SCENE January 2023

A

back at 2022

MEGAN ROLLOFF

Plucked from the flood

Another year has come to an end. This is a natural time to reflect on the last 365 days and all that happened within.

In the midst of wars, bombings, shootings, political cover-ups and crimes, there is music to remind us all that life doesn’t always suck.

Art and music are there to make sure we never forget why we are fighting the wars and prosecuting the dirty politicians. Art and music embody our connections to each other. And if that isn’t worth fighting for, I don’t know what is?

This month, I have gathered a little year-end list using rules entirely of my own making. Here are my random thoughts on seven Minnesota albums, and four Minnesota songs. Why seven and why four? No reason. Why these albums and these songs? Because.

In the monsoon flood of information coming at us all, in this day and age, these are the things that stuck. I guess you could say these are a few things that made a musical connection with me this year. Maybe they did/will with you as well. (BTW, they are in alphabetical order).

Albums

1. Cactus Blossoms-One Day

This is the third album put forth by the brother duo of Jack Torrey and Page Burkum. With tight, familial harmonies and a classic country sound, The Cactus Blossoms deliver on-brand quality once again.

2. Chastity Brown-Sing to the Walls

I particularly like the track ‘Back Seat’ on this album. I think because it’s a bit more fast-paced and pop-y than many of Chastity’s songs. She does tend toward a more serious sound with most of her music, which is just fine. That is her point of view as an artist. But I like that this is a little bit of a break in a different direction.

3. Dan Wilson-Dancing on the Moon (EP)

Any time you see Dan Wilson’s name attached to anything, it’s worth taking note

of. TBH, I haven’t listened to much of this EP, but that didn’t make me pause for even a second before putting it on this list.

Dan Wilson, songwriter extraordinaire, is always a solid choice.

4. Hippo Campus-LP3

I admit, I have always felt too old to be a Hippo Campus fan. I am more likely to relate to their parents. No really, a few years back I went to one of their live shows, at The Palace in Saint Paul, only to discover that I was literally sitting right next to the parents of a couple of the band members. I would love to say that is the only time that has happened at a show, but alas, it is not. But I can’t help myself when it comes to this band. I have loved them since they were in high school (and I was not). Bottom line: they are good. Their music is creative, their writing is smart, and their vocals are bright and delightful. Even if I don’t always “get it” completely, I love to try. This album is just another one on their resume that is worth putting into heavy rotation.

5. Lazerbeak-Lava Bangers II

Lazerbeak is perhaps best known as a producer and member of the hip-hop collective, Doomtree (which includes my fave, Dessa).

But just like the rest of the Doomtree crew, he does release his own “stuff”. Lazerbeak is a beats guy. No lyrics on this one. Lava Bangers II is the followup to Lava Bangers, released 10 years ago. And perhaps most notably, most of the beats on Lava Bangers, became the album Lizzobangers, the debut album for the queen herself, Lizzo. I hope it goes without saying at this point, but Lizzo really started to make her professional headway right here in Minnesota before she BLEW UP around the world. Lazerbeak was a big part of that beginning. And you never know what Lava Bangers II might have to offer the next superstar on the rise. Hear it first from the source.

6. Lizzo-Special

Speaking of the queen…yes, I know she was born in Detroit, grew up in Houston, and now lives mostly in L.A. But I like to think that Minnesota was where she experienced that first taste of professional success that launched her to L.A., where she was then launched into the stratosphere. And, as all Minnesotans know, if you once touched down at MSP airport, we now consider you a local for life. I make no apologies for this stance. I love Lizzo and everything she puts out there, including this album. If you don’t know at least one song from this album by heart by now, I am not sure we can be friends.

7. Trampled by Turtles-Alpenglow

Again, if you don’t know at least a little something about Trampled by Turtles by this point, you are clearly NOT from Minnesota. These boys are truly the hometown heroes of roots-y music. Alpenglow is their ninth studio album and signifies almost 2 decades of making music together. This is another one of those albums that it is hard to avoid if you listen to any Minnesota-based radio. And why would you want to avoid it? They have stood the test of time in their genre when many others have not. That speaks to the quality of their work. And let us not forget, while they formed as a band up ‘der in Duluth, front-man, Dave Simonett, is from Mankato and is a graduate of East High School.

Songs

1. Ber-Boys Who Kiss You in Their Car

Ber (full name: Berit Dybing), grew up

Northern Minnesota and then lived for a bit in Europe and the U.K. before moving back to Minnesota. Having released quite a few singles in 2022, this is one that I particularly like. It may come off a little bit YA, but it’s so catchy. And those who know me, know that YA is totally my happy place.

2. Dessa-Blush

In my opinion, anything, and everything that Dessa does is worth noting. She is undeniably my favorite singer/ songwriter/ poet/podcaster/person-I-don’t-actually-know-IRL. And while it is true that I LOVE this song, I fear my credibility, on the subject of Dessa, may be a bit tarnished by the fact that I love everything she does. But you should take a listen for yourself and decide.

3. Durry-Big Boy

Durry really started to make their mark on the Minnesota music scene in 2021 (I, myself, wrote a feature on them as a ‘band to watch’ early in the year), but they did release a couple of singles in 2022, ‘Big Boy’ being one of them. Even Shaq gave it some attention by spinning it in his DJ set. Desperately hoping for more from these guys in 2023.

4. Jeremy Messersmith-666

Similarly to Dessa, I am a bit biased when it comes to Jeremy Messersmith. He has a particular talent for writing songs with a slightly creepy and macabre vibe. Again, my kind of stuff. The advantage of writing your own music column is that you can highlight whoever you darn well please, and Jeremy Messersmith will almost always make my list. ‘666’ appropriately dropped in close proximity to Halloween, but it’s worth a listen (and perhaps a view on YouTube) any time of the year.

Megan Rolloff is an interior designer in Mankato, who lives in New Ulm with her doting husband Tom. She loves music, especially of the Minnesota variety, and now she writes about it. Reach her at megankrolloff@gmail.com.

Winter festivals and celebrations in SoMinn

By PAT GARRY Guest Contributor

hether or not it snows, it’s obvious when it is winter in Minnesota. But the season’s arrival doesn’t mean it’s time to hibernate until the spring season…it’s just the opposite, actually. As Minnesotans, we have a reputation for keeping optimistic even in the face of harsh winter cold. The following winter festivals and fun things to do in Minnesota, prove that reputation.

Wsota winter. Throughout the entire month of January, Owatonna will wow you with Bold & Cold activities that will keep you moving,” said Chamber of Commerce Rep. Glenda Smith.

Plan your winter weekend to coincide with the special weekend events and activities, Jan. 27-29; in partnership with Owatonna Park and Recreation, and Owatonna Business Partnership. The fifth annual Bold & Cold Festival has plenty of winter events to suit everyone’s favorite cold weather activities.

Owatonna Park & Recreation is back again with their Winter Weekend Out, that features fun winter activities spread out over the month of January. You don’t want to miss these fan favorites, such as Family Log Rolling, and Rock on Ice.

BOLD & COLD

(Owatonna, Jan. 27-29)

A week-long winter celebration with events and activities and activities that are designed to highlight the Minnesota psyche of “cold noses and warm heart.” When the air gets cold, Owatonna’s activities heat things up.

“Owatonna’s fifth annual Bold & Cold Festival is a perfect way to enjoy a Minne-

Warm up your heart and soul with the carry-out soup supper – $5 per bowl at the Steele County Historical Society on Friday, Jan. 27 from 4-7 p.m. Call to reserve your wild rice soup or chili orders at 507-451-1420 by Jan. 25.

The sales are heating up that weekend with some bold discounts at local Owatonna businesses.

Rock on ice: lace up your skates and glide over to Morehouse Park to ice skate. Don’t worry if you don’t own your own skates; you

The Warsinksi rinks are the only supervised rinks in Owatonna.

After an afternoon of skating, take your family to Central Park Coffee for a hot chocolate or their signature waffles.

On Jan. 28, there will be music, lights, fun, and everyone will be Rockin on Ice. Bring the whole family down, warm up by the bonfire and enjoy a night skating to the music.

Vintage Snowmobile

SLEIGH & CUTTER FESTIVAL

(Waseca, Jan. 22-March 5)

Perhaps the longest of Southern Minnesota’s winter festivals, Sleigh and Cutter is filled with activities to try out over several weeks time. Each weekend has something different to offer.

The events include Winter Charm on the Farm (Jan. 22, Feb. 12), Al Kunz Memorial boys and girls hockey tournament (Jan. 29 and 30), Toner’s Lake Vintage Ride (Feb. 5), the Mike Filzen Memorial Poker Run (Feb. 5), a bean bag tournament at The Mill (Feb. 11), the Waseca County Sno-Secas Ride (Feb. 12), ice sculpting by Sakatah Carvers (Feb. 16-18), a performance from the Red Dirt Road Band (Feb. 18), the Sleigh and Cutter parade (Feb. 19), Waseca

WINTERFEST

(St. Peter, Jan. 27-Feb. 11)

Winterfest revs up in late January in St. Peter, with a few weeks of standalone events. There are a number of activities to choose from to make a visit.

Friday, Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. is the Winterfest Opening Ceremony with bonfire, hot chocolate, s’mores, a search for Joe Rolette’s missing paperwork that would have made St. Peter the capital of Minnesota, and the reading of the first Medallion Hunt clue. At 6:01 p.m., the Medallion Hunt first clue will be posted. The hunt continues through the following week.

Tentative set for Saturday, January 28 at 2 p.m. is the Firemen’s Youth Fishing Contest on Hallett’s Pond. On Saturday, Feb. 4 at noon is the Polar Plunge at Hallett’s Pond, which raises funds for Minnesota Special Olympics. And on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m., join for a Poker Walk through St. Peter establishments.

Plenty more events will be added to this list before the start date comes around, so keep

Show (Feb. 26), the Better Days Ahead fireworks display (Feb. 26), the Children’s Dream Catcher annual fundraiser (March 5), and flags for vets (March 7).

an eye on the St. Peter Chamber of Commerce Facebook page for updates.

DANCE PARTY REUNION

(Faribault, Feb. 4)

Buddy Holly & Friends at the Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave. N. in Faribault. Dance Party Reunion is a “re-staging” of Buddy Holly’s 1959 Winter Dance Party, featuring music of Buddy’s co-stars, Ritchie Valens, Dion and the Belmonts, The Big Bopper, and Frankie Sardo.

A stellar tribute to the music of American rock ‘n’ roll icon Buddy Holly, featuring original cast members (Nicholas Freeman, Blake Foster, and Zach Spicer) from History Theatre’s IVEYaward-winning production of Buddy!-The Buddy Holly Story, endorsed by Sonny Curtis and Jerry Allison of the Crickets. Music direction by Gary Rue, produced by Gary Rue, and hosted by Mr. Charles Fraser.

Join the fun while you discover and explore top, up-and-coming musicians from around the area and Midwest region. Pack up your parka, logbook and take your stomping boots along, as you navigate from underground taverns to chapels; braving the outdoors and music genres along the way

Mark your calendar and get ready for a truly unique expedition. The name Big Turn is a reference to the sharp bend the Mississippi River takes as it flows through Red Wing. Come explore 21 historic downtown buildings as you “Experience Red Wing Through Music.” A weekend that’s full of sights and sounds in the middle of Febrrruary.

WINTERFEST

(Pine Island, Jan. 28)

At the 11th annual festival, one can start out the day by using the groomed cross country ski and snowshoe trails at the Pine Island Golf Course. Luminaries will be added to the Douglas Trail and the golf course for the evening.

