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Black Friday Madness – Monday, Nov 27, 201 ...More
The build-up to Thanksgiving felt bigger than ever this year. Maybe I’d been missing my family or aching for a long weekend. Or perhaps all of the Twin Cities Live pre-Thanksgiving segments had me ready for the best part of the holiday… the FOOD! On Turkey Day we re-aired our Thanksgiving meal show where some of our favorite chefs made classic holiday essentials with their own flare. My Thanksgiving was spent in Luck, WI with my favorite chef, grandma Thelma.
After seeing all the magnificent dishes on the show and especially JML’s pies I wasn’t sure it would all measure up this year, but who was I kidding. I ate more this year than ever before… guilty! After filling my face and napping a bit the night was just starting… Thanksgiving’s sister holiday Black Friday started early this year and for the first time ever I took part in the madness. No, I wasn’t diving for deals, I was with the TCL crew crashing the Black Friday shopping lines. Twin Cities Live took five limos to stores all over the metro to surprise shoppers waiting in line with treats and a chance to win a shopping spree on today’s show. I got to ride in John’s limo to Targets, Best Buys, and Khol’s in Apple Valley and Bloomington. Every car was fully loaded with TCL gloves, candy canes, and a chance to win a shopping spree. Our pie guy John Micheal Lerma and John’s girlfriend Amy joined in with our promotion team to pump up the Black Friday lines. Megaphone in hand, John mingled with crowd as we passed out treats spreading some holiday cheer! We met a lot of Twin Cities Live fans and hopefully made some new ones. It was a ton of fun rolling from one never-ending line to the next in a limo jam-packed with TCL gear, staff, and a whole lot of energy!  Overall, it was a great first Black Friday… or Thursday… experience.  But I’m not going to lie, after seeing multiple lines wrapped almost completely around Targets and Best Buys, I don’t think I’ll be fighting the crowds for Black Friday door busters anytime soon.
“Cover yo butt” – What I’ve learned at TCL   ...More
It might sound trite, but I learn something new everyday working at Twin Cities Live. With so many different guests and segments ranging from food and fashion to dentistry and log rolling, I get the chance to ask all sorts of questions I never thought I’d ask.

A few weeks ago I went on a shoot with John and our photographer Kerry to the opening of Perfect Fit by Clinton Kelly. The mall was packed and a crowed was already huddling around the store. The “What Not To Wear” and “The Chew” fashion expert was there in person to cut the ribbon and open his specialty-tailoring store. Clinton was even offering 100 style consultations in 100 minutes to mall-goers.

Before dishing out fashion advice to the crowd, Clinton critiqued John’s… we’ll call it ‘weekend’ look. I wasn’t surprised Clinton didn’t hold anything back when consulting John’s plaid/khaki combo, but it was all in good fun. After John got some one-on-one fashion advice we got a chance to really chat about the personalized tailoring offered at Perfect Fit. Clinton says the key to style is fit, so it makes sense he opened a clothing store that makes sure your close fit… perfectly!

After TCL’s exclusive interview John turned the microphone over to the peanut gallery for questions. Now, I’ve been watching Clinton Kelly and Stacy London dish out style advice for years, but I never would have guessed I’d get the chance to ask him a question face-to-face. Among all the detailed questions running through my head about his life, career, and fashion sense… the one question that come out of my mouth is, “I was wondering what you think about leggings now…” Don’t ask me why, but it was they only question I could really think NEEDED to be answered. Maybe it’s because I’m a student at the University of Minnesota and everywhere I go I see leggings. Leggings under skirts, with shorts, and yes, even as pants pass me by daily, so I suppose it’s no wonder I just had to ask what the deal is with leggings.

Immediately after I asked the question Clinton sprang up with an answer and ladies it’s official… Leggings are fine, but they are NOT pants. In the words of the fashion guru himself, “Cover yo butt… because women of America, leggings are not pants. ”