October 8, 2011, Saturday - Taste Twin Cities Minneapolis Riverwalk Tour (Starts at Gold Medal Park)

Taste Twin Cities was created to share our passion of food and enjoy the taste the Twin Cities has to offer.  If you love to eat, try new foods and enjoy a fun experience learning about the history of the Twin Cities, this tour if for you! Reservations.

Tour Facts
•3 hour walking tour of Minneapolis Mill District and Northeast Minneapolis neighborhoods.
•11:30am - 2:30pm
•Flat route with slight inclines and walking down 1 staircase, approximately 1.8 miles, standing most of the time, bathrooms available at some stops.
•6 stops, with tastings at each (enough food for lunch!).
•Tour limited to 12 people, advance tickets required.
•Begins at Gold Medal Park (S 10th Ave & S 2nd Street), located next to the Guthrie Theater, ends in Northeast Minneapolis (Hennepin Ave & SE University Ave).
•$43 (Prepaid at time of reservation)

Tour Description
Hungry for an off-the-beaten path Minneapolis food experience? Join us as we explore one of the city's trendy and historical neighborhoods, Mill District and Northeast Minneapolis. We will share what's hot in the Minneapolis food scene as we visit specialty shops and restaurants that are proud of their commitment to local and sustainable ingredients, and handmade treats. As you participate in tasting mouth watering pasta, compare gourmet cheeses and learn how Danish pastry is made, you'll gain an appreciation for a distinct neighborhood that most tourists never see.

We'll stroll past Museums and Theaters in the Mill District, enjoy gorgeous views the river has to offer and cross over into historical Northeast Minneapolis. You'll learn about the history of both these neighborhoods and visit the oldest street in Minneapolis. You'll taste and chat with other food-loving guests, and leave the tour with a host of restaurant recommendations and discounts for your next trip back to the Twin Cities.

Tastings
•Mouth watering pasta with an amazing atmosphere.
•Specialty Danish pastry baked in front of us, served with a variety of delicious toppings.
•Local cheese and specialty items.
•Variety of Minnesota brewed draft beers (non-alcoholic tastings available).
•European style bakery bread.
•Extravagantly blended gourmet chocolates.
•Award winning coffee including local favorite Noreast Mud (substitute options available).
*Tastings subject to change without notice. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated.

Location
Our Tour begins at Gold Medal Park (S 10th Ave & S 2nd Street).

October 8, 2011, Saturday - Mill City Farmers Market

Time: 8:00am - 1:00pm

Location: 704 South 2nd Street

Today at Mill City Farmers Market:  Eating Local Year Round

Even well-intentioned locavores fall off the wagon when winter in Minnesota approaches. We've heard it before: "I like supporting local foods, but I can only eat so many turnips!" Eating local year round in Minnesota is challenging, but it only takes a little bit of planning to enjoy a locally grown and varied diet throughout the winter. To help you be a successful and full-time local foods consumer, we've made this helpful guide.

PRODUCE PLANNER for the WINTER: 
Stock up now on storage veggies, like carrots, onions, beets, squash, pumpkins, potatoes, garlic, parsnips, celeriac and apples. Hang herbs and carrot greens to dry or dehydrate them to use all year long. Freeze kale, Swiss chard and collards. Can tomatoes, tomatillos and peppers. Or, get a winter CSA and visit Winter Farmers Markets! 
 
Mill City Cooks, 10:00am:
Local food writer and cooking instructor, Beth Dooley joins Heather Hartman in the demo kitchen to answer the question, "How do you eat local foods year round... in Minnesota?" They'll be making two delicious autumnal recipes. 

Meet Your Vegetables! Sponsored by Allina 9:00am - 1:00pm
Get down with greens! Try a simple preparation of cooking greens and take home a recipe. Ask the interns about the nutritional benefits of these veggies and learn how to keep eating them all year! 

Live Music, 11:00am - 1:00pm:
Vocalist Karen Quiroz presents a stunning repertoire of popular music from Brazil and Latin America; non-stop rhythm, lush harmonics, and melodies.  

Community Booth: 
North House Folk School is an educational non-profit on the shores of Lake Superior in Grand Marais, MN. They foster a non-competitive learning environment devoted to teaching traditional northern craft in over 350 courses year round and will be demonstrating wood carving at the Market this Saturday.

Art Market, all day:
Featuring The Ink Orchard, ceramics by Guillermo Cuellar, Barnswallow Garden, and woodwork by Jim Benson.

October 8, 2011, Saturday - Mill Ruins Park Open House

Time: 9:00am - Noon

Location:  Mill Ruins Park

Please join the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board at an open house for Mill Ruins Park 9:00am-noon, Saturday, October 8.

The open house, free and open to the public, will allow visitors to learn about the site's history, its bid to win funding for proposed preservation projects and details about the projects and the effort to preserve historical significance.  There will be a staffed display, tent and promotional materials.
 
Share your stories.
We’d love to hear your stories about the Mill Ruins Park. Tell us what the park mean to you and how it may be significant in your life. You are encouraged to share photos, too! Visit our Mill Ruins Park Facebook page to share your stories and photos.
 
