakota.
The temps do not once reach 50 degrees.
Mostly I visit coffee shops for hot coffee and hot tea and hot chocolate.
I never do get to Flin Flon.
Maybe next year. To keep that motorcycle trip streak alive. And to start a tradition with my new bike, though in June, July, or August.
RandomRochesterite
One resident, numerous anecdotes
Name: Sandhya Pruthi
Age: 58
Occupation: Physician
Where we found her: Mayo Clinic
Are you originally from Rochester? Originally, I’m from Uganda in East Africa. That’s where I was born, and then we moved to Winnipeg when I was five years old. We arrived in Winnipeg in December in 1972.
Wow, what a change. What was that like for you? I remember the day we arrived. We arrived at night after a long flight from Uganda to London, then a long flight to Winnipeg. In the morning when we woke up, there was snow everywhere! It was freezing. We ran outside, and I remember thinking, “I love the snow!” We were making snow angels. My mom is freaking out: “You don’t have gloves, boots, winter coat!”
Why did your family make that move? It’s really a strange story. We left under the dictatorship of Idi Amin, when he had the large Asian exodus. He asked 80,000 Asians to leave Uganda. If you ever watch “The Last King of Scotland,” that’s the movie of Idi Amin’s dictatorship. My family is East Indian— but my father was born in Uganda, and my mother was born in Nairobi, Kenya. Their parents came to East Africa to work in the colonies under British rule. So we were actually East African by birth, but Indian.
Why did they choose Winnipeg? It was July 1972 when Idi Amin said, “We want all Asians out of here in the next six months.” My father thought he could go to Canada, or to India, or to the UK. These were the countries that were taking Asians. My father’s older brother lived in Winnipeg when this episode occurred, and he said, “Come here. We can help you.” So there we were: My mom and dad and four children under six.
| By JENNIFER KOSKI Photo by JOE AHLQUIST
And that’s where you grew up? Yes. I did all my schooling in Canada, including med school at the University of Manitoba. I didn’t leave until I met an American, who is now my husband, Rajiv.
How did you meet? It was an arranged marriage! We were introduced by the fact that his mother lives in Nairobi and my grandmother lives in Nairobi. They met and were friends and started talking about their son and their granddaughter. My grandmother says to my parents, “There’s this guy in Milwaukee, my friend’s son. He’s a doctor. Would you like Sandhya to meet him?”
Oh my gosh. When did you first meet? It was July 1989, and he was going to make a trip to visit me—flying from Milwaukee to Minneapolis to Winnipeg. He couldn’t get to Winnipeg because his plane was detained for six hours at this airport in this town called Rochester, Minnesota. He spent six hours on the tarmac in Rochester! It was the weirdest thing. Even today we laugh about it! “I know that airport!”
impression when you When he finally landed that night, from that ridiculous flight, the patience that he showed— it made an impression. We had done some phone calls before then, and really connected. We had a lot in common, and you know right away. It was amazing. It’s like the dating apps of today, but I had it in person through our families. He arrived the weekend of the huge Red River Exhibition, and we both love amusement parks. So that’s where we went on our first date.
How did you wind up in Rochester? We were going to get married in September 1989. I’m finishing my fourth year of med school in Winnipeg before doing a rotating internship and he’s in Milwaukee, and we’re applying to match. Rajiv gets fellowship interviews in places like Milwaukee, Chicago, Philadelphia. He says, “There’s a program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Do you want to look at it?” Seriously! It was out of the blue. Last minute. We said, “OK, let’s go!” We come to Rochester in 1990 to do our interviews and we liked it. And we both were selected on match for Mayo. Who knew that 34 years later we’d still be in Rochester.
That six-hour tarmac delay was a sign! We are truly Rochesterites. My two sons—Shiv and Neel—were born in Methodist Hospital. They went from Rochester Montessori to St. John’s Catholic to Mayo High School. We will stay and retire in Rochester. We love this city.
Five things you love? I love, more recently, golfing. I love doing yoga. I find it really relaxing. I love traveling—going to parts of the U.S. we haven’t visited. I love cooking. I’m learning how to cook Indian food, which is something I hadn’t done. And the last thing I love doing—and you’re going to laugh—is organizing events. In Rochester, I would organize an annual Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, for the community. I wanted to give back the Indian heritage and this sense of community. It’s not just an event for Indian families, it’s a culturally open event—Spanish families, Arabic families, students and residents love coming to this event.
Biggest adventure? Going back to Africa when I was older to do a Kenyan Safari. It really brought me back to my home country—and to see the wildlife in these safaris is incredible. It made me feel extra special being born there.
NOVEMBER 2024
THOSE AREN’T BRACELETS, THEY’RE BANDS! Visit Quarry Hill Nature Center to learn why some birds have colorful bands on their ankles and what researchers do with the information those bands help generate. qhnc.org, 507-328-3950
"SMOOTH CRIMINAL." Gone Too Soon: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience is “the most authentic Michael Jackson experience" currently touring. See the show complete with sparkly gloves, dance moves, and songs like "Beat It," "The Way You Make Me Feel," and "Thriller," at Treasure Island. ticasino.com, 800-222-7077
TALE AS OLD AS TIME. The Rochester Ensemble of Dance presents Beauty & the Beast at the Rochester Civic Theatre. Watch young Rochester dancers leap and pirouette in Laura Watkins' original adaptation of this classic tale. rochesterensembleofdance.org
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LA VIE BOHÈME! Mayo High School presents their fall musical (or should we say rock opera?)... RENT! A group of down on their luck young artists struggle with romantic relationships, the AIDS crisis, and landlords in East Village. mhs. rochesterschools.org, 507-328-5500
HOLD MY BEER. Forager Brewery holds open mic nights where musicians and poets (and anyone else with a talent to share) are welcome. And if you’re still feeling skittish, just wait to perform until most of the audience has had a few drinks. foragerbrewery.com, 507-258-7490
HONOR ROCHESTER’S VETERANS. In honor of Veteran's Day take time to visit Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial. There you can read the Memorial’s Wall of Remembrance and take the Walk of Remembrance made up of roughly 6,000 pavers honoring U.S. veterans and allies. soldiersfieldmemorial.org
FIND THE HIDDEN FALLS. Sure, it’s only about 10 feet high with a 30-foot crest, but Hidden Falls, in NerstrandBig Woods State Park, is worth the half-mile hike, especially with the crisp fall air. dnr.state.mn.us, 507-384-6140
CONNECT LOCAL. Connect with local businesses and community members at Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce’s 3rd annual Winter Business Showcase. Head to the Mayo Civic Center for this free event (as long as you come with an 'I Voted' sticker). business.rochestermnchamber. com, 507-288-1122
GIVE THANKS AND GIVE. This one takes some prep, but it’s worth it: contact the Dorothy Day Hospitality House, which provides short-term housing for people in crisis. Volunteer to serve meals, check guests in, or provide general hospitality. dorothydayrochestermn. org, 507-282-5172
FULL STEAM AHEAD! The STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) Summit is coming to RCTC Regional Sports Center. This summit helps connect middle and high school students to businesses, colleges, and community groups that offer STEAM opportunities. business.rochestermnchamber. com, 507-288-1122
FIND YOUR NEXT FAVORITE BOOK. It's the Cover 2 Cover Book Club at the Rochester Public Library. This month's read, When the Stars Go Dark, is a thriller by Patricia McLain— author of The Paris Wife. When a teenage girl goes missing in California, Anna Hart, a missing persons detective, has to face her past to find the girl. rplmn.org, 507-328-2300
ARTS AND CRAFTS. Crafters of all types—from knitters to painters to beaders—are invited to the Rochester Public Library for their weekly Craft & Chat event. Bring some materials and meet some fellow creatives. rplmn.org, 507-328-2300
