HEADS UP - West River Road Closed Today Through Sunday

West River Road will be closed between Plymouth Avenue and West Broadway, starting today through Sunday, July 31 for the National Wakeboarding Championships being held on the Mississippi River north of downtown.

From Minneapolis Park Board email:

This is a reminder that there will be a weekend long event that will close down West River Parkway starting on July 27th, 2011 to July 31st, 2011. Please plan accordingly this weekend.

You Can Change a Life

Today - a homeless mother is working on job applications and housing searches, and her husband is working on his Microsoft Office skills.  Their children are in preschool, and they're looking forward to movie night this week.  All of these activities are taking place at People Serving People - and all of these activities are made possible through donations from community members.

 

People Serving People's community-funded programs help nearly 1,000 families work towards self-sufficiency yearly. However, donations are down 40% this year, and they need every bit of help they can get to help homeless families become stable.

 

Starting September 1st, all monthly donations made to People Serving People (by first-time donors) will be DOUBLED.   A donation of just $10 a month can truly make a difference.  That, doubled, would mean that a total of $240 will help a family to be supported by staff and volunteers through their Family Support Services.

 

There is a limit to how many people can get their donations matched – so sign up today to get on the list to join the Change a Life Coalition on September 1st!

 

Fill out the pledge form and make a difference today.

Tonight - Washburn Crosby Elevator 1 Preservation Project

Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission

Item #3 on the Agenda

4:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Room 317, City Hall

350 South Fifth Street

Minneapolis, MN 55415-1385

3. 104 8^th Avenue South, Washburn Grain Elevators – St. Anthony Falls Historic District, Ward 7

Staff: Aaron Hanauer, 612.673.2494 – Staff Report

Certificate of Appropriateness for preservation and stabilization work.

Staff Recommendation: Adopt staff findings and approve the Certificate of Appropriateness with the following condition(s):

• For the Gold Medal Flour, any work beyond the condition analysis shall be reviewed by CPED-Planning Preservation Staff.
• CPED-Planning Preservation Staff shall review and approve the final plans and elevations prior to building permit issuance.
• The Certificate of Appropriateness approval shall expire if it is not acted upon within one year of approval, unless extended by the Planning Director in writing prior to one-year anniversary date of approvals.
• By ordinance, all approvals granted in this Certificate of Appropriateness shall remain in effect as long as all of the conditions and guarantees of such approvals are observed. Failure to comply with such conditions and guarantees shall constitute a violation of this Certificate of Appropriateness and may result in termination of the approval.

Washburn Crosby Elevator 1 Preservation Project

View more documents from Mill City Times

New Outdoor Fitness Offering in the Mill District - Range of Motion Wellness

Minnesota summers are way too short to be exercising indoors. 

Jeremy Morris, an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer, and founder of Range of Motion Wellness, is taking his workouts outdoors.

Starting this Thursday, July 28, at 5:00pm, and every following Thursday through September 29, Jeremy is leading a 60-minute "Mill City Ruins Workout" at the Mill City Ruins parking lot (near Lock and Dam 1).

Per Jeremy, "This workout will allow people who feel a little out of shape to make the gradual transition to regular exercise, and will give regular exercisers an exciting break from the gym."

He added, "I decided to focus one of my initial group workout settings in the Mill Ruins Park because it has a lot of opportunity to deliver both low and high intensity elements by using the great topography, it's close to Gold Medal Park, which is equally flexible, convenient to so many great residences, and it's a beautiful setting.  Few outdoor workouts in the local parks have such dynamic elements as the Falls, the Stone Arch Bridge, and the history of the city all setting the backdrop with good landscape features that can help provide a quality full-body workout.
 
Ten years ago I was living in Marcy Holmes while attending the U, and commuted to the StarTribune by walking across the Stone Arch Bridge. During that time the Mill Ruins were being excavated and redevelopment of the area was underway. I was fascinated by the redevelopment of the Mill District and it just stuck with me. When I started this venture I realized that I needed to find untapped resources for these kinds of events. The river and Mill District area were great opportunities. I'm really looking forward to helping others share the resource in a new way."

Sessions are only $5 each, and will take you on a short warm-up, body-weight strengthening exercises, and a stretching cool down.  E-mail reservations are strongly encouraged, but anyone is welcome to attend.