About the park.
Mill Ruins Park is located along the Mississippi River adjacent to St. Anthony Falls. The falls were the literal driving force behind the development of Minneapolis, providing power for lumber and flour mills. Minneapolis served as the Midwestern hub to transform wheat to flour and was known as the “flour capital of the world.” Iconic companies, mill owners and civic leaders that got their start at the river have left their mark on the Minneapolis landscape including Pillsbury, General Mills, Washburn, Cargill, Peavey and Loring.

As part of the Central Mississippi Riverfront Park with its 1.6 million annual visitors, Mill Ruins Park is mostly used for its trails, its up close access to ruins and the tailrace canal, its scenic overlooks and self-directed river quest. The proposed project would reveal mill features, engage the public in archaeology and increase opportunities for interpretation. The proposed use will contribute to the preservation of the Mill district for future generations.

October 8, 2011, Saturday - 7th Annual Zombie Pub Crawl

Time:  4:00pm - 2:00am

The 2011 Zombie Pub Crawl (ZPC VII) has expanded to include St. Paul.  While the Minneapolis activities are concentrated on the West Bank this year, Grumpy's and Maxwell's are still on their Zombie-friendly list. 

You must have a wristband to get into the Zombie Pub Crawl bars and block parties! The Zombie Pub Crawl WILL SELL OUT, so purchase early.  Tickets.

Don't forget to stop in the Monster Halloween store at 1211 Washington Avenue South for costume and make up needs.

Check out Mill City Times' 2010 Zombie Blog - we've posted a new picture every day since last year's Crawl.

October 8, 2011, Saturday - Live Music at Crooked Pint Ale House

Time:  10:00pm,  $5 Cover

Location: Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Avenue South

Tonight: The Irresistibles Sweet Soul Show featuring Mick Sterling

October 8, 2011, Saturday - Peghead Palooza

Time: Opens at Noon, Music 1:00pm-10:00pm

Location:  Star Tribune Parking Lot at Portland and 3rd Street South

Peghead Recordsand the American Legion #600 present Peghead Palooza, to raise money for North Minneapolis tornado victims.  Food, music, beer gardens, tattooing and more.

Tickets

October 8, 2011, Saturday - Free Family Day/Youth Education Open House at MCBA

Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm

Location: Minnesota Center for Book Arts, 1011 Washington Avenue South

Create your own magical world with MCBA and The Loft Literary Center! Kids can get a taste of one of our most popular writing and book arts "combo classes", including pop-up book making with MCBA artist-instructors!

FREE and open to the public; all ages are welcome.

October 8, 2011, Saturday - Partners in Preservation Open House at Soap Factory

Time: 10:00am-5:00pm

Location:  The Soap Factory, 514 2nd Street SE

Exhibition Runs: Oct 8 - Oct 9, 2011

The Soap Factory is hosting an open house as part of the Partners in Preservation Program.  From making dumplings to touring the Haunted Basement, this weekend offers the public a chance to learn more about The Soap Factory and its bid to win part of the $1 million of preservation funding provided by American Express.

About Partners in Preservation
Launched in 2006, Partners in Preservation is a program in which American Express, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has awarded $5.5 million over a five-year period toward preserving 56 historic places throughout the United States. American Express renewed its commitment to Partners in Preservation in 2010 by pledging $10 million toward the program over the next five years. Through this partnership, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation seek to increase the public’s awareness of the importance of historic preservation in the United States and to preserve America’s historic and cultural places. The program also seeks to inspire long-term support from local citizens for the historic sites at the heart of their communities.

October 7, 2011, Friday - The Soap Factory Presents: The Haunted Basement 2011

Location: 514 2nd Street SE

The Soap Factory's 5th annual Haunted Basement. An artist designed, adult only Halloween experience not to be missed!  

Runs October 1 - October 31, 2011 - Reservations required.

Reserve tickets online.

October 7, 2011, Friday - Lunch with MacPhail

NOTE - THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Time:  Noon – 1:30pm

Location: MacPhail Center for Music, 501 2nd Street South

Lunch with MacPhail is a free lunch event offering an exclusive opportunity to learn about MacPhail, and a private preview of selected 2011-2012 MacPhail Spotlight Series concert performance. Lunch with MacPhail is intended for adult guests and space is limited.  The preview performance is a private event which is part of Lunch with MacPhail.  Guests are encouraged to attend the entire event.

RSVP to Amanda Schroder by email at schroder.amanda@macphail.org or by phone at 612-767-5343. 
 
Todays feature:
Texture, Trills and Timbre - Oboe and Harp
Carrie Vecchione, oboe; Ann Benjamin, harp.

October 7, 2011, Friday - Live Music at Crooked Pint Ale House

Time: 10:00pm, No Cover

Location: Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Avenue South

Tonight: The Whiskies

October 7, 2011, Friday - Live Music at Aster Cafe

Time: 9:00pm  $6 Cover

Location: Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main Street

Tonight: Billy Johnson

October 6, 2011, Thursday - Larry Millett at Mill City Museum

Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Location:  Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd Street
  
Author Larry Millett will be at the Mill City Museum for a talk and book signing for his new book, Once There Were Castles: Lost Mansions and Estates of the Twin Cities.

