Verileet December 2020

Issue 03 /// December 2020

VERILEET

TIFFANY WHEELHOUSE Turning Tragedy into Hope

Myths About Melanin-Rich Skin You NEED To Stop Believing POC CAN PULL OFF ANY LOOK, AS LONG AS THEY’RE TAKING CARE OF THEIR SKIN IN THE PROCESS.

By Aniza Jahangir

Remember being in middle school, reading about great myths and urban legends?

Newsflash: that was all in preparation for entering the beauty and skincare world. There are all too many myths surrounding POC’s skin, some of which can be detrimental to health and safety. But with every other beauty blog saying centaurs are real and that black and brown people don’t need sunscreen, the other half in disagreement, it can be hard to suss out what to believe. That’s where we’ve got you covered.

MYTH

1

DARKER SKIN DOESN’T AGE AS FAST

Fruit ages, cars, age, plants age - everything ages.

So why is there this myth that black and brown skin just..

Doesn’t it? Now whether this belief comes from exoticism and the lacking physical care that is encouraged by dominating, Eurocentric, beauty communities is a conversation for another day. For now, let’s get down to facts.

MYTH

2

The truth is that melanin-rich skin DOES age, it just ages differently from lighter skin. Where lighter skin tones may find increases in wrinkling, sagging, and thinning, as well as spotting, darker skin tones tend to see diminishing dermal laxity, the development of moles, and dryness. This is not to say that darker skin tones do not experience wrinkling or sagging - they do. These tend to occur over a longer period of time because of the sun protection increased melanin levels can provide.

BLACK AND BROWN SKIN DOESN’T REQUIRE SUNSCREEN

Speaking of melanin and sun protection, say it with us, “melanin does not equal sunscreen.”

While darker skin’s higher melanin concentration does offer some protection against sun damage that is not present in lighter skin, melanin is not an impenetrable barrier to UVA and UVB rays.

These sun rays are cancer-causing agents that are all too often mythicized into being only effective on light skin tones, leading to the popularized thinking that those with dark skin do not need to use sunscreen - aka, the centaur of our list.

In reality, those with dark skin are at risk for cancer caused by sun damage and UVA/UVB rays when not taking the proper precautions. This is why it is paramount for darker-skinned folks to wear sunscreen and be thoughtful about where they are placing it. In black and brown people with melanoma, a common mistake has been missing areas of the skin where there is less melanin production - like the soles of one’s feet, the palms of hands, even the inside of elbows or armpits. Because these areas are lighter, they have less protection from the sun and need to be doubly protected.

MYTH

3

LASERS AREN’T SAFE FOR DARKER SKIN

It’s not uncommon to think that lasers can be the cause of hyperpigmentation, scarring, or even blistering to darker skin. Gratefully for POC on the hairier side (see: myself and my Indian genes) and those who may be lacking in collagen, lasers are totally safe under the proper conditions for melanin-rich skin.

The process of using lasers on darker skin looks a little different.

Fractora and ND: YAG lasers are most commonly used for melanin-rich skin. Fractora lasers remodel skin and generate collagen by sending frequencies under the skin’s surface, allowing the top dermal layer to remain untouched, thus limiting the possibility for any pigmentation concerns. ND:YAG, in combination with cooling treatments, light pulses, and proper laser frequencies, safely treat spider veins, birthmarks, varicose veins, and can be used in hair removal.

MYTH

4

IT IS POSSIBLE TO INCREASE OR DECREASE MELANIN LEVELS

With the addiction of artificial tans, overused bronzer, and blackface-bordering trend of wearing too dark foundation, it is no wonder that some believe you can increase skin’s melanin levels.

When skin is exposed to the sun and becomes tanner, and therefore darket, there is a very slight uptick in melanin levels. This, however, is solely temporary. For those who are lighter-skinned and want to keep their summer tan year-round or who want for their dark skin to be darker, permanent increase in melanin production is not possible.

And the same works vice versa! Just as there is no way to permanently darken one’s skin medically, it is equally impossible to lighten one’s skin permanently. Though many cultures, especially South Asian cultures, regularly engage in skin bleaching treatments to achieve a more Euro-centric tone, these results are not lasting.

At best, they last for a few days and cause irreversible skin damage, including increased porosity and therefore less protection.

At worst, they last for a few days and cause irreversible skin damage. Was that a repeat? Yes. Intentionally? Yes!

MYTH

5

WOMEN OF COLOUR CAN’T PULL OFF BRIGHT COLOURED MAKEUP LOOKS

While this myth doesn’t put POC at risk physically (thankfully), it does separate our darker complexioned sisters and brothers out from the main beauty sphere! Let’s not forget that the bright reds, blues, and yellows found on the eyes and lips of every Sephora shopper originally found themselves in the regal and everyday wear of Asian and African countries - not Western ones. A darker palette means colors stand out brighter, colors are more impactful, and that beauty is defined by the art we create, our individuality.

The beauty game is one that is all the more beautiful when there is diversity in it - and isn’t that what we want? To bring each other into a world of creation where we are each other’s muses?

Photos by Nappy, David Florin, Mabel Lee, Jeremy Bishop.

Courtesy of PEXELS.

Cindy Sherman: How This Artist Uses Makeup to Become Anyone and Everyone

By Aniza Jahangir

We’ve all used makeup to enhance ourselves, but what if we became someone else entirely?

Widely recognized as one of the most salient contemporary photographers, Cindy Sherman employs her body as both a canvas and a mirror.

As the cinched waists and high busts of scantily clad, all bearing pin-up girls and PlayBoy Bunnies piqued in popularity in the 1960s, so did stereotypes on the female identity. Exploring the puritan woman, the immoralist femme, and all the media-born identities that graze peculiarity between Sherman’s works, which lay variously on the spectrum of farcical and disturbing, are iconic for their explicated commentaries on misconstrued beauty, sex, and womanhood.

Born to a bigoted engineer in the midst of the Second Wave feminist movement and a special education teacher, and being the youngest of five by at least 19 years, Sherman established herself in her family at a young age. Often dressing up in costume-like attire, Sherman approached family with the thinking that her parents and siblings had formed the familial connection with each other far before her. The clothes served her eagerness to please and be welcomed in. This obsession with looking anew followed Sherman into her teen years before it established her as an artist. Surrounded by the imagery of the 60s coined diva-woman, teenaged Cindy did her hair and makeup like the pin-up girls for a rest easy day at home. Then influenced by the new wave of feminism and wanting to be seen as liberated from patriarchy, makeup and

glamour were demonized. The social politics of Sherman’s formative years, while not direct, are visibly present in Sherman’s works and in her exploration of her sense of self.

Fueled by over saturation of images in advertising and media cultures, 1974 brought the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Pictures Generation to life. A grand name to the bracket of artists included in this show, Sherman’s photographic works and the works of other exhibited photographers are embedded with the same basic principles. The Pictures Generation comprised of artists of experimental media, photography, and film, who used literacy in Minimalism, Conceptual art, and Pop-Art as means of pushing postmodernism to encompass social critique on the influence of mass media.

For this generation of artists, photography would no longer to be bound by the assignment to capture subjects purely based on reality; rather, photography would become a means for capturing ideas, concepts, and delving into intellectual frameworks.

Acclaimed as Sherman’s genesis as a photographer is her black and white series, Untitled Film Stills (1977-1980). Over the course of seventy histrionic photographs staged in melancholia, Sherman depicts herself in varying roles of actresses from the 1950s and 1960s. Encouraging self-reflection and musing on women’s social impositions, Sherman captures the self-obsessed, the decrepit, and the homebound. Despite interpretations of Sherman drawing attention to the sufferable consequences that pounce at the heels of unrealistic and imposed womanly identity, the photographer insists her photographs are not intentionally political.

Not all of Sherman’s poignant works are quite so subdued. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Sherman made a shift towards the monstrous and pornographic. Emerging from the height of

the AIDS crisis with her series, Sex Pictures, Sherman dissects and separates sex and sexuality in her inspection of disease and the body. Voyeuristic and approaching medical, Sherman uses mannequins to grotesquely depict a focus on female and male genitalia, erasing sex of all sentiment. Two decapitated heads flank the upper right and lower left of two mannequins fused together at the hips, without torsos and without legs, female and male genitalia covered in hair with a hanging tampon string, made tidy with a big yellow bow under red lighting; Sherman’s Untitled #263 is just one of Sherman’s works, either apart of or outside of Sex Pictures, that bumptiously exhort controversy.

Sherman truly is every woman. Having trialed with hiring models in the 1980s, it soon became clear that, to have full freedom and do away with concerns over aesthetic discomfort, Sherman’s greatest muse had to be herself. Theatrical costumes loudly mingle with makeup as detailridden settings give themselves to lightingdictated moods, transforming Sherman into anyone but herself. Carefully constructed and exaggerated personas of Sherman’s portraiture are neither distinctly about who women are or who women are not, but rather, the ability for people to see pieces of who they are.

Photo courtesy of Google

Like many artists of the Pictures Generation, Sherman was firstly trained in a traditional discipline, painting. Sherman has been a woman with overdrawn red lips and too wide eyes, a scared young girl, a Caravaggio, a Botticelli.

Stepping behind a lens began as an exercise of discomfort, not a natural draw. Sherman first began taking photographs of herself in preparation for an art school exercise, gallivanting naked in the woods as others took pictures that never came. Feeling as if everything that could have been painted has been painted, and every new painting is nothing more than a copy of another painting, Sherman was further fueled to explore photography by another artist. Already one with a fascination for experimenting with clothing and makeup, she was encouraged to explore her process of getting ready with her camera, marking the start of Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills series.

VERILEET Verileet Vol. 1 Issue 3 December 2020 publisher/editor-in-chief eric olson

Editorial Angela McLaughlin Hannah Harms Lauren Beaubaire Dana Murphy Sara Schlueter Editorial Interns Ceara Golden Emily Andrews Aniza Jahangir Marketing & art director eric Olson eric@verileet.com design interns Masue Kamara Viktoriya Banul Braeden Peterson Sotonye Afonya Connor Aubel Salvina Marsiglia Advertising Martha Severson martha@verileet.com Erica Garrett erica@verileet.com Subscriptions Visit www.verileet.com or contact eric olson at eric@verileet.com Write to: info@verileet.com

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CULTURE. BEAUTY. FASHION

Madelyne Riley on the Power of Language, Body Positivity, &Why It’s Okay to Be Wrong

How one local influencer is changing the conversation around diet culture and losing weight.

Have you ever skipped out on an event or chose to stay in for the weekend because you felt bloated or simply didn’t like the way you looked in any of your clothes? I think most of us, unfortunately, relate to that sentiment alltoo-frequently. However, one Twin Cities influencer shows us how we can start to finally shift our mentality on how we look at ourselves and others.

—Lauren Beaubaire

It all started the week before Madelyne Riley’s 29th birthday. Madelyne felt like most of us do before big milestones and events, reflecting on where she thought she should be at this age, what goals were still left unaccomplished, and what her body should look like. For Madelyne (and again, like most of us) her goal was to have the perfect body.

“I was like well, I’m going to be twenty-nine next week, and if I don’t get it together, that means by thirty I still won’t have that perfect body. But then I had this out-ofbody experience, of that is so messed up. I really heard it, like the f*ck, that’s your goal?

Because I had told myself that for a long time and I had gotten used to that, and

suddenly it was like that’s a pathetic goal.

You should dream a lot bigger.”

While Madelyne considered herself recovered from anorexia many years ago, she realized in many ways she hadn’t.

“I was still in a very disordered eating habit and mentality that had affected big milestones in my life.”

There’s the false notion that once you lose those ten pounds or once you look a certain way, then everything will be okay and fall into place. Then I’ll be happy. Then I can start living my life. “And of course that’s not true,” laughs Madelyne. “When you say it out loud, it sounds ridiculous and doesn’t make any sense. It’s really a flawed plan. But you get used to saying it, and you get used to hearing it; it doesn’t sound so ridiculous after a while.”

“I was like well, I’m going to be twenty-nine next week, and if I don’t get it together, that means by thirty I still won’t have that perfect body. But then I had this out-of-body experience, of that is so messed up. I really heard it, like the f*ck, that’s your goal?

Because I had told myself that for a long time and I had gotten used to that, and suddenly it was like that’s a pathetic goal. You should dream a lot bigger.”

And it was these myths that we hold on to which became the impetus for Madelyne’s blog, “My Pointy Chin Diaries”.

Madelyne’s blog and Instagram @ pointy.chin.diaries offer you an intimate and entertaining look into Madelyne’s thoughts, feelings, musings, and of course, fashion sense. Granted, creating a blog centered around fashion may seem counterintuitive for someone who struggled with an eating disorder but Madelyne shares how fashion, in fact, played a huge part in her recovery.

“An outfit can really make a difference for me,” Madelyne explains. “There is something about having control versus not having control that is such a part of my development of an eating disorder and also my recovery from an eating disorder.

Having the control and the power to put whatever I want on my body and to decorate it differently is so cool.”

Once you begin reading Madelyne’s blog, be prepared to lose yourself in it. I was immediately captivated by her quick wit and thoughtful explorations of complex and difficult topics. Madelyne constantly challenges her thinking and belief systems. And in what quickly became a running theme throughout our interview, Madelyne continuously contradicts herself, saying, “Or maybe the exact opposite is true, and I’m wrong!”

