Growing up, my family and I spent hours around my grandparents’ round kitchen table, overlooking Lake Minnetonka. We played endless games of Scrabble and snacked on whatever we could find in my grandma’s kitchen. The afternoons were long and cozy.
Lately, I find myself longing for that sort of comfort, so I’ve been thoughtfully unplugging from technology and spending more time with friends and family, preparing our favorite foods, playing games and enjoying each other’s stories.
I think my desire for comfort and connection subconsciously made it into almost every story in this issue. From the Prior Lake family that built a beautiful home designed to encourage and support their time together to the catering company that focuses on local seasonal food that brings people together. We also feature a family-run restaurant that celebrates the owners’ Mexican heritage and another restaurant that pays tribute to local hunting traditions.
Even our “spooky” story about a Lakeville author who writes stories about ghosts and monsters turned into a discussion about how these creepy tales can help us stay connected to the past, how to find your passion and embrace it.
As we start to feel the chill of autumn, hopefully this issue will serve as the same metaphorical warm blanket for you as it did for me. I’m wishing you all lots of meaningful time with friends and family, plenty of good food and shared stories.
