Only a Few Days Left to Make a Tax Deductible Contribution to MCC's "Turkey, Dressings and Extra Helpings" Drive

Join Mill City Commons (MCC) members and friends for the fourth annual Turkey, Dressings, and Extra Helpings drive.  This is a wonderful opportunity to do good this Holiday season and throughout the winter!

Ways to Help:

TURKEY:  Tax-deductible financial donations ($10-15, or more if you wish) to provide Holiday dinners for 50 families in North Minneapolis.  Any additional funds will be used to stock a local food shelf. 

Financial donations accepted December 1-15.  Mail checks payable to Mill City Commons to: 117 Portland Avenue #213, Minneapolis, MN 55401.

DRESSINGS: Donate cold weather clothing (hats, scarves, mittens) for all ages, and job interview clothing for adults, to benefit our neighbors at People Serving People. 

Clothing donations accepted December 9 -16.  Drop off clothing items at:  MCC Office, 17 4th Street or North Star Lofts, 117 Portland Avenue.

EXTRA HELPINGS: Donate small new or gently used gift items like books, jewelry, and cologne/aftershave, for individuals and families at Exodus Residence and Mary’s Place. These are the only gifts some residents receive.  

Gift donations accepted December 9 - 16.  Drop off gift items at:  MCC Office, 17 4th Street or North Star Lofts, 117 Portland Avenue.

Call Linnea (612-455-3329) or email info@millcitycommons.org at Mill City Commons if you have questions. 

Vandals Strike Pillsbury "A" Mill Water Tower [Photos]

While taking a river walk this weekend Kim and I spotted this, and discussed whether the water tower was recently hit by vandals, or if it had been spray painted long ago.  A search of our photo archive gave us the answer.

Graffiti on the tower captured Sunday, December 11 2011:

Photo taken October 22, 2011 showing no graffiti:

From the Mill District Block Party, August 2011:

Tonight - DMNA Board Meeting at Central Library

Time: 6:00pm

Location:  Central Library, Room N-202, 300 Nicollet Mall

Website:  Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association

Agenda:

The Week Ahead in Mill City / December 12-18

Each Monday morning we provide an easy to reference list of events and activities for the week ahead in the Mill City neighborhood.  Submit your events here...

Monday, December 12

"No One is Alone" Interlude Winter Concert at MacPhail

Tuesday, December 13

DMNA Board Meeting at Central Library

Books & Bars Series at Aster Cafe

Wednesday, December 14

A SIP OF SCIENCE at Aster Cafe

Thursday, December 15

Community Meeting: Options for the Former Fuji-Ya Restaurant Site

Taste Twin Cities Downtown Minneapolis Skyway Tour

Friday, December 16

STUCK BETWEEN STATIONS debut at St. Anthony Main Theatre

Live Music at Crooked Pint Ale House

Live Music at Aster Cafe

Tracking Minnesota’s Clean Water Legacy Effectiveness Meeting at McKnight Foundation

Vegetarian 101 Class at Local D'Lish

Saturday, December 17

Childish Films at Central Library

Farmers Market at Local D'lish

Washburn A Mill Tour at Mill City Museum

Minneapolis Central Friends Children’s Book Sale at Central Library

Live Music at Crooked Pint Ale House

Live Music at Aster Cafe

MCYC Winter Concert and CD Release Party at MacPhail

International Cartoonist Conspiracy Meet-up at MCBA

Sunday, December 18

Vikings and New Orleans Saints at the Dome

Sonomento Winter Concert, Featuring a Performance of Handel’s Messiah at MacPhail

Last Minute Foodie Gifts Class at Local D'Lish

Japan America Arts Forum with Sheila Asato at MCBA

Sanctuary Staff on Air!

Sanctuary's Chef Patrick Atanalian demonstrated the easy way to disassemble a pomegranate December 11 on FOX 9.

Later, Barkeep Patrick appeared on KSTC-TV Channel 45's debut episode of Beer Geeks TV.

One trip to Sanctuary and you'll see why they're such attention-getters.

