The Weekly

There is lots going on this weekend, and the weather looks promising, so head over here for some fun!

Bluff Country Studio Art Tour:
Travel scenic back roads to the studios of the area's
finest artists. PICK UP YOUR MAP AT THE
LANESBORO VISITOR CENTER!
April 29 – May 1
Bluff Country

Lanesboro United Methodist Church Rummage Sale:
Housewares, Books,
Childrens clothing and toys, furniture, the list is
endless.
April 29; 4 – 7 pm
April 30; 8 am - 12 pm
Lanesboro United Methodist Church
467-2646

2011 Earth Day Celebration -
Food Tasting &
Documentary, Earth Day Dinner & Speaker,
Activity Fair and Kids Crafts, Informational
Booths & Demos, Build your Own Rain Barrel,
Performances, Kids Treasure Hunt, Quest for
Local Loot, Sustainable House Tour.
PICK UP YOUR SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AT
THE LANESBORO VISITOR CENTER!
April 29 & 30
Lanesboro
• Eagle Bluff
• St. Mane Theatre
• Sylvan Park
• Lanesboro Local
• Commonweal Theatre
• Lanesboro Library

Lanesboro Farmers Market Opening Day
April 30; 9 am - Noon
Lanesboro
Sylvan Park

Artist Demonstration - Leisa Luis Grill:
Juried Sales Gallery Artist Demonstration:
Leisa Luis Grill will demonstrate acrylic
painting.
April 30; 1 – 4 pm
Lanesboro Art Center
467-2446

Artist Demonstration – Anna Loney:
Juried Sales Gallery Artist Demonstration: Anna
Loney will demonstrate forged silver jewelry.
May 1; 1 – 3 pm
Lanesboro Art Center
467-2446

A Red Wing you've never known:
The Victorian House of Lanesboro brings author
Marcy Doyle to entertain and to sign: "A Face
of Red Wing, MN from my perspective". Nearly
200 years of history, culture, architecture and
industry. Reservations suggested.
May 2 ; 1 & 7 pm
May 3; 1 pm
Victorian House B&B
467-3457

Commonweal Theatre:
AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE Newly
discovered health springs offer prosperity to a
struggling town, until a local doctor realizes the
waters are dangerously polluted. How far will a
community go to turn a blind eye when the
truth will bring about their personal ruin.
April; 28,29,30
May 5; 7:30 pm
May 1; 1:30 pm
Commonweal Theatre
467-2525
$30

Biking Package Deals-- check them out!

Surprise your significant other with a fun-filled bike trip in the Lanesboro area! These three-night packages are available during weekdays, and allow plenty of time for relaxing as well as exploring and enjoying the area. Call our office at 507-467-2674 or email me at staff@coffeestreetinn.com for more details! I would love to help you set up your perfect package for a very memorable getaway!

Cycle and Stay: Package Deals for the Bicycle Enthusiast!
Stay a night with us, a night at the location of your choice, then ride back for
one more night at Coffee Street Inn

Rushford Trip (18 miles each way) includes:
Hotel fare for three nights (middle night at Windswept Inn)
Two dining vouchers for the Creamery in Rushford and Riverside on the Root in Lanesboro ($60)
Voucher for bowling in Rushford ($15)
An activity voucher for Potiche Pottery or to put towards a massage in Lanesboro ($25)
Total Cost= $320

Harmony Trip (23 miles each way) includes:
Hotel fare for three nights (middle night at Country Lodge Inn)
Voucher for an Amish tour for two through Amish Tours of Harmony ($50)
One dining voucher for the Sweet Stop and Sandwich Shoppe in Preston ($20)
An activity voucher for Potiche Pottery or to put towards a massage in Lanesboro ($25)
Total Cost= $350

Houston Trip (31 miles each way) includes:
Hotel fare for three nights (middle night at the Saw Mill Inn)
Voucher for mini-golf or pie in Whalan ($10)
Voucher for bowling in Rushford ($15)
Two dining vouchers for Cross Roads Cafe in Houston and
Riverside on the Root in Lanesboro ($50)
Total Cost= $320

The Weekly

Not a whole lot going on this weekend, but the food served on Easter Sunday is bound to be great! These menus have my mouth watering... (I love scalloped potatoes!) Turns out I'm hosting Easter dinner this Sunday... any tips?

