May 19, 2012, Saturday - Harukaze Festival of Japanese Arts — an MCBA Open House to Welcome Shin Jidai!

Time: 10:00am-4:00pm (see schedule below)

Location: Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA), 1011 Washington Avenue South
 
Shin Jidai: Contemporary Japanese Book and Paper Arts

Harukaze Festival of Japanese Arts — an MCBA open house to welcome Shin Jidai!

On May 19, 2012, Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA), in partnership with the Japan America Society of Minnesota (JASM), will host the Harukaze Festival of Japanese Book and Paper Arts. The Harukaze ("spring wind") Festival will welcome hundreds of visitors to a day-long community open house with hands-on participation activities for youth and adults; professional artist demonstrations of traditional Japanese art forms; and three terrific exhibitions of contemporary artwork that reflect the use and evolution of traditional Japanese artistic practices.

Adults and children of all ages can try their hand at suminagashi paper marbling, learn a traditional Japanese "stab binding" technique to create their own mini ledger books, and become a paper engineer with make-and-take origami activities offered in partnership with Origami Minnesota. Each activity will run continuously from 10am to 4pm. Additionally, from 1 to 1:30pm, attendees can have their name brush-painted in East Asian calligraphy by Collette Cumella of the Minnesota Ming Chiao Chapter of the Sumi-e Society of America.

Schedule of artist demonstrations:
10am - 11:30am: artist Sheila McNellis Asato demonstrates Kirigami paper cutting
12pm - 1:30pm: artist Emily Hoisington demonstrates Moku hanga wood-cut printing
1pm, 2pm, 3pm: members of the Ming Chiao Chapter of the Sumi-e Society of America demonstrate Sumi-e brush painting
2pm - 3:30pm: artist Sue Bjerke demonstrates Japanese hand-bookbinding techniques

May 19, 2012, Saturday - The Okee Dokee Brothers’ CD Release Party at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park

Time: 11:00am - 12:30pm

Location:  Father Hennepin Bluffs Park (East bank of the Stone Arch Bridge)

Help celebrate the release of The Okee Dokee Brothers’ new CD/DVD about the Mississippi River.

Free admission
Free crafts with Creative Kid Stuff
Free refreshments from The Birchwood Cafe

Sponsored in part by Creative Kid Stuff, Peace Coffee, The Birchwood Cafe, Twiga Market and Wilderness Inquiry.

More information.

May 18, 2012, Friday - (Anti) Wrecking Ball at The Soap Factory

Time:  7:00pm-10:30pm

Location: The Soap Factory, 518 Second St. SE

This year, the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (Anti)Wrecking Ball coincides with Art-A-Whirl Open Studio at The Soap Factory.  Join us and experience the perfect blend of art, preservation, food, and drink! Also featuring musical guests - the Minneapolis based band, July Fighter! Best part? This event is FREE!

Come and see our retrospective display of “Places that Matter”; a look at historic preservation in Minnesota in the past 50 years, as well as a photo display of treasured buildings and spaces submitted by you! Come and converse amongst Lego buildings, door prizes, artwork, food, drink, and music.

May 18, 2012, Friday - Live Music at Aster Cafe

Time: 9:00pm  Cover: $5

Location: Aster Cafe, 125 Main Stree SE

Tonight: the cow killers f. jimmy kennedy of the smarts

May 18, 2012, Friday - Live Music at Crooked Pint

Time: 9:00pm  $5 Cover

Location: Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Avenue South

Tonight:  Chris Brooks Band

This high-energy, dynamic 5-piece country-rock band with great harmonies mixes current radio hits and their spin on the classics.

