Congratulations to Bite Squad on a Successful First Year

Looks like we're not the only ones who love Bite Squad.  :)

Mississippi River Fund Announces 2nd Annual River City Revue

Our friends at Mississippi River Fund would like you to know about their second annual River City Revue - a two-part summer series of riverboat tours on the Mississippi River.  Each cruise takes on a different theme, WORK and PLAY, where participants will explore the Mississippi River through art, science, music, games and adventure.
 
Accompanied by live music, storytelling, film, art and games, River City Revue engages the community with a unique and personal perspective of the Mississippi River.

August 7: “Work” is the first theme in the two-part summer series event. Participants will cruise down the river aboard the Jonathon Padelford Riverboat navigating through downtown St. Paul for an intimate view of the working docks and barges of the Mississippi. Live music will be played by Dick and Jane’s Big Brass Band while river workers teach participants how to tie nautical knots. Participants will also judge a ‘shout-boasting’ competition organized by literary magazine Revolver.

August 23: “Play” is the second theme in the summer series. Participants will travel upriver from Harriet Island, toward the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. Live bluegrass music performed by the Eelpout Stringers. Also, passengers will be able to try their luck in a game of “Minnesota Whist,” the local spinoff of a classic card game. Molly Balcom Raleigh designed the beautiful card parlor aboard the riverboat, called Table Talk. Additionally, passengers can win fun prizes by playing R.I.V.E.R. - a bingo game designed especially for River City Revue.

Cost is $15 for non-members and $10 for Mississippi River Fund member for each event. The boat leaves at 7 p.m. from the Padelford dock and will return at the same location at 9 p.m. Tickets are will call. Participants can purchase tickets online. Please check in at the registration table at the Padelford dock no later than 6:50 p.m. the day of the event. 

OMG - Tickets Go on Sale Today for The Soap Factory's 2013 Haunted Basement!

Better get your tickets for The Soap Factory's 7th Annual Haunted Basement today - they sell out fast!

Directed for a second year by Noah Bremer, The Haunted Basement is a fully immersive terror adventure designed to traumatize new visitors and returning Haunted Basement fans alike. With a fiercely demented creative team, consisting of set designers, makeup & costume designers and even olfactory scientists, Bremer has crafted an experience that will disorient and terrify visitors at every shadowy twist and turn.

The 2013 Haunted Basement runs October 3 - November 3.

Welcome to the Guthrie!

As we walk home form the Mill City Farmers Market each Saturday, it's always a pleasure to see this gentleman welcoming people to the Guthrie.

Izzy's Opens July 29 - Freeze it, and they will come...

For a fella who hasn't had much sleep in the past few weeks, owner Jeff Sommers was holding up impressively well when we stopped in around 5:00pm (and again at 8:00pm) on opening day at Izzy's Ice Cream.  I don't know the exact number of customers who poured thru the doors, but it sure seemed like the entire neighborhood turned out to welcome our newest Mill District neighbor at some point during the day.  Welcome, Izzy's - we wish you much success!  :)

Week 12 at the 2013 Mill City Farmers Market

July 27 was Bike to the Market Day, sponsored by our Mill District neighbor, University of Minnesota Physicians Mill City Clinic, located a block down the street from the MCFM. The Mill City Clinic is dedicated to a healthy community, innovative medicine and excellence in health care - an example of which can be found in this recent Minnesota Daily article. 

And by way, SWEET CORN HAS ARRIVED!  Yay! :)

Sawatdee's 30 Year Celebration

Supenn Harrison and her team at Sawatdee invite you to celebrate 30 years of serving delicious food with these special 3- and 6-course meals July 30 - August 3.    

Supenn and her daughter Cyndy were recent guests on KARE 11:

  

Anybody Missing a Belt?

Last I saw, it was on a walking path in Father Hennepin Bluffs Park.

Upcoming 'Summer on the Plaza' Events

Hennepin County Public Affairs proudly presents Summer on the Plaza thru August.  Enjoy musicians, actors, dancers, educators and more from Noon to 1:00pm on select weekdays on the North Plaza of the Hennepin County Government Center.

Wednesday, July 24 - Celebration Brass Quintet
The Celebration Brass Quintet will perform a concert of jazz, Broadway favorites and light classics.  This group was founded by members of the Minnetonka Symphony Orchestra in 2011.
 
