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.
All are welcome for a lively discussion about urban farming and local and sustainable food production. This special Chefs for Change dinner is hosted by Brenda Langton of Spoonriver and will feature bountiful garden hors d'œuvres, wine and discussion. The focus of discussion will be on urban gardening and the development of a rooftop garden at People Serving People. Attendees will experience the unique flavor of Spoonriver, as well as learn about issues affecting the local community.
Speaking at a Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission meeting on Thursday, commission Chairman Ted Mondale said he expects a bill to be introduced at the Minnesota Legislature this week. The bill will probably be site neutral. Hennepin and Ramsey Counties are expected to be the main contenders.
Work will start this week on installing the new roof on the Metrodome. The cost, covered by insurance is estimate to be $27.7 million. Affiliated FM, the insurer, deposited the first $10 million on Thursday.
Watch for an ongoing series of pictures of the work in progress here on Mill City Times.
Location: St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 Main Street SE
With sell-out crowds at last year's festival, Minnesotans' love affair with Cuban cinema is clear. And it is also clear that there is a hunger for information about this intriguing island to our south, so rich in music and the arts. Yet, despite all that we have to share with one another, our government still denies us access. So, although most of us can't get there in person, we can get a taste of Cuban life through the movies.
The film festival will again be presented at St. Anthony Main Theatre and will consist of six features.
The line-up is as follows: March 17 - Los Dioses Rotos (Fallen Gods), March 24 - Páginas del diario de Mauricio (Pages from Maurice's Diary), March 31 - Eso que Anda (Van Van Fever).
All films are subtitled, and each will be followed at a nearby bistro with a discussion.
The 2011 Grammy Award winners for Best Chamber Music Performance, The Parker String Quartet, will perform March 14, 7 p.m. at MacPhail Center for Music in a free concert.
The Quartet is one of the 2010-2011 McKnight Fellowship winners.
The Minnesota Vikings chances for a new stadium are improving, it seems, based on a proposal from the Minnesota Timberwolves. MPR broke the story of a "Global Stadium Solution" prepared by the basketball team. But what does it mean for the Mill District neighborhood?
I'm speculating here, but the proposals call to keep the Metrodome operating as a community sports center probably means the new Vikings Stadium would be built on the other side of Downtown Minneapolis:
1. The Star Tribune site being considered is adjacent to the Metrodome - would 2 stadiums side-by-side make sense? No.
2. The other downtown location is near Target Field and Target Center (home of the Timberwolves.
3. Core business district movers and shakers are working to locate the new stadium near Target Field.
Trying to read between the lines, including the dome does not make sense except to preclude our neighborhood as the new site. Minneapolis City Council Predident Barb Johnson seems to agree the the dome aspect of the proposal is a bad idea in a Star Tribune article in today's paper:
Barb Johnson, the Minneapolis City Council president, said Friday that while she favors a global solution to the Twin Cities' professional stadium issues, the plan's aim to build a new Vikings stadium and keep the Metrodome was a "red flag." The Vikings have played at the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis for 29 years.
"There'd be two football stadiums, and I just don't think that's very practical," said Johnson, who said she had only recently seen the plan.
Location: Mill City Museum, 704 Second Street South
Where a fifty-foot wide canal for Mississippi waters once supplied the world’s largest direct-drive hydro-powered industrial complex, a visitor will now see the boarded-up Fuji-Ya restaurant, mill ruins, a shady grove and a railroad bed, and can look beyond to the St. Anthony Falls, the Stone Arch Bridge and the Third Avenue Bridge. Just two blocks from Washington Avenue, the downtown street grid meets the river here, creating two levels and scenic views of the falls.
The Central Riverfront Forum will focus on this site. Tom Meyer of Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle will share insights he prepared with a public-private team facilitated by the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership and the Minneapolis Park Foundation.
Other topics include an update on restoring the falls in the East Channel of the Mississippi and an invitation to apply for Downtown area representation on theAbove the Falls Citizen Advisory Committee.
The Central Riverfront Forum provides a quarterly update on Central Riverfront issues. Additional 2011 dates will be: June 9, September 8, December 8 at Mill City Museum.
This event is free. For more information, please contact Cordelia Pierson at 612-465-8780 x212 or cordelia.pierson@gmail.com
Chris Griese - Sake Specialist - World Class Wines
Chris has just returned from another week of Sake studies in Japan where he completed Professional Sake Training Level II, with John Gauntner, noted sake author and expert at the National Sake Institute in Tokyo.
Chris is one of only 80 people worldwide to complete the class. We will be tasting some very special Sakes as Chris shares his travel tales and expertise.
Today we issued a press release naming Mill City Commons the next Mill District Community Cornerstone award winner. Mill City Commons works tirelessly behind the scenes to connect our community and enrich the lives of members and the whole neighborhood.