A cardboard sled race takes place at the golf course late morning and at noon; skating with a cop will take place at the ice skating rink. Family bingo will be held at the American Legion starting at 2 p.m. A chili feed and bon-fire will take place at the golf course starting at 4 p.m. to wrap up the day

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF OWLS

(March

3-5)

At Houston High School, immerse yourself in owls at this annual, full weekend, all-owl festival that has inspired other owl events around the country and world.

Highlights include at least seven species of live owls, owl prowls to call in wild owls, a birding and natural history bus trip, and the World Owl Hall of Fame awards. Families can build an owl nest box, dissect an owl pellet, make owl crafts, buy owl merchandise, see kids’ owl art from around the world, and have a hoot eating owl-themed food.

The whole city of Houston gets involved.

BIG TURN MUSIC FEST (Red Wing, Feb.

17-18)

It’s a two-day city-wide event-building community through music in historic downtown Red Wing. With top musicians from around the region, it’s going to be an incredible experience you’re not going to want to miss — 200+ bands, 20+ venues, 2 days of unique sounds.

This Schell’s Brewery festival of beer takes place outdoors on the grounds of the August Schell Brewery, the second-oldest family owned brewery in the US; and the largest brewery in Minnesota. Enjoy an award-winning beer or root beer beside a big bonfire and a few thousand friends.

Enjoy resounding old-time music from The Bockfest Boys, playing traditional Germanic and popular music, including such favorites as Ein Prosit and Ring of Fire. The highlight of the day is the Bock Medallion Hunt, when participants use clues to find the “bocks” (a gruff and stubborn goat of winter), to win cash and merchandise prizes. While the beer doesn’t always speed the arrival of spring, it will at least keep you warm.

Schell’s beer, brats, live music and warm fire await you. Have your beer “poked” by our fire tenders, giving your Bock beer some nice caramel flavors. And when the final bock has been wrangled, the last Ring of Fire sung, the last keg tapped and last mug hoisted, its time to close the books on another Bock Fest. Unless you want to stick around and help with the cleanup! But the party doesn’t stop there. Festers flock to downtown New Ulm for a fun-filled night of friendship. And when the night has run its course and it’s time to call it quits, call for a ride home.

BOCK FEST (New Ulm, March 4)

King’s Place Bar & Grill

The pride of Miesville, King’s Place Bar & Grill is located at 14460 240th Street East.

The owners are Jerry Greenlee, Arlene Greenlee, Jeff Greenlee, and Terri Greenlee Ryan.

“Our parents owned a cafe in St. Paul called Curly Lou’s on Rice Street. We were bought out by a health clinic, and they tore down the building for a parking lot.

We were looking for something different for over a year and came across Kings Place in Miesville. Our first day at Kings was October 1, 1984,” said Terri Greenlee Ryan.

At the time the Greenlee/Ryan families bought Kings, the lunch crowd was about 12 people, and there were only 4 burgers on the menu. As time went on, the choices increased, and today, King’s has over 100 different burger varieties on the menu.

“We feel very fortunate to have the staff that we have. More than 10 of our employees have been working for us for as long as 15-20 years. Throughout the years, we have become a Kings family and watched our families grow,” said Terri.

King’s is open Tuesday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Although Kings is not open for breakfast, that doesn’t mean they don’t have plenty of breakfast burgers, featuring eggs, bacon, sausage patties and hash browns. If you’re not in the mood for a burger, they have other options such as breaded chicken, grilled chicken, or a black bean burger that you can substitute for any burger.

On the menu, you will find more than 100 award-winning burgers … the classics, the unusual, the unpredictable. King’s serves homemade soup daily, along with homemade potato salad. The burgers are hand-patty prepared daily, to make sure that every burger is fresh. The burger selection is one of a kind, and you can get a 1⁄4 lb., 1⁄2 lb. and a 1 pound burger, with pretty much any topping you can imagine. The Buzz burger is peanut butter, pineapple, pepper jack cheese smothered in special sauce.

The Patty melt is delicious and is available in 1/4 or 1/2 lb. burger, smothered in onions and cheese, served on toasted marble rye. Chicken melt has tangy mustard, homemade ranch, chicken, lettuce and bacon, served on three-grilled

cheese using Texas toast.

Throughout the years, there has been a lot of remodeling, but the front dining has remained the same.

“We have recently added our newest project, called the “King’s Shed” — which was built during COVID-19, when we were forced to 50% capacity,” explained Terri.

King’s Shed was built to be used year round, and it features garage doors and a fireplace to accommodate MN seasonal changes. The restaurant is located right off the highway, which makes Kings a perfect establishment for any weather in Minnesota.

King’s is surrounded by many family fun activities, such as Welch Skiing, Gopher Hills Golf Course, Welch Mill Canoeing, Tubing & Kayaking. They have hot food, cold beers and milk shakes, and at Kings, you will find something to eat for everyone. They accommodate for all different group sizes and parties such as grooms dinners, Christmas parties, Miesville 56 (gravel bikers), bus tours, and everything in between.

“We are so thankful for each and all of our customers and staff that keeps our business thriving,” added Terri.

King’s has three different rooms to host large groups, and check out the private parties page for more information or call today for a reservation. Kings Bar and Grill prides itself on using the freshest ingredients in all of their food, creating irresistible and memorable burgers.

Popular burgers include Bishop: ham, pepper jack cheese, sautéed mushrooms, onions; Knuckle Ball: sauerkraut, marinara, pineapple, jalapeños, mozzarella cheese, ham; Squeeze Play: lettuce, Sriracha mayo, egg, peanut butter, bacon; Chessman: sautéed mushrooms, Swiss cheese; 7Th Inning Stretch: Heinz 57, crumbled Bleu cheese, sautéed onions, jalapeños; First Base: chipotle sauce, sautéed onions, pepper jack cheese, ham, sour cream; Checkmate: bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, sour cream; Full Count: peanut butter, homemade BBQ sauce, pepper jack cheese, bacon, French’s crispy fried onions; Bench Warmer: peanut butter, lettuce, bacon, jalapenos, and mayo.

Catering to bikers, skiers, farmers, hikers and everyone in between, King’s Bar and Grill has been rated “Best Burgers in MN” by TripAdvisor. Located 40 miles southeast of the Twin Cities, Kings is the perfect getaway for a one-of-a-kind culinary adventure. And of course, enjoy some great beer while you’re there.

TURN

ING

hey always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself,” Andy Warhol

once said.

With the aid of supportive boards, donors and interested community members, the directors of seven southern Minnesota art centers are striving to adjust to the ways time—namely, the recent pandemic-tainted years—has affected their work and outreach efforts.

The good news for regional arts supporters is this dedicated crew of arts leaders collectively demonstrates resiliency and creativity in their

By JANE TURPIN MOORE Guest Contributor

Area arts centers look ahead to 2023 and beyond the corner

approaches to the challenges their organizations face.

Read on for how art centers from Red Wing to New Ulm, and points in between, have handled the past year, and what they anticipate for 2023.

Arts Center of St. Peter, St. Peter; Executive Director Ann Rosenquist Fee

In considering 2022, Rosenquist Fee saw a shift in people’s attitude toward owning art.

“The biggest trend we’ve noticed post-pandemic is people’s willingness to purchase art,” said Rosenquist Fee, “either from an exhibition or in our gallery shop.

“Sales revenue numbers are above what we’d expected.”

However, as has been seen elsewhere, class enrollment at ACSP has remained flat.

“That hasn’t picked back up, but it feels right that people have become more accustomed to having their time to themselves,” said Rosenquist Fee. “And their willingness to commit to a four- or six-week program isn’t there.”

But fiscally, ACSP is doing fine, thanks to the increase in art purchases.

“People around us are choosing what they want to do and seeing less of an obligation that they should do something,” Rosenquist Fee noted. “Everyone doesn’t want a commitment every night of the week anymore.”

The ACSP has experienced success with a Wednesday night drop-in group which allows people to bring in projects they’re already working on.

“We can support creative work in today’s world, giving people the motivation, interac-

tion and environment to make progress, or to finish something they’ve already started,” said Rosenquist Fee.

Given what they’ve been learning, the ACSP plans to keep offering more and different ways for people to bring their existing projects in for studio time and space, said Rosenquist Fee of 2023.

“We’ll set up project space and invite people here for cheer and encouragement as they keep working on their own stuff,” she said. “We’re looking for new ways to support our creative community with a different mindset that seems to be sticking around.”

Another 2023 highlight will be the 10th year of the ACSP’s popular summer music series, “Hot Jazz for Decent People.”

“We’ll be paying special attention to that,” promised Rosenquist Fee.

Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault; Executive Director Heidi Nelson

Although Nelson at the Paradise makes way for boundless artistic expression, via visual art, performing arts and theater, she can’t help but see it all through a lens of dollars and cents. And that’s to the Paradise’s great benefit.

“Everything is more expensive so it’s not surprising ticket sales have been down across the board,” said Nelson, who is also treasurer for the Minnesota Presenters Network.

“But we all figured people would want to get back out and see live entertainment so we can’t pinpoint what happened; is it the economy or a bit of COVID insecurity?”

In the past two years, Nelson, her staff and the Paradise board created the “100

LEFT: The Grand Kabaret is part restaurant, part music venue in downtown New Ulm. RIGHT: Attendees await a show at Sheldon Theatre in April. (Photo courtesy of Sheldon Theatre)

Studio Manager Juana Arias’ “leaf me alone” tumblers from her Requiem Collection were among the 300+ pieces of pottery for sale at the Arts Center in December.

Club,” comprised of Paradise supporters who each gave $2,500 in exchange for a lifetime membership and the chance to help pay off the Paradise’s mortgage. The effort succeeded, leaving the Paradise in a relatively strong financial position.

“We’ve put in new acoustic panels in the auditorium,” said Nelson, “and we did an additional fundraiser for a new digital marquee that’s been a game-changer.”

Now, Nelson and other Paradise staff no longer risk life and limb to climb an extension ladder and laboriously change the sign, letter by letter; instead, Nelson can program the marquee by computer, making it easy to post event updates and offer detailed information to the public.

And despite lackluster ticket sales for events and concerts in some locations, Nelson reports the Paradise has had robust audiences for most of its performances, including popular tribute artists and plays.

Nelson thinks a marketing switch-up, enabled by a new website the Paradise took live about five months ago, has helped.

“We post video clips of entertainers on the website, and share them on social media and in emails, so people can see and hear the artists who will be here,” Nelson said.

That includes an up-and-coming country singer, Andrew Salgado, who will play the Paradise in January.

Also on the docket for the Paradise in 2023: establishing an endowment fund and starting a fundraiser to enable the purchase of new, more comfortable audience seating.

Said Nelson, “We’ll have a mock-up of the chairs in the lobby later in January so people can sit in them to try them out.”

The Grand Center for the Arts, New Ulm; Executive Director Charlie Leftridge

A key achievement for 2022 at the Grand was the December approval of a strategic plan that Leftridge and the board had crafted for over a year

Leftridge observes that the Grand gives citizens a place to explore and react to their pandemic experiences in creative ways.

“We have provided opportunities for artists that include interaction for artists, which is great,” said Leftridge.

“We’ve seen a lot of need for art therapy, specifically, and we had great attendance for the inaugural program last fall,” he said, explaining the Grand received a grant from the New Ulm Area Foundation and Allina Health.

“It’s a means of community building, and helps people understand the process of healing is not something you have to do alone.”

A resurgence of jazz music in the Grand’s spaces is also notable.

“And we’ve established a student ‘artist

of the month’ feature, and have had a lot of student artwork featured because we’ve been reaching out to area schools,” Leftridge said.

