Photos by J. Alan Paul Photography & Hillary Ehlen
Health/Fitness | Dining | Arts | Real Estate | Business
As our city grows, it can be hard to keep up with all of the ever-changing information. That’s why we found five experts in different fields to guide you on your way so you can make the most of our community. Come along with us as we journey through the city with our FM Tour Guides.
Health/Fitness
From pole dancing to mountain biking, Fargo-Moorhead offers a lot of options for your new workout.
By Kylee Seifert
Kylee Seifert is a Health and Nutrition Coach determined to help women reawaken their self-love through mindset, nutrition and movement. She is a Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach and NANP Board Certified. Find out more about her online programs and one-on-one coaching at kyleeseifert.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram.
Zero Gravity Fitness
This is one of my favorite places to go in Fargo. Not only can you get a great, unique workout but it’s also a great place to improve your confidence and body image. The gals at Zero Gravity provide pole fitness class, aerial Yoga, Yoga, Xabeat and Barre classes. They inspire their members to enjoy the movement of their bodies and have fun while working out. This is a great way to step out of your comfort zone. Trust me when I say you won’t regret it.
The Dike East
While I love to get in the gym and throw around some weights, when it’s 75 degrees and sunny out, the last thing I want to do is be inside. A great way to soak up the short Fargo summer air is to run outside. Better yet, run hills outside. Where can you find hills to huff and puff up in this flat land, you ask? The Dike East! This is the perfect hill for sprinting up and then walking back down. Guaranteed to get you sweating and be gentle on your joints. No membership required either.
Crossfit 701
If you’re looking for a community to keep you accountable, Crossfit 701 is a great place to start. Crossfit 701 provides its members with full classes and workouts that are great for any level of fitness. The best part, the other members will keep you accountable and ensure you reach your goals. Crossfit gyms are hands down a great way to meet new friends and like-minded individuals. (Other local Crossfit gyms include Crossfit EHP, Crossfit Fargo, Crossfit Icehouse and Sheyenne River Crossfit.)
MB Johnson Park
MB Johnson Park is truly a hidden gem in Fargo-Moorhead. In this park, you can find single track trails for biking, cross-country skiing trails and miles of walking trails. It’s a great way to get outside in any season and capture some fresh air right along the river. I personally love getting lost in the trees and exploring what feels like a forest right in town.
Power Plates Meals
Sometimes life gets busy and you don’t have time to food prep. When that happens, Power Plate Meals has your back. I love referring my clients to Power Plate Meals to ensure they get a nutritious, healthy meal that will keep them on track with their goals. They have a great menu and are always rotating it out to ensure you can try something new each time you grab a Power Plate Meal.
Fargo Brewing Company
In a dream world, fitness and beer would go hand in hand. Oh wait, they do at Fargo Brewing Company! Fargo Brewing Company hosts various fitness “on tap” type events ranging from bootcamp to Yoga to Zumba and beyond. Looking for a running group to keep you accountable? Each Tuesday night, Fargo Brewing Company has a running crew that meets for a run around town and a post-running beer. A great way to mingle with other runners and keep yourself accountable. There are routes for beginner runners, as well as seasoned.
Fargo Wonder Woman
This Facebook Group connects like-minded women through free monthly health and fitness events. Each month, this group meets at a different location in the FM area to try out what they have to offer and meet new friends. Past events have been held at Zero Gravity Fitness, Crossfit Fargo, Make Room, Crossfit EHP, Orangetheory, SolidCore and Core Fitness. Find this group on Facebook by searching, “Fargo Wonder Woman.”
Crossfit Icehouse
Crossfit Icehouse offers more than just Crossfit classes. They have just launched a new program called “Flux” that hybrids yoga and Crossfit for a great booty kicking, fun workout. This class is for all levels of fitness and is great for anyone looking into finding a fitness routine to stick to.
Inspired Health & Wellness Spa
New to the FM area, Inspired Health Spa has a one of a kind “Salt Cave.” They also offer yoga, massage and a float room. This is a great way to work on preventative health and enjoy the process. With so many goodies under one roof, Inspired Health & Wellness Spa is a great way to kick off a journey back to health.
Orangetheory
Another place that provides an amazing community is Orangetheory. I can say from experience that Orangetheory brings the fun back into a challenging workout but also is great for all fitness levels. If you’re looking for a community to keep you accountable and a wide schedule of class times, Orangetheory has you covered. The welcoming staff and members will most definitely keep you coming back for more and improving on your goals.
By FMCVB Team
Andi Thoreson
Director of Marketing
Vinyl Taco
Favorite dish…
Chicken Tinga and Crispy Fish tacos… with a margarita, of course
Why do you love this restaurant?
