Minneapolis Metblogs » minn_justin

24-6 (that’s "minus")

minn_justin — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:51:41 +0000

Lunds and Byerlys will no longer be open 24 hours. I’ll be the first to say, crap. It’s like Perkins locking up before bars close. The stores will now close at midnight (St. Cloud will close at 11. Sorry Huskies).

Many a late night I have strolled through Lunds’ automatic doors at Penn and Crosstown, adjusted to the obscenely bright lights (at least at 1 a.m. they’re pretty indecent), and began my shopping. Those times will be missed.

Lund Food Holdings says the move isn’t being made for cost savings and no jobs will be lost.

Thanks to the Strib for this info. LundsandByerlys.com has no press release up yet.

Sexiest Burger Alive

minn_justin — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:29:27 +0000

I recently had delusions of grandeur. I wanted to blog about the best burger in Minneapolis. It’s impossible to name one. These guys know. This task is very similar Esquire’s quest to name the “Sexiest Woman Alive.” As soon as they think they’ve nailed it down with Scarlett Johansson, they start another 15-part, obscure interview with a new sexiest woman, blonde hair in face–just to switch back to Scarlett three issues later. (I’m convinced this isn’t a marketing tactic to boost sales, but a noble attempt to inform the world which woman should be discussed most often among manly men.)

Such was my task in the world of Minneapolis hamburgers. After eating nearly 300 hamburgers in ten days (slight exaggeration), I realized that I couldn’t feasibly compare. So I’ve taken on a much less Sisyphean task. Recalling my experience yesterday at The Nook in St. Paul–most definitely serving one of the best burgers in the city. (read on)
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Tonight

minn_justin — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:53:05 +0000

If you’re like me, you haven’t figured it out what to do tonight. Of course you can take it easy and spend a quiet night at home, but parties like this only come around once a year. Minnesota Monthly has a great roundup of parties, concerts, and even plays, I don’t think they’ve missed anything (my neighbor’s annual house party is even listed here).

The highlights?
The 3rd Annual Crystal Ball New Year’s Eve Party at International Market Square. Tickets are only $40 and you get a fashion show. Make sure you dress nice.
VH1’s Rock Of Love New Year’s Eve with Bret Michaels himself. You can have your poison and drink it too at the Myth. And they’re filming for season two. Looks like what’s her face didn’t work out. Poor Bret.
$104, open bar. TicketMaster
Rock the Park 2008 at The Park at MOA. Family friendly. Nuff said.
free.info
Bar Abilene has all you can drink 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Nuff said. (All you can eat tex mex, too.)
$85, open bar.
Rack of Lamb for dinner at my house. This is a pretty exclusive event… but if you’re interested, a/s/l?
free, all you can eat lamb

Check out the list for other great options.

Have a great New Year’s and be safe.

Oh, and how could i forget? The San Hose Sharks are at the Xcel tonight. After a come-from-behind, OT win against Edmonton the other night, I hope the Wild build on that excitement tonight. Plenty of tickets on Craigslist.

Ghost on the Internet

minn_justin — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:54:44 +0000

Google Maps has introduced its 360 degree street view function. Not sure when it debuted, but the Google car definitely drove over the 35W bridge prior to collapse. The bridge is alive and well on Google Maps’ street view. Much like it is in the normal satellite view.

Also, my car has now been immortalized in Google Maps. Check out your address!

Dare I say: Google Maps is the best, true that, Double True

(side note- the SNL Digital Short Lazy Sunday debuted two years ago yesterday.)

Ideas Invierno

minn_justin — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:12:07 +0000

(Title is Spanish for “winter ideas.” I really wanted to use alliteration.)

Here’s what needs to happen. Mobile microwaves (alliteration again) (and again…). Plows just don’t do it for me. There’s a solid half-inch plus of snow out there on the streets, and I can’t handle it. Microwaves would replace the shovel part of our city plows, and the microwaves would melt the snow. I know what you’re thinking; “the melted water would just freeze to ice.” That’s where more microwaves come in and evaporate the water. I really think it’s a good solution. Science, please tell me why this hasn’t happened yet.

Also, car vibrators. C’mon, get your mind out of the gutter (but that’s a good idea too). The ice and snow caked all over the exterior of my Hyundai makes it real hard to conduct my driving duty. The Shakerator, if you will, would shake all the unnecessary freeze off the car and you’d be ready to go in minutes. Somehow, this would also take care of frost on the windshield, too. Again, I’ll leave that part to science.

Crap, the name is already taken.

On a serious note, condolences go to the family and friends of Fidel Danilo Sanchez-Flores who died yesterday in the IDS tower accident.