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
BINGO! Play Wednesday Night DJ Bingo at the Workshop. It's free for anyone to play and you can win prizes! workshopfoodhall.com
AN EVENING WITH NIGHT RANGER. 80's rock band Night Ranger is at the Mayo Civic center playing 40+ years of hits from "Sister Christian" to "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" to "Rock In America." mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040
RAISING SPIRITS. It's the 6th annual Beer, Wine, & Spirits tasting at the Rochester Eagles Club complete with live music, raffles, and appetizers. This benefit raises money for Kids Dreams Come True, an organization providing dreams for kids with life-altering illnesses and injuries. kidsdreamscometrue.com
SIP, SAMPLE, SHOP. It's the 10th annual FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace where you can sample food and drink from dozens of vendors throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin at the Mayo Civic Center. Keep a special eye out for Rochester favorites like Cakes & Bakes, The Village, and Creatively Kat's. local-feast.org, 507-405-4045
TRAVELIN' MAN. Ricky Nelson's twin sons Matthew and Gunnar perform some of his top hits including "Hello Mary Lou," "Lonesome Town," and "Garden Party." You can also hear celebrities talk about the influence Ricky Nelson had on them and watch exclusive footage of the Nelsons at Treasure Island. ticasino.com, 800-222-7077
TRIUMPHS AND REGRETS. Threshold Arts is partnering with the Southeastern Minnesota Poets for Bright Lights Poetry Night, a night of poetry readings and refreshments at the Historic Chateau Theatre. Tonight's theme is Triumphs and Regrets. yourchateau.org
MEDICINE MADE FUNNY. You may know @NurseBlake from his YouTube, TikTok, or podcasts. This part nurse, part social media star is all entertaining. Join him at his "The Shock Advised Tour" at the Mayo Civic Center. mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040
SWEET TIME (AT THIS CONCERT). REO Speedwagon has sold over 40 million albums, released 16 studio albums, and performed together for over 50 years. Tonight they’re at Mayo Civic Center playing hits like "Can't Fight This Feeling," "Take It on the Run," and “Keep On Loving You” with special guests American Scarecrows. mayociviccenter.com, 507-361-5040
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CLEAN SWEEP. Always wanted to try your hand at curling? Curling & Cocktails, hosted by the Curling Club of Rochester, provides instruction and time to test out your skills at the Rochester Rec Center. Join them at Glynners after for a drink to end the night. curlrochester.org
THE SEASONS WAY. It's The Seasons Way, the 19th annual Seasons Hospice Gala at the Hilton. This year's event, which honors three people who "represent the very best of Seasons Hospice" and helps raise money for the organization. seasonshospice.org, 507-285-1930
TURKEY TROT. It's Rochester's 8th Annual Turkey Trot! This 5k run (or walk) raises funds for Red Drop Resources which supports people with blood cancers. Costumes are encouraged, donuts will be provided, and runners get some pretty awesome swag. mnruns.com, 224-757-5425
THE SHARING TREE. Watch the Lighting of the Sharing Tree at Apache Mall accompanied by Christmas songs from the Salvation Army band. You can place gifts under the tree, located at the Apache Mall, until Christmas Eve to be donated to the Salvation Army and kids who need them! centralusa. salvationarmy.org, 507-288-3663
ROOT FOR THE GRIZZ. Our Junior Hockey team—the Rochester Grizzlies— take on the Peoria Mustangs in the first of back-to-back nights at the Rec Center. Great hockey. Great family entertainment. Or, well, a great way to grab a few friends and a few beers. rochestergrizz.com, 507-718-0437
WOOLLY COOL. The Textile Market is all about local textiles from fibers to education to crafts. This collection of sustainably sourced textiles is hosted by Rochester Farmers Market and Orchard Acres Textiles at Graham Park. threeriversfibershed.com
SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN! Santa Claus has gotten stuck on top of Old City Hall and needs a little help getting down. After a daring rescue, he and Mrs. Claus will be in Peace Plaza for Rochester's annual tree lighting ceremony. downtownrochestermn. com, 507-216-9882
SLEEPERS AWAKE. The Rochester Symphony Orchestra is joined by the Rochester Symphony Chorale for "Sleepers Awake" at Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall. This program, which culminates in Lauridsen's “O Magnum Mysterium,” also features Asad's “Suite for Lower Strings” and Bach's "Cantata 140" (better known as Sleepers Awake!). rochestersymphony.org, 507-268-8742
THE SEARCH. Lyra Baroque is selecting a new artistic director through on-stage auditions! The first of these four hopefuls is Judith Steenbrink all the way from the Netherlands with "Telemann's Tavern" at Mount Olive Lutheran Church. Check back throughout the season to see the other conductors being considered for the role. lyrabaroque.org, 651-321-2214
FESTIVAL OF TREES. It's the annual Festival of Trees-A Celebration of Giving, the biggest Hiawatha Homes fundraiser of the year! Peruse dozens of beautifully decorated trees, bid on silent auction items, and snap a picture on Santa's lap all at the Kahler. hiawathahomes.org, 507-289-8683
PROUD SPONSOR OF LOCAL TABLE— SUPPORTING LOCAL RESTAURANTS.
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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!
507.285.9229 1654 US-52 Rochester, MN 55901 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. We serve breakfast all day long.
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.
507.258.4663 14 Fourth Street SW Rochester bleuduckkitchen.com
Book Your Holiday Party! An inviting and intimate venue with exposed brick and original hardwood floors set in one of the oldest remaining commercial buildings in Rochester makes this space unique, warm, and welcoming. Our event space can accommodate weddings, reception, cocktails hours or hosting a meeting. And don’t forget about booking the Duck Truck! Voted Best Restaurant 2019-2024.
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!
507.536.4748 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.
507.286.1101
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!
507.361.1208 10 East Center St Rochester skyway level benedictsrochester.com
Benedict’s is where you’ll find comfort food with a twist and unbeatable morning cocktails because it’s never too early! Why wait until dinner for great food and hospitality? At Benedict’s, we’re all about making mornings special. So, bring the family and become part of ours! Open 6:00am - 3:00pm daily.
507.346.7300
78757 State Highway 16 Spring Valley fourdaughtersvineyard.com
Visit Four Daughters Winery, Loon Juice Cider, and The Traditionalist Bourbon Distillery in one spot! Wine, cider and bourbon flights available 7 days a week, plus wines by the glass/bottle, a full cocktail bar, and a restaurant. Spend time inside the spacious tasting room or outside on the large patio bordering the vineyard at the largest winery and cidery in Minnesota. Rated as the #2 Winery Restaurant in the country by USA Today!
507.206.3019 1625 South Broadway Ave Rochester crookedpint.com/rochester
Crooked Pint Ale House is a nouveau urban pub with the feel of a local neighborhood restaurant. The menu includes classic pub fare with nearly 60 choices for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch as well as kids’ menu selections. We feature 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!
507.206.3031 2550 Broadway Ave S. Rochester, MN 55904 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.
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 millvalleykitchen.com
Discover Mill Valley Kitchen in Rochester, where 13 years of culinary expertise bring you fresh, natural flavors. We’re all about sustainability and health-conscious dining. Sip on our craft cocktails and explore our wine list, it’s all designed to take your meal to the next level. Come taste the difference!
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!
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.
507.258.4184 332 Broadway Ave S Rochester marrowmn.com
Marrow offers a seasonal, ingredient and chef-driven menu - utilizing classic French technique, with a touch of humor and fun. Stop by to enjoy a quick bite and a drink or stay 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.
507.258.4550 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.
507.288.0206 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.
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.
