Cities South - April 2026

A family home with flexibility and flow seamlessly integrates a backyard pool The Perfect Place

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FROM THE EDITOR

As a lifelong Minnesotan, I grew up around water. I spent my summers sailboating around the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, lounging at the community pool and swimming in the lake with my cousins. And every Saturday morning, my dad took me to swimming lessons at the local junior high school pool. Learning to swim gave me confidence in the water, as well as respect for the water.

I was reminded of the importance of those swimming lessons when I heard Sabrina Blommel’s story on page 14. Sabrina, 8, was able to get her friend out of a potentially scary situation because of what she gained through her swim lessons.

But swim lessons aren’t just important for kids. I recently started taking lessons again through Two Tails Swim Coaching. Coaches Karin Clemon and Michelle Hopewell offer adult lessons for everyone from beginners to masters and triathletes seeking technical training. They also offer womenonly classes. In a few short months, I’ve already seen some improvement, and it’s such a gift to regain my confidence in the water.

Swimming is one of the things I’m looking forward to this summer and so are fresh veggies from Spring Lake Farm. I enjoyed a rare date night with my husband at one of the Spring Lake Farm dinners (page 22) last summer, and I can still vividly remember that experience. From the fresh flowers on the table to the amazing sunset to the beautiful meal, it was incredibly inspiring.

If you can’t score tickets for this year (They tend to sell out early.), you can still enjoy the farm’s fresh veggies sold in its farm store, community-supported agriculture program and its booth at the Prior Lake Farmers Market.

From days at the lake to dinners from the local produce stand, we have a lot to look forward to in the coming months!

Liz Potasek liz@localmedia.co

On the Cover: The Perfect Place , page 17

by:

VOL. 4 NO. 2

April/May 2026

PUBLISHER

Susan Isay

EDITOR

Liz Potasek

MANAGING CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Renée Stewart-Hester

MANAGING EDITOR

Hailey Almsted

DIGITAL EDITOR

Madeline Kopiecki

COPY EDITORS

Kellie Doherty and Sherri Hildebrandt

STAFF WRITERS

Mollee Francisco, Emily Gedde, Jennifer Pitterle, Alexandra Tostrud and Paige Udermann

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ashley Christopherson, Kathy Dawson, Judy Diller, Scarlett Larson, Angie Lueschen, Katie Tomsche

DIGITAL INTERN

Danielle Gallus

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Abigail Larson, Diane Meyer, Kate Thompson and Avery Vrieze

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Kati Bachmayer, City of Lakeville ; Jeffrey DeMars, City of Prior Lake ; Jeanne Hutter, Lakeville Chamber of Commerce ; and Jenny Nagy, Prior Lake Savage Area Schools

SENIOR MANAGING ART DIRECTOR

Sarah Dovolos

ART DIRECTOR

Allison Nolden

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Jamie Klang

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Yaz Lo

LEAD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Chris Emeott

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Brittni Dye

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Lisa Stone

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Mimi Coz

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Laura Bjorgo, Cynthia Hamre and Sara Johnson

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Rochita Chatterjee and Gina Neumann

PRESIDENT Pete Burgeson

To subscribe to Cities South Magazines , please visit localmedia.co. For customer service inquiries, please contact hello@localmedia.co, or call 612.208.6248. ©Local LLC 2026. All rights reserved.

TRAVEL GUIDE

The perfect day trip.

Travel doesn’t always mean packing a bag and making flight reservations. The perfect day trip awaits throughout the greater Twin Cities area and beyond. Escape the everyday with a relaxing drive along winding roads, explore small town charm and point yourself away from your oft visited locales. Take a day tour off the traditional beaten path to discover natural vistas, beautiful venues and welcoming people—prepared for your visit in the most hospitable way.

Two Silo Winery & Vineyard

Make it a weekend worth savoring. Trade crowded city nights for vineyard sunsets at Two Silo Winery & Vineyard in Grant, Minnesota. Our 22-acre estate blends historic farmhouse charm with modern luxury, just minutes from the Twin Cities. Enjoy small-batch wines, curated tasting flights and elegant farm-inspired fare in a cozy, sophisticated setting. Extend your stay in our vineyard-view farmhouse, perfect for intimate gatherings or refined weekend escapes. Sip. Stay. Savor.

