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With the end of summer drawing near and school just around the corner, a Minnesota State Fair trip is on many people’s minds right now.  The Minnesota State Fair is in it’s last weekend, so if you haven’t gone, you have until Monday!

The fair offers a variety of things to do and many are free, but the one attraction that gets everyone, is the food!

When you go, you must try the Fudge Puppies, which are chocolate covered Belgian waffles on a stick, then topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.  An old favorite, are the Luigi Fries; these fries are bread sticks covered with Italian red sauce with traditional pizza toppings.  Don’t forget to buy a refreshing beverage to wash everything down -- a freshly-squeezed lemonade perhaps?                                                                                                                              

If you enjoy rides and games, head to the Mighty Midway.  If you go Monday, September 6, all rides are reduced one ticket!  The Mighty Midway has 9 new rides this year:  Avalanche, Hard Rock, Magic Maze Glass House, Magnum, Rock-It and Windstorm.  Wind Storm is an amusement park-size roller coaster with a 30-foot drop that has sharp twists and turns that may make your stomach do a flip.

If your on a time crunch, definitely try to plan ahead on what to see/do/eat; it can get overwhelming with the large crowds.  Parking at the fair can get crowded, and expensive.  Check out the shuttles where you can park and ride for FREE!

Check out my fair fun and suggestions in this video:

So, rally up your friends and family (a little cash too) and head to the Minnesota State Fair!

Minnesota State Fair

1265 Snelling Avenue North

Saint Paul, MN 55108

Cost:  Adults, $11; Seniors, $9; Kids $8; under 5, FREE

Hours:  6am -- midnight, but some building do open later and close earlier, so check that out here

Have you visited The Dead Sea Scrolls at the Science Museum yet?  After exploring the Big Back Yard a few weeks ago, it was time to check out The Dead Sea Scrolls that everyone has been talking about, along with the other cool exhibits at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

For the Twitter enthusiasts, we thought it would be fun to tweet our way through the Dead Sea Scrolls and various other Science Museum exhibits.  It was a great way to learn about The Dead Sea Scrolls and a great way for others who have not enjoyed the exhibit to get a preview.

The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit is here through October 24, which contains a priceless collection of 2,000 year-old documents that contain original text from the Bible as well as  writing of laws and society of Jewish culture.  Right now, the Science Museum has the last set of scroll fragments on display.  These scrolls are:  Genesis, Leviticus, Apocryphal Psalms, Enoch, and Community Rule.

After almost two hours of enhancing our knowledge about Judaism and Christianity, The Dead Sea Scrolls (biblical and non-biblical), Qumran, and Archeology, we had limited time to go through the many other educational exhibits at the Science Museum. Although, we did wander through a few interesting exhibits.

At the Collections Gallery, we listened to a man speak about the Egyptian Mummy, how it was brought to Saint Paul and what scientists went through to learn about the Mummy.  We also discovered the Object of the Month a the Science Buzz kiosk – Volcanic Ash!

Being intrigued, we moved on to the Experiment Gallery, where you can learn about the science behind light, and the Human Body Gallery, where you can observe real body parts and learn why your body works the way it does.

Suggestion:  get your money’s worth and plan on staying at the museum for the whole day.  You will learn a lot and have fun doing it!

Tickets cost $28 for adults to enter the Science Museum and The Dead Sea Scroll exhibits and $22 for children.  Want to take it all in?  Include the Omnitheater for only $6 more.

Are you a student?  On a budget perhaps?  Every Thursday after 5 pm, through October 21, the Science Museum of Minnesota is offering discounted tickets for high school and college students, called Student ID-ology.  Simply present your school ID at the box office and you will be able to pick from a combination of exhibits to tour.

Science Museum of Minnesota

120 West Kellogg Blvd.

Saint Paul, MN 55102

(651) 221-9444

Hours:  9:30 am – 9:30 pm, Sunday through Saturday

Summer is sadly coming to an end, but just as fast as the leaves on the trees are changing, so are the styles!  At Rosedale Center, there are over 160 stores with a plethora of new styles to fit the season.  On Saturday, the651.com visited Fashion Bash 2010 at Rosedale Center.  Attendees were able to view the hottest men’s and women’s apparel trends for the fall back-to-school season.  Models displayed looks from Macy’s, JCPenney, Herberger’s along with specialty retailers such as aerie and Vanity.