507.226.8885 2280 Superior Dr NW
507.206.6799 4576 Maine Ave SE Rochester roostersbarngrill.com
Swing by Rooster’s for a delicious breakfast 7 days a week starting at 7am. Try our daily lunch specials or order off our great menu featuring burgers, sandwiches, wraps, broasted chicken and so much more. Weekday happy hour 11 am to 6 pm. We’re home of the GOLIATH 34 oz. draft beer mug on special every weekend.
507.288.9481 1251 Cedar Center Ave SE Oronoco twosisterskitchenmn.com
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!
507.424.1227 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.
507.516.0641 1155 16th St SW Rochester Sorellinasmn.com
Open Mon-Sat at 11 AM Open Sunday at 10:30 AM
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!
507.258.9064 808 Broadway Ave S Rochester TacoJed.com
Voted Best Taco 2020 & 2021! Live Music Fridays & Saturdays. Brunch served Sat. & 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, 5-9 pm, Sat. 9:30 am-9 pm, Sun 9:30 am-7:30 pm. Closed Mon. & Tues.
507.361.3636 300 1st Ave NW Rochester creativecuisineco.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.
507-322-5041 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! BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY TODAY!
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.
507.226.8146 4 3rd 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.
Shhhh... Speakeasy and Cocktail Lounge. Located Under ThaiPop. Voted Best New Bar 2024 (Rochester Magazine) Creative Cocktails in a Cozy Setting. Open Friday + Saturday 5pm - 11pm. Happy Hour 5pm-6pm
507.289.9200 3120 Wellner Drive NE Rochester 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.
507.424.7800 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.
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.
507.361.5144 3708 N Broadway Ave Rochester creativecuisineco.com
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!
507.288.5283 2043 Superior Dr NW Rochester zenfusionmn.com
Let Zen Fusion do the cooking for your holiday party. Our globally accented menu creates the perfect selection for any event. Let us cater to you or have your party at Zen, and we do all the cleanup. Private party room available & live hibachi chefs in-house every day. Seafood • Steak • Sushi • American • Asian • Mexican
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.
507.281.2978, 300 1st Ave NW Rochester creativecuisineco.com Rochester Main 507.280.0621 Stewartville 507.504.1060
PROUD SPONSOR OF LOCAL TABLE— SUPPORTING LOCAL RESTAURANTS.
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When our new football team didn’t fit
In May of 1998, the Professional Indoor Football League publicly announced its plan to “field a team in Rochester almost immediately.”
The area’s indoor football fans and others, presumably, daydreamed of watching eight-man teams of $200-a-week former college kids and Canadian Football League castoffs catch kickoffs off the end zone netting and tackle ballcarriers into lightly padded sideline boards.
The league general manager “saw the brightest future in Rochester,” hinted at 3,000-plus fans a game, touted “a fast, high-scoring game with constant action.” There were the implied promises of must-get giveaways and shimmeryshorted cheerleaders, bonejarring hits and outrageous halftime shows.
A tentative date, July 31, had already been set for the sure-to-be-a-classic Minnesota Rage-Green Bay Bombers game.
By June the deal was off. The devil in the details, it turns out, was this: the Mayo Civic Center Arena was not big enough for an indoor football field. The team wouldn’t fit.
3 Ways YOU CAN HELP
SPARK
BY ALEXA ANDERSON
SPARK was originally formed in 2007, as the Children’s Museum of Rochester (CMR), when a group of Rochester parents saw a need for informal early learning in the area.
Today, SPARK has grown into a non-profit organization focused on enriching the lives of young learners by creating shared, interactive experiences that engage people of all ages in the joy of play, the power of learning, and a sense of community. The organization strives to spark imaginations and instill a love of exploration and discovery in their visitors.
“SPARK is a children’s museum, which means we are creating a more child-friendly community,” says Heather Nessler, Executive Director. “As we focus on health and wellness, the arts, STEM, and connecting cultures, we are also helping children develop into strong, independent humans. Play, with its proven ability to enhance a child’s self-worth and self-esteem, serves as a critical element in fostering resilience.”
Here’s how you, too, can help SPARK:
VISIT AND ENGAGE. SPARK invites you to bring the child in your life. Come take advantage of their hands-on programs and exhibits for all ages which lead to learning, exploring, and conversation. All exhibits are designed with an understanding of children’s development. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or same-day on location.
DONATE. If you share SPARK’s vision, support their mission, and want to see them thrive, consider donating. SPARK is a community-supported non-profit; they work hard to raise money and depend on the generosity of community members to invest in and support their mission. Your monetary gift will help the organization keep their exhibits healthy, programs fresh, and space safe and clean.
VISIT. You can stop by in person at Apache Mall, or check out SPARK’s website to learn more about their donation options, including one-time, monthly, legacy, and donor-advised gifts.
VOLUNTEER. It’s important as adults that we don’t forget to play. The organization invites you to incorporate play into your day by volunteering with SPARK. Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning. STEM boxes and art activities are available and could use your helping hands. SPARK encourages anyone with a special skill to reach out as they would love to create a new making class. All volunteers must be 9th grade or older and SPARK’s volunteer schedules are very flexible.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Anyone interested in supporting SPARK, in any of the ways listed above, can find more information at sparkrochestermn.org/. And stop in and check them out in Apache Mall.
3 WAYS YOU CAN HELP IS SPONSORED BY:
At Eagle Rock Bank, formerly ONB Bank, we’re proud to give back to our community. As a locally owned and managed bank, it is so important to us to support our local non-profit organizations through sponsorships and hundreds of volunteer hours through our employee volunteers.
Quinn Peterson—a chemical biologist and assistant professor of physiology at Mayo—holds an old photo of his family as he stands in the lab at Mayo Clinic’s Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics. Three of Peterson’s children were diagnosed with diabetes at a young age, which inspired him to pivot his career toward diabetes research.
"WE LIVE WITH IT 24-7"
By Elliot Mann
Three of his kids were diagnosed with diabetes. So Quinn Peterson changed his career path, and now leads a cutting-edge Mayo Clinic lab searching for a cure.
Photos by Maya Giron
Sarah Peterson races down the soccer pitch, dribbling past midfield. Should the 13-year-old flick a pass back to her teammate or try to thread between two closing defenders? It’s a split second decision, thoughts pinging her brain like a finger snap.
While she scans the field in milliseconds, a bigger question lingers in the back of her mind.
It’s the same for parents Quinn and Tiffany Peterson, watching from the sideline, as they joyfully cheer on Sarah at Fuad Mansour Soccer Complex in Rochester.
For them, too, the question seeps in.
“What are Sarah’s sugar levels doing right now?”
Such is the life for a person living with diabetes, something the Petersons know all too well. In addition to Sarah, the Petersons’ 18-year-old daughter Clarissa and 9-yearold son Seth have also been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. That means three of the four Peterson children have been diagnosed. Son Clayton, 15, does not have diabetes, but the entire family finds themselves helping one another manage this disease daily.
Even when someone with Type 1 diabetes tries to focus on the task at hand—like reacting to a defender stealing the ball on the soccer field, and firing a shot at the net—the disease refuses to be ignored.
Are you tired because you’ve been running up and down the field? Or is your sugar low and you need to have a quick snack? Any break provides, and forces, a quick time to check.
insulin, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can occur.
There is no cure for Type 1 diabetes, and patients must manage their insulin and glucose levels for their entire lives, every few hours at a time.
The chronic disease affects 2 million Americans, including roughly 304,000 children and adolescents, according to the American Diabetes Association. Scientists and researchers today aren’t sure how to prevent Type 1 diabetes or what triggers it.
Before Clarissa’s diagnosis, the Petersons had no known history with the disease.
