Grill kits, visiting chefs and river cruises: Book your summer fun now

Chef Gavin Kaysen will help take the guesswork out of what to grill for the summer holidays with grill kits, available through his GK at Home line for Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day.

First up, for Memorial Day, is a collaboration between Kaysen and Animales BBQ chef/owner Jon Wipfli that features a 3-pound dry rub smoked rib-eye. Also on the menu: roasted carrot and arugula salad, roasted mushrooms, German potato salad, Parker House rolls, strawberry-rhubarb pie and an extra bottle of the dry rub — a blend created by the chefs and their teams — for future grilling endeavors.

The kit serves six to eight and costs $375; the Memorial Day kits are on sale now (the others will go on sale at a later date) at exploretock.com/spoonandstable. Pick up on May 26 at Spoon and Stable, 211 N. 1st St., Mpls.

Also included are detailed preparation instructions, plus grilling tips. No grill? No problem. The meal can also be prepared without a grill.

The Nicollet Island Inn in Minneapolis is once again teaming up with Minneapolis Water Taxi for summertime cruises on the Mississippi River.

Grab up to six friends and start at the city's Boom Island Park, where you'll board a solar-powered electric cruise boat for an hourlong tour of the Upper Mississippi River. Warm up with a picnic of wine or Champagne (your choice) and appetizers before heading back to the inn for the main course.

Tickets are available for select weeknights and weekends from May through September. Prices vary with group size, but start at $295 for two people. That includes boat service, on-board picnic and a $50 dinner credit per guest. For more information or reservations, go to nicolletislandinn.com.

"An Evening With Nigella Lawson" will feature the writer talking about her new book, "Cook, Eat, Repeat," a combination of more than 50 new recipes intertwined with narrative essays. The event is Nov. 21 at Pantages Theatre (710 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.).

Get tickets starting May 6 at 10 a.m. at the State Theatre Box Office (805 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.), online at hennepintheatretrust.org or by calling 800-982-2787. Tickets range from $39.50-$75.