By: Micaela Resh

Two University of Minnesota students will exhibit their collections at the Circle of Design fashion show on Friday at the Westin Galleria in Edina, Minn.

The students are joining three other designers for the event, which features pieces that are inspired by locations around the world.

“The Circle of Design is about giving new designers a place to be seen. … That is what completes our journey from historical inspiration to new fashion revelation,” the show’s creator and producer Shelly Gensmer  said.

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By: Yena Lee

The food scene is expanding yet again this year in the Twin Cities.

2015 started with sad news as Solera, a much-beloved restaurant, closed its doors in the beginning of January.

However, new restaurants run by well-known local chefs will be popping up throughout the rest of 2015. A&E had the opportunity to chat with some of Twin Cities’ finest restaurateurs.

The Lexington and Il Foro

The iconic Lexington in St. Paul is getting a new facelift, and the art deco space formerly known as the Forum will transition into Il Foro.

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By: Micaela Resh

With wedding gowns draped along the boutique’s windows and walls, Minneapolis designer Joy Teiken busily sketches and sews garments for her ready-to-wear line that’s handmade with a keen attention to detail.

Originally a pottery teacher, Teiken taught herself design and has been in fashion for a decade.  Her business, Joynoelle Boutique and Atelier, is built mainly on her custom bridal gowns.

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By: Jessica Lee

AUSTIN – No street corner was out of earshot of an amateur rap performance or without a whiff of Texas BBQ.

Crushed mixtapes littered sidewalks in the downtown Austin area last week, where five-gallon bucket drumming mashed with power chords coming from inside bars, and thousands of music connoisseurs waited in lines for a taste of free beer and tunes.

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By: Jackie Renzetti

University of Minnesota alumni are repairing a glitch in video game-design infrastructure.

Nicolaas VanMeerten and Evva Kraikul co-founded Glitch, an organization that aims to create a community for video gamers and educate them on career opportunities in the field. The organization’s second annual networking convention, called GlitchCon, is this weekend at the McNamara Alumni Center.

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By: Mary Reller

A redheaded lady with two cats is tattooed on Nicole Pfeifer’s arm.

She said the two cats represent her own, and she got the lady tattoo because  “red hair is pretty.”

It’s taken years, but the musician behind electronic solo project Devata Daun is finally comfortable in her skin.

“I’ve always been an odd duck,” Pfeifer said. “I think [that] allowed me to think outside the box. … It’s always been my prerogative to not go along with the crowd.”

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By: Yena Lee

Plantains are everywhere, yet few people know what to do with the banana imposter.

Flavor wise, the plantain — a close sibling to the banana — is much starchier. Plus, you don’t eat raw plantains.

There are many other ways to prepare them though. From frying to mashing them into pancakes, the possibilities are almost endless.

Next time you are at a grocery store and see some plantains, grab a couple and try them out. They just might become your new favorite fruit.

Tostones (aka plantain chips)

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By: Mary Reller

If Napoleon Dynamite and Pedro had a band, Nancy’s Raygun would give it a run for its money — the band’s members even exchange a best-friend handshake before every show.

“If you saw us walking together you might think it was kind of an odd friendship,” drummer Mauricio Hernandez said. “I used to have a crustache and Daniel has Moon Boots.”

Hernandez and his partner, vocalist/guitarist Daniel Hughes

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By: Micaela Resh

    The flowers are budding and so should your style. Spring is just around the corner, and the new season is a reason to boost your fashionability.

    “Sun’s out, guns out” is not an excuse for bro tanks and chubbies. You’re better than that. The following wardrobe staples toe the line between trendy and classic, and while they’re fashionable now, they’ll still look good five to 10 years down the road.

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By: Grant Tillery

Ranelle Johnson is nervous in interviews. The Bae Tigre vocalist and keyboardist credits social paralysis and external stimuli to her scattered, charming demeanor. Yet she switches into tunnel vision on stage and tunes out the world around her to focus on music.

“The pressure of knowing that this is something that’s going to be presented to other people and the person presenting is meeting me for the first time [is nerve-wracking],” Johnson said about the interview process. “I tend to lose my train of thought when I get really anxious.”

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