But since that diagnosis, back in 2010, everything has changed.
For Quinn, that diagnosis led him to rethink his career path. That diagnosis led him to the field of diabetes research, and led him to Rochester for his work at Mayo Clinic.
Today, Quinn Peterson—a chemical biologist who is an assistant professor of physiology at Mayo—works at Mayo Clinic’s Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics, where he leads a cutting-edge lab focused on finding a cell replacement therapy for people living with diabetes.
A NEW ‘NORMAL’
“Sometimes, diabetes forces it to your mind,” says Quinn. “It’s reminding her that she can’t forget it, at least all the time.”
Diabetes is not a disease that one gets to turn off and ignore. Quite the opposite.
Type 1 diabetes causes a person’s own immune system to attack itself, and destroy the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. The hormone insulin is responsible for controlling the body’s sugar levels.
When a body is depleted of insulin, several health complications can arise. For instance, a person’s blood sugar can spike, causing hyperglycemia. But if a person has too much
In 2010, while living in Illinois, Quinn and Tiffany were preparing to take then almost 4-year-old Clarissa to a birthday party. Their daughter seemed particularly lethargic that day, the parents recall, which capped off a few days where the child simply “hadn’t seemed like herself.”
They thought it was something benign, but figured they would bring her to the doctor just to check. After some labs and a check-up, the parents were told to expect a call in a few days.
Quinn went off to work at the University of Illinois, where he was in a lab working on chemotherapeutic drugs. A few hours later, Tiffany called him, and said they needed to take their daughter to the emergency room. The Petersons rushed home, and ended up staying at the hospital for two days.
The Peterson family from left to right: Sarah, Tiffany, Seth, Quinn, Clarissa, and Clayton.
“I remember when I first got home, feeling a little bit foolish,” Quinn says. “Foolish that I hadn’t recognized these signs. I’m not a physician, but I am a scientist. I am aware of diabetes, and yet it had never occurred to me that this might be what was going on.”
There was a flood of emotions for the parents. What would this mean? Most kids hate shots at the doctor, how many times would their child need an injection at home, every day? How do you explain a concept like diabetes to a preschooler?
It was a whirlwind of information coming all at once.
“Most of the time at the hospital they were educating my wife and I about what we needed to do for the rest of her life; how to manage her glucose, and to make sure that she, frankly, would not die. It was about how to keep her alive,” Quinn says. “That was a challenging few days, and a new start for us. We talk about how that really became a turning point. Things didn’t ever become ‘normal’ again, but we settled into a new normal.”
For many families with young children, meal times are often already a battle, and now every meal would involve meticulous thought and planning. The family put a calculator and a white board in the kitchen, so they could figure out the amount of carbs in a particular meal, and how much insulin would need to be administered at each meal.
After living with the disease for a decade, Sarah Peterson loses count of how often she checks her blood sugar every day.
She usually checks her continuous glucose monitor after she first wakes up. There’s also the time before she gets on the school bus to Kellogg Middle School. Wait, there’s another time before that, after breakfast.
Is there another time before going to school? she asks her mom during our interview.
The children now all have continuous glucose monitors. Although, even when the kids are asleep, parents need to be alert.
Quinn and Tiffany joke that their children have learned over the years how to drink an entire juice box in the middle of the night without even opening their eyes.
“Their blood sugar could be at a good number, so you send them to bed, but it could dip during the night. You worry 24-7,” Tiffany says. “Now with the continuous glucose monitor, it takes away some of that constantly having to monitor and worry. The CGM will alert you if there is something going wrong.”
Parents with young children often need a bag with an extra diaper or crayons to keep a child occupied at a restaurant, but parents of children with diabetes will often carry a small lunch box—like a bag with extra supplies—items to check the children’s blood, extra snacks, and insulin. It’s not to keep the child occupied, it’s to keep them free from a potential emergency room visit.
Quinn Peterson’s lab—in the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics— is working on cell therapy that would theoretically allow individuals with Type 1 diabetes to produce their own insulin and also manage glucose levels.
A NEW PATH
Finding a cure for diabetes has long been seemingly on the horizon. Quinn recalls speaking with a patient who was once told there would be a cure in three to five years when he was first diagnosed. The catch? That was more than 40 years ago.
Is a cure on the way? Peterson remains cautious—again, those living with diabetes have been promised a cure for decades— but he is also optimistic. Peterson’s team is still in preclinical testing. From there they would need regulatory approval, and begin human testing. The timeline for an eventual public release is still years away.
There are several other groups in addition to Peterson’s lab working on similar therapeutic solutions. For instance, VertexPharmaceuticals is currently underway with clinical trials using a similar treatment.
“I absolutely see it being a reality in my children’s lifetime.
THAT’S WHAT GIVES ME HOPE.”
— Quinn Peterson
“I absolutely see it being a reality in my children's lifetime. That’s what gives me hope,” Quinn says.
How did Quinn Peterson end up at Mayo Clinic, studying the very disease his children live with every day?
Back in 2010, he was nearing the end of his graduate student program at the University of Illinois. That’s when daughter Clarissa was diagnosed.
While Quinn had been looking for chemical biology programs in the cancer drug discovery
space, he started feeling a pull in another direction.
“That made me take a pause, and look at things; ‘If I am going to have a career in research, where do I want to be putting my efforts?’ I felt an obligation to use the skills and knowledge I have as a scientist to bring that to bear,” Quinn says.
From there, he found the Harvard University research lab of biologist Doug Melton, who eventually became co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Melton’s lab was working on cell transplant
“I absolutely see [a cure for diabetes] being a reality in my children's lifetime. That’s what gives me hope,” Quinn says.
therapies for patients with Type 1 diabetes.
Melton’s story will sound familiar. A well-known researcher in the world of Type 1 diabetes—maybe the best known, according to some—Melton had been studying developmental biology with frogs until his sixmonth old was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
“Doug is a model of what I wanted to do, and what I wanted to be, as a father and a researcher,” Quinn says.
"The most meaningful thing for me is to see how strong and resilient my kids have become as a result of this disease."
— Quinn Peterson
Quinn Peterson leads a cutting-edge lab— inside Mayo Clinic’s Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics— focused on finding a cell replacement therapy for people living with diabetes.
After working with Melton’s lab for more than five years, an opportunity with Mayo Clinic arose. The close collaboration between the Clinic and the lab helped Peterson decide to make the move.
He took the job at Mayo in 2017. In 2020, his team discovered how to manufacture cells capable of generating a hormone that regulates low blood sugar. The breakthrough was published in Nature Communications.
Today, Peterson’s lab in the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics is working on cell therapy that would theoretically allow individuals with Type 1 diabetes to produce their own insulin and also manage glucose levels.
If ultimately successful, the cell therapy could make insulin injections four and five
times a day, and constant glucose monitoring, a thing of the past.
And it’s not just Quinn. The entire Peterson family is involved with helping those living with diabetes, “24-7.”
The Peterson children have become advocates for other children living with the disease. School nurses have had them lend a hand to other students who have been recently diagnosed. They hosted a climbing camp at Roca Climbing in Rochester to show others that those living with Type 1 diabetes can still have an active life.
The kids have also attended and volunteered at Camp Needlepoint, a camp designed specifically for children with Type 1 diabetes to spend time with each other.
Informally, the Peterson family will respond to emails or phone calls from a friend of a friend
who might need help. Due to high costs of insulin, issues with insurance coverage, the diabetes community is forced to advocate for and help each other.
“I remember when my kids were young, really young, and my daughter said to my wife, ‘Diabetes is a really hard thing in my life.’ As a 3-year-old, or as a 5-year-old, you shouldn’t have that hard of a thing in your life. You should be able to just be a kid,” Quinn says.