May 18, 2012, Friday - Art-A-Whirl Opening Night Poster Show & Sale by Adam Turman at Hoffman Parkin Urban Realty

Times:  Opening Reception: Friday, May 18, 5:00pm-8:00pm
                Poster Sale - Saturday & Sunday 12 Noon-5:00pm

Location: Hoffman Parkin Urban Realty, 17 4th Street SE
                   (across from the Lund's garage entrance)

Kick off the first night of NE Minneapolis’ Art -A-Whirlwith an opening of poster art by the illustrious Adam Turman.   Adam has been gracing the local poster scene for years with fantastic and crowd-pleasing work for local bands, landmarks, and everything in between. Posters will be on sale during the event. Deliciously Catered with Beverages Served, as always.

Find out more about Adam at AdamTurman.com

May 18, 2012, Friday - Mentor Series: Tracy K. Smith at The Loft

Time: 7:00pm

Location: The Loft, (Performance Hall) 1011 Washington Avenue South

Mentor Series: Tracy K. Smith 
 
The Loft Mentor Series in Poetry and Creative Prose presents poetry mentor Tracy K. Smith reading from her work along with program participants Liza Allen (nonfiction) and Jane Loechler (poetry).

Tracy K. Smith is the author of three poetry collections: Duende, winner of the James Laughlin Award and the Essence Literary Award, The Body’s Question, winner of the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, and Life On Mars. She is the recipient of the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award and a Whiting Writers’ Award, and was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work. Smith is currently a protégé in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, and a member of the Creative Writing Faculty at Princeton University. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Liza Allen (nonfiction) has done extensive research on the Holocaust and is exploring themes of transmission of trauma in her writing. She holds a BA in English (with an emphasis in creative writing) and an MS in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication from the University of Minnesota. She was a recipient of the Academy of American Poets College Prize. For the past twelve years, she has been working as a technical writer and consultant in the computer and health and wellness fields. She has three children and lives in Saint Paul.

Jane Loechler (poetry) is currently working as a consultant on a software design project, turning data into stories that will help shape affordable housing policy. As a visual artist her work has centered around how things work and how people fit together. She has only recently made the move toward writing poetry based on similar themes.  She received her BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a focus on sculpture and aesthetic critical theory. She lives in downtown Saint Paul.

May 18, 2012, Friday - Spring Honors II Recital at MacPhail

Time: 7:30pm

Location: MacPhail Center for Music, 501 2nd Street South

Spring Honors II Recital

An evening of violin, piano, voice and flute performances by eleven talented MacPhail students.  You'll enjoy pieces by Grieg, Beethoven, Chopin, Granados and more.

MacPhail holds four honor recitals per year to celebrate its students demonstrating the highest performance level. Performers are selected through competitive auditions and are honored by formal invitations and a special reception.

May 17, 2012, Thursday - Live Music at Aster Cafe

Time: 9:00pm  Cover: $9

Location: Aster Cafe, 125 Main Stree SE

Tonight:  molly dean w. orange mighty trio

May 17, 2012, Thursday - Midwest Photo Safari: "Minneapolis Nights" Mill Ruins Park and the Stone Arch Bridge

Time:
This safari begins 30 minutes before local sunset (your tour confirmation will have an exact time). We meet at Mill Ruins Park on the west bank of the river. The Safari runs about 90 minutes on Thursday and Friday Nights.

Location:
This tour begins at Mill Ruins Park on the west bank of the Minneapolis riverfront.  We start by photographing  this interesting park,  then walk across the famous Stone Arch bridge to photograph the Minneapolis night skyline. We will learn the principles of low light settings on your digital SLR's or the various "scene" mode settings of your digital point and shoot camera.

More Information and Registration.

May 16, 2012, Wednesday - Range of Motion 'Tough Enough Bootcamp' at Mill Ruins Park

Time:  6:00am - 7:00am

Location:  Mill Ruins Park parking lot at the base of the hill (free parking).

Range of Motion (ROM) Wellness

Your humpday mornings just got a little tougher.  After that the rest of the week is a cakewalk.  Join this exciting bootcamp-style class meant to make you work hard in order to improve your conditioning, gain foundational strength and power, and burn calories like nobody's business.  Group fitness classes improve your performance and give you the feedback and energy to be your best.