Jeremy also offers Personal Training, Worksite Health and Lifestyle Concierge services.  Visit the website, Facebook and Twitter for more information.

Aquatennial Festivities & Fireworks

One of the highlights of the festivities was a group of bucket drummers who could really pound it out.  They played to a big crowd all night.

The rain threatened, then arrived, but it was a warm rain at least.  We shot video from different vantage points as we sought shelter from the rain under nearby trees.  The huge crowd stayed for the show.  The first video is shot using our "good" video camera and tripod, the last three handheld with our Flip HD.

Finally, a slideshow of the photos we shot (best viewed in full screen mode).

2011 Minnesota Fringe Festival Events at Mill City Museum

The Mill City Museum will be one of the three downtown Minneapolis venues for the 2011 Minnesota Fringe Festival, which runs Thursday, August 4 thru Sunday, August 14.  The other areas are Upton, the West Bank and St. Paul.

Click here for the Fringe schedule at Mill City Museum. 

This is the Fringe's 18th year, with 168 different productions showing on 18 stages throughout the Twin Cities.  All shows are 60 minutes or less.

Fringe is an annual performing arts festival in the Twin Cities.  For 11 days, over a thousand artists present works in every discipline and genre.  No one selects the participating shows - a lottery determines which of nearly 400 applicants win production slots at the festival.

Mother Nature Wreaks Havoc at Mill City Farmers Market (Week 12)

We got a late start to the Farmers Market this morning, arriving shortly after 10am.   Upon arriving we found the plaza empty except for the Real Foods stand and the Chef Shack truck.  What we missed wasn't just a heavy rain, it was a horrific blast from Mother Nature that tore apart tents, sent products flying and brought nearby condo residents rushing down to help the vendors.

I don't know if KSTP was already on site to get pictures of something in particular, but they captured the chaotic scene.  Click here for KSTP's article (and pictures 01-07 in the accompanying slide show).

And just like that, the sun came out - but it was definately not business as usual.  Who knows how much product was destroyed, and how many tents and other display items will have to be replaced.  What do those things, combined with the loss of a day's sales at a busy Farmers Market, mean for each vendor? 

In the train shed, we managed to fill our bag with produce and other items, but I sure did miss my usual weekly stops, such as Tiny Planet Produce and Bramblewood Cottage - to name just a few.

 

This week's cooking demo was cancelled (Chef Nick Schneider was going to demystify Pesto for us), but the musicians (Gypsy Mania Quartet) found a covered area off to the side of the demo area to play.

And then there was Sonny's. Their ice cream is good for the soul.  (FYI - Sonny's ice cream is now available at Mill City Market Grocery and Deli, 1020 Washington Avenue South in the Bridgewater Lofts). 

As of this afternoon, the Mill City Farmers Market was still in third place for Minnesota in the America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest.  If you haven't voted yet, please take a minute to do so by Clicking here.  I can't imagine a cooler Farmers Market than ours! 

This Weekend in Mill City / July 22-24

Events this weekend in and around the Historic Mill District of Minneapolis and across the Stone Arch Bridge in Old St. Anthony.

Friday, July 22

Real Ghost Tour (2 Nights) at St. Anthony Main

Torbreck Winery at Sorella

Saturday, July 23

Taste Twin Cities Minneapolis Riverwalk Tour (Starts at Gold Medal Park)

Mill City Farmers Market

Minneapolis Riverfront Tour at Mill City Museum

Target Fireworks along West River Parkway

Sunday, July 24

CorePower Yoga in the Park

Midwest Photo Safari St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail Tours

Washburn A Mill Tour at Mill City Museum

Conversation with Mark Allen at Soap Factory

Weekend Brunch

Saturday & Sunday

Brunch at Spoonriver
750 South 2nd St (at Chicago Ave S)
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-436-2236

Reservations recommended

10:00am - 2:00pm

See the menu...

Saturday & Sunday

Brunch at the Aster Cafe
St. Anthony Main
125 SE Main Street
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-379-3138

Until 2pm.

See the menu...