“The most meaningful thing for me is to see how strong and resilient my kids have become as a result of this disease. The reality for someone living with this disease … is there is a real possibility that they could end up dying. To see (my children) face that, learn how to deal with the uncertainty, and be able to adopt an attitude that ‘This disease isn’t going to define me. It isn’t going to limit me. That has been really inspiring to see,” he says.
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‘A History in Stained Glass’
Displayed in a great hall in a building in downtown Rochester, a three-column work of stained glass—considered one of the finest in the country—depicts 2,000 years of medical history in 12 panels.
Only a lucky few get to see it.
story by Dr. Michael Camilleri and Cynthia Stanislav
Intro by Steve Lange
(much of it excerpted with permission for Minnesota Medicine magazine, an awesome periodical, and the Minnesota Medical Association)
Mayo
One of Rochester's coolest buildings is also one of the least accessible to regular Rochesterites.
Built in 1918 as the home of William (“Dr. Will”) and Hattie Mayo, the Mayo Foundation House—tucked away mostly out of view on 710 Fourth St. Southwest— includes 47 rooms in the three-story, 24,000-square foot stone structure.
Designed by architectural heavy hitters Ellerbe & Associates, the building was crafted to showcase a unique combination of Renaissance Revival and English Tudor styles, according to the National Register of Historic Places description. The materials, however, were native to the Midwest: exterior walls are Kasota stone, quarried near Mankato and St. Peter; the roof was green slate from Lake Superior.
The five-story tower rising above the main entrance was built at Dr. Mayo's request and was “reminiscent of the tower in his parents’ home where his mother followed her hobby of astronomy.”
The walls of the reception hall were “constructed of white carrara marble and walnut veneer paneling. The most dominant feature in the reception hall was a “very ornate player organ, built into the wall.”
In 1938, though, Dr. Will and Hattie Mayo “donated the home to Mayo Clinic as a meeting place ‘for the good of mankind,’” according to the Mayo Clinic. “Known since then as Mayo Foundation House, the home is reserved for Mayo Clinic meetings and events, and not open to the public. The Board of Trustees meets at Mayo Foundation House, and many dignitaries have been guests there.”
Soon after the donation of the Mayo family home in Rochester to the Mayo Foundation in 1938, changes were planned to make the building more conducive to its new purpose, which included, according to the Mayo Clinic Meeting Minutes, “honoring distinguished guests” and “holding meetings of the music, drama, and reading divisions ... of staff members and fellows.”
The third floor ballroom was paneled in dark New England oak and decorated with hand carved emblems of medical schools. Air conditioning was added.
And a committee that included Dr. Philip Showalter Hench (a Nobel Prize winner in 1950); Dr. C.F. Code; and Dr. Henry Frederic Helmholz, Jr., submitted recommendations for a stained glass window, dedicated to the history of medicine, to be created and installed in the Foundation House's Balfour Hall.
The team sketched out the design for the window, and submitted it to Thomas Ellerbe of Ellerbe & Associates.
Ellerbe reached out to Dr. Robert and Gertrude Metcalf, a renowned stained glass artist team. When they were asked to create the art, in early 1939 or so, the couple were traveling through Europe.
They were not, though, on some vacation.
The Metcalfs, recognizing that a war was approaching in Europe, had traveled overseas. Robert, an accomplished photographer, wanted to capture images of as many of the great stained glass art pieces he could. He would take more than 10,000 photos of stained glass pieces around the continent. Gertrude kept detailed drawings and notations for each section of every stained glass window photographed.
When they returned from Europe in 1939, the Metcalfs began sorting and cataloging their slides, according to the biography written by their son, Robert Rahm Metcalf. At the same time, they started working on the History of Medicine Stained Glass Window for the Mayo Clinic.
The piece was completed and installed in March of 1943.
“The third floor now consists of one great hall known as Balfour Hall,” according to the National Register. “The ceiling is 30 feet high and over 90 feet in length. At one end of this great hall is a grand fireplace and at the other is a stained glass window.”
Foundation House postcard, circa 1940s
'A History in Stained Glass'
story by Dr. Michael Camilleri and Cynthia Stanislav (excerpted with permission from Minnesota Medicine)
Doctors and investigators at Mayo Clinic have traditionally embraced the study of the history of medicine, a history that is chronicled in the stained glass window at Mayo Foundation House.
That window is vertically organized to represent three “shields” from left to right—education, practice and research—over four epochs, starting from the bottom with the earliest (pre-1500) and ending with the most recent (post-1900) periods.
These eras represent ancient and medieval medicine, the movement from theories to experimentation, organized advancement in science and, finally, the era of preventive medicine.
The luminaries, their contributions to science and medicine and the famous quotes or aphorisms included in the panels of the stained glass window are summarized.
Among the famous personalities shown are Hippocrates of Kos, Andreas Vesalius, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, Edward Jenner, Florence Nightingale, Louis Pasteur, and Joseph Lister.
This stained glass window at Mayo Foundation House serves to remind students, practitioners, and investigators of the contributions upon which advances in medicine are based, through the 12 panels.
STAINED GLASS, COLUMN ONE: Medical Education
PANEL 1:
In a lecture room in a Medieval medical school, a professor (with assistant to the left) reads ancient medical writings preserved during the Middle Ages, and the students listen.
Ancient medical text is represented in two small blocks (Hippocrates of Kos and Galen) and, consistent with medical practice of the Middle Ages, a priest is shown exorcizing a leper.
The borders show images of Hygeia, Asklepios, Celsus, and Saints Cosmas and Damian.
The inscription—“Earth, Air, Fire, Water”— represents the four elements of the cosmogonic theory of Empedocles, the Greek (Sicilian) philosopher. These elements converge with the Hippocratic treatise, “On the Nature of Man,” describing the medical theory of the four humors believed to exist within the body and to determine the behavior of all created things: black bile with earth, phlegm with water, blood with air and yellow bile with fire.
PANEL 2: The arrival of the Renaissance period (14-17th century in Europe) is marked by the groundbreaking medical publication “De humani corporis fabrica libri septem” by Andreas Vesalius, which introduced the renaissance of medical and scientific thought. The dominant theme of Panel 2 shows Vesalius conducting dissections.
Three smaller blocks represent Paracelsus, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and Giovanni Battista Morgagni, reflecting the establishment of disease observations with histology and pathology, and explanation of the etiology of diseases and selecting treatments.
The emphasis on observation and examination is reflected in a quote from Leonardo da Vinci, “All our knowledge originates in our sensibilities.”
PANEL 3: The team of professor, trainees, and nurse administering to the needs of a patient emphasizes the importance of bedside teaching in the education of the modern physician.
Pride of place is given to Sir William Osler, who was well acquainted with the Mayo Clinic and the author of the inscription for the window, “Each case has its lesson; a lesson which may be, but is not always learned.”
In the small blocks, Osler, René Laennec and Thomas Sydenham are shown; in the border, William Henry Welch and the Ether Dome of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston are shown, commemorating the first successful use of ether anesthesia.
PANEL 4: The main theme, the conferring of degrees, is represented by graduate medical education. Small blocks represent Hotel Dieu, Paris; Berlin General Hospital; Army Medical Library, Washington DC; Tom Tower at the University of Oxford, England; and the Northrop Memorial Auditorium of the University of Minnesota.
The border pictures show shields of the University of Michigan and Northwestern University (where doctors Will and Charlie Mayo obtained their medical degrees), the United States Public Health Service, and the University of Minnesota.
The inscription, “Take of my experience, but give me of your dreams,” is an abbreviation of the testimonial by W.J. Mayo: “Each day as I go through the hospitals surrounded by younger men, they give me of their dreams and I give them of my experience, and I get the better of the exchange.”
