AGENT OF CHANGE: THOMAS JEFFERSON CROSSING CONTINENTS FOR MUSIC KARIN ANDREASEN A MEDICAL MISSION FOR LIFE DR. JULIE BLEHM
Grateful Goddesses: At the Table pg. 124
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JETSET FASHION ALSO
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YOUR FAVORITE EATS
Pat * Traynor ::
F-M AREA EVENTS GUIDE
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AND MUCH MORE...
Issue 7 | Winter 2008
EDD-ITON: FIND THE LINE
SHOP.
ENTERTAIN.
Ramada Plaza & Suites has been the destination point for savvy travelers for over a decade, offering guests the most premiere facilities, outstanding service and guest-friendly amenities in the region. Ramada’s meeting and event spaces are capable of catering to groups from 2 to 1200 and features the exquisite Crystal Ballroom. Guest sleeping rooms have just been enhanced with new beds and luxurious linens to provide a restful atmosphere to rejuvenate for the next day. Don’t forget to check out the newly renovated pool area featuring Coconut Cove and the Coconut Cabana pool side bar. Within close proximity to the area’s best shopping, we have you covered for the best Holiday experience the metro area has to offer! Ramada Plaza & Suites is the place to stay!
RELAX.
1635 42ND STREET SOUTH FARGO P. 701.277.9000 WWW.RAMADAFARGO.COM
WWW.BASIES.COM
Don’t forget Ramada and Basies gift certificates for your friends and family this Holiday Season.
OPENFEATURES 34 thomas jefferson
Fargo State Farm Insurance Agent Thomas Jefferson is a firm believer that where he is today is a result of the places he’s lived and the preparation each of those experiences has given him. He is not only an agent for insurance, but also considers himself an agent of change. “Anything that moves this community into the 21st, 22nd, 23rd century, that’s where I want to be,” Thomas says. “I want to be one of those players that helps us become a community that the world looks like as a positive place to be. That’s me.”
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karin andreasen
When Karin Andreasen picked up a knife and fork at 3 years old and began bowing in her kitchen, she knew playing the violin was her calling. She recently returned to Moorhead after spending three years in Graz, Austria, to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Music and Dramatic Arts. Now in graduate school, this accomplished violinist shares her philosophy on practice, dedication and passion for the art form, and how a harmony of the three allows her to relax into the music she plays.
58 dr. Julie blehm
Dr. Julie Blehm might not be able to run at super speeds or crush a tennis ball in her grip, but she is a bionic woman. With tenacity, humor and compassion, Dr. Julie juggles a professional life in one hand, a family life in the other and civic duties in-between. All three spheres are influenced by diabetes, a disease she has lived with for more than 30 years.
64 pat traynor
CONTENTS
Pat Traynor believes it’s up to all of us to share our time, talent and treasure with the world. As president of the Dakota Medical Foundation and its Impact Foundation he’s doing just that by helping distribute and generate about $33 million in grants to 300 organizations seeking to improve health or access to healthcare.
”OPEN” IS A REGISTERED TRADENAME OF FROSTFIRE MEDIA CORPORATION COPYRIGHT © 2008 FROSTFIRE MEDIA CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. ISSUE 7 OPEN (ISSN 1940-2198) is published quarterly by FrostFire Media Corporation PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 503 7th Street North, Suite 107, Fargo, North Dakota 58102. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO OPEN SUBSCRIPTION TEAM, 503 7th Street North, Suite 107, Fargo, North Dakota 58102. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to OPEN, 503 7th Street North, Suite 107, Fargo, North Dakota 58102; Call 701-232-4824; or e-mail subscriptions@frostfiremedia.com. Eight weeks is required for change of address. Please give both new and old address as printed on most recent label. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within twelve weeks after receipt of payment. Address all editorial, business and production correspondence to OPEN Magazine, 503 7th Street North, Suite 107 Fargo, North Dakota 58102. For permissions and reprint requests, please call 701-232-4824 or fax requests to 701-232-9279. Visit us online: myopenmagazine.com. Occasionally, we make the subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information by mail and/or e-mail, please advise us at 503 7th Street North, Suite 107, Fargo, North Dakota 58102 or call 701.232.4824. OPEN IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS, DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY OPEN IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF ADDRESSED OVERNIGHT-DELIVERY RETURN ENVELOPE, POSTAGE PAID.
4 | OPEN
OPENINSIGHTS
>>
DEPARTMENTS & IN THE KNOW
18
20
city
Charlene Hudgins
health Yoga
getaways 26 Los Cabos
30
home
Being Green
74
chef’s profile Patti Hanson
scene 70 Event Highlights
76 icons
sports 72 Dean Blais
Comstock House
modern 124 goddesses
What do you bring to the table?
126
Find the Line
edd-ition
INSIGHTS
46
jet setting fashions
Take to the air in fashion with OPEN’s look at perfect travel attire with the best brands – all available right here in Fargo, including the Jet. Shot on location at the Fargo Jet Center.
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
79 event calender for the f-m area
Absorb area arts and entertainment with OPEN’s weekby-week calendar of best bets and must-see events. Enjoy the Holiday cheer that is so abundant this time of year.
FOOD & LIBATIONS
103 restaurant and bar guide
FMDining.com and OPEN Magazine team to bring you the most comprehensive listing in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Discover the culinary wonders that exist within the city and expand your palate.
Make your mark in the OPEN book – let us know what you think. Submit letters to the editor@frostfiremedia.com or mail to OPEN Editorial Team, FrostFire Media Corporation, 503 7th Street North, Suite 107, Fargo, ND 58102.
6 | OPEN
M A NAGING EDI TOR
merrie sue holtan
A RT DIR ECTOR
philip d. lowe
FA SH ION & L IF E ST Y L E EDI TOR
rachael hammarback
R E STAU R A N T & B A R EDI TOR
maren marks
EN T ERTA IN M EN T EDI TOR
becky lommen
CU L INA RY A RT S CON T R IBU TOR
dana nicholas
DEPA RT M EN T W R I T ER S
doug leier gina sandgren susie ekberg risher elizabeth herman maren marks karen halvorsen katherine tweed
PHOTOGRAPHY
john borge nathan cotĂŠ isaac peloquin brian bestge
COPY EDITORS
melissa schmalenberger katherine tweed sarah mccurdy elizabeth herman ray ridl
FEATURE CONTRIBUTORS
tracy briggs jodee bock stephen wilson jessie johnson
OPEN No part of OPEN may be reproduced in any form by any means without prior written consent from FrostFire Media Corporation For additional reprint information, please call editorial reprints at 701.232.4824 or fax 701.232.9279.
10 | OPEN
OPEN PUBLISHER
christopher mohs
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
merrie sue holtan
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
sarah mccurdy
advertising ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
michele ketter lauren mclaren
creative services and marketing SR. GRAPHIC DESIGNER
philip d. lowe
SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR
rachael hammarback
EDITORIAL INTERNS
lynlee espeseth elizabeth herman kristina kraemer dustin schaefer
HAIR & MAKEUP CONSULTANTS
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MYO PE N MAG A Z I N E .CO M published by FrostFire Media Corporation PRESIDENT & CEO
christopher mohs
SE N IO R E XECUTIVE ADVISORS
becky lommen al mohs jan prichard-scott summer froemke dave gannon karla richards kelly yanke deltener
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Mission: OPEN Magazine speaks to the newly cosmopolitan life, entertainment and opportunities that are emerging in the Fargo/ Moorhead metro area. With thought-provoking, relevant story-telling and edgy design, OPEN Magazine inspires, educates and engages a sophisticated, passionate reader. OPEN has revolutionized the way in which the Fargo/Moorhead area interacts and discovers the diverse and always entertaining lifestyle that is truly unique to this area.
OPEN Magazine assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. OPEN Magazine does not necessarily endorse or agree with content of articles or advertising presented.
12 | OPEN
tracy briggs
Tracy worked as a reporter and anchor for WDAY-TV news for 17 years before taking on the role of radio talk show host/producer in March of 2005. She hosts “The Morning Buzz” with Erick Johnson on WDAY-AM 970 from nine to noon weekday mornings. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from UND and a master’s degree in communication from NDSU. Tracy is married to Mark Jensen, an associate chemistry professor at Concordia College. They have two daughters.
jodee bock
As owner and founder of Bock’s Office Transformational Consulting in Fargo, Jodee is passionate about supporting individuals and teams in uncovering their purpose and living that in all aspects of their corporate and personal lives. Jodee facilitates many Mastermind groups in the Fargo-Moorhead community, studying and applying ideas from various books. She keeps busy traveling to Minneapolis where she sings in a barbershop chorus, and with NDSU and Concordia basketball teams where she is a statistician. She is the author of The 100% Factor: Living Your Capacity and co-author of Don’t Miss Your Boat: Living Your Life With Purpose in the Real World.
stephen wilson
As a boy, Stephen Wilson wanted to be a pediatrician. Instead, he has earned his keep as a land surveyor, janitor, highway flagman, papermill laborer, advertising intern, lifeguard, package deliverer, writing tutor, social worker and college professor, to name a few. He finally made it into medicine: he works in marketing at MeritCare.
jessie johnson
Jessie has been a writer, editor and teacher on and off during the last eight years. She lives in Fargo and has an MFA in creative writing from Minnesota State University Moorhead. She works as marketing manager at Avenue Right and serves as vice president for the Fargo Moorhead Ballet Board of Directors. She enjoys spending time with her kids, writing, cooking and being outdoors.
FEATURECONTRIBUTORS
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OPENREMARK Makin’ Memories. I entered a beauty pageant once. I was 21, a college graduate and I didn’t like the idea, but my mother made me do it. She, however, owner of a greasy spoon restaurant, refused to be my sponsor. So, she recruited the small town factory that made ignition switches to sponsor me. I was not thrilled about the pageant. It was a deep-seated fear. At age 5 after falling and slicing my left ankle, my family doctor told me I could never win a beauty pageant because of a two-inch scar. The shadow of failure haunted me. It turned out to be best of both worlds. I won first runner up and a lighted makeup mirror. Nearly the same glory, but no commitment to wave and smile when you really felt like screaming. About halfway through the year, due to some unknown factor and apparently not being properly “vetted,” the Queen quit. I had to take over and ride in a summer parade. Ok, OK, I’ll do it. It’ll be nice to ride in a red ‘Vette. Red ‘Vette nothing. My friend Rodney pulled up in a yellow VW Beetle. What kind of Queen car is that? It even had a dented side and a broken tail light. A ride fit for a scarred runner up I guess. After a 20-year pageant conversion process, I went on to direct the Miss Fargo pageant for three years. Something had transformed me and I loved being a mentor helping these young women strut their beauty and brains. When the contestants asked what title I had won, I proudly said that I was Queen for one parade. The memories of my home and my brief reign travel with me now because much has changed. My hometown of Rushford in southeastern Minnesota was nearly demolished by floodwater last year. My home had to be destroyed. My mom and dad have both passed away. I can’t go home anymore, so home travels with me. When you head home next time, especially around the holidays, make sure you ask your elders to tell their tales. You’re sure to gain a smile, giggle, belly laugh and sometimes a good cry. We’re making some memories with this issue of OPEN as well. Pat Traynor gives back to the community through the Dakota Medical Foundation; Dr. Julie Blehm shares her commitment to treating diabetes; Tom Jefferson, the ultimate insurance professional, tells his story of caring for people. Karin Andreasen, a gifted young artist, follows her musical dreams; and we catch up with Coach Dean Blais for his insights on the new arena and the Fargo Force hockey era. We are so grateful for our intriguing story subjects, our writers and storytellers, and for you – the readers – who travel with us on this journey. Remember to stop and listen this season. That may be the best gift you can give. Enjoy the read.
merrie sue holtan
managing editor
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D W N T O W N For the Holidays!
RESTAUR A NTS
HOTELIERS
SHOPPI NG
ENTERTA I N M ENT
CLU BS
BA RS
See Featured Dow ntow n Reta i lers on Page 118 or go to w w w.fargodow ntow ner.com Dow ntow n Stores Now Open Thursday Even i ngs
OPENCIT Y
MAKING MAGIC, Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre ENTERTAINMENT YOU CAN’T GET FROM A MOVIE
I by gina sandgren photo by john borge
n its 62nd season, the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre exudes liveliness. The ambitious leadership of the theatre’s Managing Artistic Director, Charlene Hudgins, contributes to this vital pulse. With so many entertainment options available to patrons, why choose the theatre? “With each performance there is the potential for magic or disaster,” Charlene replies. There is no question movies entertain us. But when you step inside the FargoMoorhead Community Theatre (FMCT) and the curtain goes up, you never know what’s going to happen. “The exchange of energy between the actors and the audience is like home court advantage. You can’t get that from a movie. The actor on the screen doesn’t know if you’re there or not. That’s why there are still so many theatres around,” she says passionately. “As an actor, it (synergy) can change you as a human being,” as it did for Charlene. One look at her résumé and you know she has made her mark on the world of theatre on many levels. However, there was a time, right after finishing her master’s degree in drama, that she almost abandoned the theatre track for good. Following a rather intense year-long performance schedule, her personal life suffered, which was cause for a break from theatre. The next three years she experienced a personal low. Nonetheless, two years into her “theatre exile,” as she refers to it, she decided to see a play. Charlene describes how the costumes seemed strangely familiar. This nagged at her until during intermission she discovered that the theatre company had rented them from the University of Arkansas, hundreds of miles away, where she had been a costumer and teaching assistant. She had sewn the costumes for one of the productions during her time there. This definitely got her attention, but the turning point for Charlene
18 | OPEN
took another year when a friend finally suggested that she do a play. This advice resonated deeply. So in no time at all, she found herself auditioning. Despite dozens of auditions under her belt, she recalls “shaking in places she didn’t know were possible.” Honestly not sure if she could go through this again it was a make or break deal. Thankfully, she got the role and never looked back. Her theatrical sabbatical awakened her to the awareness of a core shift that had occurred years prior: joy manifested for her through artistic selfexpression. She has since adopted the philosophy that life’s too short not to have fun and uses this as a guiding force in her life and work. Charlene says, “Everything happens for a reason. I am here because of the sum total of my life experience.” While one of her personal mantras is to have fun, she and her staff are serious about creating a fun environment for volunteers and patrons as well. She wants everyone to enjoy themselves while also maintaining a level of art. “The theatre is a place of art and leisure. People dedicate their leisure time to participate in and attend our shows. This time is precious
Charlene Hudgins, Director of the FMCT
and we treat it accordingly, so everyone has the best possible experience,” she says. So what can you expect if the best possible experience isn’t achieved? To be heard. Charlene believes that one of the most important things people want is to be heard. “Our patrons are vocal” she explains. They let her know when they love what’s being done and when they don’t. So when they come to her with an issue, she says she really listens and “it’s amazing how being present brings people around.” Programming at the theatre is in a perpetual state of evaluation, so feedback is always valued and integrated where possible. As a result, the FMCT represents a theatre of the community, for the community. The vibrant formula of mainstay productions, national recognition and the introduction of children’s summer theatre and a professional touring company is under the exuberant guidance of Charlene Hudgins. It promises to entertain. Hudgins invites you to experience the special effects of live theatre for yourself. [OPEN]
OPENHE ALTH
YOGA, A popular art of living in the Western World
Yoga offers balance to a work-oriented society
M
by maren marks photo by isaac peloquin
any yoga practitioners and teachers say yoga gives people an opportunity to spend time in the present moment, to get out of their heads and into their bodies. Yoga can help people manage the stress of societal demands. It offers balance and health to compartmentalized, over-worked cultures. Yoga teacher and Ashtanga Yoga practitioner Brenda Weiler says, “So many people today spend so much time running around – never really stopping to breathe or to be in the present moment – that they start to lose a sense of reality. You can bring yourself back into the moment and help clear away some of the clutter, both in your body and in your mind, with steady yoga practice.” Weiler says, “The more obvious physical benefits include increased strength and
Maren Marks, OPEN writer - reverse warrior pose
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muscle tone, increased flexibility, greater blood circulation, better posture and increased balance.” The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit word “yuj” (you-juh), which means “to unite;” yoga means to connect mind, body and spirit. Many Westerners spend extended time working with one part of their minds to plan and strategize work and schedules. As a result, many people who work in offices and cubicles tend to ignore their bodies. Ancient yogis in India developed yoga poses to bring their physical bodies into a state of comfort in preparation for hours of meditation. It may not be surprising that today many are embracing the postures that were developed for physical comfort so many years ago, using yoga as a way to find balance after hours of repetitive work-
ing postures. Yoga offers a counterpoint to the physical tension that occurs while sitting or standing for long periods of time. A gentle warm-up, followed by a series of yoga poses, can make the body supple, strong and youthful. Yoga teacher Dawn Morgan of the Spirit Room in Fargo has seen a process of East meets West with regard to yoga. “Contemplative arts, like yoga, become classical because they continue to be a benefit to people,” Morgan says. Instructor Morgan says many people do not live in the present and she believes yoga can help them feel more connected. She says it is common that a person’s body, mind and emotions are in many different places at one time – and she notes that yoga helps people embrace each moment and revitalize. “There is a sense of relaxing into the present where you’re using some kind of meditation as a way of letting go; being able to release, so moving into a plane of fresh energy.” Yoga can provide a physical outlet that takes people to a state of flexibility, strength and happiness. Long-time runner, Christi McGeorge, was interested in the physical benefits of yoga. Upon developing her yoga practice, she found she enjoys the group aspect as well, “When you juggle home and work it is nice to be able to get together and connect. That joy is a benefit I didn’t expect.” McGeorge says her yoga practice helps her feel content regardless of things going on in her life. “It doesn’t matter what is happening in my day; I just leave so happy – like I’ve been able to let go. Every practice leaves me feeling joyful.” As a busy professional, mother and wife, McGeorge says yoga enhances her ability to feel positive about life’s demands. “I think there is more being asked of people, and yoga helps me do the other pieces of life better. It helps me do all my other roles better.” [OPEN]
S P E CIAL PR O M O TI O N
Helping Nonprofits Do Good…Better In 2004, Impact Foundation was launched with the visionary support of Dakota Medical Foundation and the Alex Stern Family Foundation to help nonprofit organizations, donors and businesses maximize their community impact. As part of that vision, the Impact Institute was created to provide training and technical assistance to nonprofits in North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota – essentially helping them do good…better! To date, the Impact Institute has assisted over 90 nonprofits. In 2007, 41 nonprofits that participated in Impact Institute Fundraising Training raised 17% more than they did in 2006 – an additional $2.7 million to support their missions. Impact Institute capacity building services include: • Organizational Assessments and Strategic Planning; • Fundraising Training/Technical Assistance; • Volunteer Management Training; • Governing for Superior Performance Board Training; • Grantwriting, Planned Giving and Other Technical Assistance; • Online Marketing; and • Other Performance Improvement Seminars ImpactGiveBack.org The ImpactGiveBack.org Website released in July 2007, connects donors of time, talent and treasure with high performing nonprofits in the region. ImpactGiveBack.org provides a convenient, local and secure site for donating your time and money to causes that are important to you. In just 24 hours over $325,000 was donated to nonprofits through the Giveback website on Dakota Medical Foundation’s Giving Hearts Day. Visit ImpactGiveBack.org to view snapshots of over 200 area nonprofits and learn how you can get involved and make a difference today. “Impact Nonprofit” Spotlight The “Impact Nonprofits” highlighted in this special insert are just a few of the outstanding organizations assisted by the Impact Institute and featured on ImpactGiveBack.org. “Impact Nonprofits” maintain sound operational practices and make a positive difference in our area. We invite you to read the following pages to learn their stories and visit ImpactGiveBack.org to discover how you can get involved with many different nonprofits that are providing important services to our families, friends and neighbors in the region!
