Autumn is fading into winter in the northern hemisphere. The pandemic still rages. Social distancing hobbies can help keep us focused during the chilly days of winter, when nights are long and our restlessness is strong. When the pandemic first pushed us indoors, my feeds were flooded with images and stories of people making the best of an unprecedented situation, diving back into pursuits they’d loved as kids or discovering new hobbies for the first time. We need to recaptur

Union Market Mankato is bringing a whole new shopping experience to this Minnesota River city. It features more than 20 Minnesota brands in one convenient location. This eclectic market stocks a homegrown selection of art, clothing for men, women and kids, gifts, accessories, home decor, vintage items and more. You can buy houseplants to feed your oh-so-2020 hobby/addiction and stock up at the apothecary. Home goods and gifts at Union Market Mankato Photo by Lauren Krysti Fas

We’re all craving a little novelty these days. But we also need to stay safe. Roseville in Bloom gives us the best of both worlds. The Minnesota city launched this very cool public art project back in July. But there’s still time to see it. Just get to the Twin Cities by the end of October. Lydia Anderson sculpture at Roseville in Bloom The Roseville in Bloom project features 20 rose statutes created by local artists. They’re strategically placed outdoors all over the city so