Everything You Need to Know to Start Planning Your 2016 Minnesota Fringe Festival Experience!
Thursday, July 7, 2016 at 3:39AM
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Minneapolis Riverfront News
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.
If Walls Could Talk: The Sample Room Cocktails & Eats
Story and photos by Julie Craven
If ever there was an “if walls could talk” establishment, The Sample Room is it. The address on Marshall Street - that's mile 856.2 on the Mississippi River for the boaters - is a quintessential Northeast story.
The structure that housed the Theis Hotel and Sample Room was a hard working business back in the 1890’s. Upstairs were rooms that were rented out and the main floor was a saloon. The Gluek Brewery rolled kegs over for sampling, hence the very practical and descriptive name.
Later the building operated as the Polish Palace, from all reports a windowless dive bar, before it was transformed into the current restaurant in 2002. The renovation revealed layers of paint and there were plenty of earlier renovations to plow through. Quite a transformation for a space that is now known for good craft beers and a scratch kitchen.
Today, you can drive by and not immediately notice the building, it is a bit nondescript. Cookie Coleman and Bob Hest first took us to The Sample Room, and it was great fun to bring Austin friends Steve and Deb Thorson on this night.
Trista took care of our group and was very helpful narrowing down a choice of wine flights. I enjoy Malbecs, and with that information she pointed me towards the Euro Red Flights. She walked us through the menu, highlighted items that are made in-house and gave a nod to the list of local suppliers partners.
The Roasted Beets are truly something special. A great combination of beets with orange and mango segments, goat cheese and sunflower seeds that could easily be an entree. Three Meat Meatloaf with grass-fed beef, pork and bison is always Doug's pick.
My Buttermilk Fried Chicken was a bone-in quarter with dirty rice and beans and creamed kale. I had the Fried Brussels Sprouts as well. My photo doesn't nearly do it justice. I'm always amazed how wonderful fried and roasted Brussels sprouts can be. Tell me again why I didn't like them as a child?!
Seared Scallops with nettle pesto, quinoa, and purple ninja radish were Steve's choice and he even agreed to be a hand model for this article.
What do people come back for again and again? “The meatloaf and the Reuben sandwich,” according to Trista, although she has another fairly recent favorite. “Chef Dewey Sulouff just nailed it with one item on the new menu. I just love the mussels.”
The headline desserts are perennial favorites - Dark Chocolate Mousse and a Lemon Panna Cotta. Tempting, but two orders of the Rhubarb Crumble rounded out the evening for our group.
Between the vintage prints and Dan Raphael art, there's a framed Gluek’s shipping label that says, “Never lay the bottles directly on the ice, it kills the creamy effect.” Good to know some things don't change!
Location: 2124 Marshall Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
Website: the-sample-room.com
Friends of the Mill District Secures Grant for Mill City Choir
By Claudia Kittock
On June 29th, the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) approved an Arts Activities Support grant in the amount of $8,000 to Friends of the Mill District. This grant will be used to fund the Mill City Emanuel Singers which is sponsored by the Friends of the Mill District.
Our choir began on a run. A group of Mill District neighbors formed a running group and invited residents from Emanuel Housing to be part of that group at its inception. We discovered the commonality of running was a means to become friends. On these runs we talked about running, the neighborhood, and our diverse backgrounds. During one of these runs, a runner brought up music and asked the question, “Why isn’t there more music in the neighborhood . . . you know, like a choir?” The simple answer to that question was, “I don’t know, but I will find out.” When I asked a MacPhail Center for Music employee the same question, she promised to do some research. Within a week, she suggested MacPhail might be willing to help us set up a pilot project to see if we could make a choir a reality and offered us J.D. Steele as the director.
The Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA) agreed to provide the seed money for the pilot project and with word-of-mouth and posters put up in residences around the Mill District, we began our first rehearsal with 42 people! It was immediately evident that a neighborhood choir, directed by J.D. Steele, was going to be as unique as our neighborhood and as the genius of J.D. While we love singing together, we also discovered another purpose, building community and developing personal connections through singing together.
