Architectural Tour of Izzy's

There was a whirlwind of festivities during Izzy's November 9 Grand Opening celebration, including tours and fun activities for kids.  We opted for the Architectural Tour, led by owner Jeff Sommers and award winning architect David Salmela.

Our tour started outside, where David explained the design of the building from all angles.  Unless you've traveled west on 2nd Street South from 12th Avenue, you might not have noticed how the Izzy's building resembles the outline of the Guthrie:

There are so many details to the building - too many to mention, and some that come to life only at specific times of the day.  Take a closer look at the red Izzy's dots and you'll notice they're placed at the end of the slanted frame work in the windows.  If memory serves me, there are three (but memory doesn't serve me often, so there could be four).

The four windowed structures above the main level fill the production area with natural light, while at the same time defuse scorching summer sun.

One reason we jumped at the chance to take the Architectural Tour was the hope of accessing the roof.  It's a photographers dream up there!  :)

This area of the roof, with its gorgeous view of Gold Medal Park, was constructed to accommodate an additional seating area.  Unfortunately, the budget would not allow for completion of this area as part of the initial phase.  You may be familiar with the obligatory scene in every episode of HGTV's 'Love It or List It' in which the contractor gives Hilary bad news, and she in turn has to tell the client that something cool has to come off the list.  Well, Jeff and David had their share of those discussions.

On the roof, looking through a window into the second level seating area:

Back inside, we toured the new production area where Jeff and David explained the creative mechanicals and versatility of the space.

Salted Caramel is their best seller, and one of the staff mentioned they have one machine devouted to that making that flavor.

Below, Jeff and Lara Hammel, Jeff's wife and co-owner, chat with a guest.  In addition to the Achitectural Tour, they conducted a Tasting Tour and an Owner's Tour, hosted kids activities and served up caramel apple sundaes.

We created this progressive slideshow with pictures taken from the start of construction to the first day customers enjoyed the scoop shop:

Public Hearing: Day Block Brewing

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Date:  November 18, 2013

Time: 1:30 pm or shortly thereafter

Place:  Minneapolis City Hall, Room 317

Purpose:  To present information and solicit comments for the application from Day Block Brewing Company for the following licenses: On- Sale Liquor, Class B with Sunday Sales (Brewpub) and Off-Sale Malt Liquor (Growler).  If approved, they intend to operate a full-service sit-down restaurant with liquor, wine and beer and a brewery selling growlers.

Applicant's Name (Legal Entity): Day Block Brewing Company, LLC

DBA/Trade Name: Day Block Brewing Company

Complete Address: 1105 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN  55415

Telephone Number:  (651) 232-1275   

Current License(s): None.  This space formerly held Spill the Wine Restaurant holder of an On Sale Liquor Class E license.

Requested License(s):  On-Sale Liquor Class B with Sunday Sales to operate as a Brewpub, and Off-Sale Malt Liquor to operate as a brewery.

Nature of Entertainment: The Class B license allows for radio, a DJ, television, electronically reproduced music, karaoke and jukebox.  There will be no live entertainment or dance floor.

Off Street Parking:  The Zoning Department has determined that 16 off-street parking spots are required.  The applicant meets this requirement.  There is parking available for customers in the adjoining parking lot behind the building.

You are invited to attend, express your opinions, and/or submit such in writing by contacting Inspector Phil Schliesman at 612-673-3907 or philip.schliesman@minneapolismn.gov.

The 2013 Harvest Lives on at the November 9 Mill City Farmers Market

No need to worry about wind or rain - the climate was just right inside the Mill City Museum for the November 9 Mill City Farmers Market.  I love the feeling of community - connecting with neighbors and sharing ideas on how we'll use products from our favorite vendors. 

The next Market is November 23 - just in time for Thanksgiving!

Mill City Farmers Market 2013-2014 Winter Schedule Kicks off Tomorrow!

Back by popular demand! The Mill City Farmers Market 2013-2014 Winter Market starts tomorrow, November 9, 10am-1pm inside the Mill City Museum.

Future dates include:

November 23
December 14
January 11
February 8
March 8
March 15 (at the Arboretum, Chanhassen)
April 12

Mill City Museum is Offering Numerous Black Friday Specials - Make it Your First Stop on Nov 29!