Swinging too far?

minn_justin — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 21:30:39 +0000

Here at MetroBlogging Minneapolis, we’re in the business of speaking, and speaking quite freely, to be honest. We’re afforded this ability through the First Amendment to the Constitution, granting us free speech. So I whole-heartedly embrace the concept. I can make fun of whoever I want, spoof whatever I want, and even damage some people’s reputations (depending on truth, how famous they are, and other subjective qualifications). But there are limits to this free speech. They say “the right to swing your arms ends at my face.” Those are probably the official legal terms…

A Minneapolis Activist yesterday was awarded $3 (the minimum) after winning a free speech case against the Minneapolis City Council (story found on Star Tribune). The activist, Al Flowers, had his public access TV show removed from the air after a guest said “all ‘house negroes’ should be killed,” referring to city council member Don Samuels. I’m not a lawyer, but isn’t claiming that someone should be killed swinging your arms into someone’s face?

The city council was also charged with paying legal fees of about $50,000.

Not Just a Pretty Face

minn_justin — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:30:58 +0000

She’s the face of Fox 9 News (along with Mr. Passolt). She’s the recipient of an Emmy, an Edward R. Murrow award, and been voted Best Celebrity by Skyway news. But that’s not all–its really not all, her bio’s stuffed with awards from this association and that administration. But in addition to it all, Robyne Robinson designs and creates jewelry for her company, Rox Minneapolis. Fancy jewelry. Earthy, art show, clunky jewelry. Are those technical terms? I don’t know. I am man, I built the Eiffel Tower out of metal and brawn. But I dare not attempt to build an Amber/citrine/honey jade stone bracelet on silver rope chain.

Robyne’s path into the jewelry industry reads like a modern fairy tale–as long as you cut out the news-anchor-in-a-top-20-market part (she started Rox after becoming an anchor). When Robyne was a young girl, her mom couldn’t afford tons of Christmas presents, so the family turned to child labor and Robyne made jewelry (I know, Robyne, I’m sure you had a fine upbringing). Several years later, enter the Greek boyfriend (prince of sorts), add some worry beads, a challenge to make more, and bam, Rox Minneapolis, happily ever after.

I would buy just about any one of these for my mom, and my aunts. Would I buy one for the cute, blonde 20 something I’m trying to woo? Probably not. Too earthy, art show, clunky.

Robyne’s showing her goods at a Dec. 1 Luna Vinca Holiday Event (thanks to MNMO’s Style File for the info).
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Boys (and girls) lose their toys

minn_justin — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:01:03 +0000

I have to admit, in my earlier years, I would enjoy snooping around the neighborhood like I was Rambo, or RoboCop, or (insert 80’s action movie hero here) with my plastic M-16 that made clicky noises when you pulled the trigger (ok, it was just a couple weeks ago). But no more. Sorry roommate, we’ll have to keep our battles within the walls of our house. Minneapolis today banned carrying non-lethal guns (Strib). St. Paul has a similar ordinance. How does a city have more stringent rules on fake weapons than it does on real weapons. I think I’m going to start a new lobbying organization: the National Fake Rifle Association.
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Puttin back the pints

minn_justin — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 19:20:56 +0000

Sure, it’s getting to the point where you’ve got to put on a jacket when you go out. Maybe you’re pulling sweaters out of storage–at least thinking about it. Most definitely, the a/c is off, unless you forgot to flick the switch after last weekend’s heat wave. Yes its cooler, but should you ever really be without ice cream in your freezer? Right now, my fridge is top heavy with pints from the Pumphouse Creamery, which is open throughout the winter (not Mondays). I checked out the independent ice cream parlor after having lunch in the 48th and Chicago area the other day and fell in love. They make all their own ice cream and use mostly local, organic ingredients. I might even call it spiritually righteous. The care they give to the product shows in the quality (the creamiest, tastiest ice cream I’ve ever had) but also the price (I paid at least twice what I’ve paid elsewhere).
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Traffic trouble

minn_justin — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:16:30 +0000

I got stuck in some serious rush hour traffic leaving work yesterday (mostly on 62 heading West). W was in town. The commander in chief was attending a fund raiser for Norm Coleman at a private residence in Eden Prairie. Sure he declared something about the bridge, but the fund raiser was scheduled long before the bridge fell. I don’t have exact times, but I know he was landing around 4 p.m. at MSP and taking off around 7 p.m. If the Prez was around 494 twice between those times, that probably could contribute (or cause) super rush hour. One co-worker took 30 minutes to get from 494 to 62 on 77. That’s something even the 1-star Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker duo would avoid. If this is the kind of afternoon we are saddled with so that Coleman can bump up his checking account, maybe he can send checks to those of us for the gas we wasted trying to get home in time for dinner.