“If you’re going to be on the internet, you get real okay being wrong and real okay with changing your mind,” laughs Madelyne. “I am so proud of myself for being able to admit when I’m wrong and to see when I’m wrong and to be grateful for the correction. It’s so great not to be afraid of not being perfect.

My stomach doesn’t drop when I’m called out because I get to learn about something when I was sure it was one way, and now I’m learning it’s a whole different way. That’s great.”

And especially when addressing social issues such as Black Lives Matter and the body positivity movement, Madelyne has been quick to correct her perception and beliefs, thinking deeply about what role she plays in those arenas, if any.

When speaking about Black Lives Matter, Madelyne expresses, “I’ve been very embarrassed by how obvious some of the mistakes I’ve made are but then so empowered by that. Like oh, of course that’s problematic.

Once you get over your pride a little bit, you can be like I just learned a thing, it’s great, let me share that with you.”

Posting something on the internet as well as not posting something on the internet both send a message and make a statement.

Madelyne constantly debates when she feels she must speak up and when she needs to be silent and let others have the stage.

Madelyne pauses briefly. “How much needs to be inside work, and how much needs to be onthe-internet work? It can be very traumatic for someone in the BIPOC community to watch a video of myself saying, ‘you guys, I just learned about white fragility.’ Processing white guilt and white fragility is incredibly traumatic for someone who has been on the other side of that. So just be aware that that’s another thing you’re adding on to the internet right now.”

Madelyne continues emphatically, “I don’t think people should be looking to me or listening to me about how to respond to white fragility because I’m a white woman. And white women are taking the stage way too readily and comfortably, and they need to sit down. Now is the time to learn.”

Whose voice should be heard and who should be center stage has also become starkly problematic within the body positivity movement. Taking the same level of care, attention, and awareness as she does when discussing Black Lives Matter, Madelyne speaks to the growing concerns surrounding body positivity, the troublesome language used within the movement, and specifically, the hashtag body positivity.

Madelyne points out if you take even a quick glance at the hashtag body positivity, you’ll be barraged with image after image of thin, white women saying how much they love their body.

“Yet again, as happens so often, white women have managed to be front and center spokespeople for a movement that isn’t about celebrating conventionally thin, attractive, acceptable bodies.”

Distinguishing the difference between celebrating and loving your body in a conventionally and socially acceptable body and loving your body in a fat body, is imperative for understanding the body positivity movement. Madelyne explains, “I’m a thin white woman, regardless of my own internal struggle or how mean I am to my body, society makes clothes for it readily and easily and cheaply. But if I’m talking to a fat woman about how I get it, how I’m body positive too, I really don’t. I have to understand how that can cause real hurt. Because fat people are judged way more than I am and to not see that and to say ‘yup me too,’ is silencing a really important part of this whole movement.”

Take note, Madelyne intentionally uses the word “fat”. And while using the word “fat” may feel unacceptable or hurtful, Madelyne points out how avoiding the word is in of itself a problem.

Language is important when it comes to speaking about bodies. “Fat isn’t a bad word, but it sounds like a bad word when it comes from someone who looks like me,” says Madelyne. “People who look like me and people who look like all kinds, have weaponized the word fat. We’ve decided it’s an insult and it’s not, it’s a descriptor.”

Madelyne also takes issue with how readily and casually, we as a society discuss weight.

“People make fun of their weight a lot, and it’s really a fat-phobic language. When we’re talking about triggering language, it’s when someone compliments weight loss. They’re so happy that someone else lost weight. Then I think, should I lose weight? They’re saying I value thin, which is crazy to me because we’ll say it to people we don’t know. What a horrible thing to say to someone you don’t know. But it’s as normal as asking how’s it going?”

For so many of us, Madelyne’s journey and experiences feel uncomfortably familiar. In the way that we speak to ourselves and in the way that we speak about others and to others. For Madelyne, she hopes that if she keeps sharing, others can unlearn these all-too-common habits and prejudices.

“My goal is that these things become as obvious to my followers as they are to me. So the next time someone says ‘you lost weight, you look so great’ to hear instead, ‘I like you more when you’re thin’.

My whole adult life, that was a compliment and I said thank you. It brightened my day, what a highlight. And now it’s like what a horrible thing to say to someone. If these little nuggets, these little lessons can help make those things obvious the next time you encounter them in real life, then maybe there’s a start there.”

Photography by Joe Dammel IG handle is @ dammelphotographicworks

VERILEET

CULTURE. BEAUTY. FASHION

To our dear Verileet reader's, As we come to the end of what feels like a never-ending rollercoaster of a year, our December issue takes a look back at 2020, reflecting on the year as we move into 2021. From uncertainty and loss to hope and change, the editorial team at Verileet filled this powerful issue with incredible interviews with local leaders and influencers discussing everything from Black Lives Matter to the impact of Covid-19. And of course, because Verileet is everything fashion, we also give you a look at how 2020 turned the fashion world on its head, plus the next beauty and wellness trends heading into the new year!

In a year like no other, we show you how to take extra care of yourself and others with, The 5 Best Cozy Drinks for Winter that Will Also Help Prevent You From Getting Sick. Plus, three teas that will help you kick your coffee habit, how to date in a pandemic, and an easy bodyweight workout guide to get you through the holidays.

Yes, the holidays are here. For some, the holidays mean warm gatherings and joy, and for others, the holidays immediately conjure up dread. Likely, most of us usually fall somewhere in between. But, particularly this year, which has left most of us reeling, we put together your 2020 Holiday Survival Guide to help you through the holidays whether you’re celebrating with loved ones, virtually, or alone. And we have six-holiday mocktails everyone can enjoy including, mugs of warm apple pie punch topped with whipped cream and wine glasses filled to the brim with cinnamon orange “sangria.”

We also look at 2020 fashion trends with our great piece, How 2020 Has Turned the Luxury Fashion World On Its Head, looking at the increasing popularity of loungewear in a year where everyone is seeking comfort. Plus, we get into footwear with the Three Minnesota-Based Shoe Stores That Sell Fashionable AND High-Quality Winter Boots and how heels aren’t just for the ladies anymore — why men should start wearing heels too!

info@verileet.com www.verileet.com

But our main focus for December’s issue was inspired by hope, strength, and connection. Our cover story is Tiffany Wheelhouse, and in one of our most moving interviews, Wheelhouse discusses her tragic past. From losing her beloved daughter to opening her new salon, Wheelhouse shares her story of moving forward from tragedy, with hopes of helping heal others in the future.

In another story of hope and strength, we sat down for an interview with Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery (MAAHMG) co-founder Coventry Royster Cowens. Cowens discusses the Black Lives Matter movement and how the museum was able to bring individuals in the area together this year to connect despite the chaos and tragedy.

You’ll also love our interview with Erin Good as she talks about fitness, food, and the importance of staying true to yourself. As a fitness enthusiast and self-proclaimed donutconnoisseur, Good shows us how you can be healthy and eat what you want! Plus, we talk with Twin Cities fashionista Paxyshia Yang, a thrifting expert and kindness advocate, as she speaks about her desire to bring happiness, joy, and body acceptance to the world around her. Fashion influencer Madelyne Riley also discusses body acceptance and body positivity in our compelling interview on the dangers of diet culture and language surrounding weight loss.

As always, we want to thank everyone who contributed to our December issue and who shared their remarkable stories. We hope you enjoy our December issue and stay happy and healthy as we move into a new year!

Sincerely, Eric Olson and the The Verileet Team

Meg Cain-Moss on Local Loves, Privacy, and Finding Community

At first, the blog was to fill her free time, but one fashion influencer soon discovered it connected her to an incredible local community.

The constant struggle to keep up with Instagram’s algorithm, post every single day, create new, original content, and retain some semblance of privacy and sanity in an oversaturated market, mark only a few challenges Meg Cain-Moss navigates as a fashion influencer. Luckily, Meg discovered she doesn’t have to face these challenges alone.

—Lauren Beaubaire “Oh, my daughter’s creeping in right now; you’re going to get a little cameo.” Minneapolis fashion blogger and influencer Meg Cain-Moss pauses for a moment to lift her adorable three-yearold daughter, Reese, onto her lap. Reese says a quick “hi” sitting contently on Meg’s lap as we continue our virtual interview, diving into Meg’s experience within the fashion influencer world.

Meg started her fashion blog “My Monochromatic Life” after graduate school when she suddenly found herself with an abundance of free time. Even though Meg was in the midst of building her career as a social worker and therapist, she was no longer juggling work, an internship, and full-time graduate classes. “I felt like I had gone from 100 to 0. I needed to fill my days with something to do, and I thought blogging would be really fun. I like fashion, I’ve always liked fashion. It seemed like a fun hobby, and I just haven’t stopped.”

Scrolling through Meg’s Instagram @mymonochromaticlife, you immediately notice her love for local as well as her sharp, sarcastic sense of humor, making her Instagram delightfully approachable and down to earth. Every one of Meg’s outfits on her feed is attainable and affordable.

Apricot Lane is another of Meg’s local favorites for casual wear and great basics. But for an edgier look, Meg heads over to Proper in Minneapolis. “I’ll buy dresses from Proper if it’s my anniversary, my birthday, or when I feel like I want to be ‘cool’ that’s where I’ll go,” laughs Meg.

“You can do this and not have to spend a zillion dollars to do it. I love it so much when I buy something, and someone’s like, ‘where’d you get that?’ and I say, ‘Target,’ they’re always like ‘you’ve got to be kidding me.Meg’s local loves include a Twin Cities darling, Primp. “I love Primp, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t. Not only are the clothes super cute and really affordable, but the people there are so lovely you just want to support them more.”

At this point in our interview, Meg’s daughter appeared to lose interest in my barrage of questions and slid off of Meg’s lap, likely in search of something far more entertaining. Her daughter pops up in her feed and blog from time to time as Meg navigates motherhood. “I debated how much I wanted to share of my daughter,” Meg reflects. “I do try to be careful when I’m posting, how much I’m posting. I try to post when she’s being particularly funny, and she’s funny a lot,” smiles Meg. “But if I’m going to be posting and sharing who I am, she’s a huge part of that.”

Keeping some sense of privacy is a fine line to walk when you’re building a social platform. Deciding how much and what you want to share with the world can be a constant struggle for influencers.

Within the influencer world, there’s the notion of “vulnerability porn” where followers expect and demand influencers to expose their vulnerabilities, failures, and insecurities. Sure, you want to be relatable and genuine to connect with your audience, but feeling pressure to share more than you want simply to get engagement or keep followers doesn’t seem particularly fair.

Meg contemplates, “I feel over the years I’ve gotten more comfortable with it, the privacy stuff. I try to be careful about posting my daughter’s name or my husband’s name, especially in the beginning. He didn’t sign up for this.

I did. It wasn’t a decision he made, so

I try not to post about him or my friends.

And I try to be careful about posting, especially with my work, because I have to keep that pretty private.”

Working as a therapist, Meg decided to at first keep her professional life and blogging life completely separate, shying away from blogging about mental health issues.

“I think when I got into it I was really careful, so I wasn’t breaking any ethical pieces that go towards my license. I didn’t want to be a mental health blogger, that wasn’t my focus. But one of the people I follow on Instagram is a local blogger and also a therapist by trade. And I saw, oh she can do it, it’s obviously not A) unethical to be doing and didn’t mess anything up in terms of putting yourself out there, and B) you can do both of these, walk-in both of these worlds.”

Though Meg’s blog and Instagram remains primarily centered on fashion, she has explored writing about more difficult and challenging topics using her expertise as a mental health professional. About a month ago, at the request of her friends, Meg wrote a post on how parents can support their kids as they go back to school amid a pandemic. “I feel I would like to lean more into [these topics] when it makes sense in the world, and not just at random, so I’m not just shouting advice at people who don’t want it.”

Between deciding what to post, what not to post, and finding her niche in a saturated influencer market, Meg found support and community in the local Minneapolis Blogger’s Union. “Getting together and supporting each other and asking for help has been a really beautiful experience.

“I love the people I’ve met through [the blogger’s union]. Truly helpful,

truly supportive.”

Meg explains how the local blogger community has helped her navigate her online presence and voice. When deliberating over which creative pieces are okay to share or what would be best to post, Meg says, “They’re like, ‘it’s your blog, do what you want to do!’ You get that validation, you can shift. I’m a human being; I was this way one time, and I’m this way now.”

While Meg absolutely loves posting and blogging, she acknowledges heading down the influencer path can be tough. “The influencer world has exploded. Probably every third person on my block has a blog at this point,” laughs Meg. “I now respect what it actually takes to put a nice photo out in the world and what it takes to get people to want to buy something or even care about what you have to say at all. There have been times when I needed to take a break when there’s too much going on in my personal life. You just cross your fingers and hope that people will still be there when you get back. I definitely have gone up and down.”

Meg would love to see her blog grow and evolve. The challenge for her (and for most of us!) in the time of covid is creating the time to write and focus. “The way the world is now, time is irrelevant. I say I’m going to do it tomorrow, and then it’s three days from now, and it’s like, how did that happen?!”

Heading into the future, you’ll see even more local collaborations and brands filling Meg’s feed. “I feel passionate about local boutiques and supporting them, especially in these times.

For a while, I was only buying from local places because I was trying to be supportive.

I’d love to find ways to work with them.”

With her local angle and incredible fashion sense, Meg’s blog and Instagram will soon become one of your favorites.

