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Becky Sturm is owner/founder of StormSister Spatique, a local beauty boutique.  StormSister Spatique has been featured in Mpls. St. Paul Magazine, METRO Magazine, Minnesota Monthly, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press and various blogs.  Once you cross over the Smith Avenue High Bridge, it sits next to Capital View Cafe.   At first glance, you might miss this small storefront located on the West Side of Saint Paul.  Once you step in, you will see why it’s a gem — product junkies beware!  StormSister is filled with comforting products for your skin, body and mind — all products that Becky stands behind.  With warm weather upon us, its time to buff, exfoliate and cleanse.  What are you waiting for?  See below for comments from StormSister owner, Becky Sturm on why she loves Saint Paul and her recommendation for summer products!

Being a small business owner, it very important for me to spend money with other small businesses in my community.

Becky Sturm, Owner of StormSister Spatique

Most of my weekends include: the Saint Paul Farmer’s Market in Lowertown and a stop at my favorite bread bakery, located on the West Side, BC2 Bakery — their sourdough could certainly compete with the original in San Francisco.

I have been a resident of the West Side for 22 years; my husband and I have raised both of our sons here.  I love living so close to the river and to downtown.  It is the perfect community.

My oldest son Brett, recently graduated from College of Visual Arts and my youngest son, Bailey, is a high school student at River’s Edge Academy.

Living on the West Side with its large Hispanic population, has given me the opportunity to enjoy some of the best, authentic Mexican cuisine available in the U.S.  Just head down Cesar Chavez Street and you will find several!  I have a weakness for guacamole, so I always have a hard time deciding between the ones served at Barrio and El Burrito Mercado.

Living just over the river from downtown, it’s a quick five-minute ride to amazing museums, theaters, and one of my favorite dining establishments — Meritage.

Meritage Crepe Stand

A stroll downtown wouldn’t be complete without a stop into Candyland.  Oh Candyland, you and your tantalizing Chicago mix (caramel, cheese, and real buttered popcorn)!

Finally, that beacon of light on West 7th, Mickey’s Diner — the perfect middle-of-the-night cultural experience after much imbibing.

Having grown up in my grandmother’s beauty shop and then spending 23 years in all aspects of the salon/spa industry, it was time to follow my true passion, retail.  So, I took a break and started StormSister Spatique online in 2005.  Then, late in 2006 I had decided I really missed that intimate relationship I had with my clients and opened up StormSister Spatique’s storefront in my neighborhood on the West Side.

What’s the deal with StormSister Spatique and PEZ?  Click here to learn why!

My head-to-toe beauty must-haves for summer include:

Greenbody Greenplanet haircare by local hairdresser, Lorri Weisen.  When you use organic, chemical-free ingredients you not only enhance your own well-being, but the environments!

NONTOXIQUE hand and footcare by local manicurist, Sheila Mossberg.  NONTOXIQUE will help you get your hands and feet looking more youthful and glowing with their age-defying ingredients.

Organic Tinted Lip Balms by Badger.  These shimmer lip balms will keep your pucker moist and colorful during the hot summer days.

I heart Saint Paul!

StormSister Spatique is located at 635 South Smith Avenue in Saint Paul, combines luxury spa products in an artsy boutique setting.

Phone:  612-716-5480

A breakfast out is such a simple pleasure. Certainly, you could fry up some pancakes in the comfort of your own home while wearing pajamas, but let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be the same. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they say, so why not let the pros handle it? In this week’s edition of The Picky Eater, we’ll run down some of the best and quirkiest breakfast spots in town.

MICKEY’S DINER

Well, this one’s a given. The famed 24/7 diner is a Saint Paul staple, and probably fits the “greasy spoon” bill better than all the rest…because, well, the odds of actually getting a literal “greasy spoon” are somewhat high. However, pay no mind to minor details such as flies buzzing around the kitchen, cooks that look like they haven’t showered for a few days, or even the crazy homeless guy barking at you from the corner. You go to Mickey’s for that very reason — the ambiance — and of course, the oh-so classic food. At Mickey’s you can eat breakfast 24 hours a day. They fry their eggs in liberal amounts of real butter. They even hand shred their own hashbrowns. They consider a “1/4 pound burger” a breakfast meat. And their pancakes have been on national TV. To get to the point, they basically pull out all the stops to serve you some of the best cheap ‘n greasy eats in town.