For more information about Impact Foundation email juliehaugen@impactfdn.org.
D on a te or Volun te er On l in e , Any t ime
www.ImpactGiveBack.org
S P E CI AL PR O M O TI O N
First Care Health Center When you or someone you love needs medical care, you want that care to be compassionate, dependable and local. Getting this type of care can be difficult, especially if you’re living in a rural community.
People in Park River, N.D. and the surrounding communities have turned to First Care Health Center for quality medical care for over 50 years. Founded by the Presentation Sisters, First Care’s purpose is to continue the healing mission of Jesus in a rural setting. First Care delivers a variety of critical health services to people at all stages of life – from obstetrics to cardiac rehab – First Care has it all. In rural health care, if a hospital or clinic doesn’t keep up with the latest advancements in medical technology patients will bypass it by for a high-tech facility in a bigger town. First Care has strived to be a leader in bringing the latest medical technology as well as state of the art facilities to its rural customers. In 2005, First Care began a major capital campaign to raise money to modernize their inpatient area and emergency room, build a new clinic addition, and make general updates to their facility. It was then that First Care got involved with the Impact Institute, receiving both Strategic Planning and Fundraising Training. According to Louise
Dryburgh, First Care’s Administrator, “The Impact Institute helped us at a critical time. Institute training and technical assistance helped us prepare for a campaign to raise $1.5 million to improve our facility and better serve people in our community.” First Care gave other nonprofits a run for the money on February 14, 2008 – Dakota Medical Foundation’s Giving Hearts Day. In 24 hours, First Care raised over $41,000 in online contributions through ImpactGiveBack.org Not only did First Care raise more in one day than they ever thought possible, they beat out over 30 other nonprofits to receive the $10,000 bonus grant Dakota Medical Foundation put up for the 1st place prize. “Dakota Medical Foundation and Impact have been real partners to First Care Health Center” says Dryburgh. “With their support, we will be providing quality health care to this rural community for another 50 years and beyond!”
Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization - Project HERO Volunteers make the world go around - that’s what Project HERO in Moorhead believes. Project HERO partners with over 100 organizations, acting as a clearinghouse to collect and distribute unused healthcare supplies and durable medical equipment. Dakota Medical Foundation has been one of HERO’s important grant partners since 2002. In 2003, HERO served 16 clients and distributed 3,362 items; in 2007, that number increased to 803 clients and 12,079 items. In addition, 48 medical mission teams were equipped with healthcare items. As a result, 52,960 lbs. of medical supplies from regional healthcare facilities did not end up in local landfills. With an ever-growing demand for their services, HERO must depend on a strong network of dedicated volunteers to accomplish their important mission. In 2007, 177 individual volunteers and 42 service-learning teams helped HERO deliver their mission. With that number of volunteers, maximum recruitment, coordination and retention efforts are critical. That’s why HERO staff recently participated in Impact Institute’s Volunteer Management Training.
The training provided them with new tools and best practice models that help them build and maintain their valuable volunteer base. Through the Volunteer Management Training they connected with Students Today, Leaders Forever (STLF), a program encouraging youth volunteerism. Today, STLF is working with Project HERO to engage local high school students in HERO’s healthcare mission and to reinforce the importance of giving back to one’s community. Joyce Newton, Project HERO’s executive director shares, “Attending Impact’s Volunteer Management Training has helped us maximize our utilization of volunteers, connected us with a new source of volunteers, and given us
the tools to retain existing volunteers.” Partnering with Impact, Project HERO is working hard to ensure that local and global healthcare needs are met through a volunteer network that will continue to make their world go around!
D on a te or Vo lun te er O n l in e , Any t ime WWW.IMPACTGIVEBACK.ORG
S P E CI AL PR O M O TI O N
Creative Care for Reaching Independence - CCRI
CCRI is an organization dedicated to enhancing and enriching the lives and learning of people with disabilities. Their team of professionals know how important it is to help people discover who they are, and define their dreams and goals. CCRI focuses on an individual’s abilities rather than their disabilities in order to reach their goals. At CCRI a disability no longer defines a person. It is merely some-
thing to plan for when making a roadmap to fulfill a person’s aspirations. CCRI offers many unique services- among those is a 24-hour Supported Living program, an Independent Living program, a Mental Health program, an adaptive softball league, and Camp H.E.R.O. (Helping Each Other to Remove Obstacles), a wheelchair accessible summer camp. The programs all build the skills a person needs to be more independent and engage them in social opportunities that expand their world- with the ultimate goal of each person realizing their true potential. In the past, CCRI was dependent on government funding for support. But with the current environment, they knew they needed to develop ways to decrease that dependence. Although they had received some private donations in the past, they had never made a concerted effort to build donor support. CCRI applied for and received a $10,000 grant from Dakota Medical Foundation to participate in the Impact Institute’s Fundraising Training program to learn how
to increase their donor support base. Through CCRI’s work with the Impact foundation, fundraising issues were addressed and improved with solid tools, reliable advice and a provocation to think constructively about financial needs. “The Fundraising Training through the Impact Institute was a turning point for our agency,” says Jody Hudson, Development Director for CCRI. “We learned how to better convey our mission, standardize our marketing materials, and develop a broad base of donors to help support our organization for the long-term.” “The positive results of our fundraising efforts after we took the training are staggering,” says Hudson. The training helped CCRI raise more money for its mission and greatly aids the efforts to provide important services to the community. The financial hurdles leapt by CCRI illustrate the effect of the Impact Institute’s training. Fundraising efforts have increased from over $9,000 in 2005 to well over $100,000 dollars in just 3 years.
understand the critical need for sustainable health care in their community. As a result of Institute training the Foundation developed a program for donors who want to make charitable contributions on a regular basis. According to Kent Bruun, RiverView Foundation Director, “The Friends for Life sustained support program is a terrific opportunity for individuals who are looking to give back in a meaningful way. The ongoing support provided by the program helps ensure RiverView Health is able to continue to deliver care that is second to none.” The Foundation feels they wouldn’t be where they are now without the help of the Impact Institute. In the last couple of years, RiverView Foundation raised over $340,000 to expand medical services and secure new equipment to improve patient care. For example, the Foundation purchased stereotactic breast biopsy equipment that gives women an option for 3-dimensional breast biopsies that is fast and minimally invasive. RiverView Foundation is firmly committed to sustaining its hometown health care sys-
tem to ensure that people in Northwestern Minnesota have the health care services they need, when they need them.
Riverview Foundation The need for local health care services in rural Northwestern Minnesota is increasing - the population in the area is growing and aging. A strong local health care system not only supports an aging population, but sustains growth in a rural community. RiverView Foundation helps Crookston thrive and ensures that over 20,000 people in the region have the health care services they need. Hospitals, primary care clinics, rehab and addiction recovery are just a few services provided by RiverView Health. RiverView Foundation supports health in Northwestern Minnesota by raising financial support for RiverView Health. The Foundation works with individuals and businesses who want to support current and future health care needs that are not covered through traditional reimbursement systems like Medicare and Medicaid. Impact Institute Fundraising Training helped RiverView Foundation build closer relationships with its donors. The Foundation learned how to help donors
D on a te or Vo lun te er O n l in e , Any t ime WWW.IMPACTGIVEBACK.ORG
S P E CI AL PR O M O TI O N
With the visionary leadership and major financial support of Dakota Medical Foundation and the Alex Stern Family Foundation, the Impact Institute has been able to serve the nonprofits listed below. Impact Foundation is also proud of its other supporters including the Bush Foundation, the United Way of Cass-Clay, State Bank & Trust, Wells Fargo, Vision Bank, Ottertail Corporation, SEI Investments and the Dakota Certified Development Corporation.
Abused Adult Resource Center, Bismarck Access, Inc., Moorhead, MN AID, INC., Bismarck Alexa’s Hope, West Fargo Altru-Grand Forks Family Medicine Residency American Red Cross Minn-Kota Chapter, Fargo American Red Cross Burleigh-Morton Chapter, Bismarck Angels of Courage Retreats Center, West Fargo Anne Carlsen Center for Children, Jamestown Bethany Homes, Fargo Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bismarck-Mandan Bismarck Public Schools Foundation Cass-Clay Initiative for Healthy People Cass County Historical Society, Fargo Cass County Social Services, Fargo Creative Care for Reaching Independence (CCRI), Moorhead, MN Charles Hall Youth Services, Bismarck Children’s Museum at Yunker Farm, Fargo Churches United for the Homeless, Moorhead, MN City-County Health and Home Care, Valley City Coal Country Community Health Center, Beulah Community of Care, Arthur Community Violence Intervention Center, Grand Forks Cooperstown Medical Center Dakota West Arts Council, Bismarck Dance Your Own Dance, Fargo Dorothy Day House of Hospitality, Moorhead ECI Youth Services, Wahpeton Faith in Action, Valley City Family HealthCare Center, Fargo
Fargo Catholic Schools Network Fargo-Moorhead YMCA First Care Health Center, Park River FirstChoice Clinic, Fargo FirstLink, Fargo Foundation for Agricultural and Rural Resources Management & Sustainability (FARRMS), Medina Fraser, Ltd., Fargo Grand Forks County Historical Society Grand Forks Health & Wellness Center Handi-Wheels, Fargo Healthy North Dakota, Bismarck Helping Enderlin Area Residents Thrive (HEART) Hope, Inc., Moorhead, MN Jamestown College Jamestown Hospital Foundation Lakeland Hospice & Home Care, Fergus Falls Lakes Crisis Center, Detroit Lakes, MN Lisbon Area Health Services Lutheran Social Services of ND, Fargo Make a Wish Foundation, Fargo Mental Health Association of North Dakota, Bismarck Metro Youth Partnership, Moorhead Mercy Hospital, Devils Lake Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Moorhead Minnesota State University Moorhead Alumni Foundation Nelson County Health System, McVille North Dakota Academy of Family Physicians, Grand Forks North Dakota Caring Foundation, Fargo North Dakota Elks Association, Dawson North Dakota Family Alliance, Bismarck North Dakota Safety Council, Bismarck North Dakota Scottish Rite Speech and Language Clinic, Fargo
D on a te or Vo lun te er On l in e , Any t ime
www.ImpactGiveBack.org
Northland Health Partners Community Health Center, Turtle Lake Northwood Deaconess Health Center Oak Grove Lutheran School, Fargo Oakes Community Hospital Prairie Harvest Human Service Foundation, Grand Forks Prairie Learning Center, Raleigh Project HERO, Moorhead Rape and Abuse Crisis Center, Fargo Red River Children’s Advocacy Center, Fargo Red River Valley Dental Access Project, Fargo Red River Zoological Society, Fargo Region V Children’s Services Coordinating Committee (CSCC), Fargo Richardton Memorial Hospital & Health Center Richland County Health Department, Wahpeton RiverView Health System, Crookston, MN Ronald McDonald House, Bismarck Ronald McDonald House, Fargo Rural Enrichment and Counseling Headquarters, Inc. (REACH), Hawley, MN South Central Adult Services, Inc.,Valley City South Valley Access Coalition, Fargo St. Ann’s Indian Mission, Belcourt St. Gerard’s Community Nursing Home, Hankinson TNT Kid’s Fitness and Gymnastics Academy, Fargo Trollwood Performing Arts School, Fargo Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt United Way of Cass-Clay, Fargo UND College of Nursing, Grand Forks Women’s Pregnancy Clinic, Grand Forks Youthworks, Bismarck YWCA Cass-Clay, Fargo
T O N
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OPENGETAWAYS by elizabeth herman
LOS CABOS Whether you feel like adventure or relaxation, Los Cabos has the facilities to grant your vacation wishes.
to learn more visit myopenmagazine.com
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leak winter months filled with sub-zero temperatures, icy roads and an abundance of snow can leave many people dreaming of a warmer climate. For those of us longing to flee the freeze, Los Cabos, one of the most popular vacation spots in Mexico, can fulfill the dream of a break from the frigid winter. Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, together, form the tourist destination known as Los Cabos. Once geared towards fishing, the economy of Los Cabos is now solely dependent on tourism, making it the perfect destination for a winter getaway. Whether you feel like adventure or relaxation, Los Cabos has the facilities to fill your vacation needs. If you are drawn to adventure, activities such as horseback riding, desert hiking, aquatic sports and deep-sea fishing have proven popular among visitors. The daredevil in all of us will surely get a thrill out
of a three-mile zip line excursion across a neighboring canyon. The relaxation-minded will find resorts with amenities including pools and spa services. However, money is no obstacle when it comes to relaxation in Los Cabos; at least a dozen public beaches offer the relaxation and beauty synonymous with Mexico. Once a day is spent in Los Cabos, the nightlife is brimming with bars, clubs and restaurants that feature views of the sunset along with an enjoyable atmosphere. The culinary treasures that Los Cabos possess include many eateries featuring traditional Mexican cuisine, but also Italian, American and even pan-Asian delights find their way to Los Cabos, making for a diverse offering to tempt your palate. With all that it has to offer, Los Cabos has made itself a destination worthy of a visit by any traveler. [OPEN]
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OPENHOME by Susan Ekberg photos by nathan cotĂŠ see more of this house at myopenmagazine.com
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IT’S EASY BEING GREEN
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here is a peaceful retreat in the area. Not a spa, not a hotel, but the new home of Ross Solwold and Gina Sandgren. When they decided to build it, they wanted it to be environmentally friendly, so with the help of their builder, Zook Christianson, they created a masterpiece that blends beautiful form with energetic function. Their home is one of just a few Energy Star qualified homes in the Fargo-Moorhead area. This means it meets stringent standards of energy efficiency, starting with its heating and cooling system – a heat pump that comes complete with air cleaner. The pump uses outside air to heat and cool, so it works less and produces more. Their anticipated yearly savings? More than $1,300. One of the insulation materials is cellulose, which utilizes 80-85% renewable newsprint. When remodeling or building new, just ask your builder to use a fiberglass alternative. The windows and solar shades are designed to cut down on heat costs and block UV rays. Amazingly, their soft white carpet is made of corn! Other carpet in the home is made from recycled nylon. The wood floor is made from Lyptus, a eucalyptus hybrid grown in Brazilian sustainable forests. All of the kitchen counters are made from natural granite or quartz, the wall paints are all low VOC (volatile organic compounds). Gina points out several other green tips. With the help of their trash compactor, they only generate one bag of garbage each week. They put recycling bins in the kitchen so it’s easier to recycle and they had built-in soap dispensers put in all of the sinks to cut down on the plastic bottles. They also use eco-friendly products throughout their house. To find these products, look in the stores, on-line or ask the businesses you’re working with – being green is a lot easier than it used to be. [OPEN]
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OPENFEATURE Thomas Jefferson, insurance agent
AGENT OF
cHaNGE Fargo businessman Thomas Jefferson is an agent of change. Thomas Jefferson lives his life according to a thought from African American poet Nikki Giovanni, “In order to know where you’re going, you must know where you’ve been.” Looking back on his life, Thomas, a State Farm insurance agent and community leader, sees the perfection in his life history that has brought him to the place he finds himself today. He attributes the person he is to the influence of his 86-year-old mother, Louise “Weezy” Jefferson. “Everything good about me I got from my mother,” he says. “If I sum my life up in terms of how to treat others and serve other people, that’s from her.” That attitude of service and what he calls “an open face” has made Thomas Jefferson a fixture in the Fargo-Moorhead community for 30 years.
by jodee bock photos by nathan coté
Thomas was born Thomas Edward Jefferson in 1944 in Columbia, South Carolina, the third son in a family of seven boys and one girl. Being a middle child in a large family had its challenges. Being a middle child in a large family in the Jim Crow South had additional challenges. Add to that the pressure of being named after a president, and you get an idea of Thomas Jefferson’s earliest influences. “I had to be good all the time with that name,” he says. “Teachers expected me to behave a certain way. I remember being in seventh grade in the auditorium when they assigned homerooms, waiting three or four people after they read my name so people wouldn’t know I was Thomas Jefferson.” People in Fargo-Moorhead know Thomas Jefferson thanks to his prominence in many aspects of community life, including his work with youth, his church, Rotary and athletics. Thomas graduated from high
one day we would be sitting next to a white kid,” he says. “They saw that coming before we did.” Although Thomas attended a segregated school, his mother worked as a domestic for a white family, so he grew up playing with those kids and the two families are still close today. His mother’s influence has followed Thomas through many jobs in cities all over the world – beginning with his experiences as a shoe-shine boy, cotton picker, newsboy and dishwasher in Columbia. Thomas’ parents separated when he was quite young. His brothers, sister and mother moved north in 1962 as part of the Great Migration, a time when black Americans escaped southern poverty in search of better opportunities. Thomas’ family joined the northern movement, relocating to Washington, D.C., where he got a job working at a bowling alley for $1 an hour. In 1963 he took a job in maintenance at the Pentagon. One August day he remembers being dis-
school in Columbia, in 1962. Although he attended segregated schools throughout his youth, he credits his teachers for preparing him and his classmates for an integrated world. “All the way through school I had great teachers who encouraged us to be good in our studies and all aspects of school, including sports, because
missed early from work because of a big event being held on the mall in Washington, D.C. “The only way I could get back home that day was to take the bus, but buses couldn’t get by the mall because of all the people,” he says. “So I walked. I heard people speaking, but I had no idea how significant that was.”
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“I believe wherever I go in the world, I’m supposed to be there,” he says. “If you believe that, you will learn something from everyone you meet. Every interaction is a 100 PERCENT exchange, not 50-50. I learn as much about you as you do about me.”
That event was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the political rally where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech. “At that time I was 19 years old – the big deal for me was to be off of work and get paid,” says Thomas. “Getting home to eat was very important to me. Now when I look back, I see that as a pivotal point in history.”
