April 2017 by Minnesota Good Age

APRIL 2017

LOWER YOUR TAX BILL PAGE 26

r i e h in t e m i pr vent theater in re to e p o h n e m o w These local esses over 50 tr c a r fo s ie it C in Tw in the PAGE 30

Pilots in our midst

The magic of tacky lawn art

Ann Arborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fab food scene

A new kind of senior housing

Granola apple stacks!

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Cremation Society of Minnesota

ABOUT CREMATION Q. How does the Cremation Society of Minnesota work? A. The Cremation Society is notified immediately

at the time of death. The member’s body is taken to the Society’s crematory. It is held until proper medical authorization and a cremation permit is secured. It is then cremated.

Q. What happens to the ashes after cremation? A. The member’s remains are handled according to their written instructions. They may be picked up by survivors or delivered for a fee.

Q. What is the cost for cremation? A. “Our current cost for our basic direct cremation service is $1,595.00.” It includes removal of the body from the place of death, cremation, filing of necessary papers, and a cardboard container suitable for burial. The charge for non-members, who we also serve, is more.

Q. How do I become a member? A. Fill out the registration form and mail it to our

near-est location. Enclose a one-time membership fee of $15.00 per person. The fee covers setting up and maintaining records. It is not refundable nor an offset to final service costs. We will register you and send you a wallet-sized membership card, and a certificate of registration.

Q. What are the benefits of prepaying for services? A. Prepayment provides two benefits – it removes a

stress from survivors and guarantees that services will be performed at today’s cost.

Q. Where can I learn more? A. You may call or visit any one of our locations, or

visit us at cremationsocietyofmn.com or email us at csminnesota@aol.com

REGISTRATION FORM

Name Address Telephone (

)

INFORMATION REQUIRED ON THE DEATH CERTIFICATE Date of Birth

(will remain confidential)

Place of Birth

Sex ❏ M ❏ F

Race

Hispanic ❏ Yes ❏ No

Father’s Name

Social Security #

Mother’s Name

Marital Status ❏ Married ❏ Never Married ❏ Widowed ❏ Divorced If married, spouse’s full legal name, including maiden Are you a Veteran? ❏ Yes ❏ No

If Yes, enclose a copy of your discharge paper.

AUTHORIZATION FOR CREMATION I, the undersigned, authorize and request the Cremation Society of Minnesota or its assigns to cremate the remains of , and further authorize and request that the following disposition of the cremated remains be made: . I will indemnify and hold harmless the Cremation Society of Minnesota and the crematory from any claims to the contrary including all liability and claims related to the shipment and storage of the cremated remains. Signature

Date

Witness Signature

Date

Address Telephone (

)

Email address

NEXT OF KIN – Please list at least one. Name

Relationship

Address Telephone (

)

PAYMENT PLAN – You are not a member until this form is on file and your registration fee is received. “Our current cost for our basic direct cremation service is $1,595.00.” ❏ I wish to preregister with the Cremation Society of Minnesota

Registration Fee:

❏ I wish to prepay for my Basic Cremation, I understand my pre-payment will be placed in an insurance policy to be used at time of death ❏ I wish to register at this time but not prepay

$15.00 $

Total Paid: $ GA 04/17

PLEASE MAIL FORM TO THE NEAREST CHAPEL LISTED BELOW

Complete Cremation Services PROFESSIONAL · DIGNIFIED · ECONOMICAL

CremationSocietyOfMN.com

Contents Salt Springs Brewery near Ann Arbor is housed in a renovated church. Photo by Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

→ On the cover Dynamic trio: These three local women hope to revolutionize theater in the Twin Cities with an emphasis on females over 50. Photos by Tracy Walsh tracywalshphoto.com

Eater’s guide If you love local, sustainable food, you'll fall for Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Subscribe! Want to receive Good Age at your home? Our magazine is free at more than 1,000 rack sites around the Twin Cities, including most senior centers, libraries and metro-area Walgreens. But if you'd like to get the magazine mailed to your home, send a $12 check for a one-year subscription to Minnesota Good Age, 1115 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55403. Write “Good Age magazine” on the memo line.

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From the Editor 8 Volunteers — and female achievements — shine in this issue. My Turn 10 This airfield is home to volunteers who work hard and fly for fun. Memories 12 What is a yard butt? And why do I have to have one for my lawn?

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This Month in MN History 14 Women volunteers played important roles in World War I.

Good Health Caregiving 16 A new law helps loved ones transition home from the hospital.

Good Living Housing 24 New Perspective Senior Housing in Waconia offers something special. Finance 26 You might be able to lower your tax bill with these strategies. In the Kitchen 28 If you like apples, granola and nut butter, we recommend you try this new take on breakfast.

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Good Start / From the Editor / By Sarah Jackson Volume 36 / Issue 4 Publisher Janis Hall jhall@mngoodage.com Co-Publisher and Sales Manager Terry Gahan 612-436-4360 tgahan@mngoodage.com Editor Sarah Jackson 612-436-4385 editor@mngoodage.com Contributors Jamie Crowson, Carol Hall Jessica Kohen, Eleanor Ann Leonard Dave Nimmer, Will Phillips Carla Waldemar, Tracy Walsh Creative Director Sarah Karnas Senior Graphic Designer Valerie Moe Graphic Designer Dani Cunningham Client Services Delaney Patterson 612-436-5070 dpatterson@mngoodage.com Circulation Marlo Johnson distribution@mngoodage.com

40,000 copies of Minnesota Good Age are distributed to homes and businesses metro-wide. Minnesota Good Age (ISSN 2333-3197) is published monthly by Minnesota Premier Publications. Minnesota Good Age, 1115 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 © 2017 Minnesota Premier Publications, Inc. Subscriptions are $12 per year.

8 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Wit and wisdom The oﬃcial theme of this month’s

magazine is volunteering. And, indeed, you’ll find plenty of content to address this hugely important topic for seniors. But if you check out the rest of the magazine, you’ll see that another theme is afoot as well: Women! This month I’ve devoted our cover to not one or two, but three local women — the founders of PRIME Productions, a local theater company created to provide more paid work for seasoned Photo by Tracy Walsh female thespians and stage workers in the tracywalshphoto.com Twin Cities. Coming from a variety of different backgrounds, this truly amazing trio is arguing that being a woman “of a certain age” isn’t a drawback, but, rather, a desirable attribute that denotes experience, wisdom and huge potential for leadership. As Elena Giannetti, a co-founder of PRIME Productions, said: “There’s a slow shift happening. We had our first female presidential candidate. Women are owning their womanness, being proud of their age.” So it’s not only womanness that’s being valued, but also the wisdom of age. I believe our youth-obsessed, male-dominated world could do with a bit more of that. Speaking of strong women: In this issue, we also have the historic tale of Alice O’Brien of St. Paul. I couldn’t help but admire her can-do spirit and courage. During World War I, she worked as a volunteer mechanic and driver for American forces in Paris, and treated wounded soldiers during her time as an auxiliary nurse while there, too. (It’s all detailed in her candid words in the new historical book, Alice in France: The World War I Letters of Alice M. O’Brien.) Women are also silently represented on our Caregiving pages this month: Did you know that every year, nearly $8 billion in health care costs go unpaid in the state of Minnesota? And who volunteers to take on those health-care needs — for free? The answer is “unpaid family caregivers” — a group that is 75 percent female. So with this issue, I’m happy to salute some of state’s many volunteers. But I’m also delighted we’re able to spotlight a few local women as well. Happy spring!

