Author: Cristina Córdova

For starters, be sure to check out photographer Nicholas Marshall’s Voltage 2008: Fashion Amplified Preview. After that, you might be ready to do a little shopping of your own.

SHOPPING & STYLE
Alexis Hudson Trunk Show

Stop by StyledLife today for the first Twin Cities Alexis Hudson trunk show. "Alexis Hudson is the hottest up-and-coming handbag brand, seen on the arms of starlets like Eva Longoria, Katherine Heigl, Kate Hudson, Keira Knightley, the Olsen twins, Cindy Crawford, and more." Designer Rachelle Copeland, who recently moved here from Los Angeles, will be on hand to discuss her designs and help you find the perfect handbag.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Gaviidae Common, Suite 179, 555 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis.

LECTURE
Security vs. The Law: A False Choice

Join former U.S. presidential candidate Walter Mondale for today’s National Security Forum — Security vs. The Law: A False Choice. As U.S. Senator, Mondale served in 1975 on the Church Committee, which investigated abuses by U.S. intelligence agencies. He was also chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s Domestic Task Force.

Noon, William Mitchell College of Law, Auditorium, 875 Summit Ave., St. Paul; 651-290-6370; free, register online.

LECTURE, ART, & EXPLORATION
Twin Cities Underground: A Life Down the Drain

Join veteran explorer Greg Brick this evening for a presentation on the Twin Cities underground. View images of the caves and sewers of Minneapolis and St. Paul and learn about the subterranean wonderland Brick has been exploring for two decades. It’s one way to tour the sewers without the grime and creepiness.

7 p.m., Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis; 612-341-7555; free.

ART
Before Their Time: The World of Child Labor

In January, the New York Times reported labor abuses in Chinese factories. "’I work on the plastic molding machine from 6 in the morning to 6 at
night,’ said Xu Wenquan, a tiny, baby-faced 16-year-old whose hands
were covered with blisters." At the end of last year, a Gap scandal revealed child-labor abuses in India. Around
the world, an estimated 350 million children continue to sacrifice
their childhood, their health, and their education working in
exploitative and unsafe conditions. While we may read the
headlines and stay abreast of the current conditions across the globe,
the distance, perhaps, makes it all too easy to dismiss the harsh
realities our children endure. Leave it to a physician/photographer to bring it home. Taking it upon himself to expose one of the world’s greatest injustices, David Parker
has traveled the world, with camera in hand, photographing children
laboring in Bolivian tin mines, Indian sweatshops, Nepal brick
factories, Mexican garbage dumps, and the list goes on. With his new book, Before Their Time: The World of Child Labor — a collection of these photos — released this month, Parker is exhibiting his photos at the Nina Bliese Gallery from March 31st through May 2nd. Join him for the opening reception (and book signing) this evening.

5-8 p.m., Nina Bliese Gallery, 225 S. Sixth St., Suite 100, Minneapolis; 612-332-2978.

MUSIC
Two Fab Shows

You can’t go wrong this evening with two fabulous music shows. See hot Twin Cities band Tapes ‘n Tapes at First Avenue. Or catch the Anoushka Shankar Project at Orchestra Hall. "Trained by her father, Ravi Shankar, Anoushka is a uniquely talented artist, a sitar virtuoso in her own right, and a master interpreter of the great traditional music of India. Joining her is an ensemble of seven virtuoso Eastern and Western musicians, including tabla master Tanmoy Bose."

Passive aggressive and dependent on others of their own kind, box elder bugs create havoc and annoyance when swarming in groups. Todd Sklar, a triple threat in the filmmaking business, wrote, directed, and starred in the coming of age tale, Box Elder. With a shoestring budget and 18 days of shooting, Box Elder is a promising first attempt with an entertaining story and relatable characters.

Four best buds, followed through their college years, fail to become independent from the group and use their university experience as a time to drink, have sex, and eat sandwiches, as most college students do. Much like other movies of this genre, the story follows four characters: the hopeless romantic, the party animal with ridiculous advice, the responsible one, and the ladies man. As they stumble through classes and exams, they’re forced to examine their dependence on each other.

The chemistry cemented by the dialogue and plotlines is reminiscent of ’90s films like Mall Rats (or any Kevin Smith film, for that matter) and even ’80s flicks like Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Improvisation and subtle humor drive the friendships and create a strong rapport between the characters, who find amusement in even the most quotidian activities — like eating sandwiches. Although the film has its share of laugh-out-loud moments, other jokes become stale after repetition and drawn-out scenes. Like an Atkin-dieters burger with no bun, the plot tends to lack enough beginning and conclusion, leaving us with a considerable amount of middle; but it’s one hell of a patty in between. Creative camera shots and editing create an interesting dynamic throughout the film and an element of randomness that mirrors the characters.

