Week 20 at the 2015 Mill City Farmers Market

September 19 was an especially fun day at the Market. Highlights included the Heritage Bread Festival, hosted by Marty and Darrold Glanville of Sunrise Flour Mill, featuring presentations from professional bakers and samples and discussions with local bakers. OHK Grange provided kids with the opportunity to create seed art, and we met a Peruvian weaver at the ArtAndes booth.

Look for a separate post on the Heritage Bread Festival, including a video of the presentation, later this week on our Farmers Market blog.

Below is Engracia, a skilled Quechua weaver from Peru.  Next weekend at the Market, she will be joined by her fellow weaver, Pascuala.

Melanie shows how multiple panels (like the one Engracia is working on) can be combined to create a large blanket.

Compatible Technology International was the day's Community Booth.  They are a nonprofit organization that alleviates hunger and poverty in the developing world by designing and distributing simple, life-changing food and water technologies.

Ornamental gourds - love these little works of art!

Paula Foreman of Encore Farm returned to the Market with her heirloom beans.

The potato peeler nightmare:

Another fruitful trip to the Market for these shoppers.

Beautiful food...

Did you notice Black Cat's new digs? Cookin' in style!

The goat!

Parkway Closures for September 20

The following parkways will be temporarily closed September 20 for the Minneapolis Bike Tour, 7:30am-2:00pm

Grand Rounds, including - West River Parkway –Nokomis Parkway – Minnehaha Parkway – Lake Harriet Parkway – Lake Calhoun Parkway –Cedar Lake Parkway – Theodore Wirth Parkway – Webber-Victory Memorial Parkway – St Anthony Parkway – William Berry Parkway.

Each road section will open as the last biker rides through.

Course Map

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*Please note that the duration of the closures is subject to change based on the event's start and finish times.

*A complete list of current and upcoming parkway closures is available online.

Thursday Morning Artist Series Moves to MacPhail Center for Music for the 2015-2016 Season

Thursday Musical Announces its 2015-2016 Season
Thursday Morning Artist Series and Home Programs

MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL - Thursday Musical announces its 124th season for the Thursday Morning Artist Series, including Living Concert Notes with MPR announcer Steve Staruch and composer Libby Larsen, and the Home Programs.
 
HOME PROGRAMS
 
A time-honored tradition, the Home Programs are the heart of the organization’s membership community. Members of Thursday Musical on October 29, 2015 and April 26, 2016 will open their homes for a total of six programs to season subscribers/members for an intimate, “salon-style” concert experience. Programs will feature several returning performing members and one Thursday Musical debut by Jon wood, who recently has graduated from the University of St. Thomas in guitar performance. Complete schedule of Home Programs.
 
THURSDAY MORNING ARTIST SERIES

The Thursday Morning Artist Series has been presented since 1892 at 10:30 am on Thursdays. It is the organization’s longest-running recital and chamber music series with a legacy of featuring some of the most talented classical musicians in Minnesota. Programs are currently being held in the acoustically impressive Antonello Hall at MacPhail Center for Music and inside the beautiful architecture of the Wayzata Community Church, Wayzata.  Free coffee and donuts are provided in the lobby starting at 10:00 am served by members of Thursday Musical. Detailed program information will be announced throughout the season.

Kicking off the season is a free concert on October 8 that includes a preconcert reception at 9:30 am. On the program is French Canadian pianist Gabriel Quenneville-Bélair, who will have his Thursday Musical debut performing works by David McIntyre, Maurice Ravel, and Frédéric Chopin. Judith Ranheim, flute, and Dee Ann Crossley, piano, will perform Paul Hindemith’s Sonata for Flute and Piano. The sonata was composed in 1936 following Hindemith’s personal conflict with the Nazi regime and has been described as “laden with political innuendo and sarcasm.” The Lake String Quartet (Carol Margolis, violin, Nanette Scott Goldman, violin, Ingrid Koller, viola, and Daryl Carlson, cello) will perform one of only three string quartets composed by Brahms, the String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 51, No. 2.

Born in Montreal, Canada, Gabriel Quenneville-Bélair is a French Canadian pianist with a master’s degree in piano performance from the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance at the University of Minnesota. Gabriel regularly performs in Canada and United-States, giving solo and chamber recitals, along with lectures on pianism. A fierce defender of contemporary music, Gabriel has premiered numerous works by living composers, including some that were dedicated to him. He has performed for festivals both in Canada and United-States and has frequently won top prizes and scholarships in several competitions.

Judith Ranheim, flute, is an active teacher, musician, and adjudicator. She holds undergraduate degrees from Luther College and graduate degrees from the University of Iowa. She served four years as the president of the Young Peoples Symphony Concert Association and has served on the board of directors of the Minnesota Orchestra.

Dee Ann Crossley has degrees in piano, choral music education, and music history from Cornell College and Smith College, with post graduate study in organ at Boston University and in Montreal. She taught piano at St. Paul Academy and Summit School for several years. For thirty-eight years, she was co-director of music and organist at Augustana Lutheran Church. Crossley is currently on the board of directors at the American Composers Forum and the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

Based in the Twin Cities, the Lake String Quartet (Carol Margolis, violin, Nanette Scott Goldman, violin, Ingrid Koller, viola, and Daryl Carlson, cello) has been an ensemble for more than 25 years.

