SCENE May 2019

Southern minn

MAY 2019 southernminnSCENE.com

YOUR FREE GET-OUT SOURCE TO SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

Scene PLUS The Drawbridge is Down for Rochester’s Arts Castle Southnern Minnesota road trip with mom Jillian Rae co-founder and instructor at The Music Lab in Minneapolis

pursuing a passion Mankato Student Aims to Stay in U.S., Inspired by Love of Photography

SHELDON THEATRE

SPRING 2019

THE PIGEONING APRIL 26 & 27 at 7:30 “tender, fantastical symphony of the imagination” – NY Times “The Pigeoning is an absolute must-see show that is family-friendly” –Theater Pizzazz!

JEREMY MESSERSMITH MAY 11 @ 7:30

SHELDON 2019-2020

SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT PARTY

“…he’s a pop genius, with creative ambition to match his songs’ considerable charm” – NPR

MAY 22 @ 5:30 BE THE FIRST TO KNOW, AS YOU PREVIEW ALL THAT’S IN STORE IN THE UPCOMING SEASON. FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

You just know it’s going to be great.”

– Southern MN Scene 651-388-8700 I 443 W 3rd St, Red Wing, MN. 2

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CONTENT

MAY 2019 / VOLUME 7 / ISSUE 4

Features:

6 Drawbridge is Down for Rochester’s

Arts Castle

104-year-old Armory building is new home for the arts.

10 Getting Started on Gardens Spring has finally sprung?

12 Covert Cocktail Bar

Bitter & Pour bring back the allure of a clandestine place.

14 Jillian Rae

A product of the Iron Range and co-founder and instructor at The Music Lab in Minneapolis.

18 An Ideal Mother’s Day Weekend

with My Mom

Southern Minnesota road trip with mom.

20 Singing Hills Chorus

Provides Opportunities for Those with Dementia.

22 The Pursuit of Happiness

From Basketball to Photography.

Southern minn

Scene

COLUMNS: 5 Mollywood BLVD

ABOUT

Xennials.

24 Fitness in SoMinn

Have a story idea?

3 Steps to an effective exercise plan.

Editor Philip Weyhe - 507-645-1115 editor@southernminnSCENE.com

32 Photographing SoMInn Chasing Trains.

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34 SoMInn FOOD & DINING Review The Lake City Railhouse Grill.

35 Album Review

HAVE A CALENDAR EVENT?

editor@southernminnSCENE.com or got to www.southernminnscene. com/calendar

The Japanese House - Good At Falling.

36 The Bookworm Sez:

WANT TO Advertise?

• Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered

the Solid-Body Electric Guitar and Rocked the World • Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story

• Ten Drugs: How Plants, Powders, and Pills Have Shaped the History of Medicine

• The Rial of Lizzie Borden: A True Story

• Wolf Pack

26 The TimeLine

Pam DeMorett - 507-333-3117 pdemorett@faribault.com

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SoMinn’s most comprehensive

calendar of things to be SCENE.

JUNE issue deadline is May 3

Starfire Event Center

Celebrate Mom

Treat Mom to a brunch buffet fit for a Queen!

Mother’s Day brunch Sunday May 12th Seating at 9 am, 10:30 am, 12 & 1:30 pm

For Reservations Call 507-461-1387

204 2nd Street SW, Waseca, MN 507.833.8756

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Call for information & Reservations: 507.835.1146 After 4pm: 507.837.9848

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204 2nd Street South West, Waseca, MN 507.833.4700

206 2nd Ave. SW For Reservations: 507.461.1387

204 2nd Street South West, Waseca, MN 507.833.7540

Call for information & Reservations: 507.835.1146 After 4pm: 507.837.9848

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Mollywood Blvd

MOLLY PENNY Molly Penny is a local radio personality and MSU Mankato alum. It was her love of pop culture that got her interested in doing a morning show gig for KOWZ 100.9. She is now Music and Promotions Director at KOWZ & KRUE Radio in Owatonna and can be heard on various airwaves in Southern Minnesota, including Hot 96.7 in Mankato. She resides in Mankato with her movie buff husband and YouTube obsessed children. Need to contact her?

Shoot her an e-mail mollyp@kowzonline.com or catch her on Twitter at @mollyhoodUSA.

My Generation

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hen people talk about individual generations, there are a few names we often hear tossed around.