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Good Start / My Turn / By Dave Nimmer ⊳⊳ Many volunteers at Stanton Airfield fly, maintain and even restore hobby planes such as this colorful Piper.

restore old planes and airport fixtures. The volunteers appreciate the history of this place and also want to keep it viable for the future.”

‘It never gets old’

Up, up and away! →→Volunteers at the historic Stanton Airfield keep aviation alive and their skills sharp

Minnesota retirees often do volunteer work, sharing their time

and talent with worthy causes. Twenty volunteers from around the Twin Cities are doing their part at a historic, grass-strip airfield east of Northfield. Yes, they volunteer AND they get to fly. In some cases, they soar. The group includes men and women — former business managers, department heads, engineers, consultants and airline pilots. In 1990, a group of flying enthusiasts bought Stanton Airfield, formerly known as the Carleton Airport. Among the board members of the enthusiast group — known as Stanton Sport Aviation — is 79-year-old Marilyn Robinson Meline, the current board secretary. She flies a Piper Super Cub and a glider, an aircraft that sustains flight by taking advantage of rising currents of air. Stanton Sport Aviation employs a full-time airfield manager, but he’s only part of the program, which also includes a flight school, glider and plane rides for the public, aircraft maintenance, aircraft restoration services, a pilot-certification program and hangar space rentals. “We really rely on our volunteers,” Meline said. “They answer phones, keep logs, fill gopher holes (on the two grass runways), pump gas, clean buildings and, in some cases,

10 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Stanton Airfield’s history dates back to World War II when Carleton College began a program to train pilots, crews and mechanics. In 1955, Malcolm and Margaret Manuel bought the buildings and airfield and ran a flight school and charter service until the current owners, Stanton Sport Aviation, took over the facility, now officially designated as a national historic site. It’s also home to the 50-year-old Minnesota Soaring Club. Hank Geissler, 79, is on the board. He’s also a volunteer and a flying instructor. “I’m being useful here,” said Geissler, an Air Force veteran and former pilot for Western and Delta airlines. “I don’t fish. I don’t hunt. I don’t want to play bingo. I like to fly and I like to work on airplanes. It never gets old.” Geissler, who lives outside Northfield, is currently working to restore a Cessna 140 that dates back to 1948. His son, Chuck, who’s a current pilot for Delta, said the volunteer work keeps his father younger and healthier. “I love the people who hang around,” said Chuck Geissler, who flies a Delta route in and out of LaGuardia. “This place is a step back in time: No razor wire, no fences, only the grass field. Sometimes the boys sit out here in lawn chairs and critique the takeoffs and landings.”

Gliding like a hawk Tom Kuhfeld, a retired engineer for the City of St. Paul, has been taking off and landing since 1964 when he started flying. Recently, the 71-year-old from Roseville has taken up soaring in a glider. “It’s kind of a three-dimensional experience,” he said. “Some days you can rise on the thermals like a hawk. And then some days the air is still and you can just glide.” On the ground as a volunteer, Kuhfeld worked to clean, sand, strip and restore a runway tower beacon more than 70 years old. The beacon light, which came before radar and GPS devices, was used for nighttime navigation. Restorations, old pictures and flight logs are part of the preserved history at the Stanton Airfield, too. Bill Gacki, 68, recently retired as a business consultant. He appreciates the energy, enthusiasm and excitement that permeate the airfield environment. “I can come here more often now that the calendar is blank,” he said. “I can come to talk, to watch, to work … and to fly. I’m flying a tail-dragger (a Piper PA 11) that’s perfectly maintained — and it’s as old as I am.” The Stanton volunteers all qualify for AARP cards. But make no mistake about them: They can still fly up, up and away — and land smoothly on a soft, grass airstrip. Dave Nimmer has had a long career as a reporter, editor and professor. Now retired, he has no business card, but plenty to do. Send comments or questions to dnimmer@ mngoodage.com.

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Good Start / Memories / By Carol Hall

The allure of lawn ornaments →→Whether quaint, kitschy or just plain tacky, yard art is something I just can’t resist

“Watch for pink flamingos!” will soon be my advice to visitors. To celebrate the arrival of spring, I set out a pair of the shocking-pink plastic birds to “graze” in my front yard. The flamingos also serve to identify my house, which looks like all the others in my subdivision. Another reason for the flamingos is my unexplainable fondness for lawn ornaments. Come summer, a lacy white fairy graces my small flowerbed of zinnias and snapdragons. A plaque beside her reads: “Sunshine fades, Stars appear, Garden fairies gather here.” And couple of tiny garden gnomes will peek out of the hanging red geranium baskets flanking my garage door. When friends discovered I had this odd proclivity, gifts began appearing. Flamingos came in the form of a plush Beanie Baby, butter dish, miniature cocktailsnack spears — even a handbag. And they keep coming! To date, I’ve received a second fairy (ivory, with broad embracing wings). Also, two cheerful, rosy-cheek, Disney gnomes and one decorative pillow of a frowning gnome, hand-hooked in wool. Dear friends, I love them all, but no more ... please no more! But, I digress. My taste in yard décor is decidedly eclectic. The flamingos are Post War 1957. Artist Don Featherstone created them as a

12 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

work assignment for Union Products, a maker of plastic lawn ornaments in Leominster, Mass. Fairies have appeared in English, Scottish and Irish literature for generations as mythical creatures who come out after dark and are thought to make flowers grow. Gnomes originated in Germany in the 1700s. Folklore says they’re benevolent visitors who watch over gardens at night. Now, I’ve never taken to the Garden Gazing Globe: Too glitzy. However, I’ve long coveted another item. I don’t exactly know its history, but I’m guessing it dates back to the 1920s. I used to see these things displayed for sale at Ma and Pa roadside craft shops while driving Up North on Highway 61, alongside an assortment of homemade lawn furniture. They’re hard to find today. I’ve been

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Carol Hall lives in Woodbury. She’s a longtime freelance writer, a University of Minnesota graduate and a former Northwest Airlines stewardess. Send comments and questions to chall@ mngoodage.com. Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 13

Good Start / This Month in Minnesota History / By Jessica Kohen ⊳⊳ Alice O’Brien (right) and her friend, Doris Kellogg, posed with a group of men during World War I. “My hands are behind me,” O’Brien said, “because they were covered with doughnut dough.” Photo courtesy of Alvina O’Brien / Minnesota Historical Society

Stepping up to help →→Minnesota’s Alice O’Brien flouted traditional gender roles before, during, after World War I

On April 6, 1917, the U.S. declared war on Germany, officially entering

World War I. The Great War began in Europe in the summer of 1914 and quickly engulfed the world. Already an industrial superpower, America supplied European nations with weapons; food, mostly flour produced at Minneapolis mills; and people, first as volunteers and then, after the U.S. entered the war, also as soldiers, known as doughboys. About 2 million doughboys served in France, and almost as many Americans volunteered. While most volunteers were men, thousands of women also served. Hundreds of women from Minnesota joined the American Fund for French Wounded (AFFW), the Red Cross and the Salvation Army as nurses, clerks, drivers and canteen workers.

