Set Your Clocks BACK 1 Hour

From Sheriff Stanek's November 1 e-newsletter:

Weekend reminder: Set your clocks back one hour & check safety items!

Daylight Saving ends on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 am. Set your clocks back one hour.

The biannual changing of the clocks for Daylight Saving Time is also a great time to check on your family’s preparedness. Please do the following:

• Test the smoke alarms in your home and at work. Don’t forget to test your carbon monoxide alarms, too. Replace the batteries if needed.
• Check the emergency kit in your vehicle.
• Update the emergency contact information in your family’s communication plan. Choose an out-of-area emergency contact that each person in your family can call contact if he/she becomes separated during a disaster situation.
• Make sure that your emergency preparedness kit still includes at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food and water (a minimum of one gallon per person, per day), a flashlight, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a multi-purpose tool, first aid kit, copies of important documents, and special items such as medications, diapers, and infant formula.
• Check your emergency preparedness kit for expired food items and freshen staples such as water, food and batteries. If there have been changes in prescriptions or dietary needs, adjust your supplies as needed.
  (SOURCE: American Red Cross) 

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul's November Lineup

November 5, National Theater Live. From the grand stage of London's National Theatre to our big screen at St. Anthony Main Theatre, The Last of the Haussmans plays Monday, November 5 at 7pm. In one of the most sharp-witted productions that you will see all year, Julie Walters (Harry Potter, Billy Elliott, Mamma Mia!) plays Judy Haussman with Rory Kinnear (National's Hamlet) and Helen McCrory (The Queen, Hugo) as her children in this eagerly-anticipated debut play by actor and first-time playwright Stephen Beresford. In what The Guardian called "self-destructive gaiety," Haussmans is a funny, touching and sometimes savage portrait of a family that's losing its grip. Friday November 2, Civic Cinema begins! Just in time for the elections, we are presenting a series of political films that are sure to spark healthy debate. November 2 thru 8, Janeane from Des Moines. This remarkable new political buzz film, told in an inventive fiction-documentary hybrid style, follows an intrepid conservative Iowa housewife as her personal and political convictions are severely tested when she seeks answers from the Republican presidential candidates leading up to the 2012 Iowa Caucuses. See these incredible encounters with the candidates including Mitt Romney and Michelle Bachmann. Director Grace Lee and actress Jane Edith Wilson will be present for a Q&A Sunday, November 4 at 7pm! November 2 and 4, Escape Fire. Join us Friday, November 2 at 7pm for a special preview screening of Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, followed by an expert panel discussion (*This screening is selling fast!). This award-winning documentary tackles one of the most pressing issues of our time: how can we save our badly broken healthcare system? Escape Fire plays again Sunday, November 4 at 4pm, and opens theatrically Friday, November 9. November 3 and 4, Suddenly, Last Winter. 2012 MSP International Film Fest directors Gustav Hofer and Luca Ragazzi of Italy Love it or Leave it, return to our screen Saturday, November 3 at 7pm and Sunday, November 4 at 1:30pm with their 2008 documentary Suddenly, Last Winter. In Hofer and Ragazzi's characteristically humorous and exacting style, the film chronicles their personal journey amidst Italy's recent contentious civil union debate. All tickets just $5! Wednesday November 7, Ask Your Shadow. The Film Society and the University of Minnesota present director Lamine Ammar-Khodja and his new documentary Ask Your Shadow (Demande à ton ombre) on Wednesday, November 7 at 4:30pm. Eight years after leaving native Algeria for France, Lamine Ammar-Khodja decides to end his exile on January 6, 2011, the day major riots break out in Algiers. Followed by a discussion with the director and professor Patricia Lorcin, Department of History, UMN. Click on the images below for more information.

The Film Society Ticket Prices: $8.50 - Regular $6.00 - Students w/ ID / Seniors 62+ / Children under 12 $5.00 - Members The Film Society presents the very best of national and international independent cinema on Screen 3 at St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 SE Main Street, Minneapolis, MN 55414 The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul 125 SE Main St, Suite 125A, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414 info [at] mspfilmsociety.org | 612.331.7563 | mspfilmsociety.org

Two Thumbs Up for Bite Squad Food Delivery

After noticing these green and white cars in the neighborhood, and chatting with a delivery person in our elevator, we decided to try the Bite Squad food delivery service.  Simply enter your zip code and you'll receive a list of the restaurants to choose from, their available menu, and minimum order amount. 

Bite Squad's system is easy to use, and leaves nothing to question.  Upon ordering, a confirmation email was sent reiterating all the details, and our order arrived within the promised time.  

Happy Halloween!