“We have to nudge our leaders in the right way to really move this city,” he adds. “We need to get some of the businesspeople who are influential to understand that because of demographics we have to change our attitudes in terms of hiring people of other backgrounds. New Americans will play a crucial role in where we go and how we grow as a community. We are international.” 32 | OPEN 38
A pivotal point in Thomas’ personal history came when the Army drafted him in 1969. At this point he had been working at an ink manufacturing company for several years and, at almost 26, entered the service with more life experience than the 17-year-olds who were also drafted, so he became their platoon leader. He also continued his athletic endeavors, traveling all over Europe playing football, basketball and baseball. When Thomas’s tour of duty was up in March of 1972, he returned to D.C. and his job at the ink company. But he still had friends in Germany, and since the Munich Olympics were coming up in August, he wanted to go back and see them. The company he worked for in D.C. had some connections with a printing company in Germany, so Thomas got a job there and stayed for eight years. “And that’s how I got to Fargo.” Thomas always knew that he wanted to go to college, and during his employment at the printing company in Germany, he researched colleges through the company library, learning about places like Lehigh and Clemson. The German company he was working for had an affiliation with the polymers and coatings department at North Dakota State University. Thomas had made friends with people from Minnesota during his days in the Army, so that made his decision even easier. Thomas enrolled at NDSU in 1978 as a 34-year-old freshman, majoring in polymers and coatings. He had always tried to stay in good shape – he played his first football game as a 14-year-old in 1958 –
and that was what Bison head athletic trainer Dennis “Issy” Isrow noticed when he saw Thomas working out one day. Issy suggested that he try out for the football team, not knowing that except for Issy and head coach Jim Wacker, Thomas was older than the entire team and staff, which included popular NDSU figures like Don Morton and Pat Simmers, who was a graduate assistant at the time. “Who looks at your age when you try out for football?” says Thomas, who ended up playing for NDSU that first college semester. “Eventually I told them how old I was and that’s how I got my nickname ‘Pops.’ I remember in practice one day we were to go from station to station – sprint between the positions. And I remember thinking ‘I’ve been doing this for 20 years; it’s time to get out.’ I went back to my locker and turned in my equipment, and that was my last football experience. I was 34 years old, after all.” During this time Thomas also changed his major from polymers and coatings to physical education and art. He wanted to coach. He did his student teaching at Ben Franklin Junior High and Fargo North High School, but he had also been working for NDSU with a new program called Upward Bound, a higher education program that provides opportunities for high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds to have a post-secondary academic experience. As director of the program, Thomas’ job included visiting high school students around North Dakota, educating them about the program and encouraging them to participate. “I loved that job at NDSU,” he says. “But the toughest part of the job was visiting schools in winter. I remember going to places like Fort Yates and Mandaree, N.D. in the winter when the roads were frozen. I asked my boss for hazardous duty pay when I was trying to keep the car on the road. Lots of times I was the only car out there on the road for miles. It got to the point where one of my favorite pastimes was running over tumbleweeds because there was nobody out there.” Continued on page 122
OPENFEATURE
The Sound of
Music
KARIN'S
by jessie johnson photos by nathan coté
lassical music means something different to everyone. It may evoke feelings of celebration, relaxation, or contemplation with instruments that have an uncanny ability to mimic our moods and emotions. Imagine Brahms or Paganini playing softly on the classical music radio station while curling up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate, watching newly fallen snow outside the window, reading, perhaps this very magazine. For violinist Karin Andreasen, classical music brings not only feelings of joy and nostalgia, but also dedication and passion, the opportunity to put a bit of herself into the music she plays. Born in Detroit Lakes, Karin’s family moved to Alberta when she was six weeks old. It was there she first picked up a violin. “I was always watching Sesame Street. One day I saw the outstanding violinist,
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Itzhak Perlman. I went into the kitchen, took a fork and knife from the silverware drawer and said, ‘I want to play violin.’” As a child Karin learned with the Suzuki method, honing her talent by ear. She listened to music on tapes and replicated the sounds, learning to read music later. Karin believes that just as it’s easier to learn a new language at a young age, it is easier to learn music at a young age as well. She practiced violin every day with the support of a devoted and patient mother. “If we were supposed to practice one hour, my Mom made sure it was a whole hour of violin playing. We had to stick it out,” she laughs. “Because when you’re 3 and you cry or you have to get a drink of water, the hour can be filled with many other things besides violin practicing.” Karin has a picture from her first public performance as a toddler. “The Suzuki method starts children very young which
is great because they’re not afraid of anything. Kids get dressed up, cute frills and curls, and go out to perform, not thinking about nerves.” The family moved to Moorhead in 1991 and Karin continued studying violin with private teachers. In her early years, Karin performed locally with the Concordia College Chamber Orchestra and Fargo-Moorhead Youth Symphony. She also played with the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony and at her family’s church, Trinity Lutheran in Moorhead. “I enjoy playing on Christmas Eve,” she says, “because I love playing things that just sound beautiful. Among my favorites are ‘Oh, Holy Night’ or ‘Ave Maria’.” Other pieces, too, fall upon her ear with a familiarity like the voice of an old friend. As a high school student, Karin participated in Viva Vivaldi! at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. “It was an allgirl orchestra that modeled the orchestra Vivaldi had for his all-girl orphanage. opposite : Karin Andreasen, Classical Musician
...Her confidence as a performer comes not only from a disciplined practice routine, but also knowing when to stop worrying and enjoy the experience of music. “So many of these things are mental. Yes it’s something to stress about, but if I’m prepared…” Karin pauses, laughs. “I have to think, I’ll show them what I’ve got.
We performed one of ‘The Four Seasons,’ so whenever that’s on the radio, I think, ‘Oh, it’d be fun to play that again.’ I’ve played it before, heard it in a concert here or there. It’s like reliving it.” The summer after tenth grade, Karin began studying in Minneapolis with Sally O’Reilly, a professor of Violin at the University of Minnesota. She completed her bachelor’s studies with violin professor, Yair Kless, at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria. To earn her bachelor’s degree in Graz, she had to play a diploma concert of diverse repertoire. “To perform a complete work takes just too much time,” Karin explains. “And so you play one movement of one piece and another movement of a different piece, various styles and genres. You can’t play all Mozart. You have to do some Bach, a Romantic concerto, a show piece, et cetera It’s not like a concert where you can walk on and off stage. You are alone in front of the judges, playing one piece after another, 45 to 50 minutes.” This year, Karin is enrolled in a graduate program at the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with the Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra, William Preucil. While at school, Karin mentally prepares by setting aside time for practice every day. The college student in her admits that mornings are a bit difficult, preferring to practice in the evenings when she focuses better. “I like to warmup into my practice,” she says. “I try to vary my practicing so I don’t get stuck in a rut. If I spread things out, I usually get it all done in the end.”
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“If I only have an hour before going shopping or out to lunch, I’ll try to focus on one particular piece or exercise. At least I know when I get back, I’m finished with it.” Karin creates balance in her life by taking time to go for bike rides or walks when she’s not in the mood to practice violin, returning refreshed from the break. “It’s important to have balance in life and spend time enjoying other things, too, you know?” She enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading and being outdoors when she’s not at school or practicing. In Graz, Karin enjoyed visiting the beautiful parks and shopping at a local market which provided fresh, home-grown produce six days a week. “I learned to cook a bit, though nothing really to write home about,” she confesses. Karin’s goal after earning her master’s degree is to play as concertmaster in a major orchestra. The progression of an artist is as much passion as it is training. To her, it’s a drive analogous to that of an Olympic athlete: “The Olympics are such a spectacular gathering, showcasing great talent. Each athlete trains for excellence and with passion. When you have a passion for what you’re doing, then the work is much more enjoyable.” Her confidence as a performer comes not only from a disciplined practice routine, but also knowing when to stop worrying and enjoy the experience of music. “So many of these things are mental. Yes it’s something to stress about, but if I’m prepared…”
...On stage, her passion for violin takes the audience on an emotional journey. “It’s so much more enjoyable if I can see the listeners emotionally involved in the music. I am playing for them.”
Karin pauses, laughs. “I have to think, I’ll show them what I’ve got. If I go on stage with that mindset, I’ll play better, too. That’s the point — have fun, give a great performance so you feel good about it and the audience knows you had a wonderful time. The panel of teachers or judges wants you to play well. They want to hear great music too. Who doesn’t?” On stage, her passion for violin takes the audience on an emotional journey. “It’s so much more enjoyable if I can see the listeners emotionally involved in the music. I am playing for them.” Karin pauses to reflect on her own experiences as an audience member. “It’s one of the most powerful aspects of watching great artists. They have
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the incredible ability to capture the listeners and tell them their version of a story.” For Karin, music is about translating the composer’s ideas to an audience. “I interpret what I think the composers wanted because it’s really their work I’m performing. I am a servant to their music,” she says. Karin enjoys pushing the boundaries of her performance to see what she can do to enhance her playing. “Once I feel confident in my interpretation, I can relax. That’s what makes music come alive, because that’s when I personally get involved. The audience can read my passion and recognize that I love what I’m doing. Each piece I perform has a dash of me in it.” [OPEN]
OPENINSIGHTS
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JE FA TS ET S HI PHO TOG R LOC APH ON ST Y ATION : Y BY N LING FAR ATH GO A B N C Y OL J IVIE ET CEN OTÉ RI'S TE SAL R ONS
From left to right: Dave wears Luchiano Visconti shirt, St. Croix sweater, camelhair coat, Jaymes denim and Allan Edmunds shoes from Straus. Tulliani belt and Gant scarf from a.k.a., bag from Vlana Vlee and Tag Heuer sunglasses from McCulley Optix Gallery. Susan wears Childish shirt from Mode, Ben Sherman jacket from SHANNALEE, Paige Monarch denim, Purp7e scarf from Luxe, Stewart Weitzman boot, Cole Haan bag from The Red Shoe, Christian Roth sunglasses from McCulley Optix Gallery, princess cut huggy hoop earings from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry and Murano glass pendant necklace from Wimmer’s Diamonds. Christelle and Josh details on following pages.
Josh wears 191 Unlimited jacket and Modern Amusement shirt and sweater from a.k.a.. From previous page Seven For All Mankind denim, Bacco Bucci shoe from a.k.a. and Oliver Peoples sunglasses from McCulley Optix Gallery. Christelle wears Stiletto turtleneck, Pier Amici shawl from Laurie’s, Seven For All Mankind denim from Luxe, Tolani scarf from Lena K, Donald Pliner shoe from The Red Shoe, two-tone princess cut band, tri-color diamond scattered ring, two-tone diamond fashion bracelet, white gold huggy earings from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry and Bogita yellow clutch from SHANNALEE. From previous page Donald Pliner bag from The Red Shoe and Oliver Peoples sunglasses from McCulley Optix Gallery.
TIPS ON AIPORT ETIQUETTE • Arrive at airport 2-3 hours before flight departure • Label each piece of baggage with unique luggage tags • Ensure that all luggage meets your airline’s weight and measure ment requirements • Store valuable items with you in your carry- on luggage
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• Liquids being carried with you through security must be in 3 ounce containers or less • Remember to bring your ID and flight itinerary • All liquids being carried through security must fit in a 1 quart plastic zip-top bag • Wear slip-on shoes for easy removal at security
• Avoid wearing metal and jewelry to minimize your chances of being stopped at security • If traveling internationally, remember to bring your passport • Be aware of weather conditions, flight delays and flight cancellations • Arrange for a rental car or other transportation
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Susan wears Paolo Santini vest from Laurie’s, Jack Steven shirt, Michael Stars tank, Seven For All Mankind denim from Luxe, chocolate diamond ring (at right), white gold bracelet, pave scattered ring, pave drop necklaces, pave drop earings from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry, white gold inlay bracelet from Wimmer’s Diamonds. Kio Yamato reading glasses from McCulley Optix Gallery, bag by Beverly Feldman from The Red Shoe, Blanket, passport cover, book from Vlana Vlee. Dave (on right) wears SQ sweater, Seven For All Mankind denim from a.k.a., next page watch from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry.
Carry-on essentials • • • • • • • • • • • •
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A good book OPEN Magazine Reading glasses in a hard case MP3 player or I-pod with ear buds Travel sized pillow and blanket Disinfecting towelettes On-the-go first aid kit Lip balm or favorite shade of lipstick Playing cards Word puzzles Miniature contact case with contact solution Sewing kit and lint roller
Sleak and refreshing, evian face mister from SHANNALEE fits easily in your bag while keeping you hydrated during your travels.
Urban Aid On-The-Go first aid kit, Gal Pal Spa Face Cloth, Baekgaurd travel sized contact case and solution from Vlana Vlee.
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Beach essentials • • • • • •
Lip balm with SPF Sunscreen Tanning oil Evian facial spray Swimwear and cover-up Beach towel Sunglasses in a hard case
• • • • • •
Beach tote Sandals Cold brew ice tea Bottled water Beach umbrella Camera
Dave wears Robert Graham shirt from Straus, Seven For All Mankind denim, Bacco Bucci shoe from a.k.a., Blinde sunglasses from McCulley Optix Gallery. Susan wears Generra sweater from Lena K, Linda Richards shawl from Laurie’s, Seven For All Mankind denim from Luxe, Frye boot from The Red Shoe, Tahitian pearl necklace from Wimmer’s Diamonds, Jimmy Choo sunglasses from McCulley Optix Gallery. Opposite page two rings, earings, watch from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry. Leathers in Leather bag from Vlana Vlee.
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Essentials for your hotel room • Scented candle • Framed photo of family and friends • Brochures and books about local attractions • Request for wake-up calls • Journal • Personal Stationary
Traveling Piggy Bank and Wash Away Your Sins towelettes from Vlana Vlee. Cajole Designs luggage tag from LUXE.
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Travel Tip: For that spontaneous night on the town be sure to pack that perfect dress. This classic little black dress from The Bridal Shop is a perfect toss in the bag and go!
Josh wears Charles G Bailey shirt and cufflinks from a.k.a., Frye bag from The Red Shoe, Oliver Peoples sunglasses from McCulley Optix Gallery. Christelle wears Cino shirt from Laurie’s, Diesel jacket from Vlana Vlee, Surfontaine denim from Mode, bag from SHANNALEE, Oliver Peoples sunglasses from McCulley Optix, platinum three diamond ring, pink sapphire and diamond pave band, diamond watch, pave and culture pearl drop earrings from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry.
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Josh wears Howe shirt, SQ jacket, True Religion denim from a.k.a., Oliver Peoples sunglasses from McCulley Optix Gallery, presidential automatic Acutron stainless watch from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry. Christelle wears Twisted Sport crew shirt, Seven For All Mankind denim from Luxe, black belt from MODE, Blinde sunglasses from McCulley Optix Gallery, ruby and diamond pace enhancer with 14 carat earrings, ruby and diamond pave ring from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry.
City essentials • • • • • • • • • • •
Wrinkle resistant “little black dress” Wrinkle resistant dress shirt and slacks Fashion tape Gal Pal brand spa face cloth Favorite pieces of jewelry Walking shoes City map Camera Cash for tips and taxis Shopping guide Cell phone
18k gold diamond studded cuff bracelet from Wimmer's Diamonds, watch from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry.
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Square diamond studded pendant from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry. 18k white gold with white and yellow diamond oval pendant from Wimmer's Diamonds.
Dave wears Cutter & Buck shirt, St. Croix pant, Allan Edmunds shoe from Straus, Gant scarf, Tulliani belt from a.k.a., two-toned Cyma watch from Wimmer’s Diamonds, two-toned dress bracelet from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry, Susan wears Bisa shirt, Millard Filmore jacket from Laurie’s, Billy Blues trouser, Irregular Choice shoe from Vlana Vlee, Ethyl and Myrtle silk scarf and bag from SHANNALEE, princess huggy earrings from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry.
Essentials for the slopes • • • • • • • • • • • •
Lip balm with SPF Sunscreen Ski goggles Warm mittens, hats and scarves Warm boots and socks Sweaters for layering Synthetic undergarments to wick moisture Hand and feet warming packs Hot cocoa Ski trail map Camera Granola bars and other easy-to-carry snacks
Josh wears Gant sweater, 191 Unlimited shirt, True Religion denim, Bacco Bucci shoes from a.k.a.. Christelle wears Whitewash dress from Funky Junque, Paris Hilton jacket from Vlana Vlee, Stuart Weitzman shoe from The Red Shoe, two gold bracelets from SHANNALEE, yellow gold earrings and necklace, sterling silver link bracelet from Wimmer’s Diamonds, oval three stone diamond ring, two-toned princess cut diamond band, two-toned gold fashion bracelet from Schmidt's Gems and Fine Jewelry.
Travel Tip: Keep your eyewear safe with a hardcase, shown Jimmy Choo sunglasses in hard case from McCulley Optix Gallery, Stay lip smacking fresh with lipstick from SHANNALEE.
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OPENFEATURE
Fewer Carbs, More Julie
by stephen wilson photos by john borge
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he elevator dings and opens on the second floor at MeritCare Broadway. A patient steps out and then strolls over to the reception desk to check in. The elevator doors close with a whoosh. Minutes later another ding: More patients exit. Then whoosh. This steady morning rhythm continues and the waiting room begins to feel more alive. Suddenly, the door to the stairwell bursts open and Dr. Julie Blehm appears. She immediately turns and darts down the hall to her office. It’s 8:15 a.m., but her day began precisely at 4:21. She was in the YMCA pool by 5:05, finished with her laps at 5:57, and at work by 6:50. Her first meeting of the week started 10 minutes later. When that finished,
she adjusted some scheduling, sought out another clinic doctor’s opinion, and then swung by the pharmacy. Given such an itinerary, it might seem that she fueled her morning by pouring an energy drink into a bowl of sugared cereal, but that is hardly the case. Fishing keys out of her white lab coat, she settles into her office. Her real breakfast, a half-eaten croissant sits on parchment paper spread above a swarm of paper and file folders. As she takes a bite, a medic-alert bracelet jingles on her wrist. While fast paced, Dr. Julie, as she likes to be called, is not harried, just on task. Necessarily so. She is the director of the Internal Medicine Resident Clinic and associate dean of the southeast
campus of the University of North Dakota Medical School. In part, these duties have her reading charts, observing appointments and confirming diagnoses of every medical resident in the program. But her days don’t stop there. In addition, she serves as president of the American Diabetes Association, sits on the board of directors at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota and helps with the Special Olympics (she has an adult daughter with special needs). Because of her active professional, civic and family life, Dr. Julie’s husband calls her the “bionic woman.” While this active life can amaze, she seems far from mechanical. That’s until she reveals an electronic
Dr. Julie Blehm
gadget that’s clipped on her pant waist. It almost looks like a receiver from a global positioning system. A tube runs from the gadget to an insertion site above her hip. It’s her insulin pump – the mechanics that help keep her healthy and alive. When did you get Type 1 diabetes? JB. I was 21. My father also had it at 21. My sister was more like 25. Two of my first cousins were 21. One of their kids was eighteen months, and I have an uncle who was 28. Its presence in my family is a little bit unusual. What made you realize you had it? JB. In a two-week period during my senior year at Concordia College, I got so thirsty that I couldn’t sit through an hour of class without being desperate for water. I was up every hour at night going to the bathroom and lost about 20 pounds. These were the symptoms that my parents always told me about. How would you explain Type 1? JB. Insulin is needed for your body to use any food that you put in your mouth. Type 1 is an auto-immune disease where the body attacks the islet cells that produce insulin and destroys them. A person who presents with Type 1 is producing very little insulin or none at all. Connect Type 1 to its warning signs. As food is broken down into glucose, there is no insulin to transport that glucose into the cell. Instead of going into the cell, it hangs around in the blood steam. The body uses water to flush out the excess glucose — that’s the thirst and urination. The body also starts breaking down fat and muscle to use for energy — that’s the weight loss. What is Type 2? JB. Eighty percent of people with diabetes have Type 2. Unlike Type 1, the islet cells aren’t destroyed; instead they just wear out and quit. The body produces more and more insulin to cover its needs, but it’s not able to use what’s produced as efficiently. Many people with Type 2 can initially get by with appropriate diet, exercise and weight loss, but people with Type 1 require insulin. How much insulin is required to eat a donut? JB. Geesh, I haven’t had one for a long
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time. I would guess a small plain cake donut is about 30-40 grams of carbohydrate. We used to use an exchange system, so you would have exchanged a donut as two breads and one fat. Now we count carbohydrates. With carb-counting, I use 1.5 units of insulin for 15 grams of carb. So I would use 3, maybe 4, units to cover a donut. Sounds complicated. JB. I was reading an article in the Annals of Internal Medicine that was talking about numeracy in diabetes management. General health literacy is an aspect in disease management — reading information about a disease, understanding the handout that the doctor gave you. But with numeracy, you have to be very literate with numbers.
