November 2014

Things that impact a home’s value are a bit of a mystery to those not employed in the real estate or finance industries. Sure, some of them are obvious, such as a location within a strong school district.

 Others, though, aren’t quite so obvious. Let’s take a look at some positive and negative events and conditions that can impact your home’s value.

 The Economy

 It took the confluence of several events to create the perfect storm in the real estate market when the bubble burst. When all was said and done, homeowners in the U.S. lost over half the equity in their homes.

 There really is no way to protect your equity if another bubble comes along. Thankfully, there’s no sign of one on the horizon.

 Underwater Homeowners

 Speaking of the

St. Paul has some great specialty shops in town. You can find items like antiques, souvenirs, specialty foods, collectible cigars and more. They are the things you won’t find in your big chain stores and are more unique in their quality or function.  Here are the best specialty shops around St. Paul for food, collectibles and more.

Fein Stringed Instruments - 1850 Grand Avenue

Looking for specialty stringed instruments? Owner Andrew Fein has been making and finishing instruments for 30 years. You’ll find handmade violins, violas and cellos here that are beautifully created with partner shops in Germany and Italy. They’ve seen clients like Reba McEntire and the Minnesota Orchestra.

Bibelot on Grand - 1082 Grand Avenue

Bibelot is the place

Shopping can be a chore at the best of times, but the broad range of specialty shops in St. Paul, MN make shopping a far simpler and more enjoyable experience. It doesn't matter whether or not you're looking for quirky gift for a friend, or something unique for that somebody special in your life, you'll find one of the following specialty stores can help.

Northern Brewer

Craft beers have become incredibly popular over the last few years, with more beer drinkers straying from draft beers to the realms of bottled beers instead. If you want to take beer drinking to the next level though you could always consider brewing your own beer.

The staff at Northern Brewer are always more than happy to help you get started on the path to becoming a home

 I guess that depends on who you ask. The St. Paul Police Foundation and the National Electrical  Contractors Association (NECA) think that this week is ideal for holiday light shows and vow to prove it  with the annual Holiday Lights in the Park spectacle.

 Best of all, when you attend, you’re helping to raise funds to help meet the needs of kids and adults right  here in the Twin Cities. All of the net proceeds from the light show and the concert (we’ll get to that in a  minute) will go to the Saint Paul Police Foundation, the Union Gospel Mission and the Saint Paul Parks  Conservancy.

 What is it and What will we see?

 If you’re new to St. Paul, Holiday Lights in the Park is a celebration of the holiday season via 60 light  displays that you

The Wabasha Street Caves has managed to preserve the mine trails that were used for alcohol distribution during prohibition.  You can experience the notorious gangster past during your visit or party.

Today, the Wabasha Street Caves is a popular event venue.

Things you can do at the Street Caves

There is 12,000 square feet of space to hold the most unique gatherings in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Conventions

After all of the work is done, take advantage of the unique setting.  You can stage a murder mystery, have a private dinner, view a play, enjoy a casino night or dance.

Banquets

Full beverage service and the finest catering in the area are available for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner.

Murder Mysteries

“Tommy Gun Trouble” is a murder

With so many restaurants and food choices it can be tough to decide where to go for brunch near St. Paul. Finding the right place doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are some of the top choices for Brunch throughout the area.

128 Café

128 Café features New American food produced by talented, young and creative staff members.  Based on the season, the menu will change to fit the availability of the freshest foods. You'll find this Merriam Park staple at 128 Cleveland Ave. N. 

St. Paul Grill

Ambiance and view are served up with traditional American food.  The brunch menu includes both breakfast and lunch classics, from steak and eggs to a bacon-cheddar burger. You'll find the award-winning St. Paul Grill downtown at 350 Market St. 

M ST. Café

A bountiful brunch

Capable of accommodating more than 20,000 guest the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN is one of the finest arenas in the world. Playing host to hundreds of sporting and entertainment events each year, the Xcel Center sees roughly 1,700,000 visitors pass through its doors annually. Situated on the old Saint Paul Civic Arena site, this modern arena first opened in September 2000.

What to See

The arena plays host to over 150 different sports and entertainment events each year and the current calendar includes something for every member of your family to enjoy, such as:

• Live music by artists like Motley Crue, Fleetwood Mac and Usher
• Ice hockey mania with the St. Paul Wilds vs. all comers
• Kids fun from the Disney on Ice team
• Western

 Despite the thousands of recipes available, cooking a Thanksgiving turkey doesn’t require a degree is physics. It is, in fact, one of    the easiest pieces of meat to cook.

  No recipe is fail-safe, but we’ve found that this one comes close.

  TIP: Ensure the oven is clean before roasting the bird.

 Special Equipment Required: You’ll need a pair of needlenose pliers, kitchen twine, a metal skewer, a flat roasting rack, an      instant-read thermometer and oven mitts.

Ingredients

1 (14- to 16-lb) turkey, neck and giblets (excluding liver) reserved

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh black pepper

Room-temperature stuffing

Water or broth

Non-stick cooking spray

Preparation

Use the pliers to pluck any stray

St. Paul, Minnesota is a city full of activities both indoor and outdoor. It can be hard to know where to being for newcomers to the city. For those that have lived here long, you may not have known about some of these great things to do around town. Next time you are looking for a great activity or attraction in St. Paul, try one of these top attractions.

Minnesota History Center

The Minnesota History Center is the place to go to learn more about the state. They have exhibits showing Minnesota’s history including an exhibit on native rock singer Prince. Enjoy a tour, classes or presentations for the whole family.

Rice Park

Downtown St. Paul’s features Rice Park, home of artistic, theatrical and musical festivities during the year. It’s

“Now Serving: Dignity, Self-Reliance and Courage” isn’t just a slogan at the Daily Diner in Frogtown – it’s their mission. It may have something to do with the fact that the St. Paul’s Union Gospel Mission is the eatery’s parent company. Or, it may just have to do with the fact that they’re some genuinely nice people here.

In the Mission’s efforts to help their clients transition “from dependency to self-sufficiency” they learned they needed to provide vocational training, which is where the diner comes into play.

That program is called Our Daily Bread and it provides real-world job skills and experience through a 12-week training course. Attendees learn every aspect of the restaurant business, from prepping to cooking to serving.

A $1.96