The Rake Magazine

Blog

  • In a Word, Slutty

    A word regarding this month’s fashion feature and the related
    discussion: Jason DeRusha did not, in fact, call his wife slutty. He was simply
    being witty about the fact that 1) he is, in fact, male and 2) he therefore prefers that his
    beautiful wife wear form-flattering clothes. And yes, friends, in the minds of
    men, I’m afraid "attractive" has often been conflated with "slutty."

     

    So, is this one of those quotes that should’ve fallen to the
    cutting-room floor? Perhaps. But, in my mind, it was just too specific/amusing to pass
    over. And you know what? If it was my boyfriend who had gone shopping for me, I
    can almost guarantee that, knowing him and the way he talks, he would’ve used a
    different, even more incriminating word as he picked out one of those uninspired,
    almost ass-baring sundresses to which he’s partial: "whorish." Of course, in reality, I’m not really a whore. In fact, I’m pretty much a prude.

  • Think You Know Sushi?

    Test your sushi knowledge with this fun sushi quiz:

     

    1) Which specialty sushi roll was invented in America?:

    a) the spider roll

    b)
    the rainbow roll

    c)
    the California roll

     

    2) What gives most sushi-bar salmon that bright orange
    color?

    a)
    their diet of krill and plankton

    b) their genes

    c) food coloring

     

    3) What gives most sushi-bar tuna that bright red color?

    a) hemoglobin

    b) mercury

    c) carbon monoxide

     

    4) Which religious organization makes millions from sales of fish
    to the sushi market?

    a)
    The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons)

    b) Jehovah’s Witnesses

    c) The Unification Church (the Moonies)

     

    5) Which popular sushi fish is banned in Japan?

    a) fugu (blowfish)

    b) koi (goldfish)

    c) matsu (super white tuna)

     

    6) That little wedge of green putty on your sushi boat is
    most likely:

    a)
    real wasabi – "Wasabia japonica"

    b)
    fake wasabi

    c) Play-Doh

     

    Answers:

    1. All of the above. Those high-fat specialty rolls are an
    American invention.

    2.c Most sushi bar salmon is farm-raised on a diet of fish
    meal. Two chemicals, astaxanthin and canthaxanthin are commonly added to their
    diet to give them the orange color of wild-caught salmon. The European Union
    recently set limits on the use of canthaxanthin, because it can damage eyesight
    in high doses/

    3. Raw tuna, whether fresh or previously frozen, quickly
    turns brown. If your tekka maki is bright red, the odds are pretty good that it
    has been treated with carbon monoxide. The ever-vigilant Food and Drug
    Administration permits the practice, but, according to the New York Times,
    carbon monoxide treatment is banned in Canada, Japan and the European Union
    because it can be used to conceal spoilage.

    4. c According to a detailed investigative report in the
    Chicago Tribune, most of America’s estimated 9,000 sushi restaurants get their
    raw fish from a company called True World, which is a subsidiary of Unification
    Church International, a company with close ties to the church.

    5. c. Matsu, often sold as "white tuna" or "super white
    tuna" isn’t actually tuna at all – it’s escolar, also known as snake mackerel
    or walu. Its fat contains waxy esters
    that can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and oily orange
    leakage. Because of these side effects, it has been banned in Japan since 1977.

    6. b. Odds are, it’s fake wasabi, a cheap blend of
    horseradish, mustard and food coloring. Real wasabi, wasabia japonica,
    which has a more subtle flavor, is hard to grow and very expensive – up to $100
    a pound.

  • Super Crap

    Here’s what some people don’t understand: you can be a food freak without being a food snob. If ever there was a testament to that, it would be the feast of SuperBowl Sunday.

    The issue isn’t the guacamole, it’s the cachet of the guacamole. Hot-wing away, my friend, but consider the sauce. You won’t find fois and foam at my house on Sunday, but you will find seasoned onion strings and home-made potato chips. But that’s just because I’m bored by the game so I focus on the food, shocker.

