Friday night was the Fire & Ice Festival at Longfellow Park. While there weren’t quite as many people out as there were at last week’s Dog Days of Winter Celebration, seats around the campfire were still in high demand.Check out some of our photos from the festival:Some kids were out on the hockey rink practicing their moves.These girls thought it would be way more fun to have their mom pull them around on a sled than ice skate. Cookies and cocoa – a definite necessity.Perfecting their tan – that is, the marshmallow’s tan. Continue Reading
FridayMake the best of the cold weather at Longfellow’s Fire & Ice Festival. If it’s anything like the event last week at Hiawatha School Park, you can expect lots of family fun, treats, crafts, a bonfire and, of course, ice skating and games.I like you. I like YOU. I like your folk, funk, and gypsy jazz. Performing at Harriet Brewing.Catch American roots and pop music performed by Sonic Love Child at the Riverview Wine Bar.SaturdayAlright, we know you’ve got that dusty VCR stashed in the basement and an old pager in the junk drawer. Continue Reading
Yesterday Parka opened its doors for business. The place was buzzing with activity, and had been all morning according to Parka’s restaurant manager. Parka is still working out some kinks as it finds its groove, and plans to have its official opening night in a few weeks.A coffee shop in the morning (starting at 7 AM), you can run in for an espresso to go or you can sit and stay awhile. Parka serves Dogwood Coffee and tea from the Tea Source. At 11 AM, Parka begins lunch service. Continue Reading
Take a winter walking tour of Coldwater Spring, the new park located between Minnehaha Park and Fort Snelling, and you can catch a glimpse of the area’s storied past. If you’re lucky, one of our local historians will be on the tour and can point out the location of homes from a mid-1880s settlement or can talk about why Coldwater is considered by many to be the birthplace of Minnesota.National Park Ranger Nick Krasch leads a winter walking tour at Coldwater Spring.NPS Unveils a ParkWhen the National Park Service (NPS) took over the site in 2010, it was nothing close to what you would imagine a National Park to be. The land had been home to the Bureau of Mines, and when it was shuttered in 1996 its buildings were abandoned, even office equipment had been left behind. Buckthorn ran wild through masses of oaks, and Coldwater Creek disappeared into a steel culvert.NPS set out to restore the area, and its task list was long. Fortunately it had the help of many volunteers to transform the space into what it is today, and although the work isn’t done, the park has come a long way. Continue Reading
The intersection of East Franklin Avenue and Cedar Avenue has the highest number of bicycle-car crashes in the city, with Hiawatha Avenue and 26th Street East following closely behind in fourth place according to a new study out by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Section of the Public Works Department.The study is the first of its kind, and answers questions such as, “Who causes more accidents – motorists or cyclists?” (As it turns out, it’s split pretty evenly), and “Do more or less bikes on the road make it safer to bike in the city?” (The numbers show that the more bike traffic a street has, the less crashes there are.)Study FindingsThe department analyzed ten years of data, pulled from accident reports between 2000 and 2010, and came to three overarching conclusions that will help guide its efforts to increase bicyclist safety in the future. First, they found that intersections were the most likely place for a crash to occur, with 41% of crashes happening in an intersection. Second, they found that drivers were not aware of cyclists or were not giving them the right of way – this was a factor in more than 40% of vehicle-caused crashes. Third, cyclists weren’t biking predictably – they were not yielding to cars, ignoring traffic signs, and riding against traffic – a factor in more than 30% of bicycle-caused crashes.Making Seward Intersections SaferWhat does this mean for the two intersections in Seward? On a post by Councilperson Cam Gorden, he suggests that a bike lane would ease crashes on Franklin and Cedar. Continue Reading
Lots of families were out enjoying the ice on Friday night during the Dog Days of Winter event at Hiawatha School Park. The mild winter night was punctuated with lots of laughter and sounds of kids having fun ice skating. Besides ice skating, kids and their parents were busy roasting marshmallows over a campfire and making marshmallow crafts. The park had popcorn, hot dogs, and other treats. What a fun night to be out with friends enjoying the best of winter!If you missed the Friday night event, you’ve got another chance to get out on the ice – Longfellow Rec Center is having a Fire and Ice celebration this coming Friday. Continue Reading
Denise Rouleau is a Seward artist whose studio is located in the Ivy Building for the Arts. Her latest exhibit is Terra Gatto Warriors of Minnesota – the Cat Warriors. We check in with Rouleau to find out what inspires her art.MB: Tell us about what sparked the idea for Terra Gatto Warriors.DR: The cats are actually an offshoot of a series called “Art of the Catacomb” a body of work that I have been creating for several years with Mark Roberts. The framework of the catacombs consists mainly of vintage type-face cases which are disassembled and reworked into unique pieces of architecture to house individually mummy-like figures. I was familiar with the mummy cats in ancient Egypt. Continue Reading
This is the short list of weekend events. For a full list, be sure to head over to our complete events calendar.FridayIt’s a big night at Northern Clay Center. The Center will be hosting an opening reception for three ceramic artists – Marion Angelica, Nathan Bray, and Dustin Yager – all recipients of the Jerome Ceramic Artists Project Grants. It will also be exhibiting the works of its newest artists in residence and the winner of the Red Wing Collectors Society Foundation.Just before the big freeze hits on Saturday night, Hiawatha School Park will be celebrating the dog days of winter. Roast marshmallows over a roaring campfire next to the ice rink.If you’d rather stay in, it’s movie night with Transition Longfellow. Continue Reading
The Town Talk Diner on East Lake Street is one step closer to becoming a historical landmark. Yesterday, the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) approved the recommendation that the Diner receive the historical designation. The Commission will pass its recommendation on to the City Council for final approval of the Town Talk Diner as a historic landmark.The Town Talk Diner opened for the first time in 1946 by enterprising restauranteur Paul Pearson to feed hungry Minneapolis-Moline factory workers. Pearson built the diner on a small vacant strip between two buildings on the bustling Lake Street near Minnehaha Avenue. The majority of the city had been built out with the post-war boom, so the postage-size lot was likely one of the better options Pearson had when considering a location for his business.It was built in the Streamline Moderne architectural style with a stainless steel exterior, “streamlined” decorative elements, flush mounted windows, and unique turquoise sign.The hole-in-the-wall diner would be hard to find without its distinctive signage. Continue Reading
This weekend is packed full of events. Check out some of your options below. For a full list, be sure to head over to our complete events calendar.FridayPatrick’s Cabaret hosts a mix of local musicians Drew Peterson, Brady Perl, Mary Cutrufello, and Nigel Egg for its Singer/Songwriter Series.Not to be missed, Andra Suchy, A Prairie Home Companion regular, will be performing at 7 PM at Harriet Brewing, followed at 9 PM by Lehto & Wright.Saturday HighlightsFor the full list of Saturday’s events, check out the calendar. On Saturday we’ve got your breakfast and dinner covered, but you’re on your own for lunch.Rise and shine for a pancake breakfast organized by Transition Longfellow. Learn how to fight climate change and discover more about the Twin Cities’ urban farming scene.Meet up with Crime Prevention Specialist Shun Tilman for tips on how to keep your home safe from burglars at a Burglary Prevention Workshop.With cold weather snapping us back to our January reality, tasting your way through the Longfellow Community Council’s chili cook-off will take off winter’s bite. Continue Reading
