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Oral History
April 27, 2010
We’re on a history kick this year. We know many people with long and deep roots in this area, and many more who enjoy hearing about days gone by, what’s changed, and what’s stayed the same. Some businesses have been around for decades, like Ingebretsen’s, Roberts Shoes, and Schatzlein Saddle (which is now over a century old). Others have sprung up on the same ground as some old favorites. With all that in mind, we’re recording the memories and stories of long-time residents, so we’ll always have them.
Our very first interview is with Joyce Krook, who was the community relations specialist with Abbott Northwestern and Allina for many years. She grew up at Lake & Hennepin in the 1940s and 1950s. Here’s part 1 of the interview with her, which mostly has to do with what it was like to grow up next to the Minneapolis Ice Arena.
You can read more online about the Minneapolis Arena, and the Rainbow Building. Stay tuned for part two and for more interviews!
Weekend on Lake Street 4/23-4/25
April 22, 2010
We’re gearing up for a massive weekend next week, but there’s plenty to do now as well!
Theater
On Friday and Saturday nights, Patrick’s Cabaret hosts Bisexual Cabaret, as part two in its GLBT series. Featuring: a reading by Jacqueline White, Katherine Glover-Storytelling, Brooke Murphy and her band Saliva’s Wedge, Gabriellla Santiago-Skit/Lecture, Howard Lieberman-Storytelling, Deja Stowers-One Woman Theater.
Bryant Lake Bowl is busy with three showings of The Harty Boys in The Case of the Limping Platypus and two of Vilification Tennis presents: A Tribute to Moms (Especially the fat ones), to be found throughout Friday and Saturday. The Rockstar Storytellers: Young Adult closes out BLB’s weekend on Sunday night.
And Pangea World Theater wraps up its co-production of Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba with Teatro del Pueblo. It’s across the river at SteppingStone Theatre in St. Paul.
Books
Sunday afternoon at Magers & Quinn, Colleen Baldrica reads from her book Tree Spirited Woman., “a narrative that takes the reader through one woman’s intimate transformation from the death of her maternal grandmother to the establishment of a new and guiding friendship with a wise and mystical woman.”
Music
Friday night at Sauce Spirits & Soundbar, it’s a CD release party for Toma The 3rd, with Speed’s The Name Kitty Rhombus, and National Bird. And Satuday night it’s The Mood Swings, with Kill to Kill and Mercurial Rage. The shows are, as always, 21+.
Puppets!
It’s the last Saturday to participate in one of In the Heart of the Beast Theatre’s puppet parade schools. “A hands-on, intensive course in learning how to make a parade at HOBT and in the streets. Join the MayDay Staff Artists to envision, build and rehearse the MayDay Parade.” The parade is coming the very next weekend!
Brunch
There are several great places to grab brunch on Lake Street. Don’t forget that Midtown Global Market nows offers it on a rotating schedule between their various vendors on Sundays. This Sunday it’s Cafe Finspang, which is serving up Swedish waffles with lingonberries and whipped cream, fresh fruit Salad and Walnuts, and tea or coffee. Sounds delicious!
Lake Street is “Best Of the Twin Cities”
April 21, 2010
City Pages’ Best of the Twin Cities 2010 just hit the Internet, and as usual Lake Street and its businesses cleaned up in many categories, well over a dozen this year. We’re here to guide you through all of them!
People & Places
First, and my personal favorite, Metro Transit Route 21 takes the win for best bus route. “If you want to ride a bus and get somewhere, it’s the 21 or nothing, the bus line that’s about the journey as much as the destination.”
Best Place to Hang Out with the Kids: Midtown Global Market. “The perfect distillation of Lake Street’s entrepreneurial immigrant surroundings.”
Best Lake: Lake Calhoun. We’re lucky to have such a nice slice of nature so close by!
Shopping & Services
Best Used Bookstore: Magers & Quinn. “The Uptown anchor has it all: an attractive space, roomy layout, friendly staff, and convenient hours.”
Best Mystery Bookstore: Uncle Edgar’s. Easy choice here!
Best Bike Shop: Freewheel. Their Midtown shop has been a great addition to the Greenway.
Best Store for Sex Toys: Smitten Kitten. Again, who else could you possibly choose?
Food & Drink
Best Japanese Restaurant: Fuji-Ya. The Twin Cities’ first Japanese restaurant is still on top!
Best Wine List: Barbette. They got their win for a great selection of sparkling wine.
Best Pizza: Galactic Pizza. Everyone loves the superhero deliveries and the electric cars they arrive in!
Best Taco: Carne Asada from Los Ocampo. “The asada, ordered “Mexican-style,” comes with a tight little pile of grilled steak, diced onion, and a bunch of bright-green cilantro resting cutely atop two soft, warm corn tortillas, flanked by lime wedges and a little spray of thinly sliced radishes.” Wow, that sounds good. You can find them both in the Global Market and at their own spot on Chicago & Lake.
Best Burrito: Pineda Tacos. It is indeed huge and delicious, and you have two chances to get one on Lake Street, at Hiawatha and at 3rd!
Best Happy Hour: Il Gatto, in Calhoun Square. Great deals on wine, well drinks, and domestic tap beer.
Best Neighborhood Bar: Merlins Rest. Good whiskey, beer, pub quizzes, traditional British pub food…what more could you want?
Arts & Entertainment
Best Improv Comedy Theater: ComedySportz, in Calhoun Square. 20+ years and going strong, with many chances for audience participation!
Best Stage Design: Joel Sass, the Jungle Theater. “Joel Sass took the reigns of the theater in 2009…and showed that his own considerable talents stretched to design as well.”
Best Midnight Movie: The Room at Uptown Theatre. Sounds delightfully disastrous.
Best Storytelling Event: Two Chairs Telling. “ Once a month, two skilled spoken-word performers are given a stage together, and everything else—the themes addressed, the tone, and the stories told—is up to the pair to decide.” This series started at the Jungle years ago and is now hosted by our friends a few blocks to the north at Open Eye Figure Theatre.
That’s all we spotted this time around! If we’re missing any, be sure to let us know in the comments. And think of this as a great reason to try out anything you see here that you’ve meant been meaning to go (or go back!) to.
Weekend on Lake Street, 4/16-4/18
April 15, 2010
This coming weekend promises to be a big one. Saturday will be Hymie’s last day at their current 33rd & Lake location. Don’t worry, they’re not going far! In a few weeks they’ll be up and running at 39th & Lake, right next to the Blue Moon. The picture there is their new sign at In the meantime, they’ll be going out with a bang, as Saturday is also National Record Store Day. They’ll have big sales and many live performances throughout the day. Buffalo Moon, Jezebel Jones & Her Wicked Ways, Stepped Reckkoner, Ford Road Five…the list goes on. Not to be missed by any vinyl fan.
Extreme Noise Records is getting in on the Record Store Day fun as well. They’ll be opening early, at 9:00 AM, with breakfast treats from Cake Eater Bakery for their customers. Veggie dogs and soda will be available for those who come in after noon. They’ll have plenty of deals and special Record Store Day releases, too.
Switching gears, Earth Day is also coming up soon, and Midtown Global Market hosts their celebration on Saturday. Visitors are invited to meet the local farmers and producers who bring the food to their tables. Experts will also be on hand to offer guests energy saving tips and ways to “green-up” their every day lives. This year will also feature a Recycled Art Fair. All entries must be made up of at least 75% recycled materials. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place and all artwork will be on display at the Market through May 17.
And right there down on the Greenway, it’s Freewheel’s Bikers Bazaar Craft Fair. Over 20 localartists and crafters selling everything including, upcycled bike part jewelry, baby clothes, handmade wooden utensils, zines, paintings, hair accessories, bags and much much more.
Theater
Patrick’s Cabaret holds the Somewhat Sci-Fi Variety Show Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. “An evening of hip-hop modern, singing, waacking, performance art, comedy and freestylin. All works inspired by science fiction culture.” Cathy Wright, Bryce Davidson, Manboy(Erik Stoeckler), Anne Johnson and Nora Figi, Laura Rademacher, Tony Larson, B-Boy J-Sun, Laura Kirkeby, Hannah Lund, and Arturo Miles perform.
At Bryant Lake Bowl, The Harty Boys in The Case of the Limping Platypus returns from its popular Fringe Festival run, with one show on Friday evening, and two on Saturday. Both nights, it’s followed by a new incarnation of Dykes Do Drag, “a Savers fashion show in Genderbenderville.” And Sunday evening, it’s the second performance for C-SICK, about the journey of Polly, one of over 5 million people infected with Hepatitis C.
And don’t forget about Pangea World Theater, co-hosting Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba along with Teatro del Pueblo. It’s playing for two more weekends at SteppingStone Theatre in St. Paul.
Music
Sauce Spirits & Soundbar has The Bitter Spills on Friday night, with Matthew Ryan and Brandon Sampson. Saturday it’s Estate with Beatrix *JAR and DJ Denver Dalley, and Sunday night it’s Sarah Winters, with Nikki Schultz, Greg Reese and Derek Luttrell.
Weekend on Lake Street, 4/9 - 4/11
April 08, 2010
A big event for Lake Street this weekend is Saturday’s Start Up in Uptown Shop & Walk. “As part of a partnership between the Uptown Association and the American Heart Association, Uptown Minneapolis will host a day of shopping, dining and relaxing to encourage everyone to ‘Start!’ living a healthier lifestyle by walking a little each day.” Dozens of businesses are offering discounts, and the first 200 people to check in at Cowboy Slims at 1320 W. Lake St. will get free gift bags and maps! Check out this Uptown Association webpage for a list of participating businesses, what they’re offering, and to download a free bus pass.
Theater
On Friday, Bryant Lake Bowl an offerings of Mint, presented by the Flower Shop Project, and a new edition of La Vie Theatre’s stand up comedy show Last Laugh. Saturday features Creative Laughter Club House for kids K-6 at noon, and another serving of Mint in the evening. Then on Sunday it’s the first show of C-SICK, “a haunting and enlightening journey of Polly, one of over 5 million people infected with Hepatitis C.”
A few blocks north of Lake Street, Frank Theater puts on Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis in the Open Eye Theatre space on 24th St. “Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman, wakes one morning to find that he has been transformed into a “monstrous vermin.” Life just isn’t the same after that.” The Star Tribune has the write-up.
And this one’s in St. Paul: our friends at Pangea World Theater are co-producing The House of Bernarda Alba. “Five daughters are forced into mourning by their mother. One by one they make a bid for freedom, with tragic consequences. Don’t miss Lorca’s critically acclaimed masterpiece brought to life by Pangea World Theater and Teatro del Pueblo.” Check the webpage for details.
Music
Sauce Spirits & Soundbar features Farewell Milwaukee, with Brian Just Band, Unwed Sailor, and Backstories, on Friday night. Saturday night it’s The Rockford Mules, with The Gleam and Crossing Guards. And Sunday it’s Central Division, with The Wiitala Brothers, Ten Ton Bridge. Doors at 9:30 for all shows, Friday and Saturday with a $5 cover, Sunday free.
(Sauce also features art this weekend. It has a Number 3 opening celebration early Saturday evening, featuring the works of Emily Hayes, Cassie Garner, and Jason Wasyk.)
Bryant Lake Bowl has some local music this weekend too. Saturday night it’s a CD release for Son of Lars’s new album, “The Ghost Cave of the Black Mountain.” The Daredevil Christopher Wright and Dewi Sant will be there too.
Get To Work!
In the Heart of the Beast Theatre needs help creating the MayDay Parade! They offer both a morning and an afternoon workshop Saturdays all through April, as well as evening workshops Tuesdays and Thursdays. Artists will help you select a theme and guide you in your work. Come to as many or as few workshops as you are able.
Other Ways To Party
Get to Old Arizona’s Spring Wine Tasting on Friday night. It’s an evening filled with palate-pleasing wines, fine cheeses and pintxos (small bites), while mingling with friends and neighbors in the intimate spaces of Old Arizona. All wines served during the evening will be available for purchase at the event. Like all events hosted by Old Arizona, profits from the wine tasting will go towards Old Arizona’s youth programs for teenage girls.
And on Saturday, celebrate Scottish heritage with a Tartan Day Party at Merlin’s Rest. Great music from local pipers, traditional Scottish foods, and drink specials!
Tragedy at McMahon’s
April 06, 2010
By now, everyone has likely heard about the horrible fire in the McMahon’s Pub building at 30th & Lake, that caused so much damage and was Minneapolis’s deadliest fire in over 20 years. We won’t go back through all the details here. Instead, we’ll direct you to McMahon’s homepage, to see their response to what has happened. Unfortunately, it appears the whole building will need to be demolished. But the McMahon’s team vows to rebuild, and has details about two upcoming fundraisers for the families who lost people. Our best wishes to everyone who is rebuilding after this fire.