The first being the Greatest Generation, those born between 1925 and 1945 -- the generation of most of our grandparents if we are Millennial or older. The next generation that comes to mind are the Baby Boomers born between 1946-1964, followed by Generation X or the “baby bust” born between 1965 and 1979 and of course the ever ragged on Millennials, famous for their “laziness” and love of Snapchat and avacados, born somewhere between 1980 and 1996. In the mix, but less talked about is the Silent Generation from 1925-1945. And then we have the newest and lesser known generations iGen, Gen-Z or “Post-Millennials”, where my kids fall, referring to those born between 1997 and 2012 and the latest crop of babies born in 2013 or after fittingly being called Gen Alpha.

In recent years, a new micro generation is gaining steam. Our generation refers to those born, roughly, between 1977 and 1985. They are calling us Xennials. A crossbreed of Generation X and Millennial as the name implies. We spent the first part of our childhood in analogue world and the second in the digital age.

Behind the Boomers, we are the largest generation boasting 70 million plus! Some call us “the Oregon Trail Generation” which pretty much nails it. I felt vindicated when I learned about this sub gen. If you were born between Star Wars and The Return of the Jedi, you’re definitely one of us. Some studies push this to 1987. It sort of depends on where you land in your family. For example, my husband Wes was born in 1986 but was the oldest in his family and is definitely a Millennial. My younger brother is less than a year older than Wes but grew up with three older siblings so he adopted more of our “Xennial culture.”

If you are an American in your mid-thirties to early forties, you probably really resent being called a Millennial. Maybe it is the residual cynicism we inherited from Generation X, but Boomers and Xers as harbor as much disdain for Millennials as the Greatest Gen had for the hippie Baby Boomers coming of age in the 60’s and 70’s. A Boomer friend of mine told me that her perception of Millennials is: “They go to school. When they get out, they can’t get “the job they want (in a whiney voice) so they live with their parents and don’t work.”

Perhaps an unfair assessment considering most Millennials I know have to hold multiple jobs just to pay their crippling student loan debt and are among the first generations set to be worse off financially than their parents. But it’s not about resenting the label, we admire and even share many of their optimistic traits; it is more that the term just never quite “fit” our experience. To say we older Millennials were “born into technology” or received “participation trophies” is not entirely accurate. We are the lost generation somewhere in between.

We looked up to Gen Xers. They were our older siblings and cousins. The first to turn us on to Frogger on Atari before Nintendo was even a thing. We adopted their “work hard and survive” attitude. Movies like Singles and Reality Bites aimed to define them. We envied Generation X for their music and style and in some ways we were more tied to them than Millennials simply by the cultural events that shaped us. Many older Xennials recall watching the Challenger explosion on live television in 1986. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1991 was a huge geopolitical event that most Millennials were either too young to comprehend, or not

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even born for. Xennials grew up with teachers apologizing for outdated maps showing the “U.S.S.R.” Reagan was our President, we all pledged to “Just Say No” to drugs, we remember physical chain mail, the Chicago Bulls being a basketball dynasty and we all wanted to “be like Mike.”

Saturday morning cartoons were life: Rainbow Bright, Transformers, G.I. Joe, The Smurfs, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, just to name a few. We loved Mr. T. Xennials jammed to Michael Jackson on vinyl before he started getting really weird. We remember renting VCR’s from the local video store in order to watch a VHS tape, using boom boxes and blank cassette tapes to record hours of Casey Kasem or Rick Dees Weekly top 40. We had equal familiarity with 8 track tapes & Compact Discs. Oregon Trails was the best way to spend a class period, ever. We were likely the last generation to write our book reports freehand or on typewriters, or, if we did use a word processor, save our work on floppy discs.

The show My So Called Life was ours. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were ours first. And from the original system to SNES, Nintendo ruled our worlds.

The Internet didn’t launch until I was 12 and it was still years before we had it in our home…the dreaded dial-up variety. We remember how rudimental the early days of the internet were. Still, the transition to technology was pretty easy for Xennials. Some adapted faster than others. I mean, let’s be real, when my kids ask for help with their electronics I still blow in them like a Nintendo game cartridge. I got my first Nokia in 2004 at the ripe age of 23. I was well entrenched in the work force when the recession hit in 2007. I didn’t join any social media until I was well out of High School because it didn’t exist until then. AOL messenger was largely a Millennial’s jam. We stuck to subversive message boards. Friends gathered by word of mouth, landline phones and hand written notes. When we hung out we often did so outside. No one had their faces buried in mobile devices.

Xennials are old enough to remember the Gulf War but too young to have supplied the troops. We’ve basically lived half of our lives with a war going on in the Middle East. I was in 11th grade when the Columbine school shooting happened in April of 1999. Unfortunately for our Millennial and iGen counterparts, school shootings are now somewhat of a norm.