As an independent filmmaker, Sklar is utilizing traditional grassroots marketing to promote the film. He’s currently touring with the film, and is using social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace to spread the word about Box Elder through the fans’ voices. The film even has its own YouTube channel.

An indie story centered on a generation of misunderstood, misguided, and privileged youth, Box Elder will surely leave you entertained. Now showing at the Oak Street Cinema.

7:30 p.m., through Tuesday, April 15th, The Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis, 612-331-3134, $7.

BOOKS & AUTHORS
Chat It Up: Young Adult Literature

With the Minnesota Book Awards right around the corner, you’ll have several opportunities this week to meet some of the finalists. Tonight, our very own Tom Bartel will be hosting a Chat It Up event featuring Young Adult Literature author Patrick Jones. Jones’s book Chasing Tail Lights explores the impact of poverty, drugs, and abuse on an 18-year-old girl.

7 p.m., Maple Grove Library, 8351 Elm Creek Blvd., Maple Grove; 952-847-5550.

WINE & DINE
Empowering Women In Africa

Enjoy a five-course meal featuring six handcrafted wines by Giraffrican Mix, and help raise funds to build Regina Pacis University for the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi, in Kenya, to operate with an option for women. The school’s first priority will be to train nurses, because there’s a great need for them in Kenya.

6:30-9:30 p.m., Ursula’s Wine Bar and Cafe, 2125 4th St., White Bear Lake; 651-429-9600; $70.

MUSIC
Qwiksand

"If Shaft was living in
southern California and he invited Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix over
for dinner," reads their website bio,
"Orange County quartet QWIKSAND would make a groovy side-dish." What
the California surf funk band fails to mention is the wonderful scent
of salt and sun evoked by their music — so much needed in the
land-locked Midwest as the winter lays its icy claws to rest. A jam
band at heart, QWIKSAND serves up fun, melodic funk, interlaced with
rap sessions reminiscent of the Spin Doctors. Though they’re often compared to the Red Hot Chili Peppers,
QWIKSAND has actually developed a much smoother, perhaps even poppier,
sound. Currently on tour promoting their new album, QWIKSAND delivers
its Liquid Dream to the Fine Line. Joining them will be dEv JAna, The Limns, and The Rebelution.

8 p.m. (QWIKSAND goes on at 10:30 p.m.), Fine Line Music Café, 318 1st Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-338-8100; $3, or go here for a free ticket.

SPORTS
Squash Those Hornets

And of course, you can also go see the Minnesota Timberwolves play the New Orleans Hornets. I know we’re all pro-New Orleans these days, and with good reason, but let’s put that aside for the night. Let’s show those Hornets we have just as much to lose. (And let’s see if we can win another darn game, guys.) The season is quickly coming to an end, so don’t delay.

7 p.m., Target Center, 600 1st Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-673-0900; tickets starts at $10.

WINE & DINE
New French Cafe Reunion

Ah, yes. Remember the New French Café? Many a lovely latte was enjoyed there. Many a meal. Many a show. Many drinks for all. Those were the good old days. And tonight, you can re-live them a bit and reminisce with a New French Cafe reunion at Nick and Eddie. (Smart move.) Join an inimitable
gathering of New Frenchies, Warehouse District Originals, Aging
Hipsters, and Newbies tonight — and every second Tuesday — for a happy hour and more. Plus, enjoy the music of Willie Murphy at 8 p.m.

5 p.m., Nick and Eddie, 1612 Harmon Place, Loring Park, Minneapolis; 612-377-6582, 612-486-5800.

FILM
Lecture & Screening by Experimental Filmmaker Peter Hutton

Detroit-born experimental filmmaker Peter Hutton will be sharing his work and his knowledge this evening in a combined lecture and screening at MCAD. Primarily known for his silent cinematic portraits of cities and landscapes, Hutton offers a rich and contemplative experience of diverse places, from the Hudson River Valley to Iceland and Bangladesh. "Typified by fixed shots of extended duration, his concentrated gaze builds a bridge between early cinema, landscape painting and still photography." Come out and drink from Hutton’s vast well of knowledge.

6:30 p.m., Minneapolis College of Art and Design, 2501 Stevens Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-874-3700; free.