Mill City Museum will open its doors at 6 a.m. on Black Friday (November 29) with super specials, giveaways, live music and treats.  Take a look at what Black Friday early birds will enjoy:

- FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION from 6 to 9 a.m.
- FREE Street parking until 8 a.m.
- FREE household memberships for the first 30 families
- FREE donuts and coffee while supplies last
- FREE limited edition giveaways while supplies last
- 25% off gift shop. Staff will be handing out 25% off coupons to anyone coming in before 8am. The coupons will be good all of business hours on Friday (so you could grab one, go to the museum while it is free, then come up and shop the store later; or grab one, do other shopping, then come back and shop the museum store later that day).
- Live music by the Sidewalk Cafe Trio
- Appearances from the History Hound mascot 6:00 to 7:00 a.m.
- Additional chances to win household memberships and prizes.

While you're at the November 9th and 23rd indoor Mill City Farmers Markets, be sure to stop in the Museum Store to check out the array of quality items they carry.  You're sure to find something fun for yourself, as well as people on your Holiday gift list, from their large selection of books, baking items, jewelry, clothing, toys, cards and more.

The person responsible for stocking the shelves is Serenity Shanklin, Store Operations Manager.  Explains Serentiy, "As with any Museum Store, our goal is to sell products that have a strong tie with the mission of The Mill City Museum. After visitors see the museum, many will be inspired to find a gift or souvenir to take with them. Our merchandise selection includes everything from simple Minneapolis and Mill City Museum Souvenirs to wonderful books and kitchen and home accessories. I make an effort to work with local artists so that we are able to feature creative gifts that are made in Minneapolis and greater Minnesota. We receive a lot of position feedback from visitors who are impressed by our store. What works for us is paying attention to quality, design, relativity, and sense of humor."

Books are placed throughout the store, plus there's an entire wall packed with an extensive collection of Minneapolis/Minnesota history books, Betty Crocker/Pillsbury cookbooks, and books to bring out your creative creative side.

The Museum Store has a fun selection of toys - from educational to retro to just plain silly:

Kitchen items and local products, such as Nordic Ware and Watkins:

Lots of Poppin' Fresh!

Calendars, matted pictures, greeting cards and metal product signs:

Clothing and jewelry:

Snacks and fun stuff:

And, of course, a friendly and helpful staff! Serenity added, "We have very talented staff who are encouraged to be engaged with displays and merchandising. When you are in our museum store, you can tell that a lot of passion, creativity, and team work goes into creating an inviting shopping experience. We love to be here and want all of our visitors to feel the same way."

Take a moment to look above the shelves and displays, and you'll find a bit of Museum history.

The Starfish Throwers Team holds Sandwich Event for Charity on November 8

THE STARFISH THROWERS TEAM HOLDS SANDWICH EVENT FOR CHARITY

Film team preps food for the homeless via documentary subject Allan Law of MRD, Inc.

Minneapolis, MN, November 6, 2013– Filmmaker Jesse Roesler and members of his The Starfish Throwers documentary film team, along with friends of the film, will prepare 300 sandwiches at the offices of Bolster at 23 Fourth Street NE, Minneapolis, MN on Friday, November 8 at 2:30pm. Any supporters of the film or interested parties are welcome to join.

Sandwiches will go to Minneapolis Recreational Development, Inc., the charitable organization founded by Allan Law. Mr. Law is one of three individuals featured in the documentary film The Starfish Throwers by Minneapolis filmmaker Jesse Roesler. MRD is an all-volunteer non-profit. It serves the homeless, the poor, the vulnerable, and disadvantaged youth and their families in the Twin Cities every day with food assistance, as well as other emergency needs. Mr. Law himself is the sole delivery person who spends each night driving the inner city streets of the Twin Cities, providing sandwiches and other basics to people in need.

A documentary both harrowing and heartwarming, The Starfish Throwers explores how three of the world’s most fiercely compassionate individuals fight hunger and struggle to restore hope to the hopeless in unexpected and sometimes dangerous ways. Half a world apart, a five star chef, a retired school teacher and a sixth grade master gardener fight for a seemingly lost cause, until they discover their impact may reach further than their own actions.

For more information about the documentary film The Starfish Throwers, contact Pete Tedrow or Jesse Roesler at info@thestarfishthrowers.com or visit thestarfishthrowers.com.

Urban Agriculture Activity Plan Released for Public Comment

Via a November 7 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board:

Urban Agriculture Activity Plan Released for Public Comment

Draft Available through December 21, 2013

A draft of the MPRB Urban Agriculture activity plan is available for public review and comment between November 6, 2013 and December 21, 2013. The Park Board encourages residents and park users to provide feedback on the draft document, and has made available a brief online survey and comment form to easily gather public opinion.

After reviewing the draft plan, you may respond to a survey or provide general comments online.  Print copies of the draft plan are available in recreation centers.

Please refer to the MPRB project webpage for updated information.

All comments received are public record and will be considered for incorporation into the final plan for Board consideration and adoption in early 2014.

