The Grinch Who Stole Minnesota

This year there are some mighty fine Grinch candidates from our fair state.

Who gets your vote?

McHale? Childress?

Petters? Paulose? McGuire?   

Someone else?

nine inch nails, nov 25 2008

Photo Originally uploaded Uploaded on November 26, 2008
by invisiblepilot

I was supposed to be Greg’s date for the NIN show, but the show was postponed. And hard as it is to believe some cooler kids than us got them for the make up show.

Did you go?

Was Trent looking old? How did they sound?

I want to hear about it.

.

This looks cool — anybody been? Going?

WHAT: The Twin Cities’ Best Craft Sale featuring hundreds of independent artists, crafters and designers

WHERE: Midtown Global Market, Lake St. and Chicago Ave., Minneapolis, MN

WHEN: Friday, December 5 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, December 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

HOW MUCH: It’s FREE!

More info here.

Sorry for the hiatus metbloggers; I just made the move from St. Paul to Minneapolis and am still sans personal Internets (so I write this from work while I scarf down my sandwich), as well as still buried in boxes.

As I mentioned when I first introduced myself to you fine folks, I’ve been super excited about all the new shops, restaurants, bars, parks, etc., that I get to scope out. First on my list?  The first day I can get my ass out of bed early enough to make a stop, I’m so hitting up the Wuollet’s at 50th and France on my way to work.  One of my favorite local radio sales reps used to bring these fabulous donuts into the office for myself and other colleagues at the ad agency where I used to work downtown. These left quite an impression and are absolutely to die for.  Maybe it’ll be my Friday morning treat in a couple of days…

On the topic of Things I Intend to Do, I’m hoping to get here for The New Standards Holiday Concert, sponsored by 89.3 The Current.

The Deets:

• When: Saturday, 12/6; 8PM
• Where: Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul
• Who (my faves - so far - are bolded): The New Standards (jazz trio) will be joined by musicians including Mason Jennings, Jeremy Messersmith, Electric Arc Radio, The Frantzich Brothers, The Warblers (Chris Osgood and Dave Ahl from Suicide Commandos), Lucy Michelle, Matt Wilson, and Jello Slave (Michelle Kinney and Jacqueline Ferrier-Ultan).
• Dollars: cost is $29 + $2.50 facility fee (discount available to MPR members!)

Now I just need to recruit a friend or two willing to fork out the change and join me.

In other 89.3 The Current-related news, PD Steve Nelson is moving to the news side of things as the Programming Director on that side.  His shoes are being filled by Jim McGuinn from WXPN in Philadelphia (which if memory serves me correctly, The Current did a little station swap with those nice folks over the summer to expose MN listeners to Philly music and vice versa… interesting…).  Get the details from CityPages here.

Flickr cc via laneg

We’re nearing the twice a year phenomenon of Minnesotans who aren’t smart enough not to realize ice on lakes isn’t strong enough to walk or drive on, do so and then fall in and sometimes drown and/or lose their cars to the icy waters.

I looked up my post from last year on the subject, and figure it just about sums up what I wanted to post today:

Now that we’ve had some consistent cold, I hereby declare an official countdown until the first clueless Minnesotan yokel drives his SUV/truck onto a half frozen ice lake only to have it fall in.

That will kick off the local media frenzy about waiting until ice is XX” thick before you drive a vehicle out. They will interview local officials who give their recommendations and then interview the clueless guy whose car is now at the bottom of the lake with the fishes.

Then we’ll have approx 2.5 months of quiet before the ice thaws enough for someone to again park their car on thin ice, have it fall in and kick off the Spring-parking-on-ice local media stories. And the countdown has begun…go!

Happy Thanksgiving, (nearly) everything is closed today:

POST OFFICES: Closed, except for the 24-hour office at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Express Mail will be delivered in the metro area.

BANKS: In-store and traditional branches of Bremer, TCF, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank are closed.

GROCERIES: Major supermarkets are closed.

MALLS: Major malls are closed. At the Mall of America, stores are closed but the theater is open. Nickelodeon Universe is open 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Underwater Adventure is open; call for hours.

MASS TRANSIT: Metro Transit buses and trains will follow Sunday/holiday schedules. For route information, call 612-373-3333 or go to www.metrotransit.org. Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, Maple Grove Transit, Plymouth Metrolink, SouthWest Metro Transit will have no service. Metro Mobility will follow reduced service.

PARKING METERS: Not enforced in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the University of Minnesota. Minneapolis parks will enforce meters unless noted on the meter.

SCHOOLS: Public schools and the University of Minnesota are closed.

PUBLIC AGENCIES: Local, state and federal offices are closed.

LIBRARIES: Closed.

RECREATION CENTERS: Most are closed. Edina-Edinborough Park is open; call for hours.

Mangled mail!

What the hell happened here? Ripped in half TWICE, chunks missing, missing the right perforated edge and the top/bottom corners… into a total of four pieces, not including the missing parts.

Let’s take it out of the plastic enclosure and look at the back of it.
Read more

Thanksgiving is coming soon, and many of us may be off visiting family and friends.  A couple years ago, sultry hipster Alexis clued me to the fact that the night before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest nights for bars all year (and not just in Michigan).  So, Minneapolis Metbloggers, where is the best place in town to lift a few the night before you face the bird — and your family?

Today the Twin Cities Maimonides Society is holding a screening of the documentary film “Fighting for Life,” about the doctors, nurses, and medics treating wounded soldiers and marines on the frontlines during the Iraq War, as well as following medical students at USU as they embark on their career as military physicians, and a soldier as she recovers from losing her leg in a IED blast.

There is a reception in advance of the private screening, with a panel discussion afterward featuring local physicians with active military duty experience about modern military medicine.

Film still: X-ray

Date:
Sunday, November 23rd
2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Location:
The Open Book
1011 Washington Ave S # 301
Minneapolis, MN 55415 (Google Maps)

Price:
General (Maimonides Members and Guests): $15
Medical Students: Free

Click to watch: 23/6