STAINED GLASS, COLUMN 2: Medical Practice
PANEL 5: In the office of a medieval physician, a boy presents a bottle of urine to the examiner, who, it was believed, could identify the patient’s disease by the urine’s color, as reflected in Geoffrey Chaucer’s description of the physician in The Canterbury Tales: “He knew the cause of everich maladye, were it of hoot, or cold or moyste, or drye.”
The small panels show the king curing scrofula (the king’s evil), the plague doctor in costume and a scene of blood-letting, which was supposed to restore balance to the humors.
PANEL 6: Edward Jenner performs a vaccination for the prevention of smallpox. The inscription, “Why submit hypotheses, try it and know,” is attributed to John Hunter and his advice to Jenner.
The small panels show Ambroise Paré, Benjamin Rush, and Ephraim McDowell, and the borders show medicinal plants including Digitalis purpurea (foxglove), ferns, poppy and, interestingly, Cannabis sativa. There is also a small inset of William Withering, who introduced the successful use of digitalis.
PANEL 7: Surgery is complemented by the introduction of anesthesia and antisepsis to reduce pain and mortality. Joseph B. Lister is shown preparing the operating room prior to an operation, about to wash his hands in chemical solutions. Lister appreciated Louis Pasteur’s important work of antisepsis to prevent infections in wounds and in the operating room. One assistant holds two bottles of chemicals and the other is spraying the operating room with carbolic acid.
The quotation for this panel is attributed to Edward L. Trudeau: “To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always.”
The smaller panels show Samuel D. Gross, Theodor Billroth, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, further emphasizing antisepsis in obstetrics and surgery.
PANEL 8: The modern era of preventive medicine. Smaller panels show Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing; the family physician, the backbone of modern medical practice; Willem Einthoven for electrocardiography; and Paul Ehrlich for chemotherapy.
The overall motto is reflected in an aphorism of W.J. Mayo: “They loved the truth and sought to know it.”
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STAINED GLASS, COLUMN 3: Medical Research
PANEL 9: A medieval alchemist is shown in his laboratory. Chemistry was originally the art of extracting medicinal juices from plants; alchemy was the preeminent chemical science of the Middle Ages, with lofty goals including the transformation of base metals into gold, discovery of the universal cure for disease and the search for a means to prolong life indefinitely.
The quotation is from Leonardo da Vinci: “It is by testing that we discern fine gold.”
Medieval practice includes smaller blocks showing an astrologer (prognostication), black magic, and the bezoar stone believed to prevent melancholia and all kinds of poisoning.
PANEL 10: Medical history of the 17th century was dominated by William Harvey, who proved the continuous circulation of the blood. This is the main subject of this panel, with Harvey demonstrating the circulatory system to King Charles I.
The quotation is from the great physiologist, Claude Bernard: “Put off your imagination when you enter the laboratory, but put it on again when you leave.”
The small blocks around the panel are likenesses of Francis Bacon, John Hunter, Luigi Galvani, and Alessandro Volta.
PANEL 11: Louis Pasteur is in his laboratory, surrounded by animals and assistants. This panel is placed at the same horizontal level as the Lister panel (Panel 7).
The quotation is from Pasteur: “In the field of observation, chance favors only the mind which is prepared.”
Small blocks show Claude Bernard, Robert Koch, and William Beaumont.
PANEL 12: The modern laboratory is depicted, with emphasis on the role of physics (including roentgen rays and electron microscopy), chemistry, and related sciences in preventive medicine. Books are pictured to show the recording of prior knowledge and discoveries for use by the scientist. rm
Active Living, ACTIVE LIFE
PART II
DANCE CLASSES. QUILTING. PICKLEBALL.
Three retired Rochesterites talk tips for staying active.
Quilting. Crosswords. Coaching (and personal training).
How Sue Postier became a personal trainer … at 73.
“You’re never too old and it’s not too late” is the motto that Sue Postier wants to put on her business card. Postier herself is the perfect embodiment of those words–she became a personal trainer and started teaching fitness classes at age 73.
A native of the Rochester area, Postier has exercised for most of her life. She says she’s been a member of “every gym there ever was in Rochester,” including an allmen’s gym that allowed her to join.
When Postier is not teaching or exercising herself these days, she quilts, does crossword puzzles, works toward her next goal of becoming a nutrition coach, and spends time with her kids and grandkids.
Why did you decide to become a personal trainer in your 70s?
I was a bookkeeper for many years. Sitting and hunching over a computer took its toll on my body. I decided to take the course in personal training mainly for me. I was partway through and my husband died. After that I thought I should get out and do something. I took the exam and got the certification. They needed a trainer at 125 Live and I thought, ‘I’ll go in and see.’ I started working there in April of this year.
What does your personal training job entail?
I work with some people who want to know how to work the machines and develop a routine. And I have only taught one class so far but hopefully I’ll be doing more. The class is called “Seated Strength.” All the classes are flexible and there’s no judgment. People are there for their own health and not to please the teacher.
Are you one of the older instructors/trainers?
I know there’s one instructor who is 85 and teaches the “Heartstrong” dance class, but the rest are probably in their 30s.
Tell me about what it’s like to lead your class. For the class I teach, most of the students are older with limitations in aerobic movement, so seated strength is really nice for them. There’s a couple in their 90s that so enjoy my class. It’s gratifying that I’m actually helping them to stay fit. They’re not looking to run marathons but want to stay in their own home and that’s a good goal to have… Every time I leave my class I think, ‘I wish there was another one after this’ because it’s so fun. The first time I was done with my class I was on top of the world.
Photo by Joe Ahlquist
by
What is your own workout routine?
I do circuit training three days a week and I take a water aerobics class which is very nice. It was a good way to initially get back into shape when I started going to 125 Live. I made so many friends I just don’t want to quit!
How do you feel before, during, and after your workouts?
Most people are like ‘Let’s get this over with so I can get on with my day.’ For me, I enjoy the exercise and feel like I accomplished something when I’m done. I also feel more energetic. It’s a good way to start the day and then I can get some things done.
How does healthy living for you include both the body and the mind?
This is another reason I wanted to take a course and decided to do the personal training certification. Learning at any age is intense, but after 70 it’s especially challenging, and my grief played a part in it being harder too… I want to keep my mind active. I do crossword puzzles for fun—in ink!—and I quilt which is like putting a puzzle together. But mostly it’s the studying that works my brain.
What advice can you offer on exercise?
The main thing that I found while studying to be a personal trainer is that you have to work those large muscles–your core, your thighs, your upper legs. Those are the ones you want to concentrate on. Start out small and just keep working them… Also, have fun! If it’s not fun, you won’t stick with it.
» Also, have fun! If it’s not fun, you won’t stick with it.
Photo
Joe Ahlquist
“Aviva
– Jodi Armstrong
Pickleball. Billiards. Quilting (for veterans).
Joel
Skauge has hobbies to spare.
While some of us have a hard time finding just one engaging hobby, Joel Skauge, 77, has hobbies to spare. And his humility and heart are reflected in each of those hobbies. Some were shared passions with his late wife. Some are to benefit other veterans like himself. And the newest–pickleball–not only keeps him busy and active but also has become just a touch addictive as well. Skauge grew up on a farm near Spring Grove and has lived in the Rochester area since 1971.
Tell me about your time in the service.
I was in the Navy Seabees, which is the Navy Construction Battalion. I spent 16 months in Vietnam between ’68 and ’70.
Can you share a little about your family?
I lost my wife last October. We were married for 52 years. I have two kids in town who both work for Mayo Clinic. I also have three grandkids in town and one up in Minneapolis, and five great-grandkids up there.
