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This Saturday marks the season opening of the St. Paul Farmers Market, so clear out the pantry and make some room in the crisper as you get ready to stock up on some of the best seasonal and local produce. Not only does a trip to the farmers market turn the perhaps tedious routine of weekly grocery shopping into a fun weekend excursion, but you’ll walk away with fresh fruits and vegetables at a fraction of the price you’ll find at the supermarket and newly fostered sense of community.

Locavores will bask in the fact that every farmer and producer selling at St. Paul’s downtown location comes from within a 75-mile radius of the city and boast organic, hormone-free and artisan goods. And doesn’t it just feel better to buy local?

Though the labyrinth of flowers stands, asparagus and green onion gardens and radish and rhubarb dens can seem daunting at first, don’t get overwhelmed by the bombardment of local. Make the farmers market a regular stop on your weekend to-do list, and soon you’ll be navigating like a pro with bags of healthy ingredients in tow.

Here are a few helpful tips to keep your farmers market experience a shrewd and happy one:

1. Go Early: You know what they say about the early bird and it’s definitely true when it comes to the farmers market. By going early you can avoid heavy crowds and find the best selection.
2. Survey the Lay of the Land: Size up what’s on hand by starting with a walk-through. The first stand you see might not always be your best bet. Stroll through the entire market before settling on your favorite goods. Visit the St. Paul Farmers Market’s webpage before you go to find out what’s in season and what vendors will be present.
3. Bring Cash: Though it’s more common than it used to be with the addition of iPhones, not every vendor takes plastic, so make sure you have cash in your wallet or make a quick stop at the ATM before hand.
4. Bring Your Own Bags: This isn’t necessarily a must, but most likely you have a cupboard stuffed with past grocery or canvas bags, might as well put them to good use – plus, it’s better for the environment.
5. Ask a Farmer: Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The vendors are proud of their stock and most likely can’t wait to answer questions about their growing practices and shell out tips on how to best prepare their produce. Take full advantage of their knowledge.
6. Buy in Bulk: Skip the excess packages, the best deals are found in bulk.
7. Don’t Forget the Flowers: Some of the most beautiful floral arrangements are DIY, so don’t skip over the local flower section and after a long day at work, coming home to a nice flower-filled house will definitely fill you with bliss.

Saint Paul Farmers Market

290 5^th Street East

St. Paul MN

Photo by Michelle Leon.

As if the perks of entering warmer months weren’t bountiful enough, the arrival of expeditious freshly-prepared fare brought to you via mobile street carts sweetens the season. These days, those part of the street cart dining revolution aren’t content to merely serve traditional vendor food – hot dogs and picnic-esque sides – they’re taking on-the-go eating to a new level using a diverse range of local ingredients to create inventive, budget-friendly gourmet food; and we’re right on board!

We’re especially excited about French Brasserie-inspired restaurant, Meritage’s contribution to curbside cuisine: the Meritage Crepe Stand. Open five days a week, the stands’ chefs make crepe cooking look like a breeze and the result – a fluffy taste of heaven. Named City Pages “Best French Restaurant” of 2010, practically every dish with this French brasserie’s stamp of approval is “si bon.” This year, Meritage boasts a newly imported crepe stand straight from France offering decadent crepes made (as much as possible) with items from the Lowertown Farmer’s Market. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Meritage stand is your ticket to a petit taste of Paris to be enjoyed on your curtailed lunch hour.

For updates on the flavor du jour (one savory, one sweet) follow Meritage’s Twitter account (@meritage_stpaul). Some of the past crepe featured flavors: strawberries with nutella, chicken with ramp pesto and cheese, a traditional French crepe Sucre with melted butter and candied sugar, stuffed morels, melted leeks and chicken veloute…need we go on. We guarantee this mobile crepe stand will have you craving crepes so intensely they’ll start invading your dreams. To quote their website: “urban lunch” meets an “urbane experience,” all in the heart of downtown St. Paul.