J.D. Steele is as talented as he is unique in the world of music. Rehearsals begin with a ‘call’ from J.D. He loudly sings, “Day-Oh!” and the singers echo back. J.D. continues to go up the scale by half steps until we are warmed up and ready to sing. We do not use printed music. J.D. never learned to read music and teaches us using a music technique known as ‘lining out’. Lining has a long and storied tradition in American music. J.D. sings every vocal part by lining, teaching the singers the words, the music, and each part of harmony.
Our hope is to make this choir a permanent part of our neighborhood. At present we have 85 members, most of which are 55 and over. We would like to extend our outreach even further into the homeless community and people living in low income housing, particularly to People Serving People, a family shelter in our neighborhood.
We will rehearse in three 8-week sessions of rehearsals every year. Our goal is to perform at community events at least twice each session. The Guthrie Theater, American Academy of Neurology, and First Covenant Church have already partnered with us to provide rehearsal space. We would like to add neighborhood venues for rehearsals to increase visibility.
The choir has already performed at Holidazzle, the MacPhail Music Matters Luncheon, and will be singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game at the August 11th Minnesota Twins game. Look for the upcoming schedule of rehearsals. We welcome you to join us for one rehearsal or for everyone. However, be very careful. After one rehearsal, the chances of being ‘hooked’ are very high!
Contact Claudia for more details & how to participate at cjkittock@gmail.com
Scenes from the July 2 Mill City Farmers Market
July 2 was Bike to the Market day, and the boulevard was lined with Minneapolis bicycle groups providing shoppers with all the information needed to get the most out of enjoying our city on two wheels. Bicycle mechanics even on site to provide on the spot tune-ups, and Chef Heather Hartman even made her entrance to the Mill City Cooks demo on her bike.
The aromas wafting from the Northern Fires pizza oven aroused appetites from blocks away.
Real Foods has a new tent that affords them more room, plus protects their gorgeous produce from the sun.
Milly the goat!
July 9 Tour de Nice - Cyclists Compete to Raise Funds for Local Charities
The July 9 Tour de Nice kicks off in downtown Minneapolis, where a dozen cyclists representing local charities will ride in a challenge designed around the Nice Ride network. These nonprofit riders will start and finish at Gold Medal Park, competing to see who can visit the most Nice Ride stations between 9:00am and 11:00am.
Bikers around the world know that France has the Tour de France, and even Australia has the Tour Down Under. Well, now Minneapolis — one of the country’s top bike cities — has the #TourDeNice. The Minneapolis Foundation and Nice Ride Minnesota are challenging a small group of cyclists from local charities to ride around the city to see who can visit the most Nice Ride stations in just two hours.
On Saturday, July 9, people all over Minneapolis-St. Paul can raise money to support community needs simply by hopping on a Nice Ride bike. Riders 18 and up — from first-time Nice Ride users to seasoned cyclists — are all encouraged to participate in this community-wide event. During July 9, the Minneapolis Foundation will donate $1 — up to $5,000 — for every Nice Ride trip taken around the Twin Cities. Each dollar will go toward a pot to be donated to the nonprofits of the top three bikers.
I'm putting my money on our neighbor Max Erickson, riding for MacPhail Center for Music.
July 4 Parkway Closures for Red, White & Boom 5K, TC Half Marathon and Fireworks Celebration
Parkway Closures July 4 for Red, White & Boom 5K, TC Half Marathon and Fireworks Celebration
Red, White & Boom 5K, TC Half Marathon
Monday, July 4 - Closed 6:00am - Noon
- Main Street SE, West River Parkway, Victory Memorial Parkway, Webber Parkway, Stone Arch Bridge
More Info
Red, White & Boom Fireworks Celebration
Monday, July 4 - Closed 2:00pm - 10:30pm
- Main Street SE from Merriam Avenue to 6th Avenue SE - 2:00pm-11:00pm
- 3rd Avenue SE from Main Street SE to 2nd Street SE – 2:00pm-11:00pm
- West River Pkwy from N 4th Avenue to 11th Avenue S – 4:30pm-11:00pm
- 3rd Avenue S Bridge (Central Avenue SE): Closed to pedestrians - 9:15pm-10:30pm
- Closed to Vehicles - 9:15pm-10:30pm
- Stone Arch Bridge - closed to cyclists from 9:30-10:30pm
More Info
Get in the Zone! July 10 Open Streets Downtown Programming Zones Announced
Make the most of your visit to Open Streets Downtown on July 10, 11:00am - 5:00pm. Be sure to hit the Zones that are of interest to you, your family and and friends.