The draft plan was developed through an extensive community engagement process and contains recommendations related to policy, facility, program, and service improvements to better support urban agriculture activities within the park system.

The development of the Urban Agriculture activity plan is supported by the Board of Commissioners and directly linked to the goals of the MPRB Comprehensive Plan.

Izzy's November 9 Grand Opening Celebration

The retail shop has been open since July 29th, but this Grand Opening is in celebration of moving the ice cream making kitchen to Minneapolis. Stop by for treats and tours.

Kids Hour: Noon-2pm  Activities, cider, caramel apples and fun!

Architectural Tour: Want to know more about the building design and functions? Join owner Jeff Sommers and architect David Salmela for a talk and tour 12:30-1:30 (TICKETS* ON SALE HERE)

Tasting Tour: Join owner Jeff Sommers and enjoy a tasting of some of his favorite flavors with ice cream in Izzy’s new kitchen 3pm- 4pm (TICKETS* ON SALE HERE)

Kitchen viewing and ingredient tasting. 4 to 7 p.m. – Get an inside glimpse of the ice cream kitchen and have the opportunity to taste locally sourced ingredients before and after they are made into ice cream. Local ingredients include cardamom toast from Wuollet Bakery, milk from family-run dairy Sassy Cow Creamery and key lime pie from Birchwood Café. Tastes of Jeff’s signature cold-press iced coffee, made with Peace Coffee Yeti blend and brown-butter sweet cream, also will be served.

Owner’s Tour: 7:30pm-8:30pm – Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the new facility and a talk with owner Jeff Sommers about what they're doing at Izzy’s. (TICKETS* ON SALE HERE)

*Tickets include ice cream cup or cone, too!

Frey Wins - 3rd Ward City Council

With results in from 9 of 9 precincts, MinnPost reports that Jacob Frey has been elected to the City Council for the new 3rd Ward.  Jacob Frey garnered 61% to 26% for Diane Hofstede.

Today - VOTE!

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VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!

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Mill City Times Candidate Endorsements

"A Time for Change, And the Status Quo - Mill City Times Candidate Endorsements"

A Time for Change - 3rd Ward City Council

Jacob Frey - 1st Choice for Third Ward City Council

The newly redrawn 3rd Ward of Minneapolis faces a few big challenges, and even greater opportunities to be the engine of both population and economic growth for the entire city.  Jacob Frey is the candidate best suited to meet these head on.

From the start, Frey has taken the right positions on a number of high priority issues facing the new 3rd Ward, and laid out smart plans for tackling them.  Here a few:

Downtown East Redevelopment.  We can't afford another failure in redeveloping the area around the new stadium.  We've lived with the last botched effort for 30 years.  Frey's vision of diverse mixed use and focus on small independent businesses will best serve Minneapolis for decades to come.

Northeast Arts District - Building on Momentum.  A thriving arts community has a big positive impact on the quality of life in any city.  The Northeast Arts District has been a development and jobs engine as well.  Frey will focus on building on that success.

A Northloop/Downtown School - Key to Population Growth.  With a stated goal of doubling population Downtown by 2025, this is not a "nice to have", it's a must.  We won't achieve our potential unless we meet this challenge.  Frey has already started efforts to bring this to fruition.

Crown Hydro Project - Protecting the Central Riverfront.  The City's investment on the Central Riverfront has generated $1.9 billion in private development and is a national showcase for urban renewal.  Frey is a strong supporter of the broad based community effort underway to protect our falls.  See the Park Board endorsements below for more details on this issue.

Gold Medal Park - A Long Term Plan.  Current Council Member Lisa Goodman recently announced a plan to preserve the only park in the Downtown East neighborhood - Gold Medal Park - for 50 years.  Frey came out in support of preserving the park 18 months ago, prior to the campaign.  He's publicly committed to work toward finalizing the plan next year.

Meeting the opportunities facing us in the Third Ward will require mobilizing the entire community to join in.  His effectiveness in mobilizing tens of thousands of Minneapolis residents for Marriage Equality, through founding the Big Gay Race, is an indication of what we should expect from Frey on the City Council.  Jacob Frey is our choice for the new 3rd Ward.

A Time for the Status Quo - The River Champions

Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board

Named tops in the nation by The Trust for Public Land, the Minneapolis Park System plays a huge role in the lives of Minneapolitans.  Our endorsed candidates have helped transform our park system over the last several years on many fronts.  They've also demonstrated uncommon commitment to preserving and enhancing the vital Central Riverfront area.

