Sunday, December 23, 2012
Here are the Better Business Bureau's tips for avoiding the Grinch.
We all look forward to the holidays, and so do scammers. As people begin to make their holiday plans, unscrupulous scammers are dusting off their tried and true seasonal scams. The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) is advising shoppers and donors that by knowing the red flags to watch out for and by adhering to the following tips, they’ll hopefully be able to steer clear of Grinch-like scams: Always check a business’ BBB Business Review, at www.bbb.org, before making a purchase in the store or online. Make sure the company has a physical address and telephone number. When shopping online, some websites offer electronics or luxury goods at prices that are too good to be true. Every holiday season, the BBB hears …
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Here are some ways to unwind and relax during the frenzied holiday rush.
The holidays can be a time of great joy and fun memories, but they also bring stress with growing to-do lists and money concerns weighing us down. During this frenzied time, don’t forget to take time for yourself, whether that is a few minutes curled up on the couch with a book or a quick massage. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota lists several keys to managing stress. • Recognizing Stress. Learn to recognize when you are under stress and what triggers it. Before you can change your response to stress, you need to recognize what your stressors are and how they affect you. • Responding Better to Stress. Once you know what your stressors are, you can change how you respond to those situations. If a growing to-do list has you down, focus on…
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Got someone on your list who is hard to shop for? We've got Twin Cities style consultants on deck to help you find the perfect gift.
We all have at least one person in our lives that presents a perennial problem during the holidays: They're impossible to shop for. Maybe they're a vegan who can't countenance any animal products whatsoever, or a friend who is allergic to everything from angora to silk, or worse, the one who never wants anything. Enter Melissa Hardin, creator of Flaunt, a mobile boutique run by a group of fashion artists and style consultants out of a studio in Fridley. Also on deck are Jennifer Zafft, Marketing Director for The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove, and Lisa Buck, a resident of the Lake Minnetonka area and veteran holiday shopper, and Kelly Bray of Zida Boutique in Burnsville. Stymied? Whipshawed by confusion? These ladies will help you …
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Did you decorate your house for the holidays this year? Enter our "Deck the House" contest and you could win $100,000 for your local school district and $500 to pay your electric bills!
We’re launching our annual Deck the House Contest to find the most over-the-top holiday decorations in America—the best “decked” house in the country—the one home so spectacularly decorated that everyone in town jokes your holiday decorations could rival Rockefeller Center’s. If this sounds like your house, upload a photo or video of your home to our contest page from Nov. 26 to Dec. 16 (Check back here Monday for a direct link to our contest page so you can enter). Only residents of Patch towns are eligible to enter. We’ll select 24 regional finalists, and from them, pick one grand prize winner. Patch will pay up to $500 of the utility bill for each finalist, while our national winner will have $100,000 donated to his or her local school …
Sunday, December 9, 2012
From parking lots to tree farms, in Burnsville and beyond.
1) Minnesota Valley YMCA: For many years, the Twin Cities YMCA has sold Christmas trees at various lots around the region. The nearest is at the Minnesota Valley YMCA, located at 13850 Portland Ave. S. Hours for each lot may vary, but generally the lots should be open Monday through Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Y will sell trees through Dec. 23. 2) Silver Bell Tree Farm: Silver Bell offers Christmas consumers two options — a tree lot with pre-cut evergreens or a farm, where you can cut your own. Both are in relative proximity to Burnsville. The lot is in Apple Valley at 5049 Upper 141 Street West. Hours run Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a…
Monday, November 26, 2012
Did you decorate your house for the holidays this year? Enter our "Deck the House" contest and you could win $100,000 for your local school district and $500 to pay your electric bills!
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- David Henke
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Monday, November 26, 2012
Follow Eagan Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter| Blog for us We’re launching our annual Deck the House Contest to find the most over-the-top holiday decorations in America—the best “decked” house in the country—the one home so spectacularly decorated that everyone in town jokes your holiday decorations could rival Rockefeller Center’s. If this sounds like your house, upload a photo or video of your home to our contest page from Nov. 26 to Dec. 16. Click here to head to contest page. Only residents of Patch towns are eligible to enter. We’ll select 24 regional finalists, and from them, pick one grand prize winner. Patch will pay up to $500 of the utility bill for each finalist, while our national …
Show your guests around in style: Patch finds the best sites of the metro area.
It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and your house is bursting at the seams with visiting relatives. You’ve got to get them out and get some fresh air, but where would you go? Good thing the Twin Cities have a ton of great places to enjoy with your family. The John Rose OVAL Reputed to be the largest sheet of refrigerated ice in North America, the John Rose OVAL in Roseville is a great place to take the family for an ice skating adventure—even when it's 60 degrees out. The Sky Zone Trampoline Park Located in Oakdale, the Sky Zone Trampoline Park is an awesome place to take kids. There’s a special area for kids under five, jump classes for all ages, and 3-D dodgeball. The Blast Located in Eagan, this towering, space-themed play place is the …
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Let our Patch Pro answer your cooking questions.
The holidays are almost upon us! With Thanksgiving next week and then a month of parties and celebrations to follow, many of us are about to spend some serious time in the kitchen. Whether you've made a turkey for the past 50 years or it's your first attempt at stuffing, there's always something that can turn a normal dish into an award-wining crowd pleaser. So, go ahead and ask away. What would make your cooking better? Here to help with our Thanksgiving preparations is a "Patch Pro"— a local chef who has agreed to answer your questions about cooking in the comments section below. Meet our expert: • Executive Chef Kevin Petroske has been with Redstone American Grill for eight years, specializing in upscale American fare. He takes …
Martina Tresenriter
3:32 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Our family was adopted by a large company through our childrens school, they gave us a $100 gift card to Wal-Mart... so I have to buy them something from there. I figured we would buy them a gift from "Santa" there and then plan an individual date night with mom and dad from us. I really like that idea :) more ›