Pet Park Safety Tips - An Ongoing Series from Curtis L. Sanford, DVM

Our neighborhood is a haven for dog owners, and we thought it would be beneficial to have an ongoing series specifically for them.  This is the second installment of Pet Park Safety Tips from Curtis L. Sanford, DVM.

Aggressive or fearful dogs, and puppies not fully vaccinated should not be taken to dog parks until they are completely socialized to all sizes and behaviors of dogs. Dog parks are not a place to learn socialization.

Small pet companions and large pet companions should be separated, unless the known companion can interact nicely with other pets.

Dr. Sanford is a Veterinarian and Owner/Founder of Minneapolis Veterinary Hospital in the Mill District.   He can be contacted at 612-746-0300 or mplsvet@live.com.

Research at the Red Stag / Happy Hour Tonight

Something from Nothing: The Mystery of Landscape Patterns

Time: 5:30pm

Location:  Red Stag Supper Club

Look out the window of an airplane and you will likely encounter a sight that U of M Geology & Geophysics Professor Chris Paola describes as "something miraculous." Beautiful, striking, and well-organized landscape patterns are one of the great mysteries in nature.  Join us for happy hour as Prof. Paola discusses what scientists are learning about these fascinating formations.

"Research at the Red Stag" is a new science happy hour sponsored by the National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics / St. Anthony Falls Laboratory. It is a chance to hear about new and exciting work over beer, in a cool bar.  Come talk with the experts about their efforts to address some of the Earth's most pressing problems.  NCED's Research at the Red Stag brings the wonders of science to happy hour.

Progress on the Plank Road Replacement Project

These shots were taken Thursday, October 7:

Mill District residents who access parking via West River Road are now entering from the 11th Avenue South entrance and driving on new cement. 

Access is no longer available from the Portland Avenue entrance while the final section is being replaced.

Father Hennepin Bluffs Regional Park East Falls Feasibility Study

The Minneapolis Riverfront Corporation hosted an Open House at Pracna's on Main October 5 to present ideas for achieving their vision: To create a more vital, world-class riverfront destination that will honor our past and welcome visitors to generations to come.

Jeff Lee of Barr Engineering presented excerpts from the Feasibility Study his firm is currently composing. The Feasibility Study is a prerequisite to obtaining funding for the project. It addresses issues such as sustainability, aesthetics, environmental benefits, and improving visitors experience.  A component of the project is to restore the East Falls. Below are artists' renderings of what two restored water falls might look like:

These falls are referred to as the Northern Limestone Ledge and Southern Limestone Ledge, both of which are in the park area below the Father Hennepin Bluff pavilion.

The East Falls Team is comprised of individuals from 14 organizations.   A follow up public meeting is planned for early December.  When the date, time and location are finalized, we'll post it under the Event section.

Mill City Market This Weekend

Here's the line-up for Mill City market this weekend.  Only 2 markets left.

Bridgewater Residents Supporting Homeless Family Fundraiser

This is from an email sent to Bridgewater Lofts residents from our HOA manager.  Of course, anyone wishing to support this cause is encouraged to attend.  Sounds like fun too!

------------------------------------------

Bridgewater Neighbors,

Join us for an awesome evening of dance and entertainment while helping end homelessness in Hennepin County!

The Bridgewater community supported People Serving People - the largest, comprehensive family focused shelter in Minnesota - with our Holiday drive in December.   And now, we have another opportunity to support goals that are important to all of us:

- Families having a safe place to live
- Children that can attend school and continue their education during difficult times
- Parents that can enroll in job training courses
- Safer communities

Next week, join us for an awesome evening of dance and entertainment while supporting the goals that are important to our community!

SALSA AND SPARKLE
Friday, October 15th
Featuring the music of Salsa del Soul
Salsa and Merengue dance instruction
Solera Restaurant 8-11pm
Tickets: $50
Cash Bar
100% of your ticket price goes to PSP!

The President of People Serving People, Jim Minor, will join us and discuss how we can make a greater impact.

Here's what you can do today:

- Buy Tickets online by October 10th
- Get your dancing shoes ready for the 15th!

Our goals is to raise $15,000 for the organization.  If you can't attend and would like to make a donation, please reference 'Salsa and Sparkle' in the memo line.

Link to event tickets

Please contact Carmen Brace if you have questions.  Thanks for your support!

Carmen Brace
612-708-1691
Carmen.brace@conagrafoods.com

A "New" Waterfall May be Coming to the Mississippi

Everyone's invited to learn about the Minneapolis Park Board's ambitious plans to restore part of the historic waterfall on the Eastside of the river near St. Anthony Main at the:

Eastside Falls Open House

Presentations by:

• Barr Engineering
• Hess Roise Historic Consultants
• Minneapolis Riverfront Corporation

7:00 to 8:30 PM

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Pracna on Main - Inside Courtyard
117 Main Street SE
Minneapolis, Minnesota

501SP1N has Officially Launched

Dawn Doll and her staff of instructors, together with 501F1T, hosted the 501SP1N Launch Party October 1.  501SP1N is an innovative indoor cycling program utilizing the Realryder® and Krankcyle®.