Carol Margolis, violin, is a 25 year member of the Lake String Quartet and is currently the concertmistress of the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis. She has performed with the Minnesota Opera, The State Fair Orchestra, Ruperts Club, Viennese Strings, and for several Broadway shows. She is a graduate of Grinnell College with a minor in violin performance, and has additional study in performance and pedagogy at the University of Minnesota with Shirley Santoro and Mary West.

Nanette Scott Goldman, violin and viola, is a long-time member of the Lake String Quartet. She currently performs with the Minnesota Sinfonia and, periodically, for the Guthrie Theater, Northrup Auditorium’s Ballet Series, and touring shows at the State Theater, Orpheum Theater, and Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. She has been a member of the Kenwood Symphony Orchestra and the Saint Paul Civic Symphony, serving six years as principal viola. Nanette has played with nationally recognized artists, ranging from classical to popular, including: Charlotte Church, Luciano Pavarotti, Sarah Brightman, Lyle Lovett, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Josh Groban, and Prince. Nanette can be heard on several TV and radio commercials, as well as the recordings of local artists the Honeydogs and the Hornheads. Nanette is a professor of classical languages at Macalester College.

Ingrid Koller, violin and viola, has been a member of the Lake String Quartet for 17 years. She has previously performed with the Saint Paul Civic Symphony, First Unitarian Society Orchestra, and the Anoka Opera Ensemble. Ingrid is a founder and co-director of the Early Bird String Academy and a member of the rock group EDGE. She holds a BM in viola performance from the University of Minnesota.

Founder of the Lake String Quartet, Daryl Carlson, cello, has performed with several ensembles and orchestras in the Twin Cities area, including as principal cellist with the Augsburg College Orchestra, the Little Symphony of Minneapolis, and Allegro Sinfonia and as section cellist with the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis and Bloomington Symphony. He has also performed in the Schubert Club’s Metropolitan Artist Series, and in various films, audio, and stage productions for Prince, the Dixie Chicks, and the former Theatre de la Jeune Lune. As a teacher, he maintains an active private studio of cello students.

FULL SCHEDULE (Unless noted otherwise, venue is MacPhail.)

Thursday, October 8, 2015
Opening Concert - Free admittance
Judith Ranheim, flute and Dee Ann Crossley, piano
Gabriel Quenneville-Bélair, piano* (Thursday Musical debut)
Lake String Quartet
Carol Margolis, violin, Nanette Scott Goldman, violin, Ingrid Koller, viola and Daryl Carlson, cello

Thursday, October 22, 2015
Christina Waldron, piano - Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winner 2015
The WolfGang
Stanley King, classical oboe, Mary Sorlie, classical violin, Jennifer Kalika, classical viola and Laura Handler, classical cello
Jeana Ogren, piano
Colleen Meier, soprano

Thursday, November 5, 2015
Living Concert Notes with Moderator Steve Staruch, MPR
Anastasiya Nyzkodub, clarinet - Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winner 2015
Mark Bussey, guitar
Coca Bochonko, viola
Susan Hellerud, piano

Thursday, November 19, 2015
Jared Waln, guitar - Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winner 2015
Ona Pinsonneault, clarinet
Marion Judish, violin
Herbert Johnson, piano

Thursday, December 3, 2015
Wayzata Community Church
David Holmes, cello
Diana Lee Lucker, organ
Monica Murray, soprano

Thursday, January 21, 2016
Bach Concert
Timothy Perry, cello
Gail Olszewski, harpsichord
Jennifer Sylvester, soprano

Thursday, February 4, 2016
MacPhail Center for Music
Living Concert Notes with Moderator Libby Larsen, composer
Semada Trio
Dana Donnay, oboe, Matthew Bertrand, bassoon and Seth Engelby, piano
Nicolla Melville, piano
Charles Wazanowski, tuba

Thursday, February 18, 2016
Arjun Ganguly, viola - Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winner 2015
Northern Lights String Quartet
Carolyn Liptak, violin, Kathryn Christie, violin, Jennifer Thomas, viola and David Holmes, cello
Debra Gilroy, soprano
Megan Wallace, piano

Thursday, March 3, 2016
Amanda Chan, piano - Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winner 2015
Beth Winterfeldt, piano
The Bishop String Trio
Meredith Vaughan, violin, Katie Ekberg, viola and Carlynn Savot, cello
Karen Rognsvoog - music and film

Thursday, March 17, 2016
Faith Farr, cello
Beth Blackledge, flute
Suzanne Kennedy, mezzo-soprano

Thursday, April 14, 2016
Rie Tanaka, piano - Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winner 2015
Mitch Blatt, clarinet
Melissa Culloton, mezzo-soprano
Mimi Tung, piano

Thursday, April 28, 2016
Elizabeth Kleiber, flute - Young Artist Scholarship Competition Winner 2015
Amy Morris, flute
Robin Helgen, soprano
Elliott Wilcox, piano

Detailed program information will be released throughout the season. Programs and artists are subject to change.

