For years, i’ve been saving a manila folder of research on Minnesota’s unique connection to Naples, Florida. It holds a yellowed Star Tribune column penned by Barbara Flanagan (“Minnesotans could learn a thing or two or three from Naples, Fla.”) and some notes from a conversation with her (“Campiello: ‘the’ restaurant in Naples, you have to know somebody to get in there and eat when the season is on”). There’s also a Post-it note with the phone number of Gene Frey, head of the Minnesota Men’s Breakfast club there, along with more conversation notes (“It’s not exactly a locker-room thing”). As one winter after another passed, the folder got fatter and fatter, but the story remained just out of reach.
This year, the timing was right. The Men’s Breakfast was celebrating its 50th anniversary, and I secured just the right writer in Jennifer Vogel, a veteran reporter with the curiosity to suss out why so many prominent snowbirds have flocked to Naples. She proved to be the perfect tour guide through so-called “Minnesota South.” If you’re ready to give the cold shoulder to snow and ice yourself, turn to page 43, where you’ll also find “63 Ways to Banish Winter,” followed by “Breezy and Bright” spring fashion.
Another ace writer I’m pleased to introduce is Karen S. Schneider, a Minneapolis native who spent the past two decades working for People (and prior to that a stint at Glamour) before becoming our style editor. Karen brings us the best of local fashion and beauty with the help of our new editorial assistant, Josie Franske, and backs up her style with substance—Karen’s recent Sports Illustrated piece on Jack Jablonski is one of the most important pieces of magazine journalism to come out of Minneapolis this decade. Along with tips, trends, and news, you’ll find Karen’s part-poignant, part-provocative, part-hilarious reflections on everything from inheriting good taste to what happens when Mean Girls meet Minnesota Nice (page 26). While I can’t vouch for this magazine’s UV-blocking capabilities, I do know it’ll be a good read in the (much-welcome) sun.