Meet Bill

Also playing tonight is Meet Bill, Aaron Eckhart’s latest film and his first stab into the physical comedy genre. While the trailer and promos for the film make it out to be just one more Jessica Alba-infused silly comedy, Meet Bill actually touches on some deeper issues of fulfillment and dissatisfaction. Ok. I have to admit, the ending somewhat ruined it for me, but I was pleasantly surprised by most of what preceded it. And Eckhart’s belly, alone, is worth the watch. Besides, how often do you get to see him in a Speedo — and shaving his chest on screen! The film is at the Lagoon for one week only, which means you have but three days to catch it, so don’t delay. And read our Rakish interview with Eckhart.

7:30 & 9:40 p.m., Lagoon Cinema, 1320 Lagoon Ave., Minneapolis; 612-825-6006; $8.25 ($5.75 seniors and children).

LECTURE
Our Inner Ape

Join world-reknown primatologist and author Dr. Frans de Waal this evening for a lecture about human behavior. That’s right, de Waal, will leave the chimps aside for a moment to examine the greatest primate of all — humans. Actually, he doesn’t quite leave the apes aside; he uses chimps and bonobos as a metaphor and lens to explore our own behaviors. De Waal will be drawing from his latest book, Our Inner Ape, and the evening promises to be quite fun.

7 p.m., Minnesota Zoo, Great Clips IMAX, 13000 Zoo Blvd., Apple Valley; 952-431-9200; free, but R.S.V.P.

MUSIC
Nellie McKay

Nellie McKay is certainly like no other — and yet she draws from so many. Ella Fitzgerald one moment. Ethel Merman the next. Soon she abandons the piano keys and is off pantomiming some strange Broadway musical. A glimpse of the past. A peek at the future. She’s got grit alright, but the pretty-little-blond image throw you off, somehow makes the obscenities more a parody of themselves than truly obscene. She’s got talent, no doubt, but it’s the show that counts. She’s like a confused, grown-up Shirley Temple, always a performer, though. Always a performer.

7 pm, Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant, 1010 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis; 612-332-1010; $25.

BOOKS & AUTHORS
Heal Your Body, Unleash the Power of Your Mind

The mind and body are so much a part of each other, that to address one without the other — as we have come to do — is almost absurd. Forget almost; it’s absurd. Yet we do it. All the time we do it — so much so that now we have to relearn what was probably pretty organic at some point. And perhaps we need a guide. Dr. Rick Levy, a pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, is the perfect escort for those first steps, and beyond. Today, he’ll be discussing his new book, Miraculous Health: How to Heal Your Body by Unleashing the Power of Your Mind and showing us how using the mind to heal the body is not just a good idea; it’s hard science. Miraculous Health shows how the mind has the ability to help everyone heal from illness, injury or pain, and to prevent their occurrence in the first place. Don’t tell me you’re not interested in a better (simpler) quality of life?

7 p.m., University of Minnesota Bookstore, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-626-0559; free.

WORKSHOP
The Textures of Your Life: Healing through Art

And more healing… "Reflect the rough and smooth places in your life as you experiment with various media in this introductory art exploration and support group. The process of discovery, not the product, is the focus. And everyone is welcome."

12:30 – 3 p.m., Well Within, 1880 Livingston Avenue, Suite 103, West St. Paul, MN convenient to several major highways; 651-451-3113; $15 .

FILM

Box Elder

Things are changing in the film industry. It’s true. We’ve gone from indie to super-indie, or something of the sort. Todd Sklar is of this new regional indie-auteur variety — the new school of film, or should I say video? With a new HD camera in hand, and a Cine Brevis 35-mm lens adapter, there’s no stopping a man with a mission. But dreams and possibilities aside, it’s what’s left on screen that really matters. Sklar’s latest film, Box Elder, makes its Twin Cities debut this evening (and continues through next weekend). Titled after a Pavement song (Sklar’s favorite band) as well as a noisy, annoying, passive-aggressive, yet harmless insect, Box Elder paints an unrestrained picture of a generation defined by these same characteristics. See what a touch of your typical privilege, potential, and self-induced paralysis can do to four friends in their last years of college.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7:30 p.m., The Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis, 612-331-3134, $7.

MORE FILM

Leatherheads

Dressed in 1920s attire, George Clooney and Renee Zellwegger began their Leatherheads tour with an appearance at the old Depot, in downtown Duluth. Now, we finally get to see the film. Directed by Clooney himself, Leatherheads
offers a comedic tribute to the early days of pro football. Determined
to keep his team alive after they lose their sponsor, Dodge Connelly —
played by Clooney — brings in a college football star, better known as
a local war hero, to recapture the country’s attention. Zellwegger, who
plays a budding journalist, suspicious of the war hero’s
too-good-to-be-true tales, take it upon herself to defraud the team,
but in doing so somehow manages to make both men fall hopelessly in
love with her. How will Dodge keep his team alive and get the girl? Go
and see.

