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Grand Old Day is said to be the biggest Minnesota one-day festival of the year, and always boasts a great roster of live music. (Check out St. Paul STAYcation’s Juleana Enright’s blog for more on the event in general, and Arts & Culture blogger Kate Iverson’s Grand Old Day Art Guide.) Besides a chance to check out some of the Twin Cities’ best musical acts, art, and parades, Grand Old Day provides the perfect opportunity to explore everything Grand Avenue has to offer every day of the year – namely, shopping.

SHOPPING

Courtesy jenontheradar.blogspot.com

St. Paul’s two most fashion-forward boutiques, Karma and Picky Girl, are both hosting special Grand Old Day in-store events. Karma, which carries mid-priced designer lines like Trina Turk, Tulle, Velvet, and Betsey Johnson, will be setting up their pop-up shop Beeline Boutique in front of the store. Expect deals on clothing, handbags and accessories ranging from $5-and-under to $34. (867 Grand Av. @ Victoria St. 651-291-1997.) Picky Girl (home of lines like Kenzie Girl, Covet and 213 Industry) will be featuring special in-store guests Allison and Ashley Abbott of AbraCadabra Vintage, a new locally-owned online vintage shop. They will be giving tips on how to mix vintage with modern styles, plus there will be a fashion show and storewide sales. (949 Grand Av. @ Hamline Av. 651-698-4107.)

The lesser-known but equally chic boutique Sorrayah Studios boasts a sophisticated mix of Free People and Ella Moss, and for the plus-size shopper, the popular line Big Shirt. (794 Grand Av. @ Avon St. 651-228-0414.)

More Grand Old Day specials:
Lillian’s on Grand: The designer-inspired shop will be having a doorbuster sale, free gifts to first 200 to stop in, free EcoDiva tote bag with purchase of $25+. (841 Grand Av. b/w Avon St. & Victoria St. 651-290-2040.)
Stella.blu: The bohemian-styled shop will have sales booths in front of the store and on Grand & Victoria in front of Dixie’s. (1104 Grand Av. @ Lexington Pkwy. 651-644-4830.)
Trade Winds: The free trade boutique will have storewide sales of up to 20% off plus bounce-back coupons. (857 Grand Av. @ Victoria St. 651-293-9275.)
Hot Mama: The chic maternity shop is having a 10% off storewide sale. (867 Grand Av. @ Victoria St. 651-209-0222.)

Some of my other fave shops to hit up when I’m on Grand:

My Sister's Closet

My Sister’s Closet, which is a consignment store built into one of the old Victorian-style houses that line Grand Avenue. It has a great selection of vintage dresses, shoes, hats, and jewelry, and is owned by two sisters, natch. (1136 Grand Av. b/w Dunlap St. & Lexington Pkwy. 651-222-2819.)

Flirt is a new-ish independent lingerie shop. If I had money to be so fancy, I would totes buy all my undergarments here. (1330 Grand Av. @ Hamline Av. 651-698-3692.)

Photo by David J. Turner courtesy Minnesota Monthly

Getting married seems to provide a great excuse to buy delicate jewelry, frothy veils, and sweet little handbags. If you’re so inclined, hit up Che Bella, one of the most sophisticated and sweet bridal boutiques I’ve seen. (611 Grand Av. @ Dale St. 651-209-8822.)

Locally-owned gift shop Quince has a decent mix of gifts, accessories, and clothing. They’re a little on the crunchy granola side but you very well could stumble upon a handmade treasure or super-cute baby gift. Plus it happens to be in the same building at Café Latte, so you can get your fancy caffeine fix at the same time. (850 Grand Av. @ Victoria St. 651-225-9900.) For more gifts, there’s always locally-owned chain Bibelot (1082 Grand Av. @ Lexington Pkwy. 651-222-0321.)

The Grand Hand Gallery is primarily a fine art and sculpture gallery, but it also carries jewelry from some of my favorite local jewelry designers, Karin Jacobson, Brittany Foster, and Emily Johnson. Karin in particular does a lot of work with fine metal and semi-precious stones, but I fell so in love with the laser-cut plastic earrings she made for a Cliché show that I commissioned her to create oversized versions for the Voltage ’09 runway. (619 Grand Av. @ Dale St. 651-312-1122.)

