The Journal, Feb. 8–21, 2018 by The Journal

INSIDE

THE NEWS SOURCE FOR DOWNTOWN & NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENTS FEBRUARY 8–21, 2018

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DOUGLAS DAYTON YMCA OPENS ON NICOLLET MALL PAGE 14

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PAGE 12 Damien D’Luxe performs at a Prince-themed Flip Phone brunch at Union Bar & Grill. Photo by Billy Briggs

GET OUT GUIDE: VALENTINE’S DAY

By Eric Best / ebest@journalmpls.com It’s winter in Minneapolis and a purple-clad Prince is hip thrusting in front of a packed crowd, heating up a soldout downtown show. But this isn’t a scene from years past. It’s a Sunday afternoon drag show at Union Bar & Grill on Hennepin Avenue, and Damien D’Luxe — standing the same 5-foot-3-inch height as the late local legend — is performing “Let’s Go Crazy” for 160 or so diners, many with dollar bills waving in their hands. The performer, the drag king persona of Emi Nijiya, has been entertaining audiences across the Twin Cities for the past 15 years and said more and more are coming to the community. As drag finds a more mainstream audience, these performances are drawing in a new generation of fans from both inside and outside the LGBT community. “It was Edina moms,” Nijiya said recalling the January audience. “They were fantastic. Some even dressed up for the occasion. It was nice because a lot of the time the straight community doesn’t normally know what to do with drag kings.”

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SEE DRAG / PAGE 6

Exit interview: Jayne Miller Former superintendent discusses her career, concerns with Park Board

By Eric Best / ebest@journalmpls.com Jayne Miller is hundreds of miles away starting a new position leading a parks organization in Pittsburgh. The former Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board superintendent resigned from her position in early February after seven years as the city’s top parks executive. During her time in Minneapolis, Miller was responsible for far-reaching campaigns to change the face of the city’s 157 neighborhood parks, from the $800 million 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan to an overhaul in the system’s best practices. The upstate New York native left a parks administrator position in Ann Arbor, Mich., and started as Minneapolis superintendent in 2010. She left to take the helm of the non-profit Pittsburg Parks Conservancy as president and CEO.

The day before she left the Twin Cities to move to Pennsylvania, the Journal sat down with Miller at her home, the historic residence of Theodore Wirth at Lyndale Farmstead Park that she rented as superintendent. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Journal: What first attracted you to this job in the Twin Cities? Miller: While I was there I got a call from a recruiter for Minneapolis. My kids were in high school at the time. I said I wasn’t leaving. I was really torn whether to stay in Ann Arbor where I knew everybody, I knew who the players were [and] I knew what the issues were. Or to move here and do, in my

me away. I go out here and go down on Lake Harriet and ride Minnehaha Creek and I’m blown away that I’m living in a metropolitan area. It’s a quick 16-mile ride, but it is amazing. Every spring I’m daunted by it. The other thing is because I am a cyclist, I ride all over the city. To be able to literally go to any park I want to by getting on my bike is a great way for me to watch people enjoying our system.

Miller. Submitted photo view, my career path, which was parks. For me, parks are what I love.

What are some of your favorite memories in the city’s parks? My first spring ride every year just blows

How does it compare to your more than two decades in Michigan? In terms of the physical infrastructure, there isn’t another city that compares to Minneapolis. In terms of the organization and being an independent park system, Ann Arbor SEE JAYNE MILLER / PAGE 7

2 journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018

Voices

Moments in Minneapolis By Cedar Imboden Phillips

A WHIRL THROUGH DOWNTOWN

here was a lot of discussion recently about the militarization of downtown Minneapolis during the recent Super Bowl festivities. In February 1919, the streets of Minneapolis saw a different version of military vehicles. The United States Tank Corps drove this whippet tank, shown here on Hennepin Avenue, around downtown and proved, as the papers reported, it was “as useful in the ways of peace as in war.” The tank’s drivers successfully unstuck a heavy load of coal from Nicollet Avenue, dug out lighter vehicles from snow banks, and generally impressed crowds of onlookers by their ability to “whirl around like a rowboat.” The tank was in town for the Northwestern Automotive and Industrial Show.

Image from Hennepin History Museum’s collection. Cedar Imboden Phillips serves as executive director for the Hennepin History Museum. Learn more about the museum and its offerings at hennepinhistory.org or 870-1329.

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journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018 3

News By Eric Best ebest@journalmpls.com @ericthebest

A new downtown YMCA is spread across each ﬂoor of the skyway-connected Gaviidae Common on Nicollet Mall. Photo by Eric Best

NICOLLET MALL

NOW OPEN

Douglas Dayton YMCA

Virtual reality fitness, a stainless-steel pool and aromatherapy are among the latest health trends that officials say will make it fun to stay at downtown’s YMCA. The YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities has opened a replacement of its ﬂagship downtown facility that stretches across each level of the five-story Gaviidae Common on Nicollet Mall. Inside, the latest wellness innovations, new community partnerships and modern facilities are designed to take the 160-year-old organization into its next chapter. “We’re focused on innovation. We’re focused on leaning into the future. We’re focused on serving all [and] having an impact so that all can thrive in each stage of life,” said Glen Gunderson, CEO of the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities. The Douglas Dayton YMCA, named for the late businessman, YMCA volunteer, Target founder and uncle of Gov. Mark Dayton, takes up 105,000 square feet of the downtown shopping center and a new rooftop deck. On the first ﬂoor is the Power House, a dedicated space for personal training and conditioning that will be visible from the street. Personal trainer Elis Bradshaw said the space will enhance what she does in the rest of the building. The George Wellbeing Center on the skyway level is a new facility designed around health and wellness and will bring in new classes and programming that includes lifestyle coaching, nutrition counseling, light therapy, acupuncture and meditation. The center, named for Penny and Bill George of the George Family Foundation, is meant to connect YMCA members with de-stressing and healing practices that they can do themselves or in their own home. Penny George said in a video message to media that “self-

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Personal trainer Elis Bradshaw said fans of “American Ninja Warrior” will have fun working out on the YMCA’s fitness equipment. Photo by Eric Best care is the true primary care.” “Our hope is that we actually can create a healthier America through doing this,” she said. Members will enter the facility on the third floor where electronic turnstiles have replaced a staffed check-in desk. The entire floor features group exercise rooms, locker rooms and Harmony rooms for yoga and Pilates. The new Equity Innovation Center will be home to a think tank initiative the YMCA is developing with the Minneapolis Downtown Council to host corporate teams, nonprofits, faith organizations and other groups for events centered on equity and inclusion. The Y’s first simulation room will host interactive programming built by the Science Museum of Minnesota based on interviews and meetings with minority and religious groups. Dr. Hedy Lemar Walls, senior vice president of social responsibility, said the space is meant to provoke local leaders and workers to think about diversity in their own sector. “This is not anywhere in the country. This SEE YMCA / PAGE 4