This was not the case for us. We were the first to see our own peers act out in such a horrific way and it was only the beginning of the unrest we would begin to experience. I was 19 and living on my own when the attacks of September 11, 2001 happened. I watched it on live TV from the kitchen at a bakery I was working at in St. Paul. I called my mom to make sure my dad was not traveling from the East Coast that day and we feared for my brother who worked in the IDS tower in Minneapolis.

9/11 was a pivotal moment in our history that shook the innocence out of most Millennials and even some in the iGen who were children when it occurred. It propelled us into seemingly endless war and for us Xennials, it was a rude awakening of the world that we would someday bring our own children into if we didn’t already have them. It is our duty to lead future generations in making the bold institutional and cultural changes needed to survive in an increasingly digital and diverse country. On the other hand, being the last generation to truly be able to harken back to the “simpler times” of the 80’s, we must also help bridge the intergenerational divide by passing along some of the values and traditions instilled in us from our elders. After all, if you haven’t played capture the flag, have you really even lived? SMS

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Drawbridge is Down for

Rochester’s Arts Castle Story By Jay Furst editor@southernminnscene.com

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TOP: Minnesota singer-songwriter Charlie Parr performs at the Castle Community in Rochester in March, presented by Threshold Arts and My Town My Music. The concert space, on the top floor of the 104-year-old building, has state-of-the-art sound and lighting and can accommodate up to 450 people. (Photo by Will Forsman) ABOVE: The city of Rochester sold the historic Armory building in 2017 to local investors who promised to open an arts and cultural center in the century-old landmark. It’s now home to a restaurant and bar, artists studios, a coffeehouse and bookstore, and a concert and events center. (Photo by Jay Furst)

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ith its battlements, ribbed walls, arched windows and fanciful Gothic turret, the 104-year-old Armory building in downtown Rochester could be a movie set for “Ivanhoe,” or maybe “Monty Python.”

It was home to the National Guard for more than 50 years, and then was a senior center. Now it’s a castle for the arts, and one of the more unusual arts and cultural projects in Southern Minnesota.

The city sold the building in 2017 to four local investors who promised to create what they called the “Castle Community” -- a place with many missions but first of all to connect artists with the larger community. The venture opened in full in February, with studios and galleries, food, drink, live music, yoga and lots of ambition.

“The concept seems to be working,” said Scott Hoss, one of the partners in the limited liability corporation that owns the building. Hoss also owns, somewhat inadvertently, the Collective bookstore and record shop in the Castle. “People are coming here and finding something to gravitate to.”

They may be gravitating to the tuna poke tostada at Cameo restaurant on the first floor, or the home-brewed kombucha at Queen City Coffee on the second. Maybe they’re interested in the canvases and photographs being worked out by artists in their glass-walled studios, or they’re coming for the live music upstairs.

“We just want everyone to have fun” and discover the space, said

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Nikola Hamilton, left, and Reba Landers take a break in the Castle’s commons area, where the coffeehouse, bookstore and artists studios are located.

(Photo by Jay Furst)

“The project kind of morphed as we started putting it together and realized it could be something special that adds to the vibrancy of the community. We just bought a zoo, and there’s some truth to that” – Scott Hoss Philip Sousa’s band to high school basketball.

The National Guard moved out in the 1970s and the Rochester Senior Center moved in, leasing it from the city and adding a floor that halved the height of the drill hall. The seniors moved out three years ago, and the City Council debated whether to retain the building and control its destiny -- it’s on the National Register of Historic Places -- or sell it.

After a tangled process, the city chose the latter, and the new owners have embraced the role of the castle’s protectors.

Uncovering history Scott Hoss shows a customer some of the vintage medical books in his Collective bookstore and record shop, which donates all profits to the nonprofit that runs the arts programming in the Castle. (Photo by Jay Furst)

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Breanna Holtan, who owns the coffeehouse and also is an instructor for Yoga Tribe, a collective that meets at the Castle. “We’re activating a new part

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of Broadway.”

The building dates from 1915 and was home to the Minnesota National Guard’s Machine Gun Company, 3rd Infantry. The drill hall, as originally configured with a balcony, was said to seat 2,000 people, and it hosted events ranging from John

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“From the outside, it’s a beautiful building, unique and relatively well-cared for,” said Hoss, 45, who was born and raised in Rochester. “On the inside, when it was renovated about 40 years ago they largely covered up almost everything of a historic nature. We didn’t know what we’d find and we’ve been pleasantly surprised.”

They’ve uncovered decorative pressed tin on the first floor and exposed the brick walls and steel columns. On the second floor, “we pulled up two layers of tile and a layer of carpet and uncovered the original basketball court,” he said. The refin-

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ished hardwood, with basketball court lines (not including a three-point arc), is one of the distinctive features of the “commons” area.