Volunteering for war Minnesota’s Alice O’Brien was one of these women. And she left behind a treasure trove of letters describing her time in Europe. The letters, written to her family in elegant and sometimes humorous prose, have recently been compiled into a new book — Alice in France: The World War I Letters of Alice M. O’Brien, edited by O’Brien’s grand-niece, Nancy O’Brien Wagner, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. 14 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Born in St. Paul in 1891, the daughter of successful lumberman William O’Brien, Alice O’Brien flouted traditional gender roles at an early age. As a young woman, she became enamored of cars, learning mechanics and driving her “roadster” across the country at age 19. Alice O’Brien had no need to work, and could have easily stayed home and raised money for the war effort. But in March 1918 at age 26, seeking adventure and responding to the crisis overseas, she headed to Europe with three of her closest friends to help with the war effort.

Her many letters home “Major Olds says that they have not half as many people as they need and that in a month there is going to be three jobs

→→See the exhibit Alice O’Brien’s story, along with other extraordinary stories of the era, are featured in the new exhibit, WW1 America, opening April 8 at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. Through original artifacts, images, voices, music, interactive elements and multimedia features, visitors will hear the stories of an era, a nation and a people transformed by war. See the exhibit through Sept. 4.

⊳ Women maintained vehicles as part of their work for the American Fund for French Wounded during the World War I, including Alice O’Brien from St. Paul. Photo courtesy of Jo Wright / Minnesota Historical Society

for every American man or woman in France,” O’Brien wrote on May 11, 1918. “No one talks of going home until the work is over and I guess that will be a long time from now.” O’Brien started out as a mechanic and driver for American forces in Paris. Later she worked for the American Red Cross serving in a canteen, treating wounded soldiers as an auxiliary nurse and, whenever possible, driving a supply truck. O’Brien did earn a salary, however, she chose not to accept it, asking for the money to be sent elsewhere, where it was more needed. In France, O’Brien witnessed death and disease firsthand, working long days without a break. In one letter on April 21, 1918, she commented, “You see so many wounded that the abnormal becomes normal and a man without a leg or an arm is considered lucky or ‘bien blesse,’ they say here, meaning happily wounded.”

Doughnut dough At the same time, O’Brien appreciated her surroundings and was able to find humor amid the harsh realities of war. On one occasion, she sent an image of her and a friend, Doris Kellogg, and wrote: “Enclosed find a photo of Dode and me taken in the woods, just outside the Canteen, with a group of men who are guards here. Aren’t their poses

killing? They fixed and primped for half an hour before the event came off. My hands are behind me because they were covered with doughnut dough. They begged us to come, but we were so busy we hated to, but finally tore out — just as we were — so, therefore, the result.”

Alice O’Brien started out as a mechanic and driver for American forces in Paris. Later she worked for the American Red Cross, serving as an auxiliary nurse and driving a supply truck.

‘While I am in need’ Throughout it all, O’Brien understood what she had given up. “America looks pretty good to me and I think I will fill the Harbour with tears of joy when I stand on the deck of the steamer that brings me in sight of the Statue of Liberty, but I don’t want to leave while I am in need here,” she said in a letter dated July 16, 1918. During the summer and fall of 1918, and particularly around the brutal 47 days of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, American soldiers suffered their greatest losses. As many as 50,000 soldiers died in just six months of fighting. But the Allied effort turned the tide of the war, giving hope that an end would be near. German troops began to surrender in large numbers, and on Nov. 11, 1918, an armistice was signed. O’Brien was thrilled, writing on the day of the armistice, “Dear Mama, Dad and All — I have managed to dry my eyes and pull myself together to write this letter. I have been crying with joy over the signing of the Armistice!”

Back home again O’Brien returned to St. Paul in December 1918. Back home, she took up social and political activism, including working for universal women’s suffrage. In 1925, her father died and she, along with her brother, Jack, began managing her father’s business affairs. O’Brien spent the rest of her life advocating for social causes and traveling, spending her summers in Marine on St. Croix and winters on Captiva Island, Fla. An ardent conservationist, in 1947 she donated 180 acres of land along the St. Croix River to create William O’Brien State Park in her father’s honor. She died in Florida in 1962. Extraordinary stories like that of Alice O’Brien’s aren’t often told. O’Brien’s story provides context and gives a fresh look at the many ways women were central players during war time. Jessica Kohen is the media relations manager for the Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 15

Good Health / Caregiving / By Will Phillips

A caregiving army →→Minnesota’s many family caregivers still work for free, but a new law may help them cope

Every year in Minnesota nearly $8 billion in health care costs go unpaid. If the state footed the bill, it would mean bankruptcy. If the workers walked off the job, nursing homes would be overrun. So how is it that our state budget survives and seniors continue to live independently in their communities? Unpaid family caregivers. Nearly 600,000 Minnesotans are providing care for adult parents, spouses or family members. The dollar cost of that care is $7.8 billion annually in Minnesota alone — and more than $300 billion nationwide. The actual impact in invaluable. Most Minnesotans say they want to live in the communities they’ve spent their lives in. However, without family caregivers, this simply can’t be done.

The CARE Act The good news is this: On Jan. 1, a new Minnesota law took effect to make life a little bit easier for caregivers. (At least 33 states have passed similar legislation.) The CARE (Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable) Act is a new law designed to help family caregivers when their loved ones go into the hospital — and then

16 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

must make the crucial move of transitioning home. Any caregiver will tell you that taking a loved one to the hospital can be a terrifying experience. It’s stressful, emotional and confusing. But bringing a loved one home can be just as bad. All too often, hospital discharges happen suddenly and without enough time or attention given to adequately training the caregiver. This added stress — and the fact that the caregivers don’t always understand what they’re supposed to do and how to do it — can ultimately lead to a return trip to the hospital.

→→Resources To learn more about the CARE Act for Minnesota caregivers — and to download your own personal CARE Act wallet card — visit aarp.org/MN.

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Three key things The CARE Act was designed to address this problem in three ways: ⊲⊲ Upon entering the hospital, a patient has the opportunity to designate a family caregiver in their medical record. That caregiver is then granted access to all communication between the health care providers and the patient and is able to ask questions. ⊲⊲ The designated family caregiver must be notified before the patient is discharged to another facility or back home so appropriate steps can be taken to ensure a safe transition. ⊲⊲ The caregiver must be given a written description of — and instruction on — the medical tasks her or she will need to perform. This might seem like common sense — and it is — but these steps must be spelled out in law because family caregivers are left out of the loop far too often.