Location: Washington Ave N from 8th Ave N to 1st Ave N & 1st Ave N from Washington Ave N to 8th St S
Kids Zone
Enjoy over two blocks of kids programming! The Minnesota Lynx & Timberwolves will have basketball activities for kids, there will be free facepainting and henna, bubbles and painting on the street with Free Arts Minnesota, and other fun activities provided by a number of different organizations!
Wellness Zone
Filled with local businesses and organizations dedicated to health care and fitness, there’s a little something for everyone. Stop by the North Memorial booth, enjoy a fitness class with the YMCA, get a health screening at the “Q Mobile”, or do some yoga on the street with Minnesota Power Yoga!
Sustainability Zone
Get tips on taking your bike on the bus from Metro Transit, see a bike polo demonstration by Chrome Industries, and visit the Nice Ride booth to learn more about joining the Twin Cities bike share!
All that fun will make you hungry, so it’s a good thing there’ll be plenty of food along the route! Stop for a snack at our food truck area, then swing by Red Cow for a burger and to take part in their bean bag toss competition! Finish your trip with a visit to First Avenue and a donut from Glam Doll Donuts. Then stick around to burn off some of that food thanks to free all day fitness classes hosted by Life Time Fitness including yoga and an afternoon boot camp (if you’re still hungry, they’ll even have smoothie samples!)!
Restaurant Week Summer 2016, July 17-22
It's July, and that means it's time for Restaurant Week! Celebrate the best of Twin Cities dining with a week's worth of great deals in the Twin Cities trendiest and best restaurants from July 17-22.
Participating restaurants will serve two course lunches for $10-$25 and three-course dinners for $15- $35 (beverage, tax and gratuity not included).
Mpls.St.Paul Magazine’s Restaurant Week started in 2007 in an effort to connect Twin Cities food enthusiasts with the best in Twin Cities dining. Since then, Restaurant Week has become a tradition embraced by Minnesotans.
In our neighborhood and near by, visit the following restaurants: Sanctuary, Ginger Hop, and Haute Dish.
Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps are Seeking Tutors to Serve in Minneapolis for 2016-17
Our friends at ServeMinnesota asked us to spread the word on these Tutoring opportunities.
Looking for ways to get involved in the Riverfront? Support students at your local school!
Experience life-changing growth while supporting your local school. Become a Minnesota Reading Corps or Minnesota Math Corps tutor and be a hero to students who struggle with reading or math. Whether you want to explore a career in education, re-enter the workforce, or give back to your community, you can make a difference as a tutor. Last year, Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps tutors helped more than 35,000 children in more than 900 schools across the state.
In the Riverfront Neighborhoods, literacy tutors are needed at the following schools for the 2016-17 school year:
• Northeast College Prep Charter School
• Downtown YMCA Early Childhood Learning Center PreK
• Downtown YWCA of Minneapolis PreK
• Marcy Open School
• Webster Elementary
As a tutor, you'll see a student's progress as they gain new skills and as they light up with confidence and the satisfaction of knowing they can do it. No child wants to stand out because they can’t learn as quickly as their classmates. We’re helping more kids catch up and soar on their own. And you can be part of it.
Tutors receive extensive training and support from onsite coaches. Tutors are paid a living allowance, given federal student loan forbearance, and are eligible for an education award of up to $5,775 at the end of their service. Tutors 55 or older may gift the award to their child or grandchild. Full- and part-time positions are available.
