Sue Z.'s Local Finds: Bloody Mary Bar, Party Essentails, and Massive Cookies

It’s time to indulge. From a gigantic Bloody Mary bar, to dazzling party essentials, to massive cookies, make sure to treat yourself this March.

Hell’s Kitchen, the restaurant brainchild of chef Steve Meyer, Cynthia Gerdes, and her late, great husband, chef Mitch Omer, have the most creative Bloody Mary bar room in the country. With mirrored walls and glass chandeliers above the shelves of large sparkling glasses, it’s a weekend brunch experience not to be missed. As you pass through the room, there are multiple tomato juice choices and yards of edible garnishes to place on the swizzle sticks. I dare you to resist nibbling along the route.

Would you like to wow all the guests at your next soirée? Order fun ice cubes to add to your cocktails, sangria, soda pop, and even water. Robbie Harrell and Cullen Loeffler of Minnesota Ice Sculptures create a variety of cubes, squares, rounds, and sticks to make your drinks a conversation piece. They even do large custom ice sculptures for weddings, graduations, and corporate events with colored lights and personalized logos and artwork.

Got a craving for an incredible, colossal cookie? T-Rex Cookie Co. sells half-pound treats made by Tina Rexing, receiving national attention since its launch in February 2015. One could last you a week, but I bet it won’t. My favorites include the English toffee, snickerdoodle, and of course, the sea salt caramel chocolate chip.

Sue Zelickson is the founder and director of Women Who Really Cook and Perspectives Family Center’s Kids Cafe. She is the former host of WCCO radio’s Food for Thought.

Illustration by James Kloiber

Sue Zelickson (Sue Z.) is a James Beard Award-winning food media personality, philanthropist, and longtime contributor to Minnesota Monthly and WCCO radio. She has founded the Charlie Awards, the Women Who Really Cook networking organization for women in the local food industry, and the Kids Cafe at Perspectives, Inc., which improves access to nutritious meals for families in need. You can find her buzzing around from event to event throughout the Twin Cities, helping to raise funds for charitable organizations, including some she has had a hand in building.