Download: Day of the Dead is here!
State of MN Beer, Free Whiskey Tasting, Rooftop Four Seasons Party and more!
Happy Halloween! Hopefully your snow has melted by now. Proud of our neighborhood kids- we were busy - two kids asked if we had veggies - seeing kids do kid things always makes me happy. Lots going on this weekend - plenty of ideas of fun things you can do in the newsletter today. As always I appreciate you! If you want to support this - $50 gets you a year of bonus posts!
SERIOUSLY! ORDER THANKSGIVING DINNER!
THANKSGIVING TO-GO: Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis handle your family’s dinner. Pick-up the whole meal Thursday morning — Download readers who order Thanksgiving get a free round of mimosas when you return to Mara for Sunday brunch! ORDER: https://fluence-media.co/3A1BtWs
Keep reading to see where I’ll be Saturday around lunchtime!
I love having Mara / Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis as a Download Partner!
TOO BUSY TO DOWNLOAD?
Dia de los Muertos activities
Bún bò Huế opens; so does a downtown throwback
Podcast Me + Frey, Paul Fletcher, QB Max Brosmer
Massive free whiskey tasting
Your question answered: great private dinner space
DOWNLOAD DIALOGUE: THE STATE OF CRAFT BEER
Today is Minnesota Craft Beer day and I have to be honest - the thrill for me isn’t quite what it was a decade ago. Do I love what the big, little guys are doing? Absolutely. The Fulton partnership with Faribault Mill, Surly’s blend of consistency plus innovation, Lift Bridge blowing it out at the State Fair, the Twins Pils from Summit… so much excellence. But I’m not a huge IPA guy (I’m getting older) and so I’m a little burned out by it. At the same time, a younger generation is looking for NA or THC drinks in a can. Is craft beer dying? Absolutely not. Is it over-saturated? Maybe. Is it boring and stuck? Also maybe.
Mostly I think it’s maturing. There’s less thrill in chasing the newest thing (especially if it’s hazier than a glass of Sunny D), but there’s more consistency. There’s a renewed focus on being a community event space - as we’ve seen with OMNI and Broken Clock among others being a coffee shop in the day. We’ll see what the younger generation wants to do - but I suspect the increase in people just staying home is going to hurt tap rooms, and the shift in what people drink is already hurting tap lines at restaurants. And that’s not a crisis - it’s part of a red-hot start-up industry maturing and settling in.
Agree? Disagree? Email me at jason@jasonDeRusha.com
Be in the DeRusha Holiday Gift Guide! No pay for play - I just want to know your cool local gift ideas, I’m especially interested in cool experiences. Are there classes or special access that you want to share with my readers? Email Jason@JasonDeRusha.com!
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS PARTIES SATURDAY
MIDTOWN GLOBAL MARKET: Noon-3pm: https://fluence-media.co/3C2AHZY
LA DONA CERVECERIA: Vendor Market Noon-4pm, Live Music and Cultural Performances after 6pm (Ticketed Entry after 6: https://fluence-media.co/4eaN82Z)
NICO’S TACO BAR: 50th & Penn face painting Noon-4p, Live Music 5:30-9; Como: Face painting Noon-4pm, live music 5:30-8:30p; Uptown: Tarot Card reading 5-10pm, live music 5:30-9p https://fluence-media.co/3UqxARZ
EL BURRITO MERCADO: Dinner, cocktail, live music 6-8pm, just $35 TICKETS: https://fluence-media.co/3C1qjSa
NOW OPEN:
House of Huế: in Eat Street Crossing, calling itself Minnesota’s first Bún bò Huế restaurant (I love that stuff!) IG: https://fluence-media.co/3C1K5gu
La Estancia Steakhouse (Saturday grand opening). In the former Chelas at 4751 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis. Argentinian/Uruguyan per IG: https://fluence-media.co/40wRi2l
Krona Cafe, Walking Dog, Northstar Cafeteria: The Northstar building downtown has opened a main level cafeteria - Krona made a dang lovely espresso shot for me Thursday. Lileks in the Strib: https://fluence-media.co/3C5kvqO
Mothership Pizza Paradise: Open for lunch + dinner on the Mpls side of the street at 50th & France, former Arrezzo. MNMO: https://fluence-media.co/3Ac0le6
Mother Dough Mill District: I popped in Wednesday and it’s beautiful. The Fhimas have this concept nailed down.