They also removed a drop ceiling and found the access to the top of the turret. They’re planning to make that available for art installations.

All told, they’ve spent far more on renovations than the $675,000 they paid for the building, and the meter’s still running. “We pledged to the city that we’d invest $1.2 million in the renovation and we have exceeded that significantly. We’re in no danger of not hitting that number,” Hoss said.

Not that it’s a bad investment in downtown Rochester, where commercial real estate prices are going up, thanks to the Destination Medical Center initiative. There are restrictions in the purchase agreement that keep the LLC from flipping it in less than five years, and there are obligations with the low-interest historic preservation tax credits they received.

“Absolutely, the goal has been for it to be a good financial investment, and I believe it will be,” Hoss said.

For now, the project is a labor of love. Hoss didn’t intend to become a bookstore owner, but a planned tenant pulled out, so he stepped up and opened one, with help from friends who provided

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thousands of books and records. All proceeds going to the nonprofit.

Hoss is a commercial real estate advisor and manages other properties, but this castle thing is something else.

“The project kind of morphed as we started putting it together and realized it could be something special that adds to the vibrancy of the community,” he said. He told a friend at the time of the purchase, “We just bought a zoo, and there’s some truth to that.”

Artists at the center Their proposal was one of five the city considered in 2017. Among the others was a pitch for a multi-purpose entertainment venue proposed by Minneapolis-based Fine Line Music Cafe and Entourage Events Group. Another called for 24 units of residential housing, though that was linked to acquisition of the city-owned parking lots nearby.

The others may have had more flash and financial backing, but the Castle project prevailed in part because it was local and arts-based. They took possession in December 2017 and by late last year, the renovations were mostly complete. Cameo at the Castle, with an open kitchen, chef’s counter, wine cooler and an eclectic, international menu, opened on Thanksgiving weekend.

“The restaurant is the anchor tenant and is really the economic engine of the building,” Hoss said.

All the pieces are interrelated, but if the restaurant is the financial engine, the artists studios are the creative soul. Four micro-studios on the second floor are rented on a short-term basis to members of Threshold Arts, a nonprofit set up to run the building. A 1,000-square-foot studio is rented by Eric Anderson, a Rochester artist who’s all about collaboration and making art out of disparate ideas and media.

The Castle is a natural place for him to be. “It’s an agglomeration of things, and the combination is making things happen,” said Anderson, 40, who moved to Rochester from Boston seven years ago. “People are being inspired by each other. It reminds me a lot of the experiences you have on a college campus.” The environment is “directing a lot of my own work and making it more collaborative.”

All five studios have great natural light and glass walls, so visitors can check out what they’re working on and watch them work. There’s plenty of space for art in the public areas, as well as in the Turret Gallery, where regular exhibitions are planned.

“There’s no shortage of artists in Rochester looking for space and who need places to share their work with the community,” said Naura Anderson, who directs the nonprofit. Studio and gallery space are scarce in Rochester, especially as the few buildings that are suitable for studios have been gobbled up by DMC-related development.

Anderson, 36, is from Dodge Center and worked for the Rochester Art Center for nine years, leaving there as marketing and community engagement director in 2015. The art center has been through a financial shakeout since then, which has only made organizations such as Threshold Arts and the Castle more important.

The response so far has been “overwhelming,” she said. “People are thankful for the building being saved,” first of all, and they appreciate the community-oriented arts focus of what she and the others are trying to do. Threshold is working with regional organizations to make artists around the area aware of the opportunities here.

Also on the second floor are the coffeehouse and bookstore, games, free Wi-Fi, and the aroma of fresh coffee, varnish and new carpet. Reba Landers, 19, and Nikola Hamilton, 22, were playing chess

Naura Anderson is executive director of Threshold Arts, the nonprofit in charge of programming at the Castle, including exhibitions in the Turret Gallery. (Photo by Jay Furst)

“I really like the space. It’s a cool addition to Rochester, and a sign of the times for where Rochester is headed. ” – Reba Landers and doing a crossword in the commons area one day last month and they’re already fans of the project.

“I really like the space,” said Landers, a student at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis who’s originally from Grand Meadow. “It’s a cool addition to Rochester, and a sign of the times for where Rochester is headed.”

Hamilton, 22, works at a coffeehouse down the street and played in the Rochester Thaw Music Festival at the Castle in March. “I love that the building has been repurposed for working artists,” he said. “People are ready for this kind of space.”

A welcoming place for Mayo patients The room in the Castle that has the most potential for lighting up Rochester is the concert space on the top floor, right under the barrel-vaulted roof. Rochester has only a few bars downtown with live music; for a city of 115,000, it’s deadly quiet most nights, with no other mid-sized venues of this kind.