Leftridge has noticed a higher level of abstract art vs. depiction of concrete subjects over the past two years, something he thinks may be resulting from pandemic responses.

For 2023, the Grand’s gallery is fully scheduled with a range of diverse media—everything from woodwork to installation art to photography to print-making, he listed.

“And we’ve been more mindful about diversifying the types of experiences we offer,” Leftridge said, mentioning a June exhibit tentatively titled “The Queer Experience in Greater Minnesota” that will highlight works of LGBTQ artists. The exhibit may be shared with other southern Minnesota art centers in subsequent months.

“We’ve always thinking about how to diversify the artists we’re representing, because there are diverse voices here and we want to be sure they’re invited to the table,” said Leftridge.

Northfield Arts Guild, Northfield; Executive Director Andrea Sjogren

Over the past year in Northfield, Sjogren observes that “people are returning but at a slower pace than we expected,” she said.

“Some of our theater events have had robust attendance, but it’s been a harder sell in general. And we’ve had some difficulty casting our shows, which is a new trend; people may be tired, or over-extended or maybe unwilling to return to having commitments each and every night.”

On the bright side, Sjogren says the Guild’s gallery shows have enjoyed strong audiences.

“Artists have a lot of work to show after being at home for much of 2021, and they’re eager to have their work displayed in gallery spaces,” she said.

At the Guild, education classes have seen the slowest return to normal since COVID shut down so many options during 2020 and 2021.

“It appears there is still some trepidation here about gathering in groups for extended periods of time, but things are improving on this front,” said Sjogren. “And some of our online classes are still viable, and our open clay studio and open art studio are both popular.”

Still, Sjogren is pleased that donor engagement has increased, and she and the Guild board are grateful for the continued support from the broader Northfield community.

For 2023, the goals are straightforward and include an April 29 fundraising event that Sjogren believes will have broad community appeal.

“We hope to further engage our entire community, unlocking ‘doors’ for those who haven’t experienced all the Guild can offer,” said Sjogren.

Owatonna

Arts

Center, Owatonna; Creative Director

“We’d love to see more people enrolled in classes, increase our membership numbers, increase our donor opportunities and ensure that our quality performing and visual arts opportunities are accessible to all.”

Silvan Durben

Speaking during the hectic holiday season,

Arts Center volunteers Rachael Hanel and Stephanie Thull pose with some mustaches. The Arts Center of Saint Peter and KMSU radio have brought Hot Jazz for Decent People to St. Peter for nearly a decade.

Technical director Matthew Boyd during a recent rehearsal for A Christmas Carol at the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault. (Photo courtesy of Tom Nelson)

One of many displays in the main gallery at the Owatonna Arts Center give a vintage feel of Christmas where Silvan Durben said he hoped everyone could feel a connection to Christmas past and present. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Jewelry artists Susan Crow and Sue Hamnes-Knopf (left) stand with painters Wendell Arneson and Jill Ewald during a break from hanging and arranging their art for the new exhibit at the Northfield Arts Guild “Top Floor.” (Pamela Thompson/ southernminn.com)

Durben noted, “It’s a busy, wonderful time of year, and people are very excited to be out and about attending things again much as they did before the pandemic.”

In Owatonna, Durben said the bulk of OAC’s classes have enjoyed good turnout, with some patrons eager to try new art media that they began experimenting with during the quieter shutdown period.

Durben’s optimism shines through.

“The most wonderful thing about the arts is that artists are always nding new ways of expressing themselves, whether visually, through theater or the written word,” he said.

“It seems the world has done everything that can be done and then someone surprises us with a new way of looking at and doing things.

“The arts and sciences are very much married, since both are about exploring the future and possibilities.”

A grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board has enabled one 2023 treat.

“A group called the Poor Nobodies has written a script that will allow us to step back in time with a classic Swedish silent lm that will have the music and acting without words convey all the emotions and story line,” said Durben, mentioning its late February premier that will be performed live.

“And of course there are other wonderful things happening here all year that will make life interesting.”

The Sheldon Theatre, Red

Wing; Executive Director Jeff Nelson

Although Nelson has heard from his state and national arts peers that ticket sales have been down as much as 40% from their pre-

pandemic levels, that has not been the case at the Sheldon.

“We are at or above pre-pandemic sales levels because of the incredible support from this community,” said Nelson. “They are so proud of this space and excited to get back into it.”

Nelson believes he and the Sheldon’s staff did their best to “project optimism” during the pandemic.

“We communicated constantly about what we were working on and what we knew, so we maintained that relationship and had thought ahead to what people would want—and what we bet on is FUN,” he said.

“It’s worked beautifully.”

Nelson’s attitude throughout the shutdown period was to operate as though reopening was always only a few weeks away.

“That meant we were ready to go, in the blocks, when we could fully function again,” he said. “There’s something very strange and unnerving about an empty theater, so to see it lled again the way it’s supposed to be is really delightful.”

On the cusp of 2023, Nelson’s hope is that the entire industry will recover as well as the Sheldon has to date.

“I expect and hope that the Sheldon will keep getting better and better at being embedded in this community,” said Nelson, “and that we can provide shows to the people of Red Wing they’ll be excited about.”

Waseca Art Center, Waseca; Artistic Director Jess Stuckmayer

In Waseca over the past year, Stuckmayer has seen more parents eager to get their kids involved in creative endeavors surrounded by others.

“We usually just hold one summer camp but

we had two this year due to high demand,” said Stuckmayer.

“From a mom and artistic director perspective, I think that’s because the pandemic kept kids at home so much more, with more screen, TV and phone time, and parents were excited to get kids out of the house.”

Now, Stuckmayer is pondering how to get adults out of their homes and back into an artistically rich community life, too.

“We’re trying to come up with things that will give people a huge incentive to leave the house, things that they really want to do,” said Stuckmayer.

The younger and older sets have been

responding well to artists’ receptions and concerts, Stuckmayer said, mentioning a variety of music—bluegrass, classical and jazz—that has appealed.

Watch for the addition of a ceramics studio in the Waseca Art Center’s lower level in 2023.

“Playing with mud seems to be a blank canvas that is non-threatening for a lot of people,” said Stuckmayer.

“Clay is down to earth and tactile, and we’ve had a huge ask for ceramics.”

Grants and other funding sources are making the new clay studio possible, she said.

“And clay is something you can’t always easily do in your own home.”

The Waseca Art Center held its annual Halloween fundraiser Saturday, Oct. 29, with all of the funds going towards support the operations of the Art Center. (Ethan Becker/southernminn.com)

MOLLY PENNY

Can we request a

a 4th place finish. Chinese snowboarder Su Yiming won Gold. The Winer Games were officially the least watched Olympic games, but were still viewed by more than 2 billion people.

DO OVER?

Each year, I like to do a year in review piece for my January column.

For 2021, I changed course and did an article on Betty White, who was supposed to turn 100 on Jan. 17 , but the day after my column published, she passed away on New Year’s Eve. Many of my friends accused me of jinxing her, and I would be lying if I didn’t have that same thought.

I feel like straying from my regular year in review may have been bad juju, and I will be damned if I accidentally kill Dick Van Dyke or Jimmy Carter, so we will take it back to the normal year in review.

From global inflation, skyrocketing gas prices, COVID variants and monkeypox to straight up war, this seemingly lackluster year was pretty eventful and, arguably, kind of awful. The app Wordle showed some promise in bringing us together, but that trend very quickly died off. Speaking of dying, it was a huge year for celebrity deaths.

I remember 2016 being a remarkable year where we lost a lot of heavy hitters in the music

away unexpectedly in a hotel room following a leg of his comedy tour. Ronnie Spector, legendary 60’s girl group founder died on January 12th at the age of 78. January also saw the death of famed comedian and actor Louie Anderson and singer/actor Meat Loaf. As you can see, the year was already off to an abysmal start.

We also said goodbye to actor Howard Hessman from “WKRP in Cincinnati,” actor William Hurt, Pro Wrestler Razor Ramon, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Drummer Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters, actress Estelle Harris, comedian Gilbert Gottfried, country singer Naomi Judd of suicide, actor Ray Liotta, actor James Caan, painter Margaret Keane, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Ivana Trump, actor Paul Sorvino, “Leave it to Beaver” star Tony Dow, singer/actress Olivia Newton down, our beloved “Sandy” from Grease, actress Anne Heche, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, television anchor Bernard Shaw, Queen Elizabeth the II, rapper Coolio, country singer Loretta Lynn, actress Angela Lansbury, actor Leslie Jordan, musician Jerry Lee Lewis, child star Aaron Carter, comedian Gallagher, singers Irene Cara of Flashdance fame, Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath and comedian actress Kirstie Alley and more.

The Winter Olympics were held in Beijing amidst the ongoing pandemic, being dubbed another “COVID Olympics.” Several athletes

A new war, with world wide implications, began early in the year when Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Russia’s war with Ukraine is ongoing with much global support for Ukraine. It is the David and Goliath story that everyone is watching. Meanwhile, United States WNBA player Britney Griner was taken into custody at a Russian airport for possession of hashish oil the same month that Russia invaded Ukraine and held as a political pawn until President Biden arranged for her release just ahead of the Christmas holiday

Many of my year in review pieces have included mass shootings, but this year was the anniversary of Sandy Hook, and we had another horrific school shooting involving elementary aged students in Uvalde, Texas. On May 24, an 18-year-old former student of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas opened fire on staff and students alike, fatally killing 19 students.

Police response was highly scrutinized as parents barged into the school to save their own children. As with every mass shooting, political tensions rose over the “gun” debate. But this was just the tip of the iceberg for what was to come in politics in 2022. We will get to that later.

“Top Gun Maverick” was the movie of the year. It was released over Memorial Day weekend and stayed in theatres through the fall. The new season of “Stranger Things” and the brand new offering, “Wednesday”, dominated Netflix, whild HBO’s “House of Dragons” continued

Fast forward to June 24, when the U.S. Supreme Court did something that lobbyists, interest groups and the Religious Right have been trying to achieve for nearly 50 years: Overturned Roe V. Wade. Immediately several red states enacted outright bans, but unfortunately for Republicans who expected the traditional midterm “red wave” under a Democratic President may have shot themselves in the foot a bit as several state governments flipped blue, likely as a result of this ruling. The economy has not been great, inflation is the highest it’s been in decades, gas prices are through the roof, the Fed had to increase interest rates - and yet, November saw a purple wave at best.

Elon Musk bought Twitter and made huge layoffs. He reinstated Donald Trump’s suspended account and just a few weeks later had to shut down Kanye West’s account after he had made anti-semitic remarks. The Trump Organization was found guilty on all counts of criminal tax fraud, which came as an early Christmas present for his adversaries but failed to even make the water cooler talk. Just before the end of the year, the Jan. 6 panel referred the former president for criminal prosecution; what results from that remains to be seen.

In a more unifying end-of-year happening, most of the world was glad to see Lionel Messi claim the World Cup with Argentina, capping a career that many believe makes him the greatest soccer player of all time.

industry: Prince, Glen Frey and David Bowie to name a few. This year was more a heavy realization of, “I’m getting old.”

Several celebrity mainstays started dropping like flies, beginning with classic Hollywood actor and one of the first black Hollywood stars, Sidney Poitier passed away on January 6th at the age of 94. Just 3 days later, the death of comedian and “Full House” star Bob Saget passed

had to sit out due to COVID, but all in all the US won 37 medals. Skier Mikaela Shiffren faced unusual struggles on the slopes, returning to the sport after the tragedy of losing her father.