...research is important and I give money to it, but I think that you can begin to forget about all the people who have diabetes and need to learn how to live with it. I had a patient who ate the same thing at every meal. That was the best she could do until she met with a dietician. It took a huge amount of education for her to understand that she could substitute pasta for bread. " Do diabetics have good numeracy? JB. Many people with diabetes have low numeracy. If you don’t understand numbers or can’t do calculations, then you just can’t manage diabetes very well. I see people who don’t have those skills or whose minds don’t work that way, and they get blamed. They’re told that they aren’t taking care of themselves. But they are probably doing the best that they can.
Why the shift to carb counting? JB. It is more accurate and more flexible now that we have rapid acting insulin. Since carbs break down into glucose the fastest and need the most insulin, you can take the insulin you need right before or right after a meal. Before carb counting, I had to be far more rigid about my meals. At lunch I had two breads, two meats and 1 fruit. At supper, I had three meats, two breads, one fat. I didn’t ever look at a meal without thinking like that. So I decided what I was eating, took my insulin and ate. But with carb counting, I won’t eat at noon if I’m not hungry and can skip my insulin. Or if I’m going to a restaurant where I might eat more than I usually do, I can just adjust the insulin accordingly. What are the drawbacks? JB. You have to be thinking in the back of your mind all of the time: how much you sleep, how much you exercise, what you eat, what food labels say. You are constantly adjusting your insulin rate. It can be very complicated if you are going to manage your diabetes intensively. The president’s role at the American Diabetes Association is filled by a physician, so what are your duties? JB. I advise the organization, attend meetings, assist with fundraising, offer lectures and participate in interviews. How important is the role of research? JB. I actually think research is important and I give money to it, but I think that you can begin to forget about all the people who have diabetes and need to learn how to live with it. I had a patient who ate the same thing at every meal. That was the best she could do until she met with a dietician. It took a huge amount of education for her to understand that she could substitute pasta for bread. What about a cure? JB. I don’t think that there is going to be a cure for Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes any time soon. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think so. My dad waited for 50 years of his life, and he’s been dead for 13 years, so it’s not happening quickly.
Julie with her husband, Dr. Dave Blehm
What’s to blame for the global increase in Type 2 diabetes? JB. The biggest issue is we eat too much food. You’d practically have to run a marathon everyday to not gain weight if you’re going to super-size everything. An appropriate serving of meat is three ounces, that’s the size of my fist. That’s not a lot of food. The second issue is we aren’t very active. What do we do about it? JB. It’s taking responsibility for yourself. We need to watch what we eat and carve out some time for exercise. People hear that all the time. JB. This is much easier said than done. I am fully aware of that. Maybe that means I walk for 15 minutes on my lunch break, park in one of the farther parking spots and never take an elevator. Those aren’t hard things to do. But clearly I’m a little odd because it’s not so easy for lots of people. I’m lucky that I have a fair amount of energy. Personal responsibility is one part. What else? JB. Some of it though is purely cultural. Everywhere we go there is food, making it hard to resist. With our rapid pace and our kids in eight million things, we never sit down and eat a meal together. Continued on page 123
Julie with American Diabetes Association Executive Director Stephanie Chimeziri
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OPENFEATURE
FOUNDATIONS
BUILDING FUTURE
by tracy briggs photos by john borge
IF YOU WERE TO VISIT PAT TRAYNOR’S SOUTH FARGO HOME AROUND BEDTIME, YOU MIGHT JUST HEAR A CRASHING SOUND. “AS SOON AS MY HEAD HITS THE PILLOW, I’M OUT.”
N
ot surprising when you consider the 42-year-old foundation president and father of three runs about 80 miles an hour all day. “He’s constant. Full of energy,” says wife Jamie. “We never go to the movies because he can’t sit still. The kids and I laugh because he’ll come home and ask us how our day was, then before we can answer he leaves the room and moves onto something else.”
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The perpetual motion is with him on the job, too. “My work is never done. I could be here until 2 a.m. Every night. I just love it!” “Here” is the Fargo office of the Dakota Medical Foundation where he has served as president since 2000. The foundation was created after the sale of Dakota Hospital in 1996 with an endowment of $118 million. Since then, the foundation has stayed true
to its healthcare roots by awarding about $33 million in grants to 300 organizations seeking to improve health or access to healthcare with a special emphasis on children’s health issues. Traynor calls his job “extremely fulfilling,” because he’s part of giving back to a community that’s given him so much.
Pat TraynorPresident, Dakota Medical Foundation and Impact Foundation
FROM LAWNS TO LAW SCHOOL John Patrick Traynor was born in Fargo on November 23, 1965, the youngest child of Dr. Mack Traynor, an internal medicine physician at the Fargo Clinic and his wife Rita. Dr. Traynor died in 2005. With two older brothers and two older sisters, Pat didn’t naturally assume a leadership role in the family. They always picked on me and told me I was adopted,” he laughs. “I think they were mad because as older siblings they had to fight for everything they got. By the time my parents had gotten around to me, they were much less strict,” Traynor says. Traynor says it was his parents who helped him start his first business back in high school, a lawn care company. “I did about 25 lawns. My parents let me use their lawn mower and paid for things like blades and gas. They were very supportive. Their only condition was that I do their lawn first. It was a great opportunity to be creative and independent.” After graduating from Fargo Shanley High School in 1984, he was off to greener pastures at the University of North Dakota. He joined the Phi Delta Theta fraternity like his granddad, dad, uncle, brother and many cousins before him. It was his Uncle Jack who convinced the reluctant Traynor to run for president of the fraternity.
BETWEEN HIS PRESIDENCY AT DMF AND HIS ROLE AS CHAIR AND CEO OF IMPACT, TRAYNOR SAYS HE’S BUSIER THAN EVER, BUT “IT’S THE MOST FUN I’VE EVER HAD.” ¶ TRAYNOR SAYS ONE DAY HE WOULD CONSIDER RUNNING FOR SOME KIND OF PUBLIC OFFICE. “I THINK WE ALL HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SERVE. WE CAN ALL GIVE BACK SOMETHING WHETHER IT’S YOUR TIME, TALENT, TREASURE OR ALL THREE.” 66 | OPEN
“I was coming up with about seven reasons why I couldn’t or shouldn’t run for president, but my uncle told me, ‘true leaders stand up and look at challenges and conquer them,’” he says. Traynor ran and won. “Looking back, that was great advice. It was a huge growth experience.” With graduation approaching in 1988, Traynor still wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He had considered following in his dad’s footsteps and going to medical school. “But I wasn’t disciplined enough to sit through all of those labs,” he laughs. He decided to go to law school at UND. “I figured law was a great background for anything, not to mention it bought me a little time to figure out what I wanted to do.” VENTURING OUT During law school in 1989, he did an internship in Washington, D.C., with the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Grand Forks native Bob Fiedler was the deputy director at the time. While Traynor says he enjoyed the work, he says he couldn’t wait to come home. “Living out there really opened my eyes to how blessed we are here.” He knew he belonged back in North Dakota. “It’s a great state. I love hunting and fishing and I love the people. I wanted a job back here.” His first job upon graduating from law school in 1991 was at the Conmy firm in Fargo, working in personal injury law. “Basically, I was the grunt,” he says. “I
loved the people I worked with and found a lot of satisfaction in helping people.” Then in 1994, he jumped at the opportunity to help even more people by accepting a position to be second–in–command of the Worker’s Compensation Bureau in Bismarck. It was a big job for the 28-yearold and it was about to get even bigger. By 1995, Governor Ed Schafer appointed Traynor to run the office. “It was quite overwhelming, however I surrounded myself with great people and kept working really hard,” he says. And the hard work appears to have paid off. Under Traynor’s direction, the Workers Compensation Bureau went from a $240 million deficit to having money in the bank to pay all claims. Traynor and his team helped get 28 bills approved by the legislature to reform the workers compensation system. “We were able to substantially increase benefits for the severely injured. The system went from nearly bankrupt to taking much better care of the state’s workers. I’m also proud of how our team improved timeliness and customer service,” he says. Traynor is quick to give credit to the people with whom he worked in the department. “The staff was absolutely outstanding. Phenomenal employees. It was a really rewarding time in my life.” “A TRUE GENTLEMAN” It turned out to be personally rewarding as well. While living in Bismarck, Traynor got reacquainted with a friend of a friend from UND, Jamie Lies, who was
attending nursing school. “She actually dated a little brother of mine from the fraternity, so it was a bit awkward at first.” But Jamie soon found herself impressed by Pat’s chivalry. “I had never had a man hold the door open for me. He did that. I just thought he was a real gentleman,” she says. After two years of dating, Pat and Jamie were married in Bismarck. Traynor says he and Jamie are a good fit for a lot of reasons, including a shared sense of humor. “We have a lot of fun. I think we both dish it out pretty well, but we can also take it,” he says.
Their first son was a toddler and second son was just a baby in 2000 when opportunity knocked for the Traynor family to move back to Pat’s hometown of Fargo. DMF COMES CALLING The Dakota Medical Foundation, as a grant-making organization, was just four years old and off to a strong start of funding health-related projects and organizations – $3 to 4 million dollars in grants given every year. But Traynor says while the young foundation had a great board, it lacked a well-defined strategy. They needed a president, and he saw it as a huge opportunity “to do
good... better.” He got the job and was off and running, sometimes daunted by the scope of his new position but energized to spread the wealth of the foundation for good, “We serve a pretty big area, about a 125 – mile radius of Fargo-Moorhead. So we’re looking at a lot of great organizations and great projects that need funding.” Not only is DMF giving 180 grants every year, they’re leading initiatives and partnering with volunteers to help administer projects which benefit the community. The list is long and includes the Lend a Hand Children and Family Initiative which seeks to improve efforts to raise money for individuals and
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HE’S ALSO PASSED ALONG ANOTHER TRAYNOR FAMILY TRADITION: HUNTING AND FISHING, SOMETHING HE CALLS HIS “PASSION.” ¶“FROM SEPTEMBER UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR I’D GO OUT HUNTING WITH MY DAD, BROTHERS AND COUSINS FOR DUCKS, GEESE, GROUSE AND PHEASANTS. WE JUST LOVED BEING OUTSIDE TOGETHER. NOW I’M TAKING MY BOYS.”
for reducing the number of uninsured children in North Dakota. Traynor says one of DMF’s future goals is to make sure every child in their service area has access to medical care and that a parent not being able to pay the deductible doesn’t impede proper medical care. But another recent undertaking is lighting up Traynor’s face like a kid on Christmas morning. In 2004, DMF, along with the Alex Stern Foundation, created the Impact Foundation, 501 (c) 3 public charity. Its creation is a natural extension of the work that was being done by DMF and the Alex Stern Foundation by helping non-profits help themselves. In 2005, Impact launched the Institute for Innovation and Effectiveness, which trains non-profits to produce greater outcomes by helping them learn how to raise money so they can thrive and not just survive. To date, more than 85 nonprofits have been served. It’s a full plate with DMF and Impact work but Traynor says he’s inspired daily by the people with whom he works. “I work with wonderful, visionary people. The people leading and running these organizations and projects from staff to board members to trustees are the ones who are really making it happen.” A PUBLIC LIFE?
families experiencing a medical crisis, Altru Health System’s Diabetes Prevention project, designed to prevent the onset of diabetes in persons at risk, and a $1.25 million commitment to the local American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women, which seeks to educate women in Fargo, Jamestown and Bismarck about their risk of heart disease. DMF invested close to $1 million for the placement of 373 automated
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external defibrillators throughout the region in places like squad cars, first responder units and college campuses. The foundation also paid to train 1300 people in the operation of the devices. So far, the AED’s have saved the lives of 20 people in our area. Traynor says he is proud of DMF’s involvement in the Covering Kids and Families Initiative, which is a comprehensive, outcome-based structure
Between his presidency at DMF and his role as Chair and CEO of Impact, Traynor says he’s busier than ever, but “it’s the most fun I’ve ever had.” Traynor says one day he would consider running for some kind of public office. “I think we all have an obligation to serve. We can all give back something, whether it’s your time, talent, treasure or all three.” But for Traynor it’s also about timing. He says he doesn’t want to look at political office until his boys are a little older: Patrick is 11, Ben is 8 and the family now includes 4-year-old Jack who is a dead ringer for his dad. As much as he loves work he says he tries to make it home everyday by 6 or 6:30p.m. so he can eat dinner with his wife and children the way his family did growing up. Continued on page 123
OPENSCENE
1 & 7 6th Annual Woman Song Gathering - September 5th-7th, 2008 Photographer Patty Wood Bartle 2 & 4 Ada Step Out For Diabetes - October 18, 2008 3 Grateful Goddess Halloween Party - October 18, 2008 5 & 6 Ywca “Chocolate Fantasy And Chili Too!” September 11, 2008
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OPENSPORTS
FARGO FORCE
by doug leier
returning him to the Midwest was a mix of family and professional opportunities. “What drew me to the Fargo Force was that I liked the age of the players. These are young players from high school and entering into college, they still play for the fun of the game and are very coachable; they want to learn the skills needed to provide an opportunity to move up to a higher level. Next is the area: I like Fargo, it’s a great hockey community, I’m familiar with the region and have family connections with my children living in Minnesota. It was closer to them, so there were a lot of benefits professionally and personally in moving to Fargo and leading the Force.” Fargo hockey supporters can look to Blais as a respected name in hockey circles, lending an esteemed level of experience and professional development to the team and community supporters.
phot o by john borge
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Dean Blais, Head Coach and GM of the Fargo Force
IT HAS LONG BEEN SAID THE SECRET TO A SPORTS TEAM’S SUCCESS IS THE PERFECT MIXTURE OF VETERAN LEADERSHIP ALONG WITH THE HUNGER, DESIRE AND ENERGY OF YOUTH. HOCKEY FANS AT THE NEW URBAN PLAINS CENTER WILL SEE SOME OF THE BEST OF BOTH JOINED TOGETHER AS THE FARGO FORCE BREAK THE ICE DURING THE INAUGURAL 2008 SEASON. Red River Valley sports fans will be treated to a unique blend of youth and experience as legendary coach Dean
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Blais assembles the newest team of the United States Hockey League, the Fargo Force. The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the premiere junior ice hockey league in the U.S. It’s made up of players under 20 years of age, and is reserved for amateur status, which provides USHL players an opportunity to advance and compete in NCAA hockey. Blais returns to the region’s hockey scene after coaching the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. He is head coach and general manager of the Fargo Force. Prior to that, he led the University of North Dakota Sioux hockey team through a decade of dominance as head coach, winning National Championships in 1997 and 2000. He also received national recognition as two-time National Coach of the Year and three-time WCHA conference coach of the year. For Blais, the draw
Plain and simple, fans of the Force are in for the treat of watching some of the greatest hockey players in the world, not only on the ice for the Force, but the USHL as the league has propelled players into top level NCAA Division I and on to professional careers. Blais assesses, “USHL players are talented; some of the best you’ll find anywhere in the world, they are just not quite ready for the next step. They are young and need more development, competition and game experience to mature. Our players will have college commitments from top-level Division I hockey programs like UND and the University of Minnesota. The entire league and every team coming into Fargo to play will be stacked with talent you’re likely to see playing top-level hockey for years to come at college and for professional teams. While this level of hockey is relatively new to the Fargo-Moorhead community, fans will appreciate the atmosphere provided by the Urban Plains Center, along with the influx of talent into the community. Blais says, “They will be staying with host families and going to school in our community, we’ll have them involved through clinics and helping to advance hockey within the region.” [OPEN]
OPEN CHEF'S PROFILE
MEET EXECUTIVE CHEF PATTI HANSON
by k aren halvorsen photo by nathan coté
THE VIP ROOM’S SECRET TO CREATIVELY DELICIOUS CUISINE
P
icture a plate of pecan-crusted chicken breast served with jalapeno peach salsa over a lime cilantro rice pilaf and you’ve just imagined the winning entrée for the cooking contest that won a local high school student a scholarship
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to the acclaimed Le Cordon Bleu in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Fargo-Moorhead area native, Patti Hanson is executive chef at The VIP Room in Fargo. While in high school at Oak Grove Lutheran School, Patti went along on a photo shoot with her dad, Russ Hanson, owner of The Look by Hanson Photo, to a local hotel restaurant. “After seeing all the creatively garnished éntrees my dad was photographing, I decided that I wanted to become a chef and food stylist,” says Patti, “The hotel restaurant gladly agreed to give me
the opportunity to work as a prep cook for their Thanksgiving buffet.” While still in high school, Patti continued to work for the hotel restaurant. Patti then worked as a breakfast cook for another local establishment before attending culinary school. Patti also had the opportunity to cook at a hotel restaurant in Paris, France for three months. The love of cooking is a family affair. Patti first learned to cook with each of her parents, Russ and Nancy Hanson. “First, my Mom taught me how to make tuna noodle hotdish. Then, Mom taught me how to cook other basic classic dishes, like stroganoff,” explains Patti. “Later on, my dad and I took ethnic cooking classes through the Moorhead Community Continuing Education program. My dad and I are both very creative and competitive with each other, especially when it comes to food preparation.” In addition to the various cooking classes, Patti took a pastry–making class at The VIP Room, taught by Nichole Hansen, owner of Nichole’s Fine Pastry. Feeling even more adventurous and confident, Patti decided to enter a cooking contest, which won her the scholarship to attend the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu. Patti also enjoyed working at the Sofitel Hotel in Minneapolis. Due to family ties and the opportunity to be a chef and food stylist at The VIP Room, Patti was coaxed to return to the Fargo–Moorhead area. Describing her position, Patti says, “I love my job as executive chef at The VIP Room because I get to be creative with éntrees every single day. Satisfaction comes from the customers loving the food that I prepare.” Entrée selections at The VIP Room continually change. The rotating lunch menu offers new options every day. Typically, there is a different daily entrée, a specialty salad plate, a quiche of the day, as well as a soup and sandwich of the day combo to choose from. Patti boasts, “Our tomato basil is the most popular soup that we serve.” A variety of muffins are baked fresh daily. The VIP Room dessert menu includes homemade pies, cheesecake, crème brulee, fruit crisp, bread pudding and ice cream. [OPEN]
OPENICONS
COMSTOCK HOUSE
by k atherine t weed
T
he Comstock House is one of Moorhead’s great historical treasures. This piece of history is where one of Moorhead’s earliest and most well known families started. Solomon G. Comstock came to town in 1871, a westbound lawyer, hoping for a life in the Red River Valley. Comstock worked for the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad as early Moorhead had strong links to Canada and St. Paul. For Solomon, the Canadian connection proved life changing. Sarah Ball traveled from Canada to the Valley to visit her sister. Ball and Comstock were introduced and then married in 1874. The young couple had a vision for Moorhead, expanding south where they built their home at 506 8th St. S.