Easter Sunday:

Chat-n-Chew - Chat-n-Chew Easter Sunday
Brunch Special: ham, scalloped potatoes, corn,
fresh buns, dessert.
10 am – noon
$7.99

Old Barn Resort – Easter Buffet: Soup &
Tossed Salad, Honey Glazed Ham, Sirloin Steak,
Stuffed Pork Loin, Fresh Vegetables, Potatoe
Salad, Rice, Bread / Rolls, Desserts. Everything
made from scratch. Make reservations for any
size party.
10:30 am – 2 pm
$9.95 Adults/
$5.95 Child 5- 12 yrs+/
$1 per yr under 5

Riverside on the Root - Choice of Ham, Lamb,
or Prime Rib. Dinner includes Carrot Cake.
11:30 am – 5 pm

At the Commonweal

Commonweal Theatre: An Enemy of the
People - AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE Newly
discovered health springs offer prosperity to a
struggling town, until a local doctor realizes the
waters are dangerously polluted. How far will a
community go to turn a blind eye when the
truth will bring about their personal ruin.
April 21, 22, 23, 28; 7:30 pm
Commonweal Theatre
467-2525
$30

The Weekly-- and Ibsen Fest!

Lanesboro Grocery Store Informational Meetings:
Hear more about the project. Learn
how to be a part of it. Come and listen. Open to ALL!
April 14; 2 & 7 pm
Lanesboro Community Center
467-2278

Artist Painting: Open Studio -
Lanesboro Arts Center's Artist in Residence Wendy Rouse
will be painting the "Lanesboro Still Life", using
objects lent by local community members to
represent Lanesboro. Open studio! FREE. Just
come in and watch her paint.
April 14; 5 – 7 pm
St. Mane Theatre:
Upstairs Studio
467-2446

Poet, Todd Boss:
Boss's debut poetry
collection, Yellowrocket, enjoyed widespread
critical and popular acclaim. Todd's poems have
been syndicated on NPR and in Ted Kooser's
American Life in Poetry column. To celebrate
National Poetry Month and the release of the
2011 Poetic Strokes Anthology, SELCO has
organized a "Poets at the Library" tour. This
project was funded in part or in whole with money
from Minnesota's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
April 14; 7 pm
Lanesboro Public Library

Troubled Waters:
Followed by a discussion
about the controversy at the University of
Minnesota over the showing of the film, led by
Loni Kemp.
Troubled Waters is a new documentary about the
Mississippi River, by the Emmy Award-winning
team that created Minnesota: A History of the
Land. Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story
traces the development of America's bountiful
agricultural heartland and its effect on the
legendary river. Through beautiful photography
and inspiring narrative, the film offers solutions to
the river's troubles through fresh ideas and
concrete solutions. The Root River watershed is
a part of this story.

The University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum of
Natural History produced the film over nearly four
years, telling the story of agriculture, pollution
and farming solutions to clean up the great river.
Learn about the turmoil caused at the University
of Minnesota when the film's scheduled premiere
and broadcast on Twin Cities Public Television
were abruptly cancelled and later reinstated.
April 15; 7:30 pm
St. Mane Theatre
875-2571
Free Will Donation

Artist Demonstration:
Fiber arts by Debra
Gangelhoff: Fibert artist Debra Gangelhoff
will demonstrate techniques of felting, applique
and stitchery in the gallery. In conjunction with
the Commonweal Theatre Company's Ibsen
Festival.
April 16; 1 – 4 pm
Lanesboro Arts Center
467-2446

