Staff Directory 6370475

Connie Nelson

Senior editor | Lifestyle
Phone: 612-673-7087

Connie Nelson is the senior editor for lifestyles for the Star Tribune. 


Prior to becoming an editor, she wrote extensively on home- and garden-related topics.
Recent content from Connie Nelson
The 2023 winners of the Star Tribune Oh, You Turkey contest photographed in the Star Tribune studio in Minneapolis, Minn. on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.

Oh, You Turkey contest winners

Our 45th annual contest brought out the young artists in the Twin Cities
Meet the Oh, You Turkey artist

Meet the Oh, You Turkey artist

Art director Mike Rice channeled his inner child to design the bird for the 45th coloring contest.
Credit: Jim Brandenburg.A simple still from the video without graphics. This is a Northern Saw-whet owl from Brandenburg's Ravenwood property near Ely

Famed Minnesota photographer Jim Brandenburg offers a daily dose of nature

The work of Jim Brandenburg shines in one-minute videos that counter today's noisy world with the quiet of nature.

When's the best time for lawn care? Right now

Adding some steps to your fall routine can save you time in the spring.

Get outside! Five outdoor activities around the Twin Cities

Here are five things we're itching to do now that the weather is nice. What are yours?

Norway House has a new addition and Minneapolis' answer to Chicago's 'bean'

Tasty cafe offerings add to the draw of this E. Franklin Avenue fixture.
FILE - Copies of the new book by Prince Harry called "Spare" are displayed at a book store in London, Jan. 10, 2023. Prince Harry's explosive memoir,

On a library waitlist for Prince Harry's new book? Here's what to do in your 'Spare' time.

The royal family tell-all isn't the only juicy scandal story out there.
A detail of the technique used by Margo Enebo, 11, of Minneapolis on her 1st place entry in the 9-12 age group. The winning entries in the Star Tribun

Here are the winners of the Star Tribune's annual Oh, You Turkey coloring contest

We received almost 1,200 submissions this year.

Take a gander at these winning birds

We received almost 1,200 submissions this year.

Minnesota photographer Craig Blacklock makes waves with abstract images of Lake Superior

Reflection of sun sparkles on water just before sunset, Pukaskwa National Park, Ontario.

Minnesota photographer makes waves with abstract images of Lake Superior

Craig Blacklock, one of Minnesota's best-known nature photographers, goes abstract in his latest book on Lake Superior.
Christopher Straub poses for a portrait with some of his "Inside-Out Critters" Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at his home in Shakopee, Minn. ]

'Project Runway' star Christopher Straub expands his fashion empire from Shakopee

He's curating fashion shows, making the rounds on local TV shows, crafting leather goods and writing and illustrating children's books — while raising two boys and a flock of chickens with his husband.
Rose Yang was chosen by the Queen to be the diamond of the season on opening night of The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience.

Want to be in 'Bridgerton'? This is your chance (BYO Regency-era gown)

The immersive experience revels in the music, romance and pageantry of the popular Netflix series.

Want to be in 'Bridgerton'? This is your chance (BYO Regency-era gown)

"We Are Meant to Rise" by Carolyn Holbrrok and David Mura

What Minnesota's reading next

One Book One Minnesota has picked "We Are Meant to Rise" for latest statewide reading selection.
Today's fall colors will certainly become tomorrows raking projects. Here Dennis Sweeney rakes a neighbor's yard along Victoria St., one of St. Paul's

Why you should leave your garden messy in the fall

What's a green-leaning gardener to do in the fall? As little as possible.
Ava, a cat whisperer, found our lost cat.

An 8-year-old cat whisperer brings lost Lucy home

A 17-year-old cat methodically plotted her escape from her new home, and her owners feared she was lost forever.
J.R. Franklin, 8, had ice cream June 14 at Conny’s Creamy Cone in St. Paul.

What really beats the heat? We separate the myths from the reality

Does drinking hot coffee, wearing seersucker or firing up the swamp cooler really work?
The Dog Aging Project out of the University of Washington is on a mission to find the inner workings of the aging process in dogs and learn how to slo

Dogs do have Frito feet

More Minnesota brides buy off-the-rack, vintage or rent dresses for the big day

More Minnesota brides buy off-the-rack, vintage or rent dresses for the big day

They want their dresses and they want them now.
Twin Cities meteorologist Paul Douglas has written a book in which he explains the science behind climate change.

Meteorologist Paul Douglas says kids can do more than worry about climate change — they can fight it. Now.

His new book explains the science behind climate change and how kids can be part of the solution.
Orange butterfly milkweed is a monarch booster that’s perfectly suited for home gardens.

Here's one weed to invite into your garden

Monarchs need milkweed to survive. Good thing there are plenty of garden-friendly species of this "weed."
Minnesota summer camps are filling fast. Here's how to get the right camp for your kid.

Minnesota summer camps are filling fast. Here's how to get the right camp for your kid.

After two years of COVID-caused disruption and isolation for kids, there's an explosion of interest in summer camp.
The Team USA Blanket Collection by Minnesota’s Faribault features the Olympic logo.