Shaun White finally hung up his snowboarding helmet, ending his Olympic career with

the “Game of Thrones” Universe, and “Rings of Power” expanded J.R.R. Tolkien’s world on Amazon Prime.

The James Webb Space Telescope, which made its original launch in December 2021, gave us a glimpse into our galaxy with photos more vast and detailed than any telescope had ever captured before. Not long after sending back the photos, 19 small space rocks hit and damaged the telescope, one of NASA’s most expensive projects ever. So obviously it was just par for the course for 2022. These space photos were still a welcomed break from the Johnny

For lack of a better term, and maybe it is the tremendous work stress I have been under lately creating a negative lens, this year was sort of a sh**show. Can everyone understand why I went to the Baz Luhrmann “Elvis” movie 24 times in theatres? Let’s hope 2023 treats us all a bit better.

Molly Penny is a local radio personality and MNSU alum. It was her love of pop culture that got her interested in doing a radio show for KOWZ 100.9, and she is now the music and promotions director at KOWZ & KRUE Radio in Owatonna. She resides in Mankato with her movie buff husband and YouTube obsessed children. Catch her on Twitter at @ mollyhoodUSA.

Depp/ Amber defamation trial.

Indoor golf is all the rage this winter

By TOM NELSON Guest Contributor

n years past, the winter in Southern Minnesota was a time for golfers to dream about hitting the links during the warmer days of summer or maybe plan a southern getaway to play a few rounds in sunny Florida or Arizona before returning to the frozen north.

Those days of putting golf on hold for several months could soon be a thing of the past, as technology advancements

have given birth to a new wave of lifelike golf simulators that allow an opportunity to play the sport indoors. This growing trend has landed in Southern Minnesota in recent years, and there are many area facilities that offer golfers a chance to experience firsthand the realistic golf opportunities this growing technology provides.

At present, golfers in Southern Minnesota are blessed with several indoor golf simulator locations, including two newer venues in Le Sueur and Faribault.

“With the technology getting better and

better, you are going to see more of these places. It helps to keep your golf game going,” said Le Sueur Community Center Recreation Manager Allison Watkins. “In the northern states, you can’t play golf all the time so it is nice to keep it going in the winter time and [the simulator] is a good way to keep loose and help your golf game get better, too.”

The city of Le Sueur recently added a new Golfzon TwoVision simulator to its roster of recreational offerings at the Community Center. This device is on the cutting edge of simulator technology which includes a 24-position swing plate that creates true course contours, an automatic tee and ball retrieval system, an LED putting guide and multiple surfaces that duplicate shots from the tee box, fairway, rough, bunkers and putting green.

Housed in one of the Community Center’s repurposed racquetball courts, the golf simulator allows golfers a chance to play from over 200 courses around the world. The list offered by the simulator in Le Sueur includes famous courses from North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, such as Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black and St. Andrews.

“We installed this in late October and our first week open to the public was the first week of November (2022),” Watkins said. “The Golfzon TwoVision is definitely the best one on the market that I have ever seen with that changing swing plate. It is really the only one of I’ve seen do that, so it gives you the correct lie of the ball. If the ball is above your feet, that is where it’s going to move. It’s very accurate, and that makes your game of golf a lot truer when you are in the simulator.”

In its opening weeks of usage, the simulator has proven to be popular. The Community

Center staged a long drive contest on the simulator and Watkins has been doing informational sessions to help introduce it to the community.

“It has certainly grown since the initial launch,” City Administrator Joe Roby said.

“Allison (Watkins) has done a lot of educational sessions to get people comfortable with the technology and the user interface, which is very user friendly. We’ve had people not only from the community but from surrounding communities who are interested in the simulator - those golfers who may not be snowbirds but they still want to swing the clubs during the winter.”

Watkins added, “Playing on the simulator is something you do all winter long … something to keep people active, and it is also another revenue generator for the Community Center. The simulator is bringing in a bit of money, but it is also keeping people active all winter long, which is the goal of the Community Center.”

Roby echoed Watkins thoughts.

“The team here at the city is always looking for new recreation opportunities for the community, and this was an opportunity to maximize existing space, while also grabbing onto something that is very popular,” Roby said.

“We have the Le Sueur Country Club here with a strong membership in the community and regionally, and because the simulator is available multiple hours during the day year-round and because it is the best technology that’s out there. It really provides the very best simulated golf experience that our community can take advantage of.”

The future for the Le Sueur golf simulator is wide open. The Community Center is currently offering golf simulator memberships and daily fees. Leagues are currently being planned

Jacob Laube demonstrates one of the fun mini-golf games available on The Golf Box’s simulator in Faribault. (Photo by Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

with Le Sueur Country Club pro Adam Copeland will offer lessons on the simulator in upcoming months. The Community Center already has existing summer golf program partnerships with the Le Sueur Country Club and Watkins sees that connection continuing with the simulator.

The facility is also available for rentals for events such as birthday parties and other types of social gatherings. Along with traditional golf options, the simulator technology allows for fun arcade-style games such as darts and blocks golf.

Along with offering veteran golfers a chance to keep their game fresh during the cold winter months, the simulators are also a perfect way to introduce newcomers to the game.

“I see this technology as a benefit, too, because it may not be as intimidating as going out to a club for the first time and not knowing your way around the course,” Roby said. “You have this dedicated time for just you and your group to play. You can take mulligans if you need to, and there is a gimme circle around the hole on the green for putts.”

Watkins added, “We have had all ages at the simulator so far. I had a little guy who was 1012 years old up to retirees. Golf is a great sport, and the nice thing about it is that anybody can play … from beginner to expert, you can use a simulator and be comfortable with it.”

Another example of the growing popularity of the golf simulators is located in downtown Faribault. In less than a year, The Golf Box has become a hub for indoor golf at its location at 409 Central Avenue N.

The Golf Box has converted a former movie theater into a facility that currently features three Trackman golf simulators - with two more Trackman simulators scheduled to go online soon. The Golf Box has also opened a full service bar along with a complete food menu and lounge for golfers to enjoy while playing a round.

“The business has been pretty good with a lot of repeat customers,” The Golf Box spokes-

person Jacob Laube said. “Our Leagues have taken off and we have almost 50 guys in our first league with very little advertising.to start it. So that’s pretty good and I’ve heard from the league guys that they are having a blast with it

so far.”

Laube said a second league is planned to start up in January and the leagues are handicapped, so golfers of all skill levels can enjoy the competition. In addition to open tee times for golfers, The Golf Box also has lessons available

Much like the facility in Le Sueur, the Track-

through Clay Curwin, who is the head golf pro at the Faribault Country Club during the winter months.

Golfer Peter Wigersma prepares to take a shot at the Le Sueur Community Center golf simulator. (Photo by Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

man radar ball tracking technology software used at The Golf Box is constantly evolving and updating to provide a top flight golfing experience for the customer. The Golf Box has a large list of available courses including two Minnesota courses (Interlachen C.C. and Wayzata C.C.).

“It (the Trackman software) updates constantly, so they are making it better as it goes on and they are adding courses every week. It is currently at 230 and when we first bought the Trackman it had 150. In less than a year they’ve added 80 courses,” Laube said.

Listed below are some of the many golf simulator facilities located in the area.

A.L. Golf Center

The A.L Golf Center features three golfing bays with high tech simulators. Golfers can select from a roster of 99 different courses to play at the A.L. Golf Center. League play is available for all levels of play and the facility is open for party and event rentals. In addition, the A.L. Golf Center now offers food and beverage options at its location in Albert Lea. For more

information or to make reservations, call 507473-2687 or visit www.algolfcenter.com

1645 W. Main Street, Albert Lea Phone: 507-473-2687 Website: algolfcenter.com

Burnsville Indoor Golf

Burnsville Indoor Golf offers state of the art technology that provides realistic golf simulated situations on a wide range of world-class golf courses including notables such as Pebble Beach, St. Andrews and Torrey Pines. The facility also includes the 19th Hole Sports Grill, which

offers a variety of food, snack and drink options.

3601 W 145th St., Burnsville

Phone: 952-746-4534 Website: burnsvilleindoorgolf.com

Chip Shots

A multi-purpose entertainment center, Chips Shots provides an activity oasis during the winter months with three indoor pickle ball courts, corn hole games and six sports simulators along with a full service bar and kitchen. The facility in Rochester has four Full Swing golf simulators that offer a chance to play over 100 world famous courses and it features advanced ball-tracking infrared technology that maps your shot’s trajectory and allows you to analyze your swing. Chip Shots’ aboutGolf simulator also provides a fun alternative to traditional golf games with favorites such as darts, mini-golf and beer pong.

3708 N. Broadway Avenue, Suite 140, Rochester

Phone: 507-361-0401 Website: chipshotsmn.com

CreeksBend Golf Course

Once the winter closes the course outdoors at CreeksBend in New Prague, golfers can head indoors to the clubhouse to keep their swings going during the cold weather on one of two Foresight brand simulators. These devices allow golfers to play a wide range of courses along with providing opportunities for lessons from club pro Brian Connelly and league play

“We’ve gotten pretty good feedback on the simulators,” club spokesperson Nikki Slepicka said. “They are pretty accurate for distance and measuring data points for your swing.”

The simulators are located in the clubhouse close to CreeksBend’s full service restaurant and bar, which allows patrons to have easy access to food and beverage options while playing a round of indoor golf.

“The simulators help your golf game so it doesn’t get rusty during the winter,” Slepicka said. “It’s another activity to do with friends during the winter…you can come inside and play golf.”

26826 Langford Avenue, New Prague Phone: 952-758-7203 Website: creeksbendgolfcourse.com

The Golf Box

Located on Central Avenue in the heart of downtown Farilbault, The Golf Box offers Trackman golf simulators along with a full service bar, restaurant and lounge area. Individual tee times, leagues and lessons are available along with an indoor putting area to hone your skills during the winter months.

409 Central Avenue N., Faribault

Phone: 507-602-0460 Website: thegolfbox.net

The Golf Project

Situated in the heart of downtown New Ulm, The Golf Project indoor golf center offers golfers a chance to play over 75 courses on its aboutGolf brand simulators. The facility offers individual and group tee times along with league play and lessons, which include a video recap of your training session.

5 N, Minnesota Street, Suite B, New Ulm Phone: 507-267-6347

Website: thegolfprojectmn.com

Lakeville Links

The indoor golf opportunities at the Lakeville Links include six Golfzon TwoVision simulators that provide golfers with a chance to stay on top of their game throughout the winter Months in Minnesota. In addition, Lakeville Links a solid assortment of food and drink choices on its clubhouse menu.

7630 Juniper Path, Suite H, Lakeville Phone: 612-699-0526 Website: lakevillelinks.com

Craig Kaiser takes a shot on the golf simulator at The Golf Box in Downtown Faribault. (Photo by Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

A golfer gives a swing at Le Sueur Community Center golf simulator. (Photo by Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

Legends Club

Legends Club offers two high definition golf simulators that feature Sony Laser 5000 3 LCD projectors, which provide a truly realistic indoor golf experience. Simulator leagues and event rentals are available and the Legends Club restaurant has a wide range of beverage and food items available for your dining pleasure.

8670 Credit River Blvd., Prior Lake

Telephone: 952-226-4777

Website: legendsg.com

Le Sueur Community Center

The Le Sueur Community Center offers a Golfzon TwoVision simulator, which provides one of the most life-like golf experiences available today. Le Sueur Community Center 821 E. Ferry St., Le Sueur

Phone: 507-665-3325

Website: cityoflesueur.com/367/Indoor-Golf

Lincoln Community Center

The Lincoln Community Center offers a golf simulator at its location in Mankato. Individual and group tee times are available along with lessons and seasonal memberships.