Mayor Jacob Frey tried out a digital bike program in the YMCA’s Summit studio. Photo by Eric Best

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4 journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018

News

A larger Green + the Grain oﬀers seating for up to 60 people. Photo by Eric Best

SKYWAY

NOW OPEN

Fans of Green + the Grain have even more to love at the food truck-turned-skyway chain’s third restaurant, which has officially opened in U.S. Bank Plaza. The larger, roughly 4,000-square-foot salad and wrap stop features a separate counter for organic frozen yogurt. The store-within-a-store yogurt concept features three machines capable of serving six ﬂavors, including the original tart, vanilla, salted caramel and fruit ﬂavors. Patrons can then add fresh fruit, nuts and sweets to their yogurt bowls with everything charged by the ounce. The restaurant, located in the former Eddington’s Soup & Salad space, serves Green + the Grain’s menu of signature salads

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FROM YMCA / PAGE 3

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and wraps with housemade dressings. There are about 60 seats for patrons, including a long high-top bar with window views of U.S. Bank Stadium. The chain of restaurants from co-owners Tiffany Hauser and Dustin Naugle has grown from a food truck to include an original skyway location in LaSalle Plaza and a second restaurant in the Baker Center. Hauser told The Journal last summer that the larger kitchen will enable Green + the Grain to get food delivered outside downtown Minneapolis via third-party delivery companies. Green + the Grain is now open at 200 S. 6th St., at U.S. Bank Plaza in downtown Minneapolis.

is the first of its kind,” she said. On the fourth floor is the facility’s free weight and strength training area, a gymnasium and a stretching space. Hydromassage tubs are available for an extra charge. A new four-lane lap pool is made of stainless steel, which Shannon Kinstler, senior director of aquatics, said is to make it lighter. The pool is set to open the week of Feb. 5. This floor will showcase up-and-coming fitness equipment such as Icaros, an interactive virtual reality machine from Germany that has users flying through snow-covered mountains and working several muscles in the process. A VirZOOM virtual reality exercise bike makes biking into a game with digital trips through race tracks, canyons or battlefields. “Yesterday, I was on there on a horse trying to catch bandits so I had to speed up to catch them and then lasso them,”

said Andrea Krohnberg, senior director of member engagement. “It’s really incorporating technology into the workouts so you kind of lose yourself.” Craig Paulnock, vice president of digital product strategy and innovation, said these digital workout enhancements help the Y stay relevant. “This could be the future of fitness, but maybe it’s not,” he said. “Unless we’re trying new things, we’ll always be followers.” The fifth ﬂoor features a Fitscape room with lights and a thumping audio system to enhance group exercise classes. A Summit room for cycling classes can take users through the Alps or other far-off destinations through a screen, which can also show real-time data from each bike. YMCA offices in downtown and Northeast Minneapolis have been consolidated into a large open office with several conference rooms themed around fitness programs like canoeing. SEE YMCA / PAGE 5

journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018 5

News

O’Cheeze oﬀers a larger menu of the food truck’s sandwiches and soups in the skyway. Photo by Eric Best

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O’Cheeze may have opened a new skyway restaurant, but its neighbors haven’t changed much. Co-owners Haley and Tony Fritz have taken the grilled cheese food truck to a corner of the skyway with Green + The Grain and Vellee Deli, two fellow brick-and-mortar businesses that started as food trucks and made the leap to the second story. When office workers find a place to have lunch, Tony said, they’ll think of this food truck corner. “We want people who take as food as seriously as we do around us,” he said. “You learn very quickly operating food trucks that the other trucks that you surround yourself with boost business.” The approximately 1,600-square-foot location in the Baker Center Roanoke Building is an expanded version of the concept, offering more than nine sandwiches instead of five and three soups instead of a single option. O’Cheeze offers skyway office workers breakfast starting at 7:30 a.m. Tony said they are looking to partner with Five Watt Coffee of Minneapolis to supply their morning brew. Instead of entering the skyway and leaving the trucks — dubbed Old Bleu and Little Colby — behind, Tony said they expanded in

order to support the trucks. The restaurant’s 24-hour kitchen is equipped with a cook and hold oven for braising meats around the clock, which is necessary to produce the pulled chicken and pork in their sandwiches. The expansion was delayed after the two launched another business, a cookie dough food truck called Dough Dough. The concept, which can be found in downtown Minneapolis, has already spawned a brick-and-mortar location at the Mall of the America. Their next plan is to open a spinoff of O’Cheeze at Keg & Case Market, a food hall that is slated to open later this year in the former keg house at St. Paul’s historic Schmidt Brewery complex. Tony said the bar will take a deeper dive into cheese with new cheese and beer pairings. After opening several businesses in the past year, Tony said they’re not pining to open more O’Cheeze or Dough Dough locations in the very near future. Instead, the two said they grow them as opportunities present themselves organically. “We kind of need a slowdown for just a little bit,” he said. O’Cheeze, at 705 Marquette Ave., is open 7:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

FROM YMCA / PAGE 4

in the street itself, Nicollet Mall will be a bust if it doesn’t have activity surrounding it, and the Y adds significantly to it,” he said in an interview. Frey said the facility pairs with the work the City of Minneapolis is doing with equity. “I want to make sure Minneapolis is a thriving city and working for the collective, and it’s very clear that the Y is doing exactly that,” he said.

A new rooftop space, technically on a sixth ﬂoor, will feature an outdoor studio and deck with views from the core of downtown. Mayor Jacob Frey said the $30 million renovation, located kitty-corner from the former Macy’s building that is being redeveloped, follows the city’s $50 million investment in reconstructing Nicollet Mall. “No matter how much money you invest

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6 journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018

Government

Volume 49, Issue 3 Publisher Janis Hall jhall@journalmpls.com Co-Publisher & Sales Manager Terry Gahan tgahan@journalmpls.com General Manager Zoe Gahan zgahan@journalmpls.com Editor Dylan Thomas 612-436-4391 dthomas@journalmpls.com @DThomasJournals Assistant Editor Eric Best ebest@journalmpls.com @ericthebest Staff Writers Michelle Bruch mbruch@journalmpls.com @MichelleBruch Nate Gotlieb ngotlieb@journalmpls.com @NateGotlieb Contributing Writers Jenny Heck Jahna Peloquin Client Services Delaney Patterson 612-436-5070 dpatterson@journalmpls.com Creative Director Valerie Moe 612-436-5075 vmoe@journalmpls.com Senior Graphic Designer Micah Edel medel@journalmpls.com Graphic Designer Kaitlin Ungs kungs@journalmpls.com Contributing Designer Sarah Karnas Design Intern Victoria Hein Distribution Marlo Johnson 612-436-4388 distribution@journalmpls.com Advertising 612-436-4360 sales@journalmpls.com Printing ECM Publishers, Inc.