At Aerie, a sister store of American Eagle, they carry active wear, apparel and lingerie.  Aerie is offering many cool deals for those back-to-school shoppers; they have 7 for $25 underwear, buy 2 bras and get 25% off your purchase, and more!  Searching for a cheaper fix?  Check out Vanity where you can buy new fall fashions for cheap!  All jeggings, jeans, accessories, select tops, jewelry, and footwear are buy one get one 50% off!  With deals like this, you can’t go wrong with back-to-school style.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but going back-t0-school for some, is in a matter of days!  We all need schools supplies, and we don’t want them to be boring…or expensive.  Let’s face it, we want to our school necessities such as notebooks, binders, and pens to be stylish.  To check off the list for less, Target offers some super cheep cool school items, such as patterned folders for $1.99, and Bic Ballpoint pens for .$99.

So, keep in mind when you head off to tackle your back-to-school shopping, don’t fall for paying full price, deals are all over!

Watch Hannah, our Teen Scene writer, guide us through Fashion Bash 2010 at Rosedale Center and show us some of the hottest trends and deals for the fall season!

This summer, take a trip to the Science Museum and check out the Big Back Yard!  Behind the museum, you’ll find the Science Museum’s own beautiful Big Back Yard, steps away from the Mississippi River!  The back yard features EarthScapes mini-golf; a 9 hole course with information about the Mississippi River dynamics at each par.  Also, there are activities where you can sift for gems, a prairie maze, or go into the Camera Obscura (Latin for “dark room”) room, where you can see the Back Yard upside down with a special camera!  The Big Back Yard is adorned with beautiful native and non-native plants/flowers along with fruit bearing trees.  A  The landscaping is beyond any other mini-golf course you will find in the Twin Cities. 

For mini-golf, it’s $4.50 for adults and $3.00 for kids.  To check out the Big Back Yard, you have to purchase a ticket to the Science Museum, so plan on spending the whole day there!  Cousins coming to town?  Take the whole family to the Science Museum where tickets run $17.00 for adults (including the Omnitheater show) or $14.50 for kids.  For museum admission only, it costs $11.00 for adults and $8.50 for children.  Your Best option – spend the whole day there and do everything!

The Big Back Yard is open from 10 am until dusk.  If you just want to play golf and not go to the museum, go to The Big Back Yard after 5 pm for $5.00!

Hannah, our Teen Scene writer, is doing a LIVE Tweet Chat at the Science Museum on August 18th @10:30 am.  Please follow us (use #teenscene) & chat with Hannah as we tour through various Science Museum exhibits such as their Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit.

Follow us here, @the651

REMEMBER – Wednesday nights are Dead Sea Scroll Family Nights!  Bring your family in after 5 pm to the Science Museum and you’ll receive one FREE child (12 and under) admission with each full-price ticket.

See you there!

Saint Paul is full of secret gems tucked away in quaint neighborhoods.  Hmongtown Marketplace is one of them!  This indoor-outdoor, year round marketplace is located at 217 Como Avenue.  Opened in 2004, it features more than 200 indoor and outdoor vendors selling books, movies, clothing and exotic foods.  This former lumberyard is more than a place for Hmong Americans to shop, it’s a lifestyle, and a thriving and vital venue for Hmong Americans to form a community.

Upon entering the marketplace, you notice bright colored traditional dresses, exotic Hmong music floating through the air, and the smells of traditional Hmong cooking.  Don’t show up expecting any ordinary farmers market, you will find toys, trinkets, makeup, antiques and jewelry alongside the traditional Hmong foods.  You could try an authentic bubble tea, boiled meat soup, papaya salad or purchase a cooked chicken marinated in traditional Thai sauces.

Not sure yet?  Even if you are slightly curious, you have to go just to experience the sights, sounds and tastes of  a traditional marketplace in Southeast Asia.

Hmongtown Marketplace

217 Como Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55103

Phone:  (651) 487-3700

Hours:  8 am – 8 pm, Monday through Sunday

For more information, visit www.hmongtownmarketplace.com

Always wanted to learn the samba or tango?  Now is your chance!  Take a trip to downtown Saint Paul for some free dance lessons and a good time!

This free Summer Dance program is a weekly social event highlighting a different dance  every week on Thursdays through August 12.  Basic lessons are taught by professional dance companies and there is a live band to accompany you as you sway to the beat!  What could be better than dancing under the stars on a hot summer night in the heart of downtown Saint Paul.  Beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks are available for purchase, as well as food from restaurants such as Pazzaluna and the Saint Paul Hotel.  At 6 pm, the dance demos and lessons start, then, from 7:30 pm – 10 pm, there is live music from all different genres.

The Ordway Summer Dance teamed up with the Saint Paul Public Library to host a dance-themed movie every Friday night at 9:30 pm in the Central Library courtyard.

Get a group of friends together for a night of fun and creativity – don’t forget your dancing shoes!