Holiday Gift Ideas from A Woman’s Paris™

A Woman’s Paris™ is a local business offering great gifts for the holidays, including iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch cases from $24, as well as stunning paintings of sites in Paris.  Friends and family receive discounted prices for a limited time on art prints of the paintings. Prints will be sold at a cost of $50 for large prints and $30 for smaller figure prints. These last minute-gifts are perfect for family and friends.

Prints will be available for a Minneapolis pick up or shipped for a small additional delivery fee.

Click here to order cases.  Click here to view the print collection.  (Discounts for purchases made directly on the website do not apply.)

To order prints by December 17th contact A Woman’s Paris™ at Barbara@awomansparis.com

Subscribe for FREE to A Woman’s Paris™ blog, follow on Twitter, like on Facebook.

Reuniting With the Vendors at the First Ever Indoor Mill City Farmers Market

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.

This Morning - Mill City Farmers Market's Holiday Market at Mill City Museum

Saturday, December 10

Time: 10:00am - 2:00pm

Location: Mill City Museum

Mill City hosts it’s first indoor Holiday Farmers Market at the Mill City Museum! Enjoy a smorgasbord of local fares for holiday gifts and meals, including local produce, pasture-raised meats, wild caught Alaskan salmon, eggs and cheeses, whole grains, and artisan preserves, pickles and pasta.

Visit with some of your favorite Mill City Farmers Market vendors, including:

■Ames Farm
■Goldfinch Flowers
■Swede Lake Farm and Global Garlic
■Prairie Hollow Farm
■Burning River Farm
■Braucher’s Sunshine Harvest Farm
■MN Valley Organics
■Wild Run Salmon
■Northern Lakes Wild Rice
■Singing Hills Goat Dairy
■Shepherd’s Way Farm
■Solomon’s Snacks and Bakery
■Bliss Granola
■Cafe Palmira
■Martha’s Joy
■Birchberry Native Arts and Foods
■Very Prairie
■Lucille’s Kitchen Garden
■Olsen’s Naturals

This Weekend in Mill City / December 9-11

Events this weekend in and around the Historic Mill District and Minneapolis Riverfront Neighborhoods.  Have an event to share?  Contact us...

Friday, December 9

Live Music at Crooked Pint Ale House

Live Music at Aster Cafe

An 'Eventually' Christmas: Holidays at the Mill at Mill City Museum

Mentor Series: Lan Samantha Chang at The Loft

Foodie Gifts Class at Local D'Lish

Ian and Margery of myTalk 107.1 at Wilde Roast Cafe

Saturday, December 10

Raptors of Minnesota at Central Library

History Day Hullabaloo at Central Library

Printing! Printing! Printing! at MCBA

Live Music at Crooked Pint Ale House

Live Music at Aster Cafe

An 'Eventually' Christmas: Holidays at the Mill at Mill City Museum

Guthrie's How'd They do That Workshop: Charley's Aunt

Kevin Kling Book Release Party at MCBA

Mill City Farmers Market's Holiday Market at Mill City Museum

Taste Twin Cities Downtown Minneapolis Skyway Tour

French Christmas Boutique at Our Lady of Lourdes

Sunday, December 11

An 'Eventually' Christmas: Holidays at the Mill at Mill City Museum

Aebleskiver Fun Class at Local D'Lish

French Christmas Boutique at Our Lady of Lourdes

Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership Great River Outing: Snowshoeing North Miss

Weekend Brunch

Saturday & Sunday

Brunch at Spoonriver
750 South 2nd St (at Chicago Ave S)
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-436-2236

Reservations recommended

10:00am - 2:00pm

See the menu...

Saturday & Sunday

Brunch at the Aster Cafe
St. Anthony Main
125 SE Main Street
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-379-3138

Until 2pm.

See the menu...

Sunday

Brunch at Spill the Wine
1101 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55415
612-339-3388

brunch buffet 10am- 2pm Sunday
$12/person (kids 3 and under eat free, 4-12 years are 1/2 price!)

includes: eggs, bacon, french toast, hash browns, fresh salad and fruit, pastries, build your own omlette bar and more...

featuring absolut bloody bar for $5.

also offering fair trade coffee and full bar.