Lincoln Community Center, 110 Fulton St., Mankato

Phone: 507-387-5501

Website: mankatocer.com/programs/adult/ adult-recreation

Rochester Indoor Golf Center

The Rochester Indoor Golf Center features four indoor golf simulators at its location in the Hillcrest Shopping Center. Along with the simulators, the Rochester Indoor Golf Center has a discount golf superstore offering a equipment and supplies from many of the game’s top manufacturers. The high-definition and updated golf simulators provide a chance to play rounds on 25 different championship courses. Refreshment options at the Rochester Indoor Golf Center are available from nearby Charlie’s Eatery and Pub. 1642 Hwy. 52 N., Rochester

Phone: 507-529-0223 Website: rochesterindoorgolfcenter.com

South Metro Indoor Golf

South Metro Indoor Golf offers two simulator bays powered by Trackman performance technology, which is used by over 800 tour pros to improve their game. The facility offers a practice putting area along with turf in the hitting bays that reacts like real grass. Some of the courses offered for play include the PGA National, Muirfield, Royal Troon and the St. Andrews Old Course.

1353 Larc Industrial Blvd., Burnsville

Phone: 612-296-2815

Website: southmetroindoorgolf.com

Starfire Event Center

Starfire boasts multiple golf simulator options as part of its event center complex. The simulators can be rented by hour or by appointment. 206 Second Ave. SW, Waseca

Phone: 507-461-1387

Website: starfire-event-center.business.site

Straight River Golf Course

One of the pioneers in area golf simulators, the Straight River Golf Course has been offering a chance to swing the clubs indoors for seven years at its location on the Straight River just south of downtown Faribault. The SRGC uses the aboutGolf simulator and it features constant technology updates along with a wide range of courses and games to play

“The people who use it (the simulator) swear by it,” SRGC owner Joe Lehrer said. “It helps them improve their game and stay in golf shape during the winter months.”

In the warmer months, SRGC has an 18-hole layout that includes a combination of an executive nine hole and nine holes that are par three. The facility also includes a driving range and practice putting green. Lehrer said the simulator at the SRGC is open to the public for tee times and you need to make a reservation in order to set up session for you or your group.

23442 Cates Ave., Faribault

Phone: 507-334-5108

Website: straightrivergolfcourse.com

Tee Times

Another new addition that opened in November 2022 is the Tee Times golf simulator in Mankato. Located in the former Family Video building, Tee Times features four simulators along with a chipping and putting green area. The venue also includes a full service bar area

for customers to enjoy while golfing.

551 Belle Ave. Suite B, Mankato

Phone: 507-720-0968

Website: teetimesmankato.com

Tom Nelson is a freelance writer. Reach the editor at editor@apgsomn.com.

Monitor and hitting screen at The Golf Box in Faribault. (Photo by Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

Mike Touhey at the Community Center golf simulator in Le Sueur. (Photo by Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

inter weather is all the talk, but the future of fashion is taking us by storm. Through 2022, we saw clean lines and classic cuts return in unison with an in person workday and a comeback of the traditional social life. The new year will bring in a fresh fashion front through new interpretations of silhouettes we have gotten comfortable with in the past year.

Let’s begin with color. Pantone has announced the color of the year for 2023 as Viva Magenta. The color is described as being “rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength.” Viva Magenta brings an appeal to pathos prompting fearlessness, joyous and optimistic celebration, and is said to inspire us to write a new narrative. What a perfect successor to Very Peri, the star of 2022. Very Peri was chosen in hopes of embracing uncertainty and cautious optimism. We have seen the procession from loungewear to basic office wear as we tiptoed through what we were told was the new normal. As far as fashion trends are concerned 2022 walked so 2023 can run.

Bold styles will be coming in waves for New Year’s Eve celebrations and will gust through each season. While color is a huge player in style, texture will be taking center stage this year. Sequins have always been a holiday staple, but this year they will be around long after the tree comes down.

During the winter months we will be graced with fully sequined garments such as skirts, blazers and trousers. The brav-

est among us may even treat herself to a sequin power suit. As temperatures rise, sequins will minimize to accents both on our clothing and accessories.

If sequins aren’t your style, the vastness of 2023 trends will have you covered, but not too covered. Sheer materials have had their moment at fashion week and are now drifting to the Midwest. From mesh to lace, the perfect look for you is rolling in. Play with a mesh top under a corset, or a lace blouse over a simple dress.

Your back will thank you for this year’s footwear comeback. Ballet flats are surging back into fashion for spring. Opt for neutrals for a simple everyday look, or pull in the hot colors of

the season to make a sweet statement. Functionality will take a step aside when we look to handbag trends. Go from day to night with a statement “party bag.” Dress up your trousers and satin blouse with a bold and flashy bag that will allow your fun personality to shine while staying up to date on the trend cycle.

You’ve heard it here before, but disco fever lives on through 2023. Groovy styles inspired by the 70’s remain in yet another iteration. Floral patterns will be upgraded to three dimensional and abstract flower designs. Patterns will stick around, but rather than floral we are expecting graphics in a heart motif. We will see small patterns and large graphics.

Continuing in three dimensional fashion, we will see heart shape adornment making it mainstream for early spring and summer. Finally, fringe is here to stay. Blend a touch of this trend to your current wardrobe though a fringe purse, bootie, or jacket.

Hemlines will be a bit unpredictable in the sense that mini dresses and maxi skirts will be sharing space in our wardrobes. Mini dresses will be taking inspiration from lingerie edging on the side of gothic. While this contradicts the more modest take we have been enjoying in fashion, this is where we can apply layering. Sheer tights will give a bit of coverage.

A basic turtleneck can be worn under a slip dress for warmth and simplicity without covering a lacy v-neck cut. Maxi skirts came in for fall of 2022, but the cut will stick around in fresh materials. We expect a rise in leather and denim maxi skirts weather permitting through 2023.

While we are layering up to make it through another frigid winter, 2023 fashion is coming in hot. Challenge yourself to play with color, texture, and maybe a new hemline as you head into the new year. 

Best local albums 2022

proceeded to birth musical fruits of the pandemic’s labors. Musicians leaned heavily into self-reflection, releasing truths, buried feelings, unhinged thoughts and outlandish dreams. Nothing was off limits, rule books were thrown out, re-written and torn apart.

Observations of the political and social climate were at the forefront. While technology continues to make its mark on the way we create and digest music (AI has entered the chat), purists refuse to give up their vinyl. However you choose to discover music, we hope you’ll give these local gems a try.

Niineta - Joe Rainey

Joe Rainey is a pow wow singer and member of the Red Lake Nation of Ojibwe. On Niineta (meaning ‘just me’ in Ojibwe) he combines samples from years of analog recordings with his own vocals and production assistance from Andrew Broder. It’s loud, urgent, blooming into big emotional moments. There are no lyrics in the traditional sense, only vocables. Rainey’s voice is transitory as it hums, screams, drums, lunges and stomps. It’s meditative, pulsating, the beats pounding right through your veins. Rainey calls it modern Indignous music, a way for all to connect with the deep richness of a shared past. It’s impossible to listen to Niieta without feeling its power and being moved by it.

Spanish Villager No. 3 - Ondara

Upon discovering that he shares a name with a village in Spain, it seemed only natural that Ondara’s alter ego should be known as the “Spanish Villager” or “SV”. And it’s through this alter ego that he’s able to channel thoughts and feelings that would have otherwise laid dormant. The Spanish Villager comes from a place of vulnerability that Ondara’s more masculine self could not, would not reveal. In these revelations, Ondara chronicles the tales of a wanderer, falling in and out of love, yearning, longing and leaving. He has set these personal moments of growth, and confessions of frustration against various spaces and times, each track named “A…”. His warm tenor accentuates his innate gift for storytelling, the irresistible folk melodies, familiar as old friends.

Madness - Polica

Channy Leaneagh has said she doesn’t need or want to be the front and center of the band, even though that is often how it has played out, and she is the author of the majority of the band’s lyrics. That said, she insists the band is not a vehicle to serve her words, but rather a cohesive entity creating together. In that spirit, on Madness they employed a new production tool of Ryan Olson’s creation, called AllOvers. Its original purpose - an art installation for the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. Olson with assistance from sound artist Seth Rossetter, AllOvers was designed to record sounds, i.e conversations and/ background noise, and turn them into something melodic. Used on virtually every track on Madness, you can hear the bigger role given to the various whirs, swoops and thumps. However, the record is not devoid of feeling, quite the opposite. The heart-

2022breaking violin solo on the title track, a glaring example. Polica is a group unafraid of stepping outside the norm. They’re not just creating electro-synth pop or whatever you want to call it, they’re inventing it as they go along. They create for the sake of creating, not trying to be any one thing, no rules, no leaders, just camaraderie. We are lucky to stand by and witness it.

Sing To The Walls - Chastity Brown

It’s impossible not to be enchanted by the deep suede of Chastity Brown’s voice, weathered, soulful, but simultaneously soft and comforting, it envelops you like a blanket. Sing To The Walls, her sixth album, and her first since 2017’s Silhouette Of Sirens, finds her reflecting inward and outward, as she closely examines herself and the state of the world. She confronts the racial reckoning, the pivotal moments of which were so close to her South Minneapolis home. On “Golden” she sings, ”does this Black woman voice have too much power? Would it go down sweetly if I sang softer? So why have I got to be angry…up in here?” From Golden the album moves into the title track, a love song where Chastity promises to “sing to these walls, I hope it gets through, I will sing to those scars, hope I heal it too.” It’s a beautiful, hopeful ode to the simple act of showing up for someone, for vowing to stay put despite the past traumas or any other obstacles standing in the way. Another beauty is “Like The Sun” a piano driven earworm that will cement itself in your ears and heart. For Chastity, pronunciation is a fluid suggestion, something to be bent and stretched where she sees fit, giving regular words new life and feeling. The album closes with “Gertrude”, a sparsely arranged tune that is bookended by gorgeous melancholy strings, a perfect ending.

Floating Gardens - The Nunnery

Sarah Elstran, who performs as The Nunnery uses the popular technique of recording layer after layer of sound and then playing them together as a cohesive work. Like many who came before her, part of the draw is how she creates these sounds live, for a genius spontaneity you can’t attain on a simple recording. On Floating Gardens she uses her skills to craft the feeling of being in her floating gardens. The album opens with “Jasmine”, Sarah sings “hey hey hey” a welcome to this new world. Her ethereal vocals, delicate whispering beats, loops, sway and glide, giving way to fullness. She balances playfulness with up front seriousness, buoying between the two. The overall sound is a little bit Regina Spektor, a little bit Meiko, pastel emo-pop where darker messaging comes dressed in clouds and sugar.

Mama Was A Bandit - The Foxgloves

Raucous and fun, the six piece all women group The Foxgloves bring a healthy dose of spunk and soul on Mama Was A Bandit. Four of the six handle the lift on vocals, each of their voices offering a distinct texture and sound on lead, and together create lively harmonies. Their tunes weave tales of various trials and tribulations, serving up big female main character energy. The band at any one time may feature a mandolin, violin, autoharp, banjo, washboard, ukulele, guitar et al, making their performances especially vibrant.

In It To Win It - Becky Kapell

Easy going Americana, from the same bookshelf as Lucinda Williams, Tift Merrit and Iris Dement, Becky Kapell has cemented herself as one of the names to know in the genre. Finding music later in life, Becky is not trying to impress anyone. Her simplistic lyrics and uncomplicated playing capture a laid back, no-nonsensetells-it like-it-is spirit. For In It To Win It, she recorded the songs live with her veteran band improvising their parts as they went. The result is a sound that embodies the moment.

