Fellow Metblogger Amanda and I went to the Como Park Conservatory today to see the platter lilies in bloom, (I’ll let her tell you a little bit more about why these flowers are such a big deal), and we happened to wander through the Japanese Garden, which has this engraved plaque at the entrance. Now, if I was Mr. Ordway or Mr. Matsuda, um, I would probably want to have the plaque replaced. Wouldn’t you?

I figured we’d have a slew of posts since everyone would be hunkered down inside their houses with the AC and the computer. But even in my air-conditioned apartment, it’s still stuffy and uncomfortable, and keeping the hot laptop…well, on my lap is uncomfortable at best.

I’m going to try to beat the heat today by going swimming. Rumor has it that the cleanest lakes around town are Square Lake, Turtle Lake, and Sweeney Lake.

Jason, I hope you’re staying cool while playing softball!

Anyway, Cottage View is pretty nice. There was a long line of cars waiting to get in when we got there, but it started moving shortly, and we got a great spot. There was some discussion over on twin_cities LJ about whether or not it was okay to booze it up at the drive-in, and I can tell you that, officially, it is NOT okay, but surreptitiously, drink up! We brought a cooler with various beverages, and we also brought our own popcorn (kettle corn!). They didn’t search our car or nothin’. Very cool.

It really does feel like a little community of people coming to see a movie, very different from an indoor theater. Everyone is polite and well-behaved (for the most part). There were a couple times when people turned on their headlights, and there was the annoying laser pointer guy, but I think somebody kicked his ass. And anyway, if someone is talking during the movie, it’s not like you can hear them because you’re in your own little car with the stereo blasting the movie soundtrack.

The only drawbacks I could think of were, the sound was only stereo, not Dolby 5.1 Surround or whatever, and the screen is a little hard to see at the beginning when it’s just getting dark, and you can only go to the late, late show. Heh. But otherwise, in the summer, I’d prefer the drive-in to a smelly indoor theater. I don’t understand why drive-ins are dying at the rate they are. $7.00 for two recently run movies? What a steal!

Picture credit: Submitted by MnHotRods.com on Jun 22, 2006 on drive-ins.com.

As a future hybrid owner, this documentary is of interest to me, and it’s coming to the Edina Cinema beginning this Friday.

I forgot electric cars were even a viable alternative at one point. We’ve been so inundated with the “hydrogen technology” of which Bush is so fond. And of course, the market has been flooded with hybrids in recent months. I’m interested to see what kind of spin this documentary puts on those issues as well as finding out what happened to the EV-1.

I haven’t been there for food, but the bread is always delicious, and everything is organic, range-free, and good-for-you, so I wasn’t scared to order a chicken sandwich, like I am in most restaurants. I had the mango chicken sandwich with greens and a glass of the Benziger (organic) chardonnay, and it was all so succulent!

The other girls had the bruschetta (which was heaping with tomatoes!), the vegan pasta special, and the cream of asparagus soup (chilled). We didn’t partake of dessert, but that all looked delicious as well. I would highly recommend this place!

Be careful where you park, though. Apparently, the parking lot to the south of French Meadow is shared by French Meadow and the CC Club down the block, and the lot is monitored, and you will get booted. I just parked on the street, though, with no problems on a Sunday night. It was a delightful evening to sit outside and eat delicious food and catch up with some old friends.

It’s TONIGHT!
It’s an early show at the 7th Street Entry: 5:00 p.m.! (So you can still go and see Livelihood!)
It’s 21+!
It’s $8!

Dressy Bessy and The Living Blue will also be there.

Come see a great local band before they are gone…maybe forever.

Yesterday, I was reading the story about the apartment building that burned in Bloomington, or at least trying to read it. I found the following errors in the story which made it nearly unreadable:
“Gone one-and-a-half hours this is what we came home to, the fire.”
And…
“We got a report of a fire on a second floor deck, it spread to the third floor, before the lines laid, already up on the roof.”
And…
“Amongst the heat, lines up stairs the roof collapsed on us.”
And…
According to the city of Bloomington, website grills are not allowed at apartments.
“Website grills”? Come ON! This is such a good example of why comma placement is crucial.

After thinking about it for a second, I realized that this must be…
(more…)

Sounds like a fantastic idea, right? Looks like the Minneapolis cops are none too happy about it, though. I noticed that one of the incidents holisticgeek describes happened on Hennepin and 6th Street. Some friends and I were just talking last night about the increased police presence in downtown Minneapolis, particularly Block E, and how it has become more of a nuisance than a necessity. Cops harassing people for no reason in particular, just to break up small groups that might start to congregate outside businesses. Who are they protecting? The people or the businesses? One person in our group also noted that there is plenty of crime, including shootings, going on in her neighborhood in Minneapolis just south and west of downtown, but the police presence there is nearly nonexistent. What’s going on?

(via LJ twin_cities)

Also according to the State Fair’s website:

The Twin Cities Book Fair features used books including antiquarian & rare, illustrated & children’s, maps & prints, first editions, Americana, fine bindings, mysteries, private press & out-of-print.

Event Times:
Friday, July 7th: 4pm-9pm
Saturday, July 8th: 10am-4pm

Admission:
Adults $6
Children 10 & under free

For more information contact Larry Dingman at 952-250-4225

Sponsored by Midwest Antiquarian Booksellers Association