rakemag Goody bags are getting foisted upon the undeserving in staggering numbers these days. They reward sports fans, conventioneers, talk-show guests, and five-year-old birthday-party attendees. Celebrities, of course, gather oodles of loot throughout the winter awards season, from the Golden Globes and Grammys on up to the Oscars. We decided it’s time that our readers joined … Read more
This is not just another Asian place on a street lined with Asian places, as evidenced by the drink menu alone: Peninsula offers a refreshing green bean with grass jelly freeze and a smoothie made from durian, a spiky Southeast Asian fruit that has an odor reminiscent of very old gorgonzola. In fact, the entire … Read more
Saxophonist Joshua Redman put together the SF Jazz Collective in 2004, and in two short years this ensemble has become one of the more adventurous and diverse jazz outfits working today. The roster includes hotshot New Orleans trumpeter Nicholas Payton, pianist Renee Rosnes, and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, a man with one of the most eclectic … Read more
How can you not love ice dancing? I’m back after a week of visiting a tropical isle where my only form of mental exertion was figuring out how to bash tennis balls back in the general direction of their origin without having to stop sipping on my rum drinks. I couldn’t quite get it right … Read more
If you haven’t stumbled upon this site yet, you should check out MNstories.com. Every day a new short video with some connection to all of us. Yesterday was a cat, today is The Red Tail, a short from a longer film about Northwest Airlines. One line from the MNstories excerpt struck me: “If we can’t … Read more
“If we don’t wiretap, the Quakers will win” I’m getting more perplexed by the Democrats every day. Although Senator Leahy made logical mince meat out of Alberto (Torquemada) Gonzales yesterday, of course, nothing will come of the inquisition into Bush’s warrantless wiretapping of Americans as long as the Republicans are in power. Logically, it seems … Read more
The Minnetonka police officer who gave U of M student Nick Stremer a ticket for underage drinking, it could be argued, was just doing his job. It could be argued, I said. But, arguing with a fool is always a bad idea. Like a lot of the people quoted in today’s Strib story and on … Read more
Klobuchar Pere: “l’etoile c’etait moi” For those of you who remember afternoon newspapers, you know that one of the best things about the Minneapolis Star was columnist Jim Klobuchar. When it came to homespun humor, he was Garrison Keillor before there was a Prairie Home Companion. Characteristic, often, of his portraits of typical Minnesotans, was … Read more
If the Twin Cities are headed for a pastrami war, we will no doubt count as happy casualties. Pastrami Jack’s, in a strip mall in Eden Prairie, is a savory slice above the average sandwich joint. Jack’s jaw-dropping concoctions are the stuff of dreams, stacked with fresh fixings like corned beef, roast turkey, brisket, chopped … Read more
D’Amico’s contemporary Mexican eatery is set in an airy, modern space that puts the focus on the vibrant ingredients, bright flavors, and artful culinary constructions. Masa’s guacamole is a beautifully rough mash of fresh avocados, citrus, and spice. The pozole verde is a silky, light stew of chicken and hominy that comes with lime, onion, … Read more