Two Silo Winery & Vineyard 7040 117th St. N., Grant twosilowinery.com

Two Silo Winery & Vineyard @twosilo

Grand Prairie Park Opening

Lakeville’s much-anticipated first splashpad will open on Memorial Day weekend as a part of the new Grand Prairie Park (7700 185th St. W.), which is opening in phases throughout this spring and summer. The challenge course, pickleball courts, playground, restrooms and shelters open this spring.

Once it’s completely open this fall, City

of Lakeville Parks & Recreation director Joe Masiarchin says the park will offer activities that cater to a wide variety of interests. “The pickleball courts have already received high praise and heavy use,” he says. “The splashpad and playground are going to be incredibly popular for kids. The challenge course is going to be really popular with older youth. The lit athletic decks are going to be a huge

Try a New Leaf

asset for the athletic associations, and the addition of the grandstand provides a home for Lakeville’s first townball team.”

The 68-acre park will have five athletic fields, which are hybrid-use for football, lacrosse or soccer, and two of the fields combined also include one cricket pitch. The athletic fields are expected to open this fall. —Liz Potasek

Known for vibrant swirls of color, dramatic textures and beautiful leaves, few plants offer foliage as visually stunning as Rex begonias. Their artistic leaf shape patterns come in broad spirals, heart shapes, frills and veining patterns in striking combinations of deep burgundy, green, pink, silver and even metallic tones. Rex begonias are tender perennials that are cold hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 10 to 11 but are also surprisingly easy to care for. They thrive indoors and are perfect as a houseplant or in a mixed container. I even bring mine outside in a sheltered spot for a dose of our humid Minnesota summers. They love it! Rex begonias prefer bright, indirect light and slightly moist soil, making them a great low maintenance option.

Angie Lueschen is an avid gardener and member of the Lakeville Area Garden Club.

Books for Your Basket

If you’re looking for picture books to fill an Easter basket this year, my top pick is You’re in Good Paws by Maureen Fergus and illustrated by Kathryn Durst. This funny story follows a little boy who needs to get his tonsils out but ends up at the vet … run by animals! Kids and adults will enjoy reading this one together.

Runner-up is Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb and illustrated by Erin Kraan. Who needs friends when you’re a tuffalo buffalo? Turns out, we all do! Especially good friends who love us for who we are. This is a sweet and funny rhyming book with a wonderful message.

For slightly older readers, stick a copy of the well-loved Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren in their basket so the next generation can marvel as Pippi lifts a horse over her head and takes the circus by storm.

Ashley Christopherson is the owner of Niche Books in Lakeville. Read more at nichebooksmn.com.

Speaking Up

Miss Minnesota USA

Megan Rivera found her voice competing in pageants.

By Liz Potasek

If there’s one thing reigning Miss Minnesota USA Megan Rivera wants you to know, it’s this: “I just want to emphasize how pageants are more than looking pretty on a stage,” says Rivera, who lives in Prior Lake.

Rivera uses her pageant work as a platform to promote Days for Girls, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting menstrual health for women and girls around the world. Rivera has been involved with the organization since 2018 when she started volunteering during her senior year of high school at Visitation School in Mendota Heights.

And the public speaking skills she’s honed training for pageants have helped Rivera in her career as a merchandise specialist in women’s apparel at Target Corporation. She creates seasonal assortments for A New Day as well as other Target brands and collaborations, working closely with designers to finalize fabrics and silhouettes and communicating with the vendors producing the clothes. Rivera majored in fashion merchandising at Marist University in New York because she wanted to pursue a career in fashion, but she was more interested in the business side than designing clothes.