What they’re up against Caregivers today are performing more complex tasks than ever before. They’re giving injections, treating wounds and managing medications. Tasks that used to be provided by professional health care staff now fall to unpaid — and often untrained — family members. As our state ages, we want — and need — as many Minnesotans as possible to stay in their communities. To do so, however, we must adequately equip and empower the army of family caregivers that will be

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necessary to make that happen. After all, caregivers aren’t professionals. They’re not nurses or social workers. They don’t know how to navigate the long-term care system, or choose the best Medicare plan or understand how Medication A could react to Medication B. But they’re asked to do all of these things on a daily basis and they do so because of a deep sense of love and obligation. As a state, Minnesota must do more to make caregivers’ lives a little easier. Without this army of family caregivers, hundreds of thousands of Minnesota seniors wouldn’t be able to live independently — and the costs of paying for that care would cripple our state. The CARE Act is an important first step. Will Phillips is the state director of AARP Minnesota, which is dedicated to helping ages 50 and older connect with the resources and tools they need to plan for a sound financial future and navigate life’s pressures as they age. Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 17

Good Living / Travel

An eaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide

Fleetwood Diner

TeaHaus

Ann Arbor Farmers Market

Zingerman’s Deli

Grange Kitchen & Bar

to Ann Arbor

Salt Springs Brewery

Foodie fans will find culinary delights — from simple to refined — in this Michigan college town By Carla Waldemar Photos by Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 19

An eater’s guide to Ann Arbor

nn Arbor is the ultimate college town — a fizzy mix of 70,000 students and an equal number of “civilians” — mostly alums who couldn’t bear to leave. Its energy radiates from the liberal-leaning University of Michigan campus, bordered by the avenue homeboy Bob Seger saluted in his ballad, Down on Main Street. Main Street still sports that old-time religion with multitudes of bookstores, indie boutiques, galleries boosting local talent and — the reason foodies flock here — intensely sustainable cafes and breweries.

20 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

▲ Favorite dishes at the Zingerman’s Roadhouse include local meats and vegetables, plus macaroni and cheese, crab cakes made with Maryland blue crab, Carolina barbecue, “really good fried chicken” and “darned good corn dogs.”

Michigan is the most agriculturally diverse state, second only to California. We all were doing farm-to-table before it became a buzzword. — Brandon Johns, chef/patron of Grange Kitchen & Bar, Ann Arbor

→→Plan your trip See visitannarbor.org to learn more about Ann Arbor, accessible via a 10-hour drive from Minneapolis or a 1.5-hour flight to Detroit, which is an hour’s drive away.

The Zingerman’s empire Maybe it started with Zingerman’s Delicatessen, The Holy Grail of delis. Founders Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw spent their college years here (an hour west of Detroit) without a decent bagel, and decided to remedy that tragedy. Today the “Zingerman’s Community of Businesses” employs more than 750 people and generates over $60 million in annual sales from 10 businesses, including the deli, a bakery, a coffee company, a roadhouse, a creamery, a candy manufactory and others. Zingerman’s legendary deli these days sports just about every delicacy an authorized gourmet could wish for — 12 kinds of bacon alone — plus a shrine to short-order sandwiches. (The Reuben’s a best seller, naturally.) Zingerman’s launched its own creamery to make the world’s best cream cheese for those bagels, and today produces up to 24 kinds of soft cheeses (The technical term a manager Tessie employs is “ooey-gooey.”) They’re long on local milk, which led to the decision to direct some of it toward the making of gelato (bacon-flavored, anyone?). What was missing? An old-style café celebrating Midwestern cooking. So Weinzweig hired Chef Alex Young to research what he calls “old American food — old-school and simple.” “But,” Young said, “simple isn’t easy.” For instance, to create the very best fried chicken — the top seller at Zingerman’s Roadhouse — Young scoured the South, then recreated his favorite version, devoured at a shack in Tennessee (same for the pulled pork). “Nobody’s doing a very good job with meat,” Young said, “so I decided to raise my own.” But if you overlook his mac & cheese — well, don’t expect my sympathy.

The ripple effect This reverence for authenticity spills over to other foodie fanatics like Lisa McDonald, who runs TeaHaus; David Klingenberger, the self-styled CFO — Chief Fermenting Officer — of The Brinery; and Brandon Johns, the chef at Grange Kitchen & Bar.

Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 21

An eater’s guide to Ann Arbor “Michigan is the most agriculturally diverse state, second only to California. And, the biggest benefit of being a university town is disposable income, both of alums and visiting parents,” Johns said. “We all were doing farm-to-table before it became a buzzword. Farmers have extended the growing season with hoop houses and greenhouses, and by preserving and pickling. They’re now growing unheard-of things, like local ginger.” Pickling is Klingenberger’s forte. He sells The Brinery’s kimchee and sauerkraut to Zingerman’s and to Whole Foods Markets nationwide. McDonald, at TeaHaus, is one of only a handful of European-trained tea sommeliers. “I use tea in everything we make here, from macarons and jam to gelato,” she said. And she’s first in line at the farmers market. “It’s really cool,” she said “People get excited when the first garlic comes in.” Johns, at Grange, is one of those snout-to-tail kind of guys. “I make sausage, confit. I’ve even got fried pig’s head on the menu, and it sells.”

So does his beef-cheek pierogi; his Michigan smelt; his heritage pork loin with ramp bratwurst; and his stinging nettle pasta. At Spencer, Chef Steve Hall gives local produce pride-of-place, celebrated in roast cauliflower soup with ramps and sorrel; roast radishes with Parmesan-fried eggs; and ramp hush puppies. (OK, he sells fish and chicken, too). Fleetwood, an iconic 1947 diner purchased from a Montgomery Ward’s catalog (really!), draws hipsters, past and present, with its best-selling hippie hash — a lusty mélange of broccoli, tomato, onion, green pepper, mushrooms and hash browns, all topped with feta and served 24/7 with toast and eggs.

Beverages abound On Main Street, Vinology introduces the wines of Northern Michigan. Cherry Republic does the same for fruit “grown in Michigan and munched the world over” via juice, candy, mustard and scone mix — plus cherry soaps and spoons made of cherry wood. But, fellow imbibers, it’s really all about the beer. Grizzly Peak, launched in 1995, led the way. In its pub setting, brewmaster Duncan Williams is justly proud of his British-inspired ales. At Null, in nearby Dexter, brewer Ron Jeffries swears by oak aging. His hoppy, citrusy North Peak Diabolical IPA is his best-seller. He follows up with Blanca, a light wheat, breathing coriander and orange. Salt Springs Brewery in Saline — a brewpub in a converted church of 1896 — is the place to pig out on pulled pork and strawberry shortcake before touring the brewery, where Big Brown Bunny Porter steals the show.

Art to explore In Ann Arbor, Main Street celebrates art on the palette as well as the palate, starting with the University of Michigan Museum of Art. Rising outside its Grecian entrance is a Mark di Suvero sculpture, foretelling more shock-and-awe within. And it delivers with Tiffany glass and (Michigan-made) Eames furniture as well as works by Picasso, Rauschenberg and Warhol.

⊳⊳ The Ann Arbor Arts Center offers programming, exhibitions and a gallery shop featuring local artwork. 22 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Meanwhile, in the campus libraries, you’ll discover all sorts of original works, including those of John James Audubon. If Gothic architecture is your bag, don’t miss the University of Michigan’s law school quad, which looks more like Olde England than Michigan, including a law library with a stunning reading room as well as an underground addition regarded as an architectural tour de force and one of the world’s best law libraries. At Peaceable Kingdom gallery, Outsider art captures the fringes of society. Then there’s Robot Supply, which dedicates its proceeds to a tutoring program sponsored by author Dave Eggers. The Washington Street Gallery — a 17-member co-op — and Ann Arbor Art Center proffer elegant jewelry, modern tiles, pottery by talented locals and cigar-box guitars. Shinola peddles its designer bikes, sleek leather goods and watches to the 1 percent. Then there’s the theater where Segar strummed. Tonight it’s Judy Collins.