Tonight - Holy Cow! Press Reading: Anthony Bukoski, Ann Iverson, & Catherine Holm at The Loft

Time:  7:00pm

Location: The Loft at Open Book (Performance Hall), 1011 Washington Avenue South
 
Spend an evening with Holy Cow! Press authors Anthony Bukoski, Ann Iverson, and Catherine Holm.

Time Between Trains - Short Stories by Anthony Bukoski

In his fourth collection, Anthony Bukoski brings to life once again the working-class town of Superior, Wisconsin, telling linked tales of its Polish inhabitants in 13 poignant, well-crafted stories.

Anthony Bukoski has published five story collections, including Twelve Below Zero: New and Expanded Edition (Holy Cow! Press, 2008). National Public Radio’s Selected Shorts program have aired readings of Bukoski’s work. A Christopher Isherwood Foundation fellowship winner, the author resides with his wife Elaine in the country outside of Superior, Wisconsin.

Art Lesson
Poems by Ann Iverson

Art Lessons explores the connections between visual art and the written word. By incorporating the words and details from Vincent Van Gogh's life, and by referring to his infamous Sunflower paintings, Ann Iverson's poetry reveals her keen insights into the mysterious interplay between art and poetry, happiness and sadness, God and nature.

Ann Iverson is the author of Definite Space (Holy Cow! Press, 2007). Her poems have appeared on The Writer’s Almanac. She is a Dean of Learning at Dunwoody College in Minneapolis and lives in East Bethel, MN with her husband.

My Heart is a Mountain
Tales of Magic and the Land by Catherine Holm

My Heart Is a Mountain is a collection of eleven fiction stories and one memoir piece. From northern Minnesota to Alaska, from the Dustbowl to Appalachia, from swamps to mountains to the afterlife, these tales blend the magic and the mundane as characters discover themselves, their limitations, and their greatness.

Catherine Holm is an award-winning writer who lives with her husband Chris in rural Cook, Minnesota, on ten acres of boreal forest. Her short stories have been published in several anthologies and chapbooks. She writes about human yearning and how it is shaped by land and place.

MacPhail Community Youth Choir, Under the Direction of J.D. Steele, to Hold Free CD Release Party Concert December 17

The MacPhail Community Youth Choir (MCYC) under the direction of J.D. Steele, will hold their first CD release party concert on Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m. at MacPhail Center for Music, 501 South Second St., Minneapolis.  The concert is free and everyone who attends will receive a download card of the choir’s first CD, “Love as One.” The CD features 10 original songs, 8 by Steele and 2 student-written songs.

J.D. Steele (of the Steele family singers)  and  MacPhail Center for Music have brought together youth in grades 7-12, from all corners of the Twin Cities, all walks of life, to join hands and voices in a new youth choir now in its second year.  The MCYC is free and open to students of all skill levels and abilities.  Rehearsals are every Saturday at the historic Capri Theater in north Minneapolis. Steele said this is a great opportunity for the students to learn music techniques they won’t get anywhere else, covering all genres of music, including jazz, gospel, pop and East African.

“The MCYC allows the kids to experience something different in fellowship as well as music,” Steele said. “It raises their self-esteem when they have to perform professionally. It’s amazing to see how they change and develop. When kids have the opportunity to shine, they reflect it back bright and shiny!”

The MCYC Music Release Party:  December 17, 7:30 p.m. MacPhail Center for Music – free

Breaking News - What Could Rise from the Ruins of Minneapolis Waterworks/Fuji Ya Site on the Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront? First Public Meeting Scheduled.

Historic Central Riverfront site reinvention explored; Public invited to community meeting.

Time: 6-8:00 PM, Thursday, 15 December

Place: Mill City Museum, 704 South Second Street

The ideas will flow Thursday, December 15, when the Minneapolis Parks Foundation and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board invite the public to participate in a “designer-ask” community meeting about a potential new park along the city’s Central Riverfront.  Dubbed “Waterworks” (former Fuji-Ya Restaurant site) because the city’s first water supply and fire fighting pumping station were located there in the 19th Century, the site encompasses Minneapolis Park Board-owned land between Portland Avenue South and the Third Avenue Bridge, and between First Street South and the Mississippi River.

