Minneapolis – Francois et Moi

Thrift & Vintage Shop Favorites in Minneapolis

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 16:26:03 +0000

I’m all about mixing in vintage with handmade, as I think together they add depth and personality to our homes. And when I’m feeling extra inspired, I even use thrift store finds in my DIY projects because pourquoi pas, n’est pas? When we lived in the North Loop, I’d drive by the Salvation Army every day on my way home from work and would stop in (maybe a little too) often to check out their new arrivals. What’s great about the North Loop’s Salvation Army is they essentially have two stores wrapped into one. The main floor is the donation thrift shop that they sell “Buy the Pound.” The lower level is all of Target Corp’s prototypes, props, strike-offs, and (I’m guessing) over runs, so it’s all new pieces that didn’t necessarily make it to market. We’re lucky to have so many awesome thrift and vintage resources at our fingertips in Minneapolis, and since I talk a lot about mixing vintage with handmade here on Francois et Moi, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite spots to shop (or dig) for vintage home goods in Minneapolis, so in no particular order: Salvation Army – North Loop Hunt & […]

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Francois Renovates: A Duplex

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 14:45:42 +0000

On Friday, July 17th it became official; Ken and I kicked off our first home buying experience by also simultaneously becoming landlords. Yep, we bought a duplex! As you may or may not know, we’d casually been considering buying a house for several years now, only semi-seriously looking for about a year, and only “let’s-make-this-happen-now” looking for about a month before we found THE place. It became pretty clear to us this year as we hit MLS with our game faces on in May, that we were in the market for a duplex property. With this being our first purchase, we knew it probably wouldn’t be our forever home, so the idea of buying a property that could pay 1/2 our monthly mortgage in the short term, and give us a bit more financial freedom and options down the road, it was a move we couldn’t help but get excited about. The home we landed on is a 1934 Tudor-style duplex that has the appearance of a single family home from the street (a rare gem!). Then as you enter the foyer, the units split off into two. We plan to live on the first floor which has 3 bedrooms […]

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Spring Style in the Loop

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 18 May 2015 13:19:45 +0000

Typically you’ll find me behind the lens, rather than in front of it, but every once in awhile it’s fun to mix up the handmade posts with a lifestyle one here and there. I LOVE making things, but now that the weather is warming up, I just want to get outside and explore Minneapolis. We moved to the North Loop in October last year, just as Winter was also moving in, so I’m excited to explore the Neighborhood in all its warm-weather glory. On Saturday we moseyed over to the Farmer’s Market, so I’m sharing my spring style weekend wear with you guys. I hope you had a fantastic weekend–they always go too fast, don’t they? First and foremost, I’m really digging espadrilles for spring and summer. Often I don’t like ankle ties because they can cut into your ankles, but the ties on these babies (find them here!) are a twill cotton and they’re actually quite comfortable, so they’re great for strolling around the farmer’s market. If your mission is to stock up on fresh, local produce for the week, then a big bag to corral it all is essential. Otherwise, the vendors give you plastic bags for each […]

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Instagram Lately

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 19:52:08 +0000

Happy Glorious Friday and Valentine’s Day Weekend to you! We’re heading up to Lutsen, MN for a weekend on the slopes with friends, so last night Ken and I celebrated Valentine’s Day a little ahead of schedule. We ordered take out from our mutually favorite restaurant, Bar La Grassa, picked up a good bottle of red, and ate by candlelight over French gypsy jazz–a low key night at home together. I hope you have something fun planned with your Valentine too! Here’s a snapshot of what’s been shakin’ on Instagram lately! A Beautiful Mess | An Ice-Kissed Duluth, MN | Vintage Sewing Patterns | Homemade Honey Buttermilk Bread | Art et Manufacture Espresso Cups | HouseBeautiful.com Project Feature! | DIY Valentine’s Flower Wall | Oversized Sheet Music in Minneapolis | 24kt Tea Time | Fresh Tulips from Ken!