▲▲The University of Michigan’s law library features a magnificent reading room. Photo by Creative Commons

Carla Waldemar is an award-winning food/travel/arts writer. She edits the annual Zagat Survey of Twin Cities restaurants and writes food and travel articles for publications around the world. She lives in Uptown. Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 23

Good Living / Housing / By Sarah Jackson

HOUSING SPOTLIGHT

⊳ New Perspective Senior Living in Waconia offers a variety of housing and care options, including a newer option known as Vivid Living for folks who have memory problems, but who may not need full memory care. The Eden Prairie-based senior housing company is focused on helping seniors age successfully and “live life on purpose.” All New Perspective communities follow four pillars of successful aging, including physical activity; mental stimulation; dining experiences that are nutritional and pleasurable; and social and spiritual engagement.

→ New Perspective Senior Living

VIVID LIVING

Where: 500 S. Cherry St., Waconia

→ This Waconia community offers a special option for residents with mild cognitive impairment

Ages welcome: 55 and older

When it comes to memory loss, not all older adults fit neatly

into the typical housing categories of independent living, assisted living or memory care. Some older adults have only mild problems with memory or what is known as mild cognitive impairment or MCI. In these cases, assisted living may be not quite enough, but the full-service option of memory care can feel like too much. People with MCI might experience difficulties with memory, language, thinking and judgment that are greater than those associated with normal aging, but they don’t show other symptoms of dementia. New Perspective Senior Living in Waconia — in addition to offering apartment homes designed for independent and assisted living and as well as memory care — offers a fourth type of care: Vivid Living. New Perspective marketing vice president Doug Anderson describes Vivid Living as a housing solution for folks stuck in a sort of middle ground of memory loss. Anderson’s father, who suffered from MCI, ended up in a sort of “no man’s land” of memory loss in his later years. “He was really — from a memory perspective — a little too far advanced for assisted living,” Anderson said. “But — from the memory-care side of the business — he wasn’t quite there yet.”

24 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Opening date: Opened in 2005 with an addition added in 2012 Number of units: 116 units across independent living, assisted living, Vivid Living and memory care neighborhoods Cost for a single resident: Independent living leases start at $2,400 a month which includes one daily meal, utilities and weekly light housekeeping. Property owner: New Perspectives Senior Living of Eden Prairie Other locations: Waconia is the only site so far to offer Vivid Living, but New Perspective will be adding the option to other locations later this year. Other facilities are located in Columbia Heights, Roseville, Highland Park, Mahtomedi, Prior Lake, Faribault, Mankato, Cloquet, Barnum and Eagan; as well as in Wisconsin, North Dakota and Illinois. Info: npseniorliving.com

MOMENTS LIKE THESE ARE PRECIOUS. DON’T LET THEM FADE AWAY. Anderson said it didn’t seem right that his father would need to live in a community with folks who might be non-verbal or non-mobile when he was neither. At New Perspective Senior Living in Waconia, a separate Vivid Living neighborhood has been catering exclusively to folks with MCI since 2012. Vivid Living residents are assigned life engagement coaches, who help them throughout the day with gentle but regular cues to help them stay involved in the community’s four pillars of successful aging, which include brain fitness, physical fitness, social/spiritual enrichment and dining/nutrition. A life engagement coach, Anderson said, might say: “Don’t forget: You’ve got brain fitness in the computer lab at 10 o’clock. You really enjoy doing those brain teasers on the computer. I’ll walk over there with you.” A life coach might say: “It will be time for lunch in 20 minutes. Why don’t you go get ready and get your hands washed up?” Anderson said: “It’s helping them and coaching them through the daily activities. Vivid Living allows people with MCI to have more independence than they might normally get in a memory care community.” Life engagement coaches are involved with residents throughout their days and typically participate in the activities right along with them. Prices for Vivid Living housing and services, Anderson said, are comparable to memory care, ranging from $115 to $165 per day, not including

individual health care or personal care costs. Its greatest value, Anderson said, is in the dignity the residents enjoy in maintaining a middle level of independence. Anderson said that although his father could easily get off track if left alone to manage his days, he could get on by himself if he received the right prompting. “If he was told, ‘Hey, it’s time for bed; you should go brush your teeth and get ready for bed.’ He could go do it,” Anderson said.

Amenities ⊲ Spacious apartments ⊲ 93-degree warm-water pool ⊲ Housekeeping, room service, laundry ⊲ Fitness center with on-site physical and occupational therapy ⊲ Landscaped grounds and patio ⊲ Chef-prepared, restaurant-style meals offered in three dining venues ⊲ Concierge services ⊲ Cafe featuring Caribou Coffee ⊲ Full-service salon ⊲ Billiards and game room ⊲ Social clubs, such as card playing, reading, walking, gardening, baking/cooking and Bible studies ⊲ Outdoor fire pits ⊲ Third-floor theatre and chapel ⊲ Adjacent to Ridgeview Medical Center Do you know of a new or interesting senior housing facility in the Twin Cities that might make a good Housing Spotlight? Write Minnesota Good Age editor Sarah Jackson at editor@mngoodage.com with the subject line HOUSING SPOTLIGHT.

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Good Living / Finance / By Skip Johnson According to the IRS, one in five workers who qualify for this credit never claim it. Make sure you’re not one of them.

Social Security Some taxpayers will be happy to learn that their Social Security benefits are entirely free of tax. If the combined total of your adjusted gross income, tax-free interest and up to half of your Social Security benefits comes in under $25,000 ($32,000 for married couples filing jointly), you’re home free. Above these levels? You’ll owe taxes on only a portion of your benefits.

LOWER YOUR TAX BILL →→Maximize your return — or reduce your annual burden — with these lesser-known strategies

It’s that time of year again,

when Uncle Sam comes knocking, and all dutiful Americans tackle the chore of filing their taxes. Perhaps you’re lucky and have a simple return with only a handful of receipts. But if you’re like most taxpayers, you’ve got a good deal of work ahead of you, digging through files, checking 2016 statements and tracking down documentation for any potential deductions you might be entitled to check off this year. When it comes to taxes, it’s almost your patriotic duty to keep abreast of any changes to tax law — and ensure you get every last deduction available to you. During the recent presidential campaign, there were numerous discussions about deep tax cuts. However, until any changes are signed into law, let’s focus on what applies to the 2016 tax year. Here are some lesser-known tax provisions that can save you money:

Earned income This valuable tax credit, which directly lowers your tax bill (as opposed to simply lowering your taxable income), is designed to help workers whose incomes fall below a certain threshold. If you earned less than $53,505 in 2016, you may qualify for the credit. (You can access the IRS’s earned-income tax credit tool at irs.gov.)

26 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

Your parents’ medical bills If you helped an elderly parent with medical bills in 2016, you may be able to deduct those expenses, and your parent doesn’t need to qualify as your dependent for you to do so. Expenses must be paid entirely by you and constitute at least half of that parent’s support for the year. If your parent resides in an assisted living facility, you may also be able to deduct those expenses.

Be health-care aware Finally, be aware that — unless you qualify for an exemption — the Affordable Care Act (also known as “Obamacare”) requires you to have “minimum essential health coverage.” (The IRS is currently reviewing a Jan. 20, 2017, executive order to determine its tax implications, but taxpayers should continue to file their tax returns as they normally would, according to the IRS.)