Alpenglow - Trampled By Turtles

In many respects, this humble group with Duluth roots may have outgrown mentions in the local newsprint. But we would be remiss not to include their newest work, Alpenglow, on the list. Nearly 20 years after the band first formed, they’re still finding ways to innovate their sound and stay hungry. Dave Simonett, who will surely be remembered as one of the best songwriters to come out of the Midwest, continues to weave magic with his words. The unassuming melody of “Starting Over”, a beautiful telling of the messiness of the beginning of a new relationship, while grappling with the ending of another, could see a person undone. The gift of communicating big complicated things in small easy sets of words, a la Prince or Alicia Keys exists in so many Trampled tunes. When paired with a high speed banjo, a rolling mandolin, a sweeping cello and fiddle, it’s what bluegrass dreams of.

Lavabangers II - Lazerbeak

It’s clear when you listen to Lazerbeak’s solo work, that he loves two things, nostalgia, and classic R&B. You can see plainly how Doomtree’s more lyric forward members would find inspiration from Beak’s high voltage beats. With nods to more than one Jock Jam, In Living Color and moments that recall the likes of Rick Astley and early Boyz II Men, there is a distinct stamp of older Millennial flare. While every track is a fun listen, and would easily fill space for the background of a yacht party, some are begging to be made whole by lyrics. Regardless, we dare you to try standing still to these infectious grooves.

“Do You Think You Protect Me?”Emily Haavik

It’s not typical of this list to include singles, but Emily’s important criticism of the lens through which we view violence against women had to be mentioned. Her powerful chorus “I do not need you to walk me home, I need accountability, for you to face the dark within,” calls on the wouldbe purveyors of violence to find it within themselves not to commit such acts. The time for victim blaming and preparing needs to end. The time for accountability, and humility is here.

Sarah Osterbauer is a die-hard music lover. When she does her budget each month, food comes after concert tickets. Find her on twitter @ SarahOwrites.

2022 in photos

The year 2022 proved in some ways a repeat of 2021. Early on, the COVID-19 pandemic still raged. And, like the year prior, I lost a dear one—my mom—in January. Loss and challenges defined the first half of 2022 for me. It was, undeniably, a difficult period.

Yet, as the year unfolded, I found myself tentatively re-engaging, embracing that which has always brought me joy. Art.

small towns.

I delight in the ordinar y things—the simple scenes of everyday life, the gathering of people, the creativity and uniqueness of southern Minnesota. Sometimes I think locals don’t value this place they call home enough. There is so much here to appreciate. The rivers that run through. The history. The art and architecture. The volunteers who bring us together at community events.

With my camera, I document. There’s nothing especially remarkable about the subjects I photograph. This column features a sampling of life as it was in 2022 in southern Minnesota. Simple. Uncomplicated. Beautiful. And, oh, so wonderfully ordinary.

Originally from southwestern Minnesota, Audrey Kletscher Helbling has lived in Faribault for 40 years. She loves this area, which she documents in images and words on her Minnesota Prairie Roots blog. Follow her work at www.mnprairieroots.com. Contact her at audrey@mnprairieroots.com

Nature. Community celebrations. Day trips to

Country drives. Ice cream from local shops.

In the depths of January, the promise of spring blooms in a hyacinth.

A replica of the 1899 community stage/bandshell graces Central Park in the heart of downtown Owatonna.

Craig Kotasek’s “Jolly Green Giant” print was among his art exhibited at the Arts & Heritage Center in Montgomery. Tin Can Valley Printing is based in LeSueur.

The Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault features student art in an annual exhibit, here a kitty created by second grader Eydelin Leon Ruiz.

Folks gather at Bridge Square in Northfield to celebrate Earth Day.

A community arts mural focuses a corner of downtown Plainview.

An eye-catching vintage sign on a bowling alley in Plainview. A mallard drake swims near the shore of the Cannon River in Faribault’s North Alexander Park.

Fishermen angle the Cannon River in Northfield in April.

Gus’ Station, built in 1931 in Ellendale and moved to the Village of Yesteryear in Owatonna, is a reminder of once low gas prices.

A visitor in traditional Hmong dress poses among the peonies at Aspelund Peony Gardens, rural Kenyon.

A crowd gathers at Christ Lutheran Church in Faribault for Holy Smoke Wood Fire Pizza and Live Music on an August evening.

Ordering ice cream at The Blast in downtown Northfield.

A worker sweeps a walkway between buildings along Division Street in Northfield on an August afternoon.

vintage car drives down Central Avenue at the July Faribault Car Cruise Night.

A shopper exits Just Food Co-op in Northfield on a summer afternoon.

Fishing below the Lake Zumbro Dam on a May day near Mac’s Park Place, rural Mazeppa.

A Swallowtail Butterfly atop a zinnia at the Rice County Master Gardeners’ Garden at the Rice County Fairgrounds.

Kids blow bubbles at the Holy Smoke pizza night and concert at Christ Lutheran Church, Faribault, on an August evening.

A sweet treat from The S’Cream, a popular Owatonna ice cream spot.

Looking at tractors together at the Rice County Steam & Gas Engine Show, rural Dundas.

Erin’s Acres at Honken Farms sells floral bouquets at the Rice County Historical Society Fall Flea Market.

Topping a tree at the Adopt a Tree program in Faribault’s Central Park.

Getting in the Halloween spirit, Francis Pest & Animal Control in Faribault placed skeletons on rooftop ants.

This inspiring message banners a building in downtown Pine Island.

A vintage truck, parked for photo opps outside Christ Lutheran Church, Faribault, for its Christmas Market in November.

Eyes are the windows to the soul?

Irealized two things on a recent night as I was desperately rubbing my eyes to remove my contacts.

No. 1 - The warning on the contact lens solution label where it says, “Do not rub solution directly into eyes” means you shouldn’t rub the solution directly into your eyes as it will burn like the heat of a thousand suns and melt most of your retinas.

No. 2 - I didn’t have my contacts in. I wore glasses.

It’s a good thing I can type by feel, since I’m no longer able to see the keys and will probably have to get a pair of those creepy taxidermy eyes just to fill out my sockets. One of the things I have enjoyed the most about aging would be the ever-changing landscape that evolves as my vision slowly, but surely disintegrates. I mean I knew my nose, ears and feet were gonna keep growing, but I never thought my eyes would turn on me at such a young age.

I have some thoughts about adapting to my new reality. Perhaps they could print my credit cards with bigger numbers so I wouldn’t have

to ask total strangers behind me in line to read the super-secret code on the back of my card each time I want to purchase necessities like ice cream. Or, I guess I could hire an 8-year-old to shop with me. They know how to use an iPhone and can read my texts to me. They can also shout out the names of the street signs and exit ramps when I’m driving. That gives me extra time to turn off the radio and slow down in front of every house when I’m looking for an address.

And then we have people like my sister She never remembers her cheaters when we go out for a meal. I tire so of reading her the menu and trying to make vegetarian entrees like tofu sound enticing. Inevitably, she gets her order and says, “Your dinner looks better, can I just have that?” She plays the, “You must have read me the wrong entree description” card and swipes my plate either way. Here’s a thought, bring your own damn glasses so the Brussels sprout surprise isn’t quite so surprising.

I had arrived at the big box hardware store and removed my prescription sunglasses as I entered (‘cuz I think we’re all pretty clear

that only serial killers and hung-over sorority girls are allowed to wear their sunglasses indoors) and had to rely on some poor young employee to point me in the right direction. Basically, I was using him as a seeing-eye-dog. He didn’t seem to mind and even called me “Ma’am” a few times just to pour salt in my already aging wounds.

He got me as far as the flooring department. That’s when things went a bit awry. I was on the hunt for the elusive tile grout. Alas, all the labels on the little round containers were in a font size meant for mice, so I held up two options and asked the guy next to me which he thought was better. This is when I realized he thought I was hitting on him. His young daughter stepped in and saved him from the heaps of embarrassment he seemed to be suffering. I wasn’t being coy, I just needed someone who could translate the miniature font into words. She gave me an extra pathetic side eye as she pulled her poor Dad in the opposite direction.

I guess it’s a good thing I’m a gal who likes a giant handbag. I’m able to carry a flashlight and/or one of those miner hats to read the

menu as most restaurants are lit like caves during a coal mining expedition. I guess it wouldn’t be quite as bad if I didn’t spend the majority of my day hunting for my prescription glasses, sunglasses or cheaters. I mean I don’t like to take away the excitement of foraging for my phone 30 times a day, but it’s a bit more of an adventure if you’re doing it all by feel. Once I find them, I’m so busy switching from my cheaters to my prescription glasses to my sunglasses and back to my contacts that I can barely see friends or consider long-term employment.

I’m always intrigued by those folks who are learning new languages and have successful side hustles. How do they have that kinda time? Who is carrying their eyewear around for them all day? Clearly (pun intended) they have perfect vision and have thereby opened up hours in their day that aren’t available to mere mortals like me.

So, I guess if the eyes really are the windows to the soul, mine are hella dirty and in need of those guys who are super good with the squeegees!

Mary Closner lives in Northfield,

THURSDAY, DEC. 29

Songwriters in the Round - Northfield-6-9 p.m., Grand Event Center, 316 Washington St., Northfield. Songwriters playing their original songs in a Nashville style round format. Featuring Mark Ross, Ray Coudret, Tom Peschges and more.

FRIDAY, DEC. 30

unWINED with Crista Bohlmann

- Kasota-6-9 p.m., Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery and Distillery, 1179 E. Pearl St., Kasota. The unWINEd Music Series. Free event and all are welcome to enjoy it. Artist and time are subject to change.

Luke Smith

- Owatonna-6:30-8:30 p.m., Mineral Springs Brewery, 111 N Walnut Ave, Owatonna.

Luke Smith is a singersongwriter and producer from Faribault, MN. In 2017 he was nominated for “Best Solo Performer” by Southern Minn. Scene.

Naughty Santa BingoFaribault-7 p.m.-1 a.m., Boxers Grill & Bar, 429 Central Ave. N, Faribault.

Looking for that gift that the normal Santa won’t leave under your tree? Come to Boxers and win some prizes in this Bingo game for adults.

SATURDAY, DEC. 31

Noon Year’s

Eve Party - Northfield-- 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Northfield Public Library, 210 Washington St., Northfield. Crafts, a dance party, and a New Year’s Eve countdown. This event is for all ages.

GUIDE FOR PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO DO.

Ring in the New Year - Waseca-- 3 p.m.-12:30 a.m., The Mill Event Center, 310 2nd Ave SW, Waseca. Beer pong tournament followed by Buffalo Alice taking the stage at 9:00 pm.

New Years Eve Bash - Le Center-- 5 p.m., Le Center American Legion. Come for a night of fun. Start off with our New Years Steak Fry from 5:00 pm to 7:30 and stay for the DJ/Karaoke at 8:00. We will have party favors, door prizes and free champagne at midnight.

Becky Borneke and In a Bind - Janesville-5:30-8:30 p.m., Indian Island Winery, 18010 631st Ave, Janesville. Enjoy live music by Becky Borneke and In a Bind performing a variety of hit music.

New Year’s Eve Jam with the Mark Cameron Band - Faribault-- 7-10 p.m., 10,000 Drops, 28 4th St NE, Faribault. The Mark Cameron Band plays live music on New Year’s Eve.

2022 Year in Review: Jeopardy Style - Owatonna-- 7 p.m., Foremost Brewing Cooperative, 131 W. Broadway St, Owatonna. Nothing says starting the new year off with a bang like an intense, highly competitive night of fun with family and friends.

