By Brian Schommer Have you ever tried a “Mintendo Mocha?” If you are a fan of Mint Mocha’s, you should try one if you are out and about in downtown Hastings. Where? Geek Haven Coffee, located in the same building as Level Up games, that is where and now you have a “two-fer” while out and about. The menu of coffee is like what you will find at most coffee shops and based on experience on Gobble Gait morning, the staff is up to task when it comes to handling busy times. The drinks were served at a perfect temperature by very friendly folks who did not let the craziness of thousands of people being in downtown phase them. A stop back during the Holiday Hoopla two days later for a cup of hot chocolate confirmed it. Geek Haven Coffee at 120 2nd Street East in Hastings is wellworth the stop if you are out and about in downtown Hastings. They also have various pastries and wraps which is another reason to stop back, and with it being the time of year that it is, the stop back will most likely be sooner versus later. Oh yeah… the “two-fer” thing. If you have a gamer on your Christmas list, be it someone who is into board games, trading card games, video games or role-playing games, then Level Up games in the space as Geek Haven Coffee is a must stop in. Maybe that someone likes the old Xbox sports games like NCAA ’14 Football that you are not going to find at the big box stores anymore in 2022. Maybe you have someone into Dungeons and Dragons or Pokemon? If this is you, there is no need to go into the cities hunting when it mightbe found right on the corner of 2nd and Sibley Streets in Hastings. Also, if they do not have it at the Hastings location, there is a possibility that they may be able to find it at their Minneapolis location. 120 2nd Street East in Hastings is worth checking out when you are out and about. If you happen to be out and about in Cottage Grove, it is morning time and you are looking for breakfast, you should make the trek to the Park Café located at 335 Broadway Avenue in St. Paul Park. This small café would be somewhere between a diner and a dive on the Food Networks “Diners, Drive In’s, and Dives.” The old school décor is a bit too nice to be “dive” worthy. The service, food, and overall atmosphere is phenomenal. The pancakes are still as big as the plate, the 10-ounce steak with the “Big Steak” and eggs plate was cooked exactly as ordered and the chatter with the regulars makes everyone feel like they are meant to be there. The prices are quite reasonable and while breakfast is served all day, they have a very intriguing lunch and dinner menu which certainly serves as a carrot being dangled for a return trip. If the other options are as good and “home cooked” as the breakfast choices were, that carrot won’t have to dangle very long. If you are looking for something musical in your life, mark your calendar for Friday, December 16th at 7pm for the Zak Brothers and Friends Holiday Fundraiser. Brothers Noah and Blake Zak, along with several special guests will be banning together to play music, bring joy, and raise funds for the Minnesota Military Family Foundation. The event will be held at Dugarels in Hastings, which is located at 3475 Vermillion Street. If you are on Facebook, you can follow the event by going to Zak Bros. and Friends Holiday Fundraiser. This talented duo of local musicians performs shows for the benefit of others on a regular basis. Here is your chance to get out and about, enjoy some homegrown, local music and help raise some money for a great cause. As always, if you know of anything going on “out and about” that we should be letting people know about, be sure to send a heads-up email to [email protected] We would love to help spread the word. We are looking for information on concerts, holiday events, boutiques, and feel good type things.