Rivera grew up in Prior Lake and attended St. Michael Catholic School through eighth grade. She competed in her first pageant when she was 12 and then competed in two more in high school. “When I was younger and became interested in pageants, what drew me in was how the titleholders seemed to achieve their goals and overcome hardships in life,” she says. “It was so impressive to me, and it motivated me to go after my goals no matter what other people thought or said.”

After winning the title of Miss Minnesota USA in August, Rivera competed in the Miss USA pageant in Reno, Nevada, in October. “My experience at Miss USA was incredible,” Rivera says, noting that the pageant recently removed the age limit for competing. “The youngest contestant was 19, and the oldest was in her 40s. It was really cool just to have a wide range of people with different experiences, different reasons why they competed and different things that they advocate for. It was fun learning from them.”

Rivera started training to compete in Miss Minnesota USA about 10 months before the pageant, and the three months prior to the competition were the most intense. As a part

of her training, she exercised regularly, practiced her walk and recorded herself answering interview questions, so she could play them back and critique her answers. She’s spent the past year making appearances as Miss Minnesota USA, but all of that will end when the next Miss Minnesota USA is crowned in August.

For the first time in three years, Rivera won’t be training for a pageant or holding a pageant title. But she’s looking forward to traveling more (She’s visited five of the seven continents.), continuing her yoga practice, and boating and water skiing on Prior Lake.

Dental care just down the street.

@megan.rivera3

Life Lessons

Swim programs build confidence and comfort around open water.

By Diane Meyer

Sabrina Blommel, 8, is a confident young swimmer. Her mom, Kristina Wolfe, remembers that Sabrina was nervous to dip her feet in at her first swim lesson three years ago. Now, Sabrina enthusiastically talks about the pool and the friends she’s made. “I really like swimming now,” she says. “I just hop in the water.”

The youngest of three, Sabrina was the last of the Blommel children to take up swim lessons at Wise Swim School in Lakeville. She’s enjoyed learning dolphin kicks and stroke techniques, and she can swim assuredly down and back across the length of the pool. Even more important than these skills

has been the opportunity to learn how to be safe and comfortable in the water.

Last summer, at a local waterpark, Sabrina remembers a moment when play turned into panic as her friend ventured too far out into the deep end. “I saw her doggy paddling, and her mouth was open,” Sabrina says. Her friend

had stopped talking, and she was unable to keep her head and nose above water—signs of struggle that Sabrina recognized from swim lessons. Sabrina calmly helped her friend by the arm, guiding her back to shallower water where her feet could touch. Without hesitation, and empowered by her own strong swimming abilities, Sabrina saved her friend from a potentially dangerous situation.

Alyssa Francis is an assistant manager at Wise Swim School, which supports up to 800 students at its Lakeville location. Helping Sabrina and other students become comfort able in the water is one of the most rewarding things about teaching for Francis and the staff at Wise. “It’s pretty incredible where kids can start and where they end up,” she says.

HUGE DEALS

“I recommend kids get in the water at six months with a parent,” Francis says. Acclimating children to the water is a significant developmental milestone that swim lessons can guide parents and young children through. “You have to overcome a lot of nerves before we can actually get to swimming,” Francis says. Practicing just being in the water is crucial: “That way, when they come to us at 3 to 4 years old , they’re not as scared.” Francis encourages families to prioritize water safety this summer. “In a state like ours where we like to be outside on open water, everyone should be wearing life jackets always,” Francis says about spending time near lakes, rivers and pools. She recommends that children tell a trusted adult when they are getting in the water and advises children to never swim alone.

No matter how old or skilled a child is, Francis says there is always a risk inherent to being in the water. Swim lessons can help mitigate this risk, and children like Sabrina will also reap the empowering benefits that come from practicing water safety, all while developing their swimming talent in a supportive environment. “Comfort builds confidence, and the earlier you can start building that confidence, the better,” Francis says.

Wise Swim School wiseswim.com

Wise Swim School

Written by Elizabeth Millard

THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF CANCER TREATMENTS

A top oncologist shares insights on new cancer therapies that are improving treatment and helping patients live longer, better lives.