From last year's Day of the Dead / Dia de los Muertos Post Card Contest at Open Book:

November 15 UMN Combined Heat and Power Facility Project Update Open to Public

Via an October 22 e-mail from Carolyn Manthei-Lund, Community Relations,University of Minnesota:

You Are Invited to a Project Update:

A New Combined Heat and Power Facility for the UMN Twin Cities Campus

Thursday, November 15, 2012

5:00 p.m. Program begins at 5:15 p.m.

REGISTER: http://chpupdate.eventbrite.com/

The University of Minnesota is planning to reinvest in steam and electrical power operations at the "Old Main" facility on the East Bank campus. The plant is at 1180 Main Street SE, at the East head of the Dinkytown Bikeway Bride (Bridge No. 9). The plant will use natural gas to co-generate steam heat and electrical power, and will reduce the University's carbon footprint.

The University hosted initial information meetings about the project in August, 2011, and the design phase began early this year. A permit application will be submitted to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in January, 2013.

I hope that you will be able to join us for this project update. If you know others who may be interested, please post or forward, and encourage them to attend.

For further details and to REGISTER: http://chpupdate.eventbrite.com/

Week 25 at the Mill City Farmers Market - Final 'Outdoor' Market of the 2012 Season

October 27 marked the final outdoor Market of the 2012 season, with a starting temp of around 32 degrees and bright sunshine.   The Mill City Farmers Market bounty continues every second Saturday inside the Mill City Museum from November 10, 2012 - April 13, 2013.  There will be 25+ vendors at the November 10 Market, so mark your calendar and make a list!

Below, delish goat meatball samples from Singing Hills Goat Dairy. :)

Public Comment Opportunities for 2013 MPRB Budget

From an October 25 e-newsletter:

PROPOSED 2013 MINNEAPOLIS PARK BOARD BUDGET FOCUSES ON FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, SERVICE DELIVERY AND MAINTAINING PARK SYSTEM

Public comment opportunities scheduled Nov. 7 and 28, Dec. 12

The Superintendent’s Recommended 2013 Budget for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) focuses on maintaining park services and facilities, strategically addressing financial and operational challenges, and improving organizational efficiency and service delivery.

“The proposed operating budget reflects a zero percent property tax increase and focuses on maintaining what we have, with prioritized budget package options for Board consideration that would fund specific programs and services up to the maximum of a three percent property tax levy, ” explained Superintendent Jayne Miller. “It reflects the Park Board’s commitment to sound financial management and strategic long-term planning. In 2013, we are investing in neighborhood and regional parks, technology and equipment. We are expanding community engagement to ensure all residents have access to programs and services that are designed based on community input, participation and the diverse needs of residents.”

The Superintendent’s Recommended 2013 Budget totals $62,794,451 for the general operating fund and $10,245,866 for the enterprise operating fund. Initiatives launched by Superintendent Miller in 2012 to align revenue and expenses to department activity areas are continued in her recommended budget. While the organization’s budget and personnel numbers remain similar to 2012, positions and budget accounts have been realigned in the recommended 2013 Budget to meet the needs of the community and the organization. 

According to Miller, the 2013 Recommended Budget reflects the Park Board’s commitment to service delivery and incorporates organizational performance improvements.

“We are committed to assessing and improving our work processes,” Miller explained. “The proposed 2013 Budget includes implementation of initiatives developed in 2012 to improve worker safety, internal service coordination and external service delivery.”

The proposed budget and other budget-related documents are available for viewing at www.minneapolisparks.org (select left link “About MPRB” then “Park Board Budget”) or by calling 612-230-6400. The public may comment on the proposed budget during the following times:

Nov. 7, Public Comment Session – Administration and Finance Committee meeting, MPRB Headquarters, 2117 West River Road, Minneapolis. The Committee meeting will follow the Board’s regular meeting at 5 pm

Nov. 28, Public Comment Session – Regular Board meeting, MPRB Headquarters, 2117 West River Road, Minneapolis, at 5 pm

Dec. 12, Public Hearing – City of Minneapolis public hearing on City levy and 2012 Budget, City Hall, Council Chambers Room 317, 350 South 5th Street, Minneapolis, at 6 pm

The Superintendent’s recommended budget outlines initiatives aimed at meeting the Board’s strategic goals and budget frameworks, including:

• Focus resources on maintaining the park system and address issues of aging infrastructure, especially in neighborhood parks. Use Comprehensive Plan as guidance for maintenance of natural areas and boulevard trees.

• Become a national leader in issues of sustainability, including collaborative efforts with the City Council, Mayor, County, local business leaders, and the public, making our city greener, cleaner and energy efficient.

• Focus on our partnerships, especially with the City and the Public schools, to focus on the service delivery and responsibilities across jurisdictions to assess what is working and what can be changed or improved in difficult financial times.

• Focus on new strategies of community engagement, including greater transparency and information that is posted online, outreach strategies, and clarity about our processes and procedures. Enhance our communications and relationships with communities, media, agencies, and partners.