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It was open prairie at the time and some scoffed at their choice of building sites. A Minneapolis architect provided the plans but the Comstocks built the home themselves. The Victorian stick home, completed in 1883, was the largest in the city and fancy, compared to other homes. The warmth of the Comstocks made it home and a welcome respite for those invited in the front door and those fed at the back door. They were devoted to education and helping people. Solomon, something of an entrepreneur, was elected the first court attorney, a state senator and was a civic booster. Moorhead’s first library, with financial assistance from Andrew Carnegie, was one of Sarah’s projects,
and Solomon was significant in creating Moorhead Normal School, now Minnesota State University Moorhead. Comstock Memorial Union on the campus is named in his honor, appropriate for the man who donated land for the school. The Minnesota Historical Society took ownership of the Comstock house in 1965. The house averages more than 600 visitors per year, but for the 125th anniversary summer celebration the house and spacious yard were as busy as any of the Comstock’s events. The Comstock House will be open for Christmas tours Dec. 6-7 from 1-4 p.m. It is decorated much as Solomon and Sarah might have, with Christmas delicacies to enjoy. [OPEN]
ABSORB AREA ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WITH OPEN'S WEEK-BY-WEEK CALENDAR OF BEST BETS AND MUST-SEE EVENTS.
GUIDE
entertainment
NOV.22FEB.28
All listings presented within the OPEN Entertainment Guide are carefully selected by the OPEN entertainment editor. Although it is not possible to list every event happening in the Fargo-Moorhead area, OPEN strives to present a listing that a diverse and comprehensive listing of the top entertainment presented in the metro area. All events and entertainment listings are carefully researched by the OPEN Entertainment Editor as well as retrieved from the community's bulletin board maintained by the Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitor’s Bureau found at www.fargomoorhead.org. Organizations are encouraged to list their activities in this location. Organizers may also submit events for consideration through our website at www.myopenmagazine.com/artsevents/eventsubmit.htm
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EVENT CALENDAR
ENTERTAINMENT
ON–GOING ART EXHIBITIONS 9.27 – 1.09 “Vatican Splendors from Saint Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican Museums and the Swiss Guard” Minnesota History Center 345 Kellogg Boulevard West St. Paul, Minnesota 615.259.3148 www.mnhs.org/vatican
11.23 – 12.29 The Colors of Pastel: Sandi Dahl Plains Art Museum 704 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 701.232.3821 www.plainsart.org
Nov. 23 – Nov. 29 ART EXHIBITIONS 11.23 – 11.29 African Soul, American Heart Images from Duk Payuel, SudanCyrus M. Running Gallery Concordia College 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M – F: 9:30a – 4:30p Sun: 1 – 4:00p 218.299.4623
FAMILY 11.25 ‚ Holiday Tree Lighting Davy Park 1st Avenue & 8th Street North Moorhead, Minnesota 5:30p 218.299.5340 www.cityofmoorhead.com/parks
MUSIC 11.27 – 11.29 The Blenders The Holiday Soul Tour Fargo Theatre 314 Broadway Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.235.4152 ‚
11.25 Xcel Energy’s Downtown Holiday Lights Parade Center Avenue Moorhead, Minnesota Broadway – Fargo, North Dakota 6:30p 701.241.1570 www.fmdowntown.com
SPORTS & RECREATION 11.23
11.23 – 2.21 ) Pulp Function Plains Arts Museum 704 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 701.232.3821 www.plainsart.org
11.26 – 3.1 Art on the Plains X Plains Art Museum 704 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 701.232.3821 www.plainsart.org
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EVENT 11.23 – 11.29 Fraser, Ltd. presents The 8th Annual Festival of Lights Innovis Health 3000 32nd Avenue South Fargo, North Dakota 8a – 10:00p 701.232.3301 www.fraserltd.org
Fargo Force vs Sioux Falls Stampede Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 4:00p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
11.29 Fargo Force vs Sioux Falls Stampede Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
EVENT CALENDAR
Nov. 30 – Dec. 6 ART EXHIBITIONS 11.30 – 12.6 African Soul, American Heart Images from Duk Payuel, Sudan Cyrus M. Running Gallery Concordia College 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M –F: 9:30a – 4:30p Sun: 1 – 4:00p 218.299.4623
12.6 Art on the Plains – Opening reception Plains Art Museum 704 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 6 – 9:00p 701.232.3821
12.5 – 12.6
12.1 – 12.6
82nd Annual Concordia Christmas Concert “Savior of the Nations Come” Memorial Auditorium Concordia College Moorhead, Minnesota Friday: 8:00p Saturday: 3:00p & 8:00p 218.299.4366 www.cord.edu
Sertoma & Optimist presents: “Holiday Lights in Lindenwood” Lindenwood Park Fargo, North Dakota 5:30p – 10:30p
EVENT 12.3 March of Dimes Bowls for Babies Lunch Ramada Plaza 1635 42nd Street South Fargo, North Dakota 701.235.5530 www.marchofdimes.com/northdakota
www.plainsart.org ‚
12.6 Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis Courts Plus Fitness Center 3491 University South Fargo, North Dakota 8:00a 701.388.1988 www.arthritis.org
FESTIVAL 12.1 51 st Annual Symphony Ball Holiday Inn I 29 & 13th Avenue South Fargo, North Dakota 6:00p – Midnight 21.233.8397 www.fmsymphony.org
FAMILY 12.1, 12.4, 12.6 MSUM Planetarium presents: “Star of Bethlehem” MSUM – Bridges Hall Moorhead, Minnesota 7:00p 218.477.2904
MUSIC 11.30 The Blenders "The Holiday Soul Tour" Fargo Theatre 314 Broadway Fargo, North Dakota 2:00p 701.235.4152
12.6 – 12.7 12.6 ) Fraser, Ltd. presents: Festival of TREES “To All A Good Night” Innovis Health 3000 32nd Avenue South Fargo, North Dakota 10:00a – 4:00p 701.232.3301 www.fraserltd.org
comstock house 506 8th St S Moorhead, MN 1:00p - 4:00p 218.291.4211
>> GETCONNECTED for more events go to www.myopenmagazine.com/artsevents OPEN | 81
EVENT CALENDAR
NDSU vs Oral Roberts Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
12.5
12.6
MSUM vs Bemidji State Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek 17th Street & 8th Avenue Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com ‚
Moorhead vs White Bear Lake – Boys Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.299.5353
12.6
Fargo Force vs Des Moines Buccaneers Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
MSUM vs UMD Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
12.5
12.6
12.4
MSUM vs Bemidji State Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
12.5 Concordia vs St. Olaf Men’s Hockey Moorhead Sports Center Moorhead, Minnesota 7:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com ‚
12.6 MSUM Dragon Open Wrestling Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 9:00a 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
12.6 Concordia vs St. Olaf Men’s Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 2:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
12.6 NDSU vs Centenary Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 2:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobision.com
NDSU vs Centenary Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
12.6 Fargo Force vs Sioux City Musketeers Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356–4350 www.fargoforce.com
12.6 MSUM vs UMD Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
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msum photo courtesy of msum, im, photo.
ENTERTAINMENT
SPORTS & RECREATION 12.4
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OPEN
EVENT CALENDAR
ENTERTAINMENT
Dec. 7 – Dec. 13 ART EXHIBITIONS 12.7 – 12.13 African Soul, American Heart Images from Duk Payuel, Sudan Cyrus M. Running Gallery Concordia College 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M – F: 9:30a – 4:30p Sun 1 –4:00p 218.299.4623
MUSIC 12.7 82nd Annual Concordia Christmas Concert “Savior of the Nations Come” Memorial Auditorium Concordia College Moorhead, Minnesota 3:00p 218.299.4366 www.cord.edu ‚
EVENT 12.7 – 12.13 Sertoma & Optimist presents “Holiday Lights in Lindenwood” Lindenwood Park Fargo, North Dakota 5:30p – 10:30p
FAMILY 12.7, 12.8, 12.11 MSUM Planetarium presents: “Star of Bethlehem” MSUM – Bridges Hall 167 Moorhead, Minnesota 12.7: 2:00p & 7:00p 12.8 & 11: 7:00p 218.477.2904
THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS 12.7 Hairspray Gate City Bank Theatre FargoDome 1800 North University Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.298.2690 www.fargodome.com
12.12 & 12.13 FM Ballet presents: "Christmas Holiday" Fargo Theatre 314 Broadway Fargo, North Dakota 8:00p 701.235.4152 ‚
12.12 Disney Live! Winnie The Pooh Gate City Theatre FargoDome 1800 North University Fargo, North Dakota 6:30p 701.298.2690 www.fargodome.com ‚
12.19 – 12.20 Bonnie Haney School of Dance presents: "The Nutcracker" NDSU Festival Concert Hall 1301 12th Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.231.7969
12.7 The Red River Valley Chapter of American Guild of Organists presents “A Christmas Carol Sing–a–long” St. Joseph Catholic Church 218 10th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 701.280.2189
12.13 MSUM Planetarium presents: “Star of Bethlehem” MSUM – Bridges Hall 167 Moorhead, Minnesota 7:00p 218.477.2904
SPORTS & RECREATION 12.7 Fargo Force vs Sioux City Musketeers Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 4:00p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
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EVENT CALENDAR
ENTERTAINMENT
12.8
12.13
12.18 & 12.20
Concordia vs Carleton Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 5:45p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
Concordia vs Hamline Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 1:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
Holiday Pops Fargo Theatre 314 Broadway Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 218.233.8397 www.fmsymphony.org
12.8
12.13
EVENT
NDSU vs Oral Roberts Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com ‚
Concordia vs Hamline Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 3:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
Dec. 14 – Dec. 20 ART EXHIBITIONS 12.14 – 12.19
12.8 Concordia vs Carleton Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 7:30p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
12.11 Fargo Force vs Tri-City Storm Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356–4350 www.fargoforce.com
12.14 Lorie Line presents 2008 Holiday Extravaganza Gate City Bank Theatre FARGODOME 1800 North University Fargo, North Dakota 3:00p 701.241.9100 www.fargodome.com ‚
African Soul, American Heart Images from Duk Payuel, Sudan Cyrus M. Running Gallery Concordia College 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M – F: 9:30a – 4:30p Sun: 1 – 4:00p 218.299.4623
MUSIC 12.14 NDSU Fine Arts presents: Handel’s Messiah NDSU Festival Concert Hall 1301 12th Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 2:00p 701.231.9442
12.14 – 12.20 Sertoma & Optimist presents: “Holiday Lights in Lindenwood” Lindenwood Park Fargo, North Dakota 5:30p – 10:30p
12.17
FAMILY 12.14, 12.15, & 12.18
Rush Hour Music Series Plains Art Museum Landfield Atrium 704 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 5:30 – 8:00p 701.232.3821 www.plainsart.org
MSUM Planetarium presents: “Star of Bethlehem” MSUM – Bridges Hall 167 Moorhead, Minnesota 12.14: 2:00p & 7:00p 12.15 & 12.18 7:00p 218.477.2904
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EVENT CALENDAR
ENTERTAINMENT
THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS 12.14 FM Ballet presents: "Christmas Holiday" Fargo Theatre 314 Broadway Fargo, North Dakota 8:00p 701.235.4152
SPORTS & RECREATION 12.18 NDSU vs Valley City State Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com ‚
12.20
12.27
MSUM vs Crown College Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 3:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
Sleigh Rides Hjemkomst Center 202 1st Avenue North Moorhead, Minnesota 2 – 4:30p 218.299.5340 cityofmoorhead.com/parks
‚
12.20 Fargo Force vs Des Moines Buccaneers Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com ‚
SPORTS & RECREATION 12.22 NDSU vs Northern Arizona Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
Dec. 21 – Dec. 27 12.19 Fargo Force vs Tri City Storm Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
EVENT 12.21 – 12.27 Sertoma & Optimist presents “Holiday Lights in Lindenwood” Lindenwood Park Fargo, North Dakota 5:30p – 10:30p
12.20
FAMILY 12.21
NDSU vs Jamestown College Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 2:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
MSUM Planetarium presents: “Star of Bethlehem” MSUM – Bridges Hall 167 Moorhead, Minnesota 2:00p & 7:00p 218.477.2904
12.23 Moorhead vs Duluth East Boys Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 7:30p 218.299.5353
Dec. 28 – Jan. 3 EVENT 12.28 – 12.31 Sertoma & Optimist presents: “Holiday Lights in Lindenwood” Lindenwood Park Fargo, North Dakota 5:30p – 10:30p
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EVENT CALENDAR
ENTERTAINMENT
SPORTS & RECREATION 12.29 MSUM vs Mayville State Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
1.3 Concordia vs Bethel Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 3:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com ‚
Concordia vs Augsburg Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 7:30p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
Concordia vs Wesleyan Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 7:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
MSUM vs Mayville State Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
12.29 NDSU vs Creighton Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
1.3 Concordia vs Bethel Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 1:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
Concordia vs Augsburg Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 5:45p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
1.5
12.29
12.29
SPORTS & RECREATION 1.5
1.7
Jan. 4 – Jan. 10 ART EXHIBITIONS 1.4 Pulp Function Gallery Talk Plains Art Museum 704 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 1– 3:00p 701.232.3821 www.plainsart.org
MUSIC
Concordia vs UW–River Falls – Men’s Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 7:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
1.8 NDSU vs IUPUI Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
1.24 0 Jazz Arts Big Band featuring Wayne Bergeson and Gordon Goodwin Fargo Theatre 314 Broadway Fargo, North Dakota 8:00p 218.359.4529 www.JazzArtsFM.com
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EVENT CALENDAR 1.10
MSUM vs Augustana College Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com ‚
NDSU vs Western Illinois Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
1.10 MSUM vs Wayne State Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
1.10
1.9 Fargo Force vs Sioux Falls Stampede Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
1.10 MSUM vs Wayne State Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
1.10 Concordia vs St. John’s Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota Call for times 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
SPORTS & RECREATION 1.12 NDSU vs IUPUI Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
1.16 MSUM vs Mankato Wrestling Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 7:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com ‚
NDSU vs Western Illinois Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 2:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
Jan. 11 – Jan. 17 ART EXHIBITIONS 1.13 – 1.17 Faculty Show Cyrus M. Running Gallery 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M–F: 9:30a – 4:30p Sun: 1 – 4:00p 218.299.4623
THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS 1.15 – 1.17 Tin Roof Theatre presents: "The Nerd" Avalon Events Center 613 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.306.5843 www.tinrooftheatre.org
1.16 Fargo Force vs Waterloo Blackhawks Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
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msum photo courtesy of msum, im, photo.
ENTERTAINMENT
1.9
EVENT CALENDAR
ENTERTAINMENT
1.17 Fargo Force vs Waterloo Blackhawks Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce,com
Jan. 18 – Jan. 24 ART EXHIBITIONS 1.18 – 1.24 Faculty Show Cyrus M. Running Gallery 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M – F: 9:30a – 4:30p Sun: 1 – 4:00p 218.299.4623
MUSIC 1.19 – 1.20 Masterworks III Chu–fang Huang NDSU Festival Concert Hall 1301 12th Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota Saturday: 8:00p Sunday: 2:00p 218.233.8397 www.fmsymphony.org
1.21 Rush Hour Music Series Plains Art Museum Landfield Atrium 704 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 5:30 – 8:00p 701.232.3821 www.plainsart.org
1.24 0 Lake Agassiz Habitat For Humanity presents: Notes For Habitat NDSU Festival Concert Hall 1301 12th Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 218.284.5253 www.lakeagassizhabitat.org
THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS 1.22 – 1.24 Tin Roof Theatre presents: The Nerd Avalon Events Center 613 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.306.5843 www.tinrooftheatre.org
SPORTS & RECREATION 1.20 NDSU vs Utah State Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
1.21 MSUM vs Northern State Wrestling Alex Nemzek 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 7:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
1.21 Concordia vs St. Thomas Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 7:30p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
1.24 Concordia vs Gustavus Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 1:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
1.24 Concordia vs Gustavus Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 3:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
1.21 0 Concordia vs St. Thomas Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 5:45p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
1.24 Moorhead vs Warroad Boys Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.299.5353
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EVENT CALENDAR
ENTERTAINMENT
Jan. 25 – Jan. 31
SPORTS & RECREATION
ART EXHIBITIONS 1.25 – 1.31
1.27
Faculty Show Cyrus M. Running Gallery 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M –F: 9:30a – 4:30p Sun: 1 –4:00p 218.299.4623
Moorhead vs Roseau – Boys Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.299.5353 ‚
1.31 FM Opera 40th Anniversary Gala and Concert Crystal Ballroom Ramada Plaza Suites 1635 42nd Street South Fargo, North Dakota Time 701.239.4558 www.fmopera.org ‚
1.31
1.31
1.29 NDSU vs Oakland Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
1.30
Tin Roof Theatre presents: The Nerd Avalon Events Center 613 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.306.5843 www.tinrooftheatre.org
MSUM vs Northern State Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
NDSU vs IPFW Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 2:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
EVENT
THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS 1.29 – 1.31
1.30
MSUM vs Northern State Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
1.30
Moorhead vs Centennial Boys Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 5:30p 218.299.5353
1.31 NDSU vs IPFW Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
1.31 Fargo Force vs Omaha Lancers Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
Fargo Force vs Omaha Lancers Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
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EVENT CALENDAR
MSUM vs Mary Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
Feb. 1 – Feb. 7 ART EXHIBITIONS 2.1 – 2.7 Faculty Show Cyrus M. Running Gallery 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M – F: 9:30a – 4:30p Sun: 1 – 4:00p 218.299.4623
FAMILY
2:00p 701.306.5843 www.tinrooftheatre.org
2.5 – 2.7 Theatre B presents: The Pillowman 716 Main Avenue Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.729.8880 www.theatreb.org
2.6 Fargo Force vs Green Bay Gamblers Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com ‚
SPORTS & RECREATION 2.1 MSUM vs Augsburg Wrestling Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 2:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
2.7
2.2
Monster Jam Fargo Dome 1800 North University Fargo, North Dakota 2:00p 701.298.2690 www.fargodome.com ‚
NDSU vs Oakland Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
2.6 MSUM vs Southwest State Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek 17th Street 7 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
2.7 2.6 MSUM vs Southwest State Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS 2.1 Tin Roof Theatre presents: The Nerd Avalon Events Center 613 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota
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2.6 Concordia vs St. John’s Men’s Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 7:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
Concordia vs St. Ben’s Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 1:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
2.7 Concordia vs St. John’s Men’s Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 2:00p 218.2994434 www.gocobbers.com
msum photo courtesy of msum, im, photo.