Minnesota's Faribault Woolen Mills makes blankets to cheer on U.S. Olympians

The Team USA Blanket Collection is designed and made in Minnesota by Faribault Woolen Mill.
Cathy MacDonald, Ramsey County employee, asks Dolores Flynn questions about the care that her son Scott needs. She checks her calendar which is filled

Want to make a New Year's promise you can keep? Try these 11 Low Effort Resolutions

Need an emotional boost as we head into what could be another tough year? Make a resolution you know you can achieve.

Top pet names for MN cats and dogs

From Bella and Oliver to Maui and Suni, we continue to name our pets for people and places we love.
Oh, You Turkey 2021

Meet this year's Oh, You Turkey artist

We talk turkey with Star Tribune designer Stacie Kammerling
Jack Russell Terrier walking through forest by path

Pandemic pets still wanted at home

Pets adopted during the pandemic aren't being returned to shelters after all
Halloween Blizzard 1991

Where were you during the 1991 blizzard?

Share your winter tales of the epic Halloween snowstorm

Howl-o-ween is getting closer

It's time to enter our pet costume contest
573509398

From hip hop to cha-cha, the Twin Cities offers plenty of places to learn to dance

Kiddie pools aren’t just for kids.

How Minnesotans can beat the heat in practical and kooky ways

It's hot, and it looks like it's going to stay that way. You can hide out in your basement or get creatively cool.
573508808

Bookmark: A marked-up book reveals a shared love of reading

Minnesota summer camps making comeback after year of closures

Minnesota summer camps making comeback after year of closures

Camps are rebounding — with masks, social distancing, pods and other safety measures in place.
573504342

St. Paul's 'Laundry Evangelist' has turned cleaning obsession into a profession

Patric Richardson is starting a national campaign to elevate the lowly chore of washing clothes.
573504339

Lavender may not be hardy in Minnesota. Don't let that keep you from growing it this summer

For a taste of Provence, pot up some lavender this spring.
573504107

New Star Tribune comic features a happy-go-lucky Latino teen and his family

Strip features the everyday adventures of a Latino teenager.
573503514

Looking for comfort? See if you can find your cat

When I'm in need of a little lift, I see if I can find my cat in one of her many hiding places.
573502081

Newest Minnesota-made apple may not be a star, but it's a game changer

The new apple from the University of Minnesota, named Triumph, helps cut chemicals.
2020 Oh You Turkey

Meet the artist who inked this year's Oh, You Turkey coloring contest

The Minneapolis artist's image of George Floyd, one of the first rendered and posted on social media, has been shared around the world.
Spike Carlsen

Minnesota author shares how to find joy in 'A Walk Around the Block'

NONFICTION: Spike Carlsen's new book sheds light on the extraordinary in the ordinary.
A book nerd is born! New York Times photo

Bookmark: Remembering the moment of becoming a reader

Stack of books isolated on a white background BY THE BOOK SOLUTION FOR SOUTHDALE MALL

Amid the pandemic, books have become even more precious

Bookmark: In which a snobbish reader finds comfort in popular books

Get your blankets out and your pots inside tonight. A frost may be on its way.

Winners of the Star Tribune limerick contest coming soon

A pair of dogs played together at the Bloomington Off-leash Dog Park Tuesday evening. ] JEFF WHEELER • Jeff.Wheeler@startribune.com The Centers

Social distancing is now advised for pets, but feel free to interact with your animal

Heather Negen got a kiss from Leon, one of her dog Odin's playmates, while at the Bloomington Off-leash Dog Park Tuesday evening.

CDC recommends social distancing for dogs, cats, other animals

Get the most out of walking, which is the default exercise of many.

Gyms are closed, but you can still get a good workout by walking: Here's how

With gyms closed, how to get the most out of walking, the default outdoor exercise for many.
StretchLab is a hands-on, assisted stretch session in which a trained Flexologist moves you through a series of stretches.There are two Twin Cities lo

StretchLab, an assisted-stretch boutique gym, opens in Minneapolis

Assisted stretching can help you get the relief your body needs.
Adam Minter

Where do our castoffs go? A Q&A with Minnesota writer Adam Minter, author of 'Secondhand'

Tips from Pahl's Market and Leitner’s Garden Center show how to take your greenery from winter to holiday.

Tips to help you get an early start on winter pot and window-box season

Wintertime plant containers are "little pieces of art that make a house a home."
Nicole Vibar makes three Got Moxys with dragon berry Bacardi, lime juice, blackberry puree, cherry bitters spritz, and a lime at Moxy hotel bar in dow

5 Twin Cities hotel bars with the best staycation getaway vibes

These Twin Cities spots feel like an escape -- no plane ticket necessary.
Josephine Camilleri, center, Kris Johnson, left, and Eileen Schroeder worked out at the Dan Abraham healthy living center in Rochester.

A Mayo scientist wants to help you live longer — and better

A Mayo Clinic scientist promotes health on a physical — and cellular — level.
Erin Lee Carr writes about her father, former Twin Cities Reader editor David Carr, in her raw and earnest memoir, "All That You Leave Behind."

