The Minneapolis Club

Leadership, Service, Community

Bar

Reignite the Roaring 20s at the Governor’s Ball

By

Get ready for an event experience unlike anything the Minneapolis Club has seen in more than 100 years: Roaring 20s in 2020.

The Minneapolis Club Inaugural Governor’s Ball will be held March 7, from 6 o’clock in the evening to 11, exclusively for members and their invited guests.

RSVP Today

RSVP by Friday, Feb. 28, to secure your spot in this amazing experience. Call 612-332-2292 or email concierge@mplsclub.org.

$125 Food & Experience includes all NA beverages. $60 Bar package option, or drink orders can be cash or member charge. The $250 VIP Experience provides two groups of 8 with private seating, complimentary bottle of sparkling wine, Chef’s choice platter for the table and personal server for drink orders.

Art Deco Ambiance

Revel in the vibe and art deco ambiance of the Roaring 20s. Greeted with a champagne cocktail or sparkling seltzer, you and your guests will be enveloped by live music the moment you step inside the Clubhouse—courtesy of George Faber & the Icons. After check-in, step onto the “red carpet” to commemorate this delightful evening with a stunning photograph.

Speakeasy Socializing

With stemmed glass in hand, ascend the staircase to the second floor, where the party begins. Make your way to the Martini Ice Luge in the Lounge for a special indulgence. As you visit with friends, reveal the secret signal to gain access to the Speakeasy Pub where famous 1920s cocktails are stirred. Or visit the Library for libations. In the spirit of the 20s, NA cocktails also await at each location.

Fabulous Eats

Food stations from Executive Chef Håken Lundberg create a fabulous feast. Catch your fill of lobster and seafood in the Sun Room or wander back to the Lounge for the Carver and Sides Station, where a selection of meats and sides awaits. The Library hosts the Dessert and Cheese Board Station with a Chocolate Fountain and Small Dessert Bites, fresh creations from our very creative Pastry Chef Ali Boril. And of course, a coffee bar is available.

Let Us Entertain You

As you sip, nibble and mingle, try your hand at blackjack and three hand poker or leave your mug shot in the photo booth – everything a duke or dame needs to have a good time! At 9:00 pm, we roll back the rugs to cut loose on the dance floor. The first half hour features big band favorites, with Swing Dancers inspiring us through the evening. At 9:30 pm, George Faber & the Icons show off their musical genius as the contemporary tunes take over.

From kitchen delights to big band swing from live musicians plus bountiful beverages and late night snacks, this is an event not to miss.

Dress to the Nines

Roaring 20s attire appreciated. Black tie attire is admired, not required. Want to go the extra mile? Join the fun by wearing your best zoot suit, pintuck dress, fedora or feathered headband to complete the Roaring 20s experience!

See you there, guys and dolls!

The Minneapolis Club Kitchen Gets Ready to Send 2019 Out with Panache

By

To plan for 2020, Håkan Lundberg is keeping one eye on the past. What worked, what didn’t, what guests enjoy most and how the Minneapolis Club has changed – he devotes as much time to thinking about where the Club’s cuisine is now as where he wants to help take it in the future.

“I definitely look at what worked in previous years,” Håkan says. “If there’s something we do and I get a lot of positive feedback on it, I don’t mind repeating that.”

The annual Open House, a make-your-own pizza event in the kitchen and other favorites could get a chance to return. But that doesn’t mean Håkan and his staff won’t try new things in the coming year – just that he knows how to make a good thing last.

“Everything kind of runs its course,” he says. “You get a couple years out of something and then members want to experience something new. But if I find something they really enjoy, I try to give them as much of that as I can.”

Chef recently shared some of his culinary secrets with eager members during his cooking demo in the third-floor kitchen. His first secret? After your food is in the pre-heated pan, just let it be. Resist that urge to stir, nudge or flip. Other secrets revealed included how to slow roast tenderloin so even when guests are late, you can serve a perfect meal. Want to learn more? Stay tuned for Håkan’s Culinary Class, new in 2020.

“Everything kind of runs its course”

In the nearer term (Thanksgiving and Christmas, for example), Håkan has high hopes for the kitchen – so high that he doesn’t want to mention some of his plans in case they don’t pan out in 2019. Growing up in Sweden, he didn’t grow up celebrating Thanksgiving, but he knows how important the holidays are to members and guests of the Minneapolis Club in particular.

The Club’s kitchen staff is diligent about creating beautiful buffets and menus to excite and impress; about buffets that help families connect over their favorite flavors; about helping members forge new friendships over a tasty side dish.

Before putting 2019 in the rearview, Håkan hopes to give the Club a few more memories by filling plates with classic dishes and new favorites. To schedule your private party or find out more about holiday cuisine at the Club, call Catering at (612) 334-0218 or get in touch with Jodie (jodiew@mplsclub.org) or Ashley (ashleyb@mplsclub.org).

Short Takes: Summer 2019 New Members Kyle Luehmann & Jude Pierce

By

We recently caught with two of our Under 30 Members, Kyle Luehmann and Jude Pierce, who joined the Club in summer 2019. Both were introduced to the Club by member Jeff Greiner. Here’s a quick bite of what they had to say, like what they’re looking forward to in 2020, over a happy hour beverage.