CenterPoint Energy's 4th Street Update

Crews from Michels Corporation, an authorized CenterPoint contractor, continue installing natural gas distribution pipe along 4th Street in the following locations:

From 1st Avenue N. to Hennepin Avenue:
• Beginning today, the northern and southern parking lanes and one southern driving lane will be closed.
• Crews will begin installing pipe along this block tomorrow, Wednesday, September 16.
• Please anticipate crews to return to the intersection of 1st Avenue N. and 4th Street N. this coming weekend.
 
From Marquette Avenue S to Nicollet Mall:
• Crews completed current pipe installation along this block. Please expect construction to resume in the coming weeks.
• Beginning today, crews will begin construction at the intersection of 4th Street S. and Nicollet Mall.

Three lanes of traffic on 4th Street, from 2nd Avenue N. to Marquette Avenue S., will remain open during rush hour and reducing to two lanes between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Please drive slowly and use caution in the areas of construction. Please note that businesses will be open during construction. For more information, please visit our website. Thank you.

This is the Last Week of Summer Activities and Events at the Piazza on the Mall!

Piazza on the Mall

Thanks everyone for another great summer full of fun, free community activities and events at the Piazza!  We hope you will come join us for our last week with a Social Jam Session and Yoga fitness class.  Thank you to all of our performers, instructors and attendees who contributed to the Piazza's summer success.

Social Jam Session - Thursday, September 17, 7:00-9:00pm

Come join Ross Hackenmiller Music for the eighth and last summer Social Jam Session. These sessions are a fun way to do some outdoor improvised music-making at the Piazza!  We'll have a stack of random percussion and noisemakers waiting to be played. Please feel free to bring your own too.

Free Yoga! - Saturday, September 19, 10:00-11:00am

Interested in free outdoor yoga?  Come out for the sixteenth and last of our weekly yoga classes each Saturday morning, brought to you by Yess Yoga.  All skill and experience levels are welcome.  Please bring your own yoga mats.

For more information contact Max Musicant at max@musicantgroup.com or 612-584-9442.

Week 19 at the 2015 Mill City Farmers Market

September 12 was hands down one of the loveliest days weather-wise of the 2015 season.  Plenty of sun with just a hint of fall in the air.

Wedge Community Co-op was the September 12 Community Booth.  They sampled a Brussels Sprout and Celeriac Slaw with Maple Glazed Pepitas. Leah Korger, Catering Kitchen Supervisor, also prepared the slaw at the Mill City Cooks demo.

Chef Heather Hartman was busy working on food prep for the annual Mill City Farmers Market Harvest Social, taking place September 13 in the train shed.

The multigrain bread from Salty Tart is a work of art.

Got my eye on a new winter wrap from ArtAndes.  Meet the women weavers and watch them work their craft at next week's Market!

Every baby needs a hat!

The goat!

Be sure to attend the 10a Heritage Bread Festival at the September 19 Market! Learn about bread-making and taste samples. Sponsored by Sunrise Flour Mill.

Parkway Closures for September 12

The following parkways will be temporarily closed September 12 for Mill City Suds Run - 8:30am-1:00pm:

Main Street - From Hennepin Ave to 6th Ave SE
West River Parkway - From Portland Ave to Plymouth Ave
Plymouth Bridge and Stone Arch Bridge

Course Map

2015 Ramen Attack: Heroes Edition

Zen Box Izakaya presents 2015 Ramen Attack: Heroes Edition

Date: Sunday, September 27
Location: Mill City Museum Train Shed
Time: 12:00pm to 5:00pm (Rain or Shine)

What is Ramen Attack?
Ramen Attack is a free festival for all ages celebrating a unique combination of both Japanese and Twin Cities food and culture. The event donates net proceeds from food and beverage sales to the Children’s Cancer Research Fund, a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization.

Why should I attend Ramen Attack: Heroes Edition?
Delicious food, great drinks, and amazing entertainment are all unique parts of our event. But the most important reason to attend is to be a hero for children with cancer and support Children’s Cancer Research Fund.

Do I need a ticket to attend?
No - event entry is free! Food and beverage, however, are not free.
(Regular admission required to visit Museum exhibits)

How much do food & beverage cost?
Food and beverage tickets will be sold in Ramen Attack Passports.

Ramen Attack Passports are on sale for $40 (a $55 value) and contain:
•2 Ramen tickets
•1 Street Snack ticket
•2 Beverage tickets (soda for all, beer for 21+ - must show valid ID)
•Up to 2 alcohol wristbands for 21+ attendees (must show valid ID to receive wristband)
•1 Dessert ticket
•1 free Mill City Museum Exhibits entry
•Entry form for Ramen Attack prize giveaways

Do I need to buy a Passport in advance?
Yes! Due to space, time, and travel, our guest chefs will produce a finite amount of delicious food. We can’t guarantee that ramen or street snacks will still be available for purchase on the day of the event, so purchasing a Passport is the only way to ensure you won’t miss out.