    Here’s a hit-list, if you’re so inclined:

    Bon Appetit did shout from on-high: French fries are the IT-snack. Make sure you have a kick-ass hood system or open a lot of windows if you plan to fry. If not, you could always go for the oven-roasted verstion.

    Legend has it that Hot-Wings were invented in Buffalo, NY at the Anchor Bar. To me, it’s all about the sauce: you could slather up a hunk of wood and I’d happily chow down if the sauce were hot and tight enough. My recipe is a lot like this one, but I use Cholula and add Sriracha. It’s all about your personal hotness.

    As for guacamole, I’m a minimalist. Coarsely mash a bunch of avocado, add chopped onions, add chopped cilantro, sprinkle with dried chilies, add a squeeze of lime juice and salt and pepper at will. No tomatoes, no fresh jalapenos (they take away from the sweet, creaminess and you lose the avocado).

    Seriously, home-made chips are so easy, and then you can control the flavoring. You’ll actually taste more than just salt! Malt vinegar is a favorite, toss them with the hot sauce when they come out of the oven, throw some blue cheese on top when they’re almost done. And then dip, dip or dip.

    One of the easiest and biggest crowd pleasers is almost criminally simple. Wrap a block of havarti in puff pastry, entirely enclosing it like a giant ravioli. Throw it in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until it becomes golden brown and puffy. Take it out and drizzle it with Ames Farm honey. Cut in and prepare for an oozing mess of yumminess.

    Onion strings are uber-addictive. I season the flour with a lot of garlic powder and dried tarragon or just Zatar seasoning.

  • Discover What It Is and Take It from There

    FILM & PERFORMANCE

    Crispin Glover Presents:
    WHAT IS IT?

    What is it? Debuting for the first time in
    Minnesota and unavailable on DVD, What Is It? is Crispin Glover‘s 2005
    directorial debut (lately he played Grendel in Beowulf). The movie is described
    by its director as "being the adventures of a young man whose principal
    interests are snails, salt, a pipe, and how to get home as tormented by an
    hubristic racist inner psyche." Starring Michael Blevis, a young man with Down
    Syndrome, and Mr. Glover as a deus ex machina in a fur trenchcoat and flowing
    locks, the film also features a fellow in blackface, a bevy of naked women in
    elephant masks, and snails aplenty. What is it? Armed with slideshow and
    commentary, Glover will be on hand to explain. No one under eighteen will be
    admitted. —Peter Schilling

    Friday through Sunday at 7 p.m., Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-331-3134.

    FILM
    Nanking

    The tagline says it all: "Even
    in the darkest of times there is light." Nanking tells the story
    of the rape of Nanking, a black smudge in the history of China. In 1937, the invading Japanese army murdered over 200,000 and raped
    tens of thousands of Chinese. This event was not, as its tagline
    suggests, completely devoid of light. A small group of Western
    expatriates responded to the terror and heroically saved the lives of
    250,000 Chinese. This is the story of an event that is surprisingly
    little-known in the Western world and deserves to be told. Be
    a part of the unfolding of this bittersweet tale. —Kate Leibfried

    Opens Friday, 2:00, 4:15, 7:05, 9:30 p.m., Lagoon Cinema, 1320 Lagoon Ave., Minneapolis; 612-825-6006; $8.25 ($5.75 seniors and children).

    MUSIC
    Still Weeping for the Willow

    To
    be honest, it has been a while since I’ve heard anyone speak her name,
    but that certainly wasn’t the case about 10 years ago. Back then, I
    remember hearing Ann Reed
    at every turn. I believe I heard her play along the river more than
    once — Riverplace or St. Anthony Main. If I remember correctly, she had
    one of the best versions of "Willow Weep for Me" I’ve ever heard, actually. The woman can sing; I’ll tell you that. I’d say a "rich
    alto, smooth guitar playing, great songs, and sly wit" is an accurate
    characterization. And the woman hasn’t stopped. I may not have been
    hearing her name much, but she’s gone on to produce 15 albums and
    countless concerts. Don’t miss this one.

    Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins; 651-209-6799; $12-$24.

