If you’re to choose to paint your life today…What will it be? Remember, you’re the artist, not the canvas.
-Val Uchendu
In my experience, you see what you’re looking for. And lately, with so much uncertainty and stress, many of us are looking for the next bit of bad news. This weekend let’s retrain our eyes. This weekend, we are looking out for the brighter side.
Friday
Nupá Mediterranean Cuisine is celebrating one year in Mankato with food specials and live music. Offering patio seating or pick-up, Nupá specializes in fresh, beautiful, colorful dishes: good and good for you. Chris Bertrand will be playing from 6:00 to 10:00pm. Then I’d head over to Spring Lake Park for their 80’s themed pool party. Bring out your neon and slap bracelets! This event is 21+ and limited to ensure social distancing, so make sure to get there early. Bar service starts at 7:30 p.m. and the DJ will be spinning 80’s hits until 10:00 p.m.
When you’re looking for the bright side, you’ll like what you see!
Saturday
You can collect a whole rainbow of soaps from Herbal Beauty at the Mankato Farmer’s Market. Their bath bar display is so beautiful, and smells are free but well worth purchasing. My personal favorites are Raspberry Cream and Peppermint Rosemary. Then, the Le Sueur Library is putting on a Story Walk at the Lake Washington Regional Park and Campground. The book in question, Stars by Mary Lyn Ray, is beautifully illustrated, so this is the perfect opportunity to get your little ones out to explore and read. The story walk is available from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, and you can begin the walk whenever you arrive.
Sunday
Remember, you’re the artist, not the canvas! From 11:00 to 1:00, Vagabond Village is hosting an outdoor Acrylic Pour class. The class is only $20 and includes canvas, paints, instructions, and tents for shade. (Let them know in advance if you want to upgrade to a larger canvas.) If you’ve never seen acrylic pours, I highly recommend checking them out on YouTube. It’s absolutely hypnotizing, and the end results are always wall worthy.
Then from 3:00 to 5:00 you can decide: are you feeling like a sculptor, or a writer? For the former, the Arts Center of St. Peter is hosting an Open Clay Studio, available to anyone over the age of 8. Writers can join Ronda Redmond’s monthly Critique Group for writers, via Zoom.
Bonus: A Rainbow Walk
While out walking my pup, we’ve been noticing so many wildflowers, interesting fungi, and ripening wild berries. It’s truly a rainbow out there. Whether with your kids, your partner, a pup, or by yourself, I challenge you to a rainbow walk. Just look for something wild of every color. Bonus points if you bring along a field guide or download an app like PlantSnap to identify your findings. This week we discovered some soft pink Coral Fungus and some wild raspberries.
When you’re looking for the bright side, you’ll like what you see!
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Weekend High Notes is a regular feature by Molly Butler. Molly covers weekend events, live music, and culture in the Greater Mankato Area. Suggestions are welcome using the MankatoLIFE contact form.
Additional Links
- Nupá Mediterranean Cuisine in the MankatoLIFE Bar & Restaurant Directory
- Spring Lake Park in the MankatoLIFE Attractions Directory
- Vagabond Village in the MankatoLIFE Local Shops Directory
- Arts Center of St. Peter in the MankatoLIFE Attractions Directory
- PlantSnap in the GooglePlay Store
- PlantSnap in the Apple App Store
