Four seasons
If you're in New York City this summer, head to the New York Botanical Garden. On display are four renditions of Giuseppe Arcimboldo's seasonal paintings from the Renaissance, where produce and other organic materials are positioned to make incredible faces. For the botanical garden interpretation, artist Philip Haas has built four 15-foot busts of fiberglass to resemble the famous portraits. Look for the (oversized) produce! The exhibit continues through Oct. 27. For more, see www.nybg.org.
Lakewinds blows into Richfield
Lakewinds Co-ops, currently in Minnetonka and Chanhassen, are going to build a third store in Richfield, at 64th Street and Lyndale Avenue S., most familiar as the site of the former Lyndale Garden Center. This would be Richfield's first grocery co-op. But first things first. Lakewinds first must raise at least $1.8 million in member loans toward the the financing package for the $9 million project. The effort is similar to programs it offered in 1995 and 2005. The co-op is hosting a series of community meetings where you can learn about job creation, farmer support and economic impact of a Richfield outlet. For details, visit www.lakewinds.com/locations/richfield.
Food truck fair on the move
Last summer's inaugural Minnesota Food Truck Fair is moving from downtown Minneapolis to Uptown this year. And it's free. Almost 30 trucks will park along two blocks of Hennepin Avenue south of Lake Street from 3 to 8 p.m. June 30. There also will be other vendors, local craft beers and live local bands. Organizers say they are committed to creating a community family event. Says fair organizer L.J. Stead: "From Korean BBQ Burritos to grilled veal tongue to Italian shaved ice, we'll have something to tempt everyone's taste buds."
Madden's: Book it now
Madden's on Gull Lake, near Brainerd, is sharing details of its annual Food & Wine Experience, this year Aug. 22-25. As always, it gives guests the chance to interact with chefs from around the country through a number of activities, demonstrations and educational sessions. Events include discussions or demos on dietary trends, healthy eating for kids, BBQ, cigar and liquor trends, meat smoking, herb gardens, wine tasting, baked goods and more. One chef will lead a foraging expedition into the forest for dinner ingredients. There's a packaged rate of $185.50 per person, per night, based on double occupancy. Reservations can be made online at www.maddens.com or by calling 1-800-642-5363.
Table for two?
Among the growing number of resto resources, add Nara, which bills itself as "a website and mobile app that's like Pandora and Yelp, combined." Nara tracks your dining preferences to form a tailored list of dining recommendations. Users can also order food via GrubHub, book a table using the OpenTable button and book a car service using Uber. It also will recommend restaurants when you're traveling. To learn more, visit www.nara.me.
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