How do I pick up my Passport?
Passports will be available for pick up at Mill City Museum beginning at 11:30 am on the day of the event. A photo ID is required to pick up Passports. A photo ID is also required for anyone 21+ who intends to use his or her Beverage tickets for alcohol.

Please note that Passports will not be available for pick up anytime before 11:30 am on Sunday, September 27. While you are welcome to arrive early, we will not begin Passport distribution until 11:30 am and you will be asked to wait in line until distribution begins.

Will tickets be available to purchase at the event?
We can’t guarantee that ramen or street snacks will still be available for purchase on the day of the event. A limited number of tickets may be available, but we wouldn’t risk it - we highly recommend that attendees pre-purchase a Passport. Beer, soda, and water will be available for purchase onsite.

What else should I know about drinking alcohol at the event?
In order to comply with liquor licensing laws, attendees ages 21+ will be required to wear a wristband. We are requesting a $1 cash donation to CCRF to cover the cost of wristbands.
 
What is the weather policy?
Rain or shine! There are no refunds on tickets or Passports and we will celebrate regardless of weather.

Who will be cooking?
We have an amazing group of guest chefs from across the country:
•Keizo Shimamoto, Ramen Shack in New York City
•Justin Carlisle, Red Light Ramen by Ardent in Milwaukee
•Jorge Guzman, Surly Brewer's Table in Minneapolis
•Jack Reibel, Il Foro & Paddy Shack in Minneapolis
•John Ng, Zen Box Izakaya in Minneapolis

Several chefs will also offer cooking demonstrations:
•Kenshiro Uki, Ramen Lab & Sun Noodle in New York City
•Diane Yang, Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis
•Thomas Boemer, Corner Table & Revival in Minneapolis

Attendees who have purchased passports are required to use the Mill City Museum Exhibits entry ticket in their passports to view the chef demonstrations. Attendees without passports will be required to purchase Mill City Museum Exhibits entry to view these demonstrations.

What else can I find at the festival?
•Artisan ice lollies from FrioFrio MN
•Brews from Asahi Beer and Surly Brewing Co.
•Kaishin Dojo Japanese Fencing Group
•Mu Daiko Drum Performance Group
•Seven Dragons Japanese Swords Group
•Music by DJ Steez

Is my registration/ticket transferable?
Yes! Feel free to transfer it to a friend, as long as they have the printed ticket. The recipient of the transferred ticket must also be 21+ and present their valid photo ID.

What other information do I need to know about Ramen Attack: Heroes Edition?
In the event that ramen and/or street snack tickets are available for purchase onsite, these sales will be CASH ONLY. All onsite beverage sales for beer, soda, and water will also be CASH ONLY. There is one ATM at Mill City Museum in the Gift Shop. We recommend that you bring cash if you plan to purchase additional beverages onsite.

Ramen options and availability are subject to change without prior notice and on a first-come-first-served basis, while supplies last.

Limited metered street parking is available near the event. There are also several parking ramps. Detailed parking information is available at http://www.millcitymuseum.org/directions. 

No pets are allowed on Mill City Museum property. (Only Certified Service Animals are allowed in the Museum grounds)
No outside food or beverage is allowed.

Please send an email with your questions to info@zenboxizakaya.com

Thursday Night at Piazza on the Mall

Thursday, September 10th, 5:30pm, FREE Tango Dance Lessons and Argentine Music with Lois Donnay.

Come out on Thursday evening and join us for live Argentine tango music and performances. Enjoy the sultry dance of tango and watch as both traditional and modern tango are presented.  During and following the dance and performance, dancers will be providing group tango lessons for the audience so be sure to bring your dance shoes!

Piazza on the Mall is located at 1221 Nicollet Avenue.  Like the Piazza on Facebook, follow the Piazza on Twitter.

Creative City Market: Celebrating the Art of Making in Minneapolis

The final Creative City Market will be held on Thursday, September 10, 4-9pm, at the Minneapolis Convention Center Plaza (1301 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55403).

Creative City Market is a free monthly experience in the heart of downtown that celebrates the act of making. Each month the public is invited to the Minneapolis Convention Center Plaza to participate in an evening under the setting sun surrounded by Minnesota-made art, wares, and interactive experiences.

•Learn how to preserve food through fermentation and discuss self sufficiency with Jess Hirsch and Ginny Sims
•Listen to neo-soul by singer PaviElle
•Watch Somalia's Balloon, a storytelling play about Somalia's colonial history by Ifrah Mansour
•Enjoy a screening of MN Made MSPIFF film Medicine of the Wolf, where filmmaker Julia Huffman travels into the wolf country of Minnesota to pursue the deep intrinsic value of brother wolf and our forgotten promise to him, presented by the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul
•Hang out at mini_polis, winner of the 2015 Creative City Challenge
•Browse original goods created by local artists and creators
•Enjoy craft beer selections on the lawn from the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild and the Craft Bar & Lounge
•A grill station and fresh MN-grown roasted corn
•Experience live music and performances
•Relax, play, and linger on the central lawn

Survey seekers
We are looking for survey seekers for these events. A small stipend will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. If you are interested in being a survey seeker, please contact volunteers@northern.lights.mn for more information.

