In this episode of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, I’m talking about the social complications of having a second home. Whether it’s a lakeside cabin, a Florida condo, or simply living somewhere everyone wants to visit, these situations bring up all kinds of friendship questions around hosting, invitations, reciprocity, FOMO, boundaries, and expectations.

My guest is the incredible Stephanie Hansen: cookbook author, novelist, broadcaster, podcaster, and expert on Minnesota cabin culture. Stephanie loves her family cabin in Ely, Minnesota, and she joined me for a candid conversation about what happens when your “happy place” also becomes a source of complicated social dynamics. This episode is funny, honest, surprisingly emotional at times, and full of the kinds of nuanced friendship situations that don’t have perfect answers.

LINKS MENTIONED:

True North Cabin Cookbook Vol 1 and True North Cabin Cookbook Vol 2.
Check out Stephanie's new novel, The Moon Tavern: A Culinary Love Story (With Recipes), co-written with her husband, Kurt Johnson.
Stephanie's website and Substack newsletter full of fantastic recipes and stories
Stephanie on Instagram @stephaniesdish

MEET STEPHANIE HANSEN

Stephanie Hansen is the co-host of the “The Weekly Dish” radio show and podcast on Hubbard Broadcastings MyTalk107.1 radio with Minneapolis St Paul Magazines food editor, Stephanie March. The show is going on its 18th year and is also a podcast. In 2023 and 2025 Stephanie won a regional Emmy award for hosting the TV show, "Taste Buds With Stephanie" that airs Saturday mornings at 8:30 am on Fox 9 and is currently in syndication at 89 TV stations throughout the United States. Season 4 starts in Fall of 2026. You can also catch Stephanie cooking and sharing recipes weekly on The Jason Show on KMSP Fox 9 in the Twin Cities. Stephanie also has a podcast called, “Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish” where she talks with other food writers, cookbook authors, and fans of food that she releases on her Substack newsletter with recipes each week from her blog StephaniesDish.com

Stephanie loves to travel and has sailed throughout the Caribbean, Italy and Croatia. She loves her “Van Life” in her Winnebago Paseo and is a part-time resident of Ely on Burntside Lake in the Summer where she wrote and photographed the True North Cabin Cookbook Vol 1 and True North Cabin Cookbook Vol 2.

And check out Stephanie's new novel, The Moon Tavern: A Culinary Love Story (With Recipes), co-written with her husband, Kurt Johnson. Find her on Instagram @stephaniesdishon Instagram @stephaniesdish

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Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!