Fun atmosphere, awesome tacos, great music.
What should we know about this restaurant that we don’t?
They own the rights to “More cowbell.” The cowbells on their menu represent heat levels, so saying the phrase “I need more cowbell” makes perfect sense at Vinyl Taco.
Rachel Williams
Housing & Sports Services Manager
Rosey’s Bistro
Favorite dish…
Snobby Frenchman
Why do you love this restaurant?
Grilled cheese, need I say more?
What should we know about this restaurant that we don’t?
They have happy hour specials!
Mallari Ackerman
Director of Sales
The Toasted Frog
Favorite dish…
Fried Cheesy Pickles and a Nutty Raspberry Martini
Why do you love this restaurant?
No matter the occasion, the Toasted Frog has the atmosphere for it all. Date night, ladies night or just a drink at the bar, you’ll find something on the menu to satisfy any appetite.
What should we know about this restaurant that we don’t?
Get a front seat to watch the action in the kitchen. There are six seats at the Chef’s Bar where you can watch your meal be prepared. However, you must be 21 to enter.
David Hanson
Multimedia Production Specialist
Grand Junction
Favorite dish…
Cajun Chicken Ranch with a big ‘ol pile of fries.
Why do you love this restaurant?
The service is fast, the food is mouth-watering, and it’s fun to watch them whip up your sandwich on the grill.
What should we know about this restaurant that we don’t?
Maybe that we have four of them in our community. I didn’t know that for the longest time. I knew about the one on 19th and in Moorhead. I didn’t realize there are also locations on 13th and 25th!
Tom Hanson
Business Manager
Wasabi
Favorite dish…
Crunch Munch
Why do you love this restaurant?
My wife introduced me to Sushi and it immediately became my favorite food. We went on dates to Wasabi all through college and on Valentine’s Day 2011, I asked the restaurant to remain open just for us to have a private sushi date – and that’s when I proposed!
Is there anything about the restaurant that you think the average citizen doesn’t know about?
On their original menu when they had just opened, they misspelled “Asparagus” as “Aparagus.” My wife and I still call it “aparagus” whenever we have it.
Stephonie Broughton
Sports & Events Manager
Frank’s Lounge
Favorite dish…
Taco Lavosh
Why do you love this restaurant?
The atmosphere and food are always on point. The servers are fantastic too.
Is there anything about the restaurant that you think the average citizen doesn’t know about?
When Frank’s Lounge opened, it brought back that signature Pink Pussycat Lounge neon sign that hangs inside now and is a piece of Fargo history from the original 1960’s Pink Pussycat Lounge in Downtown Fargo.
Danni Riley
Visitor Center Manager
Acapulco Mexican Restaurant
Favorite dish…
Seafood Enchiladas and you can’t beat their complimentary chips and homemade salsa.
Why do you love this restaurant?
I think this is the best and most authentic Mexican restaurant in the Fargo area. The atmosphere is so fun with all the colorful decorations and the patio in the front is a nice option in the summer.
What should we know about this restaurant that we don’t?
They offer great lunch prices, including one random lunch plate for $5 every day.
The Hulbert Aquatic Center offers open and lap swim. You can purchase either a day pass or season passes.
Kali Mork
Director of Sports
Lucky’s 13
Favorite dish…
The turkey wild rice soup and their chips are always on point.
Why do you love this restaurant?
I haven’t ever had a meal there that I haven’t liked, it has a neat environment, whether I’m there with my husband, friends, work lunch or kids and it is always fairly quick.
What should we know about this restaurant that we don’t?
I didn’t know for a long time that they served breakfast on the weekends. Who doesn’t like French Toast coated in Captain Crunch?
Charley Johnson
President/CEO
Rustica
Favorite dish…
The Haole Pizza (without jalapeños)
Why do you love this restaurant?
Casual on one side, fine dining on the other and a great place to just sit at the bar and have a cocktail.
What should we know about this restaurant that we don’t?
I think a lot of “average citizens” might not even know where it is.
Sarah Kasin
Account Manager
The Shack on Broadway
Favorite dish…
Morning: #3 breakfast combo
Night: Spaghetti with a salad with French dressing (they make it in-house…so good)
Appetizer: Spicy CHIC’N O’s with sweet and sour
Why do you love this restaurant?
Tasty comfort food, fast service, great prices, home-town atmosphere
What should we know about this restaurant that we don’t?
Chocolate Cake Wednesdays! Need I say more?
Arts
No matter what stage of life you’re in, there are plenty of ways for you to get involved in the arts community.
By Dayna Del Val
Dayna Del Val is the president and CEO of The Arts Partnership. This is an organization dedicated to cultivating the arts in Fargo-Moorhead.