    THEATER BENEFIT
    All in a Day’s Work

    Support your local
    theater and have a good laugh at their expense. Watch as over 40 local
    artists come together to write, stage, and perform six plays in only 24
    hours. That’s right, folks: just one day to put together an entire
    show. Talk about putting yourself out on a limb! (As if simply getting
    up on stage weren’t enough.) The 7th Annual 24-Hour Play Project &
    Benefit Gala, hosted by FringeFest superstar Allegra Lingo, benefits Theater Unbound
    and all who go: in addition to the six plays, you’ll enjoy
    complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and silent and live auctions
    with fabulous gifts.

    Saturday at 8 p.m., Neighborhood House, Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center, 179 Robie St. E., St. Paul; 612-721-1186; $35, couples $50.


    THEATER & PERFORMANCE
    Look and Ye Shall Find

    Let’s face it; it is
    no longer the 1950s in Pleasantville. We no longer live in the
    land of pearl-wearing housewives who rub their husbands’ feet as
    they sit by the fire, smoking a pipe, and listening to baseball on the
    radio. And a family no longer has to be made up of a mom, a dad,
    and a brood of kids. Looking for Normal
    is a smartly-styled play that examines the question, "What is the
    definition of a family?" It explores the increasingly vast world of
    nontraditional families through the poignant tale of Irma and her
    husband Roy, who finally admits that he feels that he was born into the
    wrong body and sees himself as a woman. Roy’s "coming out" has an
    extreme impact on Irma, his wife of 25 years, and on their extended
    family and friends. Join ARTisphere Theatre and Torch Theater for a humorous play that delivers a serious message about identity and
    the meaning of family. This is the
    last weekend of the show, so catch it before it’s gone! —Kate Leibfried

    Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., The Minneapolis Theater Garage, 711 West Franklin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-729-1071; $15-$18.

     

  • Abbreviated Three-Pointer: Chicago Split and the Return of Foye

    Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

    Game #44, Road Game #24: Minnesota 85, Chicago 96

    Game #45, Home Game #21: Chicago 67, Minnesota 83

    Season record: 9-36

    1. Legitimately Respectable

    Flirting with the flu, I decided to avoid contaminating Target Center last night and catch my second straight Bulls-Wolves tilt on the tube. And as both teams renewed their clankfest of the previous evening, it struck me how precipitously fortunes can flip in the NBA. A year ago before the playoffs, I had the Bulls as the likely choice to reach the Finals. This preseason, I figured them for a #2 seed. After watching 96 minutes of head-to-head competition, I like the Wolves’ situation better for both the near and long term future. Chicago is paying Ben Wallace twice as much as the Wolves are paying Al Jefferson. Both Luol Deng and Ben Gordon can be unrestricted free agents after next season. Unless Deng and/or Gordon can be coaxed to stay, Kirk Hinrich and Andres Nocioni will be the backbone of this team, with Thabo Sefolosha and Yoakim Noah–both very good, underrated glue guys–and Wallace filling out the lineup.

    In Minnesota, Jefferson keeps getting better. The Strib calling him the "New KG" on its front page the other day simply made that declining newspaper look all the more clueless, and the gabfest on FoxSports last night universally lauding the KG-Jefferson deal continues the frantic spin cycle before Garnett comes to town a week from tomorrow. Perhaps if the "Old KG" was still around, FoxSports wouldn’t have to show Sweetwater Jones 73 times per telecast or have Jim Petersen and Mike McCollow roll up their shirtsleeves and literally go through the motions on its postgame in lieu of paid advertisements.

    But I digress, and it is not fair to Jefferson, who needs no false comparisons to announce his value. One of the few things he and Garnett have in common is an uncommonly dogged work ethic, and watching the budding low-post stud parse and fathom the game but aging Wallace on the tail end of the back-to-back should warm the hearts of the Wolves’ faithful. After going 4-5 FG in the first quarter Tuesday night and 6-9 FG for the half, Jefferson was taken out of his rhythm by Wallace in the third quarter, shooting 1-5 FG. The Bulls extended a one-point lead with 10:16 to go in the third up to 11 points with 7 seconds to play in the period and that was essentially the ballgame.