Minneapolis Club: How did you become a member of the Minneapolis Club?

Kyle Luehmann: Jeff has been my mentor. Along with a couple of other guys, Jeff was kind enough to host us for an evening out with dinner at the Club followed by a full tour. After a little further investigation into the great amenities provided by the Club such as the Club events, Wellness Center, and Squash program I knew this was a place where I wanted to belong.

Jude Pierce: My friend Jeff reached out to me and spoke very highly of the Minneapolis Club. We set up a weekday lunch and I received a Club tour. The food was delicious, and everyone was very welcoming. I knew right away this is a group I wanted to be a part of.

MC:   What are you looking forward to as a member in 2020?

Kyle:  In 2020 I am looking forward to exploring more of the awesome Club events and fitness classes. I am also excited to continue to meet extraordinary people and enjoy many more delicious meals at the Grill.

Jude:  I’m looking forward to continuing to learn the game of squash and the camaraderie that accompanies the league.

Want to be featured on the Minneapolis Club Blog or in the Connections Magazine? Contact the concierge at concierge@mplsclub.org.

“This Is That Gin”: Club member’s new rarefied spirits reflect nature

By

From 3,000 trees to 30,000 gallons of sap to 3,000 bottles, 100 Mill St. Gin – new at the Club – takes the long way to your highball. Its creator, Peter Connor (Minneapolis Club member and President of Wisconsin-based WD Flooring), knows it’s worth it.

“This is a gin that relies on mother nature to do most of the work,” Connor says. “It is the spring of the year and the angle of the sun that delivers the nectar, maple sap, that makes 100 Mill St. so unique in its smoothness and taste.”

100 Mill St. Gin is distilled from 30,000 gallons of sap to batches of just 26 gallons. “That’s where the smoothness comes from,” Connor says.

With its first run selling out at Haskell’s (twice) and another planned for 2020, it’s easy to believe the hype. Noted review site t8ke gave 100 Mill St. an 8 out of 10 – the highest in the gin category to date – putting it among a prestigious few dozen of the site’s 1,000-plus scores. “[S]ome days you want to let your hair down a little and have something a notch better, but with more going on,” reads the review. “This is that gin.”

Unlike a lot of spirits entrepreneurs, Connor says he wants the drink’s reputation to precede it, free of flowery marketing language and ‘storytelling’.

“100 Mill St. isn’t wrapped up in some marketing story,” he says. “Actually, sort of the opposite: the clean, simple bottle [design] is there but the magic is in the bottle – not the story … [T]he spirit comes first. It has to because no amount of ‘story’ or marketing can outlast the taste of a lousy product. We just don’t have that luxury. We have to lead with our strength: the gin itself.”

100 Mill St. is distilled to batches of just 26 gallons, which Connor says is proof of the care that goes into making such a quality product. “It’s not exclusive in the sense that only a few people can buy it or appreciate it. Its scarcity is merely reflective of the hard truths of how challenging logistically it is to make. If we did like many gins do, by sourcing ethanol and flavoring it, then we could eliminate the scarcity – or exclusivity – but then we wouldn’t be true to what we believe and what makes 100 Mill St. so smooth: the balance of hard maple sap. That’s where the smoothness comes from.”

“We have to lead with our strength: the gin itself”

While the taste won’t be lost on anyone, Connor says there are many reasons to be surprised by its complexity. “Just like no brewer sets out to make the next Bud Light, we set out to make a gin that wasn’t like any other. 100 Mill St. is a gin that was designed for gin drinkers – so as a gin drinker, I focused on what I wanted out of a gin.

“At first, it’s the touch of juniper (which is familiar), then it whisks away to be carried through the middle by the citrus notes only to be finished with cassis and vanilla at the end. It is a gin created for those that love gin.”

And for newbies? “We hope they will say, as many do, ‘I’m not a gin drinker, but I love this.’”

100 Mill St. Gin is available at the Club and at Haskell’s – while it lasts.

Sarah Colianni Mixes Drinks and Conversation at the Bar

By

Sarah Colianni has been tending bar at the Club for about a year now, but it feels longer than that.

“That sounds bad, but I think that’s because of the setting,” she says. “Interacting with people at the Minneapolis Club, I’ve gotten to form better connections with the people who come and sit at the bar compared to other places I’ve worked at. It feels longer just because of how well I’ve gotten to know them.”

Some members say Sarah knows them better than anyone else; she says some consider her a friend. “It feels like family, almost – just making them feel comfortable.”

“It doesn’t feel like I’m doing a job – it just feels like a natural connection. It doesn’t feel like I’m going off a script.  It just flows really naturally.”

That natural flow, Colianni says, is informed by both her near-decade in the service industry and her Italian-American upbringing – which, to hear her describe it, comprised a lot of big family dinners and conversation.

“It’s just how I was raised. The whole [Italian] culture is kind of based on hospitality and making everyone feel welcome. You can’t teach hospitality – it’s just ingrained in me.”