Upcoming dance demos:

August 5th – Ballroom

6:00 pm – Dance instruction with Cinema Ballroom

7:30 pm – live music from Jerry O’Hagan Orchestra

August 12 – Reggae/Worldbeat

6:00 pm – Dance instruction with Kenna Sarge

7:30 pm – Live music by The New Primitives

Upcoming movies at 9:30 pm:

August 6 – “Mad Hot Ballroom”

August 13 – “Sabar”

For more information, go to www.ordway.org/summerdance

Central Library

Did you know there are fourteen public libraries in the Saint Paul area?  At these libraries, you not only can check out some of the hottest books, but there are many more activities that are teen-oriented if you want to escape the heat!

A recent visit to the Sun Ray Library revealed a plethora of activities geared towards teens.  Many teens look at the library as a place to study where your average talking voice will not be tolerated.  Oh, but the library offer so much more, especially when summer boredom hits! There are plenty of books targeted for a teen audience such as the Twilight series or L.A. Candy written by Lauren Conrad from The Hills. 

Sun Ray Library offers 11 public computers along with WiFi.  Homework help is available at the Sun SPOT (Study Place Offering Tutoring), where you can gain access to free tutoring or just have a quiet place to study.  In this study area, you also have access to computers, comfortable couches, cool books and magazines.  Teens have the chance to be involved with the Writing Club or the Teen Advisory Group.

If nannying is a summer job for anyone, taking the little kids to your local library may be the perfect idea if a cloud is hanging over your day or if the sun is just too hot!  The Sun Ray Library offers a children’s area with a playhouse and toys to keep them occupied while you search for that perfect book bedtime book.

Some cool programs the public libraries offer for teens are:   college preparation classes and the summer reading program.  College preparation classes to give soon-to-be freshman training on the how-to’s of college life and help with financial aid questions.  If you’re the kind of person that is always up for a challenge, the library offers a summer reading program where you can earn a free book for reading 15 hours this summer!

Upcoming Library Events:

-It’s Videogaming Day at the Hayden Heights Library on July 24 from 1 – 5pm.  You can play Wii and Playstation on the big screen in the auditorium!

-August 5 & 12 at 2pm, the Merriam Park Library is featuring an afternoon movie in the library complete with FREE TREATS!

-Hamline Midway Library is showing New Moon on August 5, from 2 – 4:30 in the Auditorium.

-Central Library is hosting a Poetry Slam event on August 5, from 12 – 1:30; also, on August 14, there is a Teen Read-a-Thon from 1 – 5.

Who said you have to be silent at the library?

Check out www.sppl.org for more information about which libraries are closest  to you, and other free activities the the Saint Paul Public Libraries offer!  Also, check out  Teensite for teen activities and resources at your local library.

Fringe

A fun night on the town in your future?  Need to spruce up an outfit with some glam accessories?  Us girls love to shop, and what better place to go than Grand Avenue!  Two stores have specifically put the focus on accessories – Stella Blu and Fringe.  Fringe, a newly opened jewlery and accessories boutique, carries chic clutches, flirty bracelets and stylish necklaces to jazz up any outfit! At first glance, you know this place is trendy with its hot pink sectioned walls and black chandeliers.

Hannah at Fringe

If you are a high school or college student, Fringe offers a student discount!  Bring in your student I.D. on Tuesdays and receive 15% off anything in the store!  Fringe is very reasonable too!  Most of the accessories ranged from $15 – $45.

Colorful Bangles

You can’t leave Grand Avenue without stopping at Stella Blu.  Stella Blu carries cute accessories such as bags, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and headbands.  Bracelets made from organic wool are a unique find at this trendy boutique! After you pick out that can’t-live-without piece, you can look for an equally glamorous outfit to match.   Clothing prices such as dresses, jeans and tees are definitely reasonable with a range from $20 – $58.  Stella Blu also carries an assortment of Minnesota apparel with shirts displaying “651″ and “Minnesota Nice”.

Next time your on Grand Avenue don’t forget about these great boutiques that offer some up-to-the-minute, affordable pieces that will surely suit your needs!

Fringe

1055 Grand Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55105

(651)  292-4943

Hours: 10am – 6pm,  Monday – Friday (Thursday until 7pm); 10am – 5pm, Sat.; 12 – 5pm, Sunday.

Stella Blu

1104 Grand Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55105

(651) 644-4830

Hours: 11am – 7:30pm, Monday – Saturday; 11:30am – 4:30pm, Sunday.

Summertime eating would not be the same without patios.  Who doesn’t like eating outside on a warm summer’s eve?