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Under the ACA’s shared-responsibility provision (which is still the current law), taxpayers are required to pay a penalty for every month they went without coverage in 2016. If you receive health coverage through your job, simply report that information when you file your return. If you qualified for an exemption or received advance premium tax credit payments to purchase coverage, you must file the appropriate forms with your return. See irs.gov (or your tax professional) for details on this and more. Skip Johnson is an advisor and partner at Great Waters Financial, a financial-planning firm and insurance agency with locations in Minneapolis, New Hope, Plymouth and White Bear Lake. Johnson appears regularly on FOX 9’s morning news show. Learn more at mygreatwaters.com. Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 27

Good Living / In the Kitchen

T E E SW S K C STA → Local granola You can find four flavors of Crapola — including the original recipe made with dried cranberries and dried apples, plus five organic grains, nuts and seeds — at Crapola’s new storefront bakery in Ely, many metro-area stores such as Lunds & Byerlys and at crapola.us.

28 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

GRANOLA APPLE STACKS 1 large apple ⅓ cup unsweetened nut, seed, soy or peanut butter ½ cup granola Makes about 9 apple stacks, about 3 servings

⊲ Core the apple with an apple corer or melon baller. ⊲ Lay the apple on its side and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices, about 9 slices. ⊲ Arrange the apple slices on a plate or work surface. ⊲ Spread the nut butter evenly on the apple slices. ⊲ Sprinkle the granola on top. ⊲ Press the granola down lightly so it sticks to the nut butter. ⊲ Serve immediately.

Source: Rise and Shine: Better Breakfasts for Busy Mornings by Katie Sullivan Morford, Photographs © 2016 by Erin Scott, reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Boulder, Colo. See roostbooks.com.

Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 29

Alison Edwards, Shelli Place and Elena Giannetti (left to right), the founders of PRIME Productions, share a combined 110-plus years of experience in stage, film and television.

These local women hope to revolutionize theater in the Twin Cities with an emphasis on females over 50

“We

come from three different perspectives — a New York edge, a California vibe, and a Minnesota sensibility.” That’s how Shelli Place describes the three founders of PRIME Productions, a new Twin Cities theater company created to celebrate women “in their second act,” with a focus on women over age 50. “The Twin Cities is rich in experienced female talent,” Place said. “But there’s a gap in the plays and roles to fully utilize that resource.” Established in 2016, PRIME Productions’ mission is to fill that gap with plays and staged readings, along with workshops, not only to employ more female theater artists, but also to address issues that are more relevant to an aging population.

Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 31

dynamic trio That aforementioned “edge, vibe and Minnesota sensibility” are attributed, respectively, to Alison Edwards, Place and Elena Giannetti, leveraging a combined 110-plus years of experience in stage, film and television. The three women — who all live in the Twin Cities — say it’s time to exploit “the possibilities of age” that Betty Friedan, in her 1993 book, The Fountain of Age, said modern culture fails to recognize amid the pursuit of “the illusions and expectations” of youth. Only a handful of actresses arriving at “a certain age” are able to find work, from Minneapolis to Hollywood. A lucky few even work steadily. But the reality is that theatrical opportunities typically dwindle — and often disappear altogether — for older females. The Meryl Streeps of the world are the exceptions, not the rule. (And she’s only 67.) A secondary downside is that thoughtful representations of aging remain elusive, particularly for females, further shifting the culture away from reality and back again to youthful bodies, unwrinkled faces and more innocent narratives. Maggie Smith, the 82-year-old British actress who most recently played the sharp-tongued dowager in the Downton Abbey TV series, said, “There aren’t, on the whole, a lot of parts for people my age. There’s no Mrs. Lear, is there?”

More opportunities The women of PRIME Productions want to provide more paid work for seasoned female theater artists in the Twin Cities. But they’re also determined to break down longstanding age barriers, so that different generations can attend theater together and engage in interesting discussions, Place said. Their vision also includes focus groups, collaboration with women’s and senior organizations and a playwriting contest and festival. Though the timing of PRIME’s launch seems spot on — given the eminent aging of the always-influential baby boomer generation — it’s no small task, creating a new, lasting creative enterprise in a metro area full of competing stages. “It takes a lot of energy to start a new theater company,” Place said. “And sometimes I think — as I’m reading my AARP magazine — ‘Why am I trying to do this at this point in my life?’” Answering her own question, Place said: “I see so many female actors and designers in town who have decades of experience, and I want to help provide them opportunities to work and grow as 32 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

artists. I am in this for the long run. It will be nice to know that, as actors mature, there will be a place for them to play.” The women of PRIME Productions are fighting against the ageist nature of the entertainment business on the local level as well as lack of community among older thespians, Edwards said: “As you pass your ‘semi-centennial,’ you have less opportunity, and the roles are often minor characters; so it’s easy to get isolated because you’re the only woman ‘of a certain age’ in the cast.” PRIME, Edwards said, is hoping to create a community and “opportunities for a camaraderie that rarely exists.”

A shared vision PRIME’s beginnings didn’t take root overnight. Giannetti started thinking about starting a female-based theater company six years ago. After reading Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In, she felt energized — and inspired to apply Sandberg’s philosophy to the arts. Entering midlife, Giannetti yearned to feel valid as a seasoned artist, rather than encouraged to begin winding down her career. “I wanted to lean in to that,” she said. Giannetti sees PRIME Productions as a natural progression in a rapidly changing social and political climate. “There’s a slow shift happening,” she said. “We had our first female presidential candidate. Women are owning their womanness, being proud of their age: ‘I got this far and I have something to share.’” Giannetti and Place shared their ideas about women in theater during the 2013 Fringe Festival when Giannetti, working as co-producer/director, hired Place for a role in a play coincidentally titled, A Certain Age, by local playwright Jennifer Cockerill, which garnered an encore performance. They clicked; a seed was planted. Then, when Edwards met the two women in 2015, brainstorming began in earnest. Outside feedback on their idea was enthusiastic and supportive, assuring them that they were on to something.

Making it happen And, so, they took the leap. They received a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) to help launch their first production. An October audition call brought a huge response — 78 actresses — confirming the Twin Cities’ wealth of underutilized over-50 female talent.