    Last night, Jefferson wore Wallace out. Once again, the two big men played only when the other was on the court. After shooting 3-10 FG in the first half, Jefferson went 9-14 FG in the second. Through the first six quarters of their matchup, Jefferson was minus -34, Wallace plus +34. In the last two quarters, Big Al was plus +13 and Wallace was minus -12 before interim Bulls coach Jim Boylan finally threw in the towel and sat him with 2:32 left to play. Sometimes the most basic numbers tell the story most eloquently. This was one of those gritty, ugly 83-67 ballgames. And the man Ben Wallace was guarding went off for 26 points and 20 rebounds.

    Without belaboring the point, as Jefferson raised his offense from a B+ to an A over the past week or two, his defense has been elevated from a D to a C. Sure, some of this is two games against Ben Wallace, who will make any defender well with his nonexistent O. But after showing little genuine interest in denying points to the other team, Jefferson does seem to be more engaged in deterring penetration, rotating over to the opposite block and, albeit less successfully, showing on the pick and roll. It’s coming.

    Not coincidentally, the Wolves are slowly but surely turning into a respectable basketball team–not good, or perhaps even mediocre, but a threat to snatch wins when given the opportunity. Last night provided the perfect example of Kevin McHale’s dictum that you can win a dozen or more games simply by making a consistent effort against teams that don’t bother to show up.

    2. Foye’s First Two

    We’ll get more into #4 when I’m feeling better and there is a larger sample size, but what most struck me about Foye’s first two games is that his offense was way ahead of his defense and that he most definitely fits the mold of a shoot-first point guard. That’s an indirect compliment to Bassy Telfair, who has accustomed us to a point guard who prioritizes ball distribution and proactive passing (as opposed to the more passive perimeter tossover or the dump into the post). Foye had 10 shots and zero assists in 21:16 last night after going 4-8 FG with 2 dimes in 17:43 Tuesday. That’s 18 shots and two assists in 38:59, and aside from a Gerald Green or Shaddy-like flurry of 3-3 FG to open Tuesday’s second quarter, he was 4-15 from the field. If this keeps up, Foye will be robbing time from Shaddy, GG, and Jaric more than from Telfair. Here’s hoping as Foye gets settled in that there will be less spangles and more glue to his all around game.

    3. Small vs. Large Update

    Ryan Gomes was too classy to say he was playing out of position on Tuesday night, blaming his own lack of aggressiveness for his scoreless evening, But did we really need to watch Jefferson-Gomes-McCants play head-up against Wallace-Noah-Nocioni for very long before deciding it wasn’t going to be pretty? How often do the Wolves get outrebounded 4 to 3 (48-36)? When last night’s starting lineup had Brewer in for Shaddy, I assumed it was a height thang rather than a virus on McCants.

    Anyway, I thought two stints really changed the nature of last night’s game. The first was when coach Randy Wittman finally went big, putting Michael Doleac and Antoine Walker in so that Gomes was kicked down to small forward at the beginning of the second period. The Wolves were plus +8 over the next 5:40. The second tone-changer was when Boylan subbed in guard Chris Duhon for the seven-footer Noah with 5:38 to go in the third. The Bulls were minus -11 for the rest of the period. That’s a total 19-point swing in a combined 11:18, and it happened when the Wolves went big and then when the Bulls went small.

  • Blood, Sweat, and Chardonnay

    There is, perhaps, nothing on this earth so elemental as salt. It’s the flavor of the ocean, and of blood. Also sweat, tears, and — let’s be frank here — semen, that stuff which contains half the origin of human life.

    Salt has been used as currency. It is a mainstay of both religious ceremonies and superstitions. It can purify, preserve, and cure. Human blood is, in fact, .9% sodium chloride: the same concentration as the salt water that is used to cleanse wounds. It maintains the electrolyte balance in our cells and without it, we would die. Also, my mother insists a few grains are necessary to enhance every food, including her double-chocolate cake with angel-white vanilla frosting.

