My favorite thing about the fair is NOT machinery hill. Nor is it the exotic animals (i.e., the sad looking giraffe whose head doesn’t quite fit under the big top). It’s not the stunt skateboarders and BMX bikers, not the corndogs and cheese curds, nor is it the ejection seat. And don’t get me wrong; … Read more
Even if you’re not matriculating this September, the month always seems to inspire further education. It’s hard to break a habit most of us lived with for 17-odd years, so off to school with you. Why not learn to become a Master of Cuisine? Iron Chef Training Camp may reveal your true calling. Once you’ve … Read more
All right, it’s the season finale of the Walker Art Center’s music and movies in the park series… and because Low will be playing, you can be sure there’ll be a, uh, party. Or at least something resembling a party… I mean, there’ll certainly be a lot of folks out in the park to see … Read more
The Philadelphia Story, showing tonight at the Walker’s Summer Music and Movies in Loring Park. According to an History of the Movies class I took at Michigan State University–taught by one of the screenwriters of Top Gun, for God’s sake–when The Philadelphia Story was released, Katherine Hepburn was considered “box office poison”. Kate being Kate, … Read more
The Illusionist, 2006. Written and directed by Neil Burger. Starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell, Eddie Marson, and Jake Wood. Nightmare Alley, 1947. Directed by Edmund Golding, written by Jules Furthman. Starring Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell, Coleen Gray (rrowr), Helen Walker, Ian Keith, George Beranger, Taylor Holmes and Mike Mazursky. The Illusionist … Read more
Last Friday I was walking down the avenue–Riverside Avenue, to be exact. I was, at the time, admiring the marquee at the old Viking Bar, which read “Gone Fishing”; and I’d remarked to the boyfriend about that. But, because he’d never been to the place, I started going on about how much I’d always liked … Read more
Only once it happened, only the one time, that once upon a time, the only memory I have left that inspires anything for the man but disgust. And even so, it wasn’t love I was feeling that day, but a sort of plain pity and cruel fascination, but, Jesus, it was a great moment, almost … Read more
I still love baseball. I still make an attempt to at least keep tabs on every game, and religiously scroll through the boxscores every morning. I don’t know, quite honestly, why it’s been so hard to write about the Twins this year (and, truth be told, through the second half of last season). Actually, I … Read more
Two outdoor concerts happening today, which I’ll recommend, with feeling, since the window of opportunity is closing on these things: On my side of the river, out in the courtyard at the Mill City Musuem, there’s Desdamona (gee, I remember when she was just a wee thing at the Artist Quarter’s open mic) and The … Read more
This isn’t your average bake sale. You probably won’t find suburban moms in their J.Jill capris sweetly smiling over bundt cake. That’s because it’s … The Big Gay Bake Sale! This Saturday from 6-10pm, Patrick’s Cabaret is hosting The Big Gay Bake Sale as a fundraiser for the Flaming Film Festival. Beyond bakery items, they … Read more