Located in front of the restaurant on 7^th Place, Downtown St. Paul

Tuesday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The big deal in St. Paul is, of course, the Taste of Minnesota fireworks display. In years past, the Taste has popped off fireworks on each night of the festival, but this year they are only doing one display on the actual 4th, so it ought

By Grundlepuck on Flickr

to be a doozy. I for one, am not a big fan of standing in a massive crowd on a hot summer night, so I’ve whipped up a quick guide on the best “secret” places to watch fireworks in St. Paul — without having to brave the crowds.

1. Highland Reservoir: The man-made hills that lie beneath the big blue water towers near Snelling & Ford Parkway double as additional water storage, but neighborhood peeps know that sneaking up onto the top of the reservoir on the 4th of July is pretty awesome. A perfect view from the highest point of Highland Park, seeing the Taste of Minnesota fireworks is easy, breezy and unobstructed. You’ll surely run into more people from the neighborhood up there, but it’s a large, flat surface with plenty of spreading-out space.

3. Smith Avenue High Bridge: Avoid the fray of the Taste while still reveling in the camaraderie of your fellow

by Elkman via Wikipedia

Americans on the High Bridge this 4th of July. One of the couple bridges that connects West St. Paul to Downtown, the High Bridge is a perfect place to leisurely watch the ‘works. Plenty of other neighborhood folks come out to watch from this classic landmark located on Smith Ave & River Road, so you’ll still get in your people watchin’ minus the claustrophobia.

2. The tops of parking ramps: This may require a little recon to find the best spot, as ramps change their policies frequently. You need to find a ramp with an open air roof. Most ramps are designed this way unless they are built into a building or underground. You’ll just need to check the ramp’s hours and make sure you can see the river from your vantage point. There are many ramps that dot the landscape of Downtown St. Paul along Kellogg. Once you get closer to the edge of Lowertown they become pretty cheap too. Surface lots further down along the river are probably a good bet too. $5 for a stampede-free fireworks experience? We can deal. (costs may vary the closer you are to the Taste).

If you really take the time to look, you can discover art and beauty everywhere you go. From a budding flower to a rusty sign; a fleeting glance between strangers or the smell of wet grass after a rain storm — the beauty is in the details. We often move through life in a rush, so it’s not surprising that we often forget to appreciate the subtleties. Luckily, in St. Paul you can find the pretty stuff with minimal effort, as public art is just about everywhere you look. This summer, plan a day with friends or family to take a driving or walking art tour of the city — and stop to smell the roses!

Aside from my suggestions below, there are hundreds of other displays of public art in St. Paul! Do you have a favorite? Post in the comments section, or send your suggestions and pictures to kate@stpaulstaycation.com and I will post them!

EVERYDAY POEMS FOR CITY SIDEWALK

This is such a charming project! Artist Marcus Young, along with St. Paul Public Works and Public Art St. Paul worked together to bring this public art phantasm to life in 2008. The project works with the city’s maintenance program to install poetry where city sidewalks are replaced, embedding verse by local poets into the cement for all to see. The project placed over 100 poems by 20 St. Paul poets in 2008 and is just starting its 2009 maintenance season, with a new crop of winning poems to be placed this summer.

Click HERE for a current, clickable map of sidewalk poetry in St. Paul!

START SEEING ART

Downtown Saint Paul is rampant with public art! Discover sculpture, installations, murals and more throughout the area with this handy-dandy printable map courtesy of the arty-pantses over at Start Seeing Art. A detailed guide to some of the most iconic works in the downtown area, as well as some hidden gems you may have missed, this map is all you need to plan a fabulous art tour! Peruse the website for tons of public art locations all over the Twin Cities.

Click HERE for a printable map of public art in Downtown St. Paul

DISTRICT DEL SOL

The West Side is known for its spicy Latin flav, cultural pizzazz, and of course, its amazing public art! Explore District Del Sol and discover dozens of colorful murals, sculptures and blooming community gardens scattered throughout the area. Stop into any number of delicious Mexican eateries that pepper the neighborhood such as Boca Chica or El Burrito Mercado, and enjoy a meal as colorful as the local art!

Click HERE for the District Del Sol Public Art Map