Although some aspects of medical care may progress slowly over decades, that can’t be said about oncology, according to Mark Wilkowske, M.D., an oncologist at HealthPartners Frauenshuh Cancer Center in St. Louis Park.

“It’s an exciting time in this field right now,” Dr. Wilkowske says. “There are so many treatment options and advancements that have come along recently. At this point, we’re able to help patients in more ways than ever before.” Here are some of the particularly notable developments.

1. Chemotherapy

Many people hold on to a view of chemotherapy that’s increasingly outdated, Dr. Wilkowske says— particularly the potentially horrible side effects. But new medications are being utilized to mitigate those, addressing common issues like fatigue, hair loss, nausea and weight loss. “Chemo is still foundational for increasing the likelihood of curing cancer and lower recurrence rates,” he says. “What’s changed now is that it can be used without many of the effects that once made it intolerable.”

2. Immunotherapy

Another significant innovation has been immunotherapy, a treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to find and attack cancer cells. There are many different types of immunotherapy—going

by names like bispecific therapy, CAR T-cell therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies—and which one is recommended will depend on factors like type and stage of cancer.

In some cases, immunotherapy will be used to cure or control the cancer, or to ease symptoms of a later-stage cancer. “Cancer inhibits the body’s communication system in a way that stops the immune system from responding the way it should,” Dr. Wilkowske says. “Immunotherapy disrupts that and wakes the immune system up so it can fight.”

3. Targeted Therapies

In the last 10 years, there has been an explosion of targeted therapies, Dr. Wilkowske says. These are cancer treatments that block specific genes or molecules that are driving cancer growth. Unlike a treatment such as chemotherapy, which can affect healthy cells as well as cancerous ones, targeted therapies work in several ways, including preventing tumors from forming new blood vessels and blocking hormones that may be “feeding” cancer, Dr. Wilkowske says.

“We expect this area to keep growing as more molecular changes with cancer are identified and studied, leading to new medicines to attack and kill cancer cells,” Dr. Wilkowske adds. “In general, treatment options are becoming more tailored and personalized, and that’s leading to strong outcomes. All of this is helping many patients live longer and with a better quality of life.”

HealthPartners Frauenshuh Cancer Center healthpartners.com/cancercare

Written By Liz Potasek

THE PERFECT PLACE

A family home with flexibility and flow seamlessly integrates a backyard pool.

Afamily of five moving into The Ranch of Credit River was looking for their home to offer convenient day-to-day living while also serving as a beautiful venue for entertaining family and friends. With help from Highmark Builders, David Charlez Designs and Ruby+Suede interior design, they realized their dream with a transitional farmhouse designed to meet the needs of their growing family. “Flexibility and flow were important, as well as creating spaces that feel inviting, comfortable and refined without being overly formal,” says David Zweber, principal and founder of architectural design firm David Charlez Designs in Lakeville.

“This home is a great example of how clients can achieve a one-of-a-kind custom design that is efficient, tailored and visually elevated without pushing the construction budget into an unreasonable range,” David says. “Thoughtful planning and prioritization can create a home that is both highly functional for daily life and exceptional architecturally.”

Outdoor Entertaining

An outdoor pool played a large role when it came to orienting the home on its lot. The pool was placed near a wooded area, which offers both privacy and a beautiful view. “Planning for a pool starts before the house is ever even placed on the lot,” says Matt Eastman, vice president of Highmark Builders. “We shifted the position of the home specifically to accommodate the pool.”

Since the family likes to entertain, the pool deck offers ample space for gathering. The main room in the home’s lower level offers excellent sight lines to the pool, allowing for indoor and outdoor entertaining, and a bathroom was placed in a convenient location for swimmers.

An exterior deck connects the upstairs dining room to the pool area. “Outdoor living was a priority, so the main level walks out to expansive decks and patios that cascade down to the pool level,” David says.

Main-Level Living

A primary suite on the main level, with other bedrooms and a guest suite located on the lower level, provides extra privacy for parents and allows for the home to grow with the family’s changing needs. “Without a second story above the main living areas, we’re able to design more dramatic ceiling volumes, exposed beams and taller glass walls that bring in natural light and uninterrupted views,” David says. “This trend is a response to lifestyle, aesthetics and improved livability.”

