There are certainly plenty of ongoing activities to partake of this evening, many about which I’ve already written: Dr. John is still playing at the Dakota and there are a number of art shows and performances going on about town. See our So Little Time write-ups for details.
But if you’re looking for something totally new, grab your coat (it’s going down below freezing this evening) and a friend (or two), and decide on uber-hipdom or quiet sophistication. Yes, in this case, they’re entirely different.
FOOD
Hip, Hip, and a Hop away
If uber-hipdom is the way to go this evening, you might as well start with a bite to eat at Nick and Eddie, Doug Anderson’s new restaurant by Loring Park. Ok — it’s not officially Doug’s, but hey, let’s not get technical here. The menu is a bit inconsistent, but the space is great, and the service good. I recommend the grilled shrimp appetizer and the beef cheeks or duck. Don’t take my word for it, though; see Jeremy Iggers’s review here.
Nick and Eddie, 1614 Harmon Place, Minneapolis.
Next stop, First Avenue…
MUSIC
She Won’t be "Missing in Action" Tonight
She might have the most annoying page in myspace history — and her personal website
is no better — but M.I.A.’s music can justify just about any
eccentricity or tasteless act that follows. This woman, this artist, is
the real deal. I’m not talking about the rap artist that "really" grew
up in the hood, the bluesman from the deep south, or the poor white
trash hollaring his pain behind a wall of tatoos and a baseball cap.
Sure, she’s got a history to boot — and that’s real, too — but I’m
referring to her need to create. At a relatively young age, "Maya" seemed
to have found her passion in painting and film. Here, she began to
bring together the sum of her experiences — her early years in Sri
Lanka, her father’s revolutionary activity, the Tamil-Sinhalese civil
war, her escape to Madras, and her move to London, as a refugee — under
the unified voice of her artistic expression. But this expression
didn’t stop there. Maya continued to explore her voice in different
avenues, until she stumbled upon her real one, her voice, her song. Her
music is much like her life, a glorious mishmash of experience —
electro, techno, hiphop, dancehall, grime, world music. Ummm-huh. You’ve
got to hear it to believe it, my friends… just like you have to see
that godawful website.
8 p.m., First Avenue, 701 First Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-332-1775; $20.
If you’re still up for a party after the show, head over to Foundation Nightclub for a "little" afterparty.
FOOD
Beets, Brussel Sprouts and Short Ribs
For a quieter evening, a bit more relaxed, with a touch of sophistication, grab a bite to eat at Hiedi’s before or after exploring 21st century Asian America (to follow). Of course, there’s always Chino Latino, but why not try something new tonight. "Heidi’s, in the former Pane Vino Dolce space, is a much more modest
venture, with minimal decor, and entrees priced from $9-$19. You can
get a decent glass of wine for as little as $5 (a rarity nowadays),
though the list of wines by the bottle ranges all the way up to $109,
for a 2005 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles." See Jeremy Iggers’s review here.
Heidi’s Minneapolis, 819 W. 50th St., Minneapolis, 612-354-3512.
BOOKS & PHOTOGRAPHY
Wing Young Explores Asian America
Sure, we’ve all heard and used the term "Asian American" — but what does it mean? Where is this place they call Asian America? What does it look like? Who are its people? To answer this question photographer Wing
Young Huie set out across the United States with his wife, on a trip through nearly forty states "to explore and
document the funny, touching, and sometimes strange intersection of
Asian American and American cultures." The result, Looking for Asian America — a collection of over 100 photographs of Huie’s journey — paints a multi-faceted portrait of Asian Americans today.
7:30 p.m., Magers and Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611; free.
Leave a Reply