Photography by Katzie & Ben Photography https://katzieandben.com/

DECEMBER 06 CINDY SHERMAN We’ve all used makeup to enhance ourselves, but what if we became someone else entirely

10 MADELYNE RILEY Power of Language, Body Positivity, & Why It’s Okay to Be Wrong

18 MEG CAIN-MOSS Local Loves, Privacy, and Finding Community

24 Dating in Minneapolis During the Pandemic The pandemic has changed the way people meet, hook up, and hang out

26 PAXYSHIA YANG Thrifting expert, kindness advocate, and with a style all her owN.

VERILEET VOL. 1 ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2020

DECEMBER 34 HOLIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE 5 Ways to Make it Through the Holidays and Keep Your Sanity

38 ERIN GOOD Talks Fitness, Food, and the Importance of Staying True to Yourself.

46 MAAHMG Showcases African American History

56

TIFFANY WHEELHOUSE Wheelhouse Discusses Her Tragic Past with Hopes of Helping Children into an Optimistic Future.

78

FASHION

How 2020 Has Turned the Luxury Fashion World On Its Head

113 CONNIE GLIADON One woman’s passion for succulents turned into a lifestyle

VERILEET VOL. 1 ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2020

Dating in Minneapolis During the Pandemic Ceara Golden photo:Andy Pluzhnik

photo by: tai-s-capture

Living

The pandemic has changed the way people meet, hook up, and hang out

T

hough dating is not the most important thing in life, it is something fun that has seemingly been taken away in the past few months. Don’t worry dating is not impossible during this time. There are many activities that can be fun and safe.

One of the best ways to get to know someone and stay safe is hiking. Hiking is a great way to social distance, wear a mask and get to know someone. There are many amazing hiking trails in and around Minneapolis that act as a perfect backdrop to a romantic day or a casual date.

If you are someone who likes snow and cold hiking is still a very plausible option as the weather gets colder. Places like Minnehaha Regional Park creates a scenic date any time of year as well as being public enough to meet someone new. Being outside is not only a safe activity during COVID is a good way to get to know someone.

The weather is getting colder and hiking may not be your thing. Don’t worry, local restaurants have taken steps towards creating safe and warm environments. Many local restaurants are providing safe environments. Restaurants like Stanley’s NorthEast Bar Room in Minneapolis and The Lexington in St. Paul offers outdoor heated seating.

Stanley’s NorthEast Bar Room has a dog friendly heated patio that is perfect for casual drinks. The dogs that you may run into are just a plus. The Lexington offers a little more romantic vibe with cozy fireplaces to keep you warm. Meeting for drinks at a bar brings a more normal aspect to dates. The fireplaces and heaters create a romantic vibe that is also safer than indoor dining.

photo by:nathan mcbride

If you are still unsure about going out there are always video chats. Video chats are different from other ways of dating though they do have some positives. Though this seems a little awkward at first it does allow you to get to know someone. There is less pressure to dress up and get ready for a date. Not to mention this is the only way to guarantee you will not get sick from your date. Many dating sites including Tinder and Bumble are including the option to video chat right on the app. You can also use Facetime or Zoom if dating sites are not for you. You can both make food and have dinner together or make cocktails to share through a screen. There may not be a kiss goodnight but in these times I wouldn’t recommend that anyway.

Remember to wear a mask, be safe and have fun while navigating a new way of dating.

Photography by Paxyshia Yang Shihouahnia Yang

By Sara Schlueter

Cultivating Joy

Thrifting expert, kindness advocate, and with a style all her own, Twin Cities fashionista Paxyshia Yang strives to bring happiness, joy and body acceptance to the world around her.

Recently graduated from the apparel technologies program at Minneapolis College, Twin Cities blogger Paxyshia Yang loves to share what means the most to her and hopes to simply bring positivity to those around her via social media. While social media can sometimes be a negative place, so far, she focuses on the good things it does bring. “I do feel confident in what I post,” said Paxyshia. “I just want to spread some small piece of joy. It just feels good.”

Paxyshia started her social media journey by sharing her outfits on Tumblr, and soon her friends and followers were asking her where

she was getting her clothes. “For me, it was also kind of funny, I like my sense of style and showing it off, but I never thought that anyone would be interested in where I bought things,” she said. “It wasn’t even anything frivolous I was buying, and some of my stuff I had actually had in my closet for awhile!”

Eventually, it seemed like Instagram would be the better outlet, and soon it really started to take off, but Paxyshia didn’t really think anything of it. “Right now, I just love fashion as an outlet for art,” she said.

She also keeps a really good sense of what matters and what doesn’t in the social space.

“I have learned not to

equate the amount of likes to what I look like.

What matters is my sense of joy that comes from it,” said Paxyshia.

“I really do appreciate all the followers, and it is crazy to see how many people are following me.

I never thought it would come to something like this, or really amount to an influencer level.” taying Positive Many influencers, bloggers and anyone posting on social media are unfortunately putting themselves at risk for hateful comments and messages. Luckily, Paxyshia has only experienced lots of positive reactions to what she has chosen to share. “I’ve been blessed in the sense

that I’ve never really gotten a lot of hateful comments.

I come across them every now and then, but it is never so bad that I really have to address it,” she said. “For me, maybe I have thick skin or an incredible amount of self-confidence, but when people do send hateful things, I know it is never about me, it’s really about whatever they have going on.”

Some people have been following her for years, and they let her know what kind of influence she is having on them. “I have gotten some people who have even said, ‘I’ve been following you since 2013, and it has been amazing to watch you grow. You have given me the confidence to wear this and feel good in this,’” she said. “It’s incredibly uplifting and almost surreal to think you can have such a positive influence on someone’s life. I’ve always kind of aspired to be inspiring, but I’ve never thought that this could change someone’s life,” she said. “I’m very grateful for those people who uplift you as well. It just feels great, and it feels awesome.”

Thrift for good Paxyshia spends time working at a local Minneapolis resale boutique Cake Plus-Size Resale.

(Although the physical store is closed due to COVID, shoppers can browse online, cakeplussize.com and shop via social media.) She loves the atmosphere and the ability to piece together unique outfits and share them on social media. “We have created such a good community here. I love styling things and getting to share them on Instagram. And we get a lot of nice things in our store.”

Besides the creative outlet that thrifting can often create, it truly helps clothing from being dumped in landfills and contributing to climate change. In fact, according to the World Bank, fast fashion is responsible for 10 percent of global carbon emissions. “I know how much fast fashion has been contributing to landfills, and I hope we are starting to move in the right direction with it. I want to help move the needle with this,” she said.

Since Paxyshia started working at Cake Plus-Size Resale, she has been shopping much more secondhand and evaluating her shopping behaviors. “It has been really nice to start thrifting, rather than buying into a lot of fast fashion. It has been nice to take a step back and think, do I really need this, or can I just wait until it comes into our store.” “It’s so nice to really know that everyone has options to shop secondhand.”

Before Paxyshia started thrifting at Cake Plus-Size Resale, she would hit up local Goodwill’s and get creative. “Honestly, look through absolutely everything when thrifting, and when you can, try everything on.

You never know what is going to surprise you and work. Also, you have to be open to things. When you are thrifting, you can find such odd goodies. Sometimes you may think, I don’t even know what to pair this with, but it forces yourself to be creative,” she said. And it can boost self-confidence when you realize what you just thrifted worked. “This also really sets apart individuality in fashion. I’ve always appreciated when people say

they thrifted something. I just love thrifting now; it is one of my favorite things ever!”

Studying the Industry Of course, Paxyshia is interested in the fashion industry and is noticing all the doors and opportunities that are present. “I realized there are a lot of jobs within the industry that aren’t just designing your own clothes. There is product development, trend forecasting, and all of these things you don’t even really think about,” she said. “I wanted to further my schooling to find something that fits with me. It is great to understand the foundations of some of this.”

Once life gets more back to normal, Paxyshia plans to continue pursuing a future within apparel technology.

“With my current situation with Instagram, I could be interested in something like marketing or something even with a social media aspect to it.

That is something that just really clicks for me, and it just makes sense. It is something that we can continue to grow.”

Whatever Paxyshia chooses to pursue in the future, sparking joy in others will be at the forefront. “I hope that when people come to my Instagram, they can feel a little more confident in who they are and feel good about what they want to be,” she said. “I would like to be able to spread that sense of joy and kindness for people, so they are able to spread some more joy for themselves as well.”

4 Favorite Things : 1. Favorite local shop: Cake plus-Size Resale 2. Favorite casual local restaurant: Tay Po 3. Favorite “touristy”

Twin Cities destination: Minneapolis Institute of Art 4. Favorite local brunch place:

Follow along with Paxyshia! @paxyshia

Mason Jar Kitchen

Paxyshia’s Top 3 Tips to Make Sustainable Fashion Choices: 5. Favorite thrift find: Pair of white,

embroidered floral sneakers— hadn’t even been worn!

1. Buy secondhand if you

can! Thrift shops and secondhand shops have so many neat options, and learning to hem something or fix something on a garment is accessible via YouTube. It’s worth it to save some money on clothes.

2.

Reevaluate your closet. Instead of going out to buy something, reevaluate what you already have.

Look through everything and consider different combinations of garments you usually wear, and try to get inspired again.

3.

Invest in pieces. Spend money on clothing that can be transitional through all seasons. Think long term instead of for one specific outfit.

My favorite thing to tell people is if you’re debating on a piece, ask yourself if you can create at least three different outfits with what you have at home. If you can’t, go home and sleep on it before spending the money.

HOLIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE : 5 WAYS TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS AND KEEP YOUR SANITY

BY LAUREN BEAUBAIRE

How to survive the 2020 holiday season whether you’re celebrating together, virtually, or alone.

Photo Credit: Pexels: Daria Shevtsova / Max Titov / Fotografierende

Holidays in a pandemic. I’m sure Lifetime already has a rom-com in the works on how to survive the festivities in the midst of a global crisis while also finding true love, but until then, we’ll have to make do. So, no matter how you’re celebrating this year, to help you make it through the holiday season, here is your 2020 holiday survival guide!

Ah, the holidays are here. For some, the holidays mean warm gatherings and joy, and for others, the holidays immediately conjure up dread. Likely, most of us usually fall somewhere in between. But, particularly this year, which has left most of us reeling, we’ll all need some extra help getting through the holidays. Undoubtedly, your festivities will look a bit different this year. But no matter if you’re gathering with a small group of loved ones, connecting virtually, or celebrating alone, this holiday survival guide will help you make it through the holiday season and maybe even start to feel a bit of that festive holiday spirit.

1. KEEP THE TRADITIONS YOU LIKE, DITCH THE ONES YOU DON’T Traditions are part of what makes holidays special. And whether you’re celebrating with family, virtually, or alone, practicing holiday traditions that are meaningful to you will help bring some normalcy and comfort to an otherwise trainwreck of a year. So if your tradition is blasting Mariah Carey for the hundredth time, drowning cookies in frosting, or making your grandmother’s old tried-and-true latke recipe, lean into those traditions this year for an extra dose of solace and well-being.

At the same time, if your family partakes in a tradition you’ve absolutely loathed since childhood, it’s time to ditch it. Even if an activity or food is considered “tradition” when that tradition is causing you stress, unhappiness, or hurting your physical or mental health, it’s not worth it. This year, start a tradition of your own that you know you’ll love. Maybe it’s a pre-holiday nap or locking yourself in the bathroom for an hour-long relaxing bath.

2. IT’S THE PERFECT YEAR TO SAY “NO.”

Photo Credit: Pexels: Ryan Graybill

Your go-to line this holiday season will be, “In a pandemic?!” Family dynamics can be challenging on a good day, but for whatever reason, the holidays always seem to bring out the family drama. Saying “no” to family get-togethers or distressing conversation topics is no small feat. But this year, if you’re having a hard time saying “no” to holiday festivities because you don’t think your family will understand you’re sitting this year out for your mental health and sanity, simply say, “I can’t come. There’s a pandemic!” Not only is it true, but it takes the pressure off of you coming up with additional reasons and explanations why you’re skipping holiday get-togethers this year.

3. DECORATE YOUR HOME AND YOUR BODY! Cabin fever has felt exceedingly real this year. Bring some life into your home and change up the scenery with festive decorations. (I’ve seen a set of twinkle lights do wonders.)

Whatever you celebrate, give yourself permission to go big this year and get gaudy with the decorations. Changing your surroundings helps change your state of mind and mood, so decorate in a way that makes you happy.

The same goes for your clothes, makeup, and hair.

Switching up your style, or rather, simply changing out of sweatpants and into non-elastic pants, can give you a much-needed mood boost. In interviewing fashion influencers for Verileet, all of them adamantly champion the notion that putting on a great outfit or doing up your makeup can drastically change your frame of mind and instantly make you feel better. Plus, then you’ll look fabulous for any holiday festivity, even if your big plan is to hermetically seal yourself to your couch and bingewatch holiday movies all night.

4. SHOW UP WITH EMPATHY We’ve all experienced extra stress, loss, grief, uncertainty, and anxiety this year. And with such a rollercoaster of a year and emotions, showing empathy for others AND yourself will be the kindest act this holiday season. For instance, if you or someone lost their job due to the pandemic and can’t afford gifts this year, bring your empathy and understanding, not guilt or shame. 2020 has been a tough year all around. Don’t put additional pressure on yourself or others if you didn’t meet all your life goals this year. Trust me, no one did.

Photo Credit: Pexels: Artem Beliaikin / David Hurley / Cottonbro

5. INDULGE IN CREATURE COMFORTS Break out that guilty-pleasure movie, order takeout from your favorite local spot, or play video games until your eyes blur. (Well, maybe not that long.) The idea is to give yourself a break and do something that gives you pleasure.