Andria Johnson, above, is one of the Krankcyle® instructors.  Andria met Dawn through a friend, and Dawn has been her trainer for over a year.  Andria is currently working towards becoming an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, and credits Dawn with her healthy lifestyle.

In addition to spin classes, Dawn teaches Pilates.  She is shown above with a piece of Pilates equipment used in her class.

Andrea Austin, Certified Master Personal Trainer with 20 years of experience, is a Realryder® instructor. 

Joe Hegman is a Krankcyle® instructor and Personal Trainer.

501SP1N is located at 501 Washington Avenue South, 3rd Floor.  For more information, call 612-910-1425.

Pet Park Safety Tips - An Ongoing Series from Curtis L. Sanford, DVM

Our neighborhood is a haven for dog owners, and we thought it would be beneficial to have an ongoing series specifically for them.  This is the first installment of Pet Park Safety Tips from Curtis L. Sanford, DVM.

Dark colored, overweight, shorter muzzle and large dogs should not be taken to the dog park during the heat of the day because they can develop heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Be sure you know the signs of both. They include excessive panting, their gums getting bright red, and eventually becoming disoriented and collapsing. If your dog is experiencing these symptoms, give it a cold water bath with a hose. On very hot days, even light colored dogs and small dogs should not be taken to the dog park. Most dogs prefer early morning and late evening interaction.

Dr. Sanford is a Veterinarian and Owner/Founder of Minneapolis Veterinary Hospital in the Mill District.   He can be contacted at 612-746-0300 or mplsvet@live.com.

The Minneapolis RiverCurrent - an Additional Source of Information

A life-long Minneapolis resident and long time City of Minneapolis employee who is passionate about our riverfront generates a weekly e-newsletter called the Minneapolis RiverCurrent.  The RiverCurrent covers a larger geographical scope than we focus on with Mill City Times.  For example, there are events and festivals along the riverfront in other parts of the city that you won’t see listed in the Events section of Mill City Times, but they’ll be included in the RiverCurrent.  At the same time, there are going to be items that both venues list – such as a show at the Guthrie.
 
If you would like to subscribe to the RiverCurrent, send an email to: mplsrivercurrent@gmail.com.

A Private Tour of the Soon to be Occupied Mill District City Apartments

Gina Bachmeier, Sales Manager for Mill District City Apartments, gave us an in depth tour of this beautiful 175 unit building located at 225 Portland Avenue.

Already over 35% leased, the 5-story building offers 39 floor plans and a long list of amenities.  Every unit has something special to offer.  For example, first floor apartments facing South 2nd Street and Washington Avenue have private entries. 

Above, a view of the Mill City Museum and Guthrie from the 5th floor catwalk.  (Being a klutz, I didn't actually venture out onto the catwalk - no railing yet.)

All 4th and 5th floor units are penthouses, half of which are two-story floor plans like the one pictured above.

Fireplaces are included in loft floor plans.

Above, other views from various apartments.

Village Green, the developer of Mill District City Apartments, has partnered with a growing number of companies within the Twin Cities to offer exclusive benefits and discounts to employees.  Examples are Target, Cargill and US Bank. Click here for a full list.

At the time of our tour, the retail space on the ground floor (at the corner of Washington and Portland Avenues) had not yet been leased.  

A model apartment and sales office are scheduled to open in October.  We will post the Open House events when those dates are finalized.

Although the courtyard currently resembles a giant sand box, it will be spectacular when finished.  Visit the photo section of their web site for pictures of what the completed complex will look like - inside and out. 

As a side note, I admit we were skeptical when we heard this location was going to be apartments rather than condos.   We felt better when we viewed the Village Green web site earlier this year - it was impressive.  Now, after touring the site with Gina, we think this is a great addition to our neighborhood.

Progress on the Plank Road Project

This shot was taken Sunday, September 26:

From West River Road in the Mill District of Minneapolis.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow in the Mill District

This video and picture don't do justice to the gorgeous rainbow that appeared for a few minutes early Saturday morning (September 25).  A faint double rainbow was visible for about 30 seconds or so. 

From our balcony in the Mill District of Mineapolis.

Live at the 501 Club / Matt Dodge

Singing Blackbird by the Beatles, from an acoustical set last Thursday.

Live Music Venues in our Neighborhood

When it comes to live music, there's something for everyone in our neighborhood. 

Some of the venues are season specific, such as the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's "Music in the Parks" concert series and Mill City Museum's "Mill City Live" series.  Others may be nightly, weekly, or special events you need to watch for. 

For example, the Guthrie offers single night engagements, such as Keri Noble on September 27 and Max Weinberg on October 25.

I was surprised to learn in a recent Star Trib article that the Aster Cafe at 125 SE Main Street in St. Anthony Main now offers live music Wednesday thru Saturday.

