Covering life, work, and play in the Historic Mill District and Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront neighborhoods. Have an opinion, local news or events to share? Contact us.
The first-ever open meeting of the Minneapolis Beard & Moustache Club took place December 2 at Grumpy’s, 1111 Washington Avenue South. Michael Johnson, who you may recognize from Sorella Wine and Spirits, hosted the event. We popped in for a few pictures:
It was spectatular. Kim and I attended the lighting ceremony (see video at the bottom) and snapped a few photos.
It was great to see neighbors and vendors converge at the Mill City Museum yesterday morning for the first ever indoor Mill City Farmers Market.
Added bonus - members from Light of the Moon Band provided festive background music.
Watching Master Weaver Wilber Quispe is mesmerizing. He will be weaving at ArtAndes Mill City Farmers Market space Saturdays through July.
We recently visited Sanctuary for the second time in as many months, this time to celebrate our 17th Wedding Anniversary. The Sanctuary is a cozy 20 table resaurant located 1 block from the Guthrie Theater in the Mill District of Minneapolis at 903 Washington Ave. South.
An A+ Atmosphere
Instant relaxation best describes how we feel settling into our booth - The fireplace, the stone wall running the entire length of the restaurant, lights turned down low, and music that sets the mood yet fades into the background. This place just gives off a good vibe.
Minnesota Nice with a Sprinkle of Sophistication
Or should I say sophistication with a sprinkle of Minnesota nice? Whatever, the Sanctuary seems to have perfected the art of making their guests feel special. Starting with 5-Time award winning maitre de, and Sanctuary Partner Michael Kutscheid, the staff treat service as both a profession and art form - warm, welcoming, knowledgeable with, yes, just the right amount of "sophistication" to make our experience special.
Our Meal Was as Delicious as it was Beautiful
Chef Patrick Atanalian, a native of Marseille, France, and once named Best Mad Genius Chef by City Pages, stopped by our table to say hi and extend his best wishes on our anniversary. After enjoying a cocktail, we were ready to savor the flavor. Chef Patrick and his team served us a work of art that surprised, and delighted our taste buds.
ginger beer potato soup finished with garlic chili creme fraiche
dayboat sea scallops, hangar 1 chipotle vodka eggnog sauce, shishito peppers, asian pear and red tobiko caviar
certified black angus beef, speck ham risotto, black truffle ketchup sauce, jalapeno confiture
Follow Sanctuary on Twitter or Facebook to stay on top of special events and new additions to their menu.
Nichola Miller had people groovin' at the August 6 Market.
These adorable little girls didn't break out in dance, but Nichola had their undivided attention.
We thoroughly enjoyed the music of Light of the Moon Band at the June 4 Mill City Farmers Market.
The developers of the Pillsbury A Mill presented their plans for this National Historic Landmark. The Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership convenes a quarterly forum in the Central Riverfront concerning issues shaping this area.
Central River Forum:
A Mill Outstanding in Our Nation: Shaping the Future of the Pillsbury “A” Mill and Main Street Southeast
Why is this site’s story so important to Minneapolis – and the nation? How can you help shape the future of the St. Anthony Falls Historic District? What are the pressure points in the development process? What are two developers planning to propose for the area?
David Wiggins of the National Park Service highlighted the big stories this place tells, and previewed how and when you can most effectively inform public decision makers. Developers Dominium Apartments and Doran Companies shared their proposals for developing the area, including this National Historic Landmark.
Normally closed on Sundays, Sanctuary welcomed friends and neighbors on August 28 to celebrate 4 years at the 903 Washington location.
Chef Patrick Atanalian served up a fantastic feast, and along with Naomi, Roger, Michael and staff, made sure everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. DJ Shannon Blowtorch outdid herself with the music.
OMG, I think we broke the Fun-O-Meter, check out the video:
Best viewed in full screen mode
Zen Box Izakaya(602 Washington Avenue South) is now open, and it was so worth the wait! From the moment you walk in and are greeted with a cheer of “Irrasaimase!” (“Welcome!”), until you leave to chants of “Arigato gozaimashita” (“Thank you very much for coming!") - it's a wonderful experience.
Many people know owners John and Lina Goh (below) from their popular lunch-only skyway location. Per Lina, "We are very blessed with a group of loyal fans whom embraced us from the beginning when we came from San Francisco to open Zen Box Japanese Eatery in the skyway. They are one of the reasons why we opened the second location, so that they can also share their love for good food with their friends and family."
She added, "We simply love to eat, and love to share with others our passion for Japanese comfort food. We believe that Food brings people together and good food comes from the heart."
We started off with Japanese beers exclusive to Zen Box - Asahi and Hitachino Ginger. Zen Box has created their own version of pub nibbles, Buckwheat Soba Sticks, lightly fried for a crispy texture and seasoned with sea salt.
Our server, Heidi, recommended four items for our first visit, starting with the Crab Croquettes with Spicy Mayo ("Big Brother" Kani Korokke on the menu) and Tuna Poke', a melt-in-your-mouth marinated raw tuna with Poke' dressing. Both were absolutely delish.