Next issue: February 22 Advertising deadline: February 14 30,000 copies of The Journal are distributed free of charge to homes and businesses in Downtown and Northeast Minneapolis.

CIVIC BEAT

By Dylan Thomas dthomas@journalmpls.com @dthomasjournals

Leading in a ‘new era’ for cities City Council President Lisa Bender said cities like Minneapolis are entering a “new era,” one in which legislative gridlock in state houses and in Washington, D.C. has given municipal elected officials an opportunity to take the lead. “Cities like Minneapolis are taking on issues that city councils didn’t deal with: minimum wage and paid sick time, housing pressures. Things that legislators or the federal government typically dealt with on a much larger scale,” she said. With the stakes so much higher, Bender said, it “makes sense” that the disagreement and debate between council members is amplified. In comments delivered shortly after their January inauguration, Bender encouraged her colleagues to embrace the debate while also remembering that the Council’s 12 Democrats and one Green Party member share many of the same values and priorities. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to deliver things that will make people feel like local government is making their lives better,” she said. “And then, more and more people, hopefully, will get excited about staying involved.” Bender, who represents Ward 10, and Vice President Andrea Jenkins of Ward 8 spoke about the four-year Council term ahead in separate interviews in January. After a 2017 election that put new members into five of the Council’s 13 seats, both expressed a desire to leave campaign season behind and get to work. One of the new Council’s first tasks was to choose new leadership, and both Bender and Jenkins were elected to their new roles on unanimous votes. The negotiations between council members took place out of public view; Jenkins, who also sought the council presidency, described it as “a tough process, but it was a respectful and collegial process.” Bender, who as president assigned members to

Council committees, placed Jenkins at the head of a new Race Equity Subcommittee that will operate within the Committee of the Whole. Jenkins said addressing the city’s stark racial disparities was her “No. 1 goal” and described her role “as being a voice for addressing and lifting up the structural inequalities that have been inherent in Minneapolis.” “I believe that addressing those inequities actually benefits all people,” she said. The subcommittee’s mandate is potentially very broad, given that racial and socioeconomic disparities are evident across a variety of measures, including homeownership rates, educational attainment, employment and income. But Jenkins said much of the subcommittee’s focus would be on how well the city enterprise is living up to its own stated equity goals. “You’ve got to get your own house in order first,” she said. Mayor Jacob Frey made “economic inclusion” one of three policy priorities for his new administration, along with improving police-community relations and expanding access to affordable housing. Bender said the council shares those priorities, but she expected her colleagues on the council to “talk about race equity more explicitly” in their work. “In a city with the worst racial disparities in the country, that means centering race equity in growth,” she said. “I’m very excited that the City of Minneapolis has an opportunity right now to create an alignment between people who support and welcome change and people who are demanding race equity.” Bender said housing affordability and stability were her top priorities for the current term, adding that she’s specifically interested in adding new protections for renters. “My ward is 80 percent renter, and with really low rental vacancy rates and a growing popula-

tion, it’s putting a lot of stress on my constituents,” she said. Bender selected Ward 2 Council Member Cam Gordon to chair a new Housing Policy and Development Committee. Following the election, Gordon is now the second longest serving council member, and Bender said his experience and skill at moving policy made him a good choice to lead a committee that is poised to take on some of the city’s most pressing challenges. Bender said her goal with committee assignments was to put council members in position to lead in the policy areas they care most about, and she expected the upcoming term to be “very active.” “I think there’s a narrative about this Council that it’s more like an activist Council, but when I talk to my colleagues, they’re really talking about what they heard from voters … in their wards. They’re very focused on those priorities that they heard from their constituents,” she said. “That may translate into what seems like a progressive policy shift. But they didn’t run for office because they saw something happening in Seattle and were like, ‘Oh my gosh, we need that in Minneapolis.’ They’re hearing it from the voters in their wards.” Jenkins, who served as a policy aide to two council members before running for office, said part of the “balancing act” of the job was dealing with 11-inch snowfalls and the impacts of highway construction. But she said her colleagues seemed to share her desire to make broader change. “What does progressive mean? It’s a relatively nebulous term, but it means in its simplest form ‘moving forward,’” Jenkins said. “To that end, I would say that’s a fair characterization of this Council.”

FROM DRAG / PAGE 1

Kampe is one of the city’s ambassadors to the national drag scene. Flip Phone invites in popular contestants from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” which many in the community credit for bringing drag outside gay venues and into homes nationwide. The reality competition, which has enjoyed nine seasons so far and inspired two spin-off shows, recently made the jump to VH1 from LGBT network Logo. Kampe said the Twin Cities are ahead of major cities across the country, which he said is experiencing a “drag renaissance.” “Five years ago, there were not nearly as many drag performers as there are now,” he said. The audience has followed suit. Flip Phone’s weekly brunches at Union sell out a month in advance. While Flip Phone’s main audience is LGBT people, Kampe said the events are a hit with women and young adults who are willing to pay to watch drag queens. Last November, a benefit show with “Drag

Race” alum and local queens raised $80,000 for Puerto Rico relief. The event was even streamed on Billboard’s Facebook page. “I think that was a crucial moment to really show that Minneapolis drag is here to stay,” Kampe said.

Chad Kampe is one of the non-performers responsible for bringing drag shows like this to straight venues. The Kingfield resident is the founder of Flip Phone, a throwback-themed, LGBT-friendly dance party that pops up throughout the Twin Cities. Kampe started the event series five years ago with a Wednesday night party at Honey, a basement venue located just across Hennepin Avenue Bridge from downtown. It has since spawned weekly shows that can draw thousands to mainstream venues like First Avenue, the North Loop’s Muse Event Center and even Memory Lanes to see drag queens. And dance. “I felt like Minneapolis was looking for queer events that weren’t at the three or four gay bars that everyone goes to, so it was always an intention of Flip Phone to bring queer experiences to different places,” he said.

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Defiant displays of drag A century ago Twin Cities audiences watched male and female impersonators, vaudeville performers who enjoyed fame as travelling theater acts. It wasn’t until the ’30s and ’40s that the art became taboo and went underground, said Stewart Van Cleve, a digital archivist with Augsburg College and author of “Land of 10,000 Loves.” Back then, before entertainers called themselves queens or kings, drag wasn’t nearly as visible as it is now and was actually illegal. SEE DRAG / PAGE 10

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journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018 7 FROM JAYNE MILLER / PAGE 1 cares a lot about its parks too, but there’s something incredibly unique here. The politics in this city and the fact that there’s a dispersion of power in the city politically create more challenges and more opportunities. As someone who is in the parks world and who loves that kind of challenge, it’s an incredible opportunity.

