minneapolis
 The Walker Art Center of Minneapolis is asking the public (Yes, that's YOU!) for your help!
Open Field is an experimental project of the Walker Art Center that invites the public to help transform our big, green backyard into a cultural commons. It’s a place to share experiences, interests, and talents and celebrate the creative assets and collective knowledge that abound in the Twin Cities.
We envision Open Field as a kind of intellectual, recreational, social, and artistic platform that we create with the public. We’re building an outdoor courtyard, a tool shed with equipment for relaxation and play, a weekly Drawing Club, projects with the artist collectives Red76 and Futurefarmers—two groups that are deeply engaged in the art of social engagement, collaboration, and the spirit of the commons—and a roster of conversations, workshops, and activities for all ages.
Bring your own activity, participate, or just sit and people watch. You won't want to miss out on this summer long extravaganza!
Open Field: Activity CalendarOpen Field: Add Your Activity(Thanks, Dave!)
HOURCAR is a car-sharing organizations that gives you access to a fleet of earth-friendly cars whenever you need them.
HOURCAR buys, insures, and maintains a fleet of member-shared cars. HOURCAR takes on all the responsibilities of owning the vehicles, including paying for fuel. HOURCARs are parked in hubs near members’ homes and workplaces. Members make HOURCAR reservations online or by phone, and pay monthly dues and car usage fees. You pay only for what you use!
Research shows that many car owners use their vehicles only a few hours a day. Why not eliminate an underused car and begin car-sharing? Car-sharing spreads the fixed costs of car ownership among several people. You still have access to a car when you need it, but you don't pay for it around the clock!
If you live in the Twin Cities check out their website for more information. You'll find it's quite affordable! Link
 For years my favorite ice cream flavor has always been mint chocolate chip. The mix of chocolatey goodness and minty sensations was always a spoonful of heaven. What was my favorite brand of mint chocolate chip? Definitely, Breyers. But I have a confession... I've been cheating and scooping my spoon into another flavor's bucket.
A few weeks ago, Jason brought home a couple pints of ice cream from Pumphouse Creamery which is a local ice cream shop in Minneapolis that only uses all-natural and local ingredients. Jason brought home mint chocolate chip for me and another unusual flavor called sea salt caramel with pralines. I was about to crack open the mint, but Jason had me try the sea salt caramel first. After that first taste I was hooked and my mint chocolate chip days were a distant memory.
If you are ever in the Minneapolis area a visit to Pumphouse Creamery for a scoop of sea salt caramel ice cream is a definite must.
Link
BREAKING NEWS:
The 35W bridge which crosses the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis just completely collapsed in both directions. Multiple cars are in the water and a couple on fire. Dozens if not hundreds of cars were on the bridge at the time.
This bridge is a major bridge which carries a lot of traffic in and out of the city especially during rush hours. It has been under construction for the past several weeks.
I'll post updates as I hear them, but at this point nobody knows what caused the collapse.
Having used this bridge on a daily basis, I am still in shock. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and families effected by this catastrophe.
Update:
Star Tribune coverage - so far 1 fatality due to drowning and approximately 25 critical and non-critical persons at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC).
Minnesota Public Radio coverage
The bridge was undergoing construction for resurfacing and not for structural repairs. (Minnesota Department of Transportation's (MNDOT) website.)
Update 2:
6 confirmed dead; 1 construction worker unaccounted for
A family center has been established at the Holiday Inn Metrodome located at Seven Corners (1600 Washington Ave.)
MNDOT has reported that the 35W bridge underwent inspections in 2005 and 2006 and nothing was found. Repairs needed were only cosmetic and not structural. Necessary structural repairs wouldn't need to be addressed until year 2020.
Update 3:
Fatality number has dropped to 4, but the number is expected to rise as recovery efforts continue for the next several days.
20 - 30 people are missing and 30 - 50 cars remain in the water. At this point, they assume all survivors have been rescued.
You can watch a time-elapse video of the 35W bridge collapsing at CNN.
Update 4:
4 Confirmed Collapse Victims Identified (WCCO)
Continuing coverage of collapse (MPR)
It's finally getting hot again in south Minneapolis and you know what that means: gang graffiti, open air drug sales, prositution, and ice cream!
Yes, the musical armada has once again been released on our little neighborhood. The cacophony on a hot day here can just about drive a person crazy, but today something interesting doppler shifted it's little soft-serve wagon up my block and it had the kids coming out of the woodwork.
I was too slow to get a recording, but there's now an ice cream truck driving around playing your favorite 8-bit Tetris tune.
Now, I know the Tetris song is an old russian folk tune, but I'm sure the ice cream dealer is using it because it elicits all those ice-cream-compatible, happy video game emotions. I sort-of hope somebody will ignore all those pesky copyright issues and start wheeling around a super mario tune.
This all got me to thinking about the magic of ice cream truck music. Luckily, I'm not the first, so I can provide a few links. Music Thing had a cool article about what makes ice cream trucks sound the way they do. Here are some links to ice cream truck music: ambient sounds and 3 great ice cream tunes. Finally, here's where the classic ice cream song came from: Turkey In The Straw.
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