17. Rock out at Rock the Garden

Bob Mould Band

What an eventful two days! Volunteering for Bike to Work Week, watching a movie in a park, and then all of Saturday was packed. John and I had a very Minneapolis (i.e. liberal) day: 1) go to the Midtown Farmers Market; 2) check out The Hub's Used Bike Extravaganza; 3) work in the community garden; 4) take the bus to Rock the Garden. Whew!

John surprised me with tickets to Rock the Garden last month and we've been looking forward to it ever since. Rock the Garden is an annual concert coordinated by The Current and Walker Arts Center. This year's line-up: Dan Deacon, Low, The Bob Mould Band, Silversun Pickups, and Metric. John just happens to love Metric which is why he forked out the money for us.

Metric performing

An afternoon rain threatened to ruin the event, but it passed in time for Low. We waited out the rain since we were taking the bus and walking so we missed Dan Deacon. He was nice enough to move his music to the parking garage where concert goers were avoiding the rain. That would have been cool to see!

We met our friends and staked out a spot on the grass to drink beer and eat bratwurst. Six hours flew by! Low wasn't great to see although I was assured they're usually much better than what we witnessed. Bob Mould was excellent! I didn't realize he was the lead singer for Husker Dü who just so happen to be from the Twin Cities. Silversun Pickups had a good set and got the crowd ready for Metric. I didn't realize how many Metric songs I knew. They did wonderfully and John thoroughly enjoyed his favorite band.

Rock the Garden is a zero-waste event with help from Eureka Recycling. The cups and food dishes used by vendors were all compostable which made tossing them in the right bin so much easier. Every waste station has 2 volunteers to make sure you threw your item in the right container. It was very well organized and successful. The Walker Arts Center says it reduces waste to a mere 1 ounce per attendee by recycling and composting. Bravo!




Rock the Garden was #17 on my Things To-Do list for this summer and it will most definitely be on my list next year!

John showcasing our blanket

Thousands of concert goers

Scarfing down delicious food

7. Movie in the Park

Hooray! #7 Movie in the Park was all that I knew it could be! Another activity to mark off on the Things To-Do list. 

Minneapolis Parks and Rec coordinates an intense schedule of bands and movies from June through August set in many of Minneapolis' parks. They inflate a gigantic, portable screen in under a minute and then project the movie. 

I tried to catch a showing of The Princess Bride in Powderhorn Park last week, but the constant rain ruined that. Luckily, my friends had scheduled a get together to watch The Mighty Ducks at Lake Harriet Bandshell. My friend is a total Mighty Ducks nut so it was the perfect opportunity to get together on a blanket and laugh about silly 90s moments. 

Mighty Ducks was part of the Minnesota Connections theme this year. Movies with links to the Land of Lakes are Mighty Ducks, Grumpy Old Men, Miracle, Little Women, Moneyball, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Back to the Future, and Toy Story. So what is the Mighty Ducks connection, you ask? The movie was filmed in the Twin Cities, which made it more fun to watch. My MN friends could recognize places like the old Met Center and the Winter Carnival. You can still go to Mickey's Diner in downtown St. Paul to get a bite. 

Best part: chanting "Quack! Quack! Quack!" along with hundreds of strangers and Emilio Estevez. 

10. Stay up late at Northern Spark

I accomplished #10 on my Things To Do list: Northern Spark!

I used to be more of a night owl. I"m not a morning person--that's for sure. But an all-nighter? I can't remember the last time I did that. And even staying up to the wee hours usually involved alcohol or insomnia. Could I really enjoy a festival that starts at dusk and ends at dawn? Darn tootin'!

Northern Spark is a magical festival that incorporates art, music, film, and cultural exploration in the heart of St. Paul. It's the only festival I know of that dominates the night. Exhibits by local and national artists involved everything you could think of: a catapult that flung balloons of light screen printers, hula-hooping, an interactive mural, short films, singers, and bands.

I wondered around for a few hours by myself at the beginning. I was supposed to meet a large Couchsurfing group, but it just wasn't in the cards. I couldn't help smiling even if I looked like a loner. Luckily, I met a few friends to enjoy the celebration and we hung in there until after 2am.

My Highlights:

Walking the Labyrinth 
In the middle of experimental music and art displays, a simple labyrinth was made on the ground outside the Union Depot. I donned the free earplugs and took a slow stroll through the meditative maze. I loved having a little mental break from the visual and audio extravaganza.








Underpass of the Eyes of Freedom
Below the main entrance to the Union Depot I discovered an underpass full of the Arab Spring (with more white people). Participants were able to spray paint the long white wall with iconic images of the struggles in the Middle East or just right "Mike was here" with a marker. Books nearby illustrated different street art in Egypt's Tehrir Squre and other revolutionary images. It was very moving.






