Covering life, work, and play in the Historic Mill District and Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront neighborhoods. Have an opinion, local news or events to share? Contact us.
This past Saturday night we took a stroll down 2nd Street South and back on West River Parkway. Hands down, our neighbors at Stonebridge Lofts are the most festive this year, although it's more evident in person than one would gather from pictures. Runner up: The Stone Arch Lofts. :)
Click here for the first set of pictures. There may be a second set if we get out again in the next few days.
Childish Films is a fun family event happening the 3rd Saturday of the month through April, 2015, at the Central Library. It's a free program of children’s cinema and arts for all ages. Each screening features a pre-show activity, an educational introduction, and complimentary healthy snacks. Admission is free with open seating to the public.
Most films are best enjoyed by ages 3 and older, but children and people of all ages are welcome to attend.
The December 20 feature is The Wind in the Willows – Winter Tales.
Warm up with Young Fiddlers Association and enjoy a wintry mix of magical stop motion animated adaptations based on Kenneth Grahame’s classic, The Wind in the Willows.
• Winter Sports, Cosgrove Hall, A&E Entertainment 1985, 20 min At the first real snow of winter, Toad digs out his skis and enthusiastically dreams up a winter sports competition for his fellow river-bankers.
• The Yuletide Entertainment, Cosgrove Hall, A&E Entertainment, 1984, 25 min Badger produces a Christmas variety show in Toad Hall that goes awry when Toad gags on a moustache.
Doors open at 10:00am for seating, snacks, and hands-on activities. Live pre-show performances begin at 10:30am.
Future dates:
January 17 - Adventures in Music
February 21 - Feathers and Fins
March 21 - Comedy Carnival
April 18 - Film Festival Finale with the Bunny Clogs
If you have specific questions about the content of a particular film, please e-mail our curators. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Call 612.543.8107 for more information.
Looking for a special something for a special someone (or youself)? Be sure to check out Primrose Park (20 University Avenue NE, across from Surdyk's) this Thursday night. :)
Didn't attend the December 13 indoor Mill City Farmers Market? Well, take a look at what you missed...
Festive vendors and music:
Fresh trees, wreaths, centerpieces and ice globe kits:
Food!
Gifts!
Free gift wrapping:
Last but not least - the goat. :)
The next indoor Market is Saturday, January 10, 2015, inside the Mill City Museum.
Make sure your holiday lights are all ablaze tonight. Dave and I are taking advantage of the weekend heat wave to get out for a "Holidays in the Mill District" photo shoot! :)
Via a December 12 Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board e-newsletter:
Because of your interest in the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), we want you to know that the MPRB approved its 2015 budget on Wednesday, December 10.
The budget focuses on maintaining park services and facilities, strategically addressing financial and operational challenges, improving organizational efficiency and service delivery, and addressing Emerald Ash Borer and other threats to the urban tree canopy.
Read the full news release about the approved 2015 budget for full details and information.
You can view the Superintendent’s Recommended 2015 Budget online.
Via a December 12 e-newsletter from Sorella Wine & Spirits:
So, it is time to break the news. December 31st will be our last day as Sorella Wine & Spirits. The store has been sold to a local wine and spirits industry veteran; it will have a new name, and presumably, many changes. Many of us here will be moving on to other ventures. And while the new owner will be purchasing whatever inventory we have left on January 1, we intend to offer many killer deals between now and then (we don't feel like counting all those bottles on Jan. 1st). On behalf of the whole Sorella (and Liquor Depot) family, we'd like to thank you for your patronage over the years, and we certainly hope you'll stop by to see us before the year is out.
Cordially,
Darrin Minehan
Wine Buyer
Sorella Wine & Spirits
p.s. If you have, or know of anyone who has a Sorella GIFT CARD or a Belly Card, it is time to redeem them - there will be a completely new entity in this space in 2015 and they will have no connection to our gift card program or our Belly Points. We will also be adding some additional options for redeeming Belly Points next week.
The City of Minneapolis just launched it's Open Data Portal, allowing access to many types of City data online. Previously, if residents or reporters wanted much of this information, they had to formally request it from the City.