The lower level bedrooms are laid out to keep the guest suite separate from the kids’ room for comfort and privacy, David says.

When it came to designing the rooms, Jen Zweber, interior project manager at Ruby+Suede, says a lot of thought was put into making the fabrics, finishes and furniture kid-friendly.

New Neighborhood

This home is one of the first few to populate The Ranch of Credit River, which features gently rolling hills and lots around 2 acres. “It truly is an architectural development,” Eastman says. “Everything goes through an architectural review process prior to being approved, and that’s really what keeps the consistency of development true from beginning to end.”

Open Kitchen

A large island with enough room to seat the entire family anchors the kitchen, which has designated room for entertaining and prep work. The kitchen is conveniently nestled between a sizable, well-appointed butler’s pantry with room for appliances and a second oven and a dining room with access to a deck overlooking a wooded area. “The open-yet-defined kitchen, dining and great room layout encourages connection while still giving each space its own identity,” David says.

THREE TIPS FOR BUILDING A FOREVER HOME

» Plan the exterior along with the interior. Do you want a pool or a big garden? Sharing that information with your architect and builder will allow them to make the best use of the lot.

» Don’t stress about square footage, says Matt Eastman, vice president of Highmark Builders. Instead focus on the spaces you’ll want. Figure out what you need first: How many bedrooms? Do you entertain around the holidays? Plan spaces for your lifestyle, and it will ensure that every square foot works for you.

» Get an interior designer involved at an early stage, says Jen Zweber, interior project manager at Ruby+Suede. An interior designer can catch details, like whether you’ll need a beam to mount your dining room light fixture or where you’ll want outlets to complement your furniture arrangement.

David Charlez Design davidcharlezdesigns.com @david.charlezdesigns

Highmark Builders highmarkbuilders.com @highmark_builders_ Ruby+Suede rubyandsuede.com @rubyandsuede

The Ranch of Credit River theranchofcreditriver.com

Dinner on the Farm

Written by Mollee Francisco —

Spring Lake Farm invites diners to savor the best of the season.

If you’ve ever wanted to sip spoonfuls of chilled cucumber soup alongside nibbles of bruschetta while watching the sunset over farm fields just minutes from downtown Prior Lake, now is your chance. Spring Lake Farm is preparing for a new season of farm-totable dinners, highlighting the best of the produce grown on site. “Some diners have said that it’s better than a Michelin-starred restaurant,” says Matt Arends.

Arends is the brainchild behind Spring Lake Farm, a small vegetable farm on Panama Avenue, just a mile south of Highway 13. The farm focuses on bio-dynamic, regenerative growing practices and invites the public to taste the difference through their community-supported agriculture (CSA) boxes, farm store and stand at the Prior Lake Farmers Market, as well as high-demand, multicourse dinners.

“There was never a plan when this all started, and there’s still not a plan,” Arends says. “I just want this property to be utilized and enjoyed by the public. I want this farm to be shared by the community.”

Fresh Food Focus

Though farming is in Arends’ blood—he grew up in Prior Lake, and his family came from Iowa where they were dairy, corn and soybean farmers—it wasn’t until he was a student at Princeton University, studying in France for the U.S. Department of State, that he started really thinking about food sources.

“It started with an interest in nutrition,” Arends says. “I had access to local food every day of the week. It was very different than in the States.” Arends noticed the same thing when he was in Tanzania in 2018–19. “I could walk to a fruit or vegetable stand each and every day and know that that food was picked the day before,” he says. “It was fresh, and I knew the source.”

Arends wanted to give people that same experience in the United States, so when the opportunity to pilot a 3/4-acre farm in Prior Lake arose in 2021, he jumped on it. That first growing season, he grew more than

20 different varieties of vegetables, including carrots, green beans, kale, lettuce and radishes. “I ended up selling a ton of lettuce,” he says. “So, the next season I doubled down on greens.”