The holiday season is notorious for being one of the most stressful times of the year, and especially this year when we may not be able to spend time with loved ones, taking care of yourself is more important than ever.

Erin Good Talks Fitness, Food, and the Importance of Staying True to Yourself Twin Cities FITness and food blogger Erin Good uses social media to show others that you can behealthy and eat whatyou want.

By Dana Murphy I met with Minnesota fitness-enthusiast and self-proclaimed donut-connoisseur Erin Good who shares how she became a fitness “instagrammer,” when she realized it’s okay to indulge, and how she stays authentic in everything she does.

Good starts off our Zoom interview with a laugh, confessing that she has never used Zoom before. I reassure her that it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I too was only introduced to it this year. And before COVID sent the world into a tail-spin, many people had never even heard of Zoom.

Good, who recently turned 40, lives in Apple Valley, two miles away from where she grew up, with her teenage son, who she co-parents with her former husband. Good has a bachelor’s degree in psychology as well as a master’s degree in public administration. When I ask her what she does for a living, she politely responds, “I really don’t talk too much at all about my day job… I leave it off of social media because I try to keep it separate from my role there.” Noted.

Changing the subject to what we’re really here to discuss, I ask Good how fitness became a part of her life. “I never planned on being a fitness and food “Instagrammer,” Good explains, adding that she doesn’t like calling herself an “influencer.” “I didn’t grow up being athletic. In 2008 I started getting ready for my wedding… I started running, and I fell in love with it. I also did Jillian Michaels videos in my basement; that was my introduction into fitness.” Her answer is refreshingly relatable.

Few people ever start working out on a whim; there’s almost always a specific reason, like a wedding or a new year.

After her wedding, Good continued running for several years.

While she enjoyed it, she knew running wasn’t what she wanted to do long-term. “I ran the Twin Cities marathon in 2011, but it was one and done for me… I still like running, but I’m done with marathons. It’s a lot of work, and it’s hard on your body. Bucket list checked off.”

Although she had no plans to run another marathon, Good was determined to keep improving her fitness. She attended workout classes, continued running on the treadmill, and even tried Zumba with her girlfriends. Still, Good felt as though she hadn’t found something she was truly passionate about until her curiosity took her in a different direction.

“I bought a book about lifting weights,” she shares, explaining that the book teaches women how to lift weights properly and effectively. Good admits that she had always avoided the weights section at the gym. “I was intimidated by weights, and I wanted to get over that… I bought the book, and I immediately fell in love with weight-lifting.”

While she knew rather quickly that she had found something special, Good didn’t realize that her love for lifting would ultimately transform not only her body but also her life.

A few years later, with an established workout routine and following a restrictive diet, Good was ready to face a new challenge. “I decided to do a body-building competition…

I got a coach and prepped for three months. I also started tracking my macros and started a food plan. It was really strict, but I loved the structure and science behind it.”

In an attempt to learn more about prepping for her competition, Good created an Instagram account so she could connect with other women who lifted weights and competed.

“I ran the Twin Cities marathon in 2011, but it was one and done for me… I still like running, but I’m done with marathons. It’s a lot of work, and it’s hard on your body. Bucket list checked off.”

did and y e h t t a h dw hen I “I watche w ’s t a h t at I ate ing.’” shared wh m m a r g a t ted ‘Ins reallystar

After completing her first competition, Good told herself it was time for the next one. However, a month into training, she realized her heart wasn’t in it. “I didn’t have the same drive as I did for the first one, so I dropped out.”

Good also had a boyfriend at the

f lize all o a e r o t d “I starte issing m s a w I the food onuts. I d e k i l out on… t I would u b , s t u n love do inking h t s e i r e ak pass by b eople, p r e h t o or they’re f ” It was . e m r o f ot they’re n d hat Goo t t n i o p at this ange. h c a e k to ma decided

time, and she noticed the toll it was taking on their relationship and social life.

“I couldn’t go out to eat or have drinks when I wanted. The first [competition] was fine because I showed myself I could do it, but I didn’t want to continue doing something I didn’t love.”

Throughout Good’s workout journey, she never hesitates to switch up her routine to find something she enjoys. “When it comes to fitness, you have to find what you love. If you don’t like to run, don’t run. There are so many things out there; you’re bound to find something you love.” The same mentality fell into Good’s relationship with food. She realized she was keeping herself from eating her favorite foods, and that didn’t feel right to her; she wanted to stay true to what she advocates for: doing what you love.

“I started to realize all of the food I was missing out on… like donuts.

I love donuts, but I would pass by bakeries thinking they’re for other people, they’re not for me.” It was at this point that Good decided to make a change.

There are so many things out there; you’re bound to find something you love.”

hy by Erin

p Photogra

Good

She knew she needed to shift her mentality and relationship with food.

She wanted to find balance, a balance that felt good, and allowed her to eat what she wanted. “That’s what inspired me to become a foodie,” she explains.

As Good began introducing foods into her life that she had once deemed “off limits,” she found herself snapping photos of extravagant donuts and superstacked burgers, in disbelief that she was about to actually eat what was in front of her. “I would take a picture and post it in the midst of all of my gym selfies and my Instagram became a platform where I showed that you can eat what you want and be fit- that’s when my Instagram really took off because I was promoting balance.”

Just one glance at Good’s Instagram and you’ll see what she’s talking about. From pizza to ice-cream to waffles and everything in between, Good certainly fits the category of “foodie.” That said, she continues to include her gym-selfies and workout routines, showing that although she does indulge in her favorite foods, working out is still

an essential piece of finding balance and very much a part of her life.

When I ask her what has changed the most since shifting her focus, Good proves that it was never about an ultimate goal for her. “I’ve learned that it’s important to love your body. Don’t work out or eat a certain way because you hate your body, do it because you love your body and you want to treat it well. Do it for the endorphins and for how it makes you feel, not because of how it makes you look. Looking better is a side effect, and of course, when you look better, you feel better, but do it because you love yourself, and you want to do things that

make you feel good.”

Discussing changes to her routine and diet brings up the effect COVID has had on her position as an Instagrammer. “I’ve only been to the gym a few times since COVID started. Luckily, I collaborate with Alchemy, a local fitness studio… they have an at-home program, so that’s what I’ve been doing.”

As a food and fitness blogger, Good also partners with supplement brands, restaurants, and spas. Although many of her collaborations have been put on hold due to COVID, she talks about her love for working with local brands

and restaurants, pointing out that her collaborations are what keep her connected with her followers.

“It’s fun to get to try new things out and share my experience with my followers. I never do a ‘collab’ that doesn’t feel natural or that I wouldn’t do on my own because I always want to stay authentic and true to myself and my followers. I want them to know that if I say something is good, they can trust me; I’m not just doing it because I’m being paid for it.”

Good reveals that one of the most rewarding aspects as a fitness and food Instagrammer is learning that she has helped someone. Whether it’s from a product or service she has promoted, or from showing others that you can find balance between being healthy and eating what you love, Good frequently has followers reach out and express their

gratitude. “I really love when people tell me that they tried something I suggested and they love it, or that it’s helped them… to take the time to reach out to me and be vulnerable with me, that’s the best.”

Of course, there are certain topics that Good finds herself more hesitant to include on her Instagram. “I sometimes question whether or not to share more personal things I’m going through, like mental health, body image, or depression, but when my followers thank me for being open, it makes it all worth-while.”

Good notes that in the beginning, when she had a smaller following, she found it easier

doing our best.”

Mental health isn’t the only issue Good struggles with addressing on social media.

As a 40-year-old mother with a teenage boy, she understands the downside of sharing her lifestyle on social media. She worries about how her photos will affect her son, oftentimes secondguessing posting a picture of herself in a bikini.

to be open. As her following has grown, she finds herself thinking a little harder about what she shares about herself. “You have to be a little bit more aware and conscientious when you have more eyes on you.

I never want to offend anyone. I think things over a little more, but in the end, I usually end up sharing. I think it’s important to be vulnerable. I want people to know that what they’re feeling is normal, and we all go through hard times… we’re all just out here

MAAHMG Showcases African American History

By Hannah Harms

photo by: nathan dumlao

Minnesota is home to many amazing historical, scientific, and art museums. From the Minneapolis Institute of Art to the Mill City Museum, it seems like this state has it all. However, unlike most states, Minnesota was missing a key element to showcase. Currently, there are over 370-thousand African Americans living in Minnesota. However, it wasn’t until two years ago that Minnesota opened their first African American historian museum. This is all thanks to the co-founders Coventry Royster Cowens and Tina Burnside.Â

It all started nearly three years ago when Cowens was working on a museum project. Unfortunately, the project didn’t end up being successful; however, it didn’t stop Cowens from wanting to build her own museum. During this time, she met Burnside, an author, playwright, and civil rights, attorney. The two decided to join together to preserve the history and stories of Minneapolis through this museum.

The process began with the two ladies walking door-to-door surveying locals in the Minneapolis area. For a museum to be built, people in the area needed to support the idea and help in the process. Luckily, they did. After meeting with Thor Hq Holding Company, Cowens and Burnside were not only accepted but were also offered a space. In September of 2018, the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery, MAAHMG, opened on Penn Avenue, North Minneapolis.

The museum is located in one large room on the fourth floor of the Regional Acceleration Center. The admission is free; therefore, the museum’s staff is entirely volunteer-based. Cowens is the interim operations coordinator. In this position, she not only opens the museum and runs the front desk; she also is in charge of the finances, outreach programs, and reports to the board. Burnside is the curator, who finds and collects the art, history, writings, and more to create new displays.

“Every now and then we stop and ask ourselves, are we still having fun? The answer is yes, we know we are,” said Cowens.

How the Museum Brings People Together to Observe and Reflect on the Histories of Ancestors and Loved Ones

photo by: muesum

photo by: parker johnson

While it takes Burnside a great deal of time and effort to create inspiring historical displays that feature works from hundreds to thousands of years ago, this summer was thmuseum was able to showcase modern history. Lives Matter campaign after the tragic death of a Minneapolis local, George Floyd. While Cowens explained that she thought that morning seemed like another typical day, it became a very emotional and shocking one for all.

“The usual news was on that morning. It was around 6:30 - 7 am when they reported that a man had died due to natural causes,” said Cowens.

photo by: tony zhen

Within the two years, the museum has featured over ten exhibits, typically changing each one in a four-to-five-month period. There is one permanent display, “Unbreakable” that features the lives of early African American settlers in the 1800s. “Unbreakable” discusses the troubles African Americans faced during the Great Migration and their fight toward freedom.

B L M Within a few hours, the eight-minutes 46-second video of George Floyd’s arrest and death was revealed to multiple news stations and social media outlets around the globe.

“I think everyone went into shock that they watched a man get murdered on television in real-time. That evening people from all over gathered in the spot, and the crowd continued to grow for hours. Everyone wanted to connect during this time,” said Cowens.

photo by: gabe pierce

While Burnside already had other ideas planned for the upcoming exhibit, she knew that between his death and the protests, in addition to this year being the 100th anniversary of the Duluth lynching, they needed to create an exhibit that would present current history.

“It’s not always at a museum that you can capture current events. Our Black Lives Matter mural helps individuals process what they had seen, the changes going on, and how to get back the transparency we thought we had,” said Cowens.

Minneapolis has many amazing artists in the region; luckily, it only took one to lead a movement. Burnside found artist, illustrator, and muralist Melodee Strong to become the head of the “Black Lives Matter” mural. She collaborated with 15 other local artists and assigned each one a letter to create their own impactful and unique design.

On July 18th, each of the 16 artists gathered on Plymouth Ave. to create the letters of the “Black Lives Matter mural.” Within eight hours and a rising temperature of 100-degrees, the mural was complete. The usual traffic that evening came to a screeching halt as the drivers and walkers observed the artwork that covered the road. The “Black Lives Matter” mural became a very popular piece and remains impactful today. While the weather is getting colder and snow is beginning to fall, the mural is diminishing. However, the museum is continuing to show these artists’ works by allowing visitors to purchase photographs of the mural.

“Black Lives Matter has become a political movement and a civil rights movement.

It’s going to involve more conversations and bring people to the forefront in terms of opportunities, race, and equality,” said Cowens.

By Angela McLaughlin

I

n the dark of winter, finding the motivation to get out in the cold and do something active may be difficult. But these winter hiking excursions are just the encouragement you need to break up the humdrum of daily life.

There are numerous perks to hiking in the winter – low humidity, no bugs, fewer weeds, less traffic. The snow makes for a very quiet, peaceful adventure.

Keep in mind that the activity comes with its own set of requirements. Proper clothing and footwear will make it all the more enjoyable for you.

Once you’re geared up and ready to go, check out these amazing winter waterfall hikes!

Photo Courtesy of Nicole Kuhn

Gooseberry Falls Gooseberry Falls is a longtime winter favorite with trails for travelers of all skill levels. Watch sparkling icicles intertwined with gushing water as it cascades over the falls like something out of a fairytale.

The trek from the visitor center to the Upper Falls is paved and kept groomed for accessibility in the winter.

High Falls on the Pigeon River is Minnesota’s tallest waterfall. The one-mile roundtrip hike in is relatively easy, and the payoff is more than worth it.

Grand Portage State Park is located at 9393 East Highway 61.

