Miscellaneous

The competition is heating up as NBC’s “Fashion Star” nears it’s final episode! The challenge this week for the inspiring designers was to create two looks that any of the retail outlets could would be interested in purchasing. This week, H&M buyer Nicole went all out. She bought four ensembles from three different designers that can all be found in store today at MOA™!

The first frock is a fun printed racerback dress with a playful bow and collar designed by Kara. Next, and my personal favorite, is a short straight-cut dress with folded pleats and two front pockets. Designed by Ronnie, this dress is perfect for any occasion! Finally, Orly adds an element of  romantic appeal to a far from traditional blazer to compliment her wide leg trousers. Pair this blazer with your favorite skinnys and heels and you’re ready to hit the town! 

For previous “Fashion Star” looks (some of which are still available in-store at H&M at MOA™) check out these past blog posts:

“Fashion Star” for H&M: Week 8

“Fashion Star” for H&M: Week 7

“Fashion Star” for H&M: Week 6

“Fashion Star” for H&M: Week 5

“Fashion Star” for H&M has winning style!

 

09 May 2012

Three of our MOA™ blog gals teamed up, searching the Mall high and low, to find the best Mother’s Day gifts. Whether you’re in a pinch to grab a last minute gift or you simply just need some inspiration, here you have it:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottom Left: Barefoot Ride Sneakers available at Nike (Level 2, West) $100

Top Left: Kate Spade Sunglasses available at Solstice (Level 1, West) $125

Top Center: Longchamp Handbags available at Nordstrom (Level 1, North) Prices from $125

Top Right: Maria Rivolta jewelry available at Maria Rivolta (Level 1, South) Prices range from $20

Bottom Right: Jonathan Adler Earbuds + iPhone Case available at Papyrus (Level 1, West) iPhone Case $25, Earbuds $20

For another Mother’s Day gift idea, check out Bridget’s Pick of the Week

Looking for a last minute deal? Here’s a list of all Mall of America® retailer deals and offers for Mother’s Day: [MOAdeals] Mother’s Day Edition

08 May 2012

 

 

 

 

 

TUESDAY, MAY 8

Toddler Tuesdays: Diego’s Rainforest Fiesta

  • Toddlers and parents are welcome to join in a Rainforest Fiesta with Diego from Dora!. You can make your own wild animal mask, participate in an animal jam dance party and meet Diego himself.
  • 10 a.m. – noon (Meet + greets will be from 10 – 10:30 a.m. and 11 – 11:30 a.m.)
  • The Patio – Southwest corner of Nickelodeon Universe

Addams Family Preview + Costume Contest

  • Dress up like your favorite Addams Family character and head to Mall of America®! Enjoy cast members singing songs from the smash-hit musical comedy the Addams Family and enter the Addams Family costume contest for your chance to win a pair of tickets and a backstage tour at Ordway Center!
  • 3 p.m.
  • Sears Court

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9

American Girl presents: McKenna “take the Challenge” Scavenger Hunt

  •  Go on a scavenger hunt throughout the store taking fast and fun challenges to stretch your skills along the way. You’ll get a free American Girl poster at the end! For girls ages 8 and up.
  • 4 – 8 p.m.
  • McKenna Bracelet Craft Reach for the stars just like Girl of the Year 2012! During this craft event you can create a bracelet to fill with personal goals and encouraging words.
  • 4 – 6 p.m.
  • American Girl

LittleMissMatched Lost Sock Memorial Day!

  • LittleMissMatched would like you to help them celebrate all of the socks we’ve lost over the years! Stop by and participate in Lost Sock crafts and get a free dig in our Unmatch-a-Batch bin with every sock purchase (see store for details).
  • All day
  • LittleMissMatched

FRIDAY, MAY 11

Progressions Mother’s Day Weekend Beauty Celebration

  • Join us for an evening of beauty. Bring your mother, daughter or friend and enjoy a complimentary NuFace® Facial Toner, skin care consultation, makeup application, hors d’oeurvres and refreshments. Also take advantage of 20% off Aveda, GHD, Clarisonic and NuFace® (May 10-13).
  • 6 – 9 p.m.
  • Progressions Salon

Don’t forget to check out Diana: A Celebration exhibition on Level 4 running now – June 10.