The initial sets of data in the portal cover a range of City services and functions, including:
•311 incidents
•Fire incidents
•Police incidents
•Crime statistics
•Open rental licenses
•Open liquor licenses
•Air quality study results
•Digital inclusion survey results
•NRP budgets
•Exact city boundaries
Minneapolis joins 38 states and 46 cities and counties with open data portals that have made data sets available to the public. The City of Minneapolis’ open data portal does not represent all the public information managed by the City, but it is meant to make the most frequently requested and most useful data easily accessible, and more content will be added over time.
Users can download data in various formats, visualize the data in charts and maps where available, and read metadata about the information. Users can also subscribe via RSS feed to get notified when the data is updated. Programmers can access APIs that let them use the data without needing to download anything.
Per the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board:
Main Street SE will be closed along the section in front of the St. Anthony Main Theatre from 7:00 am - 2:00 pm on Wednesday, December 10th. There will be no through traffic due to this closure.
A detour route will be posted to direct traffic between E Hennepin Ave. and SE 3rd Ave., although local traffic will be allowed to enter onto Main St. up to the closure area.
You know them for their fantastic sweet corn at the Mill City Farmers Market, but did you know Nistler Farms also offers fresh Christmas trees?
If this is the year you're going to fill your home with the lovely scent of a real tree, come down the to December 13 Mill City Farmers Market at the Mill City Museum. Jeff Nistler and his staff will have trees ranging from table top size to 8 feet tall. They will primarily be Fraser firs from Wisconsin growers Jeff has worked with for many years.
When you buy a tree from Nistler, you're assured no herbicides were used during the growing process (which I'm told is a rarity in the Christmas tree business).
Other added bonuses:
- Customers who live in the nearby condos can ask about free delivery.
- Nistler will also have tree stands available and biodegradable bags (often times apartments and condos require trees be brought in and out with a protective bag).
You will also find an abundance of the usual great food, art, clothing, etc., at the December 13 Market. Don't forget to bring your gift-giving list - family, friends and co-workers will appreciate a treat from the Market! :)
Via a December 4 Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board e-newsletter:
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board invites public comment on the Draft Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park (proposed renaming to St. Anthony Falls Regional Park) Master Plan through January 18, 2015. Once approved, the master plan will guide park investment along both sides of the Mississippi River near St. Anthony Falls for years to come. The draft plan is the result of a 16 month process that included 12 meetings of a Community Advisory Committee, 10 meetings of a Technical Advisory Committee, three community open houses, an online survey, and one-on-one conversations with residents. Based on comments received from the public, the draft plan will be revised and presented to the Board of Commissioners for a public hearing and approval in early 2015. Learn more by visiting the project page or by going to www.minneapolisparks.org/currentprojects and selecting “Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan.”
The Draft Master Plan is available for review:
Digitally online: https://file.ac/_5mFp8FY2nY/
Hard copy at the following Minneapolis locations:
◦ Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Headquarters - 2117 West River Road N
◦ Mill City Museum - 704 South 2nd St
◦ Logan Park Recreation Center - 690 13th Ave NE
Submit a comment online: Survey
Submit a comment by mail:
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Attn: Tyler Pederson
2117 West River Road N
Minneapolis, MN 55411
Submit a comment by phone or e-mail to Tyler Pederson, at 612-499-9084 or tpederson@minneapolisparks.org
Tyler Pederson, PLA
Landscape Architect
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55411
The Minneapolis Park & Rec Board recently announced their winter programming line up. Below is a sampling. Check out the full list online.
- Kids Camps & Classes
Winter Outdoor Adventure Camp Week 1 & Week 2
Spend your winter break in extreme action! Build snow forts, find hidden treasure by compass, go sledding and snowshoeing, track animals in the snow and more! No snow? Don't worry. Our naturalists will still provide fun alternative activities. Be prepared for outdoor winter adventures and dress appropriately. Please click on Week 1 or 2 to register.
Happy Groundhog’s Day!