What was your career?
For a while we moved around repairing and reselling houses. Then most of my career I was a machinist for professional instruments. I built air bearings and sold them to high tech places.
How active was that job?
It was a lot of close tolerance, high-skill stuff. It wasn’t physically demanding but you have to pay attention.
How have you stayed active throughout your life?
I was always active. I played baseball in high school. When our kids were little, we did a little camping. Both kids were in soccer. I coached a team and was the northeast soccer coordinator for a couple of years. I learned soccer as I went along.
How did you get into pickleball?
I started in January of this year and have been playing four to five days a week for a couple of hours a day. It started as a way to keep busy. I play at 125 Live, the Eagles Club, and sometimes at my church.
What is your typical pickleball game like?
There’s a group of us that go. Some were my pre-existing friends and some I’ve made though pickleball. We always play doubles. Us old people don’t move good enough to play singles. I’m probably upper medium skill level but I don’t know for sure. They have a rating system but I’ve never played ladders or tournaments. I just play for fun. I like the socialization part of it and the exercise part. You can see yourself getting better so you
keep at it. It’s kind of addicting once you get into it. I love the lingo, like “getting pickled” if you’re shut out. Or “you left a piece of cake up there for them” if it gets high and they can just slam it on you.
Do you consider pickleball a good workout?
You’ll be sweating but not winded so much. Playing doubles you don’t move that much.
Now let’s talk about your other hobbies. Billiards?
I’ve done billiards since I was a teenager off and on. I also played when I was in the service. I like 8 ball. We just get together at 125 Live and play. I’m fair. There’s definitely a lot of people better than me.
Photo by
Joe Ahlquist
Just be out, be social, and do things you’re interested in.
» »
Quilting?
My wife used to do a lot of quilt tops. She had bought a cheap sit-down quilting machine so I bought a computer-operated one. There is a group called Castle Quilters at 125 Live that sews quilts for veterans. They do the quilt tops and get the backs ready. I just put the three layers together and do the assembly because I have the machine at my house.
That is really meaningful that the quilts go to veterans. I’m involved in the DAV and the VFW and the Vietnam Veterans of America and I do stuff for all of those groups. Tomorrow I’m going up to the Hastings veterans’ home to bring them some sweet corn.
Why is staying physically active important to you?
I feel a lot better when I’m active. Just overall you have to keep active. I’ve got some peripheral neuropathy and if I keep active it helps that a little bit. On the days I don’t play pickleball, I usually walk the neighborhood for a half hour or 45 minutes. My personal goal is to stay in my home as long as possible.
Is regular social interaction a part of your healthy living goals and routine?
Yes. After losing my wife I didn’t want to go into depression or sit at home all the time. It’s working. Give me a rundown of your many other hobbies.
My wife and I did Thursdays on First (now Thursdays Downtown) the first 10 years it was in existence. In our booth we sold woven rugs we made. The company was called Warped Weaver and it was kind of her job. People would come looking for us after we stopped going… I also do a little stained glass work. Being a machinist you collect all these things. I sold a piece now and then… And I do some gardening. We always ate and cooked healthy. I have potatoes, carrots, cucumbers and radishes… I probably have too many hobbies–I don’t get any of them done!
What advice can you offer others on staying active?
Just be out, be social, and do things you’re interested in.
Hiking. Travel. Dance classes.
For Betty Mazur, “you’ve just got to keep moving” »
When Betty Mazur was growing up in northeast Iowa, her family took a oneweek vacation every year to a nearby destination like Wisconsin or Minnesota. That was it. International adventures were definitely not on her radar.
But after her kids were out of the house, Mazur, 77, saw other people visiting far-flung destinations and thought “I can do that!” That’s when she got the travel bug and began seeing the world via group hiking and walking tours Since she retired in 2019 from more than 30 years in hospital nursing, her off-thebeaten-path adventures have become more frequent. Mazur has traveled to Ireland, Montenegro, Bosnia, Africa, Peru, Ecuador, Machu Picchu, the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica, other international destinations and many U.S. states.
Whether stateside or abroad, Mazur—a grandma of five—prioritizes staying busy, active, and social.
You live in Byron but I didn’t recognize your area code.
I moved from Topeka, Kansas to Byron in 2021. My daughter and her family live in Rochester and we’d been talking for a few years about whether I should move here. I finally decided to make the move. It was a big adjustment because I had a lot of friends in Topeka. I didn’t know anyone here except my daughter and her family.
What were some things you did to meet people?
I joined 125 LIVE with a social membership and that’s how I found a group to play bridge with.
Also, I had been in Jazzercise in Wichita, where the program was extremely active. When I first moved here, I joined the local Jazzercise program but it was really small and fell apart. So I decided to join the fitness programs at 125 LIVE. I have taken Zumba classes, cardio dance and a couple of strength classes there.
Submitted photo
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Please tell me about how your hiking and walking adventures began.
At some point after my youngest child went to college, my sister told me about a small family-owned tour company called Walking Adventures International based in Vancouver, Wash. I decided to try one of their trips and went to Iceland in 2016. I loved it. The guide and trip were wonderful. We did a lot of walking and hiking, and saw the country. I liked their philosophy of being active as opposed to being on a cookie-cutter bus trip. You get more immersed in the culture of the country. Since then I have gone on several trips with them.
What are the tours like?
The trips can range from one to two weeks. I have gone alone and been matched with a roommate. I have also gone with friends. They have a lot of returning clientele so the more trips I go on, I almost always know someone. There are never more than 40 in a group and there were 26 on the one I did recently. There are always two guides and in each foreign country you hook up with a local guide, too.
How demanding is the hiking and walking on the tours?
We walk or hike between 5 and 10 kilometers a day. Depending on the trip you’re on, it can be more of a hiking trip in the forest and woods. The most recent trip I did was a Danube River cruise. The touring we did when off the ship was more city walking, but we also did hikes in the country as well. I prefer the trips where you’re actually hiking or walking in the woods as opposed to city walking because the pavement can be hard on my body.
What have been your favorite trips?
My very favorite was hiking in the Swiss Alps. The hikes were beautiful. We saw so much of Switzerland as well as small parts of Italy and France. We had gorgeous weather. I also loved doing the Appalachian Trail here in the U.S. It was obviously not the whole trail but we did a section in every state the trail
goes through. We started in Maine and ended in Georgia. We were bussed from state to state each evening and then walked on the trail during the days.
You are inspiring! I’d love to follow in your footsteps with your travel.
I feel very fortunate to be able to do what I’ve done. I’ve often said if I could not go on another trip I’d be satisfied because I’ve been to a lot of places I never thought I’d go. It has been wonderful to experience the beauty and differences in other countries... You just get out of your comfort zone when you meet people and experience other cultures.
Why is staying active important to you?
The older I get, the more I realize you’ve just got to keep moving. If you don’t, things stiffen up… I think it’s important for my health to just keep going.
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From the experts:
What advice do you have for adults to get (and stay) active? »
Work on the physical, mental, social, and spiritual.
"When looking into our services, we go over the needs people may have, whether it is physically, mentally, or socially, and we work on keeping them as independent as possible. Mentally, [we know that] playing games (like Sudoku and word search) and socializing is important. Physically, walking or doing basic chair exercises is helpful. Or, if able, attending exercise classes, which is also good socially. Spiritually, meditation or attending events at their place of worship is important."
—Karen Hanson, Care Manager, Home Instead
Try new things
"Try a few new things, like Zumba or Water Aerobics. It takes 66 days to form a new habit, so be consistent and show up. If it is walking, biking, or swimming–it’s a step in the right direction and it will pay off, I promise."