Spring Luncheon & Bake Sale:
Hot Beef on a bun, BBQ on a Bun, Potato Salad, Baked Beans,
Rommegrat Sweet Soup, Choice of Pie or
Dessert, coffee, milk
April 16; 11am – 1pm
Sons of Norway Lodge

Pick up the schedule of events for Ibsen Fest at the
Commonweal Theatre or the Lanesboro Visitor Center

Commonweal Theatre:
An Enemy of the People - Newly
discovered health springs offer prosperity to a
struggling town, until a local doctor realizes the
waters are dangerously polluted. How far will a
community go to turn a blind eye when the
truth will bring about their personal ruin.
(Preview)
April 14, 15
7:30 pm

April 16, 21
7:30 pm

April 17
1:30 pm
Commonweal Theatre
467-2525
$20 preview
$30 show

Innkeeper tasks

Winter overstayed its welcome this year, and that causes a lot more trouble for Innkeepers than it does for anyone else! Once spring comes, there is a huge push to have gardens and lawns looking perfect, and every bit of paint needs to be touched up. Items needs dusting and power washing, and we also have regular spring cleaning to do (see previous cleaning post). Anyway, my week began with a looooong task list. Yesterday, here is what Matt and I did...

Started at 8:00a.m. with some cleaning of the house and Inn office and checking emails with the owner.
Moved to the outdoor shed which needs to be primed and painted.
3 hours spent covering two sides of the shed before running out of primer.
Started to stain the fence in back, ran out of stain.
Helped Matt finish cleaning the garage which he had already been working o for 4 hours (he did a GREAT job!)
Around 2:00p.m., realized we were hungry.
Drove to Rushford to get more primer, a paintbrush, pads to fix a table, and pizza to go.
Matt went to a Kwik Trip meeting while I primed the rest of the shed.
We laid grass seed over almost the entire lawn, since burns from last year are still visible. This required the digging up of the lawn by hand in order to loosen the dirt.
Tried to fix a few burnt-out light, but ran out of light bulbs.
Cleaned out the shed.
Picked up the lawn and gardens area.
Put in patio umbrellas.
Touched up paint in 2 rooms.
Cleaned the Inn grill.

As you can see from the picture, I got really dirty working yesterday! The primer and fence stain won't come off... tips, anyone?

The Month in Review-- February and March

Comments from our guests! It's been a long winter, but people are finally starting to come to town for biking, walking, antiquing, and other fun hobbies. You should too! Remember to leave comments on our TripAdvisor account after you leave!

"In town on a beautiful weekend for a wedding. 40 degrees the day we left town! We loved our short stay here at Coffee Street Inn. Can't wait to come back this summer for a longer stay!" --A couple from Monticello, MN in our Double Espresso room, 2/13/11

"We enjoyed the coyotes yipping on the bluffs...made me realize we are so close to nature here in Lanesboro." --Friends visiting from Rochester, MN in our Double Espresso room, March

"Well, we had hoped for a bit of 'spring' during our spring break getaway, but if e had to have rain and snow this was a nice cozy place to watch it from! This visit has whet our appetite for another trip to this beautiful bluff country, thanks!" -- A couple from Minneapolis in our Mini-Cappuccino Suite, 3/15/11

"Nice new touches added to the Coffee Street Inn! Keep up the good work; it is appreciated!" --A couple in our Latte room, March

Still just a few notes for me... but I love receiving them and hope to share more of them soon! I am excited to move into the summer season... it's going to be busy, but we have made a lot of changes over the winter and it will be great to get comments! New carpet, new paint, and some tiling definitely kept me busy. Now, it's time for dusting, washing, mattress-flipping and finally-- gardening!! Just some of my many tasks for today...

Don't forget Ibsen Fest this weekend! We still have rooms available, so come on out to enjoy the great weather and great theatre!