By 2025, Arends was producing 10 times what he did just four years earlier. “We’re known for having really high-quality greens,” Arends says, noting that Spring Lake Farm offers spring, summer and fall CSA boxes with a selection of 40 different products grown at the farm and microgreens year-round. “I didn’t know how receptive the community would be, but it only took two years to generate a profit,” Arends says.

That profit has been poured back into the business with Arends recently putting up two new greenhouses as well as purchasing additional land to expand the farm.

Gourmet Dinners

Arends started toying around with the idea of offering multicourse dinners in 2023. “We thought we’d try out some dinners and see,” he says. That year, they did three dates with an average of 21 diners at each. In 2024, they added two more dates and upped their capacity to 40 people. Last year, they invited 66 people to each of their five dates. In 2026, Arends says they are planning for five public meals on select dates from June through October.

Each dinner includes a farm tour where diners can see how they grow different produce items on the farm and learn more about their practices and how they work to provide optimal soils for their crops. “We

SUMMER FUN

This summer, Spring Lake Farm’s Matt Arends hopes to create more ways for people to gather and interact with the farm. At press time, he was exploring options like outdoor movie nights geared toward families and free community nights. Check the Spring Lake Farm website and social media for updates.

want them to experience what it’s like on the farm,” Arends says. “They can ask questions. It’s an intimate way to get to know your food.”

On the menu is a five-course smorgasbord, including a soup course, bruschetta, salad, the main course and dessert. In the past, they have served elevated dishes highlighting ingredients from the farm, including Beet Risotto with seared fennel onions, Dill Pickle Chicken with pickled red onions, Flank Steak and Honeynut Squash Soup, finishing with desserts ranging from Beet Cake to Strawberry Cheesecake.

Dinners take place between a 1950s-era dairy barn and a granary with mocktails served at sunset. “Sunsets on the farm are spectacular,” Arends says.

The whole experience, including the meal and the tour, takes about three-and-a-half hours. One of Arends’ favorite parts of the experience is playing matchmaker. “I love to sit strangers next to each other,” he says. “It’s such a welcome, friendly atmosphere in a really cool setting. It becomes three hours of people conversing and laughing. It’s beautiful.”

Spaces for the dinners open up each December, but Arends says there is always a chance for spots to still be open and encourages those who are interested to visit the website. “It’s truly a special dinner and a special night,” he says.

Spring Lake Farm

springlakefarmstore.com

Spring Lake Farm

At each of Spring Lake Farm’s dinners, a local chef creates a unique menu based on the ripest produce from the farm. Chefs can accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions when requests are made in advance. Water and mocktails are served with the meal, and guests are invited to bring their beverage of choice.

HANDMADE and HEARTFELT

A new Prior Lake restaurant seeks to be a community gathering space.

Written by Alexandra Tostrud — Photos by Chris Emeott

Longtime Prior Lake residents are bringing a new dining experience to downtown this spring with the grand opening of Chula’s Mexican-Latin Food & Spirits. Owner Manny Perez, along with partner Suzie Dahl and daughter Mercedes Dahl, have been in the food and beverage industry for years, and are working together to create a family and community gathering space, perfect for an intimate date night or a casual hang with friends or family.

The menu primarily features shareables, with appetizers, entrees, tacos and burritos inspired by traditional foods from Mexico as well as Central and South America, plus a brunch menu for the weekends.

Many dishes are similar to the ones Perez and Mercedes grew up eating

at family gatherings. “I remember growing up in [a] Mexican family. Every time we went somewhere, ‘Are you hungry? Can I make you something?’” Mercedes says. “We want this to be a family establishment, make people feel almost like they’re walking into our family reunion.”

Chef consultant JD Fratzke helped create the menu with this inspiration in mind. “What do we want more than anything else, as a culture, as a country, as a community right now?,” Fratzke says. “And that’s to go back to nourishing one another … and one of the best ways to do that is around the dinner table. And so providing people with ingredients and flavors that resonate with them is going to allow that to happen that much easier.”