Those looking for a longer excursion will enjoy hiking or snowshoeing Fifth Falls Trail or Gitchi Gummi Hiking Trail, both around two miles in length. Ice cleats are recommended for hikers, as the trails can be icy at times.

Cascade Falls

Another jewel on the North Shore is Cascade River State Park. The contrast of snow against black volcanic rock and the tumbling river is a sight to behold.

Cascade River Lower Loop is an easily managed half-mile hike boasting five small waterfalls and Cascade Falls. The experience is simply too extraordinary to miss in the winter. Miles of additional trails are open to those who venture out with snowshoes.

Cascade River State Park is located at 3481 West Highway 61.

Ramsey Falls Just southwest of the Twin Cities, in the town of Redwood Falls, sits Ramsey Park, a 256-acre municipal park featuring Ramsey Falls.

Four miles of paved hiking trails wind their way along Ramsey Creek and Redwood River, offering scenic overlooks and an enchanting winter hiking experience.

Ramsey Park is located at 99 East Oak St.

Winnewissa Falls Pipestone National Monument holds a little-known secret: the beautiful Winnewissa Falls. This might seem a little out of the way, but trust me, the dramatic rock formations and stunning waterfall are worth the journey. According to the National Park Service, archeologists have found evidence of more than 3,000 years of human activity in this area.

The Circle Trail is a ž-mile-long paved path that brings hikers along Pipestone Creek to Winnewissa Falls. Snowshoeing is allowed in the park after January 1.

Pipestone National Monument may be found at 36 Reservation Ave.

High Falls Last, but certainly not least on the list, is High Falls in Grand Portage State Park. This impressive waterfall is doubtlessly a winter favorite.

With 120-feet of water plummeting into the pool below, this waterfall is a staggering sight any time of the year, but the buildup of ice and snow makes for a dramatic view that is unmatched.

High Falls on the Pigeon River is Minnesota’s tallest waterfall. The one-mile roundtrip hike in is relatively easy, and the payoff is more than worth it.

Grand Portage State Park is located at 9393 East Highway 61.

As with any hiking adventure, be sure to pack accordingly and let someone know where you will be traveling and when you plan to return. Bring enough water and snacks for the entire adventure, as well as a first aid kit.

Turning Tragedy intoHope

Photography by Joe Dammel

Tiffany Wheelhouse:

By Hannah Harms

W heelh ouse D iscusse s H er Trag ic Past wit h H o p es o f Help in g Childr e n in t o a n Optimist ic Fut ur e .

This ye a r h as b een anythin g bu t p re d ic t a b l e for ever yon e arou n d th e glob e . However, for n ew bu s in e s s ow ne r Tiffany Wh eel h ou s e, th is ye ar has b e e n an ex p er i en ce . Fro m los in g her b e l ove d d au g hter to op en in g h e r new sa l o n, Wh eel h ou s e s h are s h e r sto r y of m ovi n g for ward f rom trage dy, w it h ho p e s of h el p i n g h eal oth e rs in t he fut ure .

This past week I sat down with the designer, owner, and stylist behind Meraki Hair Lounge, Tiffany Wheelhouse.

When Wheelhouse first appeared onto my Zoom screen, you could tell she was a professional when it came to beauty, hair, and style. I’m talking hair effortlessly curled, sun shining perfectly onto her tanned skin, and a gleaming white smile — it appeared as if I was face-to-face with the next Blake Lively.

While the first few minutes of our interview were spent with laughter and lighthearted conversations, I soon discovered not everything was as perfect as it seemed. Although Wheelhouse recently opened her own salon, and business is already booming, this year has also brought tragedy to Wheelhouse and her family. Yet, she still sat across from me with her bubbly personality and hopeful smile.

I couldn’t help wanting to know all about Wheelhouse’s story and what shaped her into the impressive woman she is today.

The first question I asked Wheelhouse was the same one you’d hear at an interview, frat party, job, pageant, etc., the basic opener, tell me about yourself. While I expected to hear about her past studies and personality traits, Wheelhouse led me through a whirlwind – her chaotic past, her tragic present, and her hopeful future.

It all started with childhood. While many people like myself remember their childhood surrounded by an endless amount of toys, games, and bedtime stories, Wheelhouse recalled hers being a bit different.

For the first four years of her life, Wheelhouse’s parents struggled with an addiction to methamphetamines.

A highly addictive drug, the longer a person uses methamphetamine, the more difficult it is to recover.

Many of her childhood memories revolve around her parents experiencing paranoia, strong reactions, and very late nights.

“When you’re a kid, whatever you’re going through is normal. I thought it was normal for adults to never sleep,” said Wheelhouse.

Near the age of six, Wheelhouse’s grandfather became ill. Her father would disappear many nights to take care of him, or so she thought, leaving her mother and her without a car or a ride to her soccer practice. However, after her grandfather passed, her father decided to receive treatment and is now celebrating his 29th year of sobriety, alongside her mother.

“Sometimes, all you need is to have one person believe that you can do it,” said Wheelhouse.

Once her father came out of treatment, Wheelhouse began to play sports. From softball to soccer and volleyball, she was a part of it all. Not only did sports connect her with her father more, but she also learned she was exceptionally talented when it came to athletics.

“Sports are mostly where I recognized that any obstacle can be easily achieved. I never believed in myself when it came to school, but in sports, I always felt like I was the best on the team,” said Wheelhouse.

After being one of the best in nearly every sport for years, Wheelhouse’s father told her she needed to choose one to continue with. Not only was the cost of these sports outrageous, but he believed he created a monster out of his daughter.

Wheelhouse ultimately chose softball and played on the team throughout middle and high school until her family moved to a new city in her sophomore year.

After moving, Wheelhouse quit sports and decided to put more focus on her future. By seventeen, Wheelhouse knew she wanted to become a paralegal and headed to the Minnesota School of Business for an application.

When she told her parents her decision, she was immediately shot down.

“I was so discouraged. I remember my dad telling me I didn’t need to know what I wanted to do at that age, so then I stopped searching. However, graduation came, and I was the only one who had no idea what I wanted to do next,” said Wheelhouse.

Once Wheelhouse graduated high school, she had two options – either go to college or pay rent while living at home. When given those options, Wheelhouse made the obvious choice, college.

However, within the first semester, Wheelhouse discovered she was pregnant. Knowing that her baby was due during finals week, she knew she couldn’t continue taking classes at the university. After consulting with her close friend, she decided to enroll in cosmetology.

“Owning a salon, becoming a stylist, was never a part of my plan. I was a tomboy growing up, I literally wanted to be a boy when I was a kid,” said Wheelhouse.

Within the following year, Wheelhouse graduated cosmetology school and gave birth to her daughter, Aeva. For the next few years, Wheelhouse worked at several commission-based salons until she decided to go into a rental. She moved from Maple Grove to downtown Minneapolis with hopes that she could earn a higher wage by owning her own chair under a salon’s roof.

“When I moved into a rental, I nearly failed. Many of my clients didn’t want to move from Maple Grove, therefore I lost over half of them,” said Wheelhouse.

However, social media changed everything. Using her Instagram platform, she was able to create a page directly related to her work. Because of this, countless people reached out to her via social media, and Wheelhouse gained a lot of new clients. After working at Level salon for a few years, her boss decided to sell the business. Wheelhouse knew at this moment, it would be in her best interest to open up a new salon from the ground up.

“I wanted to provide a space where stylists can take the leap from commission into a rental space. I would be the soft cushion to fall on in case anyone stumbled a bit, as I did,” said Wheelhouse.

Before the building process began, Wheelhouse met up with a friend to discuss her ideas behind the salon.

She knew she could create an amazing design and space for stylists who wanted to go into a rental; however, something was missing from the business plan. She asked herself, “why would someone want to work at your salon instead of another?” While Wheelhouse knew that in rental, her stylists could choose their own hours and how much money they wanted to make, she wondered how they could prevent burnout and take care of themselves mentally and physically.

“If we don’t build mental practices such as meditation into our systems every day, we are going to burn out. We are going to fail,” said Wheelhouse.

By owning her salon, Wheelhouse knew she could create time for her mental health. Ownership meant she could take a longer lunch, leave work early to hit the gym, or even spend an hour catching up on the newest episode of the Bachelorette. Once the salon opened, Wheelhouse wanted to implement her idea of creating a mediation and yoga space for all of her workers and offer classes every weekend to stylists in the area.

Wheelhouse and her husband signed a seven-year lease for the salon in early March, a week before the COVID-19 lockdown began.

While many like Wheelhouse thought the quarantine would last only two weeks, as time went on, things began to become a bit scary.

“We just signed a seven-year lease, and we’re setting up a whole new space, not knowing if the state would open up or not. A lot of money was on the line,” said Wheelhouse.

More and more weeks went by. Not only was Wheelhouse anxious and exhausted, but the state also began to unravel. From COVID-19 keeping children out of school to the Black Lives Matter protests spreading globally, the world was in unrest. In June, Wheelhouse’s daughter passed away due to the ongoing trauma.

“Aeva showed no warning signs outside anything a normal teenager would display.

She was such an empath and always acted like she had it all together. She was always a helper to everyone she met,” said Wheelhouse.

Before this traumatic experience, Wheelhouse wanted to do open meditation clinics for stylists, but now, she knew she could do more. Instead of opening up only to stylists, Wheelhouse wanted to provide classes to children and teenagers as well.

Her friend Greta, who works next door to the salon, heard about Wheelhouse’s story and offered her services to teach in her studio.

“If I couldn’t keep my child safe, every kid is at high risk of experiencing the same thing.

We are living in a time where we need to teach positive coping mechanisms to the younger generation. Their brains aren’t fully developed, and they need coping during this time,” said Wheelhouse.

After a few months of quarantine, the state began to open up, and Wheelhouse’s salon officially opened for business. Due to current state laws, the salon can hold up to 50% capacity. Wheelhouse has six stylists hired and an esthetician, all of which successfully fill their books with new clients.

Within the three months, the salon has been open, Wheelhouse has hosted one yoga and meditation class. Getting kids to join the classes has been difficult due to not having rides, the social distance rules, and needing to wear a mask, but Wheelhouse remains hopeful for a continuous schedule in 2021.

“No matter if you had been worried about it or you had no clue it was going to happen, I don’t think it becomes any easier. I hope we can start to make a difference in some of the younger kids’ lives in some way, shape, or form during this because we don’t have an end date to this isolation. We all have to stay connected, be present at the moment, and continue to keep moving forward,” said Wheelhouse.

TikTok is Turning Editorial

Makeup

Into Everyday Vogue And We Are So Here For It

By ANIZA JAHANGIR

T

he pungent pinks, lacquer-esque blues, and dreamy yellows, which have graced the editorial repertoire of magazine covers and runways for decades (see: Any Marco Marco runway show, or DAZED cover, ever), are melting off the faces of models and into Millennials’ aesthetically adroit hands. And who can we thank? None other than Tiktok-ers. It is no secret that the social media platform has erupted into a milieu for exploring one’s self in a way that is, most charmingly, self-caricaturing, exaggerated, and, in the case of makeup, effervescent.

Where the cut-crease trend has been the pivoted go-to for an alluring eye look, adorning its artist with black lids surrounded by smoked out browns and taupes, finally lined with a shimmering silver or gold liner, we’re seeing a more playful trend arise. The black shadow is becoming replaced by creamy gradients of blue-white-yellow to red-purple-hot pink. The once silver and gold glitter liners are now opaque neon greens, laying above the crease.

Pair these bubblegum-Barbie girl-Bratz doll eyes with some bright pink cheeks, and you might make it as an influencer, too.

Step off the catwalk neutral SMOKEY EYES, this is the season of the bold.

Winged eyeliner? Tiktok-ers have found your hotter cousin. Let us clarify that being bold in black with eye makeup isn’t a trend that’s leaving us anytime soon.

Tiktok may have us replacing black lids with thick, lid-blanketing liner. Content creators are doing what we all do, aiming the flick of their wings toward the edge of their brow. The difference? The line keeps going.

With some eyeliner wings thinly gracing themselves above the eye like the iconic Alexa Demie, other wings are thick and silky, taking over the whole of the eye, sometimes pressed with black glitter. If you were ever craving to embody Hakkan Akkaya, this is your shot.

There is also a place where the colorful cut creases and bold black liners meet: colored eyeliner. We’ve all used our lipstick for blush in a last-ditch; let’s be real. But what if you turned that Lolita red into a cutting liner look? Reds, blues, purples, and yellows combine with natural or neon lid shadows for the alien persona we never knew that we needed. On behalf of all of our future split-colored eyeliners (try blue and pink for the millennial pastel aesthetic of your dreams), thank you, TikTok.

Speaking of dreams, what if your eyeshadow could make you levitate? Misting through the skyscape, angelic, cloud makeup makes us feel like we’re floating. Some use concealer brushes to map out louds over blue lids, filling them in with swirls of white, creating a halo-eye, or even just leaving the cloud spaces blank. Some place their clouds over pink and orange eyeshadow sunset on their cheeks and foreheads - talk about having your head in the clouds. In a fit of extra otherworldly allure, some TikTok-ers are mapping out stars across their lids, cheeks, and even tips of their noses. Celestial and ethereal, or hypnotically galaxy-bound, this is a look for the books.

Coco Chanel famously said to always take one thing off before you leave the house. While her elegance is admirable, we vehemently disagree. Being in-vogue doesn’t have to mean sticking to the supposed “chic” qualities of the subdued. Switch from peach blush to hot pink, from black liner to neon orange. Embrace the otherworldly and the zany altogether. After all, the pungent, lacquer-esque, and dreamy never belonged to the runway; it has always belonged to you, the artist.

