This year’s McNally Smith River Rocks Festival was a success on all levels. It had it all; great music, awesome weather, beautiful atmosphere, two stages of entertainment, and an outdoor festival sound quality that I’ve only heard in a few outdoor venues around the country. The Gorge Amphitheatre comes to mind.

Although, on the surface this was a musical festival just like any other, upon closer examination it was an exploration of diversity and culture wrapped up in Minnesotan influences: from the “Nordic stock” that Mike Doughty claimed as his heritage as he flirted with the crowd, to the Puerto Rican infuesed grooves on history and life by Maria Isza, and the intelligent composition of the Heiruspecs.

Sure, this festival also had historical dream concerts put on by The Roots and Semisonic.

When I spoke with college co-founder Jack McNally, who was more  Richard Branson meets Ty Webb than stuffy college founder, I began to realize this show really was a tribute to the students. He spoke of their hard work, dedication, and help putting it all together. He spoke of their diversity, from the metal bands,to the classical ensembles, to the classical ensembles that may play Led Zepplin sets, and he spoke of their promising Hip Hop community and being one of the few colleges in the world that offers a music degree in Hip Hop. And while I did give Jack plenty of opportunity to expound on the college and it’s unique and ever growing influence with music, he continued to speak about the students.

Jack, I like you, hook up some Twitter.

So after several great shows, interviews with fans and musicians, and that little extra something something that comes with all outdoors festivals; I came to the conclusion that River Rocks is probably the best Minnesota outdoors music festival and I got an idea of just how much the students contributed to the whole show; from help with the infrastructure,to band selection, and giving performances. Lock, stock, and two smoking barrels of action packed stage performance.

I get the feeling River Rocks is getting better every year and with the reasonable prices I have a hard time imagining why anyone would miss out. I only hope that next year I can make it to all the shows.

Read the reviews, interviews, and see some pics: The Roots, Mike Dougty, Maria Isa, Semisonic,and Heiruspecs.

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While the Minnesota Zoo is always a favorite, there’s a special place in my heart for the Como Zoo.

According to Wikipedia (which someone has yet to update to reflect the new Tropical Encounters Exhibit):

The first zoo in Saint Paul was on Harriet Island when in 1897, the city of St. Paul received a gift of three deer. Additional animals followed, when more room was needed to house the animals they were moved to facilities at Como Park.

Set within the lush 384 Como Park in North Saint Paul, Como Zoo has all the animals you would expect at a zoo (including many the Minnesota Zoo doesn’t) — namely lions, tigers, (polar) bears, seals and penguins.

And…Sparky!

Since I was too little to sit up in a stroller, I’ve been coming to Como to see Sparky the Sea Lion. Sparky turned 52 years-old this year, and he’s looking as spry as ever.

His new show is called “Sparky’s Coastal Journey” and features all sorts of propaganda about recycling, polar bears and global warming. Apart from the messaging, Sparky turns on the stereo, jumps through hoops, barks and waves on command — all to the delighted satisfaction of the children under 10 in the crowd (including myself).

This summer Como also has a temporary walk-through butterfly exhibit in the shape of a giant caterpillar. At any time there are 300 butterflies fluttering throughout the 2,500 sq. ft. greenhouse.

It’s the best butterfly garden I’ve ever seen and is highly recommended for a trip in itself.

Parking is free, and the donation to attend the zoo is a suggested $2 adult/$1 children donation.

Cage Design has created a series of eight posters depicting scenes from the best biking spots in the Twin Cities. They also have two “commemorative-style” posters with four designs each.

They are OhMyGod seriously so cool.

I totally want these to go with the Hiawatha Line Art Deco poster that I’ve been wanting but haven’t actually bought yet. Probably just the two commemorative posters for me, since they’re $35 each and then you’ve got to hang them all and I don’t even know where I’d fit eight of them.

But I could save up. And maybe move some furniture around.

SO COOL!

(via east-lake)

UPDATE: Tim from Cage Design shared how the posters came to be.

The poster scenes are some of my favorite locations to ride … I took the photos and my daughter Kjersten did the graphic design and picked the colors. She’s a graphic designer who has lived in Boulder, NYC, and is now in Munich, Germany. She made a special trip back to the TC a couple weeks ago when we had them printed.

Mike Fairbourne of WCCO claims the science behind Global Warming is a “squishy science”.

The Startribune reports Fairborne signed a petition that says ‘We urge the United States government to reject the global warming agreement that was written in Kyoto … and any other similar proposals’ and quotes Fairborne as saying ‘Do we have to pin everything that happens on global warming? No, we need to have cooler heads.’

Cooler heads sounds reasonable, but I think I’d prefer squishy heads and cooler science.

How do you like your science?

While I was working on yesterday’s roundup, I came across Metro Transit’s Bike2Benefits program.

Since I live four miles from where I work, I decided that it would probably not be nearly as bad as I imagined to commute to work on my bike. I did that for the first time today and it didn’t suck! So I was all proud of myself, but then I noticed that there are prizes involved in Bike2Benefits, so I went ahead and signed up for that.

