PICK OF THE WEEK: Crank up the family coupe, plop the kids in the rumble seat and motor over to the fourth annual 10,000 Lakes Concours d'Elegance (that last part is French for "competition of excellence"). More than 180 historic, fully restored cars, motorcycles and boats will be on display on the shore of Lake Minnetonka in Excelsior from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. There's free parking and shuttles from Minnetonka High School and Excelsior Elementary. Enjoy music, lawn games, food and beverages, as well as costumed characters from the Minnesota Historical Society. Tickets are $35 (ages 12 and under are free), with proceeds going to the ICA Food Shelf. (10000lakesconcours.com)
Cheat sheet: Heading for a Memorial Day barbecue? Sound smart by showing you know that:
• The holiday was created to pay homage to soldiers killed in the Civil War, but because the order was issued by the Grand Army of the Republic, Mississippi was the only Southern state to acknowledge it. In fact, most of the South continued to ignore it until World War I.
• It originally was called Decoration Day, after the practice of decorating veterans' graves.
• It was always held on May 30 until 1971, when it was moved (along with Presidents' Day and Veterans Day) to Mondays. However, when people complained about moving Veterans Day, Congress returned that to its traditional Nov. 11 date.
Day by day: Don't get all choked up, but Wednesday is national Heimlich Maneuver Day.
LIFE HACK: The next time you buy a pair of shoes, instead of throwing the packet of silica beads in the garbage, toss it in your toolbox to help prevent rusting.
recommended reading: Volunteer "first responders" offer emergency help for ailing marriages. Details in Tuesday's Variety.
JEFF STRICKLER