Singles
- Audition for a play or volunteer for an off-stage role at one of the many theatre companies, including the FM Community Theatre, Theatre B and Tin Roof Theatre.
- Sign up for a maker class with Make Room or Unglued. This is an excellent way to meet new people, have a great evening and go home with something you created yourself.
Special Needs
- The FM Community Theatre is presenting their first sensory-friendly performance this year. The production is specifically created to allow for conversation from the audience, appropriate lighting and sound and a quiet space if anyone just needs to get away for awhile.
- Nearly all of the theatres in the Metro have a performance that utilizes audio description for the visually impaired, as well as a sign-language performance to ensure that people of all needs can enjoy live theatre.
Family
- The high schools, colleges and many of the community-wide theatre programs produce a number of family-friendly productions every year. It can be thrilling for children to see their friends and neighbors performing on stage. And a great family alternative to a movie night.
- The Creative Plains Foundation offers multiple free art-making events that encourage parents and children to create art together.
Don’t cha know? The Creative Plains Foundation has a ton of different family-friendly events. You can learn more at creativeplains.org.
Date Night
- Schedule a couples’ clay class at Plains Art Museum. It’s not about being comfortable with ceramic-making, it’s about spending concentrated time together on a project that you take home to remember that shared time. And because it involves communication, you can connect throughout the entire process.
- Research the artists who are currently showing at a local gallery or museum. If you go to an art opening, there are typically drinks and simple hors d’oeuvres. It’s a great way to, again, connect in an environment where you can talk, ask questions and get to know each other or to learn something new together.
Children
- Plains Art Museum and the park districts offer lots of kids art-making programs, many of which are free. When children are treated like artists, they believe they are artists, and that’s a powerful thing.
- There are two youth symphonies, multiple children’s choirs, a number of community-wide youth theatre programs, ballet and other dance programs. Many of these programs have scholarships available to ensure that everyone who wants to participate can.
Retirees
- Did you ever play a band instrument? Would you love to get back to that? The FM Golden Notes New Horizon Band might be just the thing for you. There is also an opportunity to audition for the Lake Agassiz Concert Band, as well as the FM Choral Artists, the Master Chorale of FM and the Gay Men’s Chorus.
- There are a number of hobby clubs that welcome people to join at any stage, including the Red River Watercolor Society, The Fine Arts Club, The Red River Valley Wood Carvers, the FM Visual Artists, the FM Area Music Club, the Quilter’s Guild of ND and more.
Business
- Instead of always doing sports-themed team building activities for your employees, consider purchasing a block of tickets to a performance. Schedule dessert after so that you have time to talk about the performance and some work-related topics in a relaxed environment, and you will get the same community-building that comes from a day spent on the links.
- Invest in the Corporate Artist in Residence program offered through The Arts Partnership. We hang art from a local artist that lives in your space for a period of time, and that artist engages with your employees a number of times to shift the lens of how work is done. For example, a photographer talks about how she frames her landscapes and then employees use a paper frame and shoot images inside their office. This helps them think about what to prioritize, what to focus on and how to drill down on something very specific. All good skills to think about, regardless of a job title.
New Americans
- Put Pangea at the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County on your calendar for November, as that’s a great place to encounter the many cultures, including their food, music and art, that call the Metro home.
- Connect with The World in Fargo Moorhead on Facebook, a photography project aimed at introducing new Americans and immigrants of the Metro to the larger community. People are harder to ignore or dislike when we get to know them, their stories, their likes and dislikes and more.
Recruits
- There’s a real fear from those who aren’t from the Metro about what there will be to do if they move to this community. The arts and culture activities, programs and facilities are a very real benefit to moving here, but you, as the recruiter, need to be able to connect people to those opportunities. The easiest way to know about what’s going on in the arts is to sign up for The Arts Partnership’s weekly newsletter.
- The Arts Partnership is working with local HR professionals to develop packages for recruits and new hires that will welcome them to the arts in the community. Keep a watch out for more on that later this year. In the meantime, if you have a recruit who is interested specifically in learning more about the arts, get them in touch with our office; we’re happy to talk through all that is going on and to tout what an amazing community this is.
Out of Town Visitors
- A visit to the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County is an absolute must. Where else will you find a real Viking ship? And the additional programming going on inside the HSCSS is always high quality, approachable and connected to the Valley. It’s a great way to introduce our history to your guests and learn a little something new yourself.
- The historic Fargo Theatre is a must-see attraction in the Metro. Built in 1926, this theatre was fully restored and now has a second auditorium. Both theatres play movies, and host live music and other performances, and then there’s the picture-perfect marquee to add to your travel photos.