Erin Lee Carr remembers her wild and loving dad, David Carr, in new memoir

NONFICTION: Journalist David Carr's daughter Erin Lee Carr intertwines his story with hers.
Author Fifi O'Neill says "there are no rules" to the global bohemian style.

'Global Bohemian' author to appear at Junk Bonanza vintage market in Shakopee

The eclectic bohemian style, all the rage on the coasts, gets an international twist in a new book.
Provided At OsteoStrong, trainers formulate a workout that's intended to help you build not muscle but bone mass. Eden Prairie manager Ryan Dayton wor

Want better bones? Skeletal strength is the aim at new Eden Prairie gym

OsteoStrong promises a "sweat-free," "painless" way to strengthen your skeletal system.
iStock Exerise trackesr are a top fitness trend for 2019.

What women can do to fight 'menopause belly'

It's only one symptom of menopause, but women say it's the most bothersome.
Minneapolis Tribune (now Star Tribune) photo by Pete Hohn, Wednesday February 14, 1968.(left to right) Paul Morissey, Andy Warhol, Viva, and Gordon Lo

Vintage Minnesota: Andy Warhol visits a swinging '60s Valentine's party

Art dealer and salon owner Gordon Locksley threw a bash at his Minneapolis mansion.
The Metrodome roof, seen on December 12, 2010, collapsed due to snow and high winds. (Jeff Wheeler/Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT)

Vintage Minnesota: The 2010 Dome collapse

After a fierce winter storm dumped 17 inches of snow, three sections of the Teflon-coated fiberglass roof tore.
Mrs. Fred McNee, of Wayzata, surveyed the damage Sunday at HarryÕs Cafe at 11th and Nicolette Ave. Her father, Harry Doust, founded the restauran

Vintage Minnesota: Fire destroys Minneapolis landmark Harry's Cafe

No one was injured, but it was the end of a long culinary tradition.
January 19, 1978 HIGH-LEVEL SUPERVISOR - Karl Wallenda. left, who will mark his 73rd birthday this weekend, supervised his grandchildren, Rietta, 17,

Vintage Minnesota: A high-flying tribute to the Wallendas

The Wallendas performed in the Twin Cities in 1978.
January 27, 1978 Japanese Snow Sculptors Depict HHH Tomoo Horikita, left, and Koichi Tada, members of a seven-man group of snow sculptors from Sapporo

Vintage Minnesota: Remembering Hubert Humphrey

Statesman was honored in many ways, including with snow.
Red Poinsettia Close-up

How to care for poinsettias, the Christmas forever flower

We've had a lasting love affair with poinsettias, in part because they get better every year.
There's hope for a happy holiday.

Not feeling the joy of the season? Here's how to be happier all year

Happiness isn't guaranteed to come to us like a delivery from Amazon Prime, even — or especially — at this time of year.

Review: 'The Melody,' by Jim Crace

Fiction: An aging singer is attacked by an unknown creature, which terrifies his town.
Midwest Traveler on the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas store in Stillwater, where it's Christmas year round. ] BRIAN PETERSON ï brian.peterson@startri

Where to eat and shop in Stillwater, a town with year-round holiday cheer

The river town offers boutique shopping, upscale cuisine and a taste of the holidays year-round.
Minneapolis illustrator and cartoonist Kevin Cannon. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ ï cgonzalez@startribune.com ñ November 13, 2018, Minneapolis, MN, Min

Acclaimed Minnesota cartoonist redesigns beloved 'Oh, You Turkey': 'It's iconic'

Artist Kevin Cannon ditches Mary Tyler Moore for pumpkin pie in illustration.
istock There's no cure for the annoying common cold -- just let nature take its course.

Say goodbye to 7-10 days: This and other little-known facts about common cold

A Mayo Clinic expert on cold weather, if zinc can help, when to see a doctor and if there's a cold vaccine on the way.
.

What does your gut say? How 'the bugs inside us' affect overall health

A Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist talks about good bugs vs. bad bugs, food vs. supplements, "brugs" and more.
istock
Caregiving duties more often fall to women.

Mayo Clinic expert on caring for elderly: 'We're going to face a huge crisis'

Prof. Joan Griffin on why caregiving has been women's work, the risks and benefits of being a caregiver and what older adults can do to be prepared.
credit: getty images/istock
Species Tulip

If Minnesotans want colorful spring gardens, plant hardy bulbs now

Plant tough, hardy minor bulbs now for a surefire show of color once the snow is gone.
This is Nyla, and she is super loving and affectionate (and smart! wow is she smart!). She is just about 2 years old, and she ís a hound / pit bull m

The cutest rescue dogs in Minneapolis pose for pictures in hopes of getting adopted

A Minneapolis photographer takes glamour shots of rescue dogs to help them get adopted.
Author Lorraine Massey embraces her hair: curls, silver grays and all.

Famous 'Curly Girl' hairstylist now urging women to embrace their gray

With her new book, a longtime stylist hopes to free women from the tyranny of coloring gray hair.