August 5 at the Mill City Farmers Market, Plus MCFM News

New items in this week's Mill City Farmers Market basket: Beef Roast from TunTum BlackHill Farm, dryer ball and dog biscuits from Tare Market, purple carrots from Urban Roots, red peppers and baby potatoes from GVY Fresh Produce, Sun Gold tomatoes from Burning River Farm, sun-dried tomato hummus from Yummytizers and honey from Ames Farm.

Tickets still available for the annual Harvest Dinner!

The annual Harvest Dinner, a major funding source for MCFM, is scheduled for September 10th. Taking place in the Mill City Museum Courtyard, the event features a market-to-table dinner prepared with farm-fresh ingredients by market chefs Nettie Colón and Jenny Breen, craft cocktails and live music. The evening ends with a live auction and fund-a-need support for MCFM's Next Stage Grant program for farmers and food makers. Learn more here.

MCFM is participating in the Farmers Market Treasure Hunt, August 6 - September 3!

Check with the info booth at the August 12, 19, 26 and September 2nd markets for details! The Farmers Markets of Minneapolis Collaborative joins markets across the country in celebrating National Farmers Market Week from August 6-12. This year, the collaborative will be putting on a Farmers Markets of Minneapolis Treasure Hunt encouraging Twin Cities residents to visit the farmers markets around them. After visiting two participating markets you are entered to win a gift basket of local market goods, and at your third market you’ll receive a limited edition market tote designed by Midtown Farmers Market Manager, Ocean Jurney. The Treasure Hunt starts August 6th and will go until September 3rd. Community members can grab a punch card at the info booth of any participating Minneapolis farmers market.

.

Along with MCFM, the other participating markets are: Audubon, Four Sisters, Fulton, Kingfield, Linden Hills, Midtown, Minneapolis – Lyndale, Nokomis, Northeast, The Peoples Market, Tiny Diner, and University of Minnesota.

.

From the MCFM Blog: Meet the 14 Farmers who Received Next Stage Grant Awards in 2023The Next Stage Grant program provides funding to local, regenerative farmers and other food makers who are improving sustainable farming and business practices or growing toward the “next stage” of their businesses. In 2023, MCFM awarded 14 grants totaling $​​79,790 to support local farmers and food makers at farmers markets throughout the region.

Photos from the August 5 MCFM:

Churning out those yummy sammies as fast as they can at Rudy’s Breakfast Bagels!

I always save room in my insulated bag for a container of Sonny's!

Downtown Minneapolis Street Art Festival Returns August 12-13

The festival creates a free, family-friendly event down Nicollet Avenue from 6th to 8th Street.

The Mpls Downtown Improvement District (DID) and the Hennepin Theatre Trust announced the 5th annual Downtown Mpls Street Art Festival, which will take place Saturday and Sunday, August 12-13 from 10am-6pm on Nicollet in downtown Minneapolis.

The festival features the live creation of chalk and spray paint artworks from 27 world-renowned, international artists, representing 6 states and 5 countries, a Saturday afternoon concert series (3-6pm) curated by local hip-hop duo iLLism with Black Velvet Punks, Jordan Johnston and Rawtwhylah from the 7th Street stage, performances by Heart & Soul Drum Academy, storyteller Brother Asé, food trucks, a community mandala, free make-and-take arts activities for all ages, a craft market, and more.

In addition, the Minneapolis Mile Automotive Festival will take place next to the Mpls Street Art Festival, making for a fun, family-friendly experience along Nicollet. The Minneapolis Mile Car Show is a weekend long festival for cars, trucks, motorcycles, food trucks and more. The festival takes place at the Minneapolis Convention Center and runs down Nicollet to 8th Street.

The Downtown Minneapolis Street Art Festival brings families, artists and communities together to enjoy amazing art—it’s my favorite two days downtown all year,” said Lisa Middag, Director of Public Space Engagement for the Mpls DID. “We are so excited to welcome you downtown, and along with the Minneapolis Mile Car Show, Pizza Luce Block Party and the Ed Sheeran concert, this year's festival weekend provides the perfect opportunity for people who may not be familiar with the world of street art to experience it firsthand. I promise you won’t regret it!”