Commissioners brought you on to bring transparency and fiscal responsibility to the Park Board. Did you deliver? The organization is more financially sound than it’s been in decades. Transparency was a critical piece of what I believe in and what we’ve done as an organization. I think also improving the level of professionalism in the organization, really being responsive to the community and really rebuilding the legacy of the system. The legacy of the system was there, but I think the organization had become stagnant. I often described it as a sleeping giant. I think it’s really revived. We’re recognized around the nation again as not only as having the best physical park system, but the most progressive work on race and equity issues, tree management, urban youth programming, community engagement and innovative design. It’s at the forefront again.

What should the current board be looking for in a new superintendent? One of things that I did after the re-election with the board was hold a visioning session to understand what the board wanted to accomplish during their four years. My hope is the board does that first because they will have conversations to collectively figure out what they want to get accomplished as a board, not as individuals. That will drive what they need both in terms of focus areas for a superintendent and programmatically.

It’s critical they hire a strong parks professional who has worked in an urban community and who has worked with elected officials. One of the challenges here is we’re one of the largest systems in the country and one of a very few that is independent. I don’t think there are a lot of professionals out there that bring that level of experience because we’re so unique.

Why did you resign? I had multiple job opportunities. I got recruited quite a bit during the time I’ve been here. I was hired to modernize the organization, secure the organization financially and put it in a good place. I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot.

How do you feel about leaving? What I’m sad about leaving is that the things that are going to now happen because of what I’ve put in place, I’m going to miss. But Pittsburg today feels like how Minneapolis felt when I came here. Minneapolis was really on the cusp of doing great stuff. The public, private and non-profit worlds were working together. Everyone was aligned. Pittsburgh is in the same place. The public, private, non-profit worlds are all aligned about Pittsburgh being this rising star. Every person I talk to when I go to Pittsburgh says, “How do we become the No. 1 park system in the country?”

How would you respond to someone who felt like your resignation meant you don’t have faith in the new board? I have concerns about the new board, there’s no question about that. Many of the new board members ran on a platform of not supporting the work that I did, making statements that in my view were inaccurate and not understanding the work that we had

done. I struggle with that. I struggle with people running on a campaign without really having the facts and not knowing what was going on. I want to go to a place where I am appreciated and where people want me to be in the position that I’m in.

What worries you about the new commissioners? In addition to some of the concerns that I had about the platform that many of them ran on, I think there are six of nine commissioners who really know very little about the Park Board. The things they ran on weren’t about taking care of the system. They have a steep learning curve. It’s one thing if it’s one, two or three commissioners, but when it is the majority of commissioners, I think they have a lot of work to do. It’s hard. It was hard when I came in. But to not want to understand those things and understand a $112 million budget and the complexity of the system? I think there’s all of that that needs to happen in order for them to make good decisions about who they’re going to hire, what directions they’re going to go and the tradeoffs if they do this versus that.

Do your concerns extend to President Brad Bourn? I’m not going to answer that. I’ll leave that alone.

You’re leaving behind a lot of staff you’ve hired. How would you say the organization is feeling about the new board? Any time any organization, particularly staff at a higher level in an organization, go through a leadership change, in this case a new superintendent and a new board, there’s a level of anxiety because you don’t know. Understandably so. People say things on campaigns and then when they get in it’s a little different.

What were your biggest challenges here? I would say when I got here that not being from here was my biggest hurdle. There’s a unique culture here in Minneapolis and Minnesota that if you’re not from here that you can’t understand it. There’s parochialism here that I’ve never seen anywhere else I’ve worked, and I’ve worked in a lot of different communities. The organization had been stagnant for quite a while. Staff had been here a long time. One of the challenges with a system this size is that if you don’t get exposed to other systems and parks professionals around the country, you compare yourselves to each other. Politically there are challenges here. There are so many entities involved with the Park Board. I’m someone who believes very strongly in collaboration, so I think our partners were excited that that was my approach, because I think people felt like that Park Board had been pretty difficult to deal with.

Has the tone changed when people talk about the parks? When I was leaving, it was interesting to hear staff talk about how when I got here the parks weren’t very well respected and they didn’t feel respected. I feel a sense of pride in the organization and the staff, and they feel the community’s respect of them that they didn’t feel when I first got here. Back then, there wasn’t a lot of staff development. I think people felt like there was no need, that we were doing our best. But I’d say the world is constantly changing and we have to evolve. I think it was threatening for staff. What I see today in staff is a real pride that we get calls from all over the world about what we’re doing.

8 journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018

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Loring Green West 2 bed, 2 bath with city and park views. Recent updates include wood floors, granite counters in kitchen and baths. Unit features include a master suite, gas fireplace and enclosed terrace with heated floors. Great building amenities with 24 hour front desk staff, indoor pool, multiple party rooms, exercise room, private roof top deck, tennis court, garden room and workshop. MLS# 4894244

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612.347.8088 94

“Fritz recently represented us on the sale of our Minneapolis condo. He was an outstanding partner and had a unique sense of the local condo market. Our family has consistently turned to Fritz when buying or selling real estate. We have full faith in his abilities as well as his honesty and work ethic. He always accommodated our schedules and was entirely responsive when we needed him. His professional guidance was certainly appreciated. I would definitely recommend Fritz!”

FOR SALE

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BRADY KROLL

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Brady and Alex walked us through all our options and helped us comfortably reach a decision. Ultimately, we were able to sell our house for more than we anticipated, and faster than we anticipated, which is obviously a huge win. But beyond the financial gains, Brady, Alex, and the entire Kroll team were so enjoyable to work with. They clearly did their research and provided us advice as to the best way to show the house and maximize value. We couldn’t recommend them enough. - Ellie B. ER Downtown Mpls Office DTJ 020818 V2_left.indd 1

2/2/18 10:08 AM

Nicollet Island East Bank

Loring Park

228 12TH ST. S. ALATUS

12th St Apts Alatus is making progress on its vision for a residential high-rise near the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Minneapolis-based developer submitted preliminary plans to the City Planning Commission Committee of the Whole calling for a 31-story tower with approximately 360 units, with blueprints specifying apartments. The project would feature a skyway-connected building with nearly 9,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and more than 8,000 square feet of skyway office and commercial space. The building would have 580 parking stalls spread across one level of underground parking and six levels of above-ground parking, which would be largely screened by residential units. Back in November, the Heritage Preservation Commission voted to allow the demolition of the Second Church of Christ, Scientist on the site, which is located near the Loring Park neighborhood. Units would be a mix of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and threebedroom apartments with or without dens. Alatus is proposing amenities such as a pet spa, coffee lounge with Wi-Fi, fitness center, yoga studio and a terrace on the seventh floor.

