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01 June 2009 3:26 PM
Minneapolis: A Tweet Away
Today is June 1st and that means (okay, maybe not technically, but for all intense and purposes) today is summer. And with summer, Meet Minneapolis is offering amazing deals in conjunction with our Minneapolis Downtown Sizzle campaign. Beyond Hotel rooms starting at $79, you could win a summer getaway to Minneapolis by entering our Minneapolis Downtown Twingle Contest through Twitter.
Creative tweeters from Minnesota and the surrounding states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin can enter the Minneapolis Downtown Sizzle Twingle contest by writing their own 140-character jingle or “twingle” about why they want to come to Minneapolis for a summer getaway.
“Twingles” will be judged by a panel of Minneapolis celebrities including Mayor of Minneapolis R.T. Rybak. Judging will be based on originality, and tweeters will score points for including Minneapolis hotels, restaurants and arts and entertainment scene.
You can enter by following Meet Minneapolis on Twitter at http://twitter.com/meetminneapolis and tweeting your twingle with the hashtag #sizzle. The contest runs through June 30. Check http://www.minneapolis.org/page/contest-rules.jsp for official rules.
Six winners of the Minneapolis Summer Sizzle Twingle Contest will receive a trip for two to Minneapolis valued at $750, including hotel accommodations, gas card and restaurant and entertainment gift certificates to experience all that downtown Minneapolis has to offer.
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02 June 2009 3:35 PM
Visit Africa at the Minnesota Zoo
As if those ostriches aren’t enticing enough. Yes, you guessed right: The Minnesota Zoo’s Africa! exhibit is in full swing, running all summer long. For those of us not fortunate enough to go on our own African safari, we can get our own little taste of the savanna in Apple Valley.
I’m planning on going this weekend, and I’m sure most everyone who knows me is happy, as I’ve talked about wanting to go pretty incessantly (an advertisement featuring two playful zebras has sat next to my work computer for weeks, the definitive object of my longing, “I want summer” gaze).
What will I see when I go, you ask? Perhaps the main draw for the public are the giraffes 
. Or, maybe it’s the zebras. Wildebeest are also included in the exhibit, and although there may not be enough to stampede, Lion King-style, they’ve got quite a playful herd.
Gemsbok? Okay, I’ve never heard the name either, but if you see one you’ll recognize it. A type of antelope specific to southern and east Africa, they spend most the day grazing (just 
like the zebras). And, finally, we’re back to the ostriches. So cute.
The animals are located on six acres of land, on the Zoo’s outdoor Northern Trail. Not only the critters are special, though—the Zoo has created a veritable ecosystem for them to stomp around in, chock-full of an incredible range of highly specialized plants. This way, you can view the animals in the same way you would stumble upon them in Africa’s grasslands.
Lee Ehmke, the Minnesota Zoo Director & CEO, comments, “The great animals of Africa capture everyone's imagination, and we are excited to announce a return engagement of a special seasonal exhibit featuring some of the most spectacular inhabitants of that great continent.” Well, I’m excited too. And yes, after you make your way through Africa! on the Northern Trail you can go see your other favorites—like the lemurs, the grizzly bears and the dolphins (oh my).
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05 June 2009 1:48 PM
Be A Tourist In Your Own Town
In conjunction with our “Be A Tourist In Your Own Town” promotion, here are two of my favorite “touristy” things to do in Minneapolis.
(1) Taking a stroll around Lake Harriet, the most family-friendly of the city’s lakes, and then a walking up to Linden Hills, one of the cutest areas in Minneapolis. There, I like to partake of Sebastian Joe’s Ice cream (+enjoy their great patio), browse through The Bibelot Shop, a boutique with gifts, jewelry and clothing, and, if I’m in a playful mood, The Wild Rumpus, a kid’s bookstore quipped with a kid-sized entryway, a cat, a chicken and other critters, and Creative Kidstuff, a kids toy store that’s eerily fun for adults. If I’m hungry for a meal, there are options galore: Rice Paper, Café 28, Zumbro Café, Famous Dave’s and— just a little further down 44th— Turtlebread Company or The Convention Grille.
(2) Visiting the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Every time I go, I explore a different area—I don’t just stick to my favorite (the contemporary wing). Some gems not to missed: The Period Rooms. From a Chinese Reception Room to a Grand French Salon, all are furnished with historic wares. My favorite is the Frank Lloyd Wright hallway.
Locals, how do you act like a tourist in Minneapolis?
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12 June 2009 1:17 PM
Segway Minneapolis
A major push of our 10 Ways To Be A Tourist In Your Own Town campaign includes the Segway Magical History Tour, where you can explore the Mississippi Riverfront and get a dose of Minneapolis history—all aboard a segway. We figured, hey, if we’re promoting this thing, maybe we should give it a shot ourselves.
That’s me in the crouching in front, with the dashing red helmet. A crew of Meet Minneapolis staffers descended upon the segway office on Saint Anthony Main with some trepidation. Thankfully it turned out to be a gorgeous day and we all came out of the trip physically unscathed.
The trip takes you from Saint Anthony Main, down the historic Stone Arch Bridge (built by railroad tycoon James J. Hill, which you will learn on the guided tour), down on the riverfront, up past Gold Medal Park to the wonderful Mill City Museum (where you’ll rest for a bit with a treat) and winding over to Boom Island and Nicollet Island before arriving back on Saint Anthony Main.