Screen Printer and Poster Press
One of the first exhibits I stumbled upon was Permanent Labor. A table was set up for participants to sit down and read about the new labor; the audience is needed by artists to absorb the work created. A screen printer was there to produce a keepsake for the audience to carry home.

Another station printed posters with an absurdly clunky but intriguing press. Posters were all about messages to carry with you when travelling (see photo at top).




Celebration/Love/Loss (aka The Burning House)
The artist built a model of Breuer's 1,800 architectural icon just to burn in down. I love the description for the exhibit, "like a prairie fire that allows new seeds to germinate, [the artist] is to honor the original home with a meticulous re-creation and then ignite it, allowing fire to consume its pure, clean lines" as a ceremonious end to "high modernism". And you can't deny the joy of hearing hundreds of bystanders oohing and ahhing at the mountain of fire without the feeling of guilt of destruction.

There were so many amazing things to see and do! I didn't even get to one whole area by the river. I can't wait till next year!

Ready to Explore

I finally ordered a few books to help me explore my new state parks. I ordered used books after my North Shore adventure last weekend. I LOVE finding windflowers and studying new flora and fauna. Now I have some help! 

After some research, I picked: 

Minnesota State Parks by Anne Arthur

     Helpful maps, overview, and even a place to write notes for each park.  

Wildflower a of Minnesota by Stan Tekiela 

     Hand-sized field guide with a color index, simple anatomical icons, and a check-off list. 

Lets do this! 

State Park Count Down

I was able to get away this Memorial Day with my beau, John. We escaped to the North Shore. I've learned that when Minnesotans want to get away they usually "go up north" which could mean "the cabin" or to the North Shore. The North Shore is the shore of Lake Superior from Duluth to Canada. Colorado equivalent: "going to the mountains".

The North Shore

I had never seen Lake Superior or anything north of the Cities, actually. I was surprised by the cliffs and how expansive the lake is. We spent our day in two state parks: Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry. I knew they would be a bit touristy especially on Memorial Day weekend but I wanted to start somewhere to explore my new state. They really weren't that crowed; we

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

still got alone time everywhere we went. We stayed in Two Harbors. We realized was a bad idea when, at 6pm, we were bored. We traveled 20 minutes to Duluth for a drink which is where we should have stayed. O well! Coming back we took the scenic route. Seriously, it's called North Shore Scenic Route. The road was dotted with quaint cabins and beautiful views of the coast. We should stay in one of those lodges next time!

I loved seeing the forest wake up: the leaves were budding and the ferns spouting fiddleheads. I can't wait to explore the wildflowers this summer. That got me thinking...

I want to visit all the Minnesota state parks. All 68. The next on my list will be a place to enjoy wildflowers fully. See my State Park Count Down page to keep track! 

Gooseberry Falls State Park

Haircut in the City

I dread getting a haircut. I especially loathe finding a new hair stylist. I've been traumatized by so many bad Fantastic Sams cuts as a kid (thanks mom). Luckily I stumbled upon Janelle at Trendsetters in Pueblo. She's been cutting my tresses for years and I actually started liking getting my haircut.

Then I moved to a city with a salon on every corner and a new decision to make: who will cut my hair? Jess, my boyfriend's sister, recommended a friend of hers. With the split ends branching more every day, I had to make an appointment. I even took a risk and got some swooshy bangs. Marcy Darling (her real name) from Salon Le Terre did a great job. I felt at ease with her chattiness and approve of my hair. What do you think?

Snow Emergency? WTF?

It's finally snowed a bunch in Minneapolis. We might get 15" in a day! The Governor has declared a Snow Emergency. In Colorado, a Snow Emergency is as simple as don't call emergency vehicles for minor crashes. You have 30 days to report the accident.

Snow Emergency in Minnesota? A little different...

What I've learned:
1) Know where to park. 
From the MN Transportation Dept. Your car will be ticketed and towed if it's in the wrong spot.
Day 1, 9pm-8pm: Don't park on street with red Snow Emergency signs until it is fully plowed.
Day 2, 8am-8pm: Don't park on EVEN sides of non-Snow Emergency streets. Don't park on the sides of parkways.
Day 3, 8am-8pm: Don't park on ODD sides of non-Snow Emergency streets.
Day 4: If it's still snowing, you're f*#%ed.

2) People own snow blowers--and use them!
I'm never seen so many snow blowers in use. I can definitely understand why they're used after a foot of snow falls and you have a corner lot.

3) You have to shovel your sidewalks.
Property owners are required to clear sidewalks of ice and snow within 24 hours for homes and duplexes and within 4 hours for apartment and commercial buildings.

4) You have to use your headlights in rain and snow.
It is illegal to drive without your headlights on in the rain or snow. And it's also smart. So turn your lights on idiot!

5) Pedestrians walk in the streets more. 
It's just easier walking in the street instead of waiting for the sidewalks to be shoveled. Luckily, I lived in Pueblo for 10 years where no one uses sidewalks.

Did I miss anything?