Sunday

Brunch at Spill the Wine
1101 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55415
612-339-3388

brunch buffet 10am- 2pm Sunday
$12/person (kids 3 and under eat free, 4-12 years are 1/2 price!)

includes: eggs, bacon, french toast, hash browns, fresh salad and fruit, pastries, build your own omlette bar and more...

featuring absolut bloody bar for $5.

also offering fair trade coffee and full bar.

Mill City Live a Tentative Go for Tomorrow Night at the Mill City Museum

There have been several reports that the Mill City Live concert at the Mill City Museum will take place tomorrow night, assuming the the budget deals do indeed pass.

On Mill City Museum opening Saturday, from the Chaska Herald:

“It is with great pleasure that I invite the public back to visit all 26 of our popular historic sites, like Split Rock Lighthouse along the North Shore and Jeffers Petroglyphs near Comfrey, as well as metro sites like Historic Fort Snelling, Mill City Museum and the Minnesota History Center,” said Society Director and CEO Stephen Elliott.

On Mill City Live tomorrow night, from KSTP:

Mill City Live and 9 Nights of Music will begin their line ups this week, the first concert being Mill City Live at the Mill City Museum on Thursday, July 22.

Good news for the Downtown Riverfront!

Mill City Museum is Open - Welcome Back Neighbors

The Mill City Museum reopened today, 24 hours after the end of the State shutdown.  We were there at opening to welcome them back.

Mill City Farmers Market July 23

July 23: Pesto Fest!

Celebrate it at the Mill City Farmers Market where we are overwhelmed with the abundance of summer's harvests: sustainable fruits and veggies, pasture-raised meats, poultry, eggs and cheese; artisan chocolates, breads and treats. It's easy to fill your pantry needs at the Market, so don't forget your grocery list!

Produce Planner

At the Market this Saturday, you will find: 

Blueberries, raspberries, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, summer squash, beets, salad turnips, radishes, salad mix, Swiss chard, kale, collards, rhubarb, potatoes, and MORE!

Mill City Cooks, 10am

Chef Nick Schneider demystifies pesto (it's not for basil alone!)  in a simple, summery soup with ingredients from our sponsor, Nash Brothers Trading Company.

Book Signing - All Day

Janice Cole will be signing copies of her book, " chicken and egg: a  memoir of suburban homesteading with 125 recipes "

Discover You Can!

Love local foods and want to learn more about how you can  eat local all year round?  Join us this season for CANNING demonstrations and classes!

Kids Activity - Pesto making, 10 am - 1 pm

While supplies last.

Art Market, All Day

Featuring The Ink Orchard, Plantworn, Aprilierre , and ceramics by Tom Jaszczak and Heather Wang.

Live Performance, 10 am

Minnesota Bright Stars Youth Dancers

Live Music, 11 am - 1 pm

Gypsy Mania Quartet: an exceptional stylistic dimension with prodigious improv.

CANCELED DUE TO HEAT - Tonight / Music in the Park at Father Hennepin Bluffs

An email from the Minneapolis Park Board:

Due to the heat, the concerts at Bryant Square Park and Father Hennepin Bluffs Park have been cancelled for Tuesday, July 19th.  The concert at Lake Harriet is still on, however. 

Our Recent Adventure at Real Ghost Tours

Real Ghost Tours opened earlier this year.  Dave and I went on the 90 minute tour earlier this month, and look forward to returning for the highly anticipated overnight version currently being planned.

Armed with EMF Meters and flashlights, our three guides had us wandering through both common and off-limits areas of the St. Anthony Main complex.

In a basement space, we were given dowsing rods. While holding the rods, I didn't expect anything to happen, but when one of them starting flinging around I narrowly escaped the need for a change of underwear.

Below, Melissa Wolfe monitors her dowsing rods.  Our guide called out to spirits, asking that they make themselves known by coercing the rods to move in specific directions.

At one point during the tour we were in a vacated upper floor space where our guide set up a digital audio recorder.  He asked if there were spirits present, and a few words did come through (although opinions differed on what those words were).  He mentioned that someone allegedly hung themselves in that space, at which point a member of our group blurted out that she had seen him (the hanging person) and pointed to a nearby rafter.  

Above, our guide gives some background on the people whose spirits are believed to be occupying St. Anthony Main. 