The River Champions

 - John Erwin / Commissioner At Large

 - Anita Tabb / 4th District Commissioner

 - Scott Vreeland / 3rd District Commissioner

 - Liz Wielinski / 1st District Commissioner

The four candidates have been especially effective on 3 key topics of concern:

Transparency.  Taking a page out of the City of Minneapolis playbook, MPRB posts video of every Park Board meeting, along with the related plans and proposals under discussion.  Besting the City Council, they post meeting agendas and supporting materials much further in advance than does the City.  This level of transparency has not been a hallmark of MPRB in years gone by.  All four candidates have played a strong role in this transformation. 

Community Engagement.  All levels of State and local government would do well to take community engagement as seriously as these four (and now the MPRB) do.  It's common to see several dozen to a few hundred residents attend MPRB events sharing plans and seeking public input.  They also listen to that feedback and adjust policies and projects - we've witnessed many examples of this "listening" in action.  All four candidates have been central to this new way of doing business.

Crown Hydro Project - Protecting the Central Riverfront.  The City's investment on the Central Riverfront has generated $1.9 billion in private development and is a national showcase for urban renewal.  Prior to this effort, the Central Riverfront was a desolate landscape of abandoned buildings and empty surface parking lots.  The Crown Hydro project threatens to damage everything that's been accomplished - under the current license, Crown would be able to "turn off" St. Anthony Falls 6 months out of the year when the flow over the falls is low.  1.6 million visitors to the Stone Arch Bridge area deserve to see more than a cement wall.  The 4 River Champions have been especially effective in protecting us from this ill-conceived project.

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, and our riverfront, will do well with the 4 River Champions representing us.

Full Disclosure:  My wife Kim Eslinger and I have contributed the maximum allowable to the campaigns of all of the candidates endorsed above.  I am also Chair of the Frey for City Council Campaign Committee.

Twin Cities Horror Festival Runs thru November 9 at Southern Theater

Halloween may already be a distant memory, but the gore goes on until November 9 at The Southern Theater.

This is the second year for the Twin Cities Horror Festival, which features seven accomplished local performance groups exploring the theme of horror through theater, music, dance, and storytelling. The 40+ performance run also includes a Recycle-Your-Costume Dance Party Friday Nov. 8th at 10pm.

Mark Your Calendar for the Nov 14 Water Works Community Meeting at Nicollet Island Pavilion

Discover and discuss Water Works emerging concepts.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will be hosting a community meeting about the Central Mississippi Riverfront, where SCAPE and Rogers Partners from the Water Works Design Team will be featured guests. 

The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 14, 6:00pm - 8:00pm, at the Nicollet Island Pavilion.
 
The Design Team has been working on the design framework and concept scenarios for Water Works since their last visit in September, and they will share their work at this meeting.

Attend the meeting to engage in the conversation about Water Works and the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park, discover emerging concepts developed following the last community input meeting, and learn about next steps.

This Weekend: ART ATTACK 2013!

Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis

Friday, Nov. 1st        5:00 - 10:00 PM
Saturday, Nov. 2nd   Noon - 8:00 PM
Sunday, Nov. 3rd      Noon - 5:00 PM
 
Visit the Northrup King Building for an exciting weekend of visual art, live music, ballet performances, art demonstrations and food trucks for your convenience. If you're new to the Northrup King Building or simply haven't been here for awhile, put on your walking shoes and visit over 250 artists working out of 150 separate studios.

For more information and a schedule of music, performances and demonstrations, go to www.northrupkingbuilding.com/artattack.

Temporary 3-Day Closure of Historic Main Street

Via an October 31 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board:

Temporary 3-Day Closure of Historic Main Street

Repairs are underway along historic Main Street, between Hennepin Avenue and SE 3rd Avenue. Beginning Tuesday, November 5 this section of Main Street will be closed to vehicular and bicycle traffic to allow for street repairs to be made. Main St. will reopen the morning of Friday, November 8. Businesses and pedestrian walks will remain open while repairs are made. Follow this link for a map that indicates the area of the closure and detour routes. Signs will be posted.

Thank you for your patience while these necessary repairs are made.

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

Contact Information:
Julia Cline, Project Representative, MPRB Planning, jcline@minneapolisparks.org or 612-230-6463.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to our Mill District neighbors! :)

Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan Public Input Opportunities

Via an October 30 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board:

Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan Public Input Opportunities

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board will host a two-day charrette to gather public input for the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park Master Plan. This is the second charrette of five for the Master Plan and will focus on Historic Main Street and its connections.  A charrette is an intensive creative session intended to generate alternative approaches to a design problem. It is a way to immerse a project team with key stakeholders and the community in a real-time, iterative learning and creative process. Please join us!