The first in-depth look at the history of the Twin Cities’ mansions, Once There Were Castles presents ninety lost mansions and estates, organized by neighborhood and illustrated with photographs and drawings. An absorbing read for Twin Cities residents and a crucial addition to the body of work on the region’s history, Once There Were Castles brings these “ghost mansions” back to life.

Click here to read a recent Star Trib article regarding Larry.

October 6, 2011, Thursday - 'Art on the Town' Kick Off at Open Book

Time: 7:00pm-10:00pm

Location: Open Book, 1011 Washington Avenue South

Explore and celebrate the Twin Cities’ art community with the return of Art on the Town, October 6 to 16, 2011!

This is a must-attend event featuring shows, demonstrations, receptions and more hosted by members of Twin Cities Fine Arts Organization (TCFAO). Throughout the ten day event visitors will have opportunities to win prizes by participating in certain events.

The event will kick off on Thursday, October 6, at the Open Book building in Minneapolis with an open reception for the exhibition “Art on the Town: Selections from Twin Cities Fine Arts Organization.”

October 6, 2011, Thursday - Open Studio Night at Northrup King Building

Time:  5:00pm-9:00pm

Location:  Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson Street Northeast

Join us for First Thursday in the Arts District as a multitude of painters, sculptors, printmakers, photographers, ceramists, textile and fiber artists, jewelers, furniture showrooms and more open their studios at the Northrup King Building located in the heart of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. We will be serving Root Beer floats outside!

Stop by the Red Stag Supper Club after First Thursday for late night music. The Red Stag Supper Club features Happy Hour 3pm - close and late night music at 10:00 PM. Pick up a wooden nickel for a free drink at the Red Stag Supper Club during First Thursday while supplies last.

October 6, 2011, Thursday - A Wine Affair - Fall in California Wine Country at St. Anthony Main

Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Location:  St. Anthony Main Event Centre, 419 SE Main Street

Attend A Wine Affair and visit some of the most renowned wine regions in California - Napa Valley, Lodi and Sonoma – for this six-course meal and wine tasting.

Chef Benjamin McCallum has created another menu masterpiece to compliment each of the fascinating wines selected for this month's A Wine Affair. The environment is relaxed; you eat at your own pace and move on to the next course when you are ready. There are three chef stations, each serving a first and second course. Coffee and desserts are included with your ticket price. There are always more wines and martini specials available at the bar. Make a full night of it with your friends or your sweetheart.

Tickets $60 Per Person.  Order your tickets online call 612-874-0880. 

October 5, 2011, Wednesday - Public Hearing on New Policy Proposed to Enhance Community Engagement for Minneapolis Park Projects

Time: 6:30pm

Location: Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, 2117 West River Road

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has developed a draft new policy and ordinance amendment related to how it involves the community in park projects and will host a public hearing for these proposed changes on October 5.

The policy and amended ordinance on community engagement are designed to improve practices for how the MPRB works and communicates with Minneapolis residents and park users, especially for capital projects involving the construction or redevelopment of park facilities.

In 2010 and throughout 2011, various community outreach methods were utilized to gather opinion from the community in development of the new policy and amended ordinance. Individuals and community groups were invited to share their thoughts though an online survey, public meetings, focus group discussions and print questionnaires available at recreation centers. Staff interviewed residents at community events such as neighborhood socials, movies and concerts in the parks.

Upon first draft, the public was invited to review and comment on the documents during a 45-day period. Community input was incorporated into the new policy and amended ordinance and is now proposed for approval by the Board of Commissioners.

October 5, 2011, Wednesday - Celebrating Squash Class at Local D'Lish

Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Location: Local D'Lish, 208 N 1st Street

Squash! Gather a few new tips for turning this autumn beauty into dishes that are as fun to make as the word is to say. Learn about the wondrous varieties of squash that grow here, how to pick the ripest one, and which to use for certain recipes.

Reservations

October 4, 2011, Tuesday - One Minneapolis One Read: Voice - The Next Generation at Central Library

Time: 4:00pm - 6:30pm

Location: Pohlad Hall, Central Library

Grades 7-12. Michele Norris will discuss her memoir “The Grace of Silence” and talk about writing as a career at 5 p.m. Local youth art and theater groups and audience members will have a chance to ask questions. Guest hip hop, spoken word and singing artists will perform. Social gathering/reception 4-5 p.m.
One Minneapolis, One Read is presented in collaboration with the City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Public Schools.

October 4, 2011, Tuesday - Copper Street Brass Quintet at MacPhail

Time:  7:30pm

Location:  Antonello Hall, MacPhail Center for Music, 501 2nd Street South

Tickets: $10 or $30 for a family 4-pack, Free for MacPhail students. 

This exciting show features music from Mozart to Dave Brubeck to Billy Joel, and has wowed audiences with its innovative blend of musical styles and dazzling fusion of electronic effects with breathtaking brass.