“Our commitment to live music is huge,” Hoss said. “We made a significant investment in sound and lighting so we could fill the void and become the premiere live music venue in Rochester.”

The room can accommodate up to 450 people,

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depending on the setup, and already has hosted artists as varied as Austin-born folkie Charlie Parr to the Suburbs. Threshold Arts is in charge of booking, working with My Town My Music, a local music events organizer that has a strong online presence.

All told, the Castle aims to be a lot of things, including a welcoming place for the million or so people who come to Mayo Clinic every year.

For Mayo patients who “don’t know what to do with two or three hours of time between appointments,” Hoss said. “we want this to be a place where they can just unwind, read, have a cup of coffee, and maybe watch someone make art.”

It’s the kind of place, in other words, that people say Rochester has needed for a while: a place for artists and for people who like art and live music, with good food, coffee, books and vinyl mixed in for good measure. It all depends on the programming, and there are some skeptics.

But there are plenty of believers as well. Eric Anderson, who has lived in Rochester for seven years and is making a go of it as an artist -- he recently participated in a collaborative arts-related conference in Paris -- is among them.

“I can’t really imagine why this wouldn’t work,” he said.

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About the Castle The Castle Community is an amalgam of artists studios, an art gallery, a restaurant and bar, a coffeehouse, a nonprofit bookstore and record shop, an events center for live music, and community meeting space.

It’s in the former National Guard Armory building at 121 N. Broadway. The building is open when tenants are, and their hours range from a 7:30 a.m. weekday opening for the coffeehouse to a 10 p.m. close at Cameo Monday-Thursday, 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

And then there are event nights, when hours are later.

For information on the Castle and the nonprofit Threshold Arts organization, call 507218-7214 or go to www. castlecommunity.org. For information on Cameo at the Castle restaurant, call 507-361-2070 or go online to cameoatthecastle.com.

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Gardens

on

Story By JUSTINE KRUGER editor@southernminnscene.com

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pring has sprung and those with green thumbs are itching to get their gardens started.

Beginning the process of gardening each year is a daunting task and often comes with a lot of unknowns. Is it better to start from a seed or buy plants that have already been started? Does the positioning of light or temperature really matter?

To get some expert advice, we sat down with Johanna George from Drummers Garden Center in Mankato. Whether this is your first or fifth garden, and your goals include plants or veggies, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

First and foremost, the timing of your planting is key. Johanna says that you can start your outdoor garden any time after the last chance of frost, which usually occurs around Mother’s Day. Planting before the last frost can damage the plants growth, so it’s best to wait and be safe.

When deciding which type of vegetation is right for you, consider your comfort and experience level. Most first time gardeners should start with a small garden or container. One of the biggest reasons that people get discouraged with gardening is they try to do too much too fast. For your first garden, pick three to four types of plants and grow from there (pun intended). This will give you a chance to learn as you go without getting overwhelmed but too many things ripening at once. If this is your first garden, Johanna starts with some cool season crops, like radishes or carrots, as they don’t need much care.

Once you’ve selected your crops, you’ll need to put some thought into placement. Do some research on your selected plants and observe the type of sunlight they require. Next, survey your outdoor space for the perfect location. Once you’ve selected the plot for your harvest, it’s essential that you select the right soil. If you’re like me, you grab the first one on the shelf and go about your merry way. I know, I’m ashamed. When you’re shopping for soil, select a good quality soil that is tailored to the environment you’ll be planting in. For example, if you’re growing veggies in a container, buy the soil that is specially formulated for that environment. It will make a huge impact on your outcome. According to Johanna, “soil is your biggest asset”.

If you’re looking for some more hands-on advice, take a look at the website of a garden center near you. Many centers offer free or lowcost classes on a variety of gardening topics, from container gardens to landscaping.

When asked what final piece of advice she would give first time gardeners, Johanna simply responded “Identify your priority and goals and have fun with it. Gardening is a personalized journey and is always ongoing. It’s never too late to have your first garden. It can be as involved, or as small as a tomato pot on the patio.”

Hopefully you’ll take these great tips and adapt them to your needs.

If you get stuck, don’t be afraid to reach out to an expert at your local greenhouse or garden center. Happy gardening!

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CATCHING ON Story By Pat Garry, Contributing Writer editor@southernminnscene.com

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he Roaring Twenties marked the beginning of Prohibition and sparked the inception of Speakeasies (covert bars where people scored illegal alcohol and enjoyed good times devoid of prying eyes).

But when booze was again legalized, in 1933, speakeasies went the way of the dinosaurs…or so we thought.