315 1ST AVE. NE LENNAR MULTIFAMILY COMMUNITIES

NordHaus Potential residents of the NordHaus apartment tower will get a first glimpse of the first 14 floors of the building during hard-hat tours on Feb. 15–16. The tower portion of the 280-unit apartment complex is slated to open this spring. A six-story low-rise podium opened to its first residents last September. No tenants have been announced for the 22,000 square feet of retail space on 1st Avenue. Lennar has already began forming a plan for what it could build on the neighboring vacant lot in the Nicollet IslandEast Bank neighborhood.

Downtown West

North Loop

Marcy-Holmes

651 NICOLLET MALL YMCA OF THE GREATER TWIN CITIES

YMCA A new YMCA replaces the 160-year-old organization’s flagship downtown facility with six floors of modern fitness studios, a wellbeing center for classes and health programming, and a rooftop deck for outdoor fitness. The $30 million project opened near the end of January in Gaviidae Common on Nicollet Mall. A YMCA spokeswoman said the organization is in the process of selling its old building on LaSalle Avenue on the southern side of downtown Minneapolis. That facility will technically be open to members until early February when the last of the organization’s classes and programming moves over to the new building. The new Y is named for the late Douglas Dayton, a YMCA volunteer, philanthropist and Target businessman.

525 3RD ST. N. DERIVED DEVELOPMENT GROUP

Graze Provisions A Graze Provisions & Libations food hall would complete a North Loop block with Modist Brewing, Bookmen Stacks and Bookmen Lofts under a new proposal submitted to the City Planning Commission Committee of the Whole in early February. The two-story building would serve as a food and beverage hall with six kitchen spaces, two indoor dining spaces, two bars and a groundﬂoor café with window access. The roughly 17,200-square-foot building would include local chef-driven concepts for casual dining. A backyard courtyard would provide outdoor space and a rooftop terrace would have views of the downtown skyline.

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Sponsored by:

By Eric Best ebest@journalmpls.com @ericthebest NE Ave 1st

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journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018 9

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OPEN BOOK

35W

Bunge Tower* Project for Pride in Living and Riverton Community Housing are moving forward with a redevelopment of Como’s Bunge grain elevator after years of planning. The two developers are partnering on a two-part project, with PPL proposing Maya Commons, an affordable workforce housing development with 50 apartments, and Riverton proposing 95 units of affordable student housing due to the site’s proximity to the University of Minnesota. The rehabilitated grain elevator would be painted to resemble a peace pole and would house a lobby, community space, meeting room and fitness studio.

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2nd St Apts*

Downtown East

Elliot Park

430 1ST AVE. N. UNITED PROPERTIES

Kickernick Building The Kickernick Building is slated to get an exterior makeover under its new owner, United Properties. The Nicollet Mall-based developer is proposing several cosmetic changes to the Warehouse District building at 5th & 1st, such as removing old storefront signage and adding updated awnings and other façade improvements. The project, approved by the Heritage Preservation Commission earlier this year, includes a new glass entrance to the Brothers Bar space on the ground ﬂoor. New signage would display the Kickernick name on illuminated wall signs above the new entrance and on the southern end of the façade.

117–125 1ST ST. N. COMMUTATOR LLC

Foundry development A group of developers are making progress on a mixed-use building that would fill out the block home to Foundry Home Goods and the former Roe Wolfe building in the North Loop. Commutator LLC and Snow Kreilich Architects submitted plans to the City Planning Commission, which voted on the project’s site plan review on Feb. 5, that call for a new six-story building and underground parking garage. The project would add approximately 14,400 square feet of retail space on the first level and nearly 109,000 square feet of office space to the high-profile block, which is located near many of the neighborhood’s popular restaurants and boutiques. About 54 spaces would be available in the garage. The project extends to the two historic buildings, which would be rehabilitated as part of the work.

Minneapolis-based developer Daniel Oberpriller has applied to rezone a site in the Bottineau neighborhood in order to build townhomes. The City Council’s Zoning & Planning Committee voted to approve the rezoning via consent at its Feb. 1 meeting. Oberpriller had previously proposed 10 townhomes near the corner of 24th & 2nd in Northeast Minneapolis. The proposal consisted of two two-story buildings with a few bedrooms per unit.

2212, 2316, 2320 JEFFERSON ST. NE NEWPORT MIDWEST

Hook & Ladder* Newport Midwest is getting approvals for a green aﬀordable housing project in Northeast Minneapolis dubbed Hook and Ladder. The two-part proposal calls for a building built within Green Communities guidelines and another with Passive House standards. The 118-unit project would be restricted to residents with incomes at or below 60 percent of area median income. The City Council’s Zoning & Planning Committee voted to approve a rezoning via consent at its Feb. 1 meeting.

MORE Nicollet ONLINE Island East Bank

For a comprehensive overview of downtown development, go to journalmpls.com/resources/ Loring Park development-tracker

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18 Alden Smith House renovation 19 Madison School redevelopment 20 The East End * Not shown on map

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10 journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018

Nocturna Lee Mission works the stage at First Avenue. Photo by Darin Kamnetz

FROM DRAG / PAGE 6 Referencing a newspaper clipping from the 1940s, Van Cleve said four local female impersonators were charged with disorderly conduct, fined and had their names and addresses printed in the paper. “The stakes were really high. If you got caught, you were pretty much guaranteed to lose your job,” he said. Drag became more visible in the 1960s and 1970s with Twin Cities venues like the jazz club Roaring ’20s and the Sandbox Bar. Gay House, one of the country’s first gay and lesbian community centers, created the infrastructure to help launch the Twin Cities Pride Parade and the local gay rights campaign. At the forefront were drag performers who put on radical displays of gay pride. “They were the ones who were really violating gender norms, as well as sexual norms,” Van Cleve said. Downtown’s Gay 90s became the

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epicenter of drag in the Twin Cities. During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, Van Cleve said drag rose to a high art form as local performers headlined fundraisers at the bar to support gay men dying of HIV/AIDS. With a drag superstar like Charles rising to popularity in recent decades, more and more venues are hosting shows, from Go Tuck Yourself at the Saloon to national touring acts.

