Restaurant

Patio Season! | The Kids Are In Bed Ep 63

/ Tim Severson / Leave a comment

Patio season is officially here, and Tim & Jenni are embracing it in full force. Episode 63 dives deep into the world of outdoor dining—from personal stories and regional favorites to a wildly speculative (and surprisingly convincing) theory about who really invented patio dining in America.

You’ll get their picks for the best patios in Minnesota, including:

  • The Lookout (Maple Grove): The go-to family-friendly patio with beach volleyball, a playground, and fake palm trees. A favorite for exhausted parents trying to enjoy a drink while their kids run wild.
  • Maynard’s (Excelsior): A classic lakeside vibe with bootleggers and boat traffic. Just don’t ask for more than two shots.
  • Pittsburgh Blue (Maple Grove): Hidden in a parking lot but shockingly cozy at dusk. The lighting makes all the difference.
  • French Meadow & The Gnome (St. Paul): Urban patios that are private, peaceful, and full of charm.
  • Ernie’s on Gull Lake (Brainerd): Kids can run free while adults enjoy Greenies and mashed potatoes lakeside.
  • Bar Harbor (Gull Lake): Bootleggers, live music, and those iconic collectible glasses.
  • T.O.T.B in Alexandria Bay, NY: Honorable mention for riverside vibes and A-Bombs.

You’ll also hear about:

  • Jenni’s solo car-buying adventure gone sideways
  • The hidden truth about eating brunch outside (don’t do it—eggs + sun = ew)
  • The surprising stats on how patios increase restaurant revenue
  • Patio music dos and don’ts, and a reminder to never turn your patio into a concert

If you’ve ever argued over rooftops vs lake views, or been personally victimized by a bad swing set investment, this one’s for you.

Come for the patios. Stay for the marriage banter, restaurant recs, and that one time they got a new car and went to the Derby party on the same day.

🎧 Listen now!

YouTube
Spotify

The Travail Basement Bar The Office Dinner Party Theme Night Dinner Date | The Kids Are In Bed Ep 48

/ Tim Severson / Leave a comment

What happens when you combine Tim and Jenni Severson, a date night, and a dinner party themed around The Office? Pure magic—and a little chaos. In Episode 48 of The Kids Are In Bed, we’re breaking down our unforgettable experience at Travail’s Basement Bar, where the cocktails flowed freely, the food was top-notch, and the awkward comedy of Michael Scott and crew came to life in a unique tasting menu.

Here’s what you can expect:

An Office-Inspired Culinary Adventure
The dinner party was a multi-course tasting menu with paired cocktails, featuring everything from a chicken pot pie to a Frosty-inspired dessert complete with crispy potato bits. Each dish was a nod to iconic Office moments, like Michael’s Foreman Grill mishap and the chaos of the Fun Run. The standout? A perfectly executed beet salad (and that’s saying something because we’re usually anti-beet).

Cocktails & Chaos
We sat at the bar—prime real estate for watching the magic (and booze) unfold. Highlights included “the best cocktail” Jenni has ever had out of a thrifted tea cup and beet cocktail with a sweet pear foam. Watching the drinks come together was a show in itself.

Performance Art & Parkour
The night wasn’t just about food. From parkour to an impromptu Fun Run that took us sprinting through the restaurant (yes, really), the evening felt like being dropped into an episode of The Office. And the trivia at the end? Let’s just say not everyone there was a diehard fan.

Laughs, Nostalgia & New Friends
Between meeting strangers who accidentally showed up on the wrong night (but stayed anyway) and reliving some of the best Office moments, the night was full of quirky surprises. Plus, Tim’s Dunder Mifflin T-shirt even got him compliments from fellow fans, proving its magic once again.

If you’ve never been to Travail, consider this your sign. Whether it’s an Office night or any of their other themed experiences, you won’t regret it.

YouTube
Spotify