Here’s what a few tutors love about serving:
• “I give the children in our community the individualized attention they need to thrive in school. This is awesome work that makes Minnesota mighty!” – Sarah W., children’s book author and former PreK teacher
• “I absolutely love what I do! I get to come to school each day and see the kiddos I work with succeed.” – Andrea M., stay-at-home parent
Learn how you can get involved by visiting MinnesotaReadingCorps.org or MinnesotaMathCorps.org. You can also help by telling a friend or family member about openings in our community and statewide! Positions start in August for the 2016-17 school year. Send questions to recruitment@servemnaction.org or call 866-859-2825.
2016 Women’s Art Institute Summer Studio Intensive exhibition includes work by Susan Schaefer
Congratulations to Mill City Times' own Susan Schaefer, whose work is part of the upcoming 2016 Women’s Art Institute Summer Studio Intensive exhibition.
WhatIn the News - News from Downtown & the Riverfront Neighborhoods
TOP STORIES LAST WEEK
Why does downtown Minneapolis still have a lot of surface parking lots? It's complicated
What can the city do to rid itself of the acres of surface parking lots in and around downtown? While development activity has seen many of those lots disappear, many remain — too many, according to Council Members Lisa Goodman and Jacob Frey.
Illustrated history of Vikings stadium to go on sale
The Vikings and the Minnesota Historical Society Press teamed up to publish the 224-page book on the largest public-private project in state history.
Vikings win legal fight with Wells Fargo over rooftop signs
The Vikings have smacked down Wells Fargo in a dispute over "photo-bombing" signs near the new U.S. Bank Stadium.
Judge tells Wells Fargo to take down signs near stadium
U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank gave Wells Fargo 30 days to remove the signs, and ordered the bank to pay the Vikings' attorneys' fees.
Park Board hires Water Works design team
Park commissioners have hired a team to design a new riverfront park that would overhaul the downtown riverfront.
Wednesday Night | Trivia Night at Target Station
Come play trivia and win prizes at Target Field Station! Trivia night is back on Wednesday, June 29 at 6 pm. It's free to play and will include great prizes provided by Go 96.3 FM and Go 95.3 FM. Fulton Beer will be on hand as well as snacks and more. Trivia is part of the ongoing Go Outside With Hennepin County series.
Wednesday Outdoor Trivia is located right outside Target Field's Gate 6 on the Northwest side of the stadium. Parking is available on-street in the North Loop, underneath Target Field Station (335 N. 5th Street) or at Ramps A, B or C. The Light Rail platform servicing the Green Line from St. Paul and Blue Line from Bloomington are connected to the trivia area. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on, find a space in the lawn and enjoy trivia on the big screen!
Scenes from the June 25 Mill City Farmers Market
June 25 was Brain Health Day at the Market. In what has become an annual event, Market Sponsor American Academy of Neurology (AAN) gave away 1,000 bike helmets, along with other items. Look for a separate post about this event later this week on our Farmers Market blog.
New vendors debuting on June 25 were Dumpling & Strand and Shahiya Chitney. Look for separate posts later this week on our Farmers Market blog.
Chef Jenny Breen shops for ingredients for the Mill City Cooks demo.
Melanie Ebertz of ArtAndes shows a tapestry woven by Wilber Quispe's son.
The beautiful work of Joanna Buyert, Fringe and Fettle Ceramics.
Two businesses from the FOOD BUILDING, side by side at the Market: The Lone Grazer and Red Table Meat Co.
The Meet Your Vegetables interns were back, demo'g a Citrus Beet Salad. Look for a separate post later this week on our Farmers Market blog.
The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul was the June 25 Community Booth. Check out their programming and consider becoming a member!
The Wedge Community Co-op got into the spirit of Pride weekend. These cupcakes were popular!
Yes! Kids at the Market! :D
No silk purses for these pigs ears. They are doggie treats from Barkley's Bistro.
The goat!
Work at Washington Ave and 2nd Ave S begins Monday, June 27
Via a June 23 Hennepin County e-newsletter:
Starting Monday, June 27, utility crews will be working in the northeast corner of the intersection of Washington Avenue and Second Avenue South. As a result, there will be no right turns from westbound Washington Avenue onto northbound Second Avenue South. Motorists will be able to continue to turn left from westbound Washington Avenue onto southbound Second Avenue South.
