Gingerbread: A Holiday Break

Yesterday, I took a break from our slide to hell in a handbasket to visit the new Norway House in Minneapolis. We've had a Swedish Institute for ages, but the Norway House is new, and as one of its first exhibits, it's hosting a Gingerbread Wonderland.

Around 75 buildings were made by regular people and professional bakers. Here are the ones I liked best.

First, famous buildings of our region, which were usually done by professionals:


First Avenue, the music club where Prince played, by Rachel Peterson and Bea Holterhaus.


The burned portion of the Mill City Museum by Sweet Retreat.


Great detailing on the brickwork as well as the fire damage.


Our state Capitol by Honey and Rye Bakery.


The James J. Hill House by DECO Catering.


Mickey's Diner, one of the other icons of St. Paul, by Common Roots Catering. Love the nonpareil shingling on the vestibule.


Minneapolis City Hall by Heather Vick.


The display even includes Minneapolis's Witch Tower (a historic water tower in the Prospect Park neighborhood), created by Kathleen and Jay Peterson.

All of those re-creations are great, but I'm partial to the creative takes on classic candy-laden houses:


Chex Cereal shingles and almond paving stones by Janet and Kathleen Daninger.


Gumballs by Sarah Beth Sivanisc.


I love the window box on this house by Sarah Bartkowski.


A close-up of Sarah Bartkowski's peppermint path.


A classic two-story by Karen Tuzcu. Nice trees!


A close-up of Karen Tuzcu's jellybean path.


The littlest house with the biggest garage. (Maybe the only garage I've ever seen on a gingerbread house.) I think this one is by Kate and Dan Lori.


I call this one the Marshmallow House, by Erin and Linda Holmen. Eclectic and fun.


Love these trees and the extreme attention to neatness on this one by Janice and Katie Svaren.


And finally, a classic red roof by the Mindekirken Language and Culture Program.

There were a few buildings that didn't fit either of my classifications:


St. Paul's Highland Theater was re-created by home baker Kourtny.


Students or staff at St. Paul College created the LDS (Mormon) Temple from Minneapolis for some reason. I didn't realize what it was; I just liked the fact that it appears to be a nondescript, 1960s, suburban, cinder block box done up in peppermint and gum drops.


And finally, Jennifer Welbaum built one of my favorite bookstores, Wild Rumpus, including its purple door-within-door (one size for kids, one for adults). She even included one of the store chickens and made the best snow man I saw (out of marshmallows).