Despite that intangibility, she’s had no problem sharing what she knows with other Club food and beverage staff, pulling from her experiences as a barista and mixologist at a number of Twin Cities institutions, including helping to open a distillery in St. Louis Park. At the Club, she’s helped with training materials, process improvement, and more.

“You can’t teach hospitality”

Still, Colianni’s passion for her work lies in the natural connections that occur across the bar, over drinks and between barstaff. “I worked in high-volume restaurants before, where you don’t get as much creativity to experiment,” she says. “That’s one thing I love about my job at the Club: people have the drinks they love, but then sometimes they branch out, and I get to introduce new drinks to them” and experiment with food and beverage staff to create all-new menu options.

Sarah Colianni, Bartender - Minneapolis Club

Members say Sarah even makes a “trademark” Old Fashioned – one so good, a visitor once said it was the best Old Fashioned he’d had in the USA. Others suggest that it should have its own special name, an idea that gains momentum when she mentions that her recipe includes a secret ingredient.

“I have no idea what to call it,” she says, adding, “If anybody has any suggestions…”

Visit the bar, try Sarah’s signature Old Fashioned, and maybe drop a name into the hat.

Member Q&A: Aram Desteian

By

Q: Why was it important to you to join the Minneapolis Club?

A: I joined the Minneapolis Club in late 2011 or early 2012 at the urging of a number of good friends of mine who were members. Over the years, the Club has been and remains my home away from home, although the specific uses have evolved somewhat over time. Currently, the Club offers me a place to meet my friends, a place to relax after work, and a place to enjoy some special one-on-one time with my nearly four-year old son.

Q: How are you involved at the Club?

A: I currently serve on the Strategic Planning Committee of the Club and enjoy the opportunity to work with other members and our staff to help plan for the Club’s future. Beyond serving on that committee, I can often be found in either the bar or the gym, many times with one immediately following the other. While those uses are somewhat contradictory, the gym and the bar are my opportunity to relax and return to “normal” after a long day at work. I can also usually be found having a Saturday morning breakfast in the Grill, either chasing after my son or enjoying some time with my friends.

Q: Describe your work.

A: I’m a litigation attorney at Bassford Remele, an approximately 45-lawyer litigation firm in Downtown Minneapolis. My practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and defending lawyers in ethics and malpractice matters. In addition, I was recently named our firm’s Associate General Counsel, with a special emphasis on advising the firm and our lawyers on issues relating legal ethics.

Q: How is the Club helping you reach professional and personal goals?

A: This is one is easy. Personally, the Club serves as my de facto second home. The gym has offered me a place to reinvigorate my (long-lost) love of lifting weights and working out. In addition, the network of good friends that I’ve met through the Club has been both personally and professionally rewarding. I’m lucky enough to count fellow members amongst my closest friends and my clients. If I’ve learned anything from my nearly eight years of membership it is that the more you put into the Club, the more you get out of it. That has certainly been the case for me.

Q: What is your favorite feature or service at the Club?

A: I think there are a few drastically underutilized aspects of the Club that are big favorites of mine. So much so that I hesitate to talk about them here lest they become too popular.

The first is the Saturday morning breakfast in the Grill. Nearly every Saturday, I can be found in the Grill after working out. Sometimes I’m watching Paw Patrol with my little guy, and others I’m at the bar with four or five buddies having breakfast and a brunch cocktail before starting the weekend. Saturday mornings at the Club are an amazing mix of people and a great experience.

The second is the concierge service. I use it to get my car washed and filled with gas, to get dry cleaning done, shoes re-soled, and to secure hotel rooms when I’m traveling. The staff are amazing at working to ensure that whatever I need is taken care of, and it is a huge time saver for me.

Last, I think the Club bar is the best place to grab a drink in town. Nearly every time I go to the bar I run into a good friend or make a new one. It is a great place to get to know your fellow members.

Q: Describe an extraordinary experience you’ve had at the Club.

A: The best example happened a few weeks back. I arranged for childcare for my son so I could work out and we could grab breakfast afterwards. He loves running around the Club with his friends in the childcare group, so he was excited for it as well. Unfortunately, fifteen minutes before the childcare provider was scheduled to arrive, her company called the Club to tell us she had called in sick. Yvonne from the Fitness Desk went far beyond the call of duty and single-handedly entertained no less than six children of varying ages so that the parents could still get in their workouts. That is just one recent example of the extraordinary service that the Club staff provides on a daily basis.

Q: What are your hobbies and passions?

A: As a lawyer and solo parent, my hobbies have generally been subsumed by a combination of cartoons and lawsuits (but so far, no cartoon lawsuits). The best thing is spending time with my son. Beyond that, I love a good cocktail (or even a bad one frankly), good food, working out, travel, and talking politics or history. My career before law was in politics, so I can often be found in the bar going back and forth with my good friends about the issues of the day.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

A: I cannot wait to take my son to Armenia, where our family is historically from. But if I had one trip I could do on my own, it would be to Jerusalem. I would love to explore the old city, see the Armenian Quarter, and generally take in the amazing history that have taken place within the city walls.