Pre-pay $8/session for 8 weeks ($64) or $12 for drop-in classes.  Try out the class for $5, which will be applied to your final cost if you decide to continue.

We start at the Mill City Ruins and will find fun and exciting routes and urban and natural "gym" equipment to push your body where you didn't think it could go.  This class will challenge you physically and mentally but you will always control your comfort zone and how you choose to work.  It is not meant as an introduction to exercise and it is not for the faint of heart.  However, all exercises have their modifications and you are encouraged to find your limitations and train in accordance.

Be sure to have a light snack or meal 30 minutes prior to class and bring something to eat or drink post class to stimulate metabolic recovery and prevent post-exercise low blood sugar crashes. Water and sweat towels will be provided but you are encouraged to bring a towel and/or yoga mat.

To RSVP for class, Email Jeremy at jeremy@rom-wellness.com, or call 612.205.7644.

*If you are new to exercise this will challenge you. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, chronic pain, or acute injuries please consult your physician prior to beginning a new exercise routine. During these workouts you may encounter contraindicated movements for your specific condition and should be able to decide when you should sit the exercise out or talk to me about specific modifications.

May 16, 2012, Wednesday - Minneapolis Park and Rec Board Meeting

Time:  5:00pm

Location:  Minneapolis Park and Rec Board, 2117 West River Road

Agenda

The regular meetings are rebroadcast on Channel 79 on Saturdays at 1 p.m. and on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 5 p.m.

Webcasts of MPRB regular board meetings are posted on the MPRB website two to five business days after each meeting and are available for viewing, along with Webcasts for the recent two months, at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=900.

May 16, 2012, Wednesday - Third Ward Care Meeting Hosted by Council Member Diane Hofstede

Time: 7:00pm

Location: Eastside Neighborhood Services, 1700 2nd Street NE

Agenda:       

* Meet and Greet with Nominated Police Chief, Janee Harteau
* Public Safety Update
* Community Updates:
  ~ Superior Plating                                    
  ~ Northern Metals
  ~ Asian Carp & Other Invasive Species                 
  ~ University Traffic Task Force
  ~ NeighborhoodFEST, Oct.10, Nicollet Island Pavilion  
  ~ Park Board
  ~ Legislative Update                                  
  ~ Eastside Youth Forum Update

Diane Hofstede
Phone: 612-673-2203
E-mail: diane.hofstede@minneapolismn.gov

May 16, 2012, Wednesday - Eric Goodman Publication Reading: Twelfth & Race at The Loft

Time: 7:00pm

Location: The Loft, (Performance Hall) 1011 Washington Avenue South

Eric Goodman Publication Reading: Twelfth & Race 
 
Come hear Eric Goodman read from his work and discuss his inspiration for his latest book Twelfth & Race.

"Goodman's writing is raw and honest, with a deep and evident appreciation of some fairly sensitive themes. Readers who have enjoyed the work of Mark Perry, Rebecca Walker, and Gary Nash should appreciate this passionate, complex, and insightful novel."—Stephanie Turza, Booklist

“Eric Goodman brilliantly dramatizes the complex workings of the skin game in our supposedly ‘post-racial’ America. . . . This is fiction at its best, prose that touches, prose that asks us to think more about who we are, that demands that we be more than we are. A significant achievement.”—Jeffery Renard Allen, author of Rails under My Back

Eric Goodman is director of the creative writing program at Miami University of Ohio and has published four previous novels including Child of My Right Hand and In Days of Awe.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

May 16, 2012, Wednesday - "Truck Food Cookbook" with John T. Edge at the Mill City Museum

Time:   7:00pm

Location: Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd Street

"Truck Food Cookbook" with John T. Edge

Food writer John T. Edge will be your guide to the best American street food at this presentation and book signing. "Truck Food Cookbook" features the best of street food: bold, delicious, surprising, over-the-top goodness to eat on the run. Obsessively researched, the "Truck Food Cookbook" delivers 150 recipes from America’s best restaurants on wheels, from L.A., New York, Portland, Austin, Minneapolis and more. After his talk Mr. Edge will sign copies of the book which can be purchased in the Mill City Museum store. Audience members can purchase street food before and after the talk from Chef Shack, one of the truck food vendors featured in the book.