This year’s schedule of events includes:

Saturday, August 12

• Nicollet Chalk Art Festival | 10am – 6pm
• 3D Chalk Art Installation at IDS | 10am – 6pm
• Live Spray Painting Nicllet | 10am – 6pm
• Street Eats (food trucks and more) on Nicollet | 10am – 6pm
• Artists Craft Market | 10am – 6pm
• Streetcorner Letterpress | 10am - 6pm
• Pedal t the Metal | 10am – 6pm
• Heart and Sl Drum Academy | 11am & 2pm
• Mile Sign Shop | 11:30am – 3:30pm
• Stryteller Brther Asé | 12pm
• Hard in the Paint Hoops 3x3 Basketball Tournament | 12pm – 4pm
• Flamenc del Arte | 1pm
• D Guided Mural Ts | 12pm & 3pm
• Saturday Concert series curated by local hip hop duo iLLism featuring Black Velvet Punks, Jordan Johnston and Rawtwhylah | 3pm – 6pm

Sunday, August 13

• Nicollet Chalk Art Festival | 10am – 6pm
• 3D Chalk Art Installation at IDS Center | 10am – 6pm
• Live Spray Painting n Nicllet | 10am – 6pm
• Street Eats (food trucks and more) on Nicollet | 10am – 6pm
• Artists Craft Market | 10am – 6pm
• Streetcorner Letterpress | 10am – 6pm
• WOW Mbile Metal Lab | 10am – 6pm
• Hennepin Cy Mile Bike Library | 11am – 5pm
• Street Show perfmances Nicllet | 11am – 5pm
• Mile Sign Shop | 11:30am – 3:30pm
• Guided Downtown Mural Tours | 12pm & 3pm

Nicollet Chalk Art Festival

The centerpiece of the Downtown Mpls Street Art Festival is a two-block-long series of chalk installations by 19 local and international artists representing  six states and five countries (Canada, India, Mexico, Turkey, U.S.A.). Watch the artists as they transform the sidewalks of Nicollet between 6th and 8th Streets from 10am to 6pm with their unique artistic vision in vibrant tempera. While enjoying the art, make sure to channel your inner artist and contribute to our community chalk mandala.

.

3D Chalk Installation at IDS Center

Watch world-renowned local chalk artist Shawn McCann as he creates a special 3D chalk installation on the corner of 8th & Nicollet. McCann uses advanced techniques and anamorphic perspective to produce an illusion of depth and perspective for your perfect festival Instagram moment.

.

Live Spray Painting on Nicollet

The excitement of live mural spray painting continues as our lineup of local and international artists showcase their unique sense of color, style and technique on Nicollet.

.

Interactive Arts Activities for the Whole Family

Tap into your inner street artists and contribute to the massive community chalk mandala, design and take home a custom sign with Mobile Sign Shop, decorate and print your own custom Downtown Mpls Street Art Festival postcard with Streetcorner Letterpress, or create a unique design to pour in molten Pewter with Pedal to the Metal (Saturday) and the WOW Mobile Metal Lab (Sunday). Check out the fun arts activities (or maybe even a book!) from the Hennepin County Mobile Bike Library.

.

Street Eats on Nicollet

Enjoy lunch from Street Eats vendor Stop, Drop & Roll at 7th & Nicollet, or a snack from a selection of local food trucks and street vendors #OnNicollet between 8th & 9th Streets.

.

Street Showcase on Nicollet

Enjoy live performances from our Street Show favorites on Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Produced by the DID and curated by the Warming House, Street Show has brought more than 2,000 hours of paid street performance from local musicians, artists, dancers, painters, and others to the sidewalks of downtown Minneapolis since 2018. Season schedule

.

Artist Craft Market

Shop local at the Downtown Mpls Street Art Festival Artist Craft Market on Nicollet between 7th and 8th streets. More than 19 artists and artisan makers will bring their unique wares to the street. Browse through a wide selection of goods and leave with a souvenir to remember the festival by.

.

Hard in the Paint Hoops 3x3 Basketball Tournament

Make sure to swing by The Alley Project (behind The FAIR School for Arts) to enjoy music, refreshments, and competition for the first annual Hard in the Paint 3x3 Basketball Tournament! The first-place team will win $300, and the second-place team will win $150.

.

Saturday Afternoon Performances

Performances kick off Saturday at 11am from the festival stage at 7th and Nicollet with festival-favorites Heart & Soul Drum Academy. This Rondo- based program exposes youth ages 3-17 to musical expression through Djembe hand drumming. Participation is encouraged! Next on stage at 12pm is griot Brother Asé, a 3rd generation North Minneapolis storyteller, who uses the art of storytelling to empower youth with the wisdom of the elders. At 1pm you can catch the dramatic dance and music of Street Show regulars Flamenco del Arte, featuring artists Shanan Tolzin and David Elrod along with special guest Marie de los Reyes. The afternoon performances wrap up with a 2pm encore from Heart & Sould Drum Academy.

