Sunset Glow and Into the Urban Woods by Ric Rosow

Submitted by Ric Rosow

Thank you to Ric Rosow for these images and detailed descriptions.

Sunset Glow

I call this image Sunset Glow. It is the result of blending 4 to 5 images together, each with a different exposure setting. In my first attempt at editing I used five images, starting with a bright exposure and stopping down to a darker exposure. The blending process lightens dark areas and darkens light areas, thereby evening out the overall exposure. After that I can use masks to further refine the exposure on an area by area basis. However, in this instance that process did not work out. The lightest exposure when blended with the others produced a dark halo effect over the top of Capella Tower. It looks like a stain. The halo came from the light emitted by the structure on top of the tower. No matter what I tried the halo remained visible. So I eliminated the lightest image and did the blend again, this time with four images. It worked. The dark halo, a distraction to be sure, is gone.

Into the Urban Woods 

This photograph is based on one image, unlike Sunset Glow which was based a blend of on four images. I took the photograph the same evening as Sunset Glow but with a different composition. I orientated my camera toward where the sun had set, in the space between the Guthrie and the RBC Gateway Tower. In order to preserve detail in the sky I needed to stop down the exposure to a fairly dark setting. My challenge here was to preserve the beautiful tones in the sky while still bringing out some detail in the buildings. Since the Guthrie is already a deep blue color, using a darker exposure pushed the color of the building to black. I like that in this case as it fits the theme of the photograph - into the woods.  

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See more of my work at www.ricrosowphotography.com. To see my work in person, visit Tres Leches Art Gallery, Studio 173, in the Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson Street NE. The studio is open Fridays from noon to 4 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m., and the First Thursday of each month from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Red Rabbit Included in FSR Magazine's America's Top 50 Independent Restaurants for 2023

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

The July issue of FSR Magazine announced their America's Top 50 Independent Restaurants for 2023. We’re extremely lucky to have three of these culinary destinations nearby – Young Joni, Spoon and Stable and Red Rabbit. We wanted to learn more about these restaurants and started by speaking with Michael Giacomini, Director of Finance for Red Rabbit. We learned about the secrets of their success and must-try choices on your next visit to their restaurant in the North Loop at 201 Washington Avenue N.

Michael Giacomini

Q:  Did you know Red Rabbit was in contention for the award? 

A:  This was a total surprise for us! It was so rewarding to see this happen without us knowing we were in contention.

Q:  How were you notified? 

A:  We were not specifically notified. We follow FSR Magazine and we saw we were in it!

Q:  The award calls our Red Rabbit’s authentic Italian dishes and craft cocktails. How do you differentiate the dining experience at Red Rabbit versus other Minneapolis Italian restaurants? 

A:  We differentiate ourselves by being an uncomplicated authentic Italian restaurant. We focus on the authentic flavors of traditional Italian dishes while staying affordable and approachable. Our 72-hour aged pizza dough really sets us apart from some other Italian restaurants. You can come to us and get oysters, pizza, spaghetti & meatballs, lasagna or our famous Chicken Parmesan. We believe beverage is such an integral part of the dining experience. That is why we focus on creating an elevated experience around craft cocktails, fine wines stored and chilled at the right temperatures, and our 20 taps of Craft beer. Focusing on all three components of beverage allows us to be able to provide something for everyone to enjoy with their meal. Our beverage director Ian Lowther hand selects and creates the wines and cocktails available at Red Rabbit.

Q:  Will the award prompt the management team to consider opening additional Red Rabbit locations in the state? 

A:  We are always looking for the opportunity for a great location where we believe the neighborhood will enjoy the experience, and we can positively impact that community.

Pepperoni PizzaQ:  What are dishes do you recommend we try when we next visit Red Rabbit? We won’t limit ourselves to one, but would you also recommend a cocktail we should try? 

A:  To start, you have to get the burrata. For pastas, you cannot go wrong with the Cavatelli or Mostaccioli. For pizzas, we are known for our spicy salami pizza or margherita pizza. Make sure to get our Chicken Parmesan for the table to split, and for dessert our sticky toffee cake is an absolute must! For beverages, please try the espresso martini.

Q:  Any sneak peeks at fall menu items?  

A:  We are working with our chefs and beverage director to change some items over from spring/summer to fall/winter. Most of our menu stays the same but we do stay on trend with some seasonal items. I can’t report any advance info right now!

Mostaccioli

Espresso Martini

Charcuterie Board

Q:  Congrats to you for also sponsoring and hosting the QUEERSPACE Pride Block Party – last year and again in 2023. How did the partnership come about?   

A:  We love it! One of their board members is a longtime family friend, neighbor, and regular at our Red Cow Uptown Location. She reached out to us a couple years ago to partner with QUEERSPACE Collective and do something big during pride month. We then also partnered with Indeed Brewing Company, and the three of us put our heads together on how we can raise money and have a good time all at once! Our staff has really come to love and support QUEERSPACE Collective as well. It is just a really fun partnership that also raises money for a great cause!

Q: What role does social media play in your marketing strategy? How may we follow your news?