Patio at Moe's Burger Haven

Right across the street from the Downtowner, on West Seventh Street,  is Burger Moe’s (only a few weeks old).  Owner, Moe Sharif (who also owns the Downtowner Woodfire Grill just across the street) made the restaurant come alive with their huge patio!  The restaurant offers an extensive list of different burgers, wings, salads, malts and local micro brews.  Try the Beach Burger; this hand-patted burger is bun free, wrapped in lettuce, then topped with cheddar cheese and tomatoes.  There’s also the Denny Burger which is topped with a fried egg, applewood smoked bacon and cheddar cheese.  Most of Moe’s burgers will put you back $8.50, but are well worth it!  Moe grinds the meat in-house and serves hand-cut fries with every burger.

Don’t leave without trying a malt!  How about Moe’s Milky Way Malt, Fresh Mint, Toasted Marshmallow, or even…an Avocado malt?  Well, if you like pistachios, you’ll like the Avocado Malt!  Malt prices range from $2-9.50.

Patio at Salut Bar Americain

Now for the best part – the patio!  Splashes of color greet you as you walk out onto the patio filled with colorful umbrellas and mural-lined walls.  In the corner of the patio was a small brick house.  Moe himself pointed out that this was the oldest house left standing in Minnesota!  Built by Alexander Ramsey, this used to be the bunk house for workers at the J.J. Hill House.  Now, after a little re-decorating, Moe uses it as an inside bar for private parties.

Next time the sun is shining and your stomach is yearning for some juicy red meat on a bun – head to Moe’s!

Another spacious patio to explore is the one at Salut Bar Americain.  Salut’s patio is perfect for an afternoon hangout, but if your interested in more of an evening venture out, their patio is equipped with heaters for a cool night.  For an appetizer, try the famous French Onion Soup or Pommes Frites, which are hand-cut fries served with bearnaise sauce.  Enjoy happy hour specials daily from 3 – 6 pm on small plates, drinks and oysters!   Salut features great non-alcoholic mojitos!  Cheers…I mean, Salut!

Burger Moe’s                                       Salut Bar Americain

242 7th St. W.                                          917 Grand Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55102                          Saint Paul, MN 55105

(651) 222-3100                                      (651) 917-2345

It’s hot, sticky, and a beautiful day.  As teenagers, most of us want to soak up the  summer sun and get some relief from the humid days.  There’s nothing better than laying poolside – you can soak up the sun and take a dip when the humid weather gets to you.

If you’re looking for some slippin’ and slidin’, but the sun isn’t shinin’, try the Great River Water Park.  This park is

Great River Water Park

located in the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center, now Oxford Community Center,  right off of Lexington Parkway in Saint Paul.  This newly restored building features a “Great River” themed water park.  Wow, they brought the Mississippi indoors!  This park has a large water slide  that twists and turns from the inside to the outside of the building and then spits you out to the other side of the pool.  There’s also a play area for the little ones (featuring a mini slide and authentic-looking trees).

The recreation center also features a basketball court, a dance studio, and a lounge with vending machines.  For a regular day, toddlers are $4.50,  children younger than 16 are $5, and adults cost a mere $6.50.  Bringing the whole family?  A family of 5 is $16, and punch cards (good for 10 times) are $45.

Highland Park Aquatic Center

For some fun in the sun, try Highland Park Aquatic Center (formerly Highland Pool), located on the corner of Montreal Avenue and Edgecumbe Road.  This public pool was recently renovated into a water park with three pools!  There’s Gertie the Guppy (children’s activity pool), a lap pool with water basketball, an a diving well with two amazingly fast waterslides!  It even has Minnesota’s first aquatic rock wall!  There’s no problem with finding things to do here at Highland Park Aquatic Center.  A great idea would be to stay the day and have a picnic at one of the six picnic tables the pool offers.  Too lazy to pack some picnic goods?  Grab some food from the convenient concession stand.  For children 12 and under, the cost is $4.50, ages 12-16 will pay $5, and adults are $6.50.  Season passes are available as well.

The final water park toured, was the West St. Paul Swimming Pool.  The pool has many amenities such as: two drop

West St. Paul Swimming Pool

slides, a 110 foot-long waterslide, a kiddie pool, and an outdoor pool.  Operated by YMCA, it costs $6 to get in for the day, but if you’re a YMCA member, it will cost you an extra $37.50 for a season pass and $55 for non-YMCA members.

Don’t wait!  Get out and make a splash at one of these fabulous pools!

Great River Water Park

Open:  June 12 – September 5

Hours:  Monday, Wednesday, Friday (12-8); Tuesday & Thursday (12-5); Saturday (12-7); Sunday (12-4)

Highland Park Aquatic Center

Open: June 12 – September 6

Hours:  Monday – Friday (12-7); Saturday & Sunday (12-6)

West St. Paul Swimming Pool

Open: June 12 – August 22

Hours:  Monday – Saturday (12-7); Sunday (1-6)