Source materials for the project at hand, whatever it is, and whatever it might yet be: Grimm’s Fairy Tales; Hans Christian Andersen; William Graham Sumner’s Folkways; Frazer’s The Golden Bough; Mythology (Graves, Bulfinch, Hamilton, etc.); the Icelandic Sagas and Norse myths; The Odyssey and The Iliad; The Aeneid; Ovid’s Metamorphoses; The Divine Comedy; James Brown; … Read more
DINING Destination: Puerto Rico Can you taste the salt in the air? Are you working up a sweat? The Rake’s Tour of World Flavors visits Babalu this evening for a multiple-course tasting menu and wine pairings. Enjoy authentic Latin Caribbean cuisine in an opulent lounge atmosphere. Tonight’s menu begins with Tostones Rellenos de Camarones, fried … Read more
The first two games of the Mets series were a perfect snapshot of the Twins’ see-saw season to date: An 8-1 loss and a 9-0 victory in the span of 24 hours. Five hits one night, thirteen the next. Go figure. Actually, if the season ended today, you could put the last eleven games in … Read more
I don’t usually criticize restaurants on the basis of a single visit, but in the case of my recent outing to Glockenspiel, I am willing to make an exception. From past visits, I remembered the Bavarian restaurant in St. Paul’s historic CSPS Hall as serving possibly the best German food in the Twin Cities. This … Read more
MUSIC Play Red You’ve already had two days to see Hiromi play at the Dakota. If you haven’t yet done so, now is the time. If you already did so, then you already know. Go again. This woman is incredible. This is truly some of the best in jazz improv. You’ll be completely carried away, … Read more
I don’t have the energy to write an entire entry in Irish or Cockney slang, but that’s what I feel like doing every time this team slips into its offensive (and I do mean offensive) imitation of a World Cup soccer team, which lately seems to be several times a week. I just took a … Read more
Commenting on my previous post about the Avista-Zygi Wilf real estate deal(s) and the importance of high transparency on the part of the Strib as it reports and comments on the story, “bart” asks the following: “What’s the basis of the charge that Avista currently or will direct positive coverage of the potential stadium? Is … Read more
(UPDATED BELOW) God knows the Star Tribune has faced conflict of issues before with stadium-related real estate deals. But the latest one, wherein Vikings owner and major — emphasis on “major” — real estate developer, Zygi Wilf has a deal in place to buy four of the five blocks owned by Strib owner Avista Capital … Read more
I spend alot, I mean ALOT of time intercepting generally middle-aged people in parking logs and asking them about their rides. So far I have been treated far more graciously than I have by some people on Hennepin Avenue these days (one picked up my sandwich while I was sitting on a bench and proceeded … Read more
A former Star Tribune scribe got mention in the NY gossip rags last week, but they didn’t bat an eye at the mere mention of John Habich. Why? Well, because Habich is betrothed to the writer/pharmaceutical heir Andrew Solomon, of course. Their wedding site, while ambiguous about the date of the actual affair, offers an … Read more