Photo courtesy COTTONBRO, Amir SeilSepour, Ruvim, Lhiarton Kelvin Costa and Dih Andrea.

Photo by: Artem Beliakin on pexels

Five local

Ceara Golden As the weather gets colder and the pandemic continues, many restaurants are adapting to cold weather. Though many have decided to suspend dining in, some are adding heaters and fireplaces. Others are getting creative with inflatable igloos and greenhouses for individual groups. Some plan on making indoor dining as safe as possible. These five restaurants are finding great ways to adapt to the cold weather and continue to serve great food and drinks.Â

photo by: tim mossholder

photo by: r alph ravi kayden

Restaurants Adapting to the Cold Weather

photo by: steven wright

Hope Breakfast Bar Hope Breakfast Bar, located in St. Paul, provides the perfect way to have breakfast and provide support for local businesses. Hope Breakfast Bar has found a couple of creative ways to adapt to the cold weather. They still offer patio seating with new fireplaces and heaters in place. They also provide blankets for sale upon request.

Another way they have managed to adapt to the cold weather is the patio dome experience. These domes are available for up to four people. They provide a safer than indoor seating option that is comfortable and warm.Â

photo by: magg vitchakron

NineTwentyFive NineTwentyFive, located in Wayzata, has come up with its own version of a dome. They have provided igloos structures to keep the patio season going. These igloos can seat up to eight people and require reservations.

The igloos include a small heater, windows on either side and blankets upon request. NineTwentyFive also has heated patio seating that is also available upon reservation. They have updated their indoor dining as well, with plexiglass separating the booths. Rather you choose indoor or outdoor dining, NineTwentyFive has safe options.

Centro Centro in Northeast Minneapolis created a simple plan for the colder months. They have set up fireplaces to sit next to as you enjoy your meal. This local Mexican restaurant has come up with a few simple rules to follow to keep everyone safe. Simply wait in a social distance line, check-in, and wait for your table. You will be able to order from your phone from their website. Though their cold-weather approach isn’t as complex as igloos or blankets, they still provide a fun eating experience. The fireplaces provide a warm, cozy atmosphere to enjoy your meal.

Photo byTabitha Turner on unsplash

photo by: ninetwenty

Twin Spirits Distillery is a women-owned Minneapolis bar. They are planning on staying open all winter long.

As of now, they have a heated patio that includes four fireplaces. They are adding greenhouses and more fireplaces as winter goes on. They also plan on adding more warm cocktails to their expansive drink menu to help keep you warm. They not only provide unique cocktails, but they also offer various coffee drinks. Truly have a lot to offer to keep you warm during this winter.

The Freehouse The Freehouse located in Minneapolis has focused on updating their indoor space. Though it is possible indoor dining may not be available as the pandemic continues. Many restaurants prepare to move forward with indoor dining. This local brewpub has distanced their tables to a line with social distancing. Besides spacing out their tables, they have also added extra partitions for added safety. Some people do not want to eat outside, and The Freehouse is working to keep their indoor dining as safe as possible.

Starting November 13th, bars and restaurants are required to stop serving food and alcohol at 10 p.m. Bar seating will be closed. The indoor capacity will be limited to no more than 150 people. These restrictions are subject to change as the pandemic continues to change.

Photo by Étienne Godiard on unsplash

Twin Spirits Distillery

Fashion

How 2020 Has Turned the Luxury Fashion World On Its Head

s

By Aniza Jahangir

itting in front of a tall, pearly white, vanity, powdering a blushed nose while enrobed in something silk. There are three jewelry options neatly laid over the night’s skinny satin dress, still on its hanger, alluring on the bed. The wait for the touch of Dolce and Gabbana has been long but worth it, worth it enough to ignore the day-time’s suit and button-down that’s been excitedly strewn about to the side of the nightstand.

It’s a nice daydream, isn’t it? Reminiscing on the taken-for-granted joy of having a place to be, a place to decorate yourself for. It is undeniable that 2020 has been a year of change for the fashion world - both fashion admirers and fashion creators alike. In the quarantineinduced shift from office wear to loungewear, the pencil skirt, and blouse turning to t-shirts and leggings, there is evidence of major shifts in fashion that may carry us far into the future.

Fashion

Photo by Olenka Sergenko

Fashion

HIGH-END COMPANIES DOING LOUNGEWEAR Due to COVID-era job loss, one may be inclined to think that luxury brands have hit their Achillies heel long from recovery, along with the economy. Perhaps not so shockingly, loyals to luxury wear haven’t so much pivoted from high-brow to fast fashion, as much as their niche interest has changed. Since states in the US began quarantining in March, the loungewear and athleisure markets have experienced a tremendous surge as the increased demand for comfort amid the malaise came to the fore.

Not only have popular, more accessible brands, like Athleta and Girlfriend Collective, seen increases in sales in sweatpants and sweatshirts, accompanied by raised stock prices, but luxury brands like Nordstrom’s Vuomi and Neiman Marcus’ Skin have as well. Beyond the thread of retail, even high-end retail, luxury companies like Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and Versace are joining the loungewear and athleisure clubs, too. Though none of these companies are necessarily *new* to the casual wear scene, they’ve never had as many styles or marketing campaigns with the comfortable-but-luxurious focus before. For the measly price of $650-$1900, you, too, can join the luxury athleisure revolution.

Photo by Godisable Jacob

Fashion

THRIFTING

Where there’s a continued interest in luxury, there has also been a surging interest in thrift and second-hand clothing - life’s about balance, right? Though thrifting has been a rising trend since about 2018, 2020 has turned it into a frenzy.

With many’s budgets tightening, and casual, serotonin receptor engaging, internet shopping increasing with all the time spent on the web, it is no wonder that sites like Depop, ThredUp, and Etsy are gaining more and more consumer traction. The rise in thrifting can also be seen as a response to the heightened feeling of social responsibility that has come out of the last few months. Whether it’s mask-wearing, shopping small black-owned businesses, or seeking to lessen one’s carbon footprint by walking and shopping less fast fashion, thrifting is suiting the sociallyminded Millennials’ need to find flux in style and stay conscious, all without the bum wallet.

Photo by Feli Ramsanjami Agung

Fashion

Photo by Mathilde Langevin

Fashion

BYE-BYE STILTS, HELLO COMFORT We’ve established that, between loungewear, money-consciousnesses, and social consciousness, 2020 has been a year of trying to bring ourselves to comfort. We can all be thankful to our indoor days for this one: the appeal of the high heels is shaky at best, with sneakers taking the upper hand. While interest in stilettos has been dropping for years, alongside the rest of the traditional office attire sphere of fashion, 2020 has seen a dramatic drop in sales of higher-the-heel-the-closer-to-heaven shoes. This year’s top leaders in shoe sales are Nike and Adidas, also charting high in this year’s most popular shoe trends, alongside low-heel boots, booties, and sandals.

The abrupt change in fashion, which falls deafeningly striking on 2020’s trend forecasters, brings up a slew of questions for the future of fashion, and the future of individual style. We have to wonder when, if ever, high-glam runway styles might return to the appeal of the buyer, rather than the peruse, or if street style will continue to erupt with the fluctuating allocations of consumers’ buying power. If that is the case, higher-end brands, like Oscar de la Renta and Valentino may have to sway their architecturally and detail-minded designs for this new wave.

Photo by Godisable Jacob

Fashion

Three Minnesota-Based Shoe Stores That Sell Fashionable AND High-Quality Winter Boots

By Dana Murphy

Located in the Twin Cities, Schuler Shoes is a family-owned shoe business that has been around since 1889. While Schuler Shoes doesn’t produce their own brand of shoes, they carry several brands that are both reputable and trendy. They also offer a wide price range, with winter-boots priced between $59 and $250, making it a great option for shoppers on a budget. Some of their brands include Columbia, Sorel, UGG (which is trending again mind you), Toe Warmers, Kodiak, Merrell, and Bogs.

Within these brands, you can find a variety of styles and materials. For a day-to-day winter boot, there are plenty of light-weight ankle-high boots available. They also have lace-up camel-colored boots for a late-fall, early-winter look. For a heavy-duty pair that can trudge through deep snow, you can find fur-lined knee-high water-proof footwear that will keep your feet warm, dry, and still on-trend. Many of the boots are made of materials like nubuck, leather, rubber, and canvas, making them wear-resistant. A lot of them are also fur-lined or have wool rims, adding style and an extra layer of warmth. The best part? Schuler Shoes has nine locations, with the newest location in Highland Park, and the others being in Bloomington, Burnsville, Maple Grove, Roseville, Saint Cloud, Saint Louis Park, Wayzata, and Woodbury, making it easily accessible for anyone living in the Twin Cities.

Photo by Mabel Amber

Photo by Thibault Penin

Schuler Shoes

Fashion

“Located in the Twin Cities, Schuler Shoes is a family-owned shoe business that has been around since 1889.”

Photo by Taylor Friehl on Unsplash

Photo by Emma Dau

Fashion

Steger Mukluk

“Steger Moosehide Mukluks are twice as warm and less than half the weight of traditional winter boots.� Need I say more?

Not only does this Minnesota winter-boot shop design and sell their own boots and moccasins, Steger Mukluks are known to be ultra-warm and super comfortable. Not to mention, the neutral-toned moosehide paired with vibrant colors, fur-detailing, and signature tassels make for an eye-catching winter-boot. Steger Mukluks are designed to withstand harsh winter elements and temperatures down to negative forty degrees Fahrenheit. While the prices are a little higher, ranging from $180 to $300, the Native American-inspired style of these boots alone makes them worth every penny.

The fact that they will last you a long time is a bonus. For a more basic look, go for the Little Muk (which resemble Uggs), Klondike, or Chicks style boots. They have minimal to no detailing, come in a variety of solid colors, and are made entirely of moosehide. For something a little edgier and stylish, shop the colorful Canyon, Redrock, Terra, or Mesa styles. The knee-high design is detailed with beautiful colors, patterns, and laces. For a pair that can get you through the most extreme winter-conditions, go for the Arctic or North Country style. These pairs are specifically designed for Alaskan expeditions and durability, so you know they will get you through a Minnesota winter.

For all Mukluks, the website recommends you purchase a bottle of Steger Mukluks Snow-Proof water repellent spray to use on all moosehide parts, priced at $13.95. This ensures that the moosehide is protected and will last. Steger Mukluks is located in Ely, Minnesota. Although their store is closed due to COVID, they are offering curbside pick-up as well as sales and fittings at their factory, which is also located in Ely.

Photo by Godisable Jacob

Fashion

Nokomis Shoe Shop

This local shoe store has been around for eighty years, with one of its two locations being the original, located on 34th Avenue in Minneapolis. The other shop resides in Crystal. Family-owned, Nokomis Shoe Shop also has two mobile shoe-trucks that are located onsite and service customers just as they do inside the shops. While their selection of winter boots is somewhat limited, Nokomis Shoe Shop carries three brands of winter boots: Merrell, Sorel, and Kamik. Each has a unique style, so even though the selection is small, you’ll likely find a pair you love. All three brands offer warmth, quality, and resistance to winter elements too. Most of their winter boots are made by Kamik, which is perfect for anyone who loves plaid. And let’s be honest, what Minnesotan doesn’t love plaid? A few of the Kamik women’s boots also have a slight heel, giving them that extra bit of style we all want in a pair of boots. The prices are also

on point, with the lowest-priced boots being $85 and the highest-priced pair being $170.

For anyone looking for a moderately-priced pair of winter-boots that captures Minnesota style, Nokomis Shoe Shop is the place for you.

With Minnesota winters bring freezing temperatures and blinding snow, sometimes you have to sacrifice your shoe-style to keep your feet warm and dry during the coldest time of the year. But if you can find a pair of winter boots that protect your feet AND look cute, who wouldn’t wear them? Minnesotans know winter, so shopping for winter-boots at a Minnesota-based shoe store simply makes sense. Schuler Shoes, Steger Mukluks, and Nokomis Shoe Shop offer weather-resistant and stylish footwear that won’t force you to give up your style this winter. Be sure to check out their websites and call ahead to get any updates regarding COVID-19.

Photo by Pixabay

Fashion

Why Men Need to Start Wearing Heels.. Again

Photo by Bella Zhong

Fashion

Once made for battle, aided in popularity by prostitutes and kings, heels are everyone’s fair game.

As an LGBTQ+ woman, I have been blessed with the kinship of men who know style from gender and objects from self. Since a child, the glitz and glamour of drag: the exuberance, the freedom from dated conceits of moralizing the masculine being as masculine does - the height - it all struck me as an attired display of true culture, true freedom. True fashion. “Isn’t it glorious!”, watchers would think, sitting pretty at brunch with a mimosa in one hand and a cell phone camera in another, photographing queens and their undressed, though heelwearing, backup dancers. Oh! The shoes! Yes, of course, the wigs, the outfits, the dance. But, oh. Oh! The shoes!

H

igher than heaven itself and well balanced.

The elongation of a calf as graciously elegant and eye-soothing as paint slowly waterfalling from a tap. The way the body could sway with grandeur and self-assuredness in the same vein of confidence and establishment of a boundary between us two.

It wasn’t about the performance at all, not really. It was about the body. The attention it was given by the owner’s feet and legs as they carried them with strutting bliss across my vision. There was no longer man or woman, no longer fashion nor style. There was nothing but a body and the way it was meant to be touted.