Eastbound traffic will not be affected by this work.
This work is expected last approximately four weeks.
PinKU Japanese Street Food
Story and Photos by Julie Craven
PinKU Japanese Street Food doesn't fit neatly into a category. It's not casual, although you do order at the counter. It's not fine dining, despite the fact the food is beautifully presented. There are no reservations and no tipping. According to Xiaoteng Huang (X) and John Sugimura, partners and the founders of the restaurant, that's exactly how they planned it.
The same could be said for the menu. There's salmon, shrimp and tuna, but not in a predictable way. Japanese signature items, but with a twist. So how does a first time guest choose? “Pick what you like," John explained. "If you like salmon, you'll like it seared with rice cakes.”
I chose the Spicy Tuna Fat Roll and Crispy Pot Stickers. Doug and Noah went for the Jumbo Crispy Shrimp with Radish Noodles and more pot stickers. In the spirit of full disclosure, we ended up getting another order of pot stickers after that. The PinKU Elixir was summertime-yummy; sake, Champagne, orange liqueur, pomegranate and lime. We cleaned our plates, or should I say our very cool, shiny serving trays.
“We're a mom and pop shop, without being mom and pop," John explained. "More typically, family operations did this by choice and that's an empowering part of our culture.” A conversation at a sushi class was the spark for the idea between the two partners. The past two years they've had a laser focus on details large and small as they prepared for the launch. They perfected the menu with catering work for what they estimate was about 5000 people.
“We love how we have been able to tell the story of Japanese food, Japanese art and the Japanese experience in the United States,” X explained. The experience for both of them is unique - and it’s personal.
John is a second generation Master Sushi Chef, who is Minnesota-born and spent time in Japan. He may be starting a business from scratch, but his roots go deep in Japanese food - his grandmother was a sushi chef in the 1920’s. That alone is remarkable, as women for the most part did not have a shot at that coveted role in the culinary world.
She lost the restaurant when the family was sent from Sacramento to a Japanese-American internment camp at Tule Lake, California during World War II. She reopened the restaurant after the war, so John describes PinKU as the third round of a family restaurant. He smiled when he talked about how this venture helps his family rebuild and restore routines related to their culture.
X has a different story but with many parallels. “This is my American Dream. My parents came here to provide the best experience for me to succeed. I want to seize the opportunity.” He and his family came to Minnesota from China when he was 12 and his path followed a familiar track with college and a career in the corporate world. But he wanted to be an entrepreneur and leave his own legacy.
He left Target Corporation and went to work at Chipotle Mexican Grill. “I washed dishes and cleaned grills. I wanted to understand the entire restaurant experience, not just the taste, but how it works, what you hear, what you feel.”
Why this Northeast neighborhood for their location? John described a checklist they had in mind. They wanted to walk to the bank, walk to the grocery store. They loved the sense of community. It's kid friendly, another item on their checklist (there's a section of the menu titled “kiddos” with ramen noodles and pot stickers). They've found both the neighborhood and the business community welcoming.
There's interest already in classes and events, but the partners agreed they want to walk first. They acknowledged they have hosted one birthday party in the short time since they opened, but they want to be thoughtful and focus on guest experience first.
So what has surprised them in the days since they opened the doors? “We're surprised that people are into what we're into. Trying to get the art, trying to get the food. They're embracing the story we have to tell. Everything here is what we're proud of, where we came from. We're inviting you into our house," John added, "that's the greatest compliment of all when you are invited into someone's home.”
Location: 20 University Avenue NE, Minneapolis MN 55413
Website: pinkujapanese.com
Julie Craven can be reached at julie@millcitymedia.org.
A Visit to the Riverplace Market
New to the Riverplace courtyard this year is the Riverplace Market, open 3p-7p Wednesdays thru September 28. It's a beautiful setting for an outdoor market - the cobblestone, the river, the water fountain. We wandered over there this past steamy Wednesday to check it out. It's a good thing I brought a canvas bag with me.
There's a different food truck onsite each week. On June 22 it was Turbo Taco.
Musicians from McNally Smith provide background music each week.