Charrette Public Meeting Day 1:

Date – 11/6/13
Time – 8:00am to 10:00am
Location – Aster Café – River Room

Meeting Info: Comment and feedback to define key site program issues, possibilities, and limitations for Historic Main Street.

Charrette Public Meeting Day 2:

Date – 11/7/13
Time – 4:00pm to 5:30pm
Location – Aster Café – River Room

Meeting Info: Review preliminary design framework plan and concepts for Historic Main Street completed during the charrette.

The Park Board encourages the public to stop by the Aster Café’s River Room to share ideas, concerns and priorities with the Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Park design team.  Later in November, ideas from this two-day charrette will be presented to the project advisory committees and the second public open house for discussion.

For more information, please go to the MPRB project page.

Thank you! 

CONTACT:   Tyler Pederson, Landscape Architect
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board
612-230-6418
tpederson@minneapolisparks.org

2013 Nice Ride Season Ends Sunday, November 3rd

According to the Nice Ride Minnesota website, the 2013 Nice Ride season comes to a close at 10:00pm on Sunday, November 3rd.    Check out the Nice Ride Annual Report for 2013, which details their mission, outreach efforts spanning 122 events, 90 led tours and more. 

Jacob Frey Endorsed by Star Tribune for 3rd Ward City Council

The Star Tribune endorsed three candidates for City Council in today's edition, including Jacob Frey for the new 3rd Ward.

From the Star Tribune:

Generating stronger population growth, creating jobs, addressing vexing inequities in educational achievement, and strategically building growth-oriented transit were the focus of our recent editorial series, “Growing Minneapolis.” Achieving these objectives won’t come naturally, however. Smart, collaborative public-policy decisions will make all the difference.

This is particularly true in the city’s Third Ward, which encompasses portions of downtown, Northeast, and some neighborhoods bordering the University of Minnesota.

Third Ward

Jacob Frey, 32, is best equipped to represent those areas and to work with other members of the City Council to craft progrowth policies that will help Minneapolis realize its potential.

Frey, an attorney and former professional marathon runner, is a clear advocate for increasing housing density within the ward and citywide. He favors the proposed streetcar line that would run north on Nicollet Avenue into Northeast, and he would expand the line into other parts of the city.

Recognizing the need to keep young families in the city once their kids are of school age, he favors creating more public-school options in burgeoning neighborhoods in his district. Keeping these families will be essential to maintaining the vitality in the North Loop and Northeast neighborhoods, which have undergone rapid transformations in the past few years.

Small businesses have also played a prominent role in this growth, and Frey wants to focus on streamlining city processes to be more “goal-­oriented” than “process-oriented.”

Frey’s ambitious agenda has won many converts among voters. And its earned him endorsements from elected officials and community leaders.

He wrested the DFL endorsement from the incumbent, Diane Hofstede, 64, and gained several union endorsements. He has the support of Rep. Keith Ellison, who represents the area in Congress, as well as several key state legislators. Most notably, six sitting council members have endorsed him over their current colleague, Hofstede.

Frey’s ability to build coalitions stands in contrast to Hofstede. While she has been elected to two terms on the City Council and led the Library Board before that, she is a polarizing figure for some, including former colleagues. There has been an unusually high degree of turnover in her office, and in response to a staffer’s claim in 2010, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development determined that there had been a “hostile work environment.”

Hofstede has several key endorsements, including Gov. Mark Dayton’s, and shares several public-­policy goals with Frey. She showed leadership by backing the Vikings stadium. But on other issues, she has been inconsistent, such as pushing for a moratorium on development in ­Dinkytown instead of leading efforts to increase investment and population in the ward.

Also on the ballot are the Green Party’s Kristina Gronquist, as well as Michael Katch, endorsed by the Libertarian and Pirate parties.

With a new mayor and several new council members soon to be sworn in, consensus-builders are needed. Frey has been that kind of candidate, and he should be that kind of council member.

Read the full story :

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/229328221.html

Restaurant/Retail Proposed at 901 Washington Ave S

From Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

Developer Mike Roess plans to build a 10,000-square-foot building at the site of a Washington Avenue surface parking lot in downtown Minneapolis.

The roughly $3 million project will include a restaurant that will occupy 5,000 square feet of space on the first floor, plus another 5,000 square feet on a rooftop patio, Roess said. The Minneapolis developer is in talks with an "upscale, urban furniture store" for the second floor

The property is located at 901 Washington Ave., next to a building that houses Wasabi Fusion Restaurant, Sactuary Restaurant, Stonebridge Bank, Level Salon and GlobalBridge Inc. Roess has owned that property since it was renovated in 2007.

Read the full article...