.

Saturday Early Evening Concert curated by iLLism

Wrapping up a full day of street art on Saturday, August 12, local hip hop duo iLLism has curated a musically diverse set of local performers, who will take the stage on Nicollet at 7th Street for a free concert. Jazz punk, neo-soul and hip-hop group Black Velvet Punks (3pm) will be kicking off the concert with a splatter of punk and a tapestry of neo-soul charm and smoothness. Pop/soul singer Jordan Johnston (4pm) takes the stage next with his band and his dad drummer Bob Johnston (an original member of Flyte Time). Following their performance, Rahtwhylah (5pm) will be taking the stage for a high-energy performance featuring music with a fusion melting  pot  sound  and  a Caribbean undertone. Enjoy performances that span multiple genres, such as Hip-Hop, R&B, Jazz, and Minneapolis Funk, to close out the first day of the Downtown Mpls Street Art Festival.

.

Downtown Mural Tours

Mary Jane Mansfield from Hennepin Theatre Trust offers an insider’s tour of downtown murals at 12pm and 3pm both days of the festival, highlighting the many amazing downtown murals, including the Prince mural, as well as the latest installation of the It’s the People exhibition. Throughout the festival, you will see QR codes with scannable links to the Downtown Mpls Street Art Festival online tour with more information (available in both English and Spanish) on the participating artists and artworks. The link to the virtual tour will be available during the festival on the festival website.

Porzana and Flora Room - What We Know So Far

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

Chef Daniel del PradoMpls.St.Paul Magazine says he is transforming the Twin Cities food scene. He was Minnesota Monthly’s 2022 Chef of the Year. Twin Cities Business calls his culinary hot spots a growing empire. Of course we’re talking about Chef Daniel del Prado. His partner in the new North Loop establishments is by no means a lightweight – it’s restaurateur and visionary Ryan Burnet! Porzana will be a first-floor restaurant, with cocktail bar Flora Room occupying the lower level.

Ryan BurnetWe are all waiting for their new joint project to open in the North Loop at 200 First Street S, and we’ve snooped around to share the following news and with our readers:

• Porzana will serve the top 3% of beef (prime) which comes from the highest-grade domestic cattle (never antibiotic, all natural). A product has been developed exclusively for Porzana -  prime beef graded 100% grass-fed beef, never grain, which is extremely rare.

• Beef steaks will range from $21 for a prime hanger steak to an extravagant 4-pound Wagyu tomahawk steak for indulging and sharing.

• In addition to the beef entrees, Porzana’s extensive menu will have many seafood, vegetable and Argentinean pasta choices.

.

• Porzana’s goal is to be the best restaurant in their portfolio! (Quite the goal considering their portfolio – Martina, Colita, Rosalia, Macanda, Bar La Grassa, Burch Steak, Barrio, Eastside, etc.)

.

• Patio dining will be available in the space between what were The Bachelor Farmer and Askov Finlayson.

.

• The first floor will have a large bar for walk-in seating. Downstairs in the Flora Room, you’ll find an upscale cocktail bar.

.

• You can visit three times within the same week and have three different experiences (patio, dining room, Flora Room downstairs)!

The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts 2023/2024 Season

The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts has released single tickets to the 2023/24 season for purchase. The season includes the following evening-length productions:

Fall Forward Festival Oct 21 - Nov 5

Celebrating nine different dance artists across three fantastic weekends. Talents collide onstage as our diverse dance community showcases an assortment of genres across this momentous festival. Each weekend features a new roster and a variety of experiences from percussive footwork to physical feats to modern expressions and more!

Oct 21 & 22: Concerto Dance, Kaleena Miller Dance, and Afoutayi Haitian Dance, Music, and Arts Company

Oct 28 & 29: Ballet Folklorico Mexico Azteca, STRONGmovement, and Yuki Tokuda

Nov 4 & 5: Katha Dance Theatre, Shapiro & Smith Dance, and Alternative Motion Project

- - - - 

Rhythm Street Movement  - Who Brought The Humbug? December 14 - 17, 2023

The family-friendly holiday specTAPular. Welcome to the ultimate holiday party where the guests are singers, musicians, tap dancers, and beatboxers! Join this vibrant and talented cast in an interactive, inspirational, all-age, fun, funky, feel-good celebration of the Holiday Season!