The community meeting, which takes place 6-8:00 PM at the Mill City Museum, 704 South Second Street, is the first step in a preliminary feasibility study that will explore options for what could be a significant new park destination in downtown Minneapolis.  The Minneapolis Parks Foundation is leading the project in partnership with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, for which it is also a forerunner to the Central Riverfront Regional Park Update master planning process.

Mill City-based architects Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle (MS&R) are the lead designers on the project. Together with financing consultants HR&A Advisors, they will produce design and program options and financial analysis by February 2012.

Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle (MS&R) were the architects responsible for the preservation and development of the Mill City Museum.

“The Waterworks site and riverfront area are important for the convergence of Central Riverfront destinations, including the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, St. Anthony Falls, the Stone Arch Bridge, lock and dam, and the Mill City Museum,” says Mary deLaittre, President of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, which is funding the project through a private donation.  “Because of the site’s historic and national significance, it’s important that we complete an interdisciplinary study of the site and area within the current social, economic and environmental context, and its compelling geography and history, including ruins of long-razed flourmills.”

The public will be invited to a second community meeting in late February, to critique options and review the team’s findings. The Minneapolis Parks Foundation will announce details about that meeting in January 2012.

Support our Neighborhood While Checking Off Your Holiday Gift List

Our neighborhood offers a wealth of opportunities when it comes to fun, unique and appreciated Holiday gifts.  Here are a few examples to get you started:

Who wouldn't enjoy a restaurant gift card?  We have an award-winning selection to choose from!  Some are offering the popular Holiday deal of purchasing x amount in cards to receive a free gift card for yourself.  Check out the Directory section of Mill City Times for a quick reference of restaurant options.

How about tickets to a show?  Maybe the Guthrie, St. Anthony Main Theatre, or perhaps Triple Espresso at the Southern Theater?

Sorella Wine & Spirits has a massive selection from which to choose a hostess gift.  Or, for the hard-to-buy for person, a gift card will allow them to pick out something special - wine, spirits, beer.  And don't forget, Sorella has a great sake section.

Everyone needs groceries - Mill City Market Grocery & Deli offers gift certificates.

The Mill City Museum Store is a treasure.  From a wall of books, to special cake mixes, unique toys, clothing, jewelry and so much more.

The best pedi in town is with Mishon at Level Salon - you'll score some major brownie points by treating someone to this special foot pampering.  Want to rack up triple brownie points?  Include a massage from The Doorway for Massage Therapy, Bodywork & Better Health.

Consider a gift card from City Gardens' Flower Mill, or have them prepare a lovely Holiday bouquet for a hostess gift, to add cheer to a co-workers office, etc.

Treat an out-of-town guest to a night at Aloft, Depot Renaissance or the Residence Inn by Marriott.  How about a few hours of skating at The Depot?

For the health conscious people on your list - a package of Spin classes at 501SPIN? Yoga package from CorePower Yoga?

How about a tank of gas or car wash package from Bobby and Steve's?

I hope you'll join us in supporting our neighborhood businesses while filling Holiday shopping needs!

Tonight - Kevin Kling at the Guthrie

Time: 7:30pm

Location: Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie

Kevin Kling returns to the Guthrie in his celebrated one-man-show to spin his hilarious yarn of family tradition and holiday merriment.  Wry tales of Midwestern Americana run from laugh-out-loud bizarre to touchingly beautiful.

Video - Charlies Aunt Playing at the Guthrie Theater

Widely regarded as one of the most sensational and entertaining farces of all time, Charley's Aunt centers on two Oxford undergraduates in search of a chaperone for a proper visit from their girlfriends. Jack and Charley manage to persuade fellow undergraduate Fancourt "Babbs" Babberley to impersonate a millionaire aunt in this hilarious tale of young love and preposterous deception.

Tonight - Great River Outing: Tour of Graco

Time: 5:30pm – 6:45pm

Location:  Graco, 88 11th Avenue NE

The Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership invites you on a tour of Graco's site on the Mississippi River and learn what it means to be an engaged neighbor on the Mississippi River.  We will learn about this world leader in manufacturing fluid-handling equipment and systems.  Graco equipment creates Hershey kisses, applies paint to homes, and squeezes tomato paste on pizzas.  In partnership with Graco, Inc.

Registration required.  Please register online.

