DeRUSHA Download: My New Thinking On What Minneapolis Spots Would Get Michelin Stars
Plus Time for 420 to grow up, Weekend Activities, Plus Best Podcasts from Drivetime
DOWNLOAD DIALOGUE: THE 4-20 WINK WINK BIT IS STUPID
I’ve never smoked cannabis. No joints, no vape, no nothing. Well once a friend gave me a gummy that I thought was CBD and it was THC and I had to go home I thought I was going to die. I have nothing against it - and I’m all for consenting adults being able to make their own choices. Minnesota is one of many states that has legalized recreational consumption of cannabis, it’s a legit, legal, growing business. And yet, marketers can’t help themselves. Sunday is April 20, 4-20, and there are parties and events and dinners and all the things. Why 420? PBS says it dates to a group of high school kids in the 70s who met after school at 4:20 p.m. [https://derusha.short.gy/420]. It’s time to grow up and stop with the wink, wink nonsense. (I like how my magazine handles Canna Fest - instead of calling it Stoner World or something dumb. TIX: https://derusha.short.gy/JV614L)
As a food writer who also does some influencer marketing, I struggle with what to do with the whole THC/420/weed space. Should I be dabbling in this space too? If I promoted a THC brand, would that change the way you think of me? Maybe for the better! I grew up during the “just say no” era, I’m a square, I have enough vices, I don’t know. Enjoy THC, enjoy legal weed, I just think we don’t need to act like high schoolers about it.
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TOO BUSY TO DOWNLOAD?
Meteor & Spoon Honored
New Thoughts on Who Would Earn Michelin Stars Here
Carnival Bar is Open at 50th & France
Lots of Weekend Activities pre-Easter
Read to the End for a Crazy Reunited Moment at a Coffee Shop
COME WITH ME TO GREECE!
Athens, Mykonos and Santorini from October 12th – 22nd- we have a few more spots on the trip. It’ll be WCCO Radio listeners and at least one Download reader! Let’s do it! wccoradio.com/greece
CONGRATS TO METEOR & SPOON: Tales of the Cocktail has put Meteor on its regional Top 10 finalist list for Best U.S. Bar Team & Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – Central; Spoon and Stable is on the Best Restaurant Bar list for the Central division too. LIST: https://derusha.short.gy/xaXM4U
SPOON: I had dinner there Saturday night and it reminded me that it is our most complete restaurant. No one has the combination of all the things: service, room, culinary, dessert, wine list, cocktails, it’s all there. So is Spoon the best restaurant in Minnesota? Yes, I think it is. Would it deserve a Michelin star? I used to think not - but I explain my thinking now: JD.COM: https://derusha.short.gy/michelin
OPEN FOR LUNCH: A good sign for downtown Minneapolis, Chloe by Vincent opened for lunch this week. Open weekdays 11-2pm. RESERVE: https://derusha.short.gy/HB5o3J
OPEN: Carnival Bar by Nick Kosevich and Tommy Begnaud at Mr. Paul’s. Thursday - Saturday, drinks are $16 with a top-shelf old fashioned at $20. MENU: https://derusha.short.gy/LKW14G Write-up coming to Minnesota Monthly soon!
LEATHER WORKS MN OPENS NEXT WEEK: Saturday, April 26th is the grand opening for Joseph’s Coffee + Donuts at 736 Oakdale in Saint Paul. IG: https://derusha.short.gy/9QAZo8
CORRECTION: Last week I incorrectly identified the brewery that Tom Berg was the founder of. He founded Falling Knife Brewing. So sorry for the error!
CALL FOR ARTISTS: My friend Tim Urban from dvine.collective is looking for artists for a show in mid-May. DETAILS: https://derusha.short.gy/T8yJwF
WHAT AM I DOING THIS WEEKEND?
Tonight an overnight visit to Treasure Island Resort & Casino, we’re partnering up to show a couple cool parts of their operation. Steakhouse dinner tonight at Tado, playing some slots, gonna be a fun getaway. Saturday is our monthly Paris Dining Club with Lauren & Kethan. Sunday is yard cleanup!
WHAT COULD YOU DO THIS WEEKEND?
ADULT EGG HUNT: Hewing Hotel, Saturday 11am https://derusha.short.gy/4hJB4J
ARTBEAT + MUSIC FEST: SATURDAY 2-10pm. Free in NE Mpls https://derusha.short.gy/bdOvIq
MODIST TURNS 9: SAT party Noon-Midnight https://derusha.short.gy/cn5VLJ
GO WOLVES (Game 1 Saturday at 7:30pm) and GO WILD (Game 1 Sunday at 9pm)
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO THE WCCO RADIO YOUTUBE CHANNEL!
SEVENTH GENERATION 20-something woman pig farmer talks about life on the farm - starts at 1:33:10 [LINK]
DID TARGET SCREW UP ON DEI / IS Costco THE NEW TARGET? [LINK]
AUDIO PODCASTS: Subscribe via Apple Podcast https://fluence-media.co/3xTkkNu Spotify: https://fluence-media.co/3VUtph4
EMOTIONAL Callers REACT TO RFK SAYING AUTISM “DESTROYS CHILDREN” https://derusha.short.gy/1odW3N
ERIN HASSANZADEH ON CBS MN’s Polar Bear documentary: https://derusha.short.gy/vyNnuK
DeRUSHA EATS: Subscribe wherever you get podcasts! I loved this chat with actor and whiskey guy William H. Macy! https://derusha.short.gy/pTz2z0
ONE MORE THING
COOL MOMENT: I’m at the Get Down Coffee Co. in North Minneapolis for a pour-over, and Houston White introduced me to Linda, and she says, “We’ve met before.” Which btw I hate when people say that - it totally puts me on the spot! But she immediately told me when we met.
She was a junior at Hopkins High School when I did a story on their school lunch. I said, “You were the main character of that story!” because I absolutely remembered her. Just a great, random, Minnesota moment. Here’s the story from 5 years ago: [link]
This is awesome!
Jason, love your restaurant STARS piece! Agree 100 percent that Spoon is the finest measure of an experience in TC. It’s the whole enchilada! The rest of your recommendations are excellent, just the kind I like to send visitors. Excellent work from a trusted and knowledgeable source. Thank you!