A: Social media plays a big role in our Marketing Strategy. Mainly, we use social media to define our brand, create and build brand awareness and promote all that we offer as a company. Our social media accounts have allowed us to create relationships with people who might not otherwise know or interact with our brand. Additionally, social media is an information resource for us to see what others in the industry are doing. It also allows us to showcase menu items (current & new), beverages, and our staff!  Not only is social media free to use, it’s an amazing tool to drive users to other areas of the business (sales, website traffic, events, ads, etc).

Our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the best options when looking for current, relevant happenings within our company! Also check out our website.

Check Out the Snazzy New Bar at Pivo Riverplace!

After nine long months in the making, Pivo’s new bar is finished.

They turned the original small bar into a zero-proof (alcohol-free) oasis, which may be one of the first dedicated zero-proof bars in Minneapolis. Situated right across from the zero-proof bar is the new Fletcher's Ice Cream station. In addition to Fletcher's, Pivo has also partnered with Kramarczuk’s.

July 29 at the Mill City Farmers Market

New items in this weeks Mill City Farmers Market shopping basket: Watermelon and seedless cucumber from WEI, melon from Nistler Farms, garlic from Morning Glory Farm and Gardens, apples from Mary Dirty Face Farm, sweet peppers from GVY Fresh Produce, sweet corn and potatoes from Prairie Hollow Farm.

REMINDER: The annual Harvest Dinner, a major funding source for MCFM, is scheduled for September 10th. Taking place in the Mill City Museum Courtyard, the event features a market-to-table dinner prepared with farm-fresh ingredients by market chefs Nettie Colón and Jenny Breen, craft cocktails and live music. The evening ends with a live auction and fund-a-need support for MCFM's Next Stage Grant program for farmers and food makers. Learn more here.

New Vendor - Caphin!

Caphin serves delicately crafted Vietnamese coffee specialty drinks such as cà phê trung (egg coffee), cà phê lá dua (pandan) and Ube. They will return for the September 30 and October 28 markets.

Photo credit - MCFM

 

 

The Mill Yard at Stonebridge Lofts Announces New Art Show: Outside the Lines

 

Outside the Lines

Opening Reception Sunday, August 13, 4:00 - 6:00PM

Stonebridge Lofts, 1120 S 2nd Street

Join us at The Mill Yard opening reception to meet the featured artists and engage with beautiful art. Wine, beverages and snacks are served.

Artists featured at this show:

Jim ConawayJim Conaway was a productive Minnesota artist while teaching painting and drawing at Hamline University. In 1970 Jim was chosen by the U.S. State Department to participate in the American Embassy program where American artists painted their local landscapes to hang in American Embassies around the world. His paintings have been exhibited in museums and galleries across the country including the Walker Art Center, the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis. After Jim’s retirement from Hamline in1996, he became a full-time painter in his studio in the Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art where he is a founding member.

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Gia GiffordGia Gifford is a painter and metalsmith who works out of her studio in the Casket Arts Building in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. Gia holds degrees in studio art and art history, as well as a master’s degree in art education and has taught in a variety of settings over the past fifteen years. Gia’s painterly process employs motion, repetition and rhythm as a form of contemplation. “My layering technique immerses the viewer in the complex shapes and sequences of the painting, producing an experience that is aesthetic, emotional, and therapeutic.”

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Ric RosowRic Rosow is a Minneapolis based photographer who enjoys photographing landscapes, cityscapes, night-time skies, concerts and people. He loves taking photographs of the Minneapolis downtown skyline. His catalogue of photographs includes images from his travels not only in the U.S., but Mexico, Central and South America, South Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Antarctica Peninsula. His work has been displayed in local galleries and published in Backroads' travel brochures, Hill Town Tours social media sites and more.

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Rita Schaefer-SeatonRita Schaefer-Seaton was born and raised in Germany. Her German education afforded her the pursuit of a corporate career in the U.S. Choosing to develop her visual and creative skills, in the late 1980’s she earned a degree in graphic design. To expand from design to fine art she continued to study painting and life drawing. “My work is influenced by my interests in psychology, the archetypical and science fiction.” Rita’s paintings and drawings have been accepted into juried exhibitions including the Minnesota State Fair.

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Robinson ScottRobinson Scott has been blowing original glass art for 45 years. Having studied in Sweden he uses many Swedish color layering techniques, combined with his is own variations creating a 3-dimensional viewing experience. He is an award-winning glass blower with pieces available in numerous galleries and part of many corporate collections. “I pursue difference and personal perfection in form and design. I enjoy the challenge of change, ever striving to learn new designs, techniques, and approaches in glass. This is my driving force.”

The Dayton’s Project Announces Sezzle as Newest Tenant

Sezzle Inc. is the most recent big name to locate its operations downtown, joining Buyers Support Group, Unilever, Ernst & Young, and Uncommon 

This week The Dayton’s Project welcomed Sezzle Inc. to the building. Sezzle, a locally founded, publicly traded technology platform, signed a long-term lease with The Dayton’s Project for nearly 11,500 SF for their Minneapolis headquarters location.  

“We are so excited to welcome Sezzle to the building,” said Kristin Longhenry, General Manager of the property, “We have seen firsthand the impact of being able to bring your team back together to an office that supports collaboration and innovation. And we’re thrilled to provide that home to many of Minneapolis’ premier businesses.” 