We picked up a bag of Honeycrisp apple chips from Brand Farms out of Farmington. Great snack for the office.
Check out the cheeky names of these cheeses from The Lone Grazer Creamery.
I picked up some baby cukes from Untiedt's Vegetable Farm - the first of the season for me. What a treat!
Creature Comfort Hot Sauce offers some fun flavors, including a sweet carrot-based version.
Roasted nuts from Isadore Nut Co. are a hit-the-spot snack or fun gift.
We were happy to see Dorothy of HeathGlen’s Farm and Kitchen. She's an award-winning master of jellies, jams, syrups and sauces. My favorite is Romesco - wow, just wow. And, please, don't get me started on the Harissa!
Local artisans from the A-Mill Artist Lofts were selling natural sodas, designer cookies, sterling silver jewelry and sassy greeting cards (the best kind!). I picked up some earrings by Lynn Soetebier of Wyrd Sisters Shop for Christmas, but they're so darn cute I don't think I can wait that long to give them as a gift.
We sampled oils, vinegars, and seasoned salts, peppers and sugars from Annona Gourmet. A jar of sweet onion flavored cane sugar came home with us. I'm thinking it will work well with grilled veggies, or in a marinade or an Asian sauce.
Here's something you don't see every day (or ever, considering we're in the Midwest): Microgreens and pet grass grown with ocean water. According to Minnesota Microgreens owner Chad Martin, their GMO-free, organic greens are fertilized with pure ocean water - "Ocean Solution" - which contains every mineral in the periodic table. Chad's adorable son informed me that he likes basil. Love it!
Hard decision at the Curt’s Special Recipe booth - Salsa, BBQ Sauce or Bloody Mary Mix? BBQ Sauce won. Riverplace Market shoppers can take advantage of a Frequent Buyers Club card - get a stamp for each jar purchased, and once you hit six stamps you'll get the seventh jar free.
Sometimes you come across something you didn't know you couldn't live without. Dave fell in love with the Man Cave Craft Meats' "Buffalo Wing Style with Bleu Cheese" bratwurst.
Regrettably, we missed a few booths. You'll just need to make a trip yourself - check out everything the Riverplace Market has to offer. :)
Volunteers Needed for July 10 Open Streets Downtown
The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition is looking for a few more volunteers for the July 10 Open Streets Downtown, including: Street Ambassadors, Planeteers, Breakdown Crew and Pop-up Protected Bikeway Ambassadors.
Volunteers are a crucial part of making Open Streets safe and fun, and it’s the perfect opportunity to get involved in the community, meet new people and support the Coalition’s work. Volunteers also get a FREE 2016 Open Streets Mpls T-shirt. Please sign up online for the position and shift you prefer.
Several Downtown Streets Closed for Pride Parade Sunday, June 26
On Sunday, June 26, the City will close several streets in downtown Minneapolis for the Ashley Rukes GLBT Pride Parade.
Beginning at 8:00am:
• Hennepin Avenue will close from Eighth Street to Ninth Street for the Pride Block Party.
• Third Street South will close for staging of the parade from Hennepin Avenue to Portland Avenue. Cross traffic will be allowed at all times.
• Hennepin Avenue will close from Third Street to Spruce Place. Cross traffic will be allowed as normal until 10:30 a.m.
• Some cross traffic will be restricted from crossing Hennepin Avenue. Traffic will be allowed to cross Hennepin at Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, 10th, and 11th streets.
• Spruce Place will close from Hennepin Avenue to Yale Place.
• Yale Place will close from Spruce Place to Loring Park.
All streets will reopen following the parade at about 3:00pm.
Road Closures Saturday, June 25, for Heartbeat 5000
The following roads will be closed from 8:30am-Noon on June 25 for the Heartbeat 5000:
Closed at SE Main Street to SE 6th Avenue to Stone Arch Bridge to West River Parkway - Portland Avenue N to Plymouth Avenue N to Sibley Street NE, East Island Avenue to Merriam Street, Merriam Street to SE Main Street.
The Woonerf is Taking Shape!
The Woonerf is taking shape! When complete, we'll have a new option for walking and biking to the river. Learn more about this project.