A haven for drag Justin Novak has impersonated the likes of Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga — even Harry Potter characters. Novak, who goes by the stage name Nocturna Lee Mission, is one of a few drag performers who have joined a full-time cast. The local queen performs each Saturday as part of the 10-person Drag Revolution team at Lush in Northeast Minneapolis. While he still works another job to cover his living expenses, being part of a cast

allows Novak to make money doing drag, which involves expensive makeup, wigs and fashion on top of hours of work spent getting into character, working on choreography and tailoring outfits. “It’s a very expensive art form. People really have to have a lot of love of what they’re doing,” Novak said. “(Audiences) see a performer for three minutes, but the performer could’ve put in 20-plus hours of work just for those three minutes on stage.” Brian Johnston, the bar’s general manager, said when he and his partners took over Lush three years ago they put in an event center, new lighting and a sound system so they could host regular shows. Hiring performers allows Lush to put money into the LGBT community, he added. “The performers and entertainers work around the clock to raise money and do things for charity, he said. “They’re family to all of us, too. It’s crazy, this little thing we’ve built here.” Nijiya, the cast’s only drag king, said the performers support one another, despite being in a community that can oftentimes feel competitive. “They’ve been there for me through deaths. I’ve been hospitalized. They were in my wedding,” they said. With the growth of the bar’s program, Lush has expanded its offerings with a monthly event that’s tailored to the scene’s youngest fans, many of who likely grew up watching “Drag Race.” An all-ages drag brunch allows families to bring their children to see the cast perform a G-rated version of their acts. Nijiya, who started performing even before they were old enough to be in a bar, said they had young people come up to them saying they didn’t know it was possible to become a drag king. “It’s really a beautiful thing that they’re able to allow access for kids,” they said.

A drag ‘melting pot’ Tygra Slarii, a transgender performer who describes herself as a showgirl with a “Beyonce-meets-Ciara” style, started entertaining at an open drag show six years ago. “They kind of just pushed me out,” she said. The travelling performer, who was won pageant titles like Miss Gay Iowa USofA Newcomer 2017, said with the rise of “Drag Race,” local queens have grown up wanting to be on the show and, even if they don’t wish to compete, they’ve benefitted from a new generation of fans. Despite being far from drag hotspots on the coasts, she said the Twin Cities scene has grown with all kinds of performers, from bearded drag queens to artists who primarily post their looks to online outlets like Instagram. Some women are becoming faux queens and trying their hand at the exaggerated drag style. “This scene is just about growth,” she said. “We’re a melting pot of the different types of looks here.” Whether fans become performers themselves or just want to tip a dollar or two, drag performers say everyone can enjoy good times at a show. Kampe said his events offer people who are looking to escape the current political climate a dose of “pure joy and pure happiness.” “Everybody leaving walks out with gigantic smiles,” he said. “You can’t leave sour.”

Tygra Slarii. Photo by Darin Kamnetz

2/2/18 9:38 AM

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12 journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018

GET

Little Box Sauna When Nordic immigrants ﬁrst came to Minnesota, they brought their sauna culture with them. For decades, it wasn’t unusual for Twin Cities homes to have a sauna in the basement, but in recent years, the sauna has all but disappeared from the area. Fortunately, a small group of sauna enthusiasts are bringing the Scandinavian pastime back to the forefront. One of the leaders of this movement is Little Box Sauna, a mobile public sauna that was built in 2015 with funds from a creative placemaking grant in partnership with Radisson Blu, Mall of America and Ikea. The state-of-the-art structure is now popping up for a month-long residency at the Walker Art Center outside of the Esker Grove patio with an outdoor winter patio lounge as part of its Winter #AtTheWalker series. You can reserve a spot for a 90-minute session, book the entire sauna for two-hour private group rentals, or try it for free during Winter #AtTheWalker’s Target Free Thursday Nights, with other events including art-making activities, moonlight snowshoe tours, storytelling and DJs.

OUT

GUIDE

By Jahna Peloquin

When: Feb. 8–11, Feb. 15–18, Feb. 22–25 and March 1–4 Where: Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place Cost: $20 for individuals, $300 for groups. Free Thursdays (Feb. 8, 15 and 22), 5–9 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Info: walkerart.org

‘Carolyn Swiszcz: New Suburban Mysteries’ In the late ’90s, Carolyn Swiszcz spent three winters in Miami Beach on a fellowship from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. Her time there spent among the city’s faded apartment buildings inspired the Minneapolisbased artist to take an interest in buildings and public spaces. Since then, Swiszcz’s work has regularly transformed mundane suburban scenery and neglected urban structures into sunny-hued, iconic landmarks. In “New Suburban Mysteries,” the artist turns her lens on her home of West St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs, elevating several pizzerias, an Irish bar and a Hmong deli in St. Paul, a suburban water park and a Lutheran Church in Mankato into charming, idyllic works of art. The collection of one-of-a-kind watercolor monoprints are made with a hand-printing technique that, unlike other methods of printing, can only produce one copy of an image that looks printed but is completely unique. When: Feb. 9–March 24; opening reception Friday, Feb. 9, 6:30–9 p.m. Where: Highpoint Center for Printmaking, 912 W. Lake St. Cost: Free Info: highpointprintmaking.org

‘Dancing with Giants’ Politics and sports spar while truth and propaganda duke it out in “Dancing with Giants,” a drama that is making its world premiere in Minneapolis on the Illusion Theater stage this month. A cautionary tale inspired by real events, the play tells the story of an unconventional friendship that survives in against all odds. Just before World War II, three very diﬀerent men — New York boxing manager Joe “Yussel the Muscle” Jacobs, German boxing champion Max Schmeling and American boxing great Joe Louis — formed a unique bond despite the manipulations of Dr. Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s minister of public enlightenment and propaganda. The play has local roots: It was written by New York playwright David Feldshuh, who cut his teeth on the Guthrie Theater stage ﬁrst as an actor and later as associate director. The play stars David’s sister, Tovah Feldshuh (“The Walking Dead,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), another Guthrie regular, who plays a female version of “Yussel.” At a time when racism and anti-Semitism are once again subjects of public discussion, the debut of “Dancing with Giants” could not be timelier. When: Feb. 8–24 (preview performance Feb. 7) Where: Illusion Theater, 529 Hennepin Ave.

Cost: $25–$48 (discounts available) Info: illusiontheater.org

‘Pao Houa Her: My grandfather turned into a tiger’

Rock the Cradle The Current’s annual family music fest is one show hip parents won’t have to call the sitter for. Held throughout the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the next-door Children’s Theatre, it oﬀers a free, full day of musicrelated fun — and plenty of activities to keep the little ones occupied. Take in story time with the Current DJs and local children’s book author Nancy Carlson, an interactive St. Paul Saints exhibit, hands-on musical play activities and that perennial favorite, the Kids’ Disco. Kids of all ages should enjoy live music from Bato Bato!, Brian Just, DJ Keezy, and Andy Cook and friends, plus a pop-up performance from Twin Cities–based woodwind quintet, Chione.

Pao Houa Her is known for her striking, highly personal photographs of the Hmong, the indigenous people of Laos who immigrated to the U.S. after the Vietnam War. Her’s images draw upon the traditionally Western photography styles of portraiture and still life to oﬀer a visual narrative of her experience of being born in Laos in 1980 and ﬂeeing the country for St. Paul as a young child. In her new exhibition, “My grandfather turned into a tiger,” she draws upon her family history as well as her recent travels to Laos and her life in Minnesota to touch on themes of mythology and illusion. Presented in an installation of about 35 black-and-white, color and lenticular photographs — many of which are wheatpasted to the walls of the gallery — the collection of images are both frank and emotionally revealing.