The Dayton’s Project was built in 1902, home to the original Dayton’s Department Store, which later became Target. In 2017, ownership group 601 W. Companies bought the property with the goal of transforming the 1.2 million square foot project into retail and modern office space. The Dayton’s Project now boasts best-in-class amenities for exclusive tenant use, including a rooftop deck, private lounge, high-end fitness center, and library. 

Photo: Minneapolis / St. Paul Business JournalSezzle will occupy one of The Dayton’s Project’s spec suites – office spaces that are created for immediate occupancy so that companies can move quickly into their new space. Sezzle will join other spec suite tenants on the sixth floor, with easy access to shared conferencing space as well as their own private suite, which includes private offices, conferencing and collaboration areas, and a kitchen.  

Jim Montez and Alex Baron of Transwestern represented the building in the deal. Pete Kostroski and Jake Sampson from Rokos Advisors represented Sezzle.  

May Pang to Exhibit Her Candid Photos of John Lennon Taken During His 18-Month Lost Weekend at Aloft, August 18 - 20

May Pang with artwork                                                     Photo credit Scott Segelbaum

The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang coincides with the feature film documentary The Lost Weekend: A Love Story that premiered in theaters in April 2023

Few people knew John Lennon as intimately as May Pang. Pang was Lennon’s lover during the infamous Lost Weekend era, which was his 18-month separation from Yoko Ono from late 1973 through 1975. During this highly creative time for Lennon, Pang took candid photos of Lennon in a comfortable, relaxed environment.

Social CommentaryA collection of these private photographs will be on display and available for purchase at Gallery13 in the Aloft Hotel, 900 Washington Avenue S, Friday, August 18 through Sunday, August 20. Admission to the exhibit is free to the public, and all works are available for purchase. May Pang will be in attendance at Gallery13 in the Aloft Hotel, meeting attendees and telling stories behind these limited-edition photographs of John Lennon. See John as May saw him!

During the Lost Weekend, with May's help, Lennon had his most artistically and commercially productive period post-Beatles - with the albums Mind Games, Walls and Bridges (which included his only #1 Hit Single Whatever Gets You Through the Night), Rock and Roll, and collaborations with Elton John, David Bowie, Harry Nilsson, Mick Jagger and Ringo, among others. Pang can be heard on the song #9 Dream as she whispers John’s name in the song. Another song, Surprise, Surprise (Sweet Bird of Paradox), was written about Pang.

Pang also encouraged Lennon to reconnect with his family and his friends, which ultimately led to a reunion with Paul McCartney and a memorable jam session between the two Beatles. Pang also arranged for Julian Lennon to visit his father for the first time in almost three years. One of Pang’s photographs of Julian Lennon graces the cover of Julian’s latest album entitled Jude.

Father & Son

Lennon also went into the studio with friend Harry Nilsson during this time and produced his album Pussy Cats. It was during this time that Pang rented a house in Santa Monica and moved in with Lennon and fellow partiers Ringo Starr, Keith Moon and Harry Nilsson. Several photos from this time also appear in the exhibition. Other highlights of the exhibition include the only photograph that exists of John Lennon signing the contract to dissolve the Beatles, as well as the last known photograph of John Lennon and Paul McCartney together (March 29, 1974).

Pang has also published three books on her times with Lennon, including Loving John, John Lennon – The Lost Weekend and Instamatic Karma, featuring photos from her private archives.

The Toy

Open Eye Theatre Announces Fall/Winter Productions

Open Eye Theatre Announces a Line-up of Compelling Plays and a Hilarious Holiday Comedy for the Fall/Winter Season

Open Eye Theatre has announced a line-up of three exciting productions guaranteed to open eyes, hearts and minds this season:

THE CHINESE LADY - September 7–24

In 1834, Afong Moy was brought from Beijing to America and put on display as the “Chinese Lady.” Over the next several decades, she performed in a side show that both defined and challenged her own view of herself as she witnessed stunning transformation in the United States. Inspired by the true story of America’s first female Chinese immigrant, playwright Lloyd Suh unearths hidden history and questions the way we look at ourselves and others. 

Open Eye is excited to have Eric Sharp making his Open Eye directing debut, along with the incredible talents of Katie Bradley and Michel Sung Ho in the lead roles. The design team includes Kathy Maxwell (lighting), Matthew LeFebvre (costumes), Montana Johnson and Gao Hong (sound and music), Hui Wilcox (movement), and Joel Sass (set).

LIFE SUCKS! - October 12 - November 5

Open Eye and Girl Friday Productions are pleased to announce LIFE SUCKS!. A group of old friends, ex-lovers, estranged in-laws, and lifelong enemies gather to grapple with life’s thorniest questions - and each other. What could possibly go wrong? Incurably lustful and lonely, hapless and hopeful, these seven souls collide and stumble their way towards a new understanding that LIFE SUCKS! Or does it? From the mind of Aaron Posner, author of Stupid F*#king Bird, comes this brash and revelatory reworking of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Never has unhappiness been so much fun.

The tiny Open Eye stage will explode this fall with 7 passionate and hilarious actors (and many shots of vodka), supported by a creative team that includes Kathy Maxwell (lights), Claire Looker (costumes), C Andrew Mayer (sound), and Joel Sass (set).

