March 2017 Edina Magazine

In the March issue take a seat at Tonja's table as the Edina author discusses her favorite recipes and entertaining tips.

“Don’t just dream. Have plans,” reads a sign outside Grandview Tire & Auto on 70th Street in Edina. The quote was perfect for Kamal Aggarwal. The Edina resident was talking to her son about taking his schooling more seriously while they were driving to the store.

 

March makes its way with a bit of green and a touch of magic. After a long, gray winter, it’s only fitting to kick up your heels—or leprechaun shoes—come St. Patrick’s Day. Lively Irish food and drink are a precursor to spring.

 

Mobility can be difficult for some people whether young or old. That’s why Edina’s first barrier-free playground, created by Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground, was installed at Rosland Park.

 

As ultimate Frisbee continues to grow, the Hornets stand at the forefront. In his third season as a member of the ultimate Frisbee team at Edina High School, senior Daniel Brunker still remembers his first practice. “I was pretty intimidated,” Daniel says. “I wasn’t sure what to expect.

 

Some forward-thinking house hunters decided to bring their architect along when searching for their new home in Edina. Ben Awes, of CITYDESKSTUDIO in St. Paul, was on hand to help this family decide if the house they were considering could be renovated to meet their needs.

 

Tonja Engen defines food as much more than ingredients on a plate. To this Edina cook, food moves through communities, cultures and families like a culinary chameleon, and is a vessel for emotional, social and spiritual customs.

 

For just over a decade, the Gryphon Press has provided what it calls “a voice for the voiceless” by offering children thoughtfully illustrated books which highlight the human-animal connection while fostering empathy in young readers for other living beings.

 

Edina High School junior Margeaux Pederson pressed the butt of her shotgun into her right shoulder, using her left hand to take aim. “Pull!” She fired her grandfather’s shotgun, an Ithaca 20 gauge, at a clay pigeon as it leapt into the sky, and—crack!

 

Sometimes you choose service, and sometimes service chooses you. Ann Deshler of Edina knows both sides of this story. She’s been an oncology nurse her entire career, currently working in cancer research for HealthPartners.

 

Jamie Glover has always been at home in the sports arena. As a kid growing up in Edina, she played everything from little league to fast-pitch softball and Junior Olympic volleyball.

 

When Melissa Oszcustowicz, her brother Adam and their parents Karen and Richard decided to move back to Minnesota in 2005, they had already planted cocoa trees in Hawaii. Then Karen was battling cancer, and Richard was struggling with his heart.

 

Spring Break for Edina Public Schools begins March 27 and that means many students and their families will enjoy some downtime together before finishing out the school year. Grace McGurran, an Edina High School senior, tells us what she’ll be doing during her time off.

 
National Pi Day

The first three digits of the mathematical constant known as Pi are 3.14, so it’s only appropriate that March 14 is celebrated as Pi Day. In many schools around the state, math teachers tend to do something special on this day in their classes. “Pi Day has always been fun for me.

 

Chad Eischens, the general manager at Braemar athletic facilities, spent nine years as an activities director and community education director before his current position. “There’s been a sharp learning curve” for the past several months, Eischens says.

 

READ

Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White

 

The Vintner Ball, now in its 12th year, will be hosted at the Edina Westin Galleria this month. At the event, you will be able to sip and sample more than 100 different wines hand-selected by the presenting sponsor, Kowalski’s.

 

Jennifer Adam joined the Edina Historical Society as executive director in April 2016.

 

The 2017 Parade of Homes starts March 4. Last year, six Edina homes were featured. This year, there are seven brand-new homes and nine remodeled homes featured in the Edina area.

 

While on your next spring stroll, be sure to pause and admire the public art on display in Edina. An especially eye-catching piece is a sculpture called “Bonded Souls” located near the fountain at 50th and France.