Real Estate
There’s so much to know about the real estate market, it’s impossible to keep up. Erik Hatch, owner of Hatch Realty, fills us in on the 10 things you need to know about the Fargo-Moorhead real estate market.
10 Things To Know About The FM Real Estate Market
By Erik Hatch
- In 2017 the average sales price in Fargo was $235,408. The average sales price in Moorhead was $201,195. And the average sales price in West Fargo was $268.671.
- Location matters! If you own a home that backs to a pond, river, park, golf course or green space – you’ll undoubtedly have a more valuable property.
- The average sales price in the FM area for 2017 is $224,218. This is up 1.54% from the previous year (the federal government wants 4-5 percent annual appreciation increases).
- In the last 20 years, our community has only seen a depreciation of property values two different years (2008 and 2011). These ‘bumps’ were to the tune of -1.9% and -1.13%.
- The FM area hasn’t ridden the roller coaster of big ups and big downs, much like the rest of the country. We, more or less, are like the train that goes around the amusement park.
- Ten years ago, the average sales price was $153,395. 2,948 homes sold that year. In 2017,4,198 homes sold in the FM area.
- If you’re buying a home under $300,000, it is likely that you may see a tougher ride. The market, in that price range, is more saturated with buyers than it is available homes for sale.
- If you’re buying a home over $500,000, you can expect to find ample choices and options. The market has close to 12 months of inventory in this higher price range.
- Special assessments can drastically impact your monthly payment. Be sure to work with your lender and Realtor to figure just how much this “second tax” will cost you. And note that special assessments aren’t unique to just new construction.
- Radon (odorless, colorless gas that comes from the uranium in our soil) level are surprisingly high in the Red River Valley – and subsequently, in our homes. Consider testing and mitigation (when necessary) to lessen the harmful effects from prolonged exposure.
Business
In business, it can often feel like you’re on your own. Greg Tehven, an entrepreneur advocate and one of the founders of Emerging Prairie, has several tips on how to solve some of business’ toughest problems.
By Greg Tehven
Greg Tehven is an entrepreneur advocate and one of the founders of Emerging Prairie.
So you need an idea…
TED has been driving ideas worth spreading since the 1980s. If you are feeling stuck or need some inspiration, check out TED talks on YouTube to explore new concepts from brilliant folks. Better yet, attend a live TEDx event in Fargo, Brookings, Grand Forks or Bismarck.
Make sure you mark July 26 for this year’s TEDxFargo.
So you need some funds…
North Dakota is a special place when it comes to finding resources. The North Dakota Department of Commerce has their Innovate ND program that grants cash and provides bootcamps. You can also explore the Bank of North Dakota’s programs that support entrepreneurs. Raising funds from angel investors and venture capital can be difficult, yet building a robust network of investors is possible. Look to Myriad Mobile and CoSchedule as organizations that have navigated the system well.
So you are feeling alone…
Fargo Moorhead is growing with self-organized groups that are gathering to discuss new technology and concepts. Get involved with the Fargo Bitcoin meet up or Girl Develop It. Stop by 1 Million Cups Fargo, the largest 1MC in the nation, every Wednesday morning to hear from emerging companies. Watch Emerging Prairie’s website for a listing of events or check out Stampede, a gathering for young entrepreneurs. Folkways hosts CoStarter programs to help with business development and coaching, and provides a fantastic opportunity to meet other business owners.
So you need space…
If you’ve outgrown the coffee shop scene, there are plenty of places to launch your business. If you are looking for flexible pricing with short leases, the Prairie Den downtown could be a great option. If you need a door and private space, NDSU’s Research and Tech Park Incubator could make a great home. If you are looking for a more professional office space, Regus could be your new home in South Fargo.
Regus is a national company that has workspaces around the country. They have a space in the Brandt Office Park at 3523 45th St. S, Fargo. You can rent office space for a rate as low as $7.10 a day.
So you are looking for something to read…
The two books that made the biggest impact on me in 2017 were: The Hard Things about the Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz and Shoe Dog: A memoir by the Creator of Nike. Both books gave tangible advice and encouragement as well as some fascinating stories of grit and dedication.
So you want to get connected…
There are a growing number of retreats and conferences being hosted. Makewell offers fantastic gatherings for artists and makers. Folkways brings together the most eclectic Farmer’s Market in the region. Unglued hosts an adult summer camp. Emerging Prairie has three highlights to consider: Cultivate, Drone Focus Con and Founder’s Only Retreat. All of these gatherings connect folks from diverse backgrounds helping folks build their network.
*This guide originally appeared in Fargo By Fargo.