When: Sunday, Feb. 11, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Where: Minneapolis Institute of Art and Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 3rd Ave. S. Cost: Free Info: thecurrent.org

When: Feb. 10–April 7; opening reception Saturday, Feb. 10, 6–8 p.m. Where: Midway Contemporary Art, 527 2nd Ave. SE Cost: Free Info: midwayart.org

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journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018 13

Valentine’s Day events

Victorian Poetry Slam The historic James J. Hill House’s elegant drawing room serves as an all-tooappropriate setting for this long-running Valentine’s event. It features a trio of actors dressed in 1890s evening wear performing a wide range of funny, romantic and stirring Victorian-era poems by the likes of Dickinson, Poe, Longfellow and Browning — plus a few about lumber baron, James J. Hill, himself. When: Wednesday, Feb. 14, 7–8 p.m Where: James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Ave., St. Paul Cost: $12 (discounts available) Info: mnhs.org

In recent years, Valentine’s Day has become about more than a box of chocolates or a romantic dinner. Grab your sweetie (or BFF) and check out these heartwarming — and heart-racing — experiences.

‘Couple Fight: Best of’ The best-selling show of the 2017 Minnesota Fringe Festival is bringing a compilation of their best bickerings to the Bryant-Lake Bowl stage. Watch real couples and pairs of friends and family reenact their dumbest ﬁghts — because nothing is more romantic than making up after a spat. Pro tip: Mondays are Cheap Date Night at the Bowl, when $28 a couple gets you two entrees, a bottle of wine or two tap beers and a round of bowling from 6 p.m. to midnight. When: Monday, Feb. 12 and Wednesday, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m. Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, 810 W. Lake St. Cost: $15–$18 Info: bryantlakebowl.com

‘The Love Show’ Minnesota author, playwright and storyteller Kevin Kling is known for his heartfelt, witty tales on NPR’s “All Things Considered.” His annual Valentine’s show blends musical performance, songs and storytelling for romantics and cynics alike, inspired by ’80s camp-classic TV show, “The Love Boat.” When: Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. Where: The O’Shaughnessy, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul Cost: $29 Info: oshag.stkate.edu

‘Cabarave: Love Languages’ “Cabarave” is a blend of burlesque, aerial arts, live music and dancing, broken into ﬁve sets that each represent a diﬀerent love language. It stars Minneapolis burlesque starlets Elektra Cute and Nadine DuBois along with the sassy and sweet aerialist duet, Kitson Sass and Pistol Prudence. When: Feb. 14–17 at 8 p.m. Where: The Lab Theater, 700 N. 1st. St. Cost: $30 Info: thelabtheater.org

Valentine’s Hot Metal Pour Heat up your Valentine’s Day with this unconventional Valentine’s event. Each winter, the Franconia Sculpture Park hosts an outdoor hot metal pour featuring local metal artists. Join in the fun and create your own cast iron sculpture at a series of workshops leading up to the event (Feb. 10 and 11, $30–$75 registration). When: Saturday, Feb. 17, noon–5 p.m. Where: Franconia Sculpture Park, 29836 St. Croix Trail N., Shafer Cost: Free Info: franconia.org

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Android downloads 5 Array around a surge protector 10 Words after deal or count 14 Bridges of Hollywood 15 Part of a sports complex 16 Enveloping glow 17 “NBA Friday” channel 18 Peachy 19 Dental exam image 20 Inquiry meant to entrap 23 Right-angled shape 24 Per __: daily 25 Freebies with a bowl of soup 30 Mud __: type of wasp 34 Sharp-eyed flier 35 Nonfluctuating method of doing things 37 Org. supporting flossing 38 Freelancer’s encl. 39 QB scores 40 Impressionist once labeled “The Man of a Thousand Voices”

62 Baking chamber

10 Largest amount

44 Heart-to-heart

63 Makes docile

11 Money in Malta

45 Used to change a

64 Folklore brute

12 Mideast nation in a 2015 nuclear deal

65 Remain up in the air

13 Vote against

66 Sport with clay disks

21 Lodge logo animal

67 Can’t live without

25 Seals in the juices of

22 Hazmat suit hazard

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50 Move on tiptoe, say 52 Wander

26 Traffic report source

53 Take the lid off

27 Spy plane acronym

54 It usually has a set

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46 “Already?”

1 Brother of Cain

47 First-stringers

28 Sit for a bit

2 Cuban currency

49 Honorary legal degs.

29 ERA and RBI, e.g.

55 “That makes sense”

3 Respected Smurf

51 Ipanema’s city

31 Montana city

4 Basking locale on a cruise ship

32 Tribal leader

56 Hard-to-resist

5 Walks like a duck 6 Baghdad’s country

59 Pop music’s “hottest spot north of Havana”

7 Eye care solution brand

60 Shut down

8 Pulled the plug on

61 Three, in Germany

9 Ties the knot

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48 Relieved (of )

45 Pedometer unit

52 Wealthy, and a hint to the first word of 20-, 35- and 40-Across

February 14 is Ash Wednesday

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feeling 57 Actor Richard 58 Moved quickly, old-style 59 Squad car driver Crossword answers on page 14

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2/6/18 11:44 St. Olaf AM Catholic Church DTJ 020818 9.indd 1

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14 journalmpls.com / February 8–21, 2018

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MUSIC / FOOD / DRINKS / ART OUTDOORS / ENTERTAINMENT SOCIAL / SHOPPING WHAT TO DO DOWNTOWN AFTER WORK BY ERIC BEST

MUSIC

Enter the ‘Symulation’

Combine Sailor Moon, a Lady Gaga Super Bowl outfit and a robot, and you’d have something that looks like Symone Smash It. The Twin Cities-based singer, whose given name is Symone Marie, channels a cosmic character when performing her own unique spin on electronic dance music that blends dancey, upbeat production with interdimensional lyrics. The music, co-produced with local producer Eyedyed, is the result of the years Marie spent as a kid watching Saturday morning TV. When your parents are both actors, you’ll tend to be a bit theatrical, and Marie doesn’t miss the mark. “I don’t remember a time I wasn’t singing. I (was) always singing theme songs of my favorite cartoons,” she said. As Symone Smash It, Marie performs in shimmering makeup, carefully placed jewels and layers of metallic and iridescent clothing that bring her into character. Marie describes Symone Smash It as “confident” and someone who “knows all the right moves.” “She can do anything. She’s in all realities at once, all possibilities are available her. It’s an open game. It’s ‘(The) Sims’ and she’s the player,” she said. Symone Smash It has released a fivesong EP, last year’s “Symulation,” with more music — either another EP or a debut album — set to drop later this year. Marie calls her music progressive