AMC Southdale 16, 400 Southdale Center, Edina; 651-777-FILM.

Under the Same Moon

The story is nothing new: a Mexican mother goes to America, Los
Angeles to be precise, in search of a better life for her child, whom
she leaves in Mexico under the care of her mother. It’s "real," if
nothing else. And it’s touching, if you’re at all moved by a mother’s
love and a child’s determination. Director Patricia Riggen brings us a
heartwarming tale addressing the controversial issue of illegal
immigration. But her focus on nine-year-old Carlitos, and his physical
journey to reunite with his mother, makes Under the Same Moon a most precious tale.

Uptown Theatre, 2906 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-825-6006; $8.25 (seniors and children $5.75).

Also opening this weekend, Meet Bill, starring Aaron Eckhart.

DANCE
James Sewell Spring Program

Dancer/choreographer James Sewell
made his way back home to Minneapolis in 1993, after a long stint in
New York, bringing his company with him. Sewell began choreographing
ballets in 1982, while at the School of American Ballet, in New York. He went on to dance with ABT II, an apprentice company of the American Ballet Theater, and then as principal dancer for the Feld Ballet. Once hailed by The New York Times as "one of
American ballet’s best choreographers," James Sewell consistently
delivers innovative and exciting pieces. This month, the company delivers its Spring Program at The O’Shaughnessy, with two Twin Cities premieres choreographed by Sewell himself: Social Movements and If This Then What. Also on the program are Table Waltz, choreography by Penelope Freeh, and By the Gypsy River Banks, choreography by Sally Rousse.

Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 11 a.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., The O’Shaughnessy, College of St. Catherine, 2004 Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul, 651-690-6700, $31.

MUSIC

Bo Ramsey CD Release Performance

While it’s all too possible you may not know Bo Ramsey’s
name, you’re sure to have been touched by him somehow — whether as a
musician or a producer of something wonderful you’ve heard. For
whatever reason, Ramsey has drawn more attention from musicians than
from the general public. Perhaps he’s simply not a limelight man, a
fact confirmed by his many performances in the dingy, din-filled
corners of The Deadwood,
in Iowa City during the ’90s. But despite his understated fame, Ramsey
has played a tremendous role in shaping the midwest blues-rock scene.
He’s one of the original Iowa City blues-rock boys, along with Greg Brown, David Zollo, David Moore.
In fact, Ramsey’s guitar work can be heard on their albums, many of
which he has even produced. But Ramsey’s biggest call to the spotlight
probably came from Lucinda Williams, who contacted him immediately after hearing Down To Bastrop in the early ’90s. So impressed was Williams with his inimitable guitar work that she invited him to play on her Grammy-winning Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, after which he joined her on tour — twice, as he went on to produce and play on her follow-up album, Essence. With his new CD, Fragile, due for release on April 8th, Ramsey is on a solo tour this time, and gracing us with his music.

Saturday at 8 p.m., The Cedar, 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-388-2674; $18.

Also on Saturday night, Black Blondie and Maria Isa will play at Trocaderos Nightclub.

BOOKS
Sharp Teeth, by Toby Barlow

After the wretched transformation of Beowulf to film,
the time is ripe for a modern-day monster tale we can all read and
imagine (rather than ruin with trite images). And try as I might to
disassociate Toby Barlow’s debut novel from this timeless classic, Beowulf keeps coming to mind. Clearly, the title, Sharp Teeth, could have something to do with this. As could the subject matter: werewolves in Los Angeles. But beyond that, Sharp Teeth
is written entirely in blank verse — an odd choice perhaps, but Barlow
masters it so effortlessly that we hardly notice, except to feel its
commanding flow hastening us forward through the multiple plotlines.
Granted, Sharp Teeth offers no mead, but if you’ve read John Gardner’s Grendel — a rather nihilist monster-POV rendition of Beowulf — you’ll recognize the strangely non-heroic approach to an epic tale. As in Grendel,
Barlow’s tale has no true heroes. There is no clear sense of right and
wrong; there is only the gray in between, and how you choose to
navigate it.

Saturday at 7 p.m., BirchBark Books and Native Arts, 2115 West 21st St., Minneapolis; 612-374-4023.