Facetime: Inauguration celebration

It wasn't exactly like being in Washington, D.C., but on inauguration night, Seven in Minneapolis provided a festive stand-in for an actual inaugural ball. KFAN talk show personality Henry Lake hosted the event, known as the Minnesota Presidential Inauguration Party. Televisions replayed the morning's events and then switched to a live broadcast of the Obamas as they ball-hopped and danced. "Tonight is a historic night and I wanted to be the life of the party," Lake said. "The visionary that Obama is -- this is a statement for the world. I watched and was proud to be an American."

Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177

Inauguration night coincided with the opening of Bradstreet at the Graves 601 Hotel. The restaurant features menu items inspired by John Scott Bradstreet, the tastemaker of his era and most famous Minnesotan around 1900. The eclectic small plates and carefully measured rye-based cocktails reflect Bradstreet's travels to Japan. Plus everything is under $10. "It's a perfect time for this," said owner Ben Graves, who was excited to share the opening with Obama's big day. On the first night of business, some well-known locals came in, including Tim McKee, who owns La Belle Vie and Barrio; his bartender/bar manager Johnny Michaels, and Christina Nguyen, owner of Design Collective and Tea Garden.

SARA GLASSMAN