I see so many female actors and designers in town who have decades of experience, and I want to help provide them opportunities to work and grow as artists. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Shelli Place, co-founder of PRIME Productions and the director of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut, Little Wars

Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 33

dynamic trio A staged reading in November at St. Paul’s Park Square Theatre received enthusiastic support, as did first-time participation in Give MN, formerly Give To The Max Day. Though the focus of PRIME Productions is actresses and stage folk age 50 and older, the company isn’t exclusive. Men and younger thespians are welcome. PRIME’s first production features seven female characters age 22 to 65, performing a male-authored play, Little Wars by Steven Carl McCasland. Their debut show, which opens May 6 at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, centers on an imagined gathering in the home of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas in the French Alps just before France falls to Germany in June 1940. Guests include Agatha Christie, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and a mysterious American woman sharing an evening of drinks, dinner and intriguing “what-ifs” with intelligent verbal sparring and provocative wit. Edwards, who will portray Agatha Christie, said the characters are “smart, funny, assertive and human — not a victim in the bunch.” Place, who is directing, said: “With the high stakes of time and place and egos and secrets of several iconic women, you have a pot definitely worth stirring.” The play’s cast will also feature Candace Barrett-Birk (Guthrie, Old Log), Sue Scott (Prairie Home Companion, Mixed Blood), Elizabeth Desotelle (Chanhassen, Old Log), Laura Adams (Park Square, Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company), Vanessa Gamble (History Theater, Illusion) and Miriam Schwartz (Guthrie, Workhouse Collective). Richard Cook, artistic director at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul, said the PRIME project is impressive as well as perfectly timed. “There are so many unattended voices right now,” he said. “The box on mature women doesn’t get checked so much. We need women playwrights to be heard as well as to showcase the onstage talent.” Cook met with the founders of PRIME to talk about potential future productions for Park Square. “These women are definitely a power trio,” he said. “I love that they have a single point of view and speak it with integrity.”

Shelli Place Place grew up in Miami. Seeing the musical Oklahoma at age 6 was “love at first sight.” She watched her mother stage shows for a small club, fell in love with Shakespeare in eighth grade, and by 34 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

high school was staging productions herself. With a bachelor’s in acting from Southern Methodist University, she began working professionally shortly after graduation and hasn’t stopped since. She’s produced and directed corporate productions, stage plays, musical reviews and fashion shows throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Her lengthy client list includes names such as Sony, Liz Claiborne Cosmetics and 20th Century Fox. As a dialogue/speech coach, she’s worked with celebrities and dignitaries including former presidents and secretaries of state. Living in Los Angeles, Place appeared in film and television roles including 3rd Rock from the Sun. On stage, she did regional theater and toured the U.S. and Japan in plays such as King Lear, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Twelfth Night. Since moving to the Twin Cities, she’s acted, directed and choreographed at numerous venues, including the Old Log Theatre, Minnesota Jewish Theatre and the Hennepin Theatre Trust. She is a member of The Actors Workout, an ongoing class for experienced actors offered by Raye Birk in association with the Guthrie Theater.

Alison Edwards Edwards, although new to the Twin Cities, has spent the past 40 years in New York acting in theater, film, TV and, more recently, audio books. Edwards grew up in Jackson, Miss., and Summit, N.J., learning theater basics from her parents’ involvement in community theater. In high school, she loved doing plays, but didn’t think people “actually made a living” that way. She signed up for a more practical biology class, but found she didn’t have the heart to dissect a frog. Switching to a drama class, she found an “amazing teacher” who helped her realize acting was what she wanted to do. Acceptance into Boston University’s theater program cemented her commitment. After graduation, she took on the robust theater scene in New York where she did make her living as an actress. She performed at the Roundabout Theatre, the New York Shakespeare Festival and the Riverside Shakespeare Festival, and spent four years at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and understudied Judith Light on the national tour of Wit. She said: “I’ll let the amazing roles I’ve played that are ‘of a certain age’ speak for my experience: Eleanor of Aquitaine in Lion in Winter, Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,

As you pass your ‘semi-centennial,’ you have less opportunity, and the roles are often minor characters; so it’s easy to get isolated because you’re the only woman ‘of a certain age’ in the cast. — Alison Edwards, a co-founder of PRIME Productions who will portray Agatha Christie in the company’s debut, Little Wars

Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 35

dynamic trio Sister Aloysius in Doubt, Gertrude in Hamlet.” In New York, Edwards was increasingly cast in regional theater shows and national tours from Syracuse to Santa Fe. The downside: “I was always packing up and leaving town.” Seeking a kinder, gentler place — where she could be involved in theater and live at home — brought her to the Twin Cities. Today she coaches privately and teaches Shakespeare for Actors at Remedios Creative in Minneapolis. “I’ve been lucky to do a lot of Shakespeare and I love it. The language is so rich, the characters fascinating,” Edwards said. “There are so many wonderful actors who find [Shakespeare] intimidating. I’m hoping to help change that.”

Elena Giannetti Giannetti grew up in Minneapolis and was hooked on theater after appearing in a small nonspeaking role at age 6. Before finishing high school, she’d already appeared on numerous metro stages including the Guthrie and Children’s Theatre Company and attended a summer program at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York before earning her bachelor’s in dramatic arts at Macalester College. Then she moved to Los Angeles, where she worked in the legal department of DreamWorks Studios, then as a contract administrator in the company’s London office. She also served as a personal assistant to composer Michael Kamen, who scored many Hollywood films. She returned to Los Angeles for a few years before settling

back into the Twin Cities theater scene in 2003 with major roles on numerous stages including Park Square, History Theatre, Minnesota Jewish Theatre and Theatre in the Round. She also played roles in commercials, industrial films and several independent films, including the web series Theater People. Giannetti also knows production: She directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Park Square last November and directed/ produced several Fringe Festival shows as well. On top of that, Giannetti has extensive experience as an assistant director and as a tour and booking manager. She’s been a co-producer of the New Look Actors Showcase in The Dowling Studio and is also a participant and class assistant for The Actors Workout, both at the Guthrie.

Unshakeable trio All three women say they’re ready for the considerable challenges ahead. Giannetti added that she and her PRIME co-founders are all three “dynamic, smart and comfortable with challenging each other.” “I don’t think any one of us is a pushover,” she said. “If we want to defend something, we strongly defend it.” Edwards added: “We don’t always agree, but we seem to balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses and provide support where it’s needed.” Though their diverse perspectives can make discussions lengthy, there’s a benefit, Place said: “When a decision is made, you know

→ See their first show PRIME Productions, a new professional theater company in the Twin Cities, presents Little Wars, its full theatrical debut, written by Steven Carl McCasland. When: May 5–21; the playwright will attend and participate in a post-show discussion for the May 12 performance. Where: Mixed Blood Theatre, Minneapolis Cost: General admission is $25. Reserve seats at Brown Paper Tickets at tinyurl.com/little-wars-prime. Discounts are available for seniors, veterans and active military, students and groups. Info: primeprods.org 36 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

There’s a slow shift happening. We had our first female presidential candidate. Women are owning their womanness, being proud of their age. — Elena Giannetti, a co-founder of PRIME Productions

the idea has been thoroughly vetted.” The women’s unshakeable confidence in the relevance of their project is palpable. Thoreau said, “None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.” It would seem that Giannetti, Place and Edwards boast an abundance of enthusiasm they’re not likely to outlive any time soon. Eleanor Leonard currently lives on St. Paul’s East Side. She’s been an actress, flamenco dancer, legal secretary and massage therapist, all of which, combined with a nosey curiosity, provide lots of material for her writing. She writes regularly for The Phoenix Spirit, a Twin Cities-based bi-monthly publication focused on wellness.

Minneapolis native Elena Giannetti is a longtime thespian with experience acting, producing and directing. Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 37

April

Can’tMiss Calendar

ONGOING

Spark! → This sensory-based tour — offered on the first Tuesday of every month with a different theme each time — is geared toward people with memory loss and their caregivers.

