Nina Holmberg | Party Pictures and our Party Patrol bloggers take on the party scene in Minneapolis and St. Paul from mspmag.com

Under The Radar Foundation's The Best Party in Town

By Nina Holmberg | Photos by Nina Holmberg | Event Date: November 21, 2010
Posted on December 1, 2010 | Categories: Arts Scene, Benefits + Fundraisers

Who: Jazz fans and philanthropists.

What: An evening of entertainment for board members and friends of the Under the Radar Foundation touted "The Best Party in Town"

Where: Dakota Jazz Club

When: November 21, 2010

Why: To support Under the Radar Foundation, and to eat, drink, and be merry in the company of friends and musicians.

On a chilly Sunday night, what could be cozier than the company of friends, great live music, and a good meal? On a particularly nippy November evening, we hurried across Nicollet Mall into the Dakota Jazz Club for a truly memorable event.

CrowdCut Kick Off Party

By Nina Holmberg | Photos by Nina Holmberg | Event Date: October 14, 2010
Posted on October 22, 2010 | Categories: Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Special Events

Who: Deal hunters, CrowdCut visionaries, MSPMag staffers, and happy hour lovers.

What: A celebration of CrowdCut and Mpls.St.Paul Magazine's new partnership

Where: The ViewWhen: Thursday, October 14

When: Thursday, October 14

Why: Flourescent green Crowdtinis are fabulous, but new friends are even more fabulous.

Blame my mother: I love a good deal. Roll the tape back to my early childhood when my mom's Sunday coupon clippings packed a recipe box, or fast-forward to later years when a trip to Costco was less an errand than a challenge.

Rojo Mexican Grill Preview Party

By Nina Holmberg | Photos by Nina Holmberg | Event Date: August 20, 2010
Posted on August 26, 2010 | Categories: Foodies, Openings, Restaurateurs, TV Anchors + Media

Who: Media folks, PR peeps, and food lovers
What: Rojo Mexican Grill Preview Party
When: Friday, August 20, 2010
Where: The Shops at West End, St. Louis Park
Why: To celebrate the opening of West End’s newest culinary haunt

Attending a party at the Shops at West End is a uniquely fun and refreshing experience. It’s not just about the abundant free parking, the wide streets, and bright storefronts. Falling in step with the retail complex’s Recession? What recession? swagger almost makes one forget about a wheezing housing market, bleak jobless claim numbers, the growing debt crisis overseas, and—wait, hold on. Did someone say free margaritas?

Law & Politics's The Party’s Over Party

By Nina Holmberg | Photos by Nina Holmberg | Event Date: May 6, 2010
Posted on May 7, 2010 | Categories: Special Events

Who: Lawyers, their friends in the publishing industry, and fans of Law & Politics
What: The Party’s Over Party
Where: Atlas Bar and Restaurant
When: Thursday, May 6
Why: To bid adieu to Law & Politics after 20 fabulous years

Around 200 folks streamed through the skyways to spend their happy hour at Atlas Bar and Restaurant on Thursday, arriving to salute Minnesota Law & Politics. The publication, which built its reputation on an utterly unique mix of industry talk and total irreverence, ceased operations this spring.

The Minnesota Zoo's Beastly Ball

By Nina Holmberg | Photos by Nina Holmberg | Event Date: April 24, 2010
Posted on May 3, 2010 | Categories: Benefits + Fundraisers, Galas

Who: Aspiring Dr. Doolittles and their plus ones
What: The Minnesota Zoo’s annual Beastly Ball, One Hot Night
Where: Under the dolphins’ watchful gaze at the Discovery Bay exhibit
When: Saturday, April 24
Why: To celebrate the opening of a new exhibit, Faces of the African Forest, and to meet some of the zoo’s inhabitants.

The event began with a silent auction and meet-and-mingle session in the sprawling lobby of Discovery Bay, where we collectively ooh-aahed at the multitude of merchandise and experiences up for bidding. A mini live auction pumped up the crowd for the real thing, which was held in the dolphin performance amphitheater (no one dared sit in the splash zone). Dinner and entertainment followed. Lee Valsvik, of Cities 97, was the emcee for the night. And at the heart and soul of the event? The Red River hog, one of the upcoming additions to the zoo’s diverse repertoire of animals. The beast will debut in late May as part of a brand new exhibit, Faces of the African Forest.