DeRusha’s Bites is presented by Room & Board - see how they transformed my living room on my Instagram or read more about the process at JasonDeRusha.com
FOUR SEASONS NORDIC VILLAGE PARTY: Alyssa and I will be here at 11: Free opening party on the rooftop at Four Seasons Minneapolis on Saturday 11a-3p. Free welcome drink, shop vendors, take your fall city selfie. DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/4fcvDR4
HELP WITH MY LEGENDARY HOLIDAY GIFT CARD GUIDE: If you own a restaurant - please edit or verify your “Buy x gift cards, get a bonus y” deal in my database. https://fluence-media.co/4f3D7G8
EPIC WHISKEY TASTING: Thursday, November 7 at Surdyk’s. The founder of Orin Swift wines also founded Savage and Cooke distillery - Dave Phinney will be sampling his whiskey from 4-7pm at Surdyk’s. Also pouring: Phil Steger of Brother Justus, and Joe Girgash of Dexter. Storewide tastings featuring over 45 different whiskies. Details on whiskey week: https://fluence-media.co/3XibxOZ
VINAI VIDEO: 3 things you should try at Vinai, part of a new series I’m doing on my Instagram. IG: https://fluence-media.co/40mGPX2
YOUR GOOD QUESTIONS VIA EMAIL
Jason- where would you take a group of 14 for a special dinner, private/semi-private in the Twin Cities on a budget of $150 per person including drinks? -Matt
Borough: The Apartment is a private space for up to 22. https://fluence-media.co/40pnCEe
The Butcher’s Tale: Bourbon room downstairs is a cool speakeasy for up to 32 seated https://fluence-media.co/3A7qB9H
The Freehouse: The Volstead Lounge seats up to 50 https://fluence-media.co/3AiX5h1
Mara: I’ve been to awesome private meals in the Mistral Room - which holds 12 https://fluence-media.co/4emqULT
Have a Good Question? Reply to this or email Jason@JasonDeRusha.com
“A WELCOME ADDITION”: Jess Fleming with a positive write-up on the absolutely lovely 1881 By Lake Elmo Inn inside St. Paul’s Union Station. GIFT LINK: https://fluence-media.co/4f3Sbnb
DRIVETIME PODCASTS ON DEMAND
JACOB FREY: On calls for his resignation, why it took police so long to help Davis Moturi, Prez election: https://fluence-media.co/3CihLGw
POLITICS + VASECTOMY LAWSUIT + RANKING CANDY: Great hour with
and Paul Fletcher: https://fluence-media.co/3O8xGKxIS DUNWOODY THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE: New President explains how enrollment is up 48% over the last decade https://fluence-media.co/3YNP5yd
GOPHERS QB MAX BROSMER: On his success + unique partnership with The Freehouse: https://fluence-media.co/4hvhhNm
CATS ARE THE INFERIOR PET: Plus Wine Co’s Dana Bonelli on the rise of Non-alcoholic drinks https://fluence-media.co/4hoMcLj
GENTLE PARENTING? Kate Raddatz on the latest trend for parents. https://fluence-media.co/4fbWw7Z
LINDAHL X CALL OF DUTY: Before all the papers and TV stations picked it up, I had Kris Lindahl and the CMO of Activision on: https://fluence-media.co/4fovU3m
DERUSHA’S WEEKEND
Tonight I’m teaching a cocktail class at Freehouse with Jason Suss thanks to a donation Blue Plate, Jason & Surdyk’s made to a WCCO Radio auction for NMDP. Saturday I’ll be attending the opening of Luis Fitch’s black & white art show at La Dona. Sunday we’re going to White Bear Lake - because I’ve never been to Acqua!