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Instagram Lately

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 21:38:02 +0000

Happy Friday! This weekend we’re headed to my friend Briony’s cabin for their annual winter extravaganza of fires, sledding, and spiked cocoa with friends! [I can’t wait!] I hope you have something fun in the works too! It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Insta update, so today feels like the day for it! Here’s what’s been transpiring on Instagram this month so far. Many thank-you’s to @lumen8mpls and @midwest_dressed for sharing a few F&M photos! An Aerial shot of South Minneapolis | Ciao 2014! | Souvenirs from Tampa | Avocado Toast + Poached Eggs | Mascarpone stuffed Medjool Dates | Another Shot of Our Fine Metropolis From the Air | Contouring Stripes | An Antique Kilim Rug from Aubry Angelo | A Roaring Cabin Fire | My ApartmentTherapy.com Feature | A Sunny International Market Square Atrium

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A Bourbon Manhattan with Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 12:48:07 +0000

Cheers to Friday! I’m excited to share our take on a killer cocktail we had at Heyday in Minneapolis recently. It turns out, this bad boy is more of a bourbon manhattan (rather than an old fashioned as I originally thought) as it incorporates sweet vermouth. Po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe–bottom line is it’s delicious! And we throw in a bit of our freshly brewed cherry bark vanilla bitters for a warm, autumnal (cinnamon, cherry, vanilla) flavor complexity, perfect for the fall and winter months. Learn how to make cherry bark vanilla bitters here! Though I’m sure our recipe is different than the coveted Heyday recipe, it comes close in flavor and overall satisfaction! I hope you enjoy. Let’s raise a glass to the weekend. TGIF! Measurements for One Cocktail: 2 oz (or two shot glassfuls) good bourbon. We use Bulleit. 1 oz (or one shot glassful) of sweet vermouth. 1/2 teaspoon of sugar 1 full dropper (or two half dropperfuls) of cherry bark vanilla bitters (or to taste) fresh orange peel/zest ice Place sugar, bitters and sweet vermouth in a tumbler. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add bourbon, and give it another stir. Add ice. We like the large 2″ cubes from William Sonoma (Larger cubes melt slower and won’t water your […]

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How to Make: Wild Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 13:09:19 +0000

We recently discovered a cocktail at Heyday in Minneapolis that knocked our socks off and was the catalyst for our interest in experimenting with home brew bitters. The cocktail was an ‘old fashioned’ type mixed up with wild cherry bark vanilla bitters, a bit of cane sugar and a garnish of orange zest. Oh so delizioso. Check back on Friday, as I’ll be sharing our take on that killer Heyday cocktail! If you’re not super familiar with bitters, they’re considered to be the ‘salt and pepper’ of cocktails, adding complexity and that ‘je ne sais quoi.’ There are a billion different theories on what proportions make the best bitters (a matter of taste and preference, I guess), so after alot of research, we landed on the recipe and procedure below. Cherry bark vanilla bitters calls for super high proof bourbon, rye and a whole bunch of herbs that you’ve probably never heard of! The warmth of the cinnamon, cardamom and star anise make cherry bark bitters the perfect accompaniment to winter cocktails. I can’t wait to hand these out at the Holidays! Ingredients: We purchased most of our herbs at Mountain Rose Herbs. 8 oz dried cherries 3 c 101 proof bourbon (divided in two 1-1/2 […]

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Apartment Scheming

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 12:59:24 +0000

Happy Monday! Ken and I are counting down the days until we move into our new place in the North Loop, and of course my mind is running wild placing furniture, brainstorming ideas on how to maximize the square footage (we’re downsizing slightly), and styling our new digs in a way that makes it feel like home. I’ve compiled a few ideas that have caught my eye: some are high end (dream on), others are surprisingly affordable, but all are swoon-worthy! a. Paper Message Center | b. Small Space Hallway Console | c. Metal Barstools | d. Wall-to-wall Bookshelves | e. Sheepskin | f. Mulberry Wall Art | g. Bedside Sconce | h. Mid-century Desk