• Focus on a financial plan that increases revenue growth with grants, new program offerings, sponsorships and foundation giving, but also plan for potential budget reductions that are the result of projected state deficits or increased costs.

• Assure that basic services and programs remain accessible, community based, and equitable. Reaffirm the importance of outdoor activities for children.   

• Shape city character through nationally recognized park development and redevelopment strategies.

Periscope Continues to Grow in the Mill District

The Line is an online magazine delivered free via email every Wednesday.  They recently mentioned Periscope, a Mill District agency on Washington and 10th Avenue South, for it's amazing continued growth.

Following a steady hiring rate in 2011, the agency kept growth strong this year, adding 123 employees as of the beginning of October. That brings the company's total employee count to 475, with the majority of those staffers in the Minneapolis offices.

More from The Line...

135 New Jobs Anticipated With $30 Million Valspar Project in Downtown East

The Valspar Corporation recently announced plans to expand its research and development campus and renovate its former headquarters building located at 11th Avenue South and South 3rd Street.  The company is investing $30 million in the project, which will add 87,000 square feet of laboratory, meeting and office space, and create up to 135 full-time jobs over the next two years.   The project is expected to be completed in early 2014.

Read more:

Twin Cities Business...

Star Tribune...

2012 Downtown Minneapolis Perception Survey

From an October 23 Minneapolis Police Precinct 1 e-newsletter: 

2012 Downtown Minneapolis Perception Survey

Please participate in this important annual survey about Downtown Minneapolis. Share the survey link with your colleagues, friends, clients, neighbors, students and social media followers to help the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District collect much needed feedback from the downtown community.

The survey will be open through November 15th.

By participating you can enter a drawing for gift cards valued at $20 - $50! 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DowntownPerceptions2012

For questions, contact:

Renee Allen, Crime Prevention Specialist
Minneapolis Police Department, First Precinct
renee.allen@minneapolismn.gov
(612) 673-5163

To Protect With Courage
To Serve With Compassion

Week 24 at the Mill City Farmers Market

We arrived at the October 20 Market just as the vendors were completing their set up, and caught this eerie fog backdrop.

Cast Your Vote for the 2012 Charlie Awards!

Here's how it works:

Find your favorite restaurants and food trucks online, try the food item they've chosen, then vote for which item(s) you believe should receive the 2012 Charlie Award for “Outstanding Food Item.”
 
All votes must be made by 11:59pm October 28, 2012. Only one vote per person per day in each neighborhood will be eligible.
 
To cast your vote, simply click on the restaurant and/or food truck, which are organized by neighborhood.   Restaurants participating in and around our neigborhood are listed in the Downtown Minneapolis section, including Spoonriver, Sea Change, Sanctuary, Haute Dish, Zen Box Izakaya, Sawatdee and The Bachelor Farmer.

Tonight: Minneapolis Riverfront Forum

The Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership and the Above the Falls Citizen Advisory Committee will host the second of three meetings regarding the update of the Above the Falls Master Plan October 16 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Administrative Office Building, 2117 W River Rd.

Staff from City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will present recommended changes to the plan. They will also preview strategies to achieve the plan's goals, roles of public and private partnerships, and priority projects.

Download the agenda...

Download map of the ATF area...

City of Minneapolis Project Page...

Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Project Page...

Week 23 at the Mill City Farmers Market

There was still a beautiful array of produce at the October 13 Market.  The theme was Goats and Sheep, and shoppers were treated to a fantastic goat dish called Katsiki Fricassee at the Mill City Cooks demo.

There may be only 2 outdoor Markets left this season, but we have indoor Markets to look forward to.  They are scheduled for every second Saturday of the month inside Mill City Museum, beginning November 10.

DESIGN BY AMERICA®

Chelle Stoner would like spread the word about Design by America. 

It's a newly launched evolving portfolio of beautifully designed consumer products that are made with quality craftsmanship in the USA.

They will add products every month - hopefully every week - so check the site frequently.  You might find a unique gift or something for yourself, while helping American companies prosper.

Road Closures for Saturday, October 13, Historic Riverfront 5K

The following roads will be temporarily closed this weekend:

Saturday, October 13 – Main Street and West River Parkway, 9:00am–11am, for the Historic Riverfront 5K.

A complete list of parkway closures through December 2012 is available online.

Film Society of Minneapolis-St. Paul's 2012 Food & Wine Film Festival

Feast for the Eyes – A Food and Wine Film Festival

October 25 - 28

Film Society of Minneapolis-St. Paul, St. Anthony Main Theater, 115 Main Street SE

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul invites Twin Cities audiences to celebrate the culture, art and science of food and wine from around the world.