Recent years have ushered back the allure of a clandestine place, where customers can feel like they’re in on the secret, whether it’s a swanky cocktail club, a friendly dive bar, or an exclusive restaurant. These concealed destinations hide in seemingly innocuous establishments, like in gas stations or office buildings.

Maybe they reside above or below other bars or restaurants, at the end of dark alleys or out in the wilderness.

And with camouflaged doors that vary from refrigerators to safes, or bookcases, by entering through a phone booth in the rear of a building, or gaining access

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via an unexpected push on a wall of kegs in the back of a bar, it’s easy to walk right past the openings to these out-of-sight establishments. Secret bars and restaurants have become so popular that many major cities have at least one.

Rochester has one in the name of Bitter & Pour. It is the lovechild of four nice guys with stardust in their eyes (Andrew Ferguson, Josh Kral, John Pacchetti, and Patrick Hass). A surreptitious hideaway, housed in the basement of the Merchant Exchange building on Historic 3rd Street, B&P serves only the finest spirits and elixirs to society’s hippest drinkers.

“In the pursuit of excellence, we created a tiny altar that pays tribute to everything we’ve always wanted…a cozy and stylish atmosphere, detail-obsessive cocktails, impeccable wine, and a collage of craft beers,” said Pacchetti.

Bitter & Pour is the only cocktail bar in Southern Minnesota that has a hidden bookcase entrance.

The milieu is comfy and cozy, and the inners house swanky, cool furniture with music to match. Creating

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unique drinks at Bitter & Pour commences with the ice; fashioned from their own Clinebell machine (typically used to make large blocks of ice, used in ice sculpting).

The contraption’s charm is that it continually stirs the water as it freezes, keeping impurities in motion as the ice solidifies, allowing it all to freeze perfectly clear; and permitting the guys to cut their own, clear ice with a bandsaw. No reservations are needed at B&P; however, waitlist software is utilized during high-traffic times on weekends. “We do offer a seated experience; our host seats all guests in our limited space (even to the bar stools). This ensures that folks have some elbow room, as we control the standing-room only issues that typically occur in a bar such as ours. It leads to a better customer experience and faster operations,” Ferguson explained.

Bitter & Pour customers come from all walks of life and from all age groups. “We provide a relaxed, intimate setting that everyone can appreciate. Upon entering, customers are likely to hear Frank Sinatra or Otis Redding playing in the background, and even A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

the ‘20-somethings’ express how much they love the tunes,” said Andrew. Paramount within the comprehensive drink menu are some standout sippers. The Problem Solver is the house Old Fashioned. It is the bar’s best-selling cocktail; bourbon-based with hints of demerara sugar, orange and grapefruit. The Chubby Ginger is B&P’s version of a Moscow Mule. Freshsqueezed lime and house-made ginger syrup; the ginger in this cocktail really pops and might well be the best Moscow Mule ever concocted. The Yeah Buddy is a green Chile vodka with fresh lime, a house-made pineapple Jalapeno cordial, in a smoked sea-salt rimmed glass. It is sweet, smoky and spicy, all at the same time. The guys at Bitter & Pour took no short cuts in their unique build-out.

They created a welcoming, cozy, and even sexy establishment; filling a niche in Rochester nobody else is hitting. Obviously, the B&P boys are devoted to customer service.

“Everybody talks about it but we put our money where our mouths are. We only allow as many people to enter as we have seats; which ensures an enjoyable experience for all and allows us

to give the best service possible for each guest.

We believe in quality over

quantity,” said Ferguson.

If you can find the door, you should visit Bitter & Pour. They have a little bit of everything for everyone: great craft cocktails; a skillfully curated wine program; a tre-

mendous whiskey selection; a small but hand-picked selection of tap beers… superior customer service and an unprecedented atmosphere; oh, and four, nice guys with stardust in their eyes! {Bitter & Pour is closed Sun. & Mon. Open Tue & Wed, 4:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m., Thu-Sat, 4:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.} SMS

A C O Z Y, I N T I M AT E S E T T I N G T U C K E D AWAY O N H I S TO R I C 3 R D S T R E E T. L I B AT I O N S A N D S M A L L P L AT E S .

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Jillian Rae Plays for the love of the game

Story By Sarah Osterbauer editor@southernminnscene.com

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n a brisk Friday in March, I greeted Jillian Rae who was seated at a high top table at the downtown Minneapolis Barrio. This is her “go-to lunch spot”. Despite being our first time meeting, she gets up to hug me right away and as a hugger myself, I am relieved. There is a warmth radiating from her and she talks to me the way you would an old friend.

