|
I used to take my car here for all repairs because I couuld talk to the mechanics and they would give an honest assessment and appraisal of my repair needs. Additionally, they had coupons for...
I used to take my car here for all repairs because I couuld talk to the mechanics and they would give an honest assessment and appraisal of my repair needs. Additionally, they had coupons for scheduled maintenance checks in the Southwest Journal with responsibly priced tun-ups, brakes and tire service. I like to do business to local independently owned establishments
And then, I had some bad experiences with Parent's. First, they have a front man who goes down the list and does an appraisal of your service -- he's a salesman and not a mechanic. I found there purpose was to try to upsale (which is also true with Tires Plus or Goodyear but that's I stay away from them). And when I would drop the car off, a $129 tune up special would always find a way to turn into a $500 repair. Also, being a single person, I would find that they wouldn't deliver their service on time. Delays would take us beyond the agreed upon time for me to come back and retrieve my car. And they have no service or cars to lend.
So I stopped going here.
Hide
|
|
If you own a VW, you'll be astonished at the honesty, quick response and competitence of Mike Iacono's repair. The first time I went to his shop, I told him I needed brakes all around and lef thte...
If you own a VW, you'll be astonished at the honesty, quick response and competitence of Mike Iacono's repair. The first time I went to his shop, I told him I needed brakes all around and lef thte car there and he called me 2 hours later and said I only needed the front pads replaced and it would cost $90. This was half the price of my other quotes and he could have easily replaced all and I would have gone along. The next time I wanted a tune up and he did the whole job for $42 and the lowest quote I got any other place was $125.
I used to go to Parents Garage on Lyndale Ave south but they had repair delays, additional charges, and were much more expensive. Iacono is great for one off repairs and schedule maintenance. He doesn't have the computerized diagnostics that the VW dealers have (that makes me suspecious of them) but he is a VW specialist and he knows his stuff. He will order parts and also find inexpensive solutions if you have an emergency like a transmission problem and very little budget.
Hide
|
|
The Paper Source is invaluable during the Holidays because of the huge array of paper for wrapping gifts and more than anything else the workspace and assistance given by the staff to do the perfect...
The Paper Source is invaluable during the Holidays because of the huge array of paper for wrapping gifts and more than anything else the workspace and assistance given by the staff to do the perfect wrap and bow tie on the gift. When I present gift at the Holidays, everyone gasps at how beautiful the wrapping is and I simply tell them, "Yah, I was up all night wrapping these gifts so they would look good just for you."
In addition, the shop carries a variety of beautiful cards, paper stock, rubber stamps, blank books, and cleaver fun books tht also make great gifts. Once while having a baby gift wrapped, I saw they had he "Baby: Owners Manual" and added that to mygift for the party. You'll find yourself upgrading gifts if you go here for the wrapping.
In the spring of 2005, a maroon delivery van flew out of control and rocketed into the store front at 24th and Hennepin next to Paper Stock. Thus, they closed the shop at 24th and Hennepin and have since moved to the Northwest corner of 31st and Hennepin a better space for Paper Source.
Hide
|
|
Dunn Bros has locations all over the Twin Cities Metro, actually, 40 plus around Minnesota, a few in Wisconsin and one in Texas (Go figure, they must be trying to get a government hand out from the...
Dunn Bros has locations all over the Twin Cities Metro, actually, 40 plus around Minnesota, a few in Wisconsin and one in Texas (Go figure, they must be trying to get a government hand out from the Bush admin). But this is about the Linden Hills location. Each Dunn Bros has a unique character as almost all of franchise operations run by local owers. But they have a number of things in common. First, you'll more than likely see the big red San Franciscan roasters in the coffeeshop where beans are roasted daily maing for a warm grind, intense arouma and a fresh cup.
But look around and you'll see a whole bunch of people working on their laptop computers because Dunn Bros got very smart (unlike Starbucks and Caribou) and offered FREE wifi connections to customers. When was the last time you went into a sports bar to watch ESPN2 and the waitress told you that you have to pay an hourly charge to watch a football or baseball game? Right, so why do they think they can get away with charging a usage fee for wifi?
Good coffee, morning pasties, pre-packaged sandwiches and salads at most locations, biscotti and cookies. The all feel much more local and part of the community than all the national chains.
As for the location in Linden Hills, you'll find this to be a environment akin to the neighborhood living room, with a regualr cast of local dwellers who make regular visits from the retire judge magistrate whose life currency is storytelling (humorous) to the Chinese Go players who assemble every Tuesday night, to the foreign Nanny's who care for the neighborhood chidren during the day and answer their email on two free terminals in the evening, to the screenwriting support group that meets here fortnightly to read pages from their scripts and discuss.