12th Annual Historic Riverfront 5K Walk/Run is October 10

Via the Active.com website:

Historic Riverfront 5K Run/Walk will take you through historic Northeast Minneapolis, along the Mississippi River and over the Stone Arch Bridge. This is perfect time of year to see the fall colors and the beauty of the tree canopy, river, and cityscape.  Race starts/ends at Boom Island Park (700 Sibley Street NE).

Last year we gave out over $2,000 of prizes that were awarded to top finishers and drawings for all that register. 

This year, we have partnered with Mill City Museum to provide you highlights of the incredible history along the route, as well as a 'Buy One, Get One' discount to the Mill City Museum for every person that registers.

Whether you participate as a timed chip runner or take a casual walk with your dog or baby stroller, this is a route that everyone enjoys.

Proceeds benefit neighborhood parks and activities in the St. Anthony West Neighborhood, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Minneapolis, which includes the beautiful Boom Island, BF Nelson, and Dickman parks.

Event details and schedule

• Start/End at Boom Island - 700 Sibley Street NE
• Start time at 9am, Saturday, October 10th (check-in starts at 7:30am)
• Early check-in available on Friday, October 9th, 4-6pm at Mill City Running
• Long sleeve Run-Dri shirt and Buy One/Get One admission to Mill City Museum included in registration
• An estimated $2,000 worth of prizes will be given out, with ALL participants in drawing as well as specific prizes for top winners in male/female, 55+, and 20 and under
• Enjoy Kramarczuk's brats hot off the grill at the end of the race
• Chip timed for accuracy and running enjoyment
• Limited parking in parking lot w/in Boom Island, additional parking available on side streets

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Week 18 at the 2015 Mill City Farmers Market

Elpis Enterprises was the September 5 Community Booth. Elpis is a nonprofit organization that provides job training, work experience and placement for homeless youth.  Check our Farmers Market blog later this week for information on this organization.

There's more to the Market than meets the eye.  For all the time I've spent talking with staff and vendors, I only just learned about their Greens for Good program, which is a partnership with Campus Kitchen and sponsored by Delta Dental. Each week Market vendors donate to a program that helps feed low-income residents of the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.

A unique melon from Women's Environmental Institute (WEI).

Urban Roots returned to the Market - look for them weekly in September and most of October.  More pictures and information will be included in a separate post on our Farmers Market blog later this week.

Pam from Prairie Hollow Farm brings several varieties of grapes to the Market. They've been nurtured by family members for generations.

Check our Farmers Market blog later this week for information on the September 19 bread festival.

Micro greens make an ordinary sandwich something special.

Snickerdoodle Cookie ice cream from Sonny's.  September 12 is their last weekend at the 2015 Market, so be sure to enjoy a scoop or take come a pint.

Salsa verde baskets from Swede Lake Farms.  I added juice from one lime, sea salt and a pile of cilantro - delish!

A little vegetable humor.

The goat!

CenterPoint Energy's 4th Street Project Begins Tuesday, September 8

Crews from Michels Corporation, an authorized CenterPoint contractor, will begin installing natural gas distribution pipe along 4th Street on Tuesday, September 8.

Two crews will be working on the project, with one crew starting near the intersection of 4th Street N. and 2nd Avenue N. and working east and a second crew starting near the intersection of 4th Street S. and Marquette Avenue S. and working west.

Crews from Q3 Corporation, an authorized CenterPoint Energy contractor, will begin relining the roads and setting up lane closures along 4th Street S., from 2nd Avenue N. to Marquette Avenue S. on Tuesday, September 8.

The northern and southern parking lanes along 4th Street S. between 2nd Avenue N. and 1st Avenue N. will be closed.

Three lanes of traffic on 4th Street will remain open during rush hour and reducing to two lanes between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

CenterPoint Energy’s 4th Street project is anticipated to continue for the next seven weeks.

Please note that businesses will be open during construction. For more information, please visit our website. Thank you.​​​​

Minneapolis Idea Exchange (MiX) Brings Creative and Innovative Leaders to Minneapolis to Inspire Ideas that Power Community

Minneapolis Idea Exchange (MiX) Brings Creative and Innovative Leaders to Minneapolis to Inspire Ideas that Power Community

MINNEAPOLIS (September 3, 2015) — The Minneapolis Idea Exchange (MiX), an initiative of the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s Intersections: Downtown 2025 Plan, will host MiX 2015 on September 28, October 1 and October 2. With three days of speakers and events, MiX will partner with the 35^th annual Westminster Town Hall Forum to inspire attendees to think about creativity and community in innovative ways.

Nationally-recognized creators and advocates for empowered communities will build on the momentum created at MiX 2014. MiX 2015 will feature:

• Pete Docter: Minnesota native
• Tavis Smiley: author, publisher, social justice advocate
• Dan Buettner: Minnesota native, founder of Blue Zones, an organization helping Americans live longer, healthier, and happier lives

“We’re thrilled to have three dynamic speakers discussing topics of significance at this year’s MiX event,” said Tim Hart-Andersen and Mary Shaffer, co-chairs of the 2025 Plan MiX Committee. “Minneapolis has been highly-ranked at the national level on many lifestyle indicators ranging from innovation to overall vitality, and we want to continue to see that expand and support a thriving world-class downtown.”