I, for one, am not the best of balancers. Maybe I was just a little out-of-the-loop, but I didn’t know that how you control the machine is simply by shifting your weight forward (if you want to go forward) and backward (if you want to go back). This means, of course, that stopping means you have to balance in the middle. Needless to say I was a little nervous.
After a demo, a very thorough safety video, and 20 minutes of practicing in a secure location, we were off. And yes, it’s really fun. I may have looked a tad bit dorky, but after about one of the three hour tour I was cruising along.
It’s definitely a new, exciting way to view Minneapolis. I’m pretty versed on the city (as you can well imagine) but I definitely did see it as never before. Word on the street is that Magical History Tours plans to open up a Saint Paul location in the near future. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to climb aboard that one, too…
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18 June 2009 10:26 AM
Cheffing Up Minneapolis
Is it just me, or does food seem to be popping up everywhere in Minneapolis? Not just physically—it’s on people’s minds. The city is quickly becoming a hot-spot and contender in the national culinary scene (okay, even if we don’t have a local chef on Top Chef Masters).
In the past few weeks I’ve gotten my own backstage pass to two of the city’s most exclusive kitchens. First, I had the opportunity to chat with (and taste the food of) recent James Beard Award Winner, Best Chef Midwest Tim McKee of La Belle Vie, Solera, Barrio and the like. Planting myself in his kitchen, he made me some positively divine halibut. Wish you could get in on the action? Well don’t worry, we happened to have a camera crew with us. Check out my video with Tim.
Then, I had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to chat (and eat) with Wolfgang Puck. Surely, the man doesn’t need an introduction, but his restaurant in Minneapolis, 20.21, located in the Walker Art Center, may not be familiar to all. Although the space is, indeed, inside of a museum, the restaurant has a feeling all its own, and an executive chef (Asher Miller) sure to delight you with Asian/French fusion offerings. Anyway, I had a chat with both Wolfgang and Asher, along with sip some cocktails and delight in a 6-course meal. Read about my very special night at 20.21.
What else to say? Keep eating, I suppose…
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22 June 2009 12:30 PM
This Weekend: Pride and Palooza
Now that summer is officially here, it’s time for festivals. This upcoming weekend has two of note.
First, there’s Plaza Palooza. The first-time event sponsored by the Downtown Council takes place on Peavey Plaza (outside Orchestra Hall, off Nicollet Mall and 11th Street) Saturday, June 27 from noon – 10:30 pm.
With a laundry list of local talent taking stage, this FREE event is a must-see. Look out for Romantica, Alison Scott, Tim Mahoney, Memphis & the the Meantimes, Maeflies, The Irresistibles featuring Mick Sterling, and Corey Stevens.
Food and beverages will be available around the plaza for purchase, too.
Okay. You want something even bigger? Try GLBT Pride Twin Cities, taking place Saturday June 27 and Sunday June 28.
Promised entertainment includes:
• Exhibitors (from the non-profit to large-scale commercial) lining Loring Park with booths galore, promising swag and the like.
• The Pride Parade marching down Hennepin Avenue at 11 am on June 28th
• The Pride Festival Headline Show, Pride in Concert, June 28th at 5:30 pm on Loring Stage, featuring Exposé, Kat Deluna, Kristine W and more.
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25 June 2009 11:34 AM
BD'M’s Chambers Work Impresses the MoMA
It’s no secret that The Chambers is one of the coolest places to gather in Minneapolis. Not just a hotel, not just a bar, not just a restaurant, not just an art gallery, it’s one of the city’s one-of-a-kind experiences—and hey, Wolfgang Puck likes it too.
Barrie D’ Rozario Murphy (BD'M), an independent marketing company based out of Minneapolis’s Warehouse District, is only upping The Chambers’ visibility. Their work on a video for the hotel’s bar took home top honors this month in a competition sponsored by the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) and Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), in the New Experiential category.
If you haven’t yet seen the video at the Chambers Bar, you’re in for a treat. It features what seem to be live black-and-white surveillance shots of spaces around the hotel, from guest rooms to the restaurant—right down to the bar’s bathroom. If you give it a closer look, you’ll see some pretty odd sights: a man in a chicken costume, young love escapades, a nun praying.
The first time I was at the bar and left to go to the bathroom, I returned to my party saying “we saw you on the video!” I was horrified. Turns out, NO, this it was not real life footage, and YES, I am pretty gullible—BD'M conceptualized the video, determined to add to the chic-ness of Chambers. Looks like they’ve succeeded.
It’s definitely voyeuristic, especially for that short moment you think it all may be real. It fits in perfectly with the art hotel’s image, plus the paintings and other artworks you’ll see as you stroll further into the gallery area. (My other favorite recent sight at the Chambers? What Would Omar Do, by Andrea Stanislav, a painting portraying Omar Little, the a Baltimore drug money-stealing hero/hustler in the critically acclaimed HBO Drama The Wire).
The award-winning videos, including BDM’s Chambers work, will be screened at MoMA, and then go on tour across the U.S., with a stop in Minneapolis later this year. Once the tour ends, the 2009 Show winners will become part of MoMA’s permanent film collection. To check out the video for yourself, visit Barrie D’Rozario Murphy [www.bdm.net]’s site and click on New Work and then Brand Experiences.
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