Included in the Feast for the Eyes program will be a selection of classic and contemporary national and international, narrative and documentary feature-length foodie flicks, as well as a program of local, national and international shorts programmed by Vita.mn, entitled Small Bites.

Feast will include a number of not-to-be-missed events throughout the long weekend at which audiences will be treated to tasting and sampling opportunities paired with select films.

More info

Here is a partial list:

Now, Forager

Lucien and Regina are foragers - they gather wild mushrooms and sell them to New York restaurants. Their lifestyle is simple, their income unstable. As Regina seeks more stability and Lucien wants to devote himself to full-time nomadic foraging, their individual desires put the marriage to a test.
(Dir. Jason Cortlund, Julia Halperin, USA, 2012, 93 min)

Trattoria: The Movie

Set in the exciting San Francisco restaurant scene, and inspired by real chefs and the writers' real-life experiences in the restaurant business, Trattoriafollows Chef Sartini who must learn with the help of his son to rekindle his passion for cooking and life, or risk losing everything.
(Dir. Jason Wolos, USA, 2012, 105 min)

Three Stars

Focusing on ten Michelin three-star chefs. Three Stars depicts the everyday drama of life in gourmet restaurants with exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes access to some of the world's most talented chefs as they work in their gastronomic laboratories, hunt for exquisite ingredients in local markets, and gather rare edible plants along rough coastlines.
(Dir. Lutz Hachmeister, France/Spain/The Netherlands/Denmark/USA/Japan, 2011, 90 min)

Mugaritz BSO

Spain's Mugaritz restaurant is known as one of the 50 best restaurants in the world. It's chef, Andoni Luis Adruiz, has a self-described "techno-emotional" approach ito cuisine. Over the past three years, musician Felipe Ugarte has studied the meaning, preparation and history of Aduriz's culinary formulas and has fused them with the language of music. The result is this stunning aural exploration of the creative processes behind gastronomy.
(Dir. Felipe Ugarte, Juantxo Sardon, Spain, 2011, 72 min)

Eat Drink Man Woman

Trouble is cooking for widower and master chef Chu (Sihung Lung) who's about to discover that no matter how dazzling and delicious his culinary creations might be, they're no match for the libidinous whims of his three beautiful but rebellious daughters. As relationships sour, Chu concots a sure-fire recipe that will bring his family back together: a lover affait to rival his daughters' affections! (Park Circus)
(Dir. Ang Lee, Taiwan, 1995, 124 min, in Mandarin w/English Subtitles)

Dead Sushi

Sushi... hungry. Sushi... must... kill.
Director Noboru Iguchi has brought audiences around the world machine-gun school girls, karate robots, and toilet zombies. Killer sushi seems the next logical step. This ridiculous concept is delivered in Iguchi's usual crazy style, with heaping helpings of blood, comedy, nudity, action, awkward situations, and even a bit of pathos. (Dir. Noburo Iguchi, Japan, 2012, 91 min, in Japanese w/English Subtitles)

Babette's Feast

Babette, a Parisian fugitive from the 1871 Commune of Paris uprising, is taken into the poor fishing village home of two puritanical spinsters who consider food beyond oatmeal almost sinful. When Babette by chance comes into money, show blows it all on serving up the ultimate gourmet meal for the dazed villagers. 1988 Best Foreign Film Academy Award Winner. (Danish Film Institute)
(Dir. Gabriel Axel, Denmark, 1987, 102 min)

Ratatouille

In one of Paris' finest restaurants, Remy, a determined young rat, dreams of becoming a renowned French chef. Torn between his family's wishes and his true calling, Remy and his pal Linguini set in motion a hilarious chain of events that turns th City of Lights upside down. (Disney)
(Dir. Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava USA, 2007, 111 min)

Big Night

A celebrity at a restaurant owned by two Italian immigrant brothers (Stanley Tucci & Tony Shalhoub) promises to turn their failing business around. This sharp-witted comedy also featuring Isabella Rosellini, and Minnie Driver.
(Dir. Campbell Scott, Stanley Tucci, USA, 1996, 107 min)

New Video - Vote No! the Big Gay Race 2012

Participation tripled this year to 6,000 from 2,000 in 2011.  Mill CIty Times was there to capture the moment.

Flashback to Zombie Pub Crawls Past

Just a little something to get you in the mood for Saturday's Zombie Pub Crawl VIII.

Restaurant Week Fall 2012: October 21-26

 

Prepare to enjoy a week's worth of fabulous food at unbeatable prices from some of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities. Book a table now! Participating restaurants will present specially priced meals (lunch, dinner, or both) that showcase their culinary offerings in the local dining scenes.

*Tax, wine, beverage, and tip are not included in the preset price. Restaurant-listing content may be subject to change.

Participating restaurants in and around are neighborhood include:

Crooked Pint Ale House

Haute Dish

Sanctuary

Sea Change