    Still, despite salt’s place in the canon of basic tastes, I am always surprised when I find it present in my wine.

    This happened a couple month’s ago, with a Grüner Veltliner called E & M Berger Kremstal 2006, which I described as having "the salty taste of sweat, like when you kiss a baby on the neck."

    However, that was a very subtle oceanic drinking experience; my most recent one was not.

    Domaine Vessigaud Cru de Bourgogne Pouilly-Fuissé 2005 is a
    powerfully briny wine, a French Chardonnay so robust, it will
    complement everything from strong cheese to fowl to a firm fish such as
    tuna or salmon. Even caviar. This wine is bursting with citrus, honey, and
    floral elements, but the central flavor is salt — like a wave of
    sun-filled, lemon-sweetened water from the Dead Sea.

    It’s tempting to compare this wine to sweet and salty foods: chocolate-covered almonds, caramel corn,crackling duck with cherry sauce. But that would be cheap. . . .and inaccurate. The tastes in the Vessigaud don’t contrast so much as scaffold, following roughly the primary areas of the tongue: sweet, sour, bitter, and salt. But in this case, the first three are only touched with honey, lemon, and a butterscotchy hint that’s ever so slightly dark. Then it is the final saline taste that remains.

    The truth is, I didn’t like the Vessigaud much at first. I was drinking it without food (probably a mistake), and found it offputting and difficult to parse. But after a couple ounces, I warmed to it — literally. The salty flavor softened and my palate accommodated. By the time I was halfway through the glass, it tasted far more natural. Nutritive in a biblical sort of way.

    As I poured the second, however, something else occurred to me. Back in the early 90’s, there was a late show on CBS called Forever Knight, about a reformed vampire living in an eerie and perpetually midnight blue section of Toronto and working as a cop. He was on the night shift, of course. Nick Knight was his name, and in order to soothe his 800-year-old urges, he drank cow’s blood (which he got from a slaughterhouse) from wine bottles that he kept stacked up in his fridge.

    As I sipped the Vessigaud Pouilly-Fuissé, I became more and more comfortable with the fact that even despite its clear color, it had a distinctly bloodlike taste. Nick Knight, I decided, would have loved this.

  • Sanctuary: What a Difference a Chef Makes!

    What a difference a chef makes!

    Patrick Atanalian is now in charge of the kitchen at
    Sanctuary, and the cuisine at the Washington Ave. hideaway is dramatically improved. It’s a reunion for the
    talented Marseilles-born chef and Sanctuary’s managing partner Michael Kutscheid, who first worked
    together back in the mid-90s, when Kutscheid owned Kapoochi’s, one of the most
    innovative restaurants of its time. After a dishonest employee bankrupted the
    restaurant, Kutscheid went on to become a familiar face as a manager at
    Oceanaire, Martini Blu and Babalu, and Atanalian went on to work at the Loring
    Café, Vintage, A Rebours and Le Cordon Bleu’s culinary school.

    Atanalian became notorious for such cutting edge culinary
    pranks as beef tenderloin with plantains, pepperoncici, sweet mango rum sauce
    and a Coca-Cola crème fraiche, and halibut with a gummi bear crayfish
    broth. He plays it a bit straighter this time around, but there is no lack of
    invention in the current Sanctuary menu. Among the highlights of my most recent
    visit: starters of carpaccio enlivened with white anchovies, a candied lemon
    fennel salad ($8), and a Napoleon of crisp taro root, roast mushrooms, sundried
    tomato tapenade and a mascarpone mousse ($6). The lamb shank braised in coconut
    curry ($19) and the glazed salmon with sweet and sour potato wontons ($23) were
    both delightful, but there is a lot more on the menu that I would like to try –
    including the duck confit risotto croquettes, the salad of baby frisee, salmon
    gravlax and goat cheese, and a chateau of sirloin with lobster reduction and
    potato cakes ($25).

    Kutscheid says he plans to start offering a prix-fixe $35 five
    course tasting menu Mondays through Thursdays, starting next week, with an optional flight of four selected wines for $12.