Fratzke also has a hand in the drink selection and is working with longtime wine buyer and seller Suzie to put together the best variety of cocktails, beers and wines, including a custom brew (a light lager with a hint of chili pepper) from Boathouse Brothers Brewing. Chula’s will also offer tequila and mezcal flights to enjoy, as well as nonalcoholic cocktail options. “Everything’s going to be handmade. Every drink is going to be

handshaken, and you’re not just going to get Margarita mix poured out of a bottle and tequila,” Mercedes says.

In an effort to bring something entirely new to downtown Prior Lake, Perez, along with Dan and Karen Stanley, came to the decision that their purchased space, the iconic T-Shirts & More building, was not conducive to the restaurant space that Perez imagined. The old building was torn down in May to begin construction the same month on the two-story gathering space, which includes a private event space on the upper level.

The family turned to Minneapolis’ Kari Campbell Interiors to create a welcoming, upscale space. Campbell’s team has a hand in every step of the design process, including selecting almost all of the furniture.

One element Campbell and the owners of Chula’s are particularly thrilled about is the inclusion of four large interior murals and one exterior mural, designed to capture the eye. Local artist Shawn McCann will paint two chulas, a term of endearment in Latin America for women.

“I know there’s a lot of hype around it, especially in the South Metro and in the Prior Lake area, but we’re trying

The hearty Topopo Salad includes pulled chicken, refried beans, tortilla chips, guacamole, shredded lettuce, fried leeks and carrots, jicama, cucumber, scallion, Mexican oregano, oil and vinegar.

to come up with as many memorable moments as we can throughout the design so that people are really wanting to take pictures of it and share it on social media to be able to share the space with people from all over,” Campbell says.

Though other family members have had the nickname chula, the current inspiration, Mercedes’ two daughters, Sawyer and Charlie, lie at the heart of the restaurant’s longterm goal. Mercedes and her sister, Lexi, grew up in the Subway sandwich shops their father owned, and now Mercedes’ children will have a similar experience.

“So now we’re at the next phase of life, and now my granddaughters are going to grow up in a restaurant, along with their mother there as well,” Perez says. “So it’s just the next part of life that’s going to be so special.”

Perez stresses that the community focus isn’t just a business model for Chula’s, it’s his family’s way of life.

“You know, the financial side is what it is ... I just want to make sure that we do the right thing within the community, and the community is happy,” Perez says.

Chula’s will open in April, and a grand opening party is planned for Cinco de Mayo.

Chula’s Mexican-Latin Food & Spirits chulaspl.com Chulaspl

Metropolitan Pediatrics

Metropolitan Pediatrics is growing, and the team is excited to welcome families to its new Lakeville location. Just a short drive south of the former Burnsville office, the new space was designed to feel warm, modern and truly centered around the needs of children and their caregivers.

For more than 50 years, Metropolitan Pediatrics has supported families from birth through young adulthood. Its board certified pediatricians specialize in everything from growth and development to behavior, mental health, nutrition and preventive care. The goal has always been the same: to meet families where they are and help children thrive at every stage.

At each visit, providers take time to walk families through what to expect, whether it’s a new developmental stage (sleep regression, toilet training or navigating a first cell phone) or understanding a new diagnosis (ear infection, constipation or ADHD). The team believes that caring for a child means caring for the whole family, offering guidance, reassurance and a trusted voice parents can rely on. As children grow, the clinic also helps them build confidence in speaking up

about their own health and becoming active participants in their care. Choosing a pediatrician is one of the most important decisions a family makes. Many parents look for a provider who can follow their child over time, building a relationship that feels steady and familiar.

Metropolitan Pediatrics’ larger team makes that continuity possible while ensuring families can be seen when they need care most—seven days a week with extended evening hours on weekdays and same-day availability for sick visits.

To make life easier for busy parents and caregivers, the clinic offers onsite scheduling, so families speak directly with the team at the location where their child will be seen. Nurse triage is also available during office hours and around the clock for urgent questions.

