Nothing warms up a grubby Minneapolis bar like a few hours of honkytonk Christmas carols. For the eleventh year, Trailer Trash reprises its beloved holiday shows at Lee’s. Nate Dungan’s band has earned a reputation for rocking so enthusiastically about the season that many an anti-Christmas stoic considers this event their token holiday outing. Half … Read more
Despite her gritty alto, the Chicago-based Edith Frost seems convinced that God intended her to use her vocals as a pretty pop instrument. This peculiar voice, which she subdues until the most poignant moments, brings a sense of understatement to the waves of catchy melodies put forth by her back-ups. Frost’s compositions tend toward introspection … Read more
There are three golden things that never perish: gold, honey, and the sun. An archaeologist friend of mine once put this to the test. She was excavating at the Bronze Age citadel built at Mycenae during the Greek Civil War when her team came across a large jar full of honey. They agreed it would … Read more
Burnt Sugar is a big musical mixing bowl spilling over with jazz, funk, blues, hip hop, and rock. Add some African beats and a little contemporary classical composition, and you’ve got what could be the world’s most eclectic jazz ensemble, one whose inspiration comes from such diverse sources as Miles Davis, Metallica, and Mobb Deep. … Read more
Knollwood Mall has been in a continual state of either death or revival for the last twenty years. It’s hard to tell which way it’s going right now, but the presence of an authentic, family-owned Mexican restaurant on the strip side of the mall is a definite score for the revival side. El Gordo makes … Read more
The correct answer is: No. Actually, in my experience—and a quick survey of all the usual suspects confirms it, anecdotally anyway—transitional seasons seem to be the more active time for human, uh, rutting. Among ourselves, we men frequently talk about how the “sap begins to run” in the spring, and I can tell you from … Read more
For some, indulgence comes in the form of manicures and hand massages. For others, it involves tucking into some great nosh with an expertly mixed cocktail at hand. Both camps may self-indulge freely at Mell’s Beauty Bar, a dark little boîte tucked amid Minneapolis’ hulking warehouses. During the cocktail hour, a manicurist is available to … Read more
With everything an Italian trattoria should have—inventive pizzas and pastas, an approachable wine list, and a dessert menu supercharged with chocolate—Biella is our favorite among the west suburban ventures of Mark Nazigian. You could call it the sophisticated sister to Ravello in Long Lake, as both restaurants hold their charm in intimate surroundings and with … Read more
The person who has nothing—there’s one in all our lives. Perhaps they’re bereft of worldly possessions by divine will or karmic revelation, or maybe they’ve simply “downshifted” into intentional thinglessness. Either way, these folks can stump even the most discerning gift giver! Our “Aught for Naught” gift basket is the perfect answer. Also a good … Read more
Wim Wenders’ cult classic follows the slow unfolding of a damaged man as he literally comes in from the desert and learns to talk again, with the aid of his seven-year-old son. Artful and anti-Hollywood, the film, with its lush cinematography and a haunting soundtrack by slide guitarist Ry Cooder, makes the story stick in … Read more