SCROOGE IN ROUGE - November 30 – December 23

The Royal Music Hall Variety Players' production of A Christmas Carol is in a pickle after seventeen members of the company suddenly fall ill. This leaves the three remaining members to plow on (so to speak) through a musical performance of the Dickens classic. Expect missed cues, unfamiliar characters, and costume mishaps aplenty. With cheeky puns and bawdy songs, this quick-change, cross-dressing version of the Christmas tale is a hilarious holiday treat!

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Open Eye Theatre serves artists and audiences by advancing adventurous and imaginative arts programming. Open Eye Theatre is nationally recognized as a vibrant home for artists who create imaginative and profound experiences that open eyes, hearts, and minds through the power of amazing stories and unforgettable performances.

Experience a thrilling array of original theatre, inventive puppetry, live music, and world-class storytelling from local, national, and international artists year-round in their cozy 90-seat theater at 506 East 24th Street, located 2 blocks south of Franklin Ave between Portland Ave and 35W. Park for free in the Lutheran Social Services lot at 24th and Portland.

Rhythmically Speaking Brings The Cohort 2023 to The Southern Theater August 17-19

Rhythmically Speaking is bringing The Cohort back to The Southern Theater August 17-19

Featuring works inspired by the vibrancy of jazz and American social dance ideas, The Cohort 2023: Stage & Screen is the fifth installment of Rhythmically Speaking's reimagined annual Summer production, and fifteenth overall. Following ten years of annually presenting dance works by 7-9 mostly-local artists and their varied casts of performers, in 2019 Rhythmically Speaking shifted to provide more in-depth support to fewer artists creating longer works, and a company of dancers to perform them. In 2022, they innovated further by adding a screen works wing, in collaboration with the Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema (Boulder, CO). This new vision of the RS annual summer production continues support of new work by local choreographers while providing opportunities for artists based outside of Minnesota to show their work here.

The stage component of The Cohort 2023 features works by an exciting line-up of artists: Laura Osterhaus Rosenstone, a local artist known for her work as a dancer with Zenon Dance Company and now her own company SLO Dance, Cara Hagan of New York City, Program Director of the MFA in Contemporary Theater Performance at the New School and sought-after stage and screen works creator and curator, and Carlos R.A. Jones of Buffalo, NY, Professor of Musical Theater and Dance at SUNY Buffalo and highly-regarded jazz thinker who recently co-edited pivotal text Rooted Jazz Dance: Africanist Aesthetics and Equity in the 21st Century. RS Artistic and Executive Director Erinn Liebhard will also have work in the show - a revisiting of Feist(meist)er, created for the first Cohort show in 2019 and recently performed at the Peridance Center in New York City.

From Osterhaus Rosenstone’s poignant, rhythmic explorations of presence in improvisation to Hagan’s consideration of the intersection of forms of body percussion to Jones’ high-energy fusion and Liebhard’s groovy and feisty vibes, the production will run a gamut of feelings while showing a breadth of what ‘jazz and American social dance-inspired’ can mean. The cohort of artists involved in this show also includes RS company members Nieya Amezquita, Doug Hooker, Sara Karimi, RS Artistic Director Erinn Liebhard, Kelli Miles, Javan Mngrezzo, Jake Nehrbass, Kathleen Pender and Betsy Schaefer-Roob. The Cohort 2023 will also include a screening of to-be-selected dance films by artists from all over the world: last year’s screen program included works not only from all over the USA, but also Bulgara, the UK and Spain! There will also be a showing of the same selected screendance works in Boulder, CO by collaborating organization Sans Souci in July 2023, in conjunction with the Boulder Jazz Dance Workshop.

Rhythmically Speaking sparks vibrancy and connectedness through jazz and American social dance ideas. With shared roots of groove, interaction and improvisation, these approaches encourage simultaneous expression of difference and similarity as a means of creating community. RS is proud to be a local and national leader in celebrating the rich history of these forms while nurturing their innovation. Since their founding in 2008, the organization has presented 103 original and remounted works, and engaged 350+ artists and thousands of audience members.

Source Song Festival Celebrates 10th Season With August 7-11 Recitals at Westminster and Other Events

Source Song Festival (Source) has announced its 10th Anniversary Festival - a special week of recitals, masterclasses, and lectures open to the public.

From August 7-11, Westminster Presbyterian Church's Westminster Hall will be alive with the sounds of art song. Traditionally created as early as the 18th century, Source expands this repertoire by highlighting today’s emerging composers who enhance and develop the meaning of this evocative musical genre.

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Sixteen vocalists and collaborative pianists from across the U. S. comprise the eight MNDuo performer pairs who will premiere the musical works of eight MNSong composers. These impressive musicians and composers have trained at esteemed institutions, including New England Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music, among others. Their rehearsal and study began in May, culminating in a public recital during the Festival.

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Season 10 will also welcome nationally renowned guest musicians, composers, and clinicians to present daytime educational lectures and master classes for the MNSong and MNDuo participants. Most notable is the return of Warren Jones and Tamara Wilson to the Twin Cities in recital with Anthony Dean Griffey, all familiar musicians to the area’s greatest music institutions. Daily masterclasses and lectures featuring guest artists and festival directors are open to the public. Detailed information, schedule, and tickets for evening concerts, including an all-inclusive festival pass, can be found here.