house or electronic pop, but whatever you call it, it’s decidedly surreal and high energy. Marie and her fellow dancers Aveo and Trey Chic work the crowd with glamorous moves, their silvery outﬁts glistening in the vibrant concert lights. “I do want people to get involved and have a good time,” she said. The vibe matches the music perfectly. “Automaton” is enough to get a robot to dance (“And you’ll feel alive / for the very ﬁrst time”). “Dark Matter” poses a series of ontological questions, but as the bass booms, it throws them to the wind (“Is the sky blue? Are the waves too? It doesn’t matter”). The slower, more atmospheric “Wander” features a lush production, an operatic bridge and a story of Symone adventuring through time, seasons and moments that make existence — be it robotic, alien or something more — worth it (“I wish I could hold tighter to the ones / the ones that seem too fast”). Marie said she’s looking to develop the lore around her character, so who knows? Maybe the out-of-thisworld personality will make the jump to another medium — or another dimension. “I want to expand Symone Smash It into a comic book character, a video game. I want a TV series for Symone Smash It,” she said. Symone Smash It will play Daddy, a queer variety show, at First Avenue’s mainroom on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. The 18-plus show will feature a number of acts, including local R&B singer Nick Jordan and DJ Keezy.

DRINKS

COWBOYS AND COCKTAILS

Walk into Dalton & Wade Whiskey Common and you’ll be immersed in a reﬁned aesthetic of cowboys, contemporary Americana and whiskey. Even the name comes from two “Road House” characters, in case you needed a glimpse into the owners’ vision board. What I didn’t notice right away was the music, but with a vintage jukebox near the bar, it makes sense. But it goes further.

Co-owner Sean Geraty is a veteran of Nashville’s music scene and is bringing in 89.3 The Current DJ Bill DeVille, host of the “United States of Americana” radio show, to try his own hand at spinning bluegrass, alt-country and roots tunes. DeVille will delve into his own person LP collection for United States of Americana happy hours held 5 p.m.–7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month, though times and dates may change (check the restaurant’s website for details). Geraty

called DeVille a “perfect match” for the restaurant. “One of the cornerstones of our brand was always to have great music that ﬁt with the theme of our cooking and the whiskey,” he said in a statement. In addition to regular happy hour deals, guests can win gift cards and concert tickets. A lucky winner at the inaugural Feb. 8 happy hour will walk away with tickets to Robert Plant and the Sensational Shape Shifters’ sold-out Thursday, Feb. 22 show at the Orpheum Theatre.

CONDO FINANCING

Steve Mohabir: 612.347.8045

REALTORS

Randy Cernohous: 612.382.3196 Karie Curnow: 612.347.8022 Christopher Friend: 612.827.5847 Brian Helms: 612.913.6400 Brady Kroll: 612.347.8050 Fritz Kroll: 612.347.8088 Dolly Langer: 612.280.8898 Susan Lindstrom: 612.347.8077 Lynn Morgan: 612.703.1088 Matt Morgan: 612.321.6655 Juley Speed: 612.986.3478 Mike Sward: 612.889.7210 Shawn Thorud: 612.347.8079

CAREERS IN REAL ESTATE

Sarah Fischer Johnson, Mgr: 612.940.9645 DowntownNeighbor.com • 612.347.8000

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CROSSWORD ANSWERS

Serving people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, HOBT collaborates with SCHOOLS and COMMUNITIES on unique, interactive ART RESIDENCIES that nurture the creative spirit and encourage a sense of joy and wonder. Visit hobt.org or call 612.721.2535 for more information.

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Cabbage rolls with herb tomato sauce By chef Heather Meyer Serves 4 Ingredients

Method

1 head green cabbage

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

1 ½ cup cooked short grain brown rice 1 egg, slightly beaten ¼ cup milk ¼ cup diced onion, shallots or leeks 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb. ground beef from Sunshine Harvest Farms at the Mill City Farmers Market 1 teaspoon salt

Voices

½ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup minced fresh herbs (dill, parsley, mint, thyme and basil, or whatever you have)

Mill City Cooks / By Jenny Heck

EMBRACE THE NORTH WITH CABBAGE

1 cup Greek yogurt and/or sour cream mixed with 1 teaspoon dill, for serving Assortment of pickled vegetables from Martha’s Joy at the Mill City Farmers Market For the Sauce ½ Tablespoon butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tablespoons tomato paste

mbrace the North and last months of winter with cabbage rolls! While no one ever accused cabbage of being the most exciting vegetable, it is used in numerous ways, reﬂecting many cultures throughout the Northern hemisphere where, historically, storage crops like cabbage play an important roll in winter diets. There are probably as many recipes for cabbage rolls as there are grandmas, and they all vary in terms of ﬂavor profile, filling and size. Eastern European cabbage rolls are typically fist-sized rolls filled with ground meat, rice and herbs and served in a tomato sauce

with sour cream, like the recipe that follows. In northern Africa, however, cabbage rolls are typically vegetarian and rolled into skinny cigars. Seafood, mushrooms and tofu wrapped in pickled cabbage leaves is popular in northern Asia. And in Scandinavia you will even see cabbage rolls served with lingonberry jam! You can find cabbage, pasture-raised meat and artisan pickled vegetables and cheeses to serve alongside this winter classic at the Mill City Farmers Market’s indoor winter market, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Feb. 10. Find more information at millcityfarmersmarket.org.

MARKETPLACE

28 oz. can of crushed organic tomatoes 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon celery seed 1 teaspoon caraway seed ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste) ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 Tablespoon honey (optional for a sweeter sauce)

Make the sauce: Saute the garlic in butter in a medium saucepan for about a minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside. Make the filling: In a large bowl combine the cooked rice, egg, milk, onion, garlic, beef, salt and pepper and herbs. Mix with your hands until ingredients are evenly distributed. Place about 1⁄4 cup ﬁlling in center of each cabbage leaf and roll it up, tucking in sides (think egg rolls). Pour half of your sauce into a baking dish (9-by-12 or slightly larger works well). Add cabbage rolls to the pan — pack them in tight! Pour the rest of the sauce evenly on top so all the cabbage rolls are covered. Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until ﬁlling reaches 160 degrees. Serve with dill-infused sour cream and Martha’s Joy pickled vegetables.

Note: Instead of baking cabbage rolls, you can save time by cooking them in a large sauté pan that has a tight fitting lid. Cook for about 35 minutes over medium-low heat if using this method.

LOCAL CONTRACTORS

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1 cup broth or water

Separate 12–14 cabbage leaves (plus more for “patching” the rolls as needed) using any method. I like to carefully cut out the core of a raw head of cabbage with a paring knife and then peel oﬀ the outer layers. Other methods of separating cabbage leaves include: blanching the entire head and even using a hole saw. Once the leaves are separated, boil them for 2–5 minutes until pliable. Set them aside on a cutting board or plate to cool.

PAINTING ▼

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