In addition to recitals, the MacPhail Center for Music hosts special engagements such as the Spotlight Series.  This series features MacPhail faculty with special guests, providing an intimate listening experience for lovers of classical, jazz and opera. 

The 501 Club has live entertainment at least 5 nights a week. As a general rule the 501 site has links to the performers' sites, allowing you to get a feel for their music if you're not familiar with the name/band.

During the summer, wxzy at the Aloft has live music on Wednesday nights in their courtyard.

The Southern Theater occasionally features music.  A winter treat to look forward to is Alisa Weilerstein & Gabriel Kahane on February 18 & 19, 2011.  More Info.

Sometimes Grumpy's has live music - call or check online.

We strive to list as many of these shows in the Events section as possible, but inevitably we might miss a few.  If you're aware of an upcoming show that is missing from the Events section, please let us know.

Our Neighbors in the North Loop Need Help with this Special Project

We are fortunate to have so many beautiful parks just a stroll away.  But wouldn't it be nice for those of us with young children or grandchildren to have a fully equipped playground as well?   That dream is coming true where 4th Avenue North meets West River Parkway.    Earlier this month, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board released an update entitled "Preparations for construction of 4th Avenue playground underway".

The article mentions the location of this new playground as 4th Avenue North and James I. Rice Parkway (rather than West River Parkway).  I wasn't familiar with James I. Rice Parkway, but a quick Google search yielded a description on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's web site:

"Part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, James I. Rice Parkway extends West River Parkway along the Mississippi River through downtown Minneapolis from Portland Ave. S to Plymouth Ave. N. Featuring paved walking and cycling paths, riverside hiking trails, picnic areas and beautiful scenery, the two-way parkway is as much a destination as it is a passage.

Heading north from Mill Ruins Park and the Stone Arch Bridge, James I. Rice Parkway passes under the 3rd Avenue Bridge, goes past the main Minneapolis Post Office and First Bridge Park, where it passes under the Hennepin Avenue Bridge. From there the parkway continues past the Federal Reserve Bank and under the NicolletIsland railroad bridge before intersecting with 4th Ave. N, which allows easy access the city’s Warehouse district and North Loop neighborhood. From 4thAve. the parkway winds along until reaching the Plymouth Avenue Bridge, at which point, James I. Rice Parkway reverts to West River Road.

The central riverfront parkland along James I. Rice Parkway presents a picturesque site for weddings, and offers ample recreational opportunities. Multiple tree-shaded picnic areas feature tables, grills, benches and horseshoe pits. Paved paths take park goers from the river’s edge at St. Anthony Falls, past interpretive and artistic installations and across pedestrian bridges near the sandstone culvert where Bassett’s Creek used to enter the Mississippi River. Other nearby recreation destinations include Orvin “Ole” Olson Park, Boom Island Park and Nicollet Island Park.

Opened in October, 1987, the parkway is named for James I. Rice, a longtime state legislator from northeast Minneapolis, who was an instrumental figure in funding the development of regional parks."

In addition to the donors listed in the article, there are other fund raising initiatives going on.  For example, a number of downtown restaurants are hosting fund raising dinners.  In our neighborhood, Spill the Wine is participating October 12.  For additional fund raising opportunities, visit the North Loop Neighborhood web site.

We'll be sure to take pictures and post progress updates whenever our strolls take us outside the Mill District.  

Don't Miss this Exciting Music Event at the MacPhail Center for Music!

Mill City Commons invites our neighborhood to join them on Tuesday, September 28, for this special event:  No Auditions Necessary: Gospel Sing-Along with J.D. Steele! at MacPhail Center for Music.

If you're not familiar with J.D. and his siblings, check them out at http://www.thesteelesmusic.com and you'll quickly learn what all the fuss is about.

Please RSVP by Friday, September 24.  See our Events section for full details.

Ceresota - What's in a Name?

We recently enjoyed Mill City Museum's "Engineering the Falls: Walking Tour by History Player William de la Barre" (like all their tours, it was marvelous).  Of the many interesting facts and quips our guide provided, one was regarding the name "Ceresota".  He explained the name is a combination of "Ceres" (in ancient Roman religion, Ceres was a goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships) and "sota" for the last two syllables of our state.

As part of our ongoing series, Signs of Mill City, we previously posted a picture of the prominent Ceresota mural.

Work Recently Started on the West River Parkway Plank Road Replacement Project

MCFM Fall Harvest Dinner is a Huge Success

My guest Roni and I were among the first arrivals to the Mill City Farmers Market Fall Harvest Dinner last night, which allowed us time to admire the beautiful Fall-themed decorations in the Mill City Museum train shed and courtyard.  The MCFM Fall Harvest Dinner is an important annual fund raising event for this non-profit organization.

Every dish had a wonderful flavor and texture.  Until attending this Dinner, I had no idea how delicious smoked trout and collard greens were.  Yum!

 

The organic, sustainable gods were smiling down on the event - assuring the entertainers could perform in the open air and further adding to an enjoyable evening.  

On a side note, the MCFM is currently seeking an Executive Director.  Please see this earlier article for details.