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* * RECITAL SCHEDULE * *

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Monday, August 7: The OpenSource Recital celebrates 10 years of partnerships with the trailblazers who have built Source into the force it is today. Music by Libby Larsen, David Evan Thomas, Carol Barnett, Stephen Paulus, and a world premiere by Jocelyn Hagen and Tim Takach in a special co-presentation between Source and The Schubert Club. Performers include Dashon Burton, Clara Osowski, and Mary Jo Gothmann.

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Tuesday, August 8: Pianist Warren Jones’ Masterclass will focus on performance of traditional song and what it means to collaborate.

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Wednesday, August 9: The MNSong Showcase will feature Minnesota-based performers presenting original music by MNSong composers. Each new piece will be paired with a song from the historical canon as a contrasting response piece.

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Thursday, August 10: The Guest Artist Recital presents soprano Tamara Wilson, tenor Anthony Dean Griffey, and pianist Warren Jones.

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Friday, August 11: We close the Festival with the MNDuo Showcase, featuring premiere new pieces by MNSong composers inspired by the canon piece, in addition to one piece of their choosing.

David Fhima to Open Mother Dough Bakery in The Vicinity Apartments Later this Year

David FhimaSherman Associates and David Fhima announce Mother Dough Bakery as the newest restaurant coming to the Mill District neighborhood. This is the third location of the bakery and café in Minneapolis operated by Fhima, located at the southeast corner of Park Avenue and 2nd Street S at 205 Park Avenue, Suite #3.

“My team and I are excited to partner with this amazing company. Sherman Associates embodies the same corporate values as the Fhima family; build back the Minneapolis downtown community better than ever,” said Fhima. “Not only does this concept promise to do that, it is only the beginning of a promising future for our entire city! And, I’m elated to bring a bit of Paris to the Mill District.”

With everything made in-house daily, Mother Dough serves baked Parisian breads and pastries; grab-and-go lunch items including sandwiches, soups, and salads; and desserts and beverages including hand-selected wine and craft beer.

Mother Dough plans to open in the late fall of 2023 with hours from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Mother Dough will be located at the street level of The Vicinity Apartments, owned and operated by Sherman, and will serve as a unique amenity to residents living at The Vicinity as well as residents and working professionals in the Mill District neighborhood, providing a new restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and social hour.

"We are excited to announce our continued partnership with David Fhima. Living and working in the Mill District, I can personally say this bakery will serve the neighborhood well,” said Ben Kepple, Director of Commercial Operations at Sherman Associates. “With its proximity to Stone Arch Bridge, the Mill City Farmers Market, and more, we are confident that this use will flourish in the community.”

Fhima is the founder and executive chef of Fhima’s Minneapolis, Artisans & Spice Catering, and Mother Dough Bakery, and recently opened Maison Margaux. He is also the executive chef for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx, and was recognized as the Twin Cities Business 100: Innovators and Newsmakers to Watch in 2023. Additionally, he is serving as the food and beverage visionary of Harmonia, Sherman’s $400 million, full city block development at Washington Avenue S and 3rd Avenue S.

July 22 at the Mill City Farmers Market

New items in this weeks Mill City Farmers Market shopping basket: purple cabbage from Urban Roots, ice cream from Sonny's, raspberries from Prairie Hollow Farm (along with a new kind of pea that I neglected to get the name of), and tea from Well Rooted Teas.

I wasn't the only one who was happy to see Sonny's back at the market - shoppers kept Carrie busy scooping! She and Ron craft ice creams, sorbets and gelatos with delicious flavor combinations.

Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library was also popular with shoppers.

Fresh cut microgreens!

REMINDER: The annual Harvest Dinner, a major funding source for MCFM, is scheduled for September 10th. It features a market-to-table dinner prepared with farm-fresh ingredients by market chefs Nettie Colón and Jenny Breen, craft cocktails and live music, and will take place in the Mill City Museum Courtyard. The evening ends with a live auction and fund-a-need support for MCFM's Next Stage Grant program for farmers and food makers. Learn more here.

Mississippi River History Cruise - A Discussion with Professor Bill Green

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

History classes are not always taught in classrooms – sometimes you might be lucky enough to learn on a riverboat! Join the National Park Service and the Mississippi Park Connection in a program led by special guest, Professor Bill Green, on the Mississippi River. We talked to Professor Green about the topic for the cruise - stories of Black Minnesotans whose lives took place along the Mississippi River in the 19th Century. The event takes place on August 10 – register here.

Professor GreenQ:  The promotional materials for your History Cruise note that you’ll cover “remarkable Black Minnesotans whose lives unfolded along the landscape of the Mississippi River.” Will you cover individuals (like Isabel Wilkerson did in her Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Warmth of Other Suns) or will you cover groups of Black people who lived near the river? If individuals, can you give us a teaser of who we’ll learn about?

A:  Wilkerson's powerful book is about a different time and, in a sense, place. My talk will focus on the stories of 19th century Blacks who escaped Southern slavery, to arrive in a place that was governed by powerful white men who were progressive in principle, but paternalistic in practice. Unlike those who Wilkerson examines who came North and formed large communities, my subjects came to very small communities of black Minnesotans who realized that there was a cost to being too noticeable, recognizing that in order to advance their rights, found guidance in the adage - two steps forward, one step backwards - making certain demands while avoiding seeming ungrateful. Theirs were lives that had to be experienced on a tightrope.