Experiences like this, full of gayness and cross-dressing, are so immensely satisfying to endear oneself too that it becomes easy to forget whatever the heel was made for.

Seeing queens wear them for entertainment purposes, for an aesthetic, it’s easy to think that heels are a feminineonly covet, as if they weren’t invented for men. Argue the femininely-aligned are more fit to endure the royalty of taking up four more inches of air and earth and sky in cherry red somethings or open-toed what’s its name than the wrest, but it is a historically failing position.

Stepping into the fashion time machine, welcome to Persia, circa the 15th century. Keeping in mind that women were not allowed to be soldiers, the first propagation of heels was invented to assist soldiers in reaching the stirrups of their horses and keeping their feet secure in travel and battle. Migrants of Persia that traveled westward to Europe ignited the cloudhigh fascination. Fast forward 200 years to the 1670s, France’s King Louis XIV, ever known for his lean

Photo by Cottonbro

By Aniza Jahangir

toward grandeur and attention to the beauty of the bodily self, would introduce the first glimpse at a modern-day Louboutin. His red heels with red soles carried him wistfully around the French court, with a grace and determination that afforded him superiority, indignation, and exuded confidence.

From here forward, European royalty jumped at the chance to become associated with power and prowess, perhaps even with the rigor and physical and moral strength of a soldier. And somewhere in this 200-year gap for height and power, female Venetian prostitutes and maids brought them into their employ, allowing them status in height and the needed length of their dress to cover their stilts.

Since then, we’ve come to know heels as the definition of princesses; take Cinderella’s glass slipper (if it fit perfectly,why did it fall off ?).Or the Grimm’s tale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Look at any runway, any bridal magazine, any woman going to a job interview.

Heels have become a misnomer to womanhood. The heel is no longer a tool, a machinery, a sign of dignity.

This is not to say that women’s heel-wearing is anything less than awe-strikingly beautiful and audibly, physically, powerful. No, this is to say that the high heel, the pursuit of strength and elongation, the pursuit of beauty and grace - it is a genderless, limitless, soul-house in the sky. So why shouldn’t men, cisgendered, straight, men, along with their LGBTQ+ brothers, sisters, and thems, feel that silky and delicious move of their physique as it stamps the ground, too? Instead, it is a sign of sexuality and femininity.

Photo by Gya Den

Issues of toxic masculinity and hundreds of years of female oppression just momentarily set aside to bubble, toil, and trouble, men, need to start wearing heels for reasons beyond breaking down the ick-worthy and antiquated gender binary or reclaiming bodies with grace over brazenness. For one, shoes have always been one of the foremost vital ways of stylistic and identity explorative self-expression. Shoes have brought people into war and gotten them out. Shoes have been decorated in the architecture of temples of worship. Shoes have been signs of class and class structure, indications of economic landscapes, bespoken for centuries for the sake of art. The heel has the power to turn a same-labelblack-suit into a work of integrity, a work of the self, the body as a canvas. Equally, heels do not mean stilettos.

They can be thick or pencil-thin, high or low, even round or square. Of all the kinds of garmentry, there are for feet, the heel is a product of the self, not a product in and of itself. It has the power to modify the wearer and bring them ever closer to achieving true self-proclamation.

It is time to defeminize fashion and defeminize the heel. Shoes, shirts, pants, skirts - simply objects we have made for our pleasure, for our utility, for our liking. Why not step back in time for a moment? Why not reclaim a symbol of beauty? If to object one’s self from adornment is to attempt to flee femininity, then the world is set to be too dull of a place for my liking.

Photo By Andrew Wilus

Photo by Castorly Stock

Photo by Cottonbro

5 Ways to Style Underwear As Outerwear - Yes, Even In The Winter!

By Aniza Jahangir

Corsets Over Button-Down Shirts Corsets have made a monumental comeback in the fashion world in the last year, in a mode much more casual than Marie Antoinette would ever have tolerated.

Where the corset was once a tight and shapely waist cincher to be heavily adorned in the flounce of a wavebodied, tulle engorged, bustle, the modern wearer can casually let herself eat cake.

Though still fitted and sexy as ever, contemporary style calls for something with a bit more mobility, and a lot more chic. Style your corset over top a button-down shirt - buttons undone for a more carefree vibe, and buttoned up to the collar to take command - or even a turtleneck top with a pair of jeans or a flowy skirt for a look that’s equal parts sexy and warm.

Layer A Cape Atop a Thick Bustier “Cape” does not have to mean “vampire”, you know, unless that’s what you’re going for. The cape, once associated with sheep herders and farm workers as far back as 1066, has traveled through eras both Elizabethan and Victorian to establish itself as a fashion motif. From Marilyn Monroe to Burberry, the cape is the perfect cold-weather accessory for those more sophisticatedly inclined from floor-length to waist length.

With capes, texture is queen. Don a cable knit or dark argyle above a thick-lined , heart-shaped neckline, bustier, and hear millennia swoon. For the days when subtlety is key rather than casual, opt to pair this with patterned pants or pleated midi skirt and a wide belt at the waist.

Garter Belts On Top Of Or Peaking Out of Mini Skirts You’re here to make a statement, and we’re here to support you. Ever looked at your mini skirt and thought, “these thighs could use some decor”? Or worn a long skirt and said to yourself, “this could be sexier?” That’s what garters are for. Poking out of a pencil skirt, enclosed between cloth and sheer tights, the hanging garter hooks add a little bit of play and slink, even on the chilliest of days.

More of a midi or long skirt kind of person? The good news is that garter belts are just as good tucked under your skirt as they do, laying on top of it. Let the light lace and soft appliques draw attention to and lengthen your waistline as you live out the sultry cottage core life only Agent Provocateur could dream of.

Crop Sweater Under a Sexy Bustier Bodysuit Cropped, high-neck sweaters are wintertime’s underboob crop top. With cozy knit to keep your goosebumps at bay, add a little spice to your look with your favorite bustier bodysuit. The tight and thin lines of bustiers draw attention to your curves while the thickness of the sweater material widens your shoulders, creating an hourglass illusion.

Feeling experimental? Try cropped knits with patterns, colors, or even multiple textures, for a more elevated and self-tailored look.

Girdle Skirt With An Oversized Sweater and Thick Leggings Those interested in the French, the vintage, and the body-defining boning of corsets are bound to fall heart-first for the girdle skirt.

The name may not be the prettiest, but never choose an outfit by its alliteration, right?

Girdle skirts combine the best of the best worlds - that of the pencil skirt, the mini skirt, the corset, and the garter belt. Their intricate and thick panels are tightening at the back or sides by cording, while their garters hang close but loose over the thighs.

Tuck in a slightly oversized sweater, or lean into the torrid with a tight and textured top, and slip into some thick tights and stilettos for a chilly day’s look you won’t be able to stop eyeing yourself in.

All Photo’s Courtesy of Google

Lingerie was made to beautify the body, decorate it as heavenly as it deserves to be decorated. Don’t let the weather get in the way of adorning your body or experimenting with style. Remember, life is a runway, even if it is a chilly one, and it’s your job to take it command.

Living

Living

YOUR BODYWEIGHT

Wearing Jed North Women: jednorth.com (code FITMANDI) Website: fitbymandi.com Blog: fitbymandi.com/blog

WORKOUT GUIDE FOR ALL YOUR ON-THE-GO NEEDS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON! THE WORKOUT : This is a circuit workout. Exercises 1-4 completed back-to-back = 1 set.

Complete exercises 1-4 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off. After exercise 4, take a 60-second rest before completing the circuit again for a total of 3-5 rounds, depending on your fitness level.

EXERCISE 1: PUSH-UPS • • •

2 seconds down, 2 seconds up Keep your core tight and your hips, back, and neck all in line Regression: drop down to your knees

EXERCISE 2: JUMP SQUATS • • •

Start with the feet shoulder-width apart, squat down to 90 degrees Powerfully push through your feet and jump, fully extending your legs Drop right back down to the squat and repeat!

EXERCISE 3: TRICEP DIPS • • •

Using a chair, place your hands behind you and extend your legs out Slowly drop your butt to just above the floor Use the back of the arms to push yourself back to the starting position

EXERCISE 4: ALTERNATING REVERSE LUNGES • • • •

Stand with your feet hip-width apart Stabilize the core and step back with your left foot to descend into a lunge Using your front leg, push through the heel and return to your starting position Repeat with the opposite leg

Alternating between upper and lower body exercises (peripheral heart action training) is great to get your heart rate up.

Using a chair, place your hands behind you and extend your legs out No gym? No problem! Who said working out requires fancy equipment when your own body is all you need?

The holiday season is not an excuse to put your physical fitness on the back burner and this workout is a perfect reminder that you can work out anywhere at any time. Sometimes all we need is to move our bodies for 15-20 minutes to completely shift our attitudes for the day – especially when we are out of our routines from the business of the holiday season.

Use the back of the arms to push yourself back to the starting position

Remember that all 4 of these exercises are easily customizable to your athletic ability.

1. Push-Ups: drop to your knees or place your hands on a chair or wall to make the exercise easier.

2. Jump Squats: jump straight up and then squat in 2 separate movements or omit the jump all together!

3. Tricep Dips: the closer your feet are to your body, the easier the movement will be.

4. Reverse Lunges: try using a chair to help your balance.

It’s the most time-efficient way to get your workout in and get the most out of it, too!

Any movement is better than no movement at all.

Remember that being able to move your body is a privilege. Exercise is not a punishment, it’s a vital tool that we are lucky to have the option to do. The options for bodyweight exercises are endless – Instagram and YouTube are both great places to check for home workout ideas or email fitbymandi@gmail.com

Photo Credit: Mandi

Beauty

SIX HOLIDAY MOCKTAILS EVERYONE CAN ENJOY

BY DANA MURPHY

SKIP THE BOOZY BEVERAGES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND MIX UP ONE OF THESE HOLIDAY-INSPIRED MOCKTAILS. From mugs of warm apple pie punch topped with whipped cream to wine glasses filled to the brim with cinnamon orange “sangria,” these non-alcoholic holiday drinks are just as good as the boozefilled versions. Don’t believe me? Check out each of these holiday mocktail recipes and see for yourself how festive and satisfying they are. No one will feel left out of the party this year!

Beauty

CLASSIC EGGNOG Eggs and cream combined with honey, vanilla, and spices make this homemade eggnog the perfect •

• • • • • • •

Start by adding 3 cups of your choice of milk, 3 cups of half and half, 8 egg yolks, 1 cup of organic honey, 1 ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg, and ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the blender and blend the ingredients until they reach a smooth consistency.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan.

Add 1 ½ tablespoons of whole cloves to the saucepan.

Cook the eggnog over medium heat 10 minutes. Do not let the eggnog simmer or boil; you want to heat up the mixture, so it becomes thick and frothy.

Once the eggnog has thickened, remove it from the heat and stir in 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Strain out the cloves.

Pour the eggnog into an airtight container and cool it in the refrigerator for at least six hours.

Serve it with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Makes 6 servings.

CINNAMON ORANGE SANGRIA

• • • • •

Add 1 peeled and thinly sliced apple, the juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon, 1 sectioned orange, ¾ cup of thawed cranberry-grape juice concentrate, and a sprinkle of cinnamon to a pitcher.

Let the fruit mixture sit in the refrigerator for 3 hours. This allows the flavors to combine.

Right before serving, add 3 cups of seltzer water to the pitcher, stirring until it is well-combined with the fruit mixture.

Serve the sangria in wine glasses or tumblers filled with ice and garnish with an orange wedge and a cinnamon stick Makes 4 servings.

Photo Credit: Pexels: Ann Nekr / Jill Wellignton / Unsplash: Jennifer Pallian

This booze-free sangria combines the flavors of apples, cranberries, oranges, and lemons resulting in a

Beauty

HOT APPLE PIE PUNCH This booze-free sangria combines the flavors of apples, cranberries, oranges, and lemons resulting in a delicious and festive drink without the hangover.

•

• • • • •

Combine 1 stick of softened unsalted butter, 2/3 cup of light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves in a bowl. Mix until you have a smooth, spiced butter. Set aside.

Heat 6 cups of apple cider in a saucepan over medium-low heat.

While the cider is heating, run a lemon wedge along the rim of 6 mugs, then dip the rims in a cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Drop 1 tablespoon of the spiced butter into each mug.

Pour the hot apple cider into each mug, over the butter, so it starts to melt, and whisk until it’s blended.

Top each mug of hot punch with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel.

CIDER AND THYME TONIC This booze-free sangria combines the flavors of apples, cranberries, oranges, and lemons resulting in a delicious and festive drink without the hangover.

•

• • •

Start by making the thyme simple syrup. Combine 3/4 cup of sugar and water with 4 sprigs of fresh thyme in a saucepan over low heat. Heat the syrup until all of the sugar has dissolved, then continue to simmer it for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, remove the thyme sprigs, and set aside to cool completely.

Add 2 1/4 cups of apple cider and 3 cups of lemon juice, and the thyme simple syrup to a pitcher. Mix until combined.

3. Fill 6 glasses halfway with ice.

Divide the cider mixture between the 6 glasses, top each one with tonic water, and garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Beauty

CRAN-APPLE CIDER This holiday mocktail brings together two of the most popular holiday fruits: cranberries and apples. Add a little rosemary, and you have a delightful and super simple non-alcoholic beverage

• • • • •

Start by rimming 4 glasses with sugar.

