rakemag Here or there? That’s the eternal conundrum of the immigrant, and it’s conveyed in a number of ways in this exhibit of young Arab-American artists. There–be it Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Morocco, or Jordan–has beauty, tradition, and the resounding rightness of home. Here, in the United States, offers religious and creative freedom, for men and women. … Read more
Not every cyclist on Nicollet Mall is a kamikaze messenger. Look, there’s Minnesota Orchestra principal flutist Adam Kuenzel, zipping between buses, flute strapped to his back! Kuenzel bikes to work in fair weather and foul, and even waved off the official tour bus during the orchestra’s 2003 centennial tour of Minnesota, choosing instead to follow … Read more
God blessed the Baldwin sisters with outstanding voices. He also fixed them into separate vocal ranges, so while they might look alike (when directors aren’t lopping off or bleaching their coffee-colored locks), they sound completely different. Jennifer is the soprano ingenue. Christina is the sultry mezzo-soprano. This prevents them from competing over operatic roles, since … Read more
A seven-film celebration of the ancient tradition of making a living by entertaining others. In The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam, director Ann Marie Fleming embarks on a trip around the world to learn about the acrobat, magician, comic, and linguist who was also her great-grandfather. The documentary Kings of the Sky follows a … Read more
We have to admit that we came rather late to the Francine Prose bandwagon. Maybe it was her name, which somehow suggested to us cat mysteries or droll little English parlor comedies. We are, however, big enough to admit when we’ve made a mistake. Prose’s Blue Angel, a dark comedy that mined the fatuous culture … Read more
Judging by the elbowroom during a recent happy hour, this place hasn’t completely caught on yet. But it’s a short drive across the river to East Hennepin for the downtown set, and one that is amply rewarded. The signature martinis, which feature exotic infusions, defy easy categorization. This much we know: The tastes are complex … Read more
What’s with the lodgification of the outer metro–this idea that if you give your restaurant a northwoods lodge feel, people will believe they are on vacation? The latest entry on the knotty-pine-everywhere scene is Big Buck Roadhouse, which comes complete with a giant portrait of the titular buck. Of course you’d expect a menu full … Read more
Where have all the pizzas gone? It’s getting hard to find one that hasn’t been gussied up with odd toppings like potatoes and corn, or with a dull wheat crust, or some oily white stuff that isn’t pizza sauce by anyone’s stretch of the imagination. A real pizza is a simple affair: salty mozzarella, zesty … Read more
This 27-year-old Harlem painter has hundreds of collectors on a waiting list for his work–artists don’t get any hotter than he is right now. At first glance, the six paintings by Wiley on view here are a crack-up. Handsome young black men in urban street wear assume classic poses of religious figures and events like … Read more
As the baby boomers age, we expect to see a lot more shows set in retirement communities. And why not? As a latter-day version of dorm life, with drugs (non-recreational), sex (nineteen women for every guy), and gossip (what else is there to do all day?), it makes for perfect theatrical fodder. In this play, … Read more