One example is Maurice Jernigan, who arrived in the 1850s from the South, a fugitive slave who used his skills as a barber to secure protection from white customers who tolerated slave catchers walking the streets of St. Paul. Another example is Robert Hickman, also a fugitive, who arrived in St. Paul in 1864. He and his group were met at the dock by a hostile gang of white laborers who repulsed their landing. Finally coming ashore at Fort Snelling, they came back to St. Paul to start a black church that exists to this day. William Taylor, another black barber, was "conductor" of the Underground Railroad that came to Minnesota via the Mississippi. A fourth person is Eliza Winston who was brought to Minnesota as one of several enslaved persons forced to accompany their enslavers who came as tourists. That kind of tourism thrived in Minnesota in the wake of the Dred Scott decision. These stories come from my books - Degrees of Freedom, The Origins of Civil Rights in Minnesota, 1865–1912 and The Children of Lincoln: White Paternalism and the Limits of Black Opportunity in Minnesota, 1860-1876 (2018), both of which received the Hognander-Minneapolis Book Awards. The Mississippi River, in each case, was crucial for these four African Americans to begin their respective Minnesota story.

Q:  I’m so excited for this new programming – history aboard a river cruise! Will your remarks be of interest to all age groups?

A: I think my remarks will be of interest to a wide range of listeners. 

Q: I think this is going to be a major hit – do you envision a follow-up cruise for the history buffs in the area?

A: I can imagine follow-up cruises to St. Anthony/Minneapolis and Stillwater.

In addition to learning about the lesser-known stories of the Mississippi, participants will enjoy wildlife and scenic sunset views. The cost is $20 for members, $25 for non-members. There will be a cash bar. Boarding begins at 6:45pm; boat leaves promptly at 7. Dieparture location is Watergate Marina, 2500 Crosby Farm Road, St. Paul, MN 55116

Learn more about becoming a member of the Mississippi Park Connection here.

West River Parkway to Close Between 4th and Portland Avenues July 29-August 4

This closure is necessary for a contractor hired by Hennepin County to perform maintenance on the Hennepin Avenue Bridge.

West River Parkway closes to motorized vehicle traffic between 4th Avenue North and the Stone Arch Bridge parking lot beginning Saturday, July 29, and ending Friday, August 4. The closure will be in place daily 7am-5pm, except Sunday, July 30, when it will be open for an event. Trails will remain open during this time.

West River Parkway is also closed to motorized vehicle traffic between 13th Avenue S and 22nd Avenue S until October for a separate bridge project led by the University of Minnesota. Access to both the Bohemian Flats parking lot and Stone Arch Bridge parking lot is available from the south. 

Please follow detours, slow down, and stay out of work areas. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board appreciates the public's patience while public infrastructure is repaired.

Find all Parkway closure updates here.

Meet the Mill City Farmers Market Vendors Part 1: Der's Farm

Article by Becky Fillinger

Jeffrey Thao

We’ve focused on several team members at the Mill City Farmers Market this season and now turn our attention to some of the farmers. First up is Jeffrey Thao, the owner's son and farmer’s market representative for Der’s Farm. He spoke to us about the genesis of the farm and the wonderful flowers he brings to us all season long.

Q:  Please tell us the history of Der’s Farm. Where is your farm located? 

A:  Der's farm started in the early 1990's by Yeng Lee (my mom, Mrs. Der Thao) a few years after they arrived in the US as refugees from Laos in 1986 after the Vietnam war ended. My father worked as a bus driver and my mom worked all kinds of jobs, whatever she could to get some money to raise a big family. She worked two shifts and money in the household was still very tight – plus she had trouble finding childcare working so many hours.

L to R, Jeffrey Thao's parents, Der Thao and Yeng Lee, at the farm.

So, my mom started farming - planting vegetables with her sister-in-law. Once she started farming, she figured out that she was able to make money from selling the produce and could babysit her kids at the same time too. That became a thing for my mom and what she launched continues year after year. My mom passed in 2014, but her husband Der Thao and kids are still farming

The farm is located on 20 acres on two plots in Rosemount and Hampton.

Q:  Why does Der's Farm grow flowers? Do you also still grow and sell vegetables?

A:  Der's farm started to grow flowers because from one of my mom’s previous jobs, she loved working in a flower wholesale place. She loved flowers and making bouquets at her job. So she decided to plant flowers and started to invest in perennial flowers such as lilies and peonies. As years go by, she planted new flowers every year and the flower farm just ‘blossomed’ from there on. She was one of the first Hmong farmers to grow flowers in Minnesota. We still grow vegetables but far less than the flowers. The vegetables that we plant are mainly Brussels sprouts, asparagus, tomatoes, peas, and little bit of sweet corn.

Above and below, shoppers line up for Der's Farm flowers and produce.

Q:  How many employees work for the farm?

A:  There are no employees, it’s just family here. We have three adult family members who work at the farm.

Q:  What flowers do you grow and sell? 

A:  Oh, so many. Gladiolus, Lilies (Asiatic and oriental), Asters, Blue Salvia, Dahlias, Snapdragons, Lisianthus, Statice, Babies Breath, Globe Thistle, Peonies, Zinnias, Baptisia, Gomphrena, Celosia and many more. 