Unfortunately, the cafe/coffeeshop at Linden Hills has become unreliable in keeping its evening hours. At the whim of the employees, the shop will close doors early just because they feel like it under the pretense that nobody visits late on Friday or Saturday night. As a gathering place, this is bad practice since people rely on regularly posted hours for meeting friends and quick stop visits. When a business starts becoming unreliable with it posted hours, it marks a decline in their viability. Let's hope that's not the case in Linden Hills.
Hide
|
|
If you are an indie filmmaker or interested in making DV, film, or photography you should check out this professional non-proift support group. A few years back IFP/Minneapolis merged with the...
If you are an indie filmmaker or interested in making DV, film, or photography you should check out this professional non-proift support group. A few years back IFP/Minneapolis merged with the Midwest Media Access Center MMAC and took up offices in the midway between Minneapolis and St. Paul along University Avenue.
IFP/MSP provides professional seminars, classes in film editing, screenwriting, the art of photography and much, much more. If you decide to become a member, you can get reduced price on use of their equipment including film labs, Final Cut Pro DV editing, and their publication called FILMMAKER. This group will really help put you in touch with the people and information needed to be a filmmaker or visual arts photographer.
A great addition to the professiona support community for media arts in addition to Screenwriters' Workshop, Minnesota Film Arts, Jerome Foundation and the Minnesota Film Board. If you are serious about this career you will stay in touch with all these non-profit organizations. If you don't, you're just a punter!
Hide
|
|
Minnesota is truly unique in the level of professional support for people working in the arts and a great example of this is the Screenwrtiers' Workshop, Minnesota Film Arts, and IFP. Few major...
Minnesota is truly unique in the level of professional support for people working in the arts and a great example of this is the Screenwrtiers' Workshop, Minnesota Film Arts, and IFP. Few major cities have such a broad range of post-educational support services as these non-profit organizations provide.
The Screenwriters' Workshop provides screenwriters with a professional development model for advancement in their skills and artistic abilities. There is a step-in process that involves participation in script groups (meet with other writers on biweekly and month basis) to get feedback on the pages you are writing in your script; a monthly roundtable reading called Second Tuesday where your entire script is read by different readers playing your characters; to Script Night where your script is read by a professional cast of actors and actresses on the stage at the Illusion Theater before an audience. Additionally, your can write a scipt for possible selection in SWW workshop production program called Screenlabs.
Few other places in the country have a workshop program this intensive for screenwriters. Frank Daniel, the founding artistic director of Robert Redford's Sundance Institute said, "Screenlabs and the Screenwriters Workshop is better than the Sundance Institute because the support is sustained and ongoing."
This workshop is entirely volunteer run which has its advantages and disadvantages from the standpoint of arts organizational management. But after being in existence for more than 18-years and making a significant contribution to the careers of many artists the film industry, its purpose is undisputed and necessary.
Hide
|
|
Nothing is better in Minneapolis during summer that spending the days and evenings next to the lakes. Harriet, Calhoun, Isles, Cedar and Nokomis all have the unqiue character and special events that...
Nothing is better in Minneapolis during summer that spending the days and evenings next to the lakes. Harriet, Calhoun, Isles, Cedar and Nokomis all have the unqiue character and special events that unfold during the summer months.
Most specifically, the Lake Harriet Bandshell sponsors a series of summer concerts and performances that will satisfy the urge to be outdoors in the summer while still indulding a passion for music, theater of comedy. You will find orchestras and band, folk singers and rockers, theatrical performances and improv in a covered bandshell with big theatrical lights and sound system. Build into bandshell is a concession that sells ice cream and food items to nibble (not really a meal) and snack on. And within earshot, you'll also find a kiddie park with swings and climbers if the children get bored or turn into nagging commandos of want.
Hide
|
|
With all the major art institutions building humungous new additions and ambitious splashy PR campaigns, the MIA feels a little understated and low key in comparison. Often it feels like it belongs...
With all the major art institutions building humungous new additions and ambitious splashy PR campaigns, the MIA feels a little understated and low key in comparison. Often it feels like it belongs in a different century -- and maybe it does but that ain't necessarily bad.
The location of MIA says much about it as an institution. Up on a hill ovedrlooking downtown, nestled among the old mansions where the 19th century aristocracy thrived (and long since abandoned) the MIA became the storage attic for all the lumber, railroad, milling and river barons of trade to house their collectibles.