MiX is the venue that makes it possible for ideas to come together from national inspiration to local talent and a community of doers. During MiX 2015, attendees will be inspired to tap into their creativity, learn from communities of justice and take a cue from the world’s healthiest people. In addition to thought-provoking speakers, MiX will transform the corner of Nicollet Mall and 12^th Street to create an outdoor experience complete with music, good eats, local drinks, interactive activities and social events. The events are free and open to the public.

MiX Speaker Schedule

Pete Docter

Monday, September 28, 7:00 PM

Inside the Creative Community: The Power and Process of Animated Film

Pete Docter is a film director, animator, and screenwriter at Pixar Animation Studios. He contributed to the story and characters of Toy Story, Pixar’s first full-length animated feature film, and served as the supervising animator for the film. He wrote story treatments for Toy Story 2 and Wall-E and directed Monsters, Inc., Up, and his latest release, Inside Out. He has been nominated for six Academy Awards and won Best Animated Feature Film for Up. Born and raised in Bloomington, Minn., he graduated from the California Institute of the Arts where he received a Student Academy Award. In 1990, he was hired as Pixar’s third animator and began work the day after his college graduation. Website: pixartalk.com/pixarians/pete-docter/

Tavis Smiley

Thursday, October 1, 7:00 PM         

No One Left Out: Creating Communities of Justice

Tavis Smiley is an author, publisher, social justice advocate, and host and managing editor of the late-night PBS television talk show, Tavis Smiley, and the public radio program, The Tavis Smiley Show. He has written or edited 18 books, including The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto, co-authored with Cornel West; My Journey with Maya, a memoir of his friendship with Maya Angelou; Death of a King, an account of the final year in the life Dr. Martin Luther King; and Covenant with Black America, a collection of essays addressing economic and social disparities. He is the founder of a nonprofit foundation committed to empowering young people and to alleviating poverty across all sectors of society. Website: pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/

Dan Buettner

Friday, October 2, Noon

A Blue Zones City: Living Like the World’s Healthiest People

Dan Buettner is the founder of Blue Zones, an organization committed to helping Americans live longer, healthier lives. He teamed with National Geographic and the world’s best longevity researchers to identify lifestyle choices in specific parts of the globe where people live measurably longer lives. Their research has been published in his bestselling book The Blue Zones: Nine Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest and his recent book, Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World’s Healthiest People. In 2009, he brought his nine principles for longevity to the town of Albert Lea, Minn., where participants in his program added an estimated 2.9 years to their average lifespan. Website: bluezones.com

All keynote events will be hosted at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 S. Marquette Avenue in Minneapolis. Additional activities that are free and open to the public will happen near 12^th Street and Nicollet Mall on Monday, September 28, Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2.

About the Minneapolis Downtown Council:

Founded in 1955, and one of the oldest central business associations in the nation, the Minneapolis Downtown Council (MDC) is a membership-based entity that works to create an extraordinary downtown. The MDC’s collaborative developments of Intersections: Downtown 2025 Plan was designed to help downtown businesses, community leaders and citizens build on downtown assets and implement future goals. For more information, please visit http://www.downtownmpls.com/.

About the 2025 Plan: 

The Downtown 2025 Plan is a vehicle to help leaders and citizens build on Downtown’s assets and guide its development in ways that reflect the community’s aspirations for a Downtown Minneapolis that is thriving, livable, green, connected and welcoming in the decades ahead. This includes initiatives to double downtown’s residential population, transform Nicollet Mall into a must-see destination, implement a Gateway area and other green elements throughout downtown, create a compelling and walkable environment around the clock, lead the nation in transportation options, end street homelessness, forge connections with the University of Minnesota and more. The 2025 Plan is a Minneapolis Downtown Council initiative established in 2010.

About the Minneapolis Idea eXchange:

MiX is a community-powered event that encourages discourse on the topics impacting our city and celebrates the nationally recognized ingenuity and talent rooted in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Idea eXchange is an initiative of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and supported through community leaders, or MiX Luminaries including Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges.  For more information, visit http://www.minneapolisideaexchange.com/ or follow along @MiXMpls on Facebook and Twitter.

Day Block Brewing to Host PorktoberFest Block Party on Sunday, September 6

On Sunday September 6th, Day Block Brewing will host PorktoberFest, an end-of-summer block party, from 11am - 10pm. The all-day event will emphasize local food - namely pork selections - as well as several vegetarian options. Enjoy craft beer and a full schedule of live music beginning at 2:00pm. This event will be held in the shared Day Block Brewing/Grumpy’s Bar lot located on the South side of the Day Block Building. Limited free parking will also be available.

Tickets: $10 (includes a $5 food and beverage voucher)

Live Music featuring:
• Hustle Rose
• The Lone Crows
• Moon Grass Trio
• Fairfax, AK
• Frankie Teardrop
• Basement Brew 

Week 17 at the 2015 Mill City Farmers Market

The August 29 Market showed definite signs of autumn.  Mmmmmmmm.  :)

Fingerling potatoes - so cute.