Friday, July 26 - BlueStratum
BlueStratum performs original music composed by the group members mixed in with some covers of pop and rock hits from the 50s-80s.  They have been performing in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota for nearly a decade

Wednesday, July 31 - Kaleiokapilialoha
Kaleiokapilialoha is a hula school with 24 students who love to share the aloha spirit through ancient and modern hula

Thursday, August 1 - CPR Anytime
Attend one of two 1/2 hour sessions: one at noon, the other at 12:30 p.m.  In this short program taught by HCMC staff, learn to perform CPR with your hands only.  Note: Employees who participate will earn one wellness activity credit towards the 2014 Health Incentive.  This training does not replace a CPR certificate program.  

Friday, August 2 - Tower Bells
The Tower Bell Foundation holds bell concerts regularly at Minneapolis City Hall-Hennepin County Courthouse.  All concerts are free and open to the public.  The North Plaza is an optimum listening spot

Wednesday, August 7 - Transitive Nightfall
Transitive Nightfall is an improvisational rock band with a slight tinge of jazz.  You'll hear familiar songs in unfamiliar arrangements.
 
Friday, August 9 - Royal Scottish Dancers 
This performance starts at 12:15pm. The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society is a world wide organization with a branch in Minnesota. They have been together in the Twin Cities for over 35 years keeping alive the tradition of Scottish County Dance.

Izzy's Ice Cream Sidewalk Cafe Approved

Izzy's Ice Cream application for Sidewalk Cafe License to allow seating along the walls of the building to accommodate up to 72 persons was approved by the Minneapolis Regulatory, Energy & Environment Committee at the July 22, 2013 meeting.

Read the details here...

Watch the details here:

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Glowing Sunset Over Downtown Minneapolis

Avocado Tempura and Tuna Poké at Zen Box

Avocado Tempura and Tuna Poké are two of our favorites from the Zen Box menu.  But when they're served outside on a gorgeous summer evening - well now that's just all kinds of happiness.  :)

Refreshing patio drink - watermelon puree, lime juice and tequila. 

Week 11 at the 2013 Mill City Farmers Market

Maybe it's because I've been anxiously awaiting their arrival for weeks, but I swear the blueberries at the July 20 Market were the most gorgeous blue orbs I've ever laid eyes on.  Thanks, HeathGlen!   

A Budding Farmer participant - love it!  Excellent program for involving your kids with weekly trips to the Market. :) 

I need one of these snazzy carts!  :)

We noticed this signage while walking by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) on our way to the Market.  Good neighbors! :)

Overnight Closure of Washington Avenue Bridge and Area Ramps - Sunday, July 21, 8:00pm

Traffic Details
In addition to the Washington Avenue Bridge, the northbound I-35W ramp to the U of MN East Bank and all Cedar Avenue ramps to/from Washington Avenue will be closed. The 4th Street ramp to southbound I-35W/westbound I-94 will remain open. Follow the posted detours:
• For eastbound vehicles on 4th Street S.: Detour via Chicago Avenue to eastbound Washington Avenue to northbound I-35W to University Avenue/4th Street SE. exit, to eastbound University Avenue.
• For westbound vehicles: From East Bank, detour via northbound Pleasant Street to westbound 4th Street SE. to southbound I-35W to exit Washington Ave exit.
• For vehicles coming from northbound I-35W headed to the East Bank: Continue to Washington Avenue to northbound I-35W to University Avenue/4th Street exit, to eastbound University Avenue.
 
Pedestrian Details
• The pedestrian deck on the Washington Avenue Bridge will remain open during the vehicle deck closure.
 
Bus Stop Changes
• For westbound buses: Bus stop  for Metro Transit  at Willey Hall will be closed; use 19th Avenue/Washington Avenue bus stop. 
• For eastbound buses: Metro Transit bus stop at Blegen Hall will be closed; use 19th Avenue/Washington Avenue bus stop.
 
Construction Hours
• Construction activities will occur during daytime and nighttime hours.
 
Call the 24-hour Central Corridor Construction Hotline for comments, questions or concerns: 651-602-1404

Traffic Reminder - Multiple Events Downtown Saturday Night, July 20

Via a July 17 e-newsletter from the City of Minneapolis:

Twins game, concert, and Aquatennial fireworks make for a busy Saturday night Downtown

July 17, 2013 (Minneapolis) The evening of Saturday, July 20, will be busy Downtown, with a Twins game, a concert at Target Center, and Aquatennial events on the river. Because big crowds will be coming Downtown, it’s a good idea to know your transportation options and plan ahead, whether you plan to drive, take transit, or bike or walk.