New Year’s Eve with Monroe Crossing 2022 - Red Wing-- 7:30 p.m., Sheldon Theatre, 443 W. Third St., Red Wing. Whether playing traditional bluegrass, original bluegrass or some surprising songs outside the bluegrass genre, Monroe Crossing is one of the most entertaining acts in bluegrass today.

Rockin’ New Years Eve Party - Owatonna-- 8 p.m.-12 a.m., Owatonna Eagles 1791, 141 E. Rose St., Owatonna. Champagne, Party Favors, Midnight toast and if you’re lucky, a new years kiss with that special someone. With special guest Stimulus Package.

WrecklessNew Prague-8:30 p.m.12:30 a.m., St. Patricks Tavern. Celebrate New Year’s Eve with music, dancing and drinks.

D&R Karaoke New Years Eve - Kasota-9 p.m.-1 a.m., Blue Moon, Kasota. One of largest selections of Karaoke Music in Southern Minnesota. Great food and good dance floor.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 04

Puzzle Derby - Elysian-- 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Elysian Area Library, 132 Main St. E. Assemble a team of up to four players and compete in a jigsaw puzzle competition. The first team to complete the puzzle wins. Geared for ages 18+. Please register by calling 507-267-4411.

FRIDAY, JAN. 06

Disney’s Newsies, Jr.Northfield-- 12 a.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 Third Street West. A Purple Door Youth Theater Production directed by Rachel Haider. January 6-15, 2023.

Knit, Crochet & Needlecraft Group - Faribault-- 10-11 a.m., Buckham Memorial Library, 11 Division St. E, Faribault. Enjoy the company of friends and neighbors as you knit, crochet or work on your favorite needlecraft project. Bring your own project to work on. No registration necessary.

Singles Pool Tournament - Kasota-- 7 p.m.-2 a.m., Blue Moon, Kasota. Limited to the first 16 entrants.

No Masters, No Handicap. Double Elimination race to 3 on winners side race and 2 on losers side. Also doing a Calcutta. $20 entry fee100% pay back.

SATURDAY, JAN. 07

Virtual Author Talk - Waseca (Virtual)-- 12 p.m., Hosted by Waseca Public Library. An action-packed conversation with Namina Forna,

Triple Berry Pie - Owatonna-- 1 p.m., Foremost Brewing Cooperative, 131 W. Broadway St, Owatonna. Anjanette Bandel, Ruth Casper, Karen Masbruch sing a variety of three-part harmony music together.

Andy Pfiefer

Piano - Owatonna-2-4 p.m., Owatonna Art Center, 435 Garden View Ln, Owatonna. The OAC’s baby grand will have classic romantic music performed by Jacob Pfeifer. His playing has received recognition, including from the Music Teachers National Association and the Young Artist Competition, the South Dakota State University Concerto-Aria Competition, and the Minnesota Music Teachers Association Piano Contest.

the New York Times bestselling author of “The Gilded Ones” series, focusing on her second installment in the series, “The Merciless Ones.” Register at the library or at wasecaleusuerlibraries.com/getregistered.

11 Year Anniversary Party - Mankato-- 6-9 p.m., Mankato Brewery, 1119 Center St. N. Live Music by Lauren and the Drifters & Silver Summer! Special tapping of some tasty one of a kind brews. Food available onsite by Ummies. This event is free, no tickets or registration required!

Rob Wood - Owatonna-6:30-8:30 p.m., Mineral Springs Brewery, 111 N Walnut Ave, Owatonna. Rob Wood plays live with some of the best acoustic tunes around!

TUESDAY, JAN. 10

Tuesday Night Trivia - St. Peter-- 7-9 p.m., Patrick’s on Third, 125 S. Third St., St. Peter. Every single Tuesday for 4 rounds of world class trivia. Hosted by Church of Trivia.

Screen Play - Northfield-- 3-4 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild, 304 Division St. S., Northfield. This features theater games, poetry, acting, singing, drumming and communication techniques and creating a production that premieres on YouTube. Screen Play is tailored to those with developmental disabilities, for all levels of participation. Everyone gets to play. Designed, staffed and produced by ArtMakers.

FRIDAY, JAN 13

Wild Lands, Wild HorsesFaribault-7:30 p.m., Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. Tickets are $10. An experimental documentary traveling across 12 states within 150M+ acres of public lands.

THURSDAY, JAN. 12

Storytime

In Person

- Faribault-- 1010:30 a.m., Buckham Memorial Library, 11 Division St. E, Faribault. Join Ms. Deni in the children’s early literacy play area for Storrytime on Thursdays.

Kevin Ihrke Gallery - Owatonna-- 1-5 p.m., Ihrke shares his painting exhibition “Driftless Waters.” The gallery will run through Jan. 29. Gallery hours are 1-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays. Ihrke is inspired by the natural beauty of everyday life in Minnesota, particularly the driftless areas.

Arty Pants Storytime - Northfield-10-11 a.m., Northfield Public Library, 210 Washington St., Northfield. A story and rhymes on a certain theme, then make art with Jennie from the Northfield Arts Guild that relates to the theme! Geared to kids 2-6 and their caregivers.

SATURDAY, JAN. 14

Craft Beer Expo - Cannon Falls-- 12 a.m., Mayo Clinic Health System, 32021 County Road 24 Blvd., Cannon Falls. Dedicated to bringing beer lovers from Mankato and the surrounding areas shining examples of the amazing movement that is craft beer.

Winter Charm on the FarmWaseca-- 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Farmamerica, 7367 360th Ave, Waseca. Celebrate the winter season. Experience farm fun for everyone during this limited winter series. CONTINUED page 24

Did we miss something? Let us know! We may still be able to get an important event on one of our weekly pages that run in the newspapers.

Miller DennOwatonna-- 6:308:30 p.m., Mineral Springs Brewery, 111 N Walnut Ave, Owatonna. Muriah Miller & Mark Denn are this Minnesota-based acoustic duo coming from family bands Miller Sisters & Country Denns. Based out of Waseca, Minnesota.

Wade Snake - Owatonna-- 7 p.m., Foremost Brewing Cooperative, 131 W. Broadway St, Owatonna. Come see Wade Snake play live.

Ambassador Bash: Dueling Pianos

Waseca-- 7-9 p.m., The Duelly Noted Dueling Pianos are sure to put on a great show, while Waseca Chamber Executive Director Ann Fitch will entertain as the emcee. Tickets are $25, available at the Waseca Chamber.

TUESDAY, JAN. 17

welcome V.V. Ganeshananthan for a reading around the release of her new novel, “Brotherless Night.” A courageous young Sri Lankan woman tries to protect her dream of becoming a doctor in this “heartbreaking exploration of a family fractured by civil war.”

FRIDAY, JAN. 20

“I

Danger Committee - Red Wing-- 7:30 p.m., Sheldon Theatre, 443 W. Third St., Red Wing. Escalating stupidity for your pleasure. The Danger Committee have performed in theaters across the country and have been on multiple television shows including America’s got talent.

Rachael

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18

Jay Harris - Mankato-- 6:30 p.m., Mankato Brewery, 1119 Center St. N. Tickets are $10. All seating is first come first serve. Some content may not be suitable for children 16 and under. Tickets available online only.

Castastrophe

3: the Diva Edition - Northfield-- 7:30 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 Third Street West. The area’s leading ladies (and a killer band) present showtunes from roles in which they would never be cast. Its a CASTastrophe. Also on the 21st at 7:30 pm, and the 22nd at 2:00 pm.

SATURDAY, JAN. 21

Gospel and GravelOwatonna-1-3 p.m., Foremost Brewing Cooperative, 131 W. Broadway St, Owatonna. Live Americana and Folk music. Covers by Brandi Carlile, John Prine, Dolly Parton, The Eagles, The Head and The Heart, as well as favorite originals that have been stirring followers since singing their first notes

MONDAY, JAN. 23

Paper Crafts - Elysian-- 6 p.m., Elysian Area Library, 132 Main St. E. Learn simple origami to create fun paper projects including an accordion wallet and a variety of envelopes.

Geared for teens and adults all supplies provided. Free to the public.

TUESDAY, JAN. 24

Comedy Uncorked - Kasota-- 8 p.m., Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery and Distillery, 1179 E. Pearl St., Kasota. Laughs on the Go presents a unique night out featuring the finest that comedy has to offer. Tickets:$15.00 Advance, $20.00 Same Day/At The Door.

Sew Electric for Teens - Northfield-- 6-8 p.m., Northfield Public Library, 210 Washington St., Northfield. Make a decorative embroidery piece with a constellation that lights up and twinkles. All materials provided; no sewing skills needed. Bunday Room, ages 11-18. Limited to 10 teens. Please register to save your spot: https://mynpl.libcal.com/event/9991743

THURSDAY, JAN. 19

Adam Moe - Owatonna-5:308:30 p.m., Mineral Springs Brewery, 111 N Walnut Ave, Owatonna.

Adam

Moe

Davey Wester Live Comedy ShowSt. Peter-8-10 p.m., St. Peter American Legion. National headliner Davey Wester, featuring K-Jay the Comedian.

Big Head Todd & the Monsters - Rochester-- 8 p.m., Mayo Civic Center, 30 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester. Come see Big Todd & the Monsters perform live.

Hanel: Not the Camilla We KnewSt. Peter-- 6 p.m., St. Peter Community Center, 600 S. Fifth St., St. peter. One Woman’s Path from small town America to the Symbionese Liberation Army. Room 219.

V.V. Ganeshananthan Author Talk-- 7-9 p.m., Content Bookstore, 314 Division St. S, Northfield. Content Bookstore is excited to

together in 2019.

is a fiddler and singer/songwriter based in Duluth, MN. His unique original songs backed by his tenor guitar and delivered with his clear, bluesy tenor make for a great show.

Love the 80’s to Death” - New Prague-5:30 p.m., Next Chapter Winery, 16945 320th St., New Prague. A murder mystery dinner. It’s the 80’s again, and all of the big names are here for a big concert. Tensions run rampant as backstage secrets spill out into the spotlight with like, totally tragic results.

By the King, For the King - Faribault-- 7:30 p.m., Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault. Member: $20 / Non-Member $25 / Student $15. An Elvis show that has never been done, featuring the songs that inspired and moved Elvis himself. Presented by Mick Sterling.

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young AdultsVirtual-- 6-7 p.m., Virtual. A virtual event with Monique Gray-Smith, a writer of children’s books as well as the adapter of Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults.

So Help Me God, Sign Here, Soulbroken and more

So Help Me God

by Mike Pence

c.2022, Simon & Schuster $35.00 543 pages

A mile wide, six miles deep.

That’s the divide that needs repairing, a chasm that just gets wider. It dismays you. It rankles you. And “So Help Me God” by Mike Pence won’t narrow our political gap at all.

Unless you’ve been sleeping since about 2016, you know who Pence is but you might not know his background. He was born in the middle of a large, loving Catholic family and raised with small-town ethics; he admired his father, adored his mother, your typical kid with a typical mid-century Midwestern life. When he was a young man, he went to college, married, and entered politics because people who knew him urged him to do so.

By then, Pence had become an Evangelical Christian, a fact that envelopes nearly every snip of story on almost every page of this memoir. It’s not something merely about him – it’s a very major part of his entire being, and his story.

Pence proceeds, post-biography, to write of his earliest political career and the GOP colleagues he befriended while in Congress, while seeming to have little more than disdain for most of the Democrats he met. He didn’t know Donald Trump early in Trump’s run for candidacy, and so he was somewhat surprised to learn that Trump was considering Pence as vice president.

