I’m signing off early for the holiday this year. Wracked as I am by last-minute shopping lists and Catholic guilt, I’m afraid I’ll need an extra day to physically and mentally prepare. I will, however, arrive back in Minneapolis on the evening of December 25, when I’ll carry-on the long-held tradition of meeting my friends … Read more
He was a god like no other. That much was apparent almost right from the beginning. I’ll be the first to admit that I thought there was something sort of funny about the boy; and though you probably won’t find anyone to publicly acknowledge it now, many thought his problems went beyond funny. Lots of … Read more
There’s an awfully pretty boy band playing at the Varsity this eve. And by chance, these are the very fellows I get to meet tomorrow afternoon when a certain publicist lets me crash their photo shoot. Disclosure: Judging by what I hear on the band’s MySpace page, their power-pop sound isn’t exactly my cup of … Read more
Have you ever, in a moment of professional unease, considered making your living as a human guinea pig? It sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? Free health care! Sitting around in your bathrobe all day, paging through magazines while contemplating the effects of some mysterious, new drug that’s on the fast-track for FDA approval. In bleaker … Read more
My friend Claudia had some great things to say in a coversation we had the other night about our mutual love of the Sky Mall. She offered to share them and I gladly accepted. Here you go: For most americans, the holiday season involves two, often expensive, components: travel and shopping. Even though I’m from … Read more
I was not invited to this one… I have a hard time with the cookie exchange thing. You’re famailiar with the premise, no? Each guest is to bring a dozen cookies per attendee, you swap your dozens for the others’ dozens and wind up with a fabulous assortment of holiday treats. At least that’s the … Read more
The best and worst films of 2006. We critics like to play our little games at the end of every year, whereby we bestow certain movies the gift of being shortlisted as the best (or worst) of that particular year. Of course, this is always a personal choice, influenced by the tastes of the writer, … Read more
Amazing. This is yet another Monday on which men- and women-about-town will find something above-average to do. The noted playwright, or if you prefer the Most Important Living Playwright, Tom Stoppard stars in the 2006 Global Voices lecture at the Guthrie; and I believe it’s being moderated by Joe Dowling. This gives damn good excuse … Read more
Richard Riggins had a little red robot that made his bed each morning and put his shoes in neat rows in the bedroom closet. He also had a chimpanzee that played ping-pong with him in the basement. Richard and the monkey liked the same programs on television, and whenever Richard laughed the chimp would bounce … Read more
What to do this weekend: First, on a sad note, I note the passing of yet another record store. Know Name Records in Dinkytown–situated in an architectural relic of the 70s era during which it was born–is shuttering its doors. The last day to drop by is tomorrow-Saturday. And there’s a bit of a party … Read more