Coming up: the busiest two weeks in the busiest year of Audra Weier's life. Throughout the St. Paul Winter Carnival, her prodigious pipes will pervade the proceedings in the girthy guise of Klondike Kate 2008. We caught up with Weier, 33, after the lunch rush hour at her day job -- managing a Davanni's in Wayzata -- and just before she headed out for a little last-minute boa-shopping (she only had three). Q Is being Klondike Kate more about attitude than anything else?

A Yep. Attitude, being a little bit sassy. "Sassmaster" has been part of my e-mail address since I was 19.

Q Do you like Klondike ice-cream bars?

A Yeah, absolutely. I just had one about an hour ago. Someone at work brought some in to celebrate.

Q What Winter Carnival events do you recommend for our readers?

A For sure they're gonna want to go to the Klondike Kate Cabaret [Friday at the History Theatre]. The snow sculptures and the ice carving are really cool. I like to go ice-skating; I took my niece when she was 3, and she's 7 now. The parades are great, and I'm really looking forward to the Vulcan Victory Dance (Feb. 2 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel). Oh, and they have a Kates' Night Out (Saturday at various venues), with all the past Kates.

Q What should people do when they see all those Klondike Kates coming?

A Well, don't run because we're not scary. We've got our red lipstick ready to kiss cheeks. I've had Lipstick 101 and been advised what brands and colors work best, how to put it on so it doesn't feather. That is not normally me; I'm more of a gloss gal.

Q How about the Vulcans? Do they hit on you, or do you hit on them?

A [Laughs heartily] Puh-leeze, they hit on me! Kate's supposed to look tarty. I will have to create cleavage, though, because I don't have any.

Bill Ward • 612-673-7643