Q:  What's the first and last flowers of the season?

A:  Our first flower of the season is Baptisia and Peonies. The last flowers of the seasons are usually Dahlias and Ornamental Kale.

Q:  May visitors come to your farm? 

A: We’re really not set up for visitors to the farm. We are a working farm, always planting and cutting flowers to sell. People will usually think that "wow your fields must be so pretty with all the flowers blooming." But actually, since we are always harvesting the flowers there are not that many blooms in the fields. But we do let our customer pick up orders or check out what flowers we have at the farm by contacting us first. 

Q:  How may we stay current with your news?

A:  The best way is to follow our Der's Farm Facebook page to see when we will have certain flowers and what flowers will be coming in season. We also post what flowers we’re bringing to the Mill City Farmers Market week by week.

Minneapolis Institute of Art Presents All-New Exhibition Featuring Nordic Inspired Artworks from Acclaimed Artist Tia Keobounpheng

A Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program artist, Keobounpheng’s collection will feature artworks across a variety of mediums that highlight the complexities of personal identity

The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) will open its newest exhibition, Revealing Threads, this summer, featuring 30 artworks from celebrated artist, designer, and maker Tia Keobounpheng, best known for her intricately embroidered tapestries and jewelry design. The collection will be on view from July 22 through October 29, 2023, and will take place as part of the Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program (MAEP).

Tia KeobounphengA Finnish and Sámi descendant, Keobounpheng uses her artistic practice to reconcile her cultural identity based on new information about her ancestral lineage. Inspired by a 2022 research trip to Sápmi, the traditional land of the Sámi people, Revealing Threads features a selection of Keobounpheng’s abstract tapestries, influenced by traditional Nordic handwork techniques and infused with contemporary interpretations and symbolism. The results speak to marginalized histories, heritage, and the complexity of personal identity.

“This body of work emerges from my research about the colonial history of the Nordic nation states and my own lived and ancestral connection to colonizers and the colonized in Sweden and Finland,” said Keobounpheng. “Uncovering my Sámi bloodlines puts aspects of my lived experience into a new, more complicated context that extends back more than seven generations. As a white American, it is my responsibility to unlearn the effects of colonialism as I claim this lineage. Through my work, I practice holding the spectrum between binary extremes and imagine my own belonging within an expansive Indigenous worldview.”

The free exhibition will showcase 30 unique artworks across various mediums and sizes. Visitors are invited to experience Keobounpheng’s journey of self-discovery, learn about her connections to Sámi heritage through her unique visual vernacular rooted in traditional textile techniques.

“We are thrilled to present Revealing Threads as the latest MAEP exhibition at Mia,” said Nicole Soukup, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art at Mia. “Tia’s work provides a glimpse into her deeply personal story of self-discovery, resilience, and the responsibilities of familial knowledge. Not only is the artwork visually stunning, but it deepens many of the conversations we are having in the United States today—conversations about identity, self-care, belonging, and heritage.”

WAYFIND

Upon entry, visitors will be immersed in darkness as they encounter an installation titled WAYFIND. A projected film sequence, captured by Keobounpheng on her journey through Sápmi, is a backdrop for the physical items in the center of the room. The art dress, worn by Keobounpheng in the film, is encircled by a ring of sixteen orange Norwegian road-markers, symbolizing her dependence on the circle as a guide in her practice.  

THREADS no9

THREADS no9

Following WAYFIND, the exhibition opens into a warm gallery space with embroidered panels of various sizes. THREADS no9 features a geometric thread and colored pencil tapestry created on wood panel, a large-scale installation  that pays homage to Keobounpheng’s family tree.  Honoring her late grandfather, the only grandparent she knew growing up, the base layer of the artwork showcases four, eight, sixteen, and thirty-two color-coordinated geometric circles that resurrect the memory of generations of grandparents who came before her and live through her now.

THREADS no10

Honoring the differences in American, Finnish, and Sámi cultural interpretations of the aurora borealis, THREADS no10 illuminates Keobounpheng’s vision of the northern lights. The layered thread patterns create an optical illusion of sorts, inviting visitors to move around the artwork, experience its full depth, and contemplate the stories humanity tells about the natural world.

"We are thrilled to feature some of Tia Keobounpheng’s newest artworks in Revealing Threads, the Minnesota Artist Exhibition Program’s latest exhibition,” said Katie Luber, Nivin and Duncan MacMillan Director and President of Mia. “Not only is Tia an important artist and creator within the Minnesota community, her works inspire a nuanced and necessary look at what role long-standing heritage and culture plays in the modern world and invites visitors to reflect on larger themes of belonging and personal identity.”

This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of the McKnight Foundation with additional support provided by RBC Wealth Management.

For more information on Tia Keobounpheng’s Revealing Threads exhibition as well as ways to view the collection, visit ArtsMia.org.

Small Business Spotlight: Ono Hawaiian Plates

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

If Major League Baseball teams have given their (unofficial) seal of approval to Ono Hawaiian Plates, maybe it’s time for you to drop by the North Loop restaurant for a plate of goodness. We talked to co-owner Jess Kelley about the delicious offerings, and to hear her suggestions for those new to Hawaiian cuisine.

Q: “Ono” means delicious in the Hawaiian language. You’ve proved your concept many times over. What makes your food so sumptuous?