20520 Keokuk Ave., Suite 200, Lakeville 952.435.2450 metropeds.com

Metropolitan Pediatrics is grateful for the trust families have placed in them for decades. Much of the clinic’s growth comes from word of mouth recommendations—parents sharing their experiences with friends, neighbors and coworkers. The team remains committed to providing same-day care and continuing to be a dependable partner in the health and wellbeing of our communities’ children.

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Community Cleanup

Come in to give April 1–8 and get a special release mini tote.

Get inspired for Earth Day at Lakeville’s free celebration. 888.GIVE.BLD

Join the Lakeville community in supporting a city-wide commitment to sustainability and conservation from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. April 18 at the Lakeville Central Maintenance Facility (7570 179th St. W., Lakeville). The free Earth Day Celebration kicks off the City of Lakeville’s Watershed Cleanup, an annual event that facilitates a week of collecting trash and cleaning up the city’s parks and trails.

“We have this event set up for everyone to see how individuals and groups can make a positive environmental impact,” says Ann Messerschmidt, an environmental resource specialist for the City of Lakeville (lakevillemn.gov). Those who have not yet signed up for the watershed cleanup can do so at the event. “This way all volunteers are able to get their supplies, so they can conduct their cleanup later that day or within the following week,” Messerschmidt says.

Local organizations, including Blue Water Science, Dakota Valley Recycling and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will provide information about other volunteer opportunities and conservation projects. Families in attendance can catch a special environmentally themed show from the Puppet Wagon and will get the opportunity to observe large equipment, including a plow truck, Messerschmidt says.

“It’s a lot of fun [for residents] to see what resources are available,” Messerschmidt says. The celebration will also include Earth-friendly prizes to be earned, as well as food and beverages. —Diane Meyer

04.08

Wednesday Night Live

Tjärnblom, a Scandinavian-style string band, performs from 7–8 p.m. at Club Prior. priorlakemn.gov

04.16

Spring Showcase

The Prior Lake Chamber Spring Showcase connects attendees with local artisans and businesses from 5:30–8 p.m. at Shepherd of the Lake. priorlakechamber.com

04.23

Suds for Scholars

The Lakeville Chamber Foundation hosts the annual Suds for Scholars, which supports local scholarships. Guests can enjoy appetizers, craft brews, prize drawings and more from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn & Suites Lakeville. lakevillechamber.org

05.07

Ladies Night Out

Explore local vendors and businesses from 4:30–7 p.m. in downtown Prior Lake. priorlakechamber.com

05.18

Golf Classic

Join the Lakeville Chamber of Commerce for its annual Golf Classic from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club. lakevillechamber.org

05.29

Home Front Heroes Gala

Think Great Foundation’s annual gala celebrates military spouses by awarding scholarships to pursue educational goals. Guests will enjoy dinner, as well as live and silent auctions from 5:30-10 p.m. at Brackett’s Crossing Country Club. thinkgreatfoundation.org

Ready to find your new best friend?

Compiled by

Abigail Larson and Kate Thompson

To have your event considered: email citiessouthmags@localmedia.co by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication. Please note that some events may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.

An Unlikely Pair

Nate Nelson frequents the Crystal Lake Golf Course in Lakeville to enjoy the calm mornings, and one of his favorite things to do is photograph the animals who call the serene landscape home. “If you go out there any time of day, especially morning or night, you’re guaranteed to see many deer,” he says. On this June morning, he was surprised to encounter an unlikely moment of connection, as well. “I’ve seen a lot of different types of animals interact, but I’ve never seen a bird land on a deer’s head,” Nelson says. He encourages community members to enjoy the beautiful walkways at the golf course and to keep their eyes peeled for the abundant wildlife. —Diane Meyer

FOCUS ON CITIES SOUTH

Photographer: Nate Nelson

Title: Friends in High Places Equipment: Canon EOS Rebel T3

Location: Crystal Lake Golf Course in Lakeville Category: Wildlife Award: Second Place

To view other Focus on Cities South photo contest winners, visit citiessouthmags.com.