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Urban Digs

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 13:15:05 +0000

Happy Friday to you! As I mentioned earlier this month, Ken and I have begun the exciting, but laborious process of house hunting, and while we have begun looking, we’re nowhere near closing on a home. So when we received the notice that our apartment lease was coming up for renewal, instead of signing another lease, as we’ve done the last 4 years, we decided it might be fun to move a bit closer to the action and spend a year relishing our great metropolis in the Minneapolis North Loop. And all the while continuing the house hunt. We both agreed the process of buying a home takes time, and we didn’t want to rush into anything. It was a decision made over old-fashioneds at Borough on our two year anniversary after realizing how much time we already spend in this area for both work and play. On the weekends we always find ourselves hopping on Cedar Lake Trail with our bikes en route to check out the farmer’s market, a new restaurant or brewery, or reenact our very first date at Acme Comedy Club. There’s such an energy and creative mix in the North Loop that I can’t wait to be apart of! We officially signed a lease […]

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Instagram Lately.

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 17:44:33 +0000

I love the visual patchwork that Instagram profiles create through moments in our daily lives. Instagram makes it so easy to take beautiful, moody photos that even pictures snapped on the fly look like works of art, and the visual texture they create when they all come together in our profiles is such an unexpected delight! Here are some of my recent moments: Happy Bastille Day! | An abstracted houndstooth snapped at Zumbro Cafe | Mulberry Picking | My new juicer from Fringe & Fettle! | Lavender | Shots from our recent jaunt to Anchorage | Playing with scale at the Guthrie | Brunch at The Copper Hen for my birthday! | Macarons for breakfast! | A birthday gift from Ken: The Kinfolk Table Cookbook | Birthday Blooms | Summer moments at Lake Calhoun | Brews at Tilia | Blueberries in our container garden | Iced Coffee to-go at Moose & Sadie’s Are you on Instagram? Let’s be friends! @francoisetmoiblog. Also, 3 instagrammers I’m digging à la moment. Check them out: @lucylaucht: Lucy is the digital & social media director at J. Crew. She self describes as a serial wanderluster, and her images are a true reflection of that. Colorful, travel focused, beautiful shots. @annariflebond: Founder […]

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March Dinner Club: The Kenwood

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:38:26 +0000

As I mentioned last fall, Ken and I part of a Dinner Club made up of a few couples that meet once a month, each time at a new restaurant around Minneapolis. March’s dinner club took place at The Kenwood, a charming little place in the heart of–you guessed it–the Kenwood Neighborhood, just around the corner from the frame shop. This little gem is one of Minneapolis’ best kept secrets, flawlessly balancing refined with approachable, and serving up European-inspired dishes made with local, interesting ingredients. The atmosphere was lovely and our service superb. I can’t wait to return, but this time for weekend brunch. I hear it’s not to be missed! Recommended Dish: Black Trumpet Mushroom Tart, Creamed Spinach, Pecorino & Duck Egg. The Kenwood. 2115 W. 21st St.

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Claire & Jeffrey’s Inspiring Kitchen Reno

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 13:08:58 +0000

Since Ken and I started seriously talking about buying/renovating in Minneapolis, I’ve developed a heightened sense of awareness for home renovation stories, especially those with impeccable style! In April 2013, fellow Minneapolites, Claire and Jeffrey shared their DIY Kitchen renovation with Apartment Therapy, and not only was I brimming with Minneapolis pride to see these two local creatives featured on one of the original lifestyle and design blogs, but also super inspired by their kitchen’s massive overhaul and transformation. Check out their entire reno process, budget! and more before/after shots here! Before: After: I love that they committed to saving and restoring many of the home’s original elements. The hardwood floors, mouldings, and backdoor are beautiful details that nod to the home’s history while the modern details keep it feeling light and fresh. My favorite details are the Tandem Made live edge walnut shelf, the DIY concrete countertops, and the Schoolhouse Electric Sconce (shown in the first image). A truly inspiring transformation; hats off to Claire and Jeffrey! Photos via Apartment Therapy.

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