Events on Saturday, July 20

• Twins vs. Indians at Target Field – 6:10 p.m. (gates open at 4 p.m.)
• The Package Tour featuring New Kids On The Block with special guests 98° & Boyz II Men at Target Center – 7:30 p.m. (gates open at 6:30 p.m.)
• Aquatennial Fireworks – Live music starts at 6:30 p.m. – Fireworks begin at 10 p.m.

The City, Metro Transit, and many partners are again teaming up to make sure getting to and from events goes as smoothly as it can. As usual, Downtown Improvement District Ambassadors will be out on the streets in their bright green shirts, and they’re a great resource for people who have questions while they’re out and about Downtown.

New this year – The Interchange is coming!

Visitors to Target Field and Target Center this summer will notice some changes on the 5^th Street side of the ballpark, where Hennepin County is constructing the Interchange. Scheduled to open in 2014, the Interchange will serve as a central, multi-modal transportation hub and community gathering space in downtown Minneapolis. For the 2013 Twins season, construction means there will be some minor changes to the way riders will board light rail trains after games, and Metro Transit staff will be on hand to assist customers. The project partners would like to thank folks for their patience while this major improvement is under way.

Getting where you’re going

Downtown is an urban setting that provides transportation opportunities to meet everyone’s desired experience, whether you want to drive, ride a bus, take a train, or bike or walk.

When visiting Downtown, there are five tips people should remember to minimize delays and maximize their enjoyment of all the activities going on.

1. Plan ahead – Visit TwinsBaseball.com/transportation or Targetcenter.com to learn more about all your transportation choices. Visit the Downtown Improvement District’s events calendar at www.MinneapolisDID.com to see what events are going on any day.
2. Know your parking options – There is parking availability throughout Downtown. If you prefer convenient access to Target Field and Target Center, the adjacent A,B,C, and Hawthorne ramps have plenty of capacity, and the ramps empty smoothly after games, without long waits. If you’re parking on the street when coming Downtown, make sure to check the signs to be sure of the time limit and hours of enforcement for your parking space.
3. Use transit – Target Field and Target Center are extremely transit –friendly. Both are on the METRO Blue Line (Hiawatha) and many bus lines. Target Field and Target Center are located at the junction of Northstar commuter rail, the METRO Blue Line, and a number of bus lines, at the future site of The Interchange.
4. Bicycles are another great way to get to events – Bicyclists are reminded to use headlights and taillights after dark and, if possible, to wear light or reflective clothing.
5. Come early/Stay late – The Warehouse District is ready to welcome fans for another summer of baseball, basketball, shows, and excitement. Take part in activities, shopping, dining, and other entertainment before and after games and concerts. Enjoy the extra time to experience all Downtown has to offer, and beat the traffic.

Taking transit to events

The Northstar commuter rail line offers direct service to Target Field from stations in Big Lake, Elk River, Ramsey, Anoka, Coon Rapids and Fridley. For added savings, the Northstar Roundtrip Family Pass offers roundtrip rides for two adults and up to three kids ages 6-17 for $20 or less. Customers can buy round-trip tickets and Northstar Roundtrip Family Passes for Twins games online at metrotransit.org/Northstar. Full train schedules for every game and fare information are available for viewing and printing at metrotransit.org/twins. Additionally, Northstar Link bus service from St. Cloud and Becker is scheduled to connect with trains at Big Lake for every game this season.

The METRO Blue Line (Hiawatha) runs from Bloomington, past Target Center, and directly to Target Field’s gates. It serves large Park & Ride facilities at Fort Snelling and 28^th Avenue stations which have nearly 2,800 free parking spaces. NEW for the 2013 season – trains serving Twins games will have more cars to give fans a more comfortable ride. The addition of brand-new light-rail cars will provide more capacity and faster boarding after games. All METRO Blue Line trains are scheduled to operate with three cars all weekend.

Direct bus service on Twins Express Route 679 from the County Road 73 Park & Ride in Minnetonka with hundreds of free parking spaces will be offered for every Twins home game again in 2013. Buses start taking fans to the ballpark two hours before each game. Return service begins two hours after first pitch (example: 7:10 p.m. game, buses begin returning to the Park & Ride at 9:10) and continues roughly every half hour until an hour after the game ends.

A number of popular and frequent bus routes stop near Target Field. From the east, Routes 3, 16, 50 and 94 serve Ramp B/5^th Street Transit Center adjacent to Target Field and Target Center. Many other frequent routes travel along Hennepin and Nicollet avenues just blocks away.

Online tools and information for instantly planning bus or train trips to Twins games is available at metrotransit.org/twins.