Tuesday February 2nd 2015 10:30am – 12:00pm: Join us as we celebrate Groundhog’s Day. Stop by Theodore Park any time during the event. Read a story, make a craft, play games, touch animal furs and go on your own groundhog scavenger hunt. Learn more about these animals and about this American holiday. Will the groundhog see his shadow this year? Ages 2-6. $5 dollars per child; adults free.
Come Out and Play Family Nature Club
You don't need to leave the city or even your neighborhood to enjoy fun in nature. It's time to get outside and play! Come Out and Play is a FREE, no-registration, no-obligation program that encourages families to get out and enjoy nature. Research shows that kids who spend time in nature are more relaxed, happier, learn and sleep better, and enjoy better physical health than those who spend the majority of their time indoors. Join our club leader and her children in a natural setting for some unstructured play and exploration. Kids of all ages and their adults are welcome, including (of course) babes-in-arms. Each month the club leader picks a new location in a Minneapolis park to explore. The club meets on weekdays and weekends so all families have the opportunity to participate. For more information contact natureclub@minneapolisparks.org
- December Cooking Classes
Kombucha
Tuesday December 11, 2014 6:00-8:00pm at Theodore Wirth Park Picnic Pavilion (3275 Glenwood Ave.)
Help yourself and your family avoid the cold and the flu season this year by regularly taking your homemade elderberry syrup. We will be making syrup in class to learn the process, so that you can make it at home.
Instructor: Iman Mefleh, co-owner of You Betcha Kimchi, LLC.
Greek Yogurt & Lebneh- Simple Milk Ferments
Thursday December 18, 2014 6:00-7:30pm at Theodore Wirth Park Picnic Pavilion (3275 Glenwood Ave.)
Yogurt populates a whole section of most grocery stores. Yet you can make your own simply and for less money and packaging. Learn to make traditional creamy yogurt and variations: Greek yogurt and "lebneh"- Lebanese strained yogurt spread. Taught by Iman Mefleh, who learned from the "Lebanese Grandmother School of Cooking."
Instructor: Iman Mefleh, co-owner of You Betcha Kimchi, LLC.
- Family Winter Programs
Winter Solstice
The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year and for that it is celebrated in many different cultures as the renewing of a season. Learn about the history of the Winter Solstice, catch the sun, make a nature craft, and enjoy a bonfire with treats as we celebrate too!
Saturday December 20th 4pm-6pm
Snowshoeing When the Moon is Full
Join us on snowshoes as we hike through Theodore Wirth Park while the moon is full. Follow animal tracks, listens for owls’ calls and enjoy nature’s evening beauty. Join us for one or both sessions. Snowshoes are provided.
Sunday January 4th 2015, 6pm-8pm and Tuesday February 3rd 2015, 6pm-8pm
Night Owl Snowshoeing
Travel through the Bird Sanctuary on snowshoes while tracking nature's nocturnal hunters. Its owl nesting season and we'll look for signs of local owl species, such as Great Horned Barred and Screech. Meet at the Rose Garden Parking lot on the Roseway RD just east of Lake Harriet Parways. Snowshoes provided. Dress for the weather.
Saturday February 7th 5-6:30pm and Friday February 27th 5-6:30pm
Winter Snowshoe Hike and Bonfire
Follow the moonlit trail along Minnehaha Creek to the Mississippi River, then back to the fire pit to warm up and roast marshmallows. Meet at the Minnehaha Falls Pavilion. Snowshoes provided. Dress for the weather. Winter boots are a must.
Friday January 16th 5-7pm and Friday February 6th 5-7pm
Snowshoeing for the Family at Thomas Sadler Roberts Bird Sanctuary
Drop in any time for this laid back family fun day. Try on a pair of snowshoes and take a hike around the park. Make a snowshoe craft, meet some live animals and stay to enjoy a warm fire. Children under 10 are free with an adult. $5 dollars per person 11 and up.
Saturday January 17th 2015, 10am -12pm
Valentine’s Day Snowshoeing
Looking for an outdoor adventure on Valentine's Day? Travel by sunset or moonlight through the park on snowshoes and go to areas seldom visited in winter. End your evening at the Wirth Pavilion where you'll warm up by the fire and make homemade hot chocolate. Meet at the Wirth Beach parking lot. Snowshoes provided. Dress for the weather. Winter boots are a must.