Mickey’s Diner, 36 W. 7th Street, Downtown Saint Paul
also, 1950 W. 7th Street, Saint Paul

For more info visit www.mickeysdiningcar.com

GINGKO CAFE

While Gingko is more of a coffee house than a restaurant, the atmosphere here is definitely worth forgoing the traditional eggs n’ bacon fare. This eccentric Snelling Avenue landmark attracts Hamline college students as well as an oddball mix of St. Paul artsy types, neighborhood characters, hippies, and musicians. While working on my laptop at Gingko one evening I messaged a friend: “I am facing a shelf containing an unopened box of ‘Tony the Tiger’ magnets, a mug that says ‘Daddy,’ and a basket full of window scrapers. There is also an Ole and Lena joke book and a couple of twirling batons” — if that tells you anything. Aside from the wonderful weirdness of it all, Gingko serves up Malted Belgian-style waffles any time of the day, as well as breakfast sandwiches and baked goods…and of course an extensive coffee and tea menu that puts cookie cutters like Starbucks and Caribou to shame. Worth a pop in any time of the day, really. Like I said to my friend that night, “if you’re going on a blind internet date with someone named ‘Bookworm99′ and you’re worried that you wont have enough to talk about unless there are an over abundance of young adult novels with religious undertones, or in case you feel safer with a pair of novelty lobster pincers on a stick nearby…Gingko!”

Gingko Cafe, 721 N. Snelling Avenue, Midway St. Paul

For more info visit www.ginkgocoffee.com

CECIL’S DELI

At one point in my life, I lived about 20 yards away from Cecil’s Deli. Now, whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, I’m not completely certain. All I know is that I ate more potato latkes in the year 2002 than I probably should have. One of the “last true established delis in Minnesota,” this storefront delicatessen (founded in ye olde 1949) boasts a variety of traditional Jewish grocery items, plus fresh kosher meats, cheeses, and handmade baked goods. The back of the store segues into a small, no frills, sit-down restaurant where an extensive menu of soups, sandwiches, salads, and yes, breakfast items await. While all the traditional morning fare such as omlettes, french toast, pancakes and the like are available, Cecil’s also has such tasty treats as corned Beef hash, grilled pastrami, and even a Lox Plate for two that comes complete with Nova Scotia lox, two bagels, cream cheese, sliced tomato, onions, sweet pickles and lettuce. Before you leave, be sure to stock up on traditional pastries at the deli counter and perhaps a fresh loaf of Challah bread. Yum!

Cecil’s Deli, 651 S. Cleveland Avenue, Highland Park St. Paul

For more info visit www.cecilsdeli.com

I’m a tried and true Saint Paul girl. I grew up in Highland Park, went to High School at St. Paul Central, and have worked and played in pretty much every nook and cranny of our fine capitol city. My career as an arts writer, photographer, curator, and general arts instigator has led me through the Twin Cities and beyond. However, the streets of St. Paul are the streets that I will always consider home.

From the bustling shopping mecca that is Grand Avenue to the festive and colorful borough of Saint Paul’s West Side, and from the classic, tree-lined scenery of Summit Avenue to the beautiful architecture of Downtown — Saint Paul is truly a place to live a charmed life. We revel in our gorgeous parks and the rampant bits of lovingly maintained green space that pepper the city from end to end. We are constantly encouraged to learn about and appreciate our rich history, as a city, and as people, with unparalleled cultural and educational resources. Our arts community thrives and flourishes, feeding off its own creative energy and inspiring new artists to join its ranks each day.

Last weekend I fell in love with St. Paul all over again. My evening began at the Fitzgerald Theater, with a dazzling performance by the Classical Ballet Academy and Ballet Minnesota, as part of the Minnesota Dance Festival. Dozens of darling children graced the stage with rousing theatrics and whimsical choreography, followed by a progressive lineup of pre-teens to young adults whose talents seemed to almost trump themselves with each act. Ballet Minnesota finished the night with a mesmerizing performance of La Bayadere, a production filled with glittering ballerinas and brilliant movement. The intimate theater set the backdrop perfectly; it’s no surprise that Ballet Minnesota has pegged the Fitz as its new home.

My night continued at Lowertown’s AZ Gallery, where the College of Visual Arts was holding its annual thesis show, which runs through May 31st. The impressive work by this slew of young emerging artists was inventive and eclectic. I ended up buying a piece of work from 2003 CVA grad D.C. Ice, an AZ Gallery resident artist. Next on the itinerary was a bottle of red wine and some experimental music at the cozy Black Dog Cafe, followed by a late-night burger at Mickey’s Diner.

My experience in Saint Paul last Friday was a lovely and memorable. The kind of night I know can be re-created 1000 different ways this summer — for you, and for me. I want you to use STAYcation as your personal concierge, a resource to inspire you to live that “charmed life” that I previously mentioned. Please come back often, I’m so excited to tell you all the city’s secrets!