- - - - 

Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre  - The Conference of the Birds Feb 10 & 11, 2024

A virtuosic dialogue between three distinct cultural voices. In an enchanting performance brought to the stage, flamenco and hip hop unite to adapt the 12th century Persian poem of the same name. This dark, moving, and humorous story will bring together hip hop artist Darrius Strong along with original music performed by international flamenco composer and guitarist Juanito Pascual.

- - - -

Crash Dance Productions  - Domino March 2 & 3, 2024

It’s only a matter of time before they all fall down, one by one. Growing tension stacks onto high drama as the visceral ensemble blindly selects who among them undertakes the role of The Con. When identities collide, the 13 unique personalities clash as a story of hierarchy, vulnerability, and influence develops in real-time. Anyone could be the villain. No one knows who it will be. And every performance will be different.

- - - -

MERGE In March: Mathew Janczewski's ARENA DANCES & Taja Will March 23 & 24, 2024

A club-like atmosphere of daring ecstasy, collective revolt, and personal reclamations. This year’s MERGE pairs Mathew Janczewski’s high-intensity, super-charged movements with Taja Will’s nuanced, emotive, and improvisational boldness. Their collaboration will culminate in an evening of performance, which includes ARENA repertory favorite, Judged House, and the premiere of a haunting new solo by Will.

- - - - 

James Sewell Ballet - Pointed Humor April 6 & 7, 2024

Exploring the boundaries of ballet with wit and whimsy. James Sewell Ballet leaps onto the stage with bold new works featuring the highly-anticipated choreography of former JSB dancer and current member of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Shohei Iwahama. This remarkable evening includes a remount of Doo-Be-Doo, which combines high-energy playful antics with stunning technical feats.

- - - -

BRKFST Dance Company April 27 & 28, 2024

.

Breaking transforms the concert dance stage. Blazing into their 10th year as an ensemble, BRKFST continues to “show us the future of dance” (Star Tribune) with a world premiere commissioned by The Cowles Center and Northrop, set to music by company member Renée Copeland. Their unique style of breaking and storytelling shines through in their work set to Dancers, Dreamers, and Presidents by composer Daniel Bernard Roumain. With each inroad they create, BRKFST inspires us to view breaking and contemporary dance in a way that “makes you see both differently” (Minnpost).

- - - -

.

Ragamala Dance Company - Avimukta: Where the Seeker Meets the Sacred May 4 & 5, 2024

.

Honoring the memory of ancestors in an intimate ritual for the stage. In Avimukta, both dancer and viewer experience the divinity of the seeker meeting the sacred. Featuring solos by mother/daughter creators and performers Ranee, Aparna, and Ashwini Ramaswamy that contrast the ceremonial unison of the company, Bharatanatyam becomes a full-bodied, ecstatic prayer celebrating the inevitable dissolution of life. Directed by Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy.

.

TICKET INFORMATION

Excluding Who Brought the Humbug?, tickets are on sale now through the Box Office at (612) 206-3600 or online. Tickets to each Saturday performance will range from $30-$45, while tickets to each Sunday matinee will be Pay As You Are.

Sunset Glow and Into the Urban Woods by Ric Rosow

Submitted by Ric Rosow

Thank you to Ric Rosow for these images and detailed descriptions.

Sunset Glow

I call this image Sunset Glow. It is the result of blending 4 to 5 images together, each with a different exposure setting. In my first attempt at editing I used five images, starting with a bright exposure and stopping down to a darker exposure. The blending process lightens dark areas and darkens light areas, thereby evening out the overall exposure. After that I can use masks to further refine the exposure on an area by area basis. However, in this instance that process did not work out. The lightest exposure when blended with the others produced a dark halo effect over the top of Capella Tower. It looks like a stain. The halo came from the light emitted by the structure on top of the tower. No matter what I tried the halo remained visible. So I eliminated the lightest image and did the blend again, this time with four images. It worked. The dark halo, a distraction to be sure, is gone.

Into the Urban Woods 

This photograph is based on one image, unlike Sunset Glow which was based a blend of on four images. I took the photograph the same evening as Sunset Glow but with a different composition. I orientated my camera toward where the sun had set, in the space between the Guthrie and the RBC Gateway Tower. In order to preserve detail in the sky I needed to stop down the exposure to a fairly dark setting. My challenge here was to preserve the beautiful tones in the sky while still bringing out some detail in the buildings. Since the Guthrie is already a deep blue color, using a darker exposure pushed the color of the building to black. I like that in this case as it fits the theme of the photograph - into the woods.  