A great past-time of these worldly priviledged art collectors was to go to the Orient, Africa and South American cultures (or just the east coast) and bring back the riches (booty) they discovered there. Those barons grab up this art like fetish objects, similar to the way red neck bubbah boys are fixated to the chrome bumpers on cars.
Contrast this against the modern orientation of the Walker Art Center and you'll have a very different perspective on art, history and culture and a vital one to the appreciation of art. The struggle for MIA is to stay abreast of contemporary sensibilities, just as the struggle for the Walker is to provide a contextual history and relevance for the average educated Joe and Jackie on the street.
The MIA has awlays been strong in the area of photography due to very good curatorial oversight. They have mounted major exhibitions of art and antiquities that don't fit into places like Walker, the Wesiman, or the Minnesota Historical Society.
Areas they could improve upon are providing series of screenings, lectures or visiting artists / intellectuals / historian what would bring life to their stayed collection. Many years back, the MIA had a series of small but briilant films that would not be shown anywhere else due to their specific focus. They were not well publicized but fabulous in this context. All these major arts institutions have abandoned their commitment to the poor and providing a cultural education to those who cannot afford fees and memberships and that is criticall derisive to an equality society.
And MIA has over the years housed the Minnesota Artist Exhibition Program but with minimal support and little fan-faire. MAEP is a critical component it a city where the major institutions have often turned their back on local arts and artists.
MIA also has a decent cafe and bookstore/gift shop and adjoins the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and the Children Theater making up a campus of arts related institutions.
Try to take advantage of the free admission days
Hide
|
|
Maybe it is a cliche but not far off when they call Whole Foods Market "Whole Paycheck" but I still shop there because they make every effort to provide quality organic product from produce to...
Maybe it is a cliche but not far off when they call Whole Foods Market "Whole Paycheck" but I still shop there because they make every effort to provide quality organic product from produce to cheese, deli to bakery.
Perhaps the key is to shop smart. First, one many items they are competitive with Lunds and Byerly's but that is not saying much because those places can be a bit overpriced. But look for departments like cheese and bakery to go head to head with the quality family markets. Second, Whole Foods has a generic brand that they call, I think, Four Seasons and with that they are competitive. And selectively, I think there are values to be had at Whole Foods. For instance, I found organic maple syrup in fancy modeled tins for Christmas gifts for less than $9.
Make this your measure of shopping success: The secret to shopping at Whole Foods is to leave with a small bag of really special items, if you've gone a purchased a trunk full of groceries, you've probably paid way too much.
Hide
|
|
I am perpetually frustrated with Lunds Marketplace in Uptown although I regularly buy my groceries there. The store is conveniently located at the heart of Uptown, across the street from the temple...
I am perpetually frustrated with Lunds Marketplace in Uptown although I regularly buy my groceries there. The store is conveniently located at the heart of Uptown, across the street from the temple of heritage Sons of Norway, a stones throw away from Lake Calhoun and next to the Midtown Greenway bike trail.
Lunds Marketplace prices are high and it seems they are always trying to devise ways to make them higher by substituting one higher margin product line for a less expensive item. They will happily push a prepackaged $2 burrito rather than the same thing from Resners for $0.79 (and you'll find the same at Kowalski's for $0.69 or 2 for a buck on sale). If you are looking for clab meat flakes to put into a salad, they will barely stock Morey's $2.89 package while trying to push a $3.29 variety form Louis Kemp at is inferior in quality. And if you point this difference out to the managers, they jack the price of Morey's crab meat flakes to $3.49.
Overall, the quality of the product at Lunds Marketplace is better than Cub, Rainbow, Jerry's and even Kowalski's (not as good as Whole Foods or The Wedge). The cheese counter at Lunds is the highest selling counter in the Midwest with all the attention it is given by cheesemonger Patrick Moore. The deli is substantial but not always consistent -- the frank and beans and cheesy cheese items sometimes get runny and really gross. The meat counter is good with nice cuts of meat and a variety seafood. You will find attentive counter men and women who can assist and make food recommendations unlike your other mega-supermarkets or Target SuperStores.
They also have a sandwich counter that makes handmade cold meat and cheese as well as panini sandwiches named to honor neighborhood character. This sandwich service is useful for those about to set out on a walk down to the lake for a picnic.
What I like most about Lunds is that the people working there are accessible and willing to help and it is in the neighborhood. My grade really shold be halfway between Good and Great with Lunds and I could have rounded up not down but I am just a little frustrated with them right now.
Hide
|