When: 10–11 a.m. June 6 (April and May dates are sold out.) Where: James J. Hill House, St. Paul Cost: FREE. Registration is required. Info: mnhs.org

March 31-April 9

America Will Be! → Cantus, a local men’s vocal ensemble, puts the spotlight on social justice with a variety of compositions focused on human rights. Songs will be interspersed with short video clips of community members responding to questions about the American Dream. When: March 31, April 1, 7, 8 and 9 Where: Minneapolis, Stillwater, Edina, St. Paul, Wayzata Cost: $20–$40 Info: cantussings.org

April 1

A Scottish Ramble → This popular celebration will include traditional Scottish music and dance performances, cultural sessions and children’s activities, as well as food and merchandise vendors. When: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. April 1 Where: Landmark Center, St. Paul Cost: $6 ($4 for ages 12 and younger) Info: scottishramble.org or landmarkcenter.org

Photo courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History / D. Finnin

Mythic Creatures

→ Discover the real stories of legendary creatures, including unicorns, dragons, mermaids, chupacabras, griffins, sea kraken and more with statues, large-scale models and cultural objects that have created generations of lore. When: Through April 16 Where: Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul Cost: This exhibit is included in regular museum admission, which now costs $18.95 for adults and $12.95 for ages 4–12 and 60 and older. Info: smm.org and amnh.org

38 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

April 3

Twins Home Opener → Minnesota’s Major League Baseball team takes on the Kansas City Royals. When: 3:10 p.m. April 3 Where: Target Field, Minneapolis Cost: Tickets start at $15. Info: minnesota.twins.mlb.com

April 4–16

West Side Story → One of the world’s most well-known love stories comes to life with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, including iconic songs such as Something’s Coming, Tonight, Maria and I Feel Pretty. The production is part of the Ordway’s musical theater series, which is also

Can’t-Miss Calendar April 17–May 22

Growing Through Loss →→The North Suburban Grief Coalition will present a spring session of classes to help people suffering from the loss of a loved one, a separation/divorce or other issues such as job loss. The first session speaker will be Linda Cherek, a licensed therapist, educator, consultant and author.

When: 6:45–9 p.m. April 17; subsequent session will be April 24 and May 1, 8, 15 and 22. Where: Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, Mounds View Cost: FREE. However, donations will be accepted. Info: growingthroughloss.org

Manners & Misconduct

→→Based on suggestions from the audience, an all-female improv cast will construct an entire story in Jane Austen’s classic romantic style. When: 7 p.m. April 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29 at 7 p.m. Doors open a 6 p.m. Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, Minneapolis Cost: $12 at the door, $10 in advance Info: bryantlakebowl.com

set to include Jesus Christ Superstar (July 18–23), Kinky Boots (Aug. 8–13), In the Heights (Sept. 12–17) and Annie (Dec. 7–31). When: April 4–16 Where: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul Cost: Tickets start at $37. Info: ordway.org

April 8–May 7

Lone Star Spirits →→This off-Broadway comedy hit, tells the story of Marley, who brings her new fiance to her childhood home in small-town Texas. Hoping for a quick visit to her estranged father’s liquor store, she’s soon forced to deal with her football-hero exboyfriend, a single mom insistent on a girls’ night out and the ghost of the town’s bear-wrestling pioneer founder. Where: The Jungle Theater, Minneapolis When: April 8–May 7 Cost: $35–$45 Info: jungletheater.com

April 13–29

Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival →→This year, the festival — one of the longest-running in the nation — will celebrate its 36th year with more than 250 films representing 70-plus countries, all selected by The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul. When: April 13–29 Where: Venues around the Twin Cities Cost: Single tickets are $13 for adults, $8 for ages 25 and younger. Info: mspfilm.org

April 21–23

And the Beat Goes On →→Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre and the Flying Foot Forum present a program that merges Zorongo’s signature Spanish flamenco with Flying Foot’s bold percussive dance. When: April 21–23 Where: The Cowles Center, Minneapolis Cost: $30 Info: thecowlescenter.org

May 6

Union Depot Train Days →→Celebrate trains and transportation at this annual event, highlighting the history and future of passenger train travel with a wide variety of free activities, train equipment, musical entertainment and vendors. When: May 6 Where: Union Depot, St. Paul Cost: Most activities are FREE. Info: uniondepot.org/traindays

May 7 and 14

Sundays at Landmark →→This annual series of cultural and arts events continues with events designed to entertain, enrich and educate all ages.

When: 3 p.m. May 7 (Rose Ensemble) and 1 p.m. May 14 (Saint Paul Civic Symphony Mother’s Day Concert) Where: Landmark Center, St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: landmarkcenter.org

Minnesota Good Age / April 2017 / 39

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M O

Clue: X = E

W X U W R X

S U R O V F X X T

N G U A V

A G U

U D F X V

Word Scramble Complete the following three six-letter words using each given letter once. HO

. R M S X

R U V P X T .

2. 7.8 billion

F G H F

G H N

VES V

1. 38 percent

T X N X H T I G

3. Nearly $184 billion

TRIVIA

Answers 40 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

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CRYTPOGRAM

Crossword 65 Bamboo lover 66 Karate award

ACROSS 1 “__ Noon”: Gary Cooper classic 5 Tippy watercraft 10 “Make it snappy,” in memos 14 Length-times-width calculation 15 Take place 16 Pleasant 17 *Niña and Pinta’s sister ship 19 Camper’s quarters 20 Like some rye bread 21 Number of little pigs, in a fable 22 Decorative theme 24 Crystal ball reader 25 Up to now 28 *Leader of the pack 32 Surfing at one’s desk, say 34 Places for studs 35 Fellow 36 Rod’s fishing partner 42 / April 2017 / Minnesota Good Age

37 “__ you go again!” 39 Like Solomon 40 Aunt, in Argentina 41 Fashionably smart 42 Crusty roll 44 *Yale, for five U.S. presidents 47 “SNL” host’s monologue, e.g. 48 Door-to-door cosmetics seller 49 Cavalry sword, in Sussex 51 Kitchen cover-up? 53 Granola alternative 56 Luau torch type 57 Coffee break time ... and a hint to an abbreviation aptly placed in each answer to a starred clue 61 Opinion column, for short 62 Unfamiliar (to) 63 Director Preminger 64 Baseball’s “Amazins”

DOWN 1 “__ it been that long?” 2 Tax-sheltered plans: Abbr. 3 Heredity unit 4 Venomous letters 5 Cleaner sold in green canisters 6 National park in Maine 7 ATM maker 8 Avignon assent 9 Division of history 10 “O Canada,” e.g. 11 *Renamed lemon-lime soft drink 12 Clearasil target 13 Rose of baseball 18 Festoon 21 Lipton products 23 Takes for a sucker 24 Princess Fiona’s beloved ogre 25 Somewhat, informally 26 NBC newsman Roger 27 *Spot for bargain hunters 29 Golfer’s goal 30 Surgical beam 31 January, in Mexico 33 Hawke of “Boyhood” 38 Triple or homer 39 One who scoffs at boxed Merlot, say 41 “Hurry up, will ya?” 43 TV network, e.g. 45 Sidesteps 46 Smashed into 50 “__ sera”: Italian “Good evening” 51 Proton’s place 52 Plumbing unit 54 Calorie-friendly 55 Not domestic, flight-wise: Abbr. 57 Travel guide 58 Dockworker’s gp. 59 Clamorous noise 60 Understood