In a pitcher, combine 1 1/3 cups of apple cider, cranberry juice, and ginger ale.

Divide the mixture between the 4 sugar-rimmed glasses.

Drop a few frozen cranberries into each glass.

Garnish with a thinly-sliced apple wedge and a fresh sprig of rosemary.

POMEGRANATE SPRITZER

• • • • • •

Combine 2 cups of apple cider, ½ cup of pomegranate juice, and 1 ¼ cups of soda water in a pitcher. Stir until combined.

Fill 4 tall glasses with 2 tablespoons each of pomegranate seeds.

Divide the spritzer between the 4 glasses.

Next, cut a lime into 4 wedges and squeeze 1 wedge of lime juice into each glass, dropping the wedge in at the end.

Garnish with an additional lime wedge and enjoy!

Skip the hangover this holiday season and mix up one of these festive mocktails instead. From sparkling pomegranate spritzers to classic eggnog without the booze, everyone will

Photo Credit: Pexels: Fotografierende / Unsplash: Brooke Larke / Heidi Kaden

The beauty of this drink is it can be enjoyed at any time of day. The soda water paired with apple cider and pomegranate juice makes it appropriate to be served with brunch or dinner.

THE 5 BEST COZY DRINKS FOR WINTER THAT WILL ALSO HELP PREVENT YOU FROM GETTING SICK

LAUREN BEAUBAIRE

Stay healthy this winter in the most delicious way possible.

Minnesota winters can be tough enough without also having to constantly run for Kleenex or inhale cough drops by the fistful. And especially this year, you don’t want your immune system compromised, even if it is the common cold. But not to worry, we’ve got a simple and delicious way to keep you going strong, and that keeps your Kleenex budget in check.

1. LAVENDER HOT CHOCOLATE Ready for complete decadence in a cup?! This lavender hot chocolate tastes amazing. The lavender flower brings a sweet, relaxing, and floral aroma, perfectly balancing the rich, dark melted chocolate. Is your mouth watering yet?

But, the best part of this tasty drink is its health benefits.

Dark chocolate is rich in a chemical called flavanols that helps protect your heart and improve blood flow. Dark chocolate is also packed with antioxidants, iron, copper, magnesium, and zinc, all essential to keeping you healthy.

Lavender also holds its own healthwise, being put to use by the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians for centuries. Part of lavender’s mythology goes back to the Great Plague in Europe, where grave robbers would wash their hands in a mixture called Four Thieves Vinegar. This concoction consisted of lavender, wormwood, rue, sage, mint, and rosemary, and vinegar, which prevented the robbers from getting infected with the plague. Adding lavender to your diet seems like a smart choice, especially in a pandemic.

Photo Credit: Unsplash: Toa Heftiba / Pexels: Ylanite Koppens

Makes 2 Servings Ingredients: • 2 cups almond milk (or milk of your choosing) • 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or 1.5 ounces of a dark chocolate bar or raw cacao • ½ teaspoon lavender flowers or 1 drop of lavender extract (edible grade) • ½ teaspoon vanilla • 2 teaspoons honey • Pinch of salt Directions: 1. Heat almond milk in a saucepan on medium heat.

2. Add in cocoa or chocolate, vanilla, honey, and salt 3. Once warm, remove from heat and stir in lavender flowers or add a drop of lavender extract 4. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Unsplash: Carley Kewley / Allison Christine

2. GOLDEN MILK Golden milk has been trending for a while, and if you haven’t yet tried this delicious treat, it’s time. Golden milk’s main ingredients of coconut milk, turmeric, and black pepper mix to create a velvety thick, cozy drink with potent health benefits.

Photo Credit: Pixabay :Flockine / Jessoraya

Turmeric boasts over 150 therapeutic uses due to its bioactive chemical curcumin. Curcumin is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, great for staving off colds and viruses. Coconut milk is rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron to give your immune system a boost. The third and unassuming ingredient, black pepper, not only contains manganese, iron, and vitamin K but also increases the bioavailability of the turmeric’s and coconut milk’s nutrients.

Golden Milk Recipe Ingredients: • 2 cups coconut milk • 1 tablespoon raw honey • 1 tablespoon coconut oil • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (careful handling turmeric as it easily stains your hands, counters, and clothing) • ½ teaspoon cinnamon • Dash of nutmeg • Dash of black pepper Directions: 1. Mix all ingredients in a medium-size saucepan and heat the mixture for about five minutes bringing it to a simmer, not a boil.

2. Once all the ingredients combine to form a creamy consistency and golden color, remove from the heat, pour, and enjoy.

3. ASTRAGALUS CHAI TEA Flavorful and just what you crave during the colder months, this warming astragalus chai tea will give your immune system a boost. While you might have to put in slightly more effort to gather the ingredients you’ll be glad you did. Astragalus is an immunomodulator herb, meaning astragalus can help get your immune system on track and strengthen your immunity against colds, viruses, and other autoimmune issues. Rosalee de la Forêt, herbalist and author of the best-selling shares her favorite astragalus chai tea recipe.

Astragalus Chai Tea Recipe Ingredients: • 20 to 30 grams astragalus root (approximately 15 to 20 small slices) • 1 tablespoon dried orange peel (store-bought dried orange peel comes in small, uniform pieces. If you make your own, be sure to mince the orange peels finely before drying them, as they are difficult to cut once dried.)

• 2 teaspoons minced fresh or dried ginger • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon chips • 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns • 1 or 2 cardamom pods • 2 whole cloves Directions: 1. Place all the ingredients in a pan with 2 & 1/2 cups of water.

Bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, covered.

3. Strain, then add milk and honey as desired. Drink within 36 hours.

Photo Credit: Pexels: Jared Kaeb, Fallon Michael, Roberto Cervantes

Photo Credit: rawpixel (pixabay.com) / Unsplash: Mitchell Luo, Eiliv Sonas

4.

HOT GINGER CIDER

Nothing quite signals winter like a delicious batch of hot cider. But this cider stands out with a spicy twist and the health perks of ginger. Granted, cider contains quite a bit of sugar, but this hot beverage is a great way to get in your serving of ginger. Ginger has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which can prevent cell damage, stave off chronic disease, and help you avoid catching those seasonal colds.

Makes 2 Servings Ingredients: • 3 cups of apple cider of your choosing • 2 ginger tea bags or 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger root • 2 tablespoons of honey Directions: 1. Bring cider to a simmer on stovetop 2. Add in tea bags or peeled fresh ginger root and let steep for at least 10 minutes 3. Remove tea bags or strain ginger, then add honey to taste and enjoy!

5. DANDELION TEA Yes, that dandelion. The so-called weed that invades our lawns every summer is packed with nutrition and makes for a pleasantly, gentle-tasting tea. So what does dandelion do for you? Dandelion’s packed with antioxidants, is anti-inflammatory, lowers blood sugar, protects against skin damage, helps with digestion, and boosts your immune system. Not bad for a “weed”.

This one is simple. Buy organic dandelion root tea bags online or in your grocery store.

That’s it! Steep the dandelion tea bag in hot water and enjoy!

THREE TEAS TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE

BY CEARA GOLDEN

MOVE OVER COFFEE, HERE ARE THREE TEAS TO DRINK THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY TO WARM YOU UP ON A COLD WINTER DAY

Photo Credit: Unsplash: Drew Jemmett / Loverna Journey / Pexels: Marina Sirazetdinova / Mareefe

Incorporating tea into your daily life can bring many health benefits. These benefits include natural alertness and improved brain function. Drinking one, two, or all three of these teas can help you wake up, keep you going and fall asleep with ease.

BLACK TEA Black tea will help you wake up in the mornings. It is the perfect tea to drink as you get ready for your day, and it is a good replacement for coffee. Black teas are one the strongest naturally caffeinated teas.

It is a diverse tea that comes in many different flavors like spices or fruits. Or, if you are a coffee drinker, a little bit of milk mixes in well.

Black tea benefits expand beyond alertness. Some benefits include improving metabolism and antioxidants that promote overall health.

Black tea is a good transition from coffee if you are looking to cut back on coffee in your daily life.

GREEN TEA Green tea also contains caffeine but not as much as black tea. Green tea provides the perfect midday pick me up as you get through your day. It is sweeter than black tea and has a lighter taste that will help you get through your busy afternoon. Not only is green a sweeter midday drink, but it also has some fantastic health benefits. Green tea can help weight loss and may improve brain function. It won’t make you as energetic as drinking a cup of black tea but will give you enough caffeine to get through your day.

CHAMOMILE TEA Now a great way to end the night, chamomile tea. Chamomile tea is a naturally decaffeinated tea that makes it perfect to end the night. This tea would be a perfect addition to your nightly routine. This mildtasting tea is great for helping induce sleep as well as reducing anxiety.

It is the perfect tea to sit and back and drink while you are reading a book or scrolling through social media as you end your day.

These three teas can not only help you improve your day they can keep you warm during the winter months. Rather you incorporate all these teas or just one, they all bring their own benefits to your life.

m a r g a t s n I n o s u w o l Fol t e e l i r e @v

y r o t S a Inst Krista m m u r B

Planting Succulents with Connie Gliadon One woman’s passion for succulents turned into a lifestyle Twin Cities Instagram blogger Connie Gliadon shares her love of succulents and how keeping these sometimesoverlooked beauties can bring joy to a household

By Angela McLaughlin

“I saw a bunch of different succulents, mostly the floret/ rosette ones that drew my eye.

There was just something so captivating. There’s just something about the colors with succulents that you don’t find in anything else.”

When people imagine the desert, they often picture a stark, barren landscape devoid of color. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that the desert is not desolate at all. It is filled with a subtle beauty that can give even the lush rainforest a run for its money.

Much of this beauty can be attributed to the succulents that flourish in drier climates. Minnesota native Connie (Milan) Gliadon found out just how bewitching succulents are on a trip to San Diego nearly a decade ago.

“I wasn’t really aware of what succulents were,” she says. “I saw a bunch of different succulents, mostly the floret/rosette ones that drew my eye. There was just something so captivating. There’s just something about the colors with succulents that you don’t find in anything else.”

Gliadon quickly developed a passion for the plants and began growing them at her house in the Twin Cities. As her collection grew, she says her then-fiancé, now husband, questioned where she was going with this new hobby, and she responded by saying she didn’t have a specific plan; she just liked them.

“And he said, ‘OK, well you’re taking up every counter in the house,’” she says with a laugh. Eventually, she started making arrangements with her succulents.

“It was a great creative outlet for me. I’ve always loved flowers and plants, and I’ve always had kind of a green thumb,” she says. One of these creations was a “succulent taco,” a hard-shell taco filled with miniature succulents, an arrangement that took the internet by storm.

Gliadon has always kept plants, but the hobby grew after succulents came into the picture.

“There are plants on every windowsill; there are plants hanging from curtain rods; our dining room is filled with plants,” she says, adding that she even brings some of the tropical plants from outdoor summer planters inside since she can’t bear to see them die.

When asked how many plants she currently has in her home, Gliadon laughed and said she had no idea, estimating the number to easily be in the hundreds. About seven years ago, she began making custom arrangements for people in the Minneapolis area, and her Instagram page started soon after.

For Gliadon, succulents were a new landscape of learning. Aside from the beautiful colors and textures of the many different types of plants, there was a learning curve for keeping them that piqued her interest even more.

“Nobody here could really tell me how to care for them in the right way. And there was

kind of this misconception that succulents are just the easiest plants, and you don’t have to do anything for them, and anybody could grow them,” she says. “I learned very quickly that is not the case.”

Her husband, Kent, who has a degree in turf science and landscape design, helped her along the way. And it was he who suggested getting her plants tested at the University of Minnesota when her collection developed a mysterious bacterium early on in her hobby.

But much of her experience is self-taught through trial and error, from finding suitable planting medium to drilling her own drainage holes in pots, and more.

In summer, she works at her outdoor potting bench and has a basement setup with large grow lights for the winter.

Her Instagram page, under the name Connie Milan, Justbeingcon, is filled with vibrant, eye-catching arrangements, and Gliadon says she loves being connected to a community of plant lovers to learn from and share advice. She encourages people to reach out with questions.

Photography by Connie Gliadon

“I want to post things that are authentic and helpful for people,” she says. “You learn things all the time.

I like having the opportunity to help other people, because I didn’t have that.” Gliadon’s arrangements are available for purchase in the Minneapolis area. They cannot be shipped due to their weight, delicate nature, and since she’s a one-woman operation. She is happy to make custom arrangements for clients in the planter of their choosing.

Since it can be challenging to find healthy succulents in Minnesota, Gliadon propagates many of her ownfor the arrangements. Though she says it is hard to pick a favorite, one that she often gravitates toward is the Echeveria family of succulents, particularly Perle von Nurnberg, which turns pink and purple in full sunlight.

She encourages people to consider keeping succulents because each one is so different from another.

Her advice to new hobbyists includes:

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Investing in a good grow light, as many homes do not get adequate sunlight.

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Starting with green succulents, such as jade or haworthia, since they are more tolerant of low lighting.

•

Buying from a plant specialty store instead of a “big box” store, since the plants will typically be healthier at the outset.

•

Keep trying!

“I love encouraging people to dig in, get dirty, and let their creativity flow!

If something isn’t working for you, try a new variety of succulent, a new pot, or a new location in your house,” she says. “Let your vision guide you – don’t be afraid to start over or rearrange your plants until you create something that brings you joy.”