07 May 2012

 

SATURDAY, MAY 5

Minnesota Vikings

  • The Minnesota Vikings invite fans to join Devensive End Jared Allen, Govenor Mark Dayton, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Senator Julie Rosen, Representative Terry Morrow and Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley as they thank you for your support and share the latest on the new stadium efforts.
  • 12:30 p.m.
  • Sears Court

Macy’s Summer In Clinique Event

  • Macy’s Clinique is hosting a sizzling summer kick-off with nearly 200 appointment options and six make-up artists. Confirm an appointment and you’ll receive a deluxe sample of some of their favorite summer basics!
  • When:   11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Macy’s Court

Francesca’s Collections Prom Event

  • Francesca’s Collections is teaming up with Regis Salons and Sephora  to host a special prom event.
  • Noon – 4 p.m.
  • Francesca’s Collections

Young Inventor’s Fair

  • The metro area’s top 75 Young Inventors in grades 3 – 8 will showcase their cool gadgets and gizmos at MOA™! Talk to the inventors about their prototypes and learn about their creative production process. Prepare to have fun and be inspired!
  • 1 – 4 p.m.
  • Rotunda

SUNDAY, MAY 6

Minnesota State Lottery: Fishing Party

  • Join us for an afternoon of games, gifts and prize drawings! Catch your favorite sunnies, bass, walleye and muskies with the Minnesota State Lottery Fishing scratch games. You’ll also be able to enter to win the catch of the day, a $2,000 vacation package!
  • Noon – 3 p.m.
  • Rotunda
04 May 2012

The search is on for the 2012 Best Places in America! We need your help to get Mall of America® on that list. Afterall, it is one of the coolest landmarks in the U.S! In just a few short steps, you can help share why MOA™ is one of the top destinations in the nation:

Step 1: Click the Register button and sign up, it’s free and easy!

Step 2: Search, “Mall of America” and select.

Step 3: After you’re registered and you’ve found the Mall of America page, click Review & Vote.

Step 4: In the Review box, enter why YOU love Mall of America®!

Step 5: There are two categories, ”2012 Best Places in America” and “Best of Minneapolis.” Select the Landmark bubble for each category. Click Submit and you’re done!  

You can vote once every 24 hours until May 15 so vote everyday! Thank you in advance to all of our fans :)  

04 May 2012

[Giveaway] Shop for the Cure

BY Erin Vande Steeg

Congratulations kwedin08 and karenstar on each winning a Race for the Cure sweatshirt!

In the spring of 1993, 2,500 Minnesotans gathered at a local mall to commence the first Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, a 5k fitness run/walk to support the thousands of men and women affected by breast cancer. Twenty years later, that number has grown to nearly 50,000 participants. This year’s event is more than just a walk; it’s a celebration of two decades of effort and support among Minnesotans to find a cure for breast cancer.

As the Minnesota Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure laces up to celebrate their 20th Anniversary, we’d like to extend a special, “Thank You,” to all of the courageous survivors and supporters over the past two decades and future years to come!

 

We want to hear your story.

Comment below (and provide a valid email address) or email us at prdept@mallofamerica.com and tell us how breast cancer has affected you or someone you know. We’ll choose two entries to receive a Race for the Cure ladies sweatshirt donated by Shop for the Cure.

To be entered into the Shop for the Cure sweatshirt giveaway, you must submit your comment by Friday, May 11 at noon and provide a valid email address with your comment. Official Rules

 

Did you know? In 2012, it is estimated that among U.S. women, there will be 226,870 new cases of invasive breast cancer. There will be 39,510 breast cancer deaths. In men, there will be 2,190 new cases of breast cancer that will claim the lives of 410 sons, fathers and brothers (According to the Minnesota Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure).

In the past two decades, the Minnesota Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has given local nonprofit organizations $34 million for awareness, education, outreach, screening, preliminary treatment and research to support thousands of men and women in Minnesota.

01 May 2012

Thank you, readers, for all of your comments. Congratulations to hjn1107 on winning the Venser vs. Koth Duel Deck, EmilyV for winning the Dark Ascension Intro Pack and dnistler for winning 2 booster packs of your choice!

It’s the most customizable game on the market right now and it’s being played by over 12 million people worldwide. Evident from its 450% jump between 2011 and 2012, Magic the Gathering continues to be one of the most popular trading card games and its popularity is still growing. To celebrate the coming release of the newest game, Avacyn Restored, Games by James is hosting a Magic the Gathering Tournament this coming Sunday in the Rotunda at Mall of America® for pros and amateurs alike. The event will consist of two tournaments, giveaways and a learning area for fans still getting the hang of the game.