A selection from the "Lotus Collection" by Karin Jacobson

I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of the crunchy-granola style of most organic goods, but there are definitely some items worth checking out at eco-friendly shop Eco-tique. There’s a lot you can do with the soft, basic organic scarves, and it’s a go-to for organic home items like bath towels. The latest addition is goods from St. Paul-based all-organic online cosmetics shop The Nature of Beauty. (1045 Grand Av. @ Oxford St. 651-222-3127.) For more eco-friendly goods, check out Ten Thousand Villages, which offers fair-trade jewelry, gifts and home décor from around the world. (867 Grand Av. @ Victoria St. 651-225-1043.)

The Twin Cities have a huge Scandinavian and Irish heritage, so it’s no surprise there are a bunch of shops selling themed goods along Grand Avenue. For the Finnish, there’s Saga Living, which boasts the largest selection of Marimekko products outside of Finland. (1055 Grand Av. @ Oxford St. 651-290-8577.) For the Danish, there’s Danish Bohemia, a children’s apparel and accessories shop from Scandinavian designers. (1144 Grand Av. b/w Lexington Pkwy. & Dunlap St. 651-222-8383.) For the Irish, check out Irish On Grand for Irish-themed gifts (i.e., a gigantic Guinness tambourine). (1124 Grand Av. b/w Lexington Pkwy. & Dunlap St. 651-222-5151.)

Little known fact: I was a dancer for 13 years throughout my childhood, so I made regular visits to locally-owned dancewear shop Grand Jeté. Funny thing is, I still take inspiration from dancewear, whether it be little black leather oxford-style jazz shoes, ballet flats, leotards and tights. Why go to American Apparel when you can get the real deal? (975 Grand Av. @ Chatsworth St. 651-227-0331.)

Speaking of which, why buy the $200 military-inspired bag or jacket when you can get the real thing for $20? Now that Ragstock has dropped their St. Paul and Minneapolis Warehouse locations, the go-to now is Zimmerman Dry Goods. It’s a little rough around the edges, sure, but you’ll walk out with a steal. (1656 Grand Av. b/w Macalester St. & Cambridge St. 651-699-4273.)

J. Crew: What can I say, it’s a chain mall store, but such a guilty pleasure. Clean and preppy basics are always chic, especially for the fellas. And if Michelle O approves, so do I! (870 Grand Av. @ Victoria St. 651-292-1470.)

SALONS AND SPAS

phresh salon spa

You’ll need a break from the craziness and heat of the Grand Old Day festivities, so what better retreat can you have than a facial or mani/pedi?

The ladies of phresh spa salon treated me to a facial yesterday. Phresh is located in one of the old charming houses of Grand Avenue, so had a much cozier feel than your typical sterile white-walled spa. My esthetician Jessica offered me two options – one, a dermatologist-approved treatment and the other an organic treatment, which I chose. After applying steam to my skin, she cleansed, toned, and exfoliated it. After she applied a Quince Ice Wine Masque, she treated me to massages to my feet, arms and shoulders. Finally, the best (and least fun) part: The extractions! Good to get that junk out. She then used this electronic machine that restored my skin’s pH balance and finally applied a Rose Whip Moisturizer, Cucumber Eye Gel, Honey Apple SPF, and Citrus Lip Balm. Today, my skin feels amazingly smooth and looks radiant once again! I may very well go back in the recommended 4-6 weeks for another. ($85-90 for 60-minute facial.)

Other salons and spas on Grand Avenue worth checking out:

Juut Salonspa: Regardless of the location, Juut’s got the best haircutters, colorists, estheticians and spa specialists around, plus all yummy Aveda products. (857 Grand Av. @ Victoria St. 651-222-4121.)
Grand Hair and Beyond: The full-service hair salon specializes in color and cuts. (1674 Grand Av. @ Cambridge St. 651-699-7074.)
Mella & Co.: This specialty spa is St. Paul’s only day spa; it’s dedicated exclusively to facials, ultrasonic, peels, and massage. (1204 Grand Av. b/w Ayd Mill Rd. & Dunlap St. 651-292-8406.)

THE ART OF MIKE CARNEY

Take your coffee with a side of art this Friday at Cosmic’s Coffee Shop! Local artist Mike Carney has garnered attention for his kaleidoscopic, pop culture-infused mixed media works, which will be on parade for your viewing enjoyment this evening, and through the month. Party with the artist at this fun opening reception while enjoying caffeinated beverages and live music from Reed & Ben. The show will be up for at least a month, so if you can’t make it to the opening party, be sure to stop in for a cup o’ joe sooner than later to catch a glimpse of this awesome art!

