News came at the end of this week that the Gopher football stadium was going to cost more than originally thought because it’s being built on mushy ground. Boy, if that isn’t an opportunity for a metaphor, I don’t know my Aristotle. It’s been suggested by more than one wag that the reason the Minneapolis … Read more
I am not a baking genius. To be a baking genius, you must adhere to the ethics of the scientist…and I am an artist, dammit! But there are some things that I have learned to make the cookie onslaught easier. Butter Use real butter, holiday cookies deserve it. Not whipped, not margarine, not oleo, not … Read more
Machismo is integtral to Latin culture. I am no expert on either Latin culture nor, neccessarily, pure manliness. On the other hand, I know about cars. I also know that very small utility vehicles are popular in many Latin countries. There is something macho about purpose-built vehicles, particularly when they can be purchased at a … Read more
All kinds of promising rock shows are scheduled for this evening: Curtiss A’s Tribute to John Lenon is at First Ave, this being the anniversary of Lenon’s murder; The Alarmists are at the Turf Club; Beatifics are at the Uptown–which reminds me that the beatific Mr. Chris Dorn left me a message a while back, … Read more
Apocalypto, 2006. Directed by Mel Gibson, written by Gibson and Farhad Safinia. Starring Rudy Youngblood, Dalia Hernandez, Jonathan Brewer, Morris Bird, Carlos Emilio Baez, Raoul Trujillo, Gerardo Taracena, Rodolfo Palacios, Fernando Hernandez Perez, and Maria Isidra Hoil. Among many others… Now showing in theaters around town. From the sermons of street critic Guy Fresno: Roll … Read more
Give me snow. I want it. I want to play in it. I want to see it. I’ll shovel. I’ll get wet shoes. I’ll let my boss give me whitewashes. Much to my suprise while doing some research this weekend, I realized that we have actually been getting more inches of snow per year in … Read more
I’m writing about secrets in two sections today, since the first will probably offend the tastes of some readers. Section one: Today, folks from the Rochester Art Center (yes, all the way down in Rochester) are talking about the influence of graffiti and skateboard culture on contemporary art. Scott Sulen, a young artist and, if … Read more
An art dialogue worth noting: A collection of artists, critics, and administrators are gathering tonight at the Minnesota Museum of Art to discuss the life and work of George Morrison, a Minnesota-born American Indian artist most famous for his abstracted “North Shore” style. (If you need a primer, go look at the sidewalk mosaic outside … Read more
For a brief time, early in my days as a desperate man, I had a job at this ubiquitous sandwich chain. It was outrageous. It was awful beyond belief. I worked for this flinching woman who sat in the back room all day “portioning,” which basically involved sorting meat. You’ve probably seen how this works: … Read more
just say no … If you know someone like me, or are someone like me, this list might be handy. United States of Arugula looks to be a good read, documenting our food revolution. Please please please, a year of cheese. We usually don’t leave anything in the bottle, but still, I’m always looking for … Read more