According to Kim Eslinger, Editor of the Mill City Times, "More than any other organization, Mill City Commons works to connect the people, businesses and non-profit groups in the Mill District neighborhood".
"We were delighted when Dave Tinjum and Kim Eslinger from Mill City Times joined us for an exclusive sing-along with JD Steele at MacPhail Center for Music last fall. We learned that in addition to being fans of MacPhail, they share Mill City Commons commitment to providing unique connections, resources and support for life for our vibrant neighborhood" said Linnea Tweed, Executive Director, Mill City Commons.
DMNA board meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month. Anyone who lives, works or owns a business or property within the Downtown East and Downtown West neighborhoods is eligible for general membership in the DMNA.
The agenda for tonight's meeting is:
6:00pm Call to order and introductions 6:05pm Consideration of agenda 6:10pm Presentation regarding the Northern Spark summer festival scheduled for June 4, 2011, by Steve Dietz and Andrea Steudel 6:20pm Land Use Update - Kaplan University (40 S. 7th Street) – Conditional Use Permit application for new signage; Presentation by Mary Ferraro 6:25pm NRP Implementation Report - Update on City Council action with regards to the NRP Phase II Plan o Considered by Community Development Committee – February 15 – Approved o Considered by Ways and Means Committee – February 22 – Approved o Considered by City Council – February 25 – Approved 6:30 pm Neighborhood and Community Engagement Report (NCEC) - Update on NCEC action on February 22, with regards to the DMNA 2011 Community Participation Program application and budget - Consideration of endorsing neighborhood proposal with regards to the NCEC election process 6:35pm Consideration of minutes from the February 8, 2011 Board Meeting 6:40pm Consideration of March 2011 Financial Report 6:43pm Staff report presented by Christie Rock 6:45pm Downtown 2025 Update and discussion facilitated by Bob Parr, Downtown 2025 Plan Coordinator 8:00 pm Adjournment
Next DMNA Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12, 2011, at 6:00pm at the Central Library in Room N-202.
Sometimes, when I am out looking at art in the Twin Cities, I can't help but be struck by the near embarrassment of art riches around every corner. Each Quarter, we like to let a few special pieces - done by a local artist - stand out on their own in our dining room.
Don Holzschuh is a well known artist from Minnesota who has done shows in other major US cities (e.g. New York!) as well as France, Germany, Holland and Belgium. His works are in the collections of major corporations and individual homes in this country and overseas. We are thrilled to show four of his Minneapolis scenes! Learn more at www.donholzschuh.com.
Don will be at Sanctuary this coming Monday, March 7, 2011 from around 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. He'll be here with a few of his friends and family and would be happy to meet you as well! Come see Don's art and, while you're here, enjoy one of Chef's new appetizers, one of our fab new martinis ~ or give yourself a treat and make a dinner reservation! www.sanctuaryminneapolis.com
A public celebration of the life and work of former Guthrie Artistic Director Michael Langham, who passed away on January 15, will take place Sunday, March 6, at the Guthrie.
Scheduled to pay tribute and share their memories of Langham are Guthrie Artistic Director Joe Dowling, board member Charles Zelle, director Stephen Kanee, production manager Jon Cranney, playwright Barbara Field, musician Dick Whitbeck and actors Barbara Bryne, Peter Michael Goetz, Helen Carey, Sally Wingert and Christina Baldwin.
Bad news for the Mill District and Downtown East neighborhoods - City Council Member Lisa Goodman does not sound very interested in keeping the Vikings downtown, saying in the Star Trib article:
"Professional sports are good for cities," she said. "There's the unquantifiable pat-on-the-back we all feel, knowing we're a four-sport town. But I'd rather have that for the best higher education, or the most children graduating from high school, or having more people housed. You can quantify that."
But at least she will only support a Vikings Stadium near the current Metrodome site, according to the article.
From the Star Tribune:
Minneapolis has the infrastructure, the transit links, the demonstrable success of Target Field, and encompasses most of the sites the Vikings are known to be considering for a new stadium.
But the city's quest to have that stadium built on its turf still appears to lack what it most needs -- money.
According to Bill Lester, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, the Minnesota Vikings prefer the site for the new stadium next to the Metrodome over the existing site because it will allow them to continue playing in the Metrodome while the New Vikings Stadium is being built. He did not say however, that the Star Tribune site is the overall front runner. Lester made his remarks to the East Downtown Council at their monthly luncheon, held at the Metrodome yesterday. Also speaking at the luncheon was Steve Maki, Director of Facilities/Engineering for the MSFC.
Monday, March 21, 2011 at 4:09AM
Time: 6:30pm Tour; 7:00pm Dinner