ENTERTAINMENT
1.31
EVENT CALENDAR 2.7
2.14
2.12 – 2.14
MSUM vs MSU –Mankato Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
Jazz Arts Big Band featuring Michael Kocour Fargo Theatre 314 Broadway Fargo, North Dakota 8:00p 218.359.4529 www.JazzArtsFM.com ‚
Theatre B presents: The Pillowman 716 Main Avenue Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.729.8880 www.theatreb.org
2.13 – 2.14
2.7
The Heidi Chronicles Frances Frazier Comstock Theatre Concordia College Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.299.3314 www.cord.edu
Fargo Force vs Green Bay Gamblers Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
2.7 MSUM vs MSU – Mankato Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
Feb. 8 – Feb.14 ART EXHIBITIONS 2.8 – 2.14
THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS 2.10 Cats Gate City Bank Theatre FargoDome 1800 North University Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.298.2690 www.fargodome.com ‚
Faculty Show Cyrus M. Running Gallery 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M – F: 9:30a – 4:30p Sun: 1– 4:00p 218.299.4623
Concordia vs Macalester Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 5:45p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
2.11 Concordia vs Macalester Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 7:30p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
2.12
MUSIC 2.12 – 2.13 FM Opera presents: Faces on the Barroom Floor Ft. Noks Bar of Gold 52 Broadway Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.239.4558 www.fmopera.org
SPORTS & RECREATION 2.11
2.12 Little Country Theatre presents: Mister Lincoln NDSU Askanase Auditorium Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.231.7969
NDSU vs UMKC Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
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EVENT CALENDAR
ENTERTAINMENT
2.13
2.14
Concordia vs Gustavus Men’s Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 7:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
NDSU vs Southern Utah Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
2.14 Concordia vs Gustavus Men’s Hockey Moorhead Sports Center 324 24th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 2:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
2.14 Concordia vs St. Kate’s Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead. Minnesota 3:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
2.14 NDSU vs Southern Utah Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 2:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com ‚
Feb. 15 – Feb. 21
THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS 2.15 The Heidi Chronicles Frances Frazier Comstock Theatre Concordia College Moorhead, Minnesota 2:00p 218.299.3314 ‚
ART EXHIBITIONS 2.15 – 2.21 Faculty Show Cyrus M. Running Gallery 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota M – F: 9:30 – 4:30p Sun: 1 –4:00p 218.299.4623
MUSIC 2.18 Rush Hour Music Series Plains Art Museum Landfield Atrium 704 1st Avenue North Fargo, North Dakota 5:30 – 8:00p 701.232.3821 www.plainsart.org
2.19 – 2.21
EVENT
SPORTS & RECREATION 2.15
2.21 The 12th Annual Celebration of Women and Their Music Fargo Theatre 314 Broadway Fargo, North Dakota 6:30p 701.866.0518 ‚ myspace.com/celebrationofwomen
Theatre B presents: The Pillowman 716 Main Avenue Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.729.8880 www.theatreb.org
Concordia vs St. Mary’s Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 1:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
2.15 Concordia vs St. Mary’s Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 3:00p 218.2994434 www.gocobbers.com
100 | OPEN
EVENT CALENDAR 2.16
2.21
NDSU vs UMKC Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
MSUM vs Concordia St. Paul Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com ‚
2.17 NDSU vs South Dakota State Men’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
2.20 Fargo Force vs Indiana Ice Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
2.21 Concordia vs St. Olaf Women’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 1:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com msum photo courtesy of msum, im, photo.
2.21 Concordia vs St. Olaf Men’s Basketball Memorial Auditorium Moorhead, Minnesota 3:00p 218.299.4434 www.gocobbers.com
Little County Theatre presents: West Side Story NDSU Festival Concert Hall Fargo, North Dakota Wed – Sat: 7:30p Sun: 2:00p 701.231.7969
2.26 – 2.28 Theatre B presents: The Pillowman 716 Main Avenue Fargo, North Dakota 7:30p 701.729.8880 www.theatreb.org
2.20 NDSU vs South Dakota State – Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS 2.25 – 3.1
2.21 Fargo Force vs Indiana Ice Urban Plains Center Fargo, North Dakota 7:05p 701.356.4350 www.fargoforce.com
2.21 MSUM vs Concordia ST. Paul Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 8:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
Feb. 22 – Feb. 28 ART EXHIBITIONS 2.22 Faculty Show Cyrus M. Running Gallery 901 8th Street South Moorhead, Minnesota 1 – 4:00p 218.299.4623
SPORTS & RECREATION 2.23 NDSU vs Utah Valley Women’s Basketball Bison Sports Arena Fargo, North Dakota 7:00p 701.231.6378 www.gobison.com
2.28 MSUM vs UM –Crookston Women’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 6:00p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
2.28 MSUM vs UM –Crookston Men’s Basketball Alex Nemzek Stadium 17th Street & 8th Avenue South Moorhead, Minnesota 8p 218.477.2622 www.msumdragons.com
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OPENeats:
THE OPEN EDITORIAL TEAM SCOURS THE CITY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE METRO AREA’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE BEST RESTAUR ANTS AND BARS.
YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST IN LOCAL CRAVINGS
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RESTAURANT/BAR
RESTAURANT / BAR LISTINGS presented by FMDINING.com DOWNTOWN fargo Atomic Coffee $ 222 Broadway, Fargo 701.478.6160
Atomic offers a hip, urban vibe along with local art. On the menu you’ll find great drinks and yummy baked goods. Complete with Wi-Fi, the comfortable mood invites relaxation and a laid-back place to meet friends and enjoy fabulous coffee. CU _ Babb's $
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604 Main Ave, Fargo 701.271.0222 Babb’s offers a taste of Seattle with fresh coffee that’s roasted and brought to the store weekly. The West Coast invades Fargo with this fun and enjoyable atmosphere. CU _
photos by isaac peloquin
Barbara's 1st and Deli $ 520 1st Ave N., Fargo 701.364.0241 Feel at home as soon as you step in the door. Barbara’s is the perfect place to unwind with delicious desserts and a number of coffee and drink selections. Or stop by for a quick and delicious lunch featuring great sandwiches, soups and salads. C_ Bertrosa's on Broadway $ 118 Broadway, Fargo 701.893.9071 Pick up some Chicago style food, from soups, subs and salads to pitas, hot sandwiches and Vienna hot dogs, everyone is sure to find something to satisfy their cravings. _
Café Muse at the Plains Art Museum $ 704 1st Ave. N., Fargo 701.232.3821 Indulge your desires with some art in a smart and sophisticated atmosphere. Dine in or carry out a daily lunch special and while you’re there, pick up a half-pound of cheese to enjoy later – there are several varieties to choose from. _ Café` Mosaic Downtown $ 69 North 4th St. Fargo 701.364.9160 Hot soups, sandwiches and a variety of salads make this a great quick service lunchtime stop. Unique flavor combinations will bring you back for more. C_ B Dakota Soda $ 420 Broadway, Fargo 701.239.4729 This classic soda fountain shop features warm and cool drinks tucked away in Zandbroz Variety Store. Hearkening back to the good old days they also serve sandwiches for that quick lunch. _ Fort Noks Bar of Gold $$ 52 Broadway N, Fargo 701.478.9191 Set in a historic Fargo National Bank building, this upscale bar is located in the heart of busy downtown and offers a fun yet relaxing place to gather with friends. _ HoDo $$ 101 Broadway, Fargo 701.478.8888 Quite possibly the area's most sophisticated places to eat and drink! Located in the heart of bustling downtown Fargo.
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Jazzie Mae’s Place $ 307 North University, Fargo, ND 701.364.0599 Pick up a healthy lunch at this quaint shop that serves great vegan and vegetarian dishes. Try a veggie tofu burger on a grain bun with shredded carrots and an orange slice, soy cheese and lettuce. Other options on the menu include sandwiches and salads. Enjoy vegan ice cream for dessert. Josie’s Corner Café $ 524 Broadway, Fargo, ND 701.234. 0664 It’s a bit of small town charm in the hustle and bustle of Downtown Fargo. Stop in for pie and coffee or try the lunch box special – a sandwich, homemade soup, veggies and a baked from scratch cookie. You’ll be coming back for more to try everything Josie’s has to offer. C Juano's $$ 402 Broadway, Fargo 701.232.3123 Mexican cuisine served in a classy, fine dining environment. While waiting for your meal, enjoy fresh salsa and pico de gallo. Also, be sure to try one of their signature drinks or order a pitcher of sangria for the whole table to enjoy. CU _ B King House Buffet $ 122 Broadway, Fargo 701.271.8989 If you are looking for Asian cuisine and want to try a little bit of everything, check out this downtown buffet set in classic Chinese architecture. U B Mexican Village $ 814 Main Ave, Fargo 701.293.0120 The whole family will love this inviting and cozy Mexican restaurant with intimate alcoves and tables to seat large gatherings. Start with some Tortilla Cheese Soup, move on to a burrito and finish off the meal with some Fried Ice Cream. C U B Monte's $$$ 220 Broadway, Fargo 701.526.0149 Monte’s was one of the first of the new fine dining options available in downtown Fargo. It offers martinis and tantalizing meals. This upscale, modern eatery is a little bit Fargo and a whole lot New York. C U _
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Ristreto
Exceeding expectations and producing coffee that tastes as good as it smells drives Ristreto Coffee and Tea. Make a date with yourself and escape to Ristreto. You will find a spacious, urban oasis with abundant light filtering in through large windows while you sip on fair-trade coffee or tea products from this locally owned coffee shop. Ristreto is the ultimate beverage for the coffee enthusiast with an ounce of water poured a few grams of finely ground coffee. Many will find the combination of coffee in a tranquil haven to be time well spent. U _ B
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RESTAURANT / BAR LISTINGS presented by FMDINING.com Nichole's Fine Pastry $ 13 South 8th St, Fargo 701.232.6430 Nichole’s has pastries so beautiful they almost look too good to eat. Almost. Don’t miss out on the chocolate cake or the fruit tarts. Also pick up some gelato or have a glass of wine. This is a great place to catch up with old friends or entertain guests from out of town. Show them a side of Fargo they’ve never seen. C U _ Old Broadway $ 22 Broadway, Fargo 701.237.6161 The OB Grill is a great place for dinner. Start with Martini Roasted Salmon Cakes while waiting for your sandwich or entrée order. After dinner, make your way to the OB City Club for some dancing. (It’s a guilt free way to enjoy a dessert after the meal.) C U _ B Passages Café - Radisson Hotel $$ 201 5th St N, Fargo 701.293.6717 Only the freshest and finest ingredients are used to prepare food in this relaxed, elegant atmosphere that includes sweeping vistas of one of Fargo’s most architecturally interesting corners. U B s Pita Pit $ 206 N Broadway, Fargo 701.356.7483 The Pita Pit serves its own special light and tasty Lebanese-style pitas. Add meat and veggies or pick up a breakfast pita. This quick and healthy dining option is made even quicker by ordering online. Check out the menu and place your order at pitapitusa.com. _ Ristorante Isabella $$ 612 1st Ave N, Fargo 701.365.0608 Authentic Italian Cuisine is prepared just as the Italians would have it. The rich atmosphere evokes a true sense of Italy. Nicer attire is strongly encouraged while you experience the classic Italian hospitality. C U _ B Sammy's Pizza & Restaurant $ 301 Broadway, Fargo 701.235.5331 This is one of the best pizza shops in the area. Dine in or pick up an order to go. This pizzeria will bring back memories of the old days with vintage surroundings and that classic mom and pop pizzeria feel. U _
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Silver Moon $$$ 309 Roberts St, Fargo 701.356.9097 Enjoy a casual, elegant dining experience at one of Fargo’s newest jewels – a throw back to the 1940s complete with live piano and seashell booths. From the bustling main dining room to the more intimate Salon Privé you’ll enjoy all aspects of the newest . Come for dinner, stay for drinks and music.
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Sport's Bar $ 619 1/2 NP Ave, Fargo 701.293.2085 If you’re looking for an energetic crowd, be sure to check out the Sports Bar. This favorite college hangout is a great place to meet up with friends for the big game. U Toscana Restaurant $$ 202 Broadway N, Fargo 701.235.9100 Enjoy fine Italian food in a simple, yet elegant, atmosphere. Reservations are encouraged for this downtown lunchtime hotspot. In the evenings enjoy a unique Tuscan menu with a wait staff full of personality. B VIP Room $ 624 Main Ave, Fargo 701.293.1999 The name says it all. Stop here and check out the daily specials. You will not be disappointed by the food or the service. The VIP Room now serves dinner in the lower level of the famed Block 6, once the location of deLendrecies Department Store the inviting atmosphere is a definite local favorite. C _ B
Teaberry $ 119 Broadway, Fargo 701.235.5036 Tea house that specializes in Boba Teas, French press Vietnamese coffee and has quickly become the FM area's coolest hangout. U _ Dilworth Altony’s Italian Restaurant $ 4 Center Avenue West, Dilworth, 218.287.5557 Everything comes from Al’s experience cooking with his Italian parents as a boy. His marinara sauce and meatballs is a signature dish. No recipe books in this kitchen, it’s all from experience. Stop in or call in an order to go. U Moorhead Atomic Coffee $ 16 4th St S, Moorhead 218.299.6161 805 30th Ave. S., Moorhead 218. 477.6161 Offering a hip, urban vibe coupled with local art and great atmosphere, along with fresh drinks and baked goods. The comfortable mood invites relaxation and a laidback place to meet friends and enjoy fabulous coffee. _ Bear Creek Coffee $ 3226 Highway 10 E, Moorhead 218.287.4446 Enjoy custom blended and gourmet coffee in a funfilled yet laid-back atmosphere. _ Bennigan's $$ 3333 Hwy 10 E, Moorhead 218.287. 0167 Looking for classic tastes, or maybe something new? Bennigan’s Monte Cristo and seasoned fries is just one food combination you’ll crave. C U _ s
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Duane's House of Pizza $ 2223 Center Ave., Moorhead 701. 232.6430 For nearly 50 years, Duane’s House of Pizza has been committed to preparing quality pizza and chicken. Dine-in, pick-up, or have your order delivered right to your door. C U _ Dave's Southside Tap $ 803 Belsly Blvd. Moorhead 701. 293.6717 Food and drinks in a fun atmosphere. U B s Erbert and Gerberts $ 212 8th St. S., Moorhead 218.287. 7827 Great people, great subs - Erbert and Gerbert’s is dedicated to fast, friendly service while delivering a meal that will make you smile. Stop in or call - they deliver until 2 a.m. _ John Alexander's Food & Martini Bar $$ 315 Main Ave, Moorhead 218.287. 5802 Serving fine, classic American cuisine in an upscale, trendy atmosphere complete with jazzy artwork and that classic family owned touch. From the family that started Juano’s this American twist will surely aim to please.
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Moxie Java $ 115 Fourth St, Moorhead 218. 233.0900 Moxie Java has a warm and inviting atmosphere topped off with great coffee. Stop in for your morning caffeine kick or an afternoon pick me up, complete with a freshly baked snack. _
O'Leary's Pub $ 808 30th Ave S., Moorhead 218. 287.1957 This Irish inspired pub is a great place to watch the game or enjoy a drink and appetizer. Stay out and enjoy live music. U s Panchero’s Mexican Grill $ 803 Belsly Blvd, Moorhead 218. 477.1990 Fill your craving for the spice and crunch of great Mexican food. Steak, pork, chicken and veggies are available in burritos, tacos, quesadillas and more. U _ Qdoba Mexican Grill $ 914 Holiday Dr, Moorhead 218. 284.4848 Fast and casual Mexican food is prepared right in front of you. Build the perfect burrito, order of nachos and other Mexican favorites. _ Sarello's $$$ 28 Center Mall Avenue, Moorhead 218.287.0238 Treat yourself to exceptional entrees with a great selection of wine. Customers always talk about the great service a Sarello’s. C U B Speak Easy $$ 1001 30th Ave South, Moorhead 218.233.1326 The atmosphere at the Speak Easy is a throw back to the 1920s and 30s. The extensive menu features Italian and American classics. You’ll need to make an effort to save room for dessert. CU _ B Thai Orchid $$ 900 1st Ave N., Moorhead 218. 227.0099 The Thai Orchid is the
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place to go for authentic and fresh Thai cuisine. You will dine in a relaxing and inviting atmosphere. CU _ B Usher's House & Monk's Pub $$ 700 1ST Ave. N., Moorhead 218. 287.0080 This English pub specializes in gourmet comfort food and great drinks. C U B s NORTH FARGO Applebee's $ 2001 16th St. N., Fargo 701.293. 0249 Applebee’s is your friendly neighborhood eatery. Reasonably priced food is paired with refreshing beverages. _ Buffalo Wild Wings $ 1515 19th Ave N, Fargo 701.356. 9464 Buffalo Wild Wings does many things well, but its top three are wings, beer and sports. Stop in for the big game or take food to go. U _ North Town Grill $ 3520 12th Ave. N., Fargo 218.287. 1957 This classy American grill features some of the best burgers in Fargo/Moorhead along with an extensive salad bar. Tucked in next to the Stamart travel plaza on 12th Avenue North. U s Bison Turf $ 1211 University Dr N, Fargo 701. 235.9118 One of NDSU’s biggest college crowd draws, celebrate after a big game or stop by for lunch. The Bison Turf is the perfect place to hang out with fellow fans and friends. It features great food and drinks. SOUTH FARGO Applebee's $ 2800 13th Ave SW, Fargo 701. 232.4100 Applebee’s is your friendly neighborhood eatery. Reasonably priced food is paired with refreshing beverages. _ Boppa's Bagels $ 3051 25th St. S, Fargo 701.241.7800 Stop in for a large variety of breakfast bagels and pick up some fresh squeezed orange juice. Or swing by for lunch and check out a great menu! _
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Johnny Carino’s Italian Grill
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Traditional Mediterranean food and hospitality create the backdrop for a night of dining at Johnny Carino’s. Dim lighting with an open kitchen set the stage as servers bring fresh loaves of bread and swirl seasoned oil on a plate for your starter. There is no need for silverware; simply rip off a piece of bread and soak it with oil. Find an intimate space with drapes framing your table or enjoy a more open seating arrangement to observe chefs prepare homemade lasagna and meatballs. Hearty portions are present so be ready to share. U _ B
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Dakota Soda (in Zandbroz Variety)
Revisit a time when THE SODA FOUNTAIN and malts were common. A new generation will appreciate the process of beverages made with care after a visit to Dakota Soda. Baristas create a fusion of tasty fun with multiple flavored syrups, ice cream and charged water served up in a tall, shapely malt glass. Grandparents and parents can bring their young or adult children to show them what a malt shop was like when they were little. Introducing today’s generation to the past will keep them coming back to preserve this tasty art. _ s
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RESTAURANT / BAR LISTINGS presented by FMDINING.com Borrowed Buck's Road House $ 1201 Westrac Dr., Fargo 701.232. 1535 Buck’s has a friendly staff and great drink specials. Upbeat DJs put on lightshows and music that energize any crowd. Stop by “the most fun and friendly bar in town.” U s Café Chocolat $ 4340 13th Ave S., Fargo 701.356. 2233 Relax in a quiet space with a fresh cup of coffee and homemade lunch. Finish it off with fabulous, homemade chocolate. _ Café mosaic $ 1638 32nd Ave S, Fargo 701.478.6242 Hot soups, sandwiches and a variety of salads make this a great fast food lunchtime stop. Unique flavor combinations will bring you back for more. _ B Ristreto Coffee and Tea $ 4150 40th Ave S, Fargo 701.356.7600 A locally owned gourmet coffee house serves up great coffee on Fargo’s south side. Enjoy espresso drinks, smoothies, gelato, pastries and other menu items. U _ B Cold Stone Creamery $ 4501 15th Ave. SW, Fargo 701. 365.8515 & 1617 32nd Ave S, Fargo 701.280.1900 Enjoy a different treat every day of the week. With so many flavors and toppings, you’ll be back for a different combination. Also, pick up a cake for your next special occasion. U _ Dakota Grill Rotisserie $ 13th Ave S, Fargo 701.235.3333 Stop by for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Be sure to try one of the award-winning popovers. U _ B Doolittles $$ 2112 25th St. S., Fargo 701.478.2200 If the aroma of the wood fire grill doesn’t draw you in, the menu, filled with dishes that include their rotisserie chicken base ingredient, will keep you coming back. In the evening enjoy the outdoor seating around the always burning fire pit. U _B Duane's House of Pizza $ 1629 University Dr S, Fargo 701. 232.8908 For nearly 50 years, Duane’s House of Pizza has been committed to preparing quality pizzas and chicken. It’s a definite pizza treat in the Fargo/Moorhead area.