John T. Edge, a six-time James Beard Award nominee, writes the monthly “United Tastes” for "The New York Times."

Fee: Free

May 15, 2012, Tuesday - Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission Public Meeting

Time: 4:30pm

Location: Room 317, City Hall, 350 South Fifth Street

More Info

May 15, 2012, Tuesday - "Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask," with Anton Treuer at the Mill City Museum

Time: 7:00pm

Location: Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd Street

Fee: Free

Ojibwe scholar and cultural preservationist Anton Treuer will give a presentation based on his new book from the Minnesota Historical Society Press. White/Indian relations are often characterized by guilt and anger. "Everything You Wanted to Know about Indians But Were Afraid to Ask" cuts through the emotion and builds a foundation for true understanding and positive action.

After the presentation Dr. Treuer will sign copies of the book which can be purchased in the Mill City Museum store.

Anton Treuer is the author of "The Assassination of Hole in the Day" and many other books on Ojibwe history and language.

May 14, 2012, Monday - Open Mic Night Hosted by Jon Herchert at Aster Cafe

Time:  7:00pm (no cover)

Location:  Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main Street

To sign up for open mic, sign up in person at 6:30. No phone calls please.

Music will begin at 7 pm. During a full night, everyone gets time to do three songs (15-20 minutes).

Everyone is welcome! It's time to get your music out there.

May 14, 2012, Monday - Heid E. Erdrich, Kris Bigalk & Elizabeth Austen Readings at The Loft

Time: 7:00pm

Location: The Loft, (Performance Hall) 1011 Washington Avenue South

Heid E. Erdrich, Kris Bigalk & Elizabeth Austen 
 
Come to the Loft on May 14th to hear Heid Erdrich, Kris Bigalk, and Elizabeth Austen read from their most recently published works.

Heid E. Erdrich Winner of a Minnesota Book Award in poetry for National Monuments, Heid E. Erdrich has authored four books of poems. Heid grew up in Wahpeton, North Dakota and is Ojibwe enrolled at Turtle Mountain. Heid frequently teaches as a visiting scholar at colleges, universities, libraries, and arts and cultural organizations. She also works with visual artists and directs an Ojibwe language press. Her current projects are a cookbook from the indigenous foods movement and a collaborative multi-disciplinary show called Artifact Traffic. Her new book is Cell Traffic: New and Selected Poems.

Kris Bigalk is the author of the poetry collection Repeat the Flesh in Numbers.  Her poetry also appears in the poetry/photography anthology Open to Interpretation: Water's Edge; She directs the creative writing program at Normandale Community College, and was awarded Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grants in Poetry in 2010 and 2012.

Elizabeth Austen is the author of Every Dress a Decision (Blue Begonia Press, 2011) and two chapbooks, The Girl Who Goes Alone (Floating Bridge Press, 2010) and Where Currents Meet (Toadlily Press, 2010). She spent her twenties working in the theatre and writing poems. A six-month solo walkabout in the Andes region of South America led her to focus exclusively on poetry. She has served as the Washington state “roadshow poet” and produces literary programming for NPR-affiliate KUOW 94.9. She makes her living at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where she also offers poetry and journaling workshops for the staff.

May 13, 2012, Sunday - Free Admission for Moms on Mother's Day at Mill City Museum

Time: Noon to 5:00pm

Location:  Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd Street

Mill City Museum will offer free admission to all moms on Mother's Day.  Museum guests can ride on the Flour Tower, enjoy a treat in the Baking Lab, shop in the gift store and have lunch in the Mill City Museum Cafe.

Fee: $11 adults, $9 seniors and college students, $6 ages 6-17; mothers free with paid child admission on Mother's Day.