A: I think it's because of the mana. We cook with heart and purpose. These dishes we serve are ones we grew up eating. This is local Hawaiian comfort food, food that our mom and grandma used to make.

Q:  For a newcomer to your business, what dishes should we try to get the true nature of the Hawaiian culinary aloha?

A:  I think if I could pick four dishes for a newcomer to try, it would be: Luau Bowl, Loco Moco, Garlic Shrimp & Kalbi Shortribs and Katsu & Hawaiian BBQ Chicken. Or, you can start at the top of the menu and work your way down the next time you come in!

Loco Moco

Garlic Shrimp

Chicken Katsu

SPAM Mususbi

Q:  What are the most popular dishes on the menu?

A:  Our Chicken Katsu & Hawaiian BBQ Chicken, Kahuku Garlic Shrimp & Kalbi Short Ribs, Loco Moco and our Ahi Poke bowls and SPAM Mususbi. A newcomer is our Sesame Chicken Bowl that we can't keep in stock due to the demand, haha!

Q:  What a great problem to have – too much demand. It’s not just local residents who love your food - Major League Baseball teams crave it, too. Your website features foods ordered by the Yankees, Nationals and Astros. How did you become, and stay, so popular with the Twins and visiting teams? Are you also catering for the St. Paul Saints?

A:  So, we started catering food for the St. Paul Saints when a friend of ours was their starting shortstop. He has ties to Hawaii and we would bring food for him. The rest of the team took interest, and then we started bringing food for the whole team and press box from time to time. We officially got on the St. Paul Saints catering roster the next season. 

We opened our North Loop location in December, 2019 and being in such close proximity to Target Field, we started catering for the visiting MLB teams. The MN Twins saw the food we were bringing and also took interest. Soon we were catering for both the MN Twins and their opponents. So far, we have catered for: 

Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, MN Twins, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays. Most of these teams - multiple times.

Q:  How may we stay current on your news, pop up events, etc.?

A:  All of our events are posted on our social media. You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and at onohawaiianplates on TikTok. We also keep our website updated with our current goings-on. Come visit us at the North Loop Galley in the The Nordic, 729 Washington Avenue N.

An Incredible Young Woman

By Claudia Kittock

Naomi Hofstad is an incredible young woman and a recipient of the Sallie Steele Birdsong Scholarship, sponsored by Be That Neighbor. When Naomi talks about singing, her eyes light up, and her whole face shines with pure joy. She told me she has always been singing. When her parents first met her in Liberia, she beat out a tune with an empty water bottle. Nothing has changed. As she said, “I sing every night and every day.”
 
Rebecca, Naomi’s Mom, heard about J.D. Steele during the pandemic, got online and found him at MacPhail. Their first in-person experience with J.D. was on the now famous University of Minnesota parking ramp where the MacPhail Community Youth Choir (MCYC) was rehearsing. It was love at first note and Naomi has been an avid member of MCYC since then.
 
Naomi took piano lessons, but found it slowed her down. She prefers to hear music and then to figure it out. Her plans for the future include college to study singing, and then she hopes to become a performer. Naomi practices her performance skills on her church worship team and with MCYC.
 
When she sings, she said she feels the same as everyone else, and what a wonderful gift that is for all of us who sing. Naomi loves watching people respond while she is singing. It fills her with true joy.
 
Naomi is why the Sallie Steele Birdsong Scholarship exists. Music is necessary in all of our lives, and we need to make sure we help each and every young person to find that access. We are grateful for Naomi Hofstad and how she shares her joy of music with all of us. We are all stronger because of her.

July 15 at the Mill City Farmers Market

Some new items in our July 15 Mill City Farmers Market shopping basket are eggplants from GVY Fresh Produce, kalamata and feta focaccia from TunTum BlackHill Farm, fig bars from Tare Market, Mokum carrots from Burning River Farm and heirloom tomatoes from Nistler Farms.

MCFM's annual Harvest Dinner is September 10th!

The annual Harvest Dinner, a major funding source for MCFM, is scheduled for September 10th. It features a market-to-table dinner prepared with farm-fresh ingredients by market chefs Nettie Colón and Jenny Breen, craft cocktails and live music, and will take place in the Mill City Museum Courtyard. The evening ends with a live auction and fund-a-need support for MCFM's Next Stage Grant program for farmers and food makers. Learn more here.

One flower in particular caught my eye in the above bouquets - the pineapple lily. Can you spot them?

Der's Farm is the subject of Becky Fillinger's next Mill City Farmers Market spotlight. We'll be posting her interview Jeffrey Thao, pictured above, in the near future.

Submit Your Nominations for the 2023 Greening and Public Realm Awards by July 20th

2023 Greening and Public Realm Awards Public Nominations

DID's Greening Awards celebrate the exceptional greening efforts throughout our downtown Minneapolis community. Public nominations for the 2023 Greening & Public Realm Awards will open July 10 and close on July 20.

Public voting will open July 25 and close on August 10.

Nominations are being accepted in the following categories:

• Best Small Green Space
• Best Large Green Space
• Best Public Art
• Best Activated Space
• Best Entryway and Outdoor Café Greening
• Best Streetscape
• Best Public Realm Improvement

Review 2022 winners here.