Saturday February 14th 5pm-7pm and 7:30pm-9:30pm
Snowshoeing and Birding
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean all the birds have headed south. Join us at Theodore Wirth Park as we hike through the park on snowshoes looking for birds. Learn how to identify bird calls as well as examine some bird bio facts. Join us for a warm drink and fire inside the pavilion after we hike. If the snow has melted by the day of the hike, still plant to hike on foot with binoculars. Snowshoes and binoculars will be provided but feel free to bring your own. $7.00 per person
Saturday February 28th 9am-11am
Maple Syruping Demonstration
Learn about the history of Maple Syruping and experience the process first-hand, from sap to syrup. Discover how and why trees produce sap, see demonstrations of traditional and modern syruping techniques, participate in hands-on activities, and pick up some delicious maple syrup recipes to try at home. Meet at the Theodore Wirth Pavilion. Parking is available across Glenwood Avenue at the Wirth Beach Parking lot. Live trees will not be tapped at this event.
Saturday March 14th 11am-1pm
- Preview January Cooking Classes
Look for more cooking classes to come in 2015: Pizza-making, Dark chocolate from scratch, cooking with herbs, spices and "weeds," Gluten-free baking, preserving the harvest classes, easy at-home ferments, cooking with honey, children's cooking classes, personal and household cleaning products and much, much more!
Legendary Studio Ghibli cofounder Isao Takahata adapts Japan's most famous folktale in this gorgeous, hand-drawn masterwork, decades in the making. Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo by an old bamboo cutter, a tiny girl grows rapidly into a mysterious young princess. She enthralls all who encounter her, but harbors a dark secret that she alone must confront. Presented in both English and Japanese!
A sell out smash hit at the Film Society's Cine Latino Film Festival, this Venezuelan Oscar® hopeful returns for a special theatrical run! Rising international star Édgar Ramírez takes the lead in this dramatic story of Simón Bolívar, one of Latin America's most inspirational and influential figures, and his lifelong quest for independence from Spain.
When William Friedkin, director of The Exorcist, calls it the most terrifying film he's ever seen, one should take note. Directed by a former apprentice of Lars Von Trier, the film follows a single mother who struggles to control her son's fear of a monster he believes is coming to kill them both: the Babadook.
An unconventional documentary about the Hindu Swami who brought yoga and meditation to the West in the 1920s, and authored the spiritual classic "Autobiography of a Yogi," which has become a spiritual classic used by yoga lovers and philosophers everywhere, and bears the distinction of being the only book Steve Jobs kept on his iPad!
Tchaikovsky is best known for his symphonic scores and ballets, yet his operas also occupy a place of honor in his oeuvre. Eugene Onegin, based on the novel by Pushkin, is without a doubt, one of his very finest works. Peter Mattei, who "has acquired a fabulous vocal profile and is a gifted actor blessed with debonair self-confidence," carries the title role superbly.
Internationally renowned DV8 Physical Theatre bring their powerful new production to the National Theatre. The company's new production, JOHN, authentically depicts real-life stories, combining movement and spoken word to create an intense and moving theatrical experience.
The Hennepin County Government Center (Skyway Level, 300 South 6th Street) will continue its annual tradition of seasonal and holiday performances, free and open to the public. All performances are Noon – 1:00pm unless otherwise noted.
SCHEDULE:
Dec. 5: City-County Chorus
Hennepin County, City of Minneapolis and 4th Judicial District Court employees perform a variety of songs of the season.
Dec. 9: City-County Chorus
Hennepin County, City of Minneapolis and 4th Judicial District Court employees perform a variety of songs of the season.
Dec. 12: Chippewa Middle School, Noon – 12:50pm
8th grade orchestra plays to communicate a love for beauty in sound, an appreciate for teamwork, and a sincere wish for the audience to have a happy holiday season.
Dec. 16: Ameriprise Holiday Choir
Sponsored by Ameriprise Financial, Inc. since 1986, 25 members performing secular, Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa holiday songs.