    One little annoyance to mention: to park on either side of the
    building, you have to pre-pay an automat, which reportedly is fussy about
    accepting credit cards or paper money – so bring along $3 in quarters.

    Sanctuary, 903 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis 612-203-5058.

  • Give It Up (in a good way)

    There seem to be an awful lot of things going on today, so be sure to spend your time wisely. If you’re feeling decadent (and financially secure) head to downtown Minneapolis for the opening of r. Norman’s, a new steakhouse on Hennepin. Tonight’s opening is actually a benefit for Hennepin Theatre Trust, so your decadence will do some good for the theater community. If you have kids, or you happen to love children’s theater, then check out Freedom Train, at O’Shaughnessy. And if you’re half the Tom Waits fan I am, you’ll take a break from this email to buy your tickets to Warm Beer, Cold Women, the Waits tribute opening at the Guthrie this evening.

    BOOKS & AUTHORS
    Politics Without Words — an Interesting Prospect

    We all know from Billy Joel
    and Rage Against the Machine that music can be political. But
    what about music without words? In her book
    Symphonic Aspirations: German Music and Politics, 1900-1945, Professor Karen Painter argues
    that symphonic music can and does play a role in politics. Painter
    will be discussing her fascinating ideas today at the University
    of Minnesota Bookstore    . Join her as
    she leads a discussion about the use of music as propaganda during WWI
    and WWII, and how music can be much more political than it appears. You may discover that the messages that instruments convey may not be
    so abstract after all. —Kate Leibfried

    4 p.m., University of Minnesota Bookstore, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-626-0559; free.

    MUSIC BENEFIT
    Heart to Heart

    Get your own heart racing as
    you rock out to protect the hearts of others. The Fine Line is
    sponsoring their Heart to Heart concert tonight to help raise
    money for children with heart disease in the developing world.
    And did I mention there’s a rock show? Popular local performers —
    including Hookers and Blow, Billy Johnson, and Atomic
    Flea     — will be donating their time and talent to support this Heartlink campaign. Buy a ticket, listen to some great
    live music, and help support a great cause. General admission ($35) includes a drink and appetizers, but if you really want to
    put your heart and soul into this event, buy a VIP ticket ($60) and enjoy cocktails and appetizers throughout the
    night, a ticket to the 9 p.m. show, and exclusive seating. Happy
    hearts guaranteed! —Kate Leibfried

    5 -8:30 p.m. (VIP show at 9 p.m.), Fine Line Music Café, 318 1st Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-338-8100; $35, VIP $60.

    DANCE
    Estampas Porteña: Tango Fire

    Can you feel the heat?
    The sizzling performance of Tango Fire, by the Argentinean group
    Estampas Porteñas    , will leave you hot, hot, hot. This aptly
    named performance will lead you through the riveting history of tango,
    the world’s most alluring and exciting dance. Prepare to be
    seduced as ten stunning dancers and a group of brilliant musicians perform
    five different tango styles, including the fast-paced, heart-thumping
    milonga, and the contemporary tango, which incorporates acrobatic stunts
    and leaps. A ticket to this passion-filled performance would also
    make the perfect early Valentine’s Day gift for someone you love.
    For further fiery fun, check out the Milonga tango party immediately
    following the show. If you want to learn how to put a little sizzle
    in your step, the Tango Society of Minnesota will give free tango lessons
    in the Northrop lobby. Stay until 1 a.m. and dance the night away
    to Mandragora Tango, a collective of Minneapolis tango
    musicians. No mamacita or caballero is going to want to miss this! —Kate Leibfried

    7:30 p.m., Northrop Auditorium, 84 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis; 652-393-2837; $31-$52.

     

  • Speeding Down Everest

    (Pictured above: A bulletin board in a ski racer’s hut. The love of speed leads to a lack of problems. At least those with names.)

    Last week I included a trenchant post from a skier. I hope to have more comments from this caliber of athlete–the most ballsy of breeds.