So what is it all about? As a novice on the subject, I only know the basics: it involves deadly creatures, sorceries, weapons and different worlds, called planes.  Players, referred to as Planeswalkers in this game, use their deck of cards to summon creatures and other dangers to take down their opponent. You can purchase 15-card booster packs to enhance your deck and trade your cards with fellow players to strengthen your future matches. Each game truly is one-of-a-kind.

Check out the video below to learn some more basics about Magic the Gathering, and be sure to stop by the Tournament on Sunday, April 29 from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. to continue learning about the game or to put your fine-tuned skills to the test.


Want to enter our giveaway? Comment below and tell us why you love Magic the Gathering or why you’d like to learn how to play and you’ll be entered to win one of the following prizes: Venser vs. Koth Duel Decks, Dark Ascension Intro Pack or 2 booster packs of your choice. To enter, you must comment on this blog post by Friday, April 27 at Noon and provide a VALID EMAIL ADDRESS. We’ll announce the winner via email and update the post to reflect that we’ve chosen a winner. Official rules

26 April 2012

In celebration of Earth Day (Sunday, April 22), we wanted to share with you a project that was recently completed that will help us to conserve energy. Mall of America® recently replaced 5,400 metal halide and high pressure sodium fixtures in the parking ramps with specially designed new fixtures featuring Light Emitting Diode(LED) technology from Acuity Brands.  Acuity Brands, one of the world’s leading providers of luminaires, lighting control systems and related products, designed a new light fixture specifically for the Mall of America project.

This conversion project, the largest of its kind in the United States, will reduce energy consumption in the ramps by two-thirds.  The energy saved is enough to:

  •  run our amusement park, Nickelodeon Universe®, for six years or
  • power more than 11,000 homes for a year

 The benefits of LED beyond lower energy consumption include better performance in cold temperatures, a life expectancy of more than 50,000 hours, no use of mercury and directional efficiency.  LED lamps are also a powerful way to reduce light pollution, which has become a concern across the country.

 This project is a continuation of our “Go Green” efforts to reduce our operating footprint.  The Mall recycles 60% of its waste, an average of 32,000 tons per year.  This includes more than 2,400 tons of food waste to a local hog farm, 6,000 tons of cardboard and paper, and 50 tons of glass every year.  We do not use a central heating system but rather the Mall is warmed by its more than 42 million annual visitors, passive solar energy and lights from our 520+ stores.  This LED project is part of a multi-faceted sustainability program that will emerge over the coming months.

Take a peek at the recent New York Times article featuring our efforts to conserve energy.

20 April 2012

If you’ve visited  Mall of America® lately you may have noticed beautiful wedding gowns displayed along the East hallway on the fourth floor. In celebration of Diana: A Celebration Exhibition at the Mall, our very own local Twin Cities celebs borrowed us their wedding gowns to share with you.  The photo in this post is a sneak peek at one of the dresses that belongs to the familiar face of 5 Eyewitness News (KSTP), anchor Jessica Miles.

Want to see the rest? Stop by Diana: A Celebration Exhibition (Level 4, East) and check them out.

Planning on visiting the Diana: A Celebration exhibit this weekend?

We have a few {insider} tips for you:

  • Exhibit Opening Times:

Mon – Thurs: noon

Fri – Sat: 10 a.m.

Sun: 11 a.m.

  • The highest trafficked times are in the morning when the exhibit opens. If you plan to visit later in the afternoon/evening, it’s much less likely you’ll experience any lines.
  • Audio is FREE after 5 p.m. every day! Yes, weekends too!
  • Want to park close? The top levels in the east parking ramp are your best option.
  • Use this site for more information on tickets and location.

 

REUTERS selected this very exhibit, Diana: A Celebration, as one of their Top 10 must-see attractions for UK royalty fans. SO COOL! Click here to see their Travel Picks article.

20 April 2012

NOW OPEN: Shop for the Cure

BY Erin Vande Steeg

The Susan G. Komen Twin Cities Race for the Cure®  “Shop for the Cure” kiosk (Level 1, Rotunda) opened today and will remain open through spring! Shop for mom, yourself and other loved ones by purchasing clothing, jewelry, novelties and more Race for the Cure merchandise.  Proceeds support the fight against breast cancer.

Monday, April 9 – Sunday, May 13
Store hours:
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday
11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday

10 April 2012