Opening Reception: Friday, June 5th / 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Cosmic’s Coffee, 189 N. Snelling Avenue (Selby & Snelling), St. Paul

CONVERGING TRADITIONS

Head Downtown this evening for an unusual and beautiful combination of musical influences! Expanding the boundaries of sound and tradition, composers Paul Elwood, a renowned banjo player, and Chinese pipa player Gao Hong will accompany Zeitgeist, a new music chamber ensemble that features percussion, piano and woodwinds. “Through new music, Converging Traditions will give audiences the opportunity to discover common ground between two musical traditions developed worlds apart,” said Heather Barringer, managing director and percussionist for Zeitgeist. Come experience this musical mashup of style and sound at Studio Z this weekend!

Performances: Friday June 5th & 6th / 8 p.m. / $10

Studio Z, 275 E. 4th Street, Downtown St. Paul

THE ART OF D.C. ICE

As you may have read in my introductory post, I recently bought a piece of art by D.C. Ice. And as luck would have it, Ms. Ice will be opening a new exhibit of her work this very weekend! Unfortunately for me, I am currently on an “art buying freeze,” due to lack of wall space (and moola), though owning more D.C. Ice is certainly tempting. One of my favorite St. Paul artists, D.C. Ice has a self-described “sinister but sweet” style that combines her girlish sensibilities with dark, poetic imagery, fine lines and thoughtful composition. Head to Highland Park this Saturday evening for a peek inside the mind of this imaginative up and comer, and go home with a D.C. Ice piece all your own. Show runs through July 6th.

Opening reception: Saturday, June 6th / 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Frameworks, Ford Parkway & Cleveland Avenue, Highland Park

GRAND OLD DAY GETS ARTY

Grand Avenue will be rockin’ with the annual Grand Old Day celebration this Sunday! There will be tons of arty goodness to check out, as the festival has its very own “Art District” that overflows the street between Snelling and Hamline. See work by local artists on display, art cars, and street performances; participate in art-making activities and even listen to live music! Visit www.grandave.com for more info on Grand Old Day, and be sure to mark these arty Grand Ave businesses on your map to check out this Sunday or next time you’re in the area!

Benevolent Acorn
1087 Grand Avenue

This cute little specialty shop is a go-to source for locally made artisian wares such as paintings, prints, photography, jewelry, purses, scarves, ceramics, sculpture, functional art, and more. www.benevolentacorn.com

Grand Hand Gallery
619 Grand Avenue

A Grand Avenue staple, the Grand Hand Gallery caters to the discerning art buyer with an eclectic selection of rotating artwork and crafts created by artists in Minnesota and across the U.S. including clay, metalwork, woodwork, fiber and jewelry. www.thegrandhand.com

Wet Paint
1684 Grand Avenue

One of the best independently owned art supply stores in the Twin Cities, Wet Paint is a crowded and lively shop filled with colorful tools for the artistically inclined. One stop into Wet Paint and you’ll surely be inspired to create! www.wetpaintart.com

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE ORDWAY!

Get your tickets now for these two amazing upcoming engagements at the Ordway, later this month!

Singin’ in the Rain

Runs June 16th-28th in the Main Hall

“In 1952, Singin’ in the Rain burst upon the scene and became one of the most celebrated movie musicals of all time. The musical stage production embraces the best of the beloved songs and characters and adds a remarkable dimension that delights theater lovers. This show overflows with romance and unforgettable dancing, and YES, it is going to rain!”

Click HERE to reserve your tix!

Mu Performing Arts presents Flower Drum Song

June 26th-July 12th, Ordway McKnight Theater

“In Tony Award®-winner David Henry Hwang’s new adaptation of the Rogers and Hammerstein classic, Mei-Li flees communist China and finds herself in San Francisco’s Chinatown. This naïve young refugee is befriended by Wang, who is struggling to keep the Chinese opera tradition alive despite his son’s determination to turn the old opera house into a swingin’ Western-style nightclub. The unique blending of American razz-ma-tazz and stylized Chinese opera traditions creates a beautiful theatrical tapestry in this lovely new version of an American classic.”

Click HERE to reserve your tix!