A product of the Minnesota Iron Range, Jillian’s parents divorced when she was five, after which, she lived primarily with her mom. She was six years old the first time she saw someone play violin “live, in person”, and needless to say, it was love at first sight. After nearly a year of persistent

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begging for a violin and lessons, her mom finally gave in. ...my mom got me a violin and she enrolled [me in lessons] with the teacher that I saw play and she was like, ‘ok, if you’re gonna do this, if I ever have to ask you or make you practice, you’re done. You’re gonna do this because you want to but I’m never gonna make you do it’ And that was just how it was. I practiced because I loved it, I would hardly wait to get home from school and take out my violin. I was true nerd I guess.

Playing and performing non-stop since then, for Jillian, being a musician isn’t simply a job or hobby, it’s her life, her identity. She went to college at St. Cloud State, majoring of course in music. Post-graduation, she moved to Duluth where she made her first and only attempt at a 9-5 grind. It lasted just long enough to know it wasn’t the life for her.

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I did work a desk job for less than a year when I lived in Duluth. But that was also the same time that I started playing in bands, like original music bands, not just fiddle covers with like, little old guys in St Cloud, which was also SO amazing. But yeah, I don’t think I ever thought of that as a career path. I was like, lets see if I can hack out this desk job 9-5 thing and I had insurance for the only time in a my life for a job that I had. So that was cool but by the end of it, they hired me knowing that it’s like, I wanna try this out and I’ll give it my all but this isn’t something that I wanna do forever.

After that, she packed up and headed to Minneapolis. The first thing she did was find work teaching private music lessons at Schmitt Music in Edina. For many working musicians, teaching lessons is a no brainer way to sustain some regular income. And it was something Jillian had always done aside from playing and performing.

But unlike other musicians, she sees it as much more than a meal ticket. She has a genuine love

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of sharing her knowledge and fostering creativity in her young students. It’s clear she values the importance of building community and giving back the best way she knows how. Coincidentally, Josie Just also taught at Schmitt during that time and shared Jillian’s passion for teaching. As they became close friends, the two learned that during the interview at Schmitt when they were asked what their goals were as music educators, they both responded by saying they hoped to open their own music school some day.

Some day came in January of 2011. Josie and Jillian left Schmitt and took a handful of students with them to start The Music Lab in Minneapolis.

While the task of opening their own business was daunting, Jillian contends it was much easier to do with a partner. Fast forward eight years and the school has since flourished, employing over 20 instructors, who teach any and every instrument one can dream of, from piano to didgeridoo. In addition to private lessons, they also have summer camp programs. As the school continued to grow and thrive, Jillian found balancing The Music Lab’s workload with that of her band, Jillian Rae, becoming more and more difficult. She had a choice to make because by doing both, neither one was getting the 100% love and attention they deserved. In the end, Jillian made the hard decision to sell her half of the school to co-founder/owner Josie Just. ...it was a hard decision but being that Josie looks at the school as her baby just as much as I did. I probably wouldn’t have done it if she wouldn’t have kept it going but it’s still a thing, it’s still going and I still teach

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there. It just seemed like the stars aligned and that was the direction to go. Now my title is, I’m the co-founder, I’m no longer the co-owner.

Co-founder and instructor at The Music Lab are only two of Jillian’s many titles. Lead singer and creative mind of Jillian Rae, fiddle player for many bands, including but not limited to: Corpse Reviver, Steve Kaul & The Brass Kings, Brian Just Band, the list goes on. As much as the physicality of playing so much becomes more and more exhausting, she wouldn’t have it any other way. To hear her talk about it, you’d think she does it out of necessity rather than desire. She used the adage ‘I can sleep when I’m dead’ when asked about her motivation to play so much.

I’ve been playing and performing music since I was 7, 8 years old and that’s all I’ve done with my life. It’s what I love the most.

Especially, when it’s somebody else’s music, that they’re the creator and you’re working with that creator, adding whatever it is you can bring to the table that they want you to do. There’s a super cool place of creativity that that lends--that’s not at all the same as writing your own songs. I just really like collaborating and I just like performing. Like if you were to just call me up and say, ‘Hey Jillian, do you wanna sit in with me at the 331 tonight at midnight?’ I’d be like, sure I’ll wander down there with my violin. Cause what else would I do? Sit on my couch? That’s a way better option!

Being a constant player in the Minneapolis music scene for the last several years has solidified Jillian’s place as major pillar in the community.

She’s played all over town and got national exposure opening for the Okee Dokee Brothers. Her first album Heartbeat was released in 2013 and she found success right out of the gate.