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Dine in, pick up or have your order delivered. C _ Dunn Bros. Coffee $ 1895 45th St S. Fargo 701.893.9071 At this shop, all coffee beans are roasted fresh in the store and are sold within three days of roasting. The strict roasting standard ensures that you get the best cup of coffee possible. Pick up a cup or a pound of coffee beans to brew at home. U s Erbert and Gerbert's $ 3060 25th St S, Fargo 701.478.7827 Erbert and Gerbert’s is dedicated to fast, friendly service while delivering a meal that will make you smile. Stop in or call - delivery is available until 2 a.m. U _ Famous Dave's BBQ $ 2581 45th St. S, Fargo 701.282.8900 Don’t worry about making a mess - we’re all friends here. Stop in for some old-fashioned barbequed chicken and award-winning ribs. Save room for the large selection of side items, including corn bread, baked beans, corn on the cob and a long list of others. C U Cork 'N Cleaver $$ 3301 S University Dr Fargo 701. 237.6790 The concept is simple: Good beef, good booze and good friends, in an atmosphere that is as comfortable as home.
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Grazie's Pasta Company $$ 2000 44th St. S, Fargo 701.492.5151
This Fargo favorite features fresh, made from scratch Italian cuisine, including pasta, pizza and calzones. After a hearty portion, you won’t leave hungry. C U B Green Mill $ 3340 13th Ave S, Fargo 701.298. 8000 The Green Mill offers many options on its menu, but one of the most popular is its handmade pizza. You can watch your pizza being made and then enjoy each and every bite. C U _ Hu Hot $$ 1801 45th St S, Fargo 701.478.4688 The Hu Hot Mongolian Grill has a distinct atmosphere and exceptional meals. Combine flavors and create your own specialty with a variety of noodles, fresh veggies and sauces. C U J.T. Cigarro's $ 855 45th St SW, Fargo 701.277.0711 J.T.’s has a large humidor with a wide array of cigars imported from around the world. Browse the selection and enjoy a glass of brandy in this classic cigar bar. U s Jimmy John's $ 1801 45th St. S., Fargo 701.365. 0777 This gourmet sandwich spot has become America’s #1 sandwich delivery service. From its fresh bread and ingredients to its giant pickles and yummy cookies, your mom really does want you to eat here. C _
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Johnny Carino's Italian Grill $ 4410 17th Ave. SW, Fargo 701. 282.2922 Be adventurous and give your taste buds the unique flavors of a House Specialty or stick with the Classic Italian side of the menu. No matter what you pick, Johnny Carino’s will serve up mouth watering Italian food. Eat dessert first if you’re worried about saving room. U_B Kroll's Diner $ 1033 45th St SW, Fargo 701.492.2319 This fun 50s diner has great burgers, fries and shakes. It’s comfort food all around. The season doesn’t matter when it comes to Kroll’s Kneophla soup – it’s great year round. C U _ Leela Thai Cusine $$ 1450 South 25th St, Fargo 701. 235.5795 The first Thai restaurant in North Dakota has an extensive menu that includes soups, salads, house specialties. Check out the menu online at leelathaicuisine.com. C U Mexican Village $ 3155 45th St. S, Fargo 701. 293.0120 The whole family will love this inviting and cozy Mexican restaurant. Start with some Tortilla Cheese Soup, move on to a burrito and finish off the meal with some Fried Ice Cream! CU _ B Moe's Southwest Grill $ 2511 32nd Ave S, Fargo 701. 356.6637 Moe’s food has a Southwest flavor with a special appreciation for the form and function
of a tortilla. The fresh ingredients are prepared for your specific dish right in front of you. U _ Moxie Java $ 1617 32nd Ave. S., Fargo 701.241. 9001 Moxie Java has a warm and inviting atmosphere topped off with great coffee. Stop in for your morning caffeine kick or an afternoon pick me up, complete with a freshly baked snack. U _ Mr. G's $ 1150 43 ½ St. S, Fargo 701.893.9071 Check out one of Fargo’s contemporary nightlife hot spots! Meet some friends for drinks and then get your groove on – Mr. G’s has a happenin’ dance floor. C U s New York NY Fresh Deli $ 1801 45th St. S., Fargo 701.478.3354 This restaurant’s signature order comes off New York style hot subs section of the menu. Though the paninis, gourmet sandwiches, soups and salads may also catch your eye. _ Old Chicago $ 2551 45th St. SW, Fargo 701.356. 8277 Talk about variety. Old Chicago has pizza, calzones, sandwiches, burgers and a menu of other dishes. While you’re waiting for your order, check out the drink menu. Old Chicago has 110 brews, plus some fancy wine and cocktails. C U B Olive Garden $$ 2551 45th St. SW, Fargo 701.277. 1241 People crave the Olive Garden’s soup, salad and breadsticks. Don’t worry, there are plenty of
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other things to crave on this menu, from pasta selections like lasagna to amazing appetizers and pizza. If you’re starting to fill up, split a dessert or take it to go. Yum! U _B Paradiso $ 801 38th St S, Fargo 701.282.5747 This family friendly restaurant is perfect for a birthday gathering or a filling lunch or dinner. Don’t get carried away on the free chips and salsa! The meals are worth waiting for as well. C U B Passage to India $ 855 45th St S, Fargo 701.281.0277 Bringing variety to Fargo, Passage to India will remind you of your travels or open your mind to a new set of flavors. Enjoy traditional and vegetarian options while dining on Indian cuisine. U Pita Pit $ 4900 13th Ave S, Fargo 701.356.7482 The Pita Pit serves its own special light and tasty Lebanese-style pitas. Add meat and veggies or pick up a breakfast pita. This quick and healthy dining option is made even quicker by ordering online. Check out the menu and place your order at pitapitusa.com. U _ Qdoba Mexican Grill $$ 1801 45th St. SW, Fargo 701.478. 4545 Fast and casual Mexican food is prepared right in front of you. Build the perfect burrito, order of nachos and other Mexican favorites. U _ Red Lobster $$ 4215 13th Ave S, Fargo 701.282. 8983 Let your passion and taste for seafood lead you to Red Lobster. Enjoy popcorn shrimp at the restaurant group that invented it. Also indulge your taste for calamari, crab and other favorites of the sea. U B Ruby Tuedays $ 2535 23rd Ave S., W. Fargo 701. 232.2012 Sink your teeth into a perfectly prepared turkey burger at Ruby Tuesdays, or pair the Fresh Garden Bar with an order of soup. No matter what you’re craving, you’ll find something to satisfy your hunger on the Ruby Tuesdays menu. U _ B
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LeeLa Thai
LeeLa is the Plumeria flower and representative of the beauty and pleasing fragrance signature of Thailand. Like its namesake, LeeLa Thai offers striking atmosphere and sensory delight with exotic and novel ambience and fare in Fargo. A light lunch menu including the Rama Legend is a wonderful presentation of satisfying, smooth peanut sauce over broccoli and choice of meat or tofu. With handmade art and woodwork, the soft textures balance with white linens to make LeeLa Thai a special option for dinner as well. U
1450 25TH ST SW | FARGO, ND | 701.235.5795
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RESTAURANT / BAR LISTINGS presented by FMDINING.com Saffron $$ 3003 32nd Ave. SW, Fargo 701. 241.4200 Saffron takes pride in its authentic Indian cuisine and service. Take your appetite on a trip filled with flavor without leaving Fargo. C U Santa Lucia $$ 1109 38th St. S., Fargo 701.281. 8656 This isn’t just a restaurant - Santa Lucia offers more than 3 decades of authentic family recipes from the Mediterranean. The food and feeling of the space reflect both Greek and Italian styles. C U B Seasons at Rose Creek $$ 1500 Rose Creek Parkway E, Fargo 701.235.5000 This beautiful restaurant features breath-taking views of the golf course and beautiful sunsets. Check out the fullscale menu. Use Seasons as a venue for a special event, or a place to relax and unwind. C U B Silver Spoon $$$ 505 40th St. SW, Fargo 701.235. 5000 A warm and welcoming atmosphere gives way to a menu of variety. Enjoy sandwiches, steak, fish, pasta and many other dishes. Tucked away in South Fargo, it’s worth finding. C U B Space Aliens Grill & Bar $ 1840 45th St SW, Fargo 701.235. 5000 This place is out of this world – no, really, it is. While you’re dining on your American classic cuisine, you will have plenty of company in the form of aliens and space ships. Kids love it and so do adults – especially since there’s a full bar. U Sushi Time/Okelly's $$ 3800 Main Ave, Fargo 701.277. 1880 Combine your craving for sushi with a bar that has a great atmosphere and drinks. It’s one of the most unique combos in Fargo! U The Hub $$ 2525 9th Ave S, Fargo 701.232.6767 This is the area’s hottest nightlife attraction because you don’t get just one bar, you get several under one roof. Bar hop without worrying about the travel part. C U s The Winery $$ 1404 33rd St. S, Fargo 701.237.9463 This is a perfect, low-key spot to
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enjoy a glass of wine and an appetizer or an entrée. Check The Winery out online for availability and live music events: the-wineryfargo.com. U _ B s Up the Creek Grill $$ 2350 45th St S, Fargo 701.356.9494 The menu at Up the Creek is designed to be different but it’s also meant to appeal to every taste. Try the Ahi Tuna with Wasabi Plum Sauce or the Shrimp Trio. There’s plenty of time to try everything on the menu. C U West Acres Basies on 42nd St $ $ 1515 42nd St. SW, Fargo 701.281. 7105 You won’t find a place in Fargo that takes steaks more seriously than Basies. Don’t worry, they handle the serious stuff in the kitchen, when the food gets to you, it’s all about enjoyment. Join Basies for breakfast, lunch or dinner and catch live jazz on Thursday evenings. C U B s Big D's $ 1515 42nd St. SW, Fargo 701.293. 6369 Check out live music, the big game and great food and drinks at Big D’s. Stop by one of Fargo’s new nightlife hot spots. C U B s Buffalo Wild Wings $ 1501 42nd St. Southwest, Fargo 701.356.9464 Buffalo Wild Wings does many things well, but its top three are wings, beer and sports. Stop in for the big game or take food to go. U _
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Chili's Southwest Grill $ 4000 13th Ave SW, Fargo 701. 282.2669 Kick back for a great meal at Chili’s and pepper in some flavor with their anything but ordinary menu. From starters like the Triple Dipper to entrees like the famous Baby Backs and Sizzling Fajitas, Chili’s signature dishes should make your mouth water. U _ Gallery Restaurant & Café $$ 3803 13th Avenue S, Fargo 701.277.7328 Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in an elegant, yet relaxed, atmosphere. Also, stop in for the weekly lunch buffet.U B Granite City $$ 1636 42nd St. SW, Fargo 701.293. 3000 Granite City is a casual dining restaurant with an on-site brewery. A broad menu of items are prepared fresh daily and are served in generous portions. Handcrafted beers offer unique flavors that aren’t typically produced by major breweries. End your weekend right with Granite City’s fabulous Sunday brunch. C U B Grizzly's Grill 'N Saloon $ 3903 13 Ave S, Fargo 701.282.6262 Take a break from shopping at West Acres and take a quick trip to the Northwoods. Relax in a warm and cozy atmosphere with traditional American food. You'll love the Northwoods Platters, which include items like Yankee Pot Roast and Big Lodge Walleye. U
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RESTAURANT / BAR LISTINGS presented by FMDINING.com Moxie Java $ 3902 13th Ave S, Fargo 701.282. 4344 Take a break from Christmas shopping and stop at Moxie for a kick of caffeine. Many flavors and drinks are available. Great for an afternoon pick me up! U _ Spirit's Lounge & Casino $$ 3803 13th Ave S, Fargo 701.277. 7330 Spirit’s Lounge has it all: live music, sports, drinks and a casino. You can’t go wrong with this pick.
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TGI Friday's $$ 4100 13th Ave SW, Fargo 701.281. 3030 There’s something about knowing it’s Fr iday – it’s a feeling. We all love it. So forget about your boss for a while and start your weekend early. With classic American food and great drinks, at Friday’s – well, it’s always Friday. U _ The Palace Korean & Asian Cuisine $ 4228 15th Ave SW, Fargo 701.282. 8888 This place entered the Fargo scene to give people another great option for delicious Asian dishes and soothing teas. C U West Fargo Applebee's $ 4900 13th Ave S, West Fargo 701. 232.4100 Applebee’s is your friendly neighborhood eatery. Reasonably priced food is paired with refreshing beverages. U _ Divas and Rockstars $ 1410 9th St. E., Fargo 701.356.7464 Trade in your private concerts at
home (you know, the ones where you sing into a hairbrush while admiring yourself in the mirror) and show Fargo what a real diva – or rockstar –you really are. Karaoke Suites are available. This is Fargo’s first karaoke bar – help make it famous, you rockstar, you. C U s Hooligans $ 3330 Sheyenne St West Fargo 701.373.0770 It’s a bar with that biker feel, but everyone’s welcome. Hooligan’s has some of the best food, drinks and gaming in the city. It even has a private smoking and gaming room. See you there!
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O'Leary's Pub $ 715 13th Ave. E, West Fargo 701. 492.3456 This Irish inspired pub is a great place to watch the game or enjoy a drink and appetizer. Stay out and enjoy live music. U s Sandy's Donuts and Coffee Shop $ 1640 13th Ave E, West Fargo 701. 281.0430 It’s a metro area tradition. Have a meeting or want to impress people at work? Show up with Sandy’s donuts and they’ll love you forever. Stop by on Saturday morning with the whole family for coffee and a great breakfast. C _ Spitfire Bar & Grill $$ 1660 13th Ave E, West Fargo 701.478.8667 It’s fresh and made from scratch. The wood fire grill sets the stage and the signature at this place. Classics include barbequed
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chicken and slow smoked ribs. Now you’re hungry. U s Texas Roadhouse $ 4971 13th Ave S, West Fargo 701.282.8590 You know what they say about Texas – it’s big. So is the food at Texas Roadhouse - big flavor and hearty portions. Great steaks, killer ribs and ice-cold beer. All at a price that families can afford. That’s the mission. U Three Lyons Pub $ 715 13th Ave. E, West Fargo 701.492.3456 It’s new and it’s British. Complete with authentic British décor and food, they’ve got interactive pub games, 21 taps and much more. U s WF Maxwells $$$ 1380 9th St. E West Fargo 701. 277.9463 Maxwell’s offers a relaxed environment, adventurous cuisine and professional service with a personality. Superior food, drink and celebration are permanent features. And – they’ve got the region’s largest collection of wines and a diverse selection of beers. Interested? Check them out on the web at: wfmaxwells.com. U B
The Index FAMILY Applebee's Bennigan's Buffalo Wild Wings Chili's Southwest Grill Cold Stone Creamery Doolittles Duane's House of Pizza Dunn Bros. Coffee Famous Daves BBQ Golden Corral Granite City Green Mill Hu Hot Johnny Carino's King House Buffet Kroll's Diner Mexican Village Miguelito's Mexican Grill & Cantina Moe's Southwest Grill New York NY Fresh Deli North Town Grill Old Chicago Olive Garden Paridiso Panchero's Mexican Grill Passages Café Radisson Hotel Passages to India Red Lobster Ruby Tueday's Sammy's Pizza & Restaurant Saffron Space Aliens Grill & Bar Speak Easy Spitfire Bar & Grill Texas Roadhouse TGI Friday's Toscana Restaurant Up the Creek Fish Camp & Grill Xtreme Pizza Kitchen
Old Broadway Spirit's Lounge & Casino The Hub
LIVE MUSIC / DANCING Dunn Bros. Three Lyons Pub Basies on 42nd St Big D's Borrowed Buck's Road House Divas and Rockstars Fargo Cork 'N Cleaver Fort Noks Bar of Gold HoDo Restarant & Lounge Hooligan's Mr. G's
PRE-NIGHT STARTERS Applebee's Bennigan's Big D's Buffalo Wild Wings Chili's Southwest Grill Dakota Grill Rotisserie Dave's Southside Tap Doolittles Fort Noks Bar of Gold Granite City Green Mill Grizzly's Grill 'N Saloon HoDo Restaruant &
ON THE GO Applebee's Atomic Coffee Barbara's 1st and Deli Bertrosa's on Broadway Boppa's Bagels Buffalo Wild Wings Café Chocolat Café Muse at the Plains Art Museum Dunn Bros. Coffee Cold Stone Creamery Dakota Soda Erberts and Gerberts Jimmy John's Miguelito's Mexican Grill & Cantina Moe's Southwest Grill Moxie Java New York NY Fresh Deli Nichole's Fine Pastry Panchero's Mexican Grill Pita Pit Qdoba Mexican Grill Ristorante Isabella Sandy's Donuts and Coffee Shop LOCAL FARE Barbara's 1st and Deli HoDo Restaruant & Lounge Mosaic Foods Monte's Nichole's Fine Pastry Ristorante Isabella Sarellos Silver Moon Silver Spoon Spitfire Bar & Grill Toscana Restaurant
Lounge Hooligan's J.T. Cigarro Johnny Carino's Juano's Mexican Village Miguelito's Mexican Grill & Cantina Monte's Mr. G's O'Leary's Pub Old Broadway Old Chicago Olive Garden Paradiso Ruby Tueday's Space Aliens Grill & Bar Speak Easy Spitfire Bar & Grill Spirit's Lounge & Casino Sport's Bar Sushi Time/O'Kelly's Texas Roadhouse TGI Friday's The Hub The Turf The Winery Three Lyons Pub Usher's House & Monk's Pub WF Maxwell's LUNCH Applebee's Barbara's 1st and Deli Basies on 42nd St Bennigan's Bertrosa's on Broadway Boppa's Bagels Buffalo Wild Wings Café Chocolat Chili's Southwest Grill Dakota Grill Rotisserie Dave's Southside Tap Doolittles Dunn Bros. Coffee Erberts and Gerberts Famous Daves BBQ Fargo Cork 'N Cleaver Gallery Restaurant at The Holiday Inn Golden Corral Granite City Grazies Italian Grill Green Mill Grizzly's Grill 'N Saloon HoDo Restaurant & Lounge Hooligan's
Hu Hot Jimmy John's John Aleanxder's Food & Martini Bar Johnny Carino's Juano's King House Buffet Kroll's Diner LeeLa Thai Cusine Mexican Village Miguelito's Mexican Grill & Cantina Moe's Southwest Grill New York NY Fresh Deli Nichole's Fine Pastry North Town Grill Old Chicago Olive Garden Panchero's Mexican Grill Paridiso Passages Café - Radisson Hotel Passages to India Pita Pit Qdoba Mexican Grill Red Lobster Ristorante Isabella Ruby Tueday's Sammy's Pizza & Restaurant Saffron Season's at Rose Creek Silver Spoon Space Aliens Grill & Bar Speak Easy Texas Roadhouse TGI Friday's Thai Orchid The Palace Korean & Asian Cuisine The Turf Three Lyons Pub Toscana Restaurant Up the Creek Fish Camp & Grill Usher's House & Monk's Pub VIP Room Xtreme Pizza Kitchen SPORTS CROWD Applebee's Buffalo Wild Wings Dave's Southside Tap Hooligan's J.T. Cigaro's John Alexanders Food & Martini Bar O'Leary's Pub
Old Broadway Space Aliens Grill & Bar Spitfire Bar & Grill Spirit's Lounge & Casino Sport's Bar Sushi Time/Okelly's The Hub The Turf Three Lyons Pub FINE DINING Basies on 42nd St Café Mosaic Downtown Fargo Cork 'N Cleaver Gallery Restaurant at the Holiday Inn Grazies Italian Grill HoDo Restaurant & Lounge LeeLa Thai Cusine Monte's Nichole's Fine Pastry Passages Café Radisson Hotel Ristorante Isabella Saffron Sarellos Season's at Rose Creek Silver Moon Silver Spoon The Winery Toscana Restaurant Ushers House & Monk Pub VIP Room WF Maxwells LIGHT EATS Applebee's Atomic Coffee Barbara's 1st and Deli Basies on 42nd St Bennigan's Bertrosa's on Broadway Big D's Boppa's Bagels Buffalo Wild Wings Café Chocolat Café Muse at the Plains Art Museum Chili's Southwest Grill Cold Stone Creamery Dakota Grill Rotisserie Dakota Soda Dave's Southside Tap Doolittle's Dunn Bros. Coffee Erberts and Gerberts Famous Daves BBQ Fargo Cork 'N Cleaver
Gallery Restaurant at the Holiday Inn Granite City Grazie's Italian Grill Green Mill Grizzly's Grill 'N Saloon HoDo Restaurant & Lounge Hooligan's Hu Hot Jimmy John's John Alexander's Food & Martini Bar Johnny Carino's Juano's Kroll's Diner LeeLa Thai Cusine Mexican Village Miguelito's Mexican Grill & Cantina Monte's Moxie Java Mr. G's New York NY Fresh Deli Nichole's Fine Pastry North Town Grill O'Leary's Pub Old Broadway Old Chicago Olive Garden Panchero's Mexican Grill Paridiso Passages Café - Radisson Hotel Passages to India Red Lobster Ristorante Isabella Ruby Tueday's Saffron Santa Lucia Ristaurante Sarello's Seasons at Rose Creek Silver Spoon Space Aliens Grill & Bar Speak Easy Spitfire Bar & Grill Spirit's Lounge & Casino Texas Roadhouse TGI Friday's Thai Orchid The Palace Korean & Asian Cuisine The Hub The Turf The Winery Three Lyons Pub Toscana Restaurant VIP Room
These listings bear no relationship to advertising in OPEN Magazine. They are a selective guide to establishments recommended by OPEN Magazine. Visits are anonymous and all expenses are paid by OPEN Magazine. New restaurants are generally allowed six weeks to establish themselves before OPEN Magazine makes a first visit. OPEN picks are determined by food quality, menu selection, service, ambiance and value. The pricing indicator within OPEN Magazine’s restaurant listing takes into account what a typical patron might spend at the establishment. The editorial team takes into account time of day a patron is likely to visit, as well as style of restaurant to determine if a typical dining experience may consist of a simple salad or sandwich, to an evening dining event complete with appetizer, dinner, dessert and beverage service. PLEASE NOTE: Although some restaurants in the area are noted in the higher cost bracket, all restaurants have lower cost options available.