—Sylwia Bujak Oliver, 125 LIVE Executive Director
MoreFun!Lessfuss!
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Keep your mind active
"As we age it is vital to not neglect the importance of mental challenges. The activities that can keep your mind active are reading, writing, learning new things, playing games and all types of puzzles. Also, social activities are important and we should try to keep in contact and communicate with family, friends, and neighbors.
If you have not been keeping physically active, make sure that you start with low intensity activities with plenty of rest in between. But of course, make sure you check with your doctor if you have health concerns or physical limitations."
—Joe Sedelmeyer, Director at Visiting Angels Home Care Director
Mental challenges. Regular movement. Reflection.
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"1. Keep your mind sharp by challenging yourself daily. Engage in activities like reading, puzzles, trivia or attempting a new skill–playing an instrument you’ve always wanted to try, learning a new craft or artistic endeavor, using the computer in a new way. Stay curious, and seek out conversations or hobbies that stimulate your intellect.
2. Make movement a regular part of your routine like daily walking, stretching, or joining a fitness class. Find an activity you enjoy so it feels less like a chore and more like a way to energize your day. There are many options like pickleball, ping pong, bocce ball, bowling, horseshoes, disc golf, golf, cornhole, or even using the Wii for electronic sports.
3. Nurture your spirit by taking time for reflection, whether through meditation, prayer, or spending time in nature. Connect with others who share your values, and practice gratitude to maintain a positive outlook on life. Consider volunteering your time and talents with a local nonprofit or within the senior living community itself."
—Mike
Anderson, Executive
Director,
The Homestead at Rochester
»Look for "whole person care"
"Staying active in all aspects of life is essential for everyone’s well-being. I call this whole person care.
Physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, and social well-being are all different pieces that are critical to your puzzle. They are interconnected just like we are!
I encourage lifelong learning— whether through reading, puzzles, card games, crafting, or new hobbies. Getting involved in volunteer work or joining an activity group at your local senior center are just a couple ways to keep learning. Keeping the brain engaged is important.
Physically, prioritize regular exercise, whether it’s walking, chair yoga, swimming, biking, or strength training. Movement enhances both mobility and vitality. The ticket to aging gracefully is to keep moving. It doesn’t need to be hours, costly, or intense. Twenty minutes of exercise makes a difference on stress management, anxiety, and depression. Please consult with your physician to ensure your safety and make sure you get your annual physicals.
Spiritually, stay connected to your values, whether through meditation, prayer, or nature, nurtures inner peace. Stay active in your local church, attend Bible study or join a new group. Meditation is very beneficial for self-growth and self-care.
Social connection is vital and some say it’s one of the most important. As we age, it’s a normal behavior to slowly start disconnecting with friends due to multiple reasons when they are living in their own homes. Go for coffee with a group of friends, cultivate new friendships with others who share the same interests, maintain relationships and seek out community. A holistic approach helps cultivate a balanced, fulfilled life."
—Vanessa Sherer, Director of Sales and Marketing, Benedictine Living Community Rochester-Madonna Towers rm
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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. (See ad page 11)
Garten Marketplatz. Located six miles SW of Rochester on Olmsted Co. 15, this Civil-War era farm is a wonderful holiday alternative to strip malls and box stores. Dressed in the wonder of Christmas, the vintage brick Garten Haus is filled with gifts and home/ holiday decorating items. Mixed evergreen bundles, centerpieces and wreaths are fresh- cut and designed on site. Bring your favorite containers or centerpiece items and we’ll design a custom piece perfect for your home. Fraser fir Christmas trees are available after Thanksgiving, and are hanging in our greenhouse for easy viewing. Open daily March-December, call for hours or visit www.gartenmarketplatz. com. 507-365-8891.
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 79)
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 22, 39)
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.
BY STEVE LANGE
10
(or so) questions with ... Jeanna Liu,
2003 Century grad and recent founder of Cowbell Plant Co.
Rochester Magazine: So are there times when you “can be a little bit dramatic, act a little bit erratic?”
Jeanna Liu: How did you possibly find those lyrics?
RM: What’s the next line?
JL: “That’s just the way I am.”
RM: Yes! So those are lyrics from a song of yours—under the name Max Mello—I found on Spotify. Really cool stuff.
JL: Thank you so much. I recorded that song, (“Better With You”) during Covid. It’s part of my many personalities, I suppose.
RM: [trying to speak Mandarin]: Wǒmen zǒu ba! (Let's go!)
JL: [speaking Mandarin]: Wǒmen yào qù nǎlǐ? (Where are we going?).
RM: Wǒ bù dǒng (I don’t understand).
JL: You said “Let's go.” I asked where we were going.
RM: Oh. Give me a few sentences on each of these places. Shanghai.
JL: I was born there. Shanghai in the ‘80s was essentially a third world country. We had no hot running water.
RM: Detroit, through second grade.
JL: First port of call into the States, I went to an all-Black elementary school, which was so interesting. I didn't speak any English.
RM: Palo Alto, Calif., through sixth grade.
JL: My parents [former Mayo researchers Chiping Qian and Wanguo Liu] started working at Stanford. I loved Palo Alto.
RM: Rochester.
JL: Rochester was middle school and high school, and it was a very different environment. But reflecting back, it was a very wholesome place to grow up.
RM: It must have been tough when you moved here. Did you find anyone to help you through that?
JL: Sue Nielsen was my sixth grade teacher at Kellogg. I think she’s retired now. But there is one thing that I remember vividly. It was the first month that I was here. She came with me after school to my house because she wanted to know about me and my parents. She was so invested and cared so much. And my parents worked 10, 12 hours a day. So they didn’t come home until like 8 o’clock at night, and Mrs. Nielsen just stayed there the entire time, waiting for them to get home. I get a little emotional thinking about it now.
RM: I get a little emotional watching you tell it. OK. Tell me about the dream you had as a 6-year-old.
JL: When I was 6, I had a dream that I would die by the time I was 35. It was so incredibly vivid. ... And hence, all of the travel and the adventure and all of the places and all of the things have been me just trying to live as many lives as I can. Then the pandemic rolled around, and I was turning 35, and I said, “This is it. My premonition is coming true.” That's when I decided to write and produce the album. And I released that the day before my birthday. But, I’m still here.
RM: Then you graduated from high school, and MIT, and then spent 15 years in mergers and acquisitions on Wall Street, at least.
JL: I really enjoyed that. It took me all over the world.
RM: What was the moment when you realized you wanted to be your own entrepreneur?
JL: A lot of it had to do with the pandemic, which gave a lot of people some existential wake-up calls. When you work with startup
founders and entrepreneurs for long enough, you also get the itch to start your own thing. During the pandemic, a lot of people became plant parents, right?
RM: Sure. And you traveled for weeks at a time and had to keep your plants watered.
JL: Yes! So many people realized the importance of bringing nature into their homes, of biophilic living, when we were all quarantined indoors. When people started traveling again, all their plants started dying. That created a moment where I said, “Hey, I've been trying to MacGyver ways to water plants for the decades. Maybe I can bring that to market.”
RM: Can you describe Cowbell in a few sentences?
JL: Cowbell Plant Co. is a next-gen plant care brand for modern, busy plant parents. Our flagship product is the Cowbell self-watering system, which uses physics and biology and chemical processes, including capillary action.
RM: For the name, Cowbell, I read where you thought it had a nice ring to it. Ba-dum-bum.
JL: You took my punchline.
RM: Right. So, Jeanna, why the name Cowbell?
JL: It had a nice ring to it.
RM: That’s a great one! Okay. Last question. Are there some times when you “pick a fight for nothing, disappear without a warning?”
JL: “That's just the way I am.”
Photo by Jeanna Liu