The Week Ahead in Mill City / December 5-11

Each Monday morning we provide an easy to reference list of events and activities for the week ahead in the Mill City neighborhood.  Submit your events here...

Monday, December 5

Kevin Kling at the Guthrie

Great River Outing: Tour of Graco

Wednesday, December 7

Winter Root Vegetables Class at Local D'Lish

Breakfast with a Preservationist at the Mill City Museum

Thursday, December 8

Hitting the High Notes Dinner at MacPhail (RSVP by November 28)

Spotlight on Milkweed Editions at Central Library

Holy Cow! Press Reading: Anthony Bukoski, Ann Iverson, & Catherine Holm at The Loft

Taste Twin Cities Downtown Minneapolis Skyway Tour

Central River Forum

Friday, December 9

Live Music at Crooked Pint Ale House

Live Music at Aster Cafe

An 'Eventually' Christmas: Holidays at the Mill at Mill City Museum

Mentor Series: Lan Samantha Chang at The Loft

Foodie Gifts Class at Local D'Lish

Ian and Margery of myTalk 107.1 at Wilde Roast Cafe

Saturday, December 10

Raptors of Minnesota at Central Library

History Day Hullabaloo at Central Library

Printing! Printing! Printing! at MCBA

Live Music at Crooked Pint Ale House

Live Music at Aster Cafe

An 'Eventually' Christmas: Holidays at the Mill at Mill City Museum

Guthrie's How'd They do That Workshop: Charley's Aunt

Kevin Kling Book Release Party at MCBA

Mill City Farmers Market's Holiday Market at Mill City Museum

Taste Twin Cities Downtown Minneapolis Skyway Tour

French Christmas Boutique at Our Lady of Lourdes

Sunday, December 11

An 'Eventually' Christmas: Holidays at the Mill at Mill City Museum

Aebleskiver Fun Class at Local D'Lish

French Christmas Boutique at Our Lady of Lourdes

Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership Great River Outing: Snowshoeing North Miss

Put Your Bike Away for the Winter? Try the New Power and Performance Training at 501SPIN

Dawn Doll, founder of 501SPIN, recently introduced the newest member of 501SPIN's Team, Leah Prudhomme.  Leah is a pro elite female road racer/triathlete and Ironman finisher who holds the course record and won the State Championship Time Trial in 2010 and 2011. 

Leah will be teaching 501SPIN's new Power and Performance 8-Week Endurance Edition Class beginning January 7, 2012.

Highlights of this new class are:

Endurance  Maintain Speed and build energy to go the distance on the bike

Power  Pedal through the pain, interval training, peak power and increased stamina, gain speed in every training session, increase power and passion towards next years racing season

Education  Learn to train smarter not harder, by power, (THR) Threshold Heart Rate training, speed, (RPE) Rate of Perceived Exertion and recovery. 

501SP1N is located at 501 Washington Avenue South, and shares space with 501F1T.

Minneapolis Beard & Moustache Club Meeting at Grumpy's

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:

The Missing "O" is Back at Gold Medal Park

I took the picture above yesterday afternoon after reading a blog post on the Star Tribune website.  We had reported on this in October.

The story below from the Star Trib just posted a few minutes ago, so they probably haven't been notified on the return of the big "O" yet.  Look for it in the Sunday Strib (includes a nice shot of Gold Medal Park.

From The Star Tribune:

Someone has been stealing letters from the sign at Gold Medal Park next to the Guthrie Theater. The most recent victim was the "O," possibly nabbed in late October.

It's the fourth time a letter has gone missing, said Kate Sherburn, an attorney for the Park Development Foundation that is responsible for the sign.

"It's quite amazing," Sherburn said. "Those things are quite anchored down."

The "O" that was stolen has been recovered, Sherburn said, though she wasn't sure where. It takes a while for a letter to be repaired, she said.

"It's not like you can go to Home Depot to get an O," she quipped. But the missing letter should complete the sign soon.

One local blogger, David Tinjum of the Mill City Times, noted that the "D" had disappeared in July and speculated on the thieves' motive: "Is this the work of scrappers?"

The sign is near the I-35W bridge collapse Remembrance Garden, which also had letters stolen from its memorial earlier this year.

Read the full article...