Happy Vernal Equinox! We celebrated Spring a little early. Technically it was St. Patrick’s Day but that doesn’t mean a whole lot to us. We were just excited to hang out on a friend’s goat farm and use his sauna. That was a fantastic way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon. It will be even […]
People
Feeling Minnesota
Minnesota apologists will claim this is just a normal winter, like the kind we had when we were kids. But no. This extreme weather has all been occurring in a more condensed window. As a friend put it, “it’s like we get all of winter’s greatest hits in one week.” Extreme cold, ice storms, two […]
The Soap Factory, Late-Stage Capitalism and a Sheriff’s Sale
More grim news for the local Twin Cities art scene. This time it’s my beloved Soap Factory on the chopping block. This space has been important to me over the last 20+ years. In the 90s my first visits involved the minimal 4th of July events. I recall local video artists projecting their works and […]
Cruising Altitude and Attitude
Last weekend CNN aired Anthony Bourdain’s final Parts Unknown episode. I’m all kinds of sad about his death. And recently binge watched more episodes I hadn’t seen before from other seasons. They’re all wonderful and bittersweet. In October I enjoyed another remarkable solo trip. To Ireland and Italy. It’s interesting and frustrating how I’m treated […]
Eliminating the Unnecessary
Travel is important to me. Especially as a Minnesotan. The ability to take a break from the long dark winters, or at least to plan a trip (hypothetical or a trip that will be realized) is critical. This past winter went on for a long long stretch and I couldn’t help myself. I snapped up […]
Time In Common
Somewhere along the way I became a morning person. I can’t quite pinpoint it. Motherhood isn’t to blame, since my adult son is turning 19 in just a few days. Guess it’s just my advancing age. This season of my life finds me at work by 7am daily and in bed by 10pm. Hard to […]
Summer’s Long Shadow
This summer started off with so much promise, with my son’s high school graduation and subsequent party. But things quickly went downhill from there. There have been many missteps, some on my part, but mostly factors out of our control. We had to move suddenly from our home of 4+ years due to an unabated […]
Sun-Stopping
We marked the Summer Solstice last week and it’s been on my mind. Meteorological Summer has begun in Minnesota, but this was a particularly oddball year without a Spring. I’ve lived here all my life but I’m still taken aback often by the weather extremes. And my friends who live elsewhere are downright alarmed by […]
Hothouse Flowers
When I woke up Friday morning I checked my weather app then dressed in multiple layers, like a good Minnesotan. And left for work in the dark with temperatures of -10 and windchill -25. Not so great for the body or soul. Same goes for watching extra bleak Black Mirror episodes in the dead of […]
Strange Girls Holiday Night Market
Seems like there are holiday markets popping up all over the place these days. And a lot of them are super rad. But none of them are quite like ours! The Strange Girls will be back for another Night Market at Modist Brewing in Minneapolis this Saturday, December 16th from 6pm – midnight. I didn’t […]