One of our favorite things about Ian Frazier is his ability to sketch scenes with deft strokes that instantly put you in a Montana trout stream, a Manhattan canyon, or a New Jersey boulevard. That, and he reliably evokes at least one belly laugh per one thousand words. Last winter, Frazier published Gone To New … Read more
Daniel Kaniess and Yang Yang raise questions about the future of creativity–how will it evolve within the generations of kids who are growing up in front of their computers? Both ply a steely and futuristic vision infused with the influences of computer animation, video games, and industrial collage. Yet they also press the memory of … Read more
These days, Bob Dylan scorns the camera (or claims to–who can explain that freaky Victoria’s Secret commercial?), but once upon a time he gladly tossed his winsome curls for the historical record. John Cohen, whose folk band the New Lost City Ramblers achieved success in the same New York music scene that nurtured the young … Read more
A Rebours is the St. Paul hot spot for A-list eaters, attracting the heavyweights of St. Paul politics, out-of-town talent like the cast of the Prairie Home Companion movie, and the usual crowd of the upwardly mobile and beautiful. The restaurant has every last sparkle you’d expect: tiled floors, high ceilings, gleaming wood, linen, and … Read more
We’re thankful that the Soap Factory hasn’t succumbed to the condo craze that’s underway along the riverfront–in fact, this beloved and off-beat art venue stands to take on a higher profile once it’s surrounded by posh lofts and the spiffy folks who dwell in them. Already the Factory is stepping up to the plate: Rumor … Read more
This is art for, and by, the kids who sat in the back of the bus–sardonic takes on violence, sex, media, politics, and the mishmash of all of them that constitutes a large share of contemporary culture. Nate Lowman specializes in this by taking elements from that culture and messing with them via silkscreens, spraypaint, … Read more
There are several ways to get a free glass of wine in this city. You can attend one of the various “ladies nights” and be ogled by drunkards like a monkey in a zoo, or you can drop by a newly completed condominium project for its opening reception. One pleasant Saturday afternoon, in search of … Read more
A few weeks ago, when the Powerball was around $300 million, one of the chefs at my day job took up a collection among the employees at five bucks a head to buy as many tickets as he could. “Remember the Lunch Ladies!” he said. And so almost everybody pitched in for her share, and … Read more
Last December, the Girls and I decided to embark on a Self-Esteem Workshop in Las Vegas. While our goal was to master all four steps toward better self-esteem (drinking, dancing, eating, and spas), I was certainly most interested in the LV food scene. Our first dinner was scheduled in the very new and very chic … Read more
Maybe Rondell White is going to snap out of his slump in spectacular fashion any day now and reward the confidence Ron Gardenhire has shown in him by writing his name in the clean-up spot night after night. This is a guy, after all, with a career .289 batting average, who’s never hit lower than … Read more