Choose any eight-week period before Dec. 31 to start commuting by bicycle. Track your trips and mileage at this website. When you complete the program, you will automatically be entered in our year-end prize drawing. You’ll also receive a Twin Cities Bike Map (while supplies last). Once your eight weeks are over, continue tracking your commutes and you’ll be eligible for even more incentives!

Bike2Benefits is open to anyone 18 or older who lives and works in these counties: Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington. There is no fee to participate.

Here’s how it works:

The Star Tribune has a story about how our state legislature likes the idea of a regional cap-and-trade system.

I fully endorse the idea. If you’re unfamiliar with how it all works, the Twin Cities Daily Planet has a good primer:

Cap and trade systems are appealing for two main reasons. First, unlike traditional regulatory schemes, they are market-based. Cap and trade systems allow economic forces to dictate where emissions cuts will occur, rather than relying on government mandates. The U.S. has had a cap and trade system to deal with acid rain-causing pollutants since the 1980s, and has achieved deep reductions at far lower costs than had been anticipated. Second, cap and trade is more palatable politically than a direct carbon tax, which would have roughly the same effect.

Arguments against such a system (and global warming in general) are in the comments of the Strib article. Here’s one that raises a relevant point:

Does anyone think that the cost of purchasing the carbon credits won’t be passed along in the form of higher prices and then the carbon producing entities shifted to India or China which already have signnificant cost advantages? This is the dumbest idea to come down the pike in a long time. All in the name of eliminating a problem that doesn’t exist.

This is a fair question. Slave labor, child labor, cheap labor, all of it was outlawed in the United States and then moved elsewhere. While a cap and trade system will have the intended local outcome (due to the free market and a craving in the business community for clear regulation—if regulation is necessary—as opposed to governmental hemming and hawing, which is when businesses pick up and leave), there is a fear it will simply shift the problem out of sight.

And I’m not going to say some pollution won’t go overseas. But in most cases, if they’re not already making it overseas, they’re not likely to start. It’s generally cheaper for a company to produce close to the raw materials and end users, both of which are generally in the United States, if not the Midwest specifically. Add to that the cost of scouting new locations overseas, buying land, building new facilities, and all the other work that goes into off-shoring, and compare that with the relatively easy task of retrofitting current facilities. The off-shoring argument falls flat, I think.

So, while I disagree with our Republican governor and our DLF legislature on many issues, I’m glad they’re moving forward with this system. I really do think the clear regulations will attract business (and obviously our pro-business governor must as well), and we can add green jobs and green living to the long list of what makes our state so wonderful.

It seems the “Right on Lake Street” exhibit created by Macalester students in conjunction with the Minnesota Historical Society has moved from the Minnesota History Center and is now at the Midtown Global Market!

I wish I had known. I wouldn’t have spent the $10 to see it at the History Center. It was cramped together in a room that was kind of hard to find.

The exhibit itself is pretty cool. Lots of paper-mache and cardboard and paint and stuff. It’s a history/art project. I bet it views a helluva lot better at the MGM. And, you know, you’re actually right there on Lake Street. There’s an interactive exhibit online as well, but the real thing is much cooler.

So pop over to the MGM to see it. And to eat.

Saturday, Feb 23, 6:15pm

Details here.

(via Jeremy Pavleck)

Originally uploaded by swirlspice.

Too late for holiday gift giving, but if you’re into candy, especially the homemade gourmet stuff, try some of Thomasina’s Cashew Brittle.

I briefly met Thomasina Petrus, a local singer and actress, when the Twin Cities Women’s Choir taped a show at the Fitz in March with Ann Reed and assorted guests. Thomasina made a comment about this cashew brittle and I thought, “Huh. Okay.” Nine months later I ran into her at the Women’s Art Festival at the Midtown Y, manning a booth.

Thomasina’s Cashew Brittle has no preservatives added and is always made with the finest ingredients, grade AA butter and Bergin’s Nut Company cashews.

It tastes like delicious!

Thomasina’s Cashew Brittle is also available at Kowalski’s, but you get more for your money if you order directly from her — 1lb 5oz for $15 from the website, vs 1lb at Kowalski’s.

We placed our order on December 15 and Thomasina herself showed up at our door to deliver it in time for Christmas. She came all the way to Eden Prairie (with a huge smile to boot), and I’m pretty sure she had not even been out here before. You’ll probably just get yours in the mail, though.

Support your local purveyors!

From the Creative Class Exchange:

Business Week says subways are the new global “urban status symbol”… Well thank god, it’s not humongous stadiums. And if they are, why isn’t the ever status conscious United States building more of them?

Stadiums are totally urban status symbols. Probably not so much in the rest of the world, but clearly they are in the U.S. Because of course no professional sports team could possibly perform in a subpar stadium and no fan could possibly enjoy the game without their time in the stadium being an “experience.” If your city boasts a professional sports team, it boasts (if it has) a high quality venue for them to play in.

There’s been just as much arguing in the Twin Cities over stadiums as over rail/transit. Over the last three years: new stadiums = 2, new rail line = 1. So which do we value more?