I wish this post could be a review of Lili’s Burlesque Review. My friends and I were going to go last Saturday, but we were foiled by the folks from Domino’s pizza who took their sweet time delivering our dinner.

Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m. Doors are at 9 p.m. and I strongly recommend you get there early, especially if you have a big group. Cover is $15. The theater looks cute. It’s downtown, on 2nd Ave N between 3rd and 4th Streets. We briefly contemplated camping out outside the window to watch the show before we headed over to Pizza Luce for dinner.

I’ve seen Le Cirque Rouge perform at Loring Pasta Bar, and I know they used to occupy the space that Lili’s is in now. I dig the burlesque/cabaret atmosphere. I like the audience participation. Despite all the characteristic innuendo, it’s good clean fun.

So I’ll try Lili’s again some other weekend. I’ve heard good things. Anybody else seen it?

Bitterwaitress.com has a “Sh*tty Tipper Database”. This gives servers a forum to grab the name off of the guilty party’s credit card and publicly chastise the person for poor tipping habits. Moral (and probably legal) issues aside, I found it humorous that Neil Diamond (while dining in Minneapolis) was a sh*tty tipper. Maybe you’re on the list?

The city’s Stop on Red program is now supposedly in full swing. Signs like this one are posted at some dozen intersections around the city to alert you to the camera enforcement of running red lights. The camera snaps a few photos as you blast through the light, then sends you a ticket in the mail. The stated purpose of the new eyes in the sky is to reduce accidents. In theory, the tickets will discourage drivers from running red traffic signals.

I haven’t heard much buzz since the trial of the technology went into place in June. Now the “warning period” is over and the real citations will be going out. No one I know has been caught by this new method of catching folks who slide through on red lights. I’ll be curious to see if the lights will take photos of bicyclists violating the lights, or if these automated citations will be waived for motorcyclists.

You see, there’s a state statute (Subd. 9) that allows motorcyclists who are unable to trigger the pressure sensor for a turn signal with their motorcycle to make a turn against the light.

In just two short weeks the Minnesota Fringe Festival will kick into full swing. Since I am in a show this year, I get a free pass to go watch all the other “art” that happens at the Fringe. I hope to report back on what I have seen and save you from the bad ones. But for now, here is a shameless plug for my show.

“Quarter Life Crisis”
Written and Directed by Aaron Christopher
Showing at the Brave New Workshop (26th and Hennipen)
Aug. 4th @ 7PM
Aug. 6th @ 4PM
Aug. 7th @ 2:30PM
Aug. 12th @ 5:30PM
Aug. 13th @ 7PM
Urban Samurai Productions

Please come see it!!!

We’ve had many posts about the bike lanes in the TC, but this past weekend, I experienced biking waaaaay outside the lines, so to speak. I participated in the Red Ribbon Ride, a 300-mile, 4-day bike ride through southern Minnesota. We didn’t use many bike paths or bike lanes, because they didn’t have them so much out where we were biking. I did find out how to get across the river along 494, as opposed to the Mendota Bridge, and that’s a nice little expanse that hooks up between just east of the Mall of America and Pilot Knob Road over in Eagan. Beyond that, we were on the highways and county roads.

It was quite an event with over 200 bikers and over 140 crew members. We biked along the river down to Lake City, then over to Rochester, Faribault and back to Richfield, where closing ceremonies were held. There are a number of trails down in that area that I’d like to go bike along, like the Douglas Trail down near Rochester, but we stuck the main roads so that our service vehicles could come along beside us.

If anyone gets the chance to bike down along the river, it’s beautiful scenery. The second and third day rides weren’t quite as exciting with mile after mile of rolling, smelly cornfields, but still an experience.

I got back on Sunday, and now, I’m in Denver on a work conference. A post will follow soon about my thoughts of the differences between downtowns Denver and the TC.

To give you an idea of just how hot it has been lately, consider this:

It hasn’t been below 70 in the Metro since July 8th.

The last time we saw eight consecutive days without rain and temperatures this high was 1936.

The longest stretch the state has ever gone with without rain is 14 days. That was 70 years ago.

I think we ruined our rainless streak with the three droplets of rain we got this afternoon (at my house, anyway).

But seriously, this is ridiculous. I’m a Midwesterner. I like having four distinct seasons. But we get the worst of the summer, the worst of the winter, and get shortchanged on fall and spring.

I’m sure I’d be far less cranky if I had air conditioning. I may have to make my first ever trip to Menard’s to look for a window unit. (I checked my friendly neighborhood Target yesterday and they had nada.)

*crabby*

UPDATE: Of course I post this and we get a high of 82 today.

My friend Sherri and I went to the open casting call for The Amazing Race at ApplianceSmart in Apple Valley on Friday. (Pictures.)

When we arrived, they handed us applications to fill out. We had both worked on ours previously, so even though we didn’t complete them before, we had most of our answers in mind. You could tell the questions are designed to provoke conflict. They ask you how your partner has disappointed you and what your pet peeve is about them, but nothing about why you like them or anything.

We stood in line between rows of stoves for our chance to make a video. Near the front, we handed our applications in to a woman and selected New York as our callback city, should we be selected. Sherri lives there and I figure since she came here for this, it’s only fair for me to go where she lives for the next round. Then we got in another, shorter line to wait for our turn on camera.
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I grew up in Wisconsin, in a small town on the Mississippi River. Like many before and during and after me, I dreamt dreams bigger than the village that held me. “Ah, the big city!” I thought. “Certainly, I will be at home there.” Needless to say, as soon as possible, I hightailed it for the bright lights.

The Twin Cities area is the first major metropolitan area I’ve lived in. I started out in Bloomington, moved to a house in Richfield, got an apartment in Minneapolis’ Whittier neighborhood, and have now relocated to Robbinsdale.

The thing that I have found is that I hate the city. It’s like staying in a hotel with really great amenities (including conditioner and hand lotion and a tiny fridge and free gourmet continental breakfast in the lobby!), but with paper-thin walls, kids running and screaming in the halls, and the danger of getting killed by errant cars or bikes* anytime you venture out of your room. And, of course, it’ll take you 10 minutes to get to the elevator.
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MNSpeak has some gear for sale. There are currently three designs available, and several more are on the way. My roommate already put in for her own “Lake Street is for Lovers” tee.

Better than Neighborhoodies, I say.

ComedySportz Minneapolis is holding auditions to join our troup next week. We are looking for improvisers who are interested in working or a fun, family friendly (for the most part) company. The pay isn’t the greatest, but it IS a heck of a lot of fun. You only have to show up to one of the two nights next week. Come dressed to move and plan on staying for a couple of hours. You will not need to bring anything except a resume is you have one. It is open to everyone, so come on down and give it a try. I’ll be looking for you!!

ComedySportz Auditions
@ ComedySportz in Calhoun Square in Uptown
7PM Monday July 18th or
7pm Tuesday July 19th
Callbacks will be on July 25th