Dec. 18: City-County Chorus
Hennepin County, City of Minneapolis and 4th Judicial District Court employees perform a variety of songs of the season.
Look for more news on the Hennepin County website.
Via a December 1 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:
December 1, 2014 (MINNEAPOLIS) Thanks to incredible community support and an increase in community policing, Minneapolis has once again grabbed the trophy for top National Night Out (NNO) city in the country. It is the city’s 3rd year in a row topping the charts nationwide.
1,484 events were registered for NNO in 2014, setting a record on our City streets the night of August 5th. Attendance totaled more than 74,000 and more than 23,500 of them were kids and young adults. All told, 19% of Minneapolis’ total population participated in the celebration and 100% of city’s 83 residential neighborhoods participated this year.
“Our communities and block club leaders realize what a tremendous honor this is for our City. Our Officers and Crime Prevention Specialists certainly do. The numbers prove that we have a very strong partnership with the neighborhoods that play a huge part in helping keep our streets safe,” Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau said.
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Mill City Times Note - Over 500 neighbors gathered on the Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront overlooking the Stone Arch Bridge for food, drink, music and fun for National Night Out on August 5, 2014:
Via a November 26 Hennepin County e-newsletter:
Hennepin County will hold a public meeting on the proposed 2015 budget and property tax levy – commonly called the Truth in Taxation meeting – at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 2, in the County Board Room on the 24th floor of the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 S. Sixth Street in downtown Minneapolis.
Hennepin County is proposing a 2015 budget of $1.802 billion – an increase of 0.27 percent from the 2014 budget – and a property tax levy of $699.988 million– a 2.75 percent increase in the net property tax levy from 2014.
The budgets and levies for the Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority and Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority also will be discussed at the meeting.
For more details, go online to www.hennepin.us/hcbudget. Contact the Hennepin County Clerk's Office to sign up if you wish to speak: 612-348-4019.
Free parking is provided for residents attending the meeting if they park in the Government Center’s underground ramp after 5 p.m.The ramp entrance is on Third Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets.
Please join us in supporting our neighborhood businesses! :)
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and here's my all-time favorite Turkey Day 5K picture (from 2011):
Via a November 25, 2014, Press Release from La Rive Condominiums:
LA RIVE CONDOMINIUMS BECOMES ENERGY INDEPENDENT
On November 6, 2014, La Rive Condominium completed the construction of its own heating/cooling and domestic hot water energy plant. Previously, La Rive received its energy from Sentinel Property Management under a 30-year legacy agreement with Riverplace Eastbridge offices and Falls/Pinnacle residences. By establishing its own energy source before the legacy agreement expired December 31, 2014, La Rive now provides its homeowners with the most cost efficient and state-of-the art equipment to serve current and future homeowners.
La Rive is proud that its energy plant was designed and built with the latest energy-efficient technology and sound reduction equipment to benefit both its residents and neighbors.
Items of note are:
• Three high efficiency-small footprint boilers providing 7.5 million BTU heating capacity for homeowner units, common spaces and garage areas, and converting the pool and hot tub heating from less efficient electric.
• A single 440-ton cooling tower surrounded by a high technology sound enclosure that assures whisper-quiet performance in a bricked enclosure that matches and blends with existing exterior.
• A boiler exhaust plume abatement system that recaptures the heat from the boiler exhaust in the winter and injects that energy into the core-heating loop. The result is lower energy costs and virtually no unsightly plume to block resident’s views or ice formation under the discharge area.
“We were very pleased to report to our residents that the net result of over five years of hard work by our energy committee is that we were able to build this project on-time and on-budget and deliver a 2015 dues reduction from the energy efficiency of this system” said Gary Gleason, Board President.
Kate Grutzmacher, Property Manager with First Residential (formerly Gittleman), added “LaRive is one of the premier condominium properties in Minneapolis and will continue to be because of the outstanding leadership of its board of directors and the dedication of its residents to serve on committees to continuously improve its facilities.”
Mill City Times | 35W Bridge Memorial | Mill District Block Party | Mill City Media
Thursday, December 18, 2014 at 5:29AM