The Weekly

Beautiful weather today! I'll probably walk the dog twice, rollerblade, and run all my errands on foot. You should come visit! Plus, there are all these fun activities...

"Over the Back Fence" Community Variety Show:
Enjoy a Community Variety Show at
the St. Mane Theatre! This month's "Over the
Back Fence" theme is 'Vegetable, Animal,
Mineral,' with local talent, musical guests,
sponsor interviews, and more. Pre-show music
and ticket sales begin at 7:00 pm. Show
broadcast on KFIL radio 103.1fm on Sunday
nine days after the live show.
April 8; 7:30 – 9 pm
St. Mane Theatre
467-2446
$5

Fashions in Bloom Ladies Day
Fashions in Bloom: Mini-Sessions, Style
Show, Luncheon and Drawings
Sample some tasty local food items. Stop by
Lanesboro Local’s booth at the fashion
show. Register for our local gift basket
give-away and learn about the expanding
local food selection in our Marketplace.
April 9; 10 am
Commonweal Theatre
467-4466
$20

Artist Painting: Open Studio -
Lanesboro Arts Center's Artist in Residence Wendy Rouse
will be painting the "Lanesboro Still Life", using
objects lent by local community members to
represent Lanesboro. Open studio! FREE. Just
come in and watch her paint.
April 9; 10 am – 12 pm
April 14; 5 – 7 pm
St. Mane Theatre:
Upstairs Studio
467-2446

Eagle Bluff: Discover Geocaching -
On your mark, get set, geocache! Learning the basic
concepts behind GPS technology and how a
receiver works is just the beginning.
Participants will use a GPS receiver to
navigate through the woods in search of
hidden caches. All equipment is provided.
Ages 10 and up Class is also being offered on
October 15th
April 9; 3 – 5 pm Eagle Bluff
Environmental Learning Center
467-2437
$10

Art Reception: Fantasy Photography -
Lanesboro Arts Center presents an exhibit of
Fantasy Photography: "Photo Impressionisme
dans un monde numerique" with photography
by Ron Germundson, Jamie Heiden, Michael
Regnier.
April 9; 6 – 8 pm
Lanesboro Art Center
467-2446

Lanesboro Grocery Store Informational Meetings:
Hear more about the project. Learn
how to be a part of it. Come and listen. Open to
ALL!
April 14; 2 & 7 pm
Lanesboro Community Center
467-2278

Commonweal Theatre: An Enemy of the People (Preview) -
Newly discovered health springs offer
prosperity to a struggling town, until a local
doctor realizes the waters are dangerously
polluted. How far will a community go to turn a
blind eye when the truth will bring about their
personal ruin.
April 14; 7:30 pm
Commonweal Theatre
467-2525
$20

Healthy Food #1

So, if you read a few posts ago, you would know that I mentioned a bunch of foods suggested by Mayo Clinic that we should be eating. As such, Matt and I went out and bought a few strange new fruits and vegetables (eggplant, artichokes, spinach, and a cantaloupe--ok, that one's not so strange) and we are dedicated to making them taste good! And finding out how to actually use them...

Anyway, this is the first of several posts I will be making that will include these "healthy foods" in recipes. Upon getting home from the grocery store, Matt proceeded to attempt preparation of the artichokes for a sort of dip. They are very complicated! The best way to prepare them, which we may have the hang of after 2 tries, is to follow these directions:

1. Cut about one inch off of the top, "leafy" part of the artichoke.
2. Starting at the base of the artichoke, peel all outer leaves off of it
3. Cut one inch off of the stem
4. Cut all remaining leaf pieces/green part off of the base
5. Quarter the stem/heart piece you have left
6. rub edges with lemon if you are concerned about browning

After doing this, we put the stem and heart pieces of two artichokes into a food processor along with two avacodos. Add some hot sauce, salt and pepper, and lemon juice, and you have a great artichoke guacamole!

More recipes to come...I recently made a potato/leek soup that turned out great!