    On that note, I mentioned the concept of "vertical speed." Ski racing and auto racing (hence the link to this blog, duh) have a great deal in common: speed, line, the laws of physics, psychotic pursuit.

    As such, I feel both sports have much to recommend to the average couch potato on the eve of the Super Bowl. While its been fun watching football on snow this past month, a far greater feat on frozen ground was acheived by a Japanese skier with linebacker legs.

    In 1970, Yuchio Miura (pictured at left) skied down Mount Everest. You can watch the spot below. Its better than a Super Bowl automobile ad by well over a mile–the length he skied before crashing 200 feet short of a cliff.

    lhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piNRRg7WuG8

  • Dance Is a Poem, Each Movement Is a Word

    As you’re going about your business today, be sure to take some time out to check out some of our new Rake videos. Let Rake intern Tyler Jensen and co-creator Carissa Camarena take you behind the curtains of Dykes Do Drag. Enjoy an animated look at what makes us tick, Live Long and Open the Doors to My Fishtank, by Rake intern Tricia Towey. Discover Pure Light under the tutelage Lama Ole Nydahl, as seen through the lens of Christopher Kelleher. And take a trip to Canterbury Downs with Owen. In fact, if you haven’t already done so, you can enjoy many more adventures with Owen.

    MORE VIDEO
    Music That Moves

    Consider your night completely
    planned. The Oak Street Cinema is serving up a scoop of music sprinkled
    with a generous helping of video and an after party on top. Start the evening off with Music That Moves, a collection of
    the best music videos and music documentaries produced by
    our very own "fearless filmmakers." Veterans such as
    Chuck Statler, Rick Fuller, and Phil Harder will lead the way with
    notable artists, such as Dan Wilson (Semisonic), The Owls, and an exclusive
    look behind the scenes at one of the greatest hair bands
    of all time. But the fun doesn’t stop there. After enjoying
    music on the screen, change things up a bit and enjoy some live music
    at the Kitty Cat Klub. Fearless Filmmakers is hosting an after
    party at the Klub and each Music That Moves patron gets a FREE drink!
    Does a night get any better than this? —Kate Leibfried

    7:30 p.m., Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis; 612-331-3134; $9, students $7, MFA members $5.

    MUSIC
    Music That Moves You

    If music videos aren’t exactly
    your cup of tea, fear not. There is another option tonight for
    people who march to the beat of a different drummer…or violinist. Orchestra Hall is proud to present Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto,
    played by Minnesota native Peter McGuire. Tchaikovsky’s concerto
    is a complicated, intricate work that will surely leave you breathless
    by the time it reaches its fast-paced conclusion. All classical
    music fans should not miss McGuire’s performance as he brings to life
    this timeless masterpiece. For a preview of Tchaikovsky’s Violin
    Concerto click here. —Kate Leibfried

    7:30 p.m., Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-371-5656; $20-$45.

    WORKSHOPS
    Move It!

    Learn some new moves tonight at the Guthrie. Actor, or not, you can indulge in a beginners class that will teach you how to move like a professional. Get on some comfortable clothes, and enjoy Broadway Moves: Intro to Musical Theater and Dance. Maybe you’ll discover your true calling. Maybe you’ll brush up just enough to secure that next role. Or maybe you’ll just gain enough confidence to put on a fabulous Valentine’s Day show for your partner. Hmmm…. not a bad idea.

    6:30-8 p.m., Guthrie Theater, 818 S 2nd St., Minneapolis; 612-377-2224; $15.

    Move With Words

    If you’re more of a thinker than a shaker, put on your beret and get out your megaphone because the Guthrie is offering another class for you. Professional actor Mark Rosenwinkel will be teaching a workshop called Play, Write: Intro to Playwriting. During this one and a half hour class, you will learn how to harness your ideas and translate them to the page. You will also learn how your ideas might take shape on the stage. Sure, Diablo Cody can have that Oscar, but let this be your first step toward that Tony. —Kate Leibfried

    6:30-8 p.m., Guthrie Theater, 818 S 2nd St., Minneapolis; 612-377-2224; $15.