;)
Next, the Zen Box Short Ribs. The flavor reminded me of a steak grilled to perfection - mmmmm.
Finally, the Chicken Kara-Age (Crispy Chicken) with Kamikaze Sauce. Words can't describe the incredible delicate crunch - I don't recall having anything like it. Again, the accompanying sauce was delicious.
In addition to creating a relaxing atmosphere and wonderful food, John and Lina have assembled a staff who share their passion. Beyond the lively greeting at the door (which immediately sets a "feel good" tone), the servers are attentive, helpful and genuinely excited to discuss the menu and make suggestions.
So now the dilemma we're faced with is what to have on our next visit. While there are many tasty items on the menu, we'll be tempted to order the same four dishes again - they were just soooo good.
Per Lina, most of the lunch and dinner menu items are available for take-out, with the exception of the Ramen dishes. They are currently working on a take-out menu.
You can reach Zen Box at 612-332-3936, and follow them on Facebook. Check their website for the lunch and dinner menus.
A slight breeze, not too hot, blue sky overhead, seated in the historic Washburn A Mill ruins - what a perfect night to watch two Minnesota Folk Music legends perform. Oh, and it was the first day back in business for the Mill City Museum after the State shutdown to boot.
Spider John and Tony Glover treated us to a 24 song concert of "'1960's bar style" folk music. The acoustics were surprisingly good for an outdoor setting, excellent in fact. Technically, the production team pulled off the show without a glitch. Here's one of many videos we'll be posting over the coming weeks:
The holidays are a time when families look to celebrate the joy of the season with a traditional turkey meal that includes all of the trimmings. But for those living on the fringes of homelessness and hunger, it’s difficult to envision securing even the simplest of meals.
This Thanksgiving season, thanks to Cub FOODS, 2,000 free turkey meals will be distributed to formerly homeless families and clients of People Serving People (PSP), Simpson Housing Services, Project Pride for Living and St. Stephen’s Human Services at a special distribution event.
During a November 21 event at People Serving People, 150 families, many of whom used to stay at PSP, were invited to recieve frozen turkeys and dinner ingredients. Hundreds more families who did not attend the event will receive gift certificates.
“Homeless families have a long journey to stability. Through the “Unity in Community” effort, Cub is helping PSP and our partner organizations give these families hope for tomorrow and a good start on the road to recovery. Indeed, Thanksgiving is the one day where everyone deserves a place at the table,” emphasized Daniel Gumnit, CEO, People Serving People.
Special Guests Included:
- Mr. Sherman Patterson, Policy Aide for Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak
- Cathy Ten Broeke, Coordinator, End Homelessness, Minneapolis/Hennepin County
- Mary Tingerthal, Commissioner, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
MinnPost posted a story yesterday on one of the families attending this event. It's a great example of the difference PSP and events like Unity in Community make.
Oktoberfest was celebrated at the Market and Museum on September 24. The Elk River German Band entertained people on Chicago Mall, and The Bavarian Musikmeisters provided music in the Ruins courtyard.
The Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Avenue South, opened at 7am Saturday, September 10. We dropped in for breakfast before heading off to the Mill City Farmers Market.
I opted for the caramel apple walnut french toast (above), which had a nice apple/sauce/walnut ratio.
They did a beautiful job renovating the former 501 Club space. Removing the wall between the two levels really opened it up, and the new stage area is a huge improvement - both in size and location.
We spoke with Manager Matt Saffert, who filled us in on some of the upcoming and ongoing events and activities. Check out the schedule online.
Welcome to the neighborhood, Crooked Pint Ale House, and thank you for bringing us early morning weekend breakfast option!
Hundreds of 4-legged supporters turned out for the 2011 Pride Parade:
This was displayed at the Stone Arch Arts Festival last weekend.
Lorenzo Terregrossa of Lorenzo’s Ovens fired up one of his outdoor brick ovens to make authentic Italian pizzas at the July 30 Mill City Farmers Market.
In addition to custom pizza ovens, outdoor kitchens and portable ovens, Lorenzo also caters. Talk about a pizza party to wow your family and friends! You can reach Lorenzo at 651-890-6991, or email lorenzosovens@msn.com.
Photo shoot from a recent guided tour at the Mill City Museum. Music by "Spider" John Koerner & Tony Glover from a 2011 performance at Mill City Live.
Description from Mill City Museum:
Take an in-depth look at the historic Washburn A Mill complex and the award-winning Mill City Museum building on a guided tour of the building. A museum interpreter will take visitors into the building’s many nooks and crannies, highlighting the lives of the men and women who worked there, how the building functioned during its peak flour milling years, and the many changes to the building over time. Also covered will be how the mill ruin was converted to a museum and office building.
Although many parts of the A mill can be explored on a self-guided basis during a regular museum visit, this is the only opportunity for a guided tour through the entire museum building, and the only chance to see some of its non-public spaces. The tour includes admission to the museum gallery as well as the Flour Tower show.
Mill City Times | 35W Bridge Memorial | Mill District Block Party | Mill City Media
Monday, January 2, 2012 at 8:00AM