.

See more of my work at www.ricrosowphotography.com. To see my work in person, visit Tres Leches Art Gallery, Studio 173, in the Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson Street NE. The studio is open Fridays from noon to 4 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m., and the First Thursday of each month from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Red Rabbit Included in FSR Magazine's America's Top 50 Independent Restaurants for 2023

Article by Becky Fillinger, photos provided

The July issue of FSR Magazine announced their America's Top 50 Independent Restaurants for 2023. We’re extremely lucky to have three of these culinary destinations nearby – Young Joni, Spoon and Stable and Red Rabbit. We wanted to learn more about these restaurants and started by speaking with Michael Giacomini, Director of Finance for Red Rabbit. We learned about the secrets of their success and must-try choices on your next visit to their restaurant in the North Loop at 201 Washington Avenue N.

Michael Giacomini

Q:  Did you know Red Rabbit was in contention for the award? 

A:  This was a total surprise for us! It was so rewarding to see this happen without us knowing we were in contention.

Q:  How were you notified? 

A:  We were not specifically notified. We follow FSR Magazine and we saw we were in it!

Q:  The award calls our Red Rabbit’s authentic Italian dishes and craft cocktails. How do you differentiate the dining experience at Red Rabbit versus other Minneapolis Italian restaurants? 

A:  We differentiate ourselves by being an uncomplicated authentic Italian restaurant. We focus on the authentic flavors of traditional Italian dishes while staying affordable and approachable. Our 72-hour aged pizza dough really sets us apart from some other Italian restaurants. You can come to us and get oysters, pizza, spaghetti & meatballs, lasagna or our famous Chicken Parmesan. We believe beverage is such an integral part of the dining experience. That is why we focus on creating an elevated experience around craft cocktails, fine wines stored and chilled at the right temperatures, and our 20 taps of Craft beer. Focusing on all three components of beverage allows us to be able to provide something for everyone to enjoy with their meal. Our beverage director Ian Lowther hand selects and creates the wines and cocktails available at Red Rabbit.

Q:  Will the award prompt the management team to consider opening additional Red Rabbit locations in the state? 

A:  We are always looking for the opportunity for a great location where we believe the neighborhood will enjoy the experience, and we can positively impact that community.

Pepperoni PizzaQ:  What are dishes do you recommend we try when we next visit Red Rabbit? We won’t limit ourselves to one, but would you also recommend a cocktail we should try? 

A:  To start, you have to get the burrata. For pastas, you cannot go wrong with the Cavatelli or Mostaccioli. For pizzas, we are known for our spicy salami pizza or margherita pizza. Make sure to get our Chicken Parmesan for the table to split, and for dessert our sticky toffee cake is an absolute must! For beverages, please try the espresso martini.

Q:  Any sneak peeks at fall menu items?  

A:  We are working with our chefs and beverage director to change some items over from spring/summer to fall/winter. Most of our menu stays the same but we do stay on trend with some seasonal items. I can’t report any advance info right now!

Mostaccioli

Espresso Martini

Charcuterie Board

Q:  Congrats to you for also sponsoring and hosting the QUEERSPACE Pride Block Party – last year and again in 2023. How did the partnership come about?   

A:  We love it! One of their board members is a longtime family friend, neighbor, and regular at our Red Cow Uptown Location. She reached out to us a couple years ago to partner with QUEERSPACE Collective and do something big during pride month. We then also partnered with Indeed Brewing Company, and the three of us put our heads together on how we can raise money and have a good time all at once! Our staff has really come to love and support QUEERSPACE Collective as well. It is just a really fun partnership that also raises money for a great cause!

Q: What role does social media play in your marketing strategy? How may we follow your news?

A: Social media plays a big role in our Marketing Strategy. Mainly, we use social media to define our brand, create and build brand awareness and promote all that we offer as a company. Our social media accounts have allowed us to create relationships with people who might not otherwise know or interact with our brand. Additionally, social media is an information resource for us to see what others in the industry are doing. It also allows us to showcase menu items (current & new), beverages, and our staff!  Not only is social media free to use, it’s an amazing tool to drive users to other areas of the business (sales, website traffic, events, ads, etc).

Our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the best options when looking for current, relevant happenings within our company! Also check out our website.