I look forward to sweet corn ice cream from Sonny's every year, and I always have them pack a pint for me to take home.  :)

We got a kick out of this vintage mobile phone at the Tech Dump booth.

Fun kids shirt from Sassy Knitwear.

You know the season is changing when these beauties show up at the Market.

Ginger is really popular!  Dave took this picture at the Stone's Throw Urban Farm booth when the Market opened, and I came by about an hour later and was lucky to get one of the last pieces.

A rainbow of cherry tomatoes.

This watermelon juice from Zula is refreshing straight up, or with a shot of gin. ;)

The goat!

Congratulations to Singing Hills Goat Dairy on taking 1st place for their Goat Farmer cheese in the "Semi-hard, fresh, pressed Goat cheese" category at The Minnesota State Fair. There's some fierce competition out there!

People Serving People Needs Volunteers for the October 10 MN Beer Run

77 Volunteers Needed!    People Serving People is the charitable partner for first annual MN Beer Run, and they need volunteers to help make this fun event a success!   Please sign up for one of 77 volunteer positions available. Come as an individual or as a group!   They have several positions available on Saturday, October 10. Please click on the link below to see the available shifts and positions.   Click Here to learn more about volunteering for the annual MN Beer Run. All volunteers must be 18 years or older. Children 10-17 can volunteer with their parent. Please wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothing. Any questions, contact Mallory Haugen Mallory Haugen | Volunteer & Events Manager mhaugen@peopleservingpeople.org | 612.277.0256   Thank you!

Volunteer for Bicyclist & Pedestrian Counts September 15–17

Via an August 28 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

Minneapolis Public Works is gearing up to conduct its 9th annual bicyclist and pedestrian count and you can help! Volunteers are needed to count the number of bicyclists and pedestrians at over 100 locations throughout the city. Volunteering means people-watching with a purpose on a beautiful September afternoon from 4:00-6:00 p.m. on one of the count days of your choosing:

•Tuesday, September 15th
•Wednesday, September 16th
•Thursday, September 17th

Minneapolis Public Works conducts bicyclist and pedestrian counts in order to understand the impact of non-motorized traffic on streets, sidewalks and trails. Accurate counts help the City to evaluate existing conditions and inform future plans.

If you’re interested in volunteering please complete the online form which provides more details about volunteer duties.

To learn more about bicyclist and pedestrian counts check out our traffic count page where you will find traffic flow maps, past count reports and other fascinating and useful volunteer-powered data!

Thanks to all of our volunteers. We could not do this without you!

Congratulations to the 6th Annual MDID Greening & Public Realm Awards Winners

MINNEAPOLIS (August 26, 2015) — The Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District announced its 6^th Annual Greening & Public Realm Award winners today, a group that includes seven new winners among the 12 categories decided by a public online vote.

Included in the 12 award recipients [full list below] in this year’s categories are first-time winners Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant (Outdoor Café), Spoon & Stable (Streetscape Green Infrastructure), Central Lutheran Church (Streetscape Greening), Kenosha Building (Façade Greening), Aloft Minneapolis (Entryway Greening), 5^th Avenue Lofts & Security Warehouse Lofts (Public Realm Improvement) and Loring Park (Neighborhood).

Also among the winners is Loring Greenway in the Large Green Space category. Loring Greenway has now won in each of the six years the Greening Awards have been presented.

“The variety and quality of downtown green spaces is increasingly evident through our annual Greening Awards initiative,” said Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District. “As we continue to see more new nominees and winners, it shows the level of commitment our community is putting into adding and enhancing green space. Congratulations to all our winners and finalists for helping advance this important goal.”

MDID also announced it received a record-number of online participants in the voting process. Greening Award winners are selected exclusively by the public through an online vote, and this year’s final tally of 1,312 responses eclipsed last year’s number by 400 voters.

The Greening Awards, an MDID initiative since 2010, celebrate outstanding examples of private greening and placemaking happening in Downtown Minneapolis. They are intended to inspire all to work toward making downtown a greener and more vibrant place. MDID’s mission through the Greening Awards is to encourage all downtown businesses to participate in the greening effort.

MDID accepted nominations through an open social media and email submissions campaign throughout July leading up to a July 20 deadline, yielding 35 unique finalists. Submissions were divided into 12 categories based on the nature of the project. Finalist voting began August 10 and concluded August 24.

Winners will receive a commemorative Greening Award created by Wood from the Hood, a Minneapolis-based company that reclaims discarded trees from urban neighborhoods and creates high-quality wood products. Each award will display the year the award was issued.