Managing traffic

The City of Minneapolis takes a number of steps to manage traffic during big events Downtown. The volume of pedestrians, bikes, and cars Downtown before and after these events means increased traffic, but there are several ways the City works to improve operations and minimize congestion, including:

• Traffic control agents are at many Downtown intersections during peak times before and after the events. Traffic control agents at intersections are key to maintaining traffic flow and improving pedestrian safety when volumes are high.
• Special traffic signal timing patterns are used to move high numbers of vehicles during events.
• Dynamic messaging signs throughout Downtown provide drivers with real-time information as they move around the area. There are currently more than 70 of these signs Downtown, which are used to direct people to parking, to notify drivers when key parking ramps fill, and to help drivers find their way around.

Contacts: Matt Laible, City of Minneapolis: 612-673-2786
John Siqveland, Metro Transit: 612-349-7089

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul debuts THE LOOK OF LOVE July 19

Opening Friday, July 19 at The Film Society's St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 SE Main Street, for a week-long Exclusive Engagement and Regional Premiere is the latest Michael Winterbottom and Steve Coogan collaboration THE LOOK OF LOVE.

- - -

Director Michael Winterbottom’s THE LOOK OF LOVE stars Steve Coogan (24 Hour Party People, The Trip) in the true-life story of Paul Raymond, the man behind Soho’s notorious Raymond Revue Bar and Men Only magazine. Paul Raymond began his professional life with an end of the pier mind reading act. He soon realized that the audience were more interested in watching his beautiful assistance, and that they liked it even more if she was topless. He quickly became one of Britain’s leading nude revue producers. In 1958 he opened his revue Bar in Soho, the heart of London’s West End. As it was a private club, the nudes were allowed to move. A huge success, it became the cornerstone of a Soho empire, prompting the Sunday Times in 1992 to crown him the richest man in Britain. The film focuses on Raymond’s relationships with the three most important women in his life: his wife Jean (Anna Friel), his lover Fiona (Tamsin Egerton), and his daughter Debbie (Imogen Poots). It is a modern day King Midas story, with Raymond acquiring fabulous wealth, but at the cost of losing the people who are closest to him.

 

Screening July 19-25.

Parkway Closures July 17 and 20

The following parkways will be temporarily closed July 17 and 20 for these events during these designated times:

July 17 – Life Time Torchlight 5K – 7:30p.m. – 10:00p.m. – West River Parkway from Plymouth Avenue to Portland Avenue. Historic Main Street Parkway.

July 20 – Aquatennial River Blast – 6:00p.m. – 10:30p.m. – West River Parkway from Plymouth Avenue to Portland Avenue.

Riverfront Festival at "No Name" Park on the East Bank

Come experience the park that will be at one of the competition winning RiverFirst design sites.  Enjoy food trucks, local beer and music.

When: Friday July 26th  6pm to Sunset
Where:  The former Scherer Bros Lumber Yard, Corner of Sibley ST NE and 8th AV NE, just north of the Plymouth AV Bridge by Graco

Download the flyer:
https://app.box.com/shared/static/yxtue8gb6ytryls6siy8.pdf

ACTION ALERT: This Tree Will Die, Help Catch the Killer

Within the last couple of days an unknown person(s) "girdled" (see definition below) this boulevard tree at Gold Medal Park.  Girdling results in the death of the branch, or whole tree when done to the trunk.

Anyone with knowledge of this is encouraged to contact the police.  If you spot suspicious activity please call 911 and if you have a camera, and can safely do so, please snap a photo.

Seriously, what type of degenerate would kill a tree?

Girdling, also called ring barking or ring-barking, is the complete removal of a strip of bark (consisting of cork cambium, phloem, cambium and sometimes going into the xylem) from around the entire circumference of either abranch or trunk of a woody plant. Girdling results in the death of wood tissues above the damage. A branch completely girdled will fail and when the main trunk of a tree is girdled, the entire tree will die, if it cannot regrow from above to bridge the wound. 

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Week 10 at the 2013 Mill City Farmers Market

Yay - the first raspberries of the season arrived at the July 13 Market.  Decision time - will they go into Market smoothies, Market parfaits or Market oatmeal?

MCFM Sponsor 222 Hennepin introduced shoppers to the new apartment complex nearing construction completion.  The first tenants will be moving in next month, and leasing has been brisk.  The ground level Whole Foods store will be accessible to tenants from within the building, and includes a wine shop.

Check out the vintage lunch box Nicholas of Buffalo by Bike uses: