Vol. 20, #09 – 12/19/13


WINDOWS ON…Shopping Local

From Peggy Lucas:

Let me recommend Regala de Oro, a great fair trade gallery at 28th and Lyndale! They have a wide variety of the work of local artists and are very active with the nonprofit community. Do good and shop local at the same time!

From Ginny Craig:

Local D’Lish at 212 North First Street. Great food gifts! [Ed. Note: We might add, they offer great cooking classes, too!]

From Dave Albersman:

My first stop for Christmas Shopping is always Ax Man in Minnetonka.

From Ann Bodensteiner:

I have two favorite small shops, run by local independents, really fine shop owners. I’m happy to recommend them to you.

  1. Gather, a small gift shop across from Salut on France Avenue, near the corner of 51st and France. This sweet little place, owned by Mike Hagie, offers an assortment of gifts ranging from fine European imports to fun/funky inexpensive trinkets. Michael lives in the neighborhood and is a good guy—he gives you just the right amount of personal attention. This hidden gem is always a fun stop when you need a gift but have no idea what to buy.
  2. Vinaigrette, on 50th Street and Xerxes Avenue. This locally-owned shop has wonderful vinegars to sample, the owners always […]
By |2016-10-21T00:42:41-05:00December 19th, 2013|Categories: Newsletter|0 Comments

Vol. 20, #08 – 11/26/13


WINDOWS On…

Spokes for Folks

As we begin our holiday journey walking in other people’s shoes, we’ll clamp on a pair of silver Shimanos and reach out to our brothers and sisters of bicycle advocacy to salute a tremendous grassroots effort, Spokes: Bike Walk Connect. This program, a child of the Seward Neighborhood Group, is dedicated to promoting biking and walking for transit, recreation and exercise. Located on 19th Avenue and East 22nd Street, just south of East Franklin and Minnehaha, many of the neighbors Spokes serves are new Americans, largely from East Africa. The organization offers learn-to-ride programs, basic bike repair workshops, and earn-a-bike programs for those willing to spend extra time at Spokes. The group’s executive director, Sheldon Mains, can regale visitors for hours with scores of stories of timid souls who access the program full of trepidation and leave empowered with both new transportation and confidence. Spokes is always in need of used bikes, tools, parts and of course cash. So come on, bikers, put some of that inventory stacked in your garage back into good use. FFI www.spokesconnect.org.

Growing Clean and Green

Next we pull on a pair of Wellingtons to bring you on a very modern farm tour. […]

By |2016-10-21T00:42:41-05:00November 26th, 2013|Categories: Newsletter|0 Comments

Vol. 20, #07 – 10/31/13

Careful readers of Online have noticed a dip in our frequency. We were proud pioneers of micro publishing when we began publishing via the fax machine in 1994, but the internet and social media have crowded the space we operate in. Our mission hasn’t changed: to inform our networks of clients, potential clients and friends on matters where politics, civic affairs, and commerce converge. Infomarketing, to coin a phrase. Social media has opened an “open mic” night, creating a din difficult to penetrate useful information through.

We’re not conceding just yet, however. Given the region’s main print news has completely eschewed its fourth estate responsibility in favor of schilling for real estate sales that benefit the owners—certainly not the public—and that MinnPost, the internet counterpart, is woefully wonkish and undersourced, we think there is value in what we provide. This January we are launching Online 2.0 in a new format. Punchy, pithier, and a guaranteed asset in your civic road map.

Your editors have been immersed in projects largely political and theatrical and not generally useful, but permit us to scare the establishment this Halloween with some observations along the way.

  • Congratulations to Carmichael Lynch Spong. The firm was recently awarded a […]
By |2016-10-21T00:42:41-05:00October 31st, 2013|Categories: Newsletter|1 Comment

Vol. 20, #06 – 8/29/13


WINDOWS ON…

Cameras, Lights, Action

School officials at Minneapolis Southwest High began the journey to light its athletic field, located in the already well-lit Pershing Park, in 1955. Back in those days funding was the issue; in more recent years neighbor opposition kept the home field a day game only proposition. A serious effort began anew three years ago and thanks to the support of Principal Bill Smith, the tenacity of Athletic Director Ryan Lamberty and the generous matching donation from Class of ’61 alum Harvey Feldman, tonight [Thursday, August 29] the purple and white will play under the lights. A celebration of this accomplishment begins at 6:00. Comedian Liz Winstead, SWHS Class of 1979, will entertain the crowd, expected to be large, sharing some humorous memories including a heretofore unrevealed secret regarding her classmate Chuck Simpkins, he of Hubert W. White fame. Dorothy Benham, former Miss American and SW alumnus, will sing the national anthem. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. FFI http://southwest.mpls.k12.mn.us.

Help Out the Little Rug-er, Will Ya?

Another Southwest graduate made good looks to be headed towards greatness. Nate Augspurger, Class of 2008, is training in southern California with others hopeful of making the U.S. Olympic […]

By |2016-10-21T00:42:41-05:00August 29th, 2013|Categories: Newsletter|0 Comments

Vol. 20, #05 – 7/02/13


Annual Firecracker of the Year Issue!