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continued from p.38
AGENT OF CHANGE OPENFEATURE
AGENT OF cHANGE
Like a Good NeiGhbor FarGo busiNessmaN Thomas JeFFersoN is aN aGeNT oF chaNGe. Thomas Jefferson lives his life according to a thought from african american poet nikki Giovanni: “in order to know where you’re going, you must know where you’ve been.” looking back on his life, Thomas, a state farm insurance agent and community leader, sees the perfection in his life history that has brought him to the place he finds himself today. he attributes the person he is to the influence of his 86-year-old mother louise “Weezy” Jefferson. “everything good about me i got from my mother,” he says. “if i sum my life up in terms of how to treat others and serve other people, that’s from her.” That attitude of service and what he calls “an open face” has made Thomas Jefferson a fixture in the fargo-moorhead community for 30 years.
by jodee bock photos by nathan coté Thomas Jefferson - Insurance agent
Thomas never did end up teaching – instead he went on to get his master’s degree in guidance and counseling and continued working for the Upward Bound program for 10 years, from 1979-1989. That’s when State Farm
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Insurance recruited him. “When companies look at you to sell insurance, they look for a person who can make friends and who has an inviting face. They also look for teachers who have a background talking and working with other people – who can convince people of the importance of certain things. Teachers do that when they tell you it’s important that you get this because it’s going to be on the test,” he says with a big laugh. “In my job as an agent, I help people manage risks, which is very similar to what I did as director of the Upward Bound program.” Thomas doesn’t see his transition from South Carolina to his 30 years in North Dakota as a major shift. In fact, he thinks everything he has experienced in his life has brought him to the place he is today. “I believe wherever I go in the world, I’m supposed to be there,” he says. “If you believe that, you will learn something from everyone you meet Every interaction is a 100 percent exchange, not 50-50. I learn as much about you as you do about me.“ “The universal prisoner creates his own bars,” he says, referring to the song Universal Prisoner by Les McCann. “You put yourself in prison. I’m open to the world. When you can do that, it’s so much easier to be a person that someone would want to come up and talk to. We may have grown up differently, but we have similar stories.” Thomas has seen a lot of changes in Fargo-Moorhead in the 30 years he has lived here. “I think the Fargo community is changing – and you as a white person may not see that,” he says. “It’s changing in Fargo – more African Americans are moving here, but also people from Sudan, Liberia, Somalia, Burundi are changing the picture. Some of those people marry people from North Dakota. My wife is white and I know black women married to North Dakota people. All of those gradual changes make Fargo become more cosmopolitan and are part of Fargo being a leader in the Midwest. Really, Fargo is a leading city of its size in terms of influencing where we go as a country. And how do we look as a world? There are things you can do as a woman or an
African American or any minority or any person – if you have something positive to contribute to move this city, people listen. I think we have some progressive thinking people in our community. “We have to nudge our leaders in the right way to really move this city,” he adds. “We need to get some of the businesspeople who are influential to understand that because of demographics we have to change our attitudes in terms of hiring people of other backgrounds. New Americans will play a crucial role in where we go and how we grow as a community. We are international. NDSU is critical in moving the needle. “I’m very impressed with Fargo and where we’re going as a city,” he says. “If I didn’t like it here, I would have left a long time ago.” Of course, Carrie, Thomas’ wife of 22 years, would have something to say about moving from her home community. Thomas and Carrie have one daughter, Elise, who is studying to be a cosmetologist at Salon Professional Academy in Fargo. Thomas also has one daughter, Tomlynne, from his first marriage, who is a stay-at-home mom in Maryland; and one daughter, Tascha, from his second marriage, who is a school psychologist in the Twin Cities. Carrie’s daughter Andrea is a computer programmer in the Twin Cities. Among Thomas’s activities and interests in the F-M community are International Rotary Club, Fargo Housing Commission, Air National Guard (retired), Freedom Community Credit Union Board (formerly Air National Guard Credit Union), Lake Agassiz Regional Council Board (treasurer), Centre Inc. Board, Jazz Arts Group Board, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and a member of Calvary at Village Green Church. He also enjoys golfing and spending time at the Leech Lake Yacht Club. Thomas is a firm believer that where he is today is a result of the four places he’s lived and the preparation each of those experiences has given him. He is not only an agent for insurance, but also considers himself an agent of change. “Anything that moves this community into the 21st, 22nd, 23rd century – that’s where I want to be,” said Thomas. “I want to be one of those players that helps us become a community that the
world looks like as a positive place to be. That’s me.” [OPEN]
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FEWER CARBS, MORE JULIE
continued from p. 68
OPENFEATURE
FOUNDATIONS
BUILDING FUTURE
by tracy briggs photos by john borge
OPENFEATURE
BUILDING FUTURE FOUNDATIONS
Fewer Carbs, More Julie
by stephen wilson photos by john borge
T
he elevator dings and opens on the second floor at MeritCare Broadway. A patient steps out and then strolls over to the reception desk to check in. The elevator doors close with a whoosh. Minutes later another ding: More patients exit. Then whoosh. This steady morning rhythm continues and the waiting room begins to feel more alive. Suddenly, the door to the stairwell bursts open and Dr. Julie Blehm appears. She immediately turns and darts down the hall to her office. It’s 8:15 a.m., but her day began precisely at 4:21. She was in the YMCA pool by 5:05, finished with her laps at 5:57, and at work by 6:50. Her first meeting of the week started 10 minutes later. When that finished,
she adjusted some scheduling, sought out another clinic doctor’s opinion, and then swung by the pharmacy. Given such an itinerary, it might seem that she fueled her morning by pouring an energy drink into a bowl of sugared cereal, but that is hardly the case. Fishing keys out of her white lab coat, she settles into her office. Her real breakfast, a half-eaten croissant sits on parchment paper spread above a swarm of paper and file folders. As she takes a bite, a medic-alert bracelet jingles on her wrist. While fast paced, Dr. Julie, as she likes to be called, is not harried, just on task. Necessarily so. She is the director of the Internal Medicine Resident Clinic and associate dean of the southeast
campus of the University of North Dakota Medical School. In part, these duties have her reading charts, observing appointments and confirming diagnoses of every medical resident in the program. But her days don’t stop there. In addition, she serves as president of the American Diabetes Association, sits on the board of directors at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota and helps with the Special Olympics (she has an adult daughter with special needs). Because of her active professional, civic and family life, Dr. Julie’s husband calls her the “bionic woman.” While this active life can amaze, she seems far from mechanical. That’s until she reveals an electronic
Dr. Julie Blehm
IF YOU WERE TO VISIT PAT TRAYNOR’S SOUTH FARGO HOME AROUND BEDTIME, YOU MIGHT JUST HEAR A CRASHING SOUND. “AS SOON AS MY HEAD HITS THE PILLOW, I’M OUT.”
N
ot surprising when you consider the 42-year-old foundation president and father of three runs about 80 miles an hour all day. “He’s constant. Full of energy,” says wife jamie. “We never go to the movies because he can’t sit still. The kids and i laugh because he’ll come home and ask us how our day was, then before we can answer he leaves the room and moves onto something else.” The perpetual motion is with him on the job too. “My work is never done. I could be here until 2 a.M. Every night. I just love it!”
“Here” is the fargo office of the dakota medical foundation where he has served as president since 2000. The foundation was created after the sale of dakota hospital in 1996 with an endowment of $118 million dollars. Since then, the foundation has stayed true to its healthcare roots by awarding about $33 million dollars in grants to 300 organizations seeking to improve health or access to healthcare with a special emphasis on children’s health issues. Traynor calls his job “extremely fulfilling” because he’s part of giving back to a community that’s given him so much.
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“From September until the end of the year I’d go out hunting with my dad, brothers and cousins – ducks, geese, grouse and pheasant. We just loved being outside together. Now I’m taking my boys.” Go no further than the back wall of his office to see symbols of the things that really matter to Pat Traynor: pictures of his kids, an award from UND, trinkets from DMF projects, an old family picture (with those brothers and sisters that picked on him) and even an antique decoy. But next to the decoy is something that makes this president and CEO step back into childhood: a stuffed wood duck he shot when he was 11 years old. “I was so proud of myself. You don’t find many wood ducks in North Dakota;” So they decided to freeze it to preserve it later. But Traynor says when time came to stuff it his dad claimed he had forgotten to put it in the freezer so it was ruined. “I was so angry,” he says. But the elder Traynor had something up his sleeve. The duck wasn’t wrecked. To surprise his youngest son, he had gone out and gotten it stuffed for him. “I loved it,” Traynor says. But as he holds the now 32-year-old duck you can tell it still bugs him a little that he was so angry with his dad. Rolling his eyes a little he says, “I was 11. He must have thought I was just a little brat.” Just a guess; but Dr. Mack Traynor probably wouldn’t be thinking that anymore. [OPEN]
We’d also be better off if we took the TVs out of every house and all the video games, but that’s probably not going to happen. Another thing is we should bring our kids up not to clean their plates if they’re not hungry. But what about the starving children? JB. I know about the starving kids in other countries, but you know what, by the time they get the potato that I left on the plate, it won’t be edible. I was raised in a family where we looked at food differently because of my dad’s diabetes. We didn’t overeat, and we were never expected to clean our plate. We need to teach people to let the food fill us. How would you implement these solutions? JB. If I had those answers, I would be retired, lying on a Caribbean island right now. Relaxing on a beach seems hard to imagine when 9 a.m. rolls around. In a flash, Dr. Julie is in the residents’ lounge where a few third-year residents sit at computers. As they start firing questions at her, Dr. Julie listens and answers while snagging a chair, logging on to a machine and grabbing a package of crackers. As she snacks, the bulk of day takes shape: patient appointments until noon, a medical seminar at lunch, and an orientation for new first-year residents in the afternoon. When a resident enters the lounge in need of Dr. Julie’s expertise, the “bionic woman” punches a few buttons on her insulin pump, grabs the patient’s chart and heads to the patient’s room. [OPEN]
BY DARCY SIMONSON AND SHEILA SORNSIN, THE GRATEFUL GODDESS
photo by abby tow of classic photography
G
rocery stores are bustling in preparation for a holiday season stuffed with opportunities to feast in the company of family and friends. Although the kitchen is full of delectable food designed to create a perfect holiday experience, sometimes family dynamics can cause us to leave the table with a sour taste in our mouths. Perhaps the reason this happens is due to the wide range of unsavory, and often sugar-coated ingredients, that are thrown into the family pot – ingredients such as sarcasm, bitterness, resentment, anger, jealousy, abandonment and
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blame, sprinkled with a dash of duty, obligation, stress, apathy and a fistful of finger pointing.
ways be. There are ways you can contribute to creating loving relationships and peace, if not on earth, at least around the dinner table:
1
Try to detach from what is happening around you, so that you can observe from a fresh perspective. Allow whatever is, to be. This may take a bit of discipline, but when you are able to remove yourself emotionally from a situation and observe it from a place of non-judgment, you will likely see the absurdity behind what has created the dynamic, and be able to find an opening for forgiveness, compassion, or empathy and from there be able to instigate change, if only in yourself. ) Oprah Goddess of Giving by Darcy Simonson
We may show up at our relative’s home with the agreed-upon dish, but what are we really bringing to the table? While the holidays offer an opportunity to extend gratitude, acknowledge others and recognize the rituals of our faith, they can also resurrect feelings from the list of unsavory ingredients above. Fortunately, not everyone suffers the effects of difficult family dynamics, but most us will admit that there are kin who rub us the wrong way, despite what we believe to be our best attempts to get along. It might be a passive-aggressive sibling whose stealth slams go undetected by everyone but the two of you; an embarrassing uncle with a knack for making your skin crawl; or a gossipy aunt who follows you around until you break down and contribute a word to her verbal cesspool. But just because that’s the way it’s always been, doesn’t mean that’s the way it must al-
2
To effect change, examine who you are. In the mirror you’ll find that finger you wag at others is pointing back at you. Think of the world as a giant mirror, with every situation, interaction and relationship reflecting how you think, behave and what you believe. Sometimes you’ll see incredible beauty, which you may acknowledge in others and unknowingly possess. Other times, it reflects what you deny within yourself and project onto others, which is then projected back to you through them. The reflection offers us an opportunity to recognize and shed what we don’t like in ourselves and expand what we do. For example, if you’re fed up with your competitive sister always trying to one-up you, examine in the mirror that she is holding up why that bothers you. Do you feel inadequate? Why? Is it really you who is competitive? What do you gain by playing the game? Do you hear
Artwork © Darcy Simonson
OPENCOLUMN
WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE?
your father’s distant voice whispering a perceived favoritism? When you look honestly into the mirror and root out the rot, you can cultivate relationships from the only truth, that of present-moment reality and release the distorted reality which you likely created in childhood.
3
How do you contribute to the family dynamics? Take responsibility for the role you have played in creating, aiding and abetting the challenging relationship. Then, accept the responsibility of creating change. Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” There is no better place to begin than at home. Release the resentments, anger, jealousies and memories that don’t serve your highest good in the relationship. That may be easier said than done, but it doesn’t negate the fact that if you want things to improve, and ultimately create a genuinely joyful relationship, you must take responsibility for having helped create the problem. Forgive yourself and others and move forward. Remember that forgiveness doesn’t mean condoning what has been done, but releasing the situation so as to
reclaim your power. From that point you can start feeling like a victor, rather than a victim, and take responsibility for the rest of your life. World leader and teacher in the New Thought–Ancient Wisdom tradition of spirituality, Michael Bernard Beckwith, reminds us that another way to look at forgiveness is to think of it as, “Thank you for giving me” this experience from which to grow. Gratitude is a tremendous healer, as when you acknowledge the experience as a learning opportunity, you can find the gift in it and release the pain.
4
Humor is extraordinarily helpful in dealing with funky family dynamics. You can’t control every situation or behavior that erupts around you, but you can change how you perceive and react to it. Comedian Jeff Foxworthy must love family gatherings – they are a well-spring of comedic material and none of it eludes him. Whether you’re laughing inside or outside, remember that someone is likely laughing at you, too. Don’t fret, join them! Being able to laugh at our fallibility is a kindness we should all afford ourselves; its gift is the
freedom to be who we really are. We can then extend that freedom to others, and when we accept their humanity and laugh at our own, even the sourkraut tastes a little sweeter. Recipe for Loving
Relationships:
(L)au ghter, with others an d at ourselves (O) bservation, without jud gment (V)ictor, thorou ghly coated in responsibility (E)xa mination of self, as ref lected by others Mix ingredients in the fam ily pot. Sprinkle with goo d hu mor, forgiveness, compas sion, and a little sugar. Do llop equ al amounts on each pla te. Eventua lly, everyone will at least sample what you off er.
Musings of Modern Goddesses reflects the observations and philosophies of Darcy Simonson and Sheila Sornsin, cocreators of The Grateful Goddess.
www.thegratefulgoddess.com
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Artwork © Darcy Simonson
OPENCOLUMN
EDD+TION:Find the Line “DON’T BLAME ME, I JUST WORK HERE!”
by edd goeger photo by john borge
H
ow many times have you heard that? While most say it in jest, there is almost always a hint of truth. Why is that? Why do we feel we need to move the responsibility to someone else? As a life coach, every time I start with a new client, I let it be known that I only work with people who operate above the line. What line you ask? I don’t have a specific name for it, but “above the line” is ownership, accountability and responsibility. Below the line is blame, excuse and denial. How many times have you worked with someone who is an expert for finding reasons why something is not getting done in their life? You know, “It’s not my fault I’m late, my car keeps breaking down.” Or “I can’t lose the weight I want because I don’t have time.” Others like to rely on the blame for their performance. They blame the city for not having the streets cleaned off, or the economy for holding down sales. Still others will blame their upbringing for the reason they are they way they are. Never quite seems to be what they did, but more so what someone else did. Both blame and excuse always rely on their brother denial. They deny they have a problem and then they deny they had anything to do with the problem, further more they deny they can do anything to fix the problem. From
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this point, some find themselves in a downward spiral of lies to colleagues and themselves, compounding problems and issues already facing them. This reminds me of a client who had been losing money in a business for the last 18 months. I said, “So you’re going broke?” The person replied, “No, we just haven’t had a profit.” Above the line with accountability, one holds themselves answerable to the results of their actions. Did I study thoroughly for the exam? Did I contact all my leads last month? You cannot be accountable without responsibility. The more you exhibit responsibility, the more others see you able to be trusted or depended on to handle larger tasks
and obligations. Combining accountability and responsibility, others will find you to have character, good judgment and sound thinking. Ultimately, you arrive at ownership of yourself and your actions. Ownership is made up, “own” and “ship,” meaning you own and command your ship. Whether it is in your professional life or private life, ownership is where everyone needs to strive to end up. While at times it seems to be a hard pill to swallow without the reward of instant gratification, it allows you to take possession of your life and character. Now it’s up to you – are you going to live your life above or below the line? [OPEN]
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