Brianna Tinjum, a member of our group, gave this review, "The Real Ghost Tours was fun! Learning some of the riverfront history, wandering the old buildings (sometimes in the dark, creepy), and getting to use gadgets you see on ghost hunting shows was a fun and interesting way to spend a Saturday evening.  I definitely recommend this tour."   I concur.

New Activity in the Mill District: City Running Tours

We learned about City Running Tours through a July 15 Twin Cities Business article.

Similar to The Fit Tourist, which offers out of town bicyclers several guided Minneapolis routes to choose from, City Running Tours is geared toward out of town runners.  Local runners should check it out to see if there's a route covering an area of the city they  otherwise may not visit.

According to the schedule on their website, City Running Tours offers 5K and 10K versions of each route, including one in our neighborhood called the 'Mill City River District Group Run'.  Check out their website and Facebook for details.

Travel Channel Celebrity at Mill City Farmers Market

While enjoying a cup of Sonny's Toffee ice cream in a shady spot this past weekend at the Mill City Farmers Market, I noticed Andrew Zimmern (of the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods fame) was next in line.  I hope he wasn't too disappointed to find there were no exotic bugs or animals parts (wink) swirled into any of the flavors. Sonny's ice cream is a product of Crema Cafe.

Below, Fred Golchin of French Nugget with Andrew. 

Sights and Sounds of July 16 KidsFest at MacPhail Center for Music

This past Saturday MacPhail Center for Music was alive with joyful noises as parents and their future musicians (some still in diapers) soaked up KidsFest.  This action packed 2-hour event gave little ones a chance to experience as many string, brass and percussion instruments as they could handle.  They also got to make their own instrument to take home, and enjoy a performance by the Dakota Combo.

Below are two slide shows - one silent (the Sights) and one quite loud (the Sounds), followed by a video of the Dakota Combo.  MacPhail's talented Early Childhood Music teachers provided guidance with smiles and ease. 

(best viewed in full screen mode)

The Week Ahead in Mill City / July 18-24

Bright and early each Monday morning we be provide an easy to reference list of events and activities for the week ahead in the Mill City neighborhood.  Submit your events here...

Monday, July 18

NT Live Filmed Presentation of The Cherry Orchard at the Guthrie

Music in The Park - Nicollet Island Park

Summer Sipping at Wilde Roast Cafe to Benefit One Heartland

St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board Meeting at Mill City Museum (POSTPONED)

Arlo Guthrie at the Guthrie

Tuesday, July 19

Minneapolis Pops Orchestra Coffee Concert

Movies in the Park at Father Hennepin Bluffs

Roy Blount Jr. at Central Library

Music in The Park - Father Hennepin Bluffs

H.M.S. Pinafore Cookout at Aloft Hotel

Wednesday, July 20

Torchlight 5K

Torchlight Parade

Thursday, July 21

Mill City Live: Outdoor Music Series at Mill City Museum

Momentum: New Dance Works at the Southern Theater (3 nights)

Art Out of the Box: Samurai Styleat Minneapolis Central Library

Adult Chamber Music at MacPhail

Lunch with MacPhail

Friday, July 22

Real Ghost Tour (2 Nights) at St. Anthony Main

Torbreck Winery at Sorella

Saturday, July 23

Taste Twin Cities Minneapolis Riverwalk Tour (Starts at Gold Medal Park)

Mill City Farmers Market

Minneapolis Riverfront Tour at Mill City Museum

Target Fireworks along West River Parkway

Sunday July 24

Washburn A Mill Tour at Mill City Museum

Conversation with Mark Allen at Soap Factory

Mick Sterling and The Irresistibles at the 2011 Aquatennial Block Party

Tim Mahoney was just finishing his set when we arrived at the 2011 Aquatennial Block Party Friday night - just about the same time the rain gave out.

Having yet to see a Mick Sterling and The Irresistibles performance, we had no idea of the treat we were in for.

 

 

Week 11 at Mill City Farmers Market

For the first time since I started monitoring the progress, Mill City Farmers Market has been knocked out of first place in the America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest.  If you haven't voted yet, please take a minute to do so now by Clicking here.

It's not unusual to spot a local celebrity at the MCFM.  Andrew Zimmern (Bizarre Foods, Mpls. St. Paul Magazine) was there today. 

The Wizard of Minneapolis

From 247 10th Avenue S. in the Mill District of Minneapolis.