It was a beautiful sunny Monday afternoon. We should have been golfing. The phone rang on the main line here at World Headquarters in the Young Quinlan Building. Caller ID said it was the Minneapolis Club. “Hey, do you guys know anything about a Firecracker of the Year Award banquet that was supposed to be held today? We had a room reserved for 20 persons under the name of Ann Barkelew and the event listed as Firecracker of the Year banquet. When our servers went in to start beverage requests, there wasn’t a soul to be found. We waited more than a half hour, went back to the room, and all that was there was a tattered Red Owl grocery bag and what appears to be a rusted Arco coffee tin inside. We’re calling because you guys were listed as the contacts on the reservation.”

We drove over to the Minneapolis Club to fetch the bag and its contents. (We know, it’s only two blocks, but we love to pull in to the parking ramp at the Minneapolis Club and sign Walter Mondale’s name on the parking chit.) We brought the bag back to World […]

By |2016-10-21T00:42:41-05:00July 2nd, 2013|Categories: Newsletter|0 Comments

Vol. 20, #04 – 6/07/13


WINDOWS ON…

Political Change in the City of Lakes

The first important chapter in the tale of the Minneapolis mayoral race will be written next Saturday (June 15). More than 1600 DFL delegates will choose, or decide not to choose, to endorse a party standard bearer. In what looks to be a crowded field which will gallop all the way to November, thanks to ranked choice voting, the DFL endorsement offers several important advantages. The obvious benefit is the unification of the network of DFL-endorsed candidates for City Council, Park Board and Board of Estimate and their respective campaigns. Without a candidate at the top of the ticket, the impact of their endorsement dwindles considerably. No doubt council candidates Hofstede, Lilligren and Tuthill are all hoping for a no-decision. The most practical advantage for mayoral candidates comes in the fundraising department. The universe of donors interested in the outcome of the mayor’s race is limited, and all of the campaigns are reporting that this universe is close to tapped out. If there is an endorsement the DFL will immediately become the most powerful force as far as third party expenditures go. The lucky endorsement winner can turn to donors already at […]

By |2016-10-21T00:42:41-05:00June 7th, 2013|Categories: Newsletter|0 Comments

Vol. 20, #03 – 4/30/13


WINDOWS ON…

MinnRoast Not Yet Completely Cooked

Your editors are both loyal readers and big fans of the work produced by MinnPost, the pioneering electronic newspaper. Unlike our modest effort, MinnPost is published and staffed by some of the region’s most talented and accomplished journalists. MinnRoast, the wildly popular annual fundraiser – “a gentle skewering of journalists and politicians” – is in the rearview mirror but some of the special events which are sold as part of the party are still available. Among the events are “A Midnight Party at the Walker,” a curator-guided tour of the exhibit with the same name, that includes a pre-tour wine and cheese reception. We were surprised to see that “MinnPost Cooks,” a gourmet experience provided by legendary chefs like Joel Kramer and Lee Lynch at a White Bear Lake home, did not completely sell out. We can attest that Lee can tend bar as well as he smiths words; besides, Uncle Al Sicherman is bringing dessert. That has to be worth the price of admission. FFI log onto MinnPost.

Power Up

The Minneapolis City Council has directed City Coordinator Paul Aasen to initiate an Energy Pathways Study in advance of the city’s franchise negotiations […]

By |2016-10-21T00:42:41-05:00April 30th, 2013|Categories: Newsletter|0 Comments

Vol. 20, #02 – 3/29/13


WINDOWS ON…

Why not Wither the Nicollet Mall Renovation

The city of Minneapolis over the last few years has attempted to get state funding to assist with reconstruction of Nicollet Mall, including a swing and a miss at the Governor’s supplemental budget last spring. Wanting to keep some momentum going forward there is talk that a design competition will be instituted through the City’s Planning and Development office in early summer to seek ideas from design consortiums, reportedly for plans that reflect the principles put forth in the Downtown Council’s 2025 plan.

Especially if there is no progress during this legislative session, maybe city leaders, public and private sector, press “pause” until stakeholders can get to an inspired consensus on what it is they are trying to accomplish. It is important that we come to terms with “why” before heading out on a mission to build “what.” The Mall was built first in the early 1960s to strengthen downtown as the region’s premier destination shopping area. It was in direct response to retailers, mostly the major department stores, who feared the impact of Southdale and the other planned enclosed malls coming online. (Ironically Dayton’s, the loudest voice for a retail street, was […]

By |2016-10-21T00:42:41-05:00March 29th, 2013|Categories: Newsletter|1 Comment

Vol. 20, #01 – 1/31/13


WINDOWS ON…

Inner Warmth

When the wind is whipping around on Ninth and Marquette and the TCF clock is reading –13, it’s very easy to forget why we live here. Some suggestions are in order, Dear Reader; maybe off the beaten path but worthy diversions nonetheless.

  • First on our list, for reasons you’ll soon discover, is the upcoming MacPhail Center Spotlight Series: Contemporary Compositions from 12th Street to the River. This showcase features the original works of six MacPhail composers, but we would like to call your attention to the collection of songs for which this showcase is made. Composer Greg Theisen will lead a piano and vocal ensemble performing “From 12th Street to the River,” a collection of pieces from the opera “The Ballad of the Nicollet Mall.” Mr. Theisen has been an important collaborator on a very special project being shepherded by our/your own Charles Neerland. There are several other recognizable theater powerhouses collaborating on the “Ballad,” notably human luminaire John Clark Donahue. Neerland is not one to brag, so the rest of us will on his behalf. In its entirety, the Ballad of the Nicollet Mall is a beautiful work as the pieces that will be performed at this […]
By |2016-10-21T00:42:41-05:00January 31st, 2013|Categories: Newsletter|0 Comments
Go to Top