Pence says that at their first meeting, Trump was attentive and thoughtful, and that they were friends pretty quickly. It’s a sentiment he repeats throughout this book, though he frequently admits to having differences in agreement with the President. Pence writes, for example, about times when he spoke to Trump about some of the transgressions he felt that Trump committed (such as the incident with the Khans, a Gold Star family), for which Pence seems to suggest that Trump understood that he was wrong. Despite what may seem like a scolding, Pence says that the two worked side-by-side in harmony.

If you’re not confused yet, hang on....

Curiously, given the interviews Pence has granted in the past few weeks, and considering the last 80 pages of his book, most of “So Help Me God” is dutifully complimentary to Trump – and there’s where the divide lies. Things just don’t match up.

Pence writes of a calm, thoughtful, slow-to-anger, well-measured, non-impulsive, humble, faithful President who worked non-stop solely for the entirety of his constituents – a description which could make some readers wonder if they and Pence lived in the same America. The post-biographical pages of this book make four years of the Trump administration feel like a happy visit to Mayberry with a TNT-loving dragon’s lair just down the road.

And those last 80 pages? The “anger” Pence has claimed over what happened on January 6, 2021, feels like little more than a toe-stubbing.

In the end, this book is not for anyone who’s even slightly liberal, is very exhausted, or both. It’s meant more for Red-Staters and anyone who hopes for Trump or Pence 2024.

In other words, readership of “So Help Me God” will probably just follow the divide.

A History of the World Through

Body Parts

by Kathryn Petras & Ross Petras

c.2022, Chronicle Books $22.95 255 pages

Give the gentleman a hand. He did a good job, and he deserves it. Seriously, someone gave him a leg-up, he jumped in with both feet, and shortly after he put his nose to the grindstone, he found himself rubbing elbows with influential people. He shouldered some responsibility, kept his ear to the ground, and look where he’s been – so give him a hand, and read “A History of the World

Through Body Parts” by Kathryn Petras & Ross Petras. It all begins with Cleopatra’s nose.

Mathematician Blase Pascal seemed fascinated by it, not because it stood out (though it did), but because Julius Caesar and Marc Antony were both smitten with it and their obsessions changed the world. That got Petras and Petras thinking how other bodily bits might have affected history. Can “zeroing in on a body part” help make sense of our world?

Take, for instance, an anonymous woman’s hand, stenciled on the side of a cave in Australia some 30,000 years ago. It was art but, since scientists know that ancient Aboriginal people could recognize others by their handprints, it could’ve also been a message. That shows a rather sophisticated form of early communication.

According to legend, St. Cuthbert’s hair and fingernails continued to grow after his death – to the point where the deceased saint had his own stylist and manicurist. St. Cuthbert, and other Catholic saints were a part of the Church’s “big business,” selling and procuring relics in the 8th through the 16th century.

Today, there’s no need for a Holy pilgrimage; if you want a Holy relic, you can buy simply one online.

The conqueror Tamerlane might have used “a very distinctive limp” to build his fearsome reputation.

A “religious epiphany” came to Martin Luther in an unusual place, all because of his bowels. Henry VIII is said to have kept Anne Boleyn’s heart. And Charles II of Spain’s jaw proved that “keeping things all in the family” was really not a good idea...

No doubt, you know by now that life is full of things that make you say, “huh.” You probably come across them quite often. “A History of the World Through Body Parts” offers you a whole book full of more.

And yet – that title sounds gory, doesn’t it? Nope, authors Petras and Petras don’t go that far in their storytelling. Here, you’ll get an outline in each shortto-read account (browse-able: a feature!) but one with enough particulars to make you feel smarter. Most tales are kept relatively bloodless in detail; in fact, some of them don’t involve detachment at all.

That lack of violence leaves plenty of room for enjoyment of these tiny, esoteric – but impactful – bits of history, science, and sociology. Bonus: there are lots of sidebars with even more fun-to-know info.

Readers of unique history will devour this book, but it’s also a great way to get someone interested in a narrower version of a broader subject. Just beware: “A History of the World Through Body Parts” might make you lose your head.

Sign Here: A Novel

by Claudia Lux

c.2022, Berkley $27.00 404 pages

You promise yourself you’ll be very good. You’ll walk the straight-and-narrow path with the best of intentions. You’ll be good, until something happens, something irritates you, someone’s an idiot and your best laid plans go out the window. You’ll do better tomorrow. You’ll read “Sign Here” by Claudia Lux because there’s one place you don’t want to go.

These random meetings were killing him.

Well, technically speaking, Peyote Trip was already dead. He couldn’t remember when it happened or how; it could’ve been last millennium or last week.

That’s what happens when you work on Hell’s Fifth Floor: centuries feel like minutes and time warps. There’s no fire and brimstone there; no, it’s nothing but constant annoyances. Pens that dry up right when you need them. Full files, dropped to the floor. Radio stations that only play music you hate. Still, working on Fifth Floor was better than being on Second Floor.

Better by a mile.

But Pey had a plan.

Once, when he was on Second Floor, an old timer told him something important. Don’t forget your real last name, the old guy said, and Peyote Trip didn’t because that was the key to getting a second chance on Earth.

He just had to get to Sixth Floor.

That should’ve been easy: over time, four members of the Harrison family had signed their names and given their souls in exchange for their most fervent wish. One more signature, and Peyote’d have a complete set and a promotion.

There was once a time when every member of the Harrison family eagerly anticipated going to their summer retreat. Six weeks of beach and barbecues was usually heavenly, but this year was different. This year, nobody wanted to summer away until daughter Mickey invited a friend along and the girl, Ruth, made the season feel sunnier. And with all the Harrisons in one place, Peyote was eager to get started.

Getting the last signature would take tact. It would take finesse.

It would take the help of a fiendish new colleague who had a plan of her own...

Oh, my, but “Sign Here” is infernally clever!

The first couple dozen pages – the ones that set the scene in the Underworld – touch upon all the irritations humans hate and, as dreadful as that might seem, it’s hilarious. Imagining an eternity of incessant aggravation is enough to make the worst person laughingly rue their ways – at least, it does until piled vexations and a slow, gradual, wince-worthy darkening of the story turn things not-so-funny anymore. By the time you think you know what’s coming (you don’t), the tale’s already become full of evil – just not where you expect it to be.

Author Claudia Lux doesn’t make things jump out at you to startle you, though.

The scary stuff’s within.

This might not be a tale for everyone, but for a reader with an uber-dark sense of humor and a love of a twisted and twisty thriller, it’ll be perfect. “Sign Here” is a book that promises to be very good.

BONUS: For another fiendishly good novel, one without the humor, try “A History of Fear” by Luke Dumas. It’s the tale of an American graduate school student who confessed to the killing of a classmate. He makes an audacious claim of terror and an underworldly demand. Was he insane, or was he telling the truth?

This is What It Sounds Like:

What the Music You Love Says about You

by Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas c.2022, W.W. Norton $28.95 274 pages

Turn it up, would you?

Man, that song. It reminds you of falling in love, first dates, riding around in a car, best friends. You can imagine the performance of it, the bassist’s passion, the audience cheers. You know every word of that song, so read “This is What It Sounds Like” by Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas, and turn it up.

Many years ago, when Miles Davis was working with Susan Roger’s boss, Prince, Davis siezed an opportunity to shoot questions at Rogers like a machine gun. Where was she from? What did she do? Was she a musician?

She was not, but as a cognitive neuroscientist and a professor at Berklee College of Music, Rogers knows music. And she knows why we love it: seven “influential dimensions of music listening” give us our own personal “maximum gratification.”

It helps to know your individual “listener profile.”

“The music you respond to most powerfully can reveal those parts of yourself that are the most ‘you’,” says Rogers. The music that hits your “sweet spot” is what should fill your play list.

Authenticity gives you a sense that the emotions a song brings aren’t forced or faked. Realism is the scratch of a guitar or the long pause that no one else seems to notice; if you’re hearing the song live, it’s the movement of the singer. Novelty is tricky; it must be in the “Goldilocks zone for novelty: not too strange, not too boring.”

As for the other four dimensions, they go together like a puzzle.

Says Rogers, “We might say that melody serves as a record’s heart... In contrast... lyrics serve as a record’s head. Rhythm becomes a record’s hips.... Timbre is the raw quality of a musical sound... the sharp buzz of a saxophone... or the drone of a didgeridoo. That’s why timbre serves as a record’s face.”

These things have “the potential to bewitch you –and help you pinpoint where your own sweet spots lie.” So what if you just like a song because you just like

it and you don’t care why? Go ahead, listen to it, wear the grooves off a vinyl copy, turn it up loud, and forget about “This is What It Sounds Like,” because this won’t sound like your kind of thing.

No, this book is much more for the listener for whom music is not just a hobby but a necessity, like breathing. It’s for the person who shushes the crowd at concerts, so they can hear that one note. Authors Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas explain why you feel strongly about loving one genre of music and not another, how certain songs mean everything, how music is like conversation, and why one certain song makes you feel like high school again.

“This is What It Sounds Like” is absolutely for the person who buys vinyl and obsessively reads liner notes. If you’re someone who can pick one chord out of a song and you wait for it, find this book. You won’t turn it down.

Soulbroken: A Guidebook for Your Journey Through Ambiguous Grief

by Stephanie Sarazin

c.2022, Grand Central Publishing / Balance $17.99 304 pages

Years. It had been going on for years.

Right under your nose, while you were awake, working, taking care of household things, sitting on the same sofa, your partner was cheating on you with a series of others. This is a new kind of pain that you don’t know what to do with, as author Stephanie Sarazin suggests, and in her new book “Soulbroken,” there is a path toward healing.

It happened by accident: Stephanie Sarazin needed her husband’s laptop to print a project and while she was doing that, confirmation from a dating website dropped into one corner of the screen. Unable to help herself, she peeked, and followed a trail of years of infidelity.

She thought she was the love of her husband’s life but in a few short minutes, she learned that a good chunk of her marriage was a lie.

When there is a loss of this sort – or if the loss comes from a missing person, estrangement, dementia, or any other relationship suspension – we grieve, but not like we would a death. Sarazin calls the end of a loving relationship “ambiguous grief,” and it’s more a “grieflike purgatory.” Processing it is different because it’s trigger is different. Sufferers may experience the classic “stages” of grief but Sarazin indicates that ambiguous grief is messier.

Of course, “feeling better” is possible.

First, she says, it’s important to identify the activating event that got you to this place. Next, find intent: how are you going to proceed?

Don’t be ashamed to seek therapy or afraid to accept medication; both are tools to use on your healing path. If you get stuck, learn to work your way backward in your thoughts to find the sticking point and process it. Meditate, and start a journal so you can track your progress. Find Your People. Be patient with yourself. And finally, look for what Sarazin calls “internal hope” with a focus on life as it is, not as you thought it would be.

The premise behind “Soulbroken” is a good one: it’s meant to help the person whose grief is not linked to death, but to something with a closure that’s different or lacking altogether. This book, however, might make more of a struggle.

Author Stephanie Sarazin is thorough and her advice is presented simplistically – almost too much so, in many cases, as if a child is doing the healing work. Some readers may be put off by this; the repetition doesn’t help, either, nor does the new-ageyness, at that point.

Conversely, readers who feel as though they’re spinning in place may find a way out with the help in this book. Sarazin offers a host of ideas to try, quizzes to take, assurances, and valid suggestions that might not occur to someone in the thick of the pain.

In the end, the amount of help inside this book will depend on the tolerance of the reader. “Soulbroken” might be a balm to you – or getting to the end of it might feel like years.

Terri