Here are this year’s results:

Best Large Green Space Activation

·        Target Field Station — 34.4%

·        Government Center Plaza — 30.3%

·        Convention Center Plaza — 27.1%

·        Peavey Plaza — 8.2%

Best Small Green Space Activation

·        Piazza on the Mall – 57.6%

·        IDS Center PARKLOT presented by Bank of America – 42.4%

Best Large Green Space

·        Loring Greenway — 41.9%

·        Loring Park — 31.7%

·        Triangle Park — 19.7%

·        Elliot Park — 6.7%

Best Small Green Space

·        Assisi on 9^th Park — 67.0%

·        Target Plaza – South Entry — 33.0%

Best Outdoor Café

·        Dakota Jazz Club —  52.6%

·        Red Cow — 25.3%

·        8^th Street Grill — 22.1%

Best Streetscape Green Infrastructure

·        Spoon & Stable — 34.5%

·        5^th Avenue Lofts/Security Warehouse Lofts — 29.0%

·        RiverStation Condos — 19.8%

·        American Academy of Neurology — 16.7%

Best Streetscape Greening

·        Central Lutheran Church — 72.3%

·        222 Hennepin — 14.8%

·        The Foundry Home Goods — 12.9%

Best Façade Greening

·        Kenosha Building — 39.6%

·        Fifth Street Towers — 36.2%

·        Seven Event Destination — 14.4%

·        500 S. Washington — 9.8%

Best Entryway Greening

·        Aloft Minneapolis — 47.3%

·        Martin Patrick 3 — 34.7%

·        Cynthia Froid Group — 10.2%

·        Goldberg Bail Bonds — 7.8%

Best Public Realm Improvement

·        5^th Avenue Lofts/Warehouse Lofts — 25.3%

·        Central Lutheran Church —  24.2%

·        IDS Center PARKLOT presented by Bank of America — 16.9%

·        Soccer field at Elliot Park — 14.4%

·        Convention Center Plaza —  8.6%

·        Spoon & Stable — 7.5%

·        The Foundry House Goods — 3.1%

Best Neighborhood Overall

·        Loring Park — 45.4%

·        North Loop — 24.1%

·        Mill District — 22.1%

·        Elliot Park — 8.4%

Best Open Space Green Infrastructure

·        Target Field Station – 56.0%

·        MCTC – 44.0%

For more information on downtown greening, visit www.minneapolisdid.com or follow @MinneapolisDID on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About the Minneapolis Downtown Council:

Founded in 1955, and one of the oldest central business districts in the nation, the Minneapolis Downtown Council (MDC) is a membership-based entity that works to create, preserve, and enhance a vital and engaging experience for the people who visit, work, shop and live in Downtown Minneapolis. The MDC’s collaborative developments of Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan was designed to help downtown businesses, community leaders and citizens build on downtown assets and implement future goals. For more information, please visit www.downtownmpls.com.

About the Downtown Improvement District:

Founded in early 2009, after more than five years of formative planning and advocacy by the downtown business community, the Minneapolis DID delivers higher levels of service to make downtown cleaner, greener, safer and more vibrant throughout a 120-block area, as is the case with most Business Improvement Districts. For more information, visit www.minneapolisdid.com.

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Highlights from the Mayor's Proposed 2016 Budget

 

Via an August 26, 2015, e-newsletter from Mayor Betsy Hodges:

Dear Friend,

   Two weeks ago today, I proposed my 2016 budget to the City Council. Last year, during my first budget address, I reflected upon a quote from Vice President Joe Biden that I have used as a guiding principle for many years, “show me your budget and I’ll show you what you value.”

I followed that good advice again. We put together a budget that both reflects and harnesses our values so they guide our growth into the future.

We have entered a time when we are being asked to face and meet the changes of the 21st century. We must not only match, not only meet, but we must precede the challenges these changes create with innovation, vision, and the bone-deep knowledge that to become the city of the future we must be a city that leads and weathers the transition and is in it for the long haul.

Being a 21st-century city means we transform our work to meet the needs of the people and economy of the new century. So, I presented a budget with significant investments in public safety, affordable housing, sustainability, better basics from the city and economic growth.

And we did this all while making significant cuts, strategic budget decisions, and transformative investments which will cause the City portion of taxes to go down for two-thirds of Minneapolis homeowners.

Here are some highlights from my proposed budget:

• $13 million in investments in affordable housing largely spurred by the Mayor’s Cradle to K cabinet’s proposal to focus on housing as a strategy to ensure a healthy start for kids. This includes investments in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, $1 million flexible dollars to help create affordable housing options for large families, and targeted rental assistance for families leaving shelters.
• $10 million for the City’s portion of the 10th Avenue bridge rehabilitation.
• $400,000 to accelerate Minneapolis’ conversation of City-owned streetlights to LED technology. The funding will implement approximately 900 LED fixtures which will save about $113,400 a year over their life cycle and pay for itself in three and a half years.
• Raising the sworn compliment of police officers to 862 while funding a recruit class and ongoing community service officer classes.
• Funding for 30 TechHire Initiative scholarships that will provide women and people of color with job training to meet employers growing demand for a workforce educated in technology skills.

More spending investments are listed below if you have the time to read on. You can also read my full speech here.

I cannot conclude without offering my deepest thanks to you. Thanks to your vision. Thanks to your support. Thanks to your desire, like me, to transform Minneapolis into one of the leading global cities of the 21st century.

Sincerely,
 
Mayor Betsy Hodges
City of Minneapolis