Unintentionally while writing what is now her follow up album, I Can’t Be The One You Want Me to Be, there were a handful of songs she felt worked better as a separate package. Those songs became her EP Wanderlust which was released in 2017. Wanderlust is a collection

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of road songs, “lovely little acoustic bits” she calls them, that didn’t quite fit into the bigger picture of what her then, unnamed full length was turning out to be. Refusing to be chained to any particular style or genre, Jillian still wants her albums to have a cohesive theme, to tell a story.

She is huge proponent of the album format and doesn’t see herself ever pumping out single after single. For I Can’t Be The One, she says the theme is essentially ‘fuck it’, meaning we have so many expectations coming as us from all sides and the message from these songs is, who cares? Given that mindset, the songs on I Can’t Be are assuredly darker and more introspective than her previous work. One stunner titled “Miserable” came to her after trying Xanax for the first time, when she was in a depressive state. Being open about her anxiety, occasional panic attacks and coping with burnout are important to her, a soldier on the battlefield to erase stigma associated with mental health issues. She hopes that by putting her own struggles out there it’ll help other people feel comfortable doing the same.

The album title is also a middle finger to any expectations out there for what kind of music she should be making. ...you know being a violinist, I think the big thing was, I’ve always been given advice from men in suits for example, older men in suits, like ‘pick a lane, you play violin, fiddle, Americana, this that and the other thing’ and I do love Americana music, I love playing bluegrass but when it comes to what I write, like, I like it to be a reflection of what i listen to.

By taking cues from her biggest influences

like Wilco, Feist and Andrew Bird, the resulting product is a heartfelt, honest bunch of tunes that will surely stick to your insides. Spreading real talk over unforgettable melodies and hooks, at times going right when you’re expecting a left, these

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songs are refreshing and timely.

When asked about her end goal or when she’ll feel as though she’s “made it”. She wonders out loud if any artist truly ever feels that way.

When I was in college, I said to myself, I will be a successful musician when I can make a living and pay my bills with music and just play as much as possible.I think no matter where you get there’s always somewhere you want to push yourself to. I think I’m in a really lovely place. You always want to reach more people and make more things. I think what I’m reaching for is not an end goal, I just want to get my music to people who haven’t heard it yet.

One potential goal she mentioned, was writing an album dedicated to her rescue dog Ernie. So far she’s only come up with bits and pieces of songs here and there but the idea of a full album is on the radar. Ernie is a pit-lab mix that Jillian and her husband adopted when he was about three years old. If you follow her on social media, Ernie is a fixture there. Two years ago when he needed surgery to remove some suspicious lumps,

Jillian set up a GoFundMe to help them with the cost. Fans came through for her and now Ernie is healthy and doing well. The generosity from the community is not lost on Jillian. A truly kind heart, she often scans the other GoFundMe pages and when she’s having “a good financial month” she likes to give back to the people who were there for her when she needed it.

Beyond her musical talents, Jillian is a truly kind hearted person. A kind person who enjoys saying the F word a lot, but promised to tone it down for this story. Jokes aside, her genuine love and devotion to her craft is palpable. Music critics love to talk about authenticity and who has it and who doesn’t. It is absolutely undeniable that Jillian’s authentic love for music comes from a pure and vulnerable place.

That said, to really get to know Jillian, the best way is to see her perform live. Her release show for I Can’t Be The One You Want Me to Be is Friday, May 31 at the Cedar Cultural Center, one of her favorite venues in town. The album will have dropped by the time this hits the press and will be available wherever you consume music.

SMS

Cannon Valley Trail Find your “recreational treasure” just south of the Twin Cites.

The Cannon Valley Trail, a 20 mile paved recreatonal trail,

The Cannon Valley Trail, a 20 mile paved recreational trail, selected as “one of the Top Ten Rail Trails in the U.S.” Best Bike Trail - Rails to Trails Conservancy

www.cannonvalleytrail.com

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Loc ow ALLy opE NEd & rAT Ed!

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507-332-9948 • 1746 Grant St. n.W. Faribault, Mn ultimatetanfaribault.com • OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK • 8AM - 9PM M AY 2 0 1 9 | w w w. s o u t h e r N m I N n SCENE. c o m

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Cannon Valley Trail • 507-263-0508 825 Cannon River Ave, Cannon Falls, MN 55009 www.cannonvalleytrail.com • info@cannonvalleytrail.com A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

t l u a b i r a F T O S E N N MI

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Experiencing American Stories

maY

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Big Hats Big Hearts at Paradise Center for the Arts

Maple Syrup Fun Run and Pancake Brunch at the River Bend Nature Center

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Downtown Car Cruise Night Jason Paulson Band at Corks and Pints

JuNE

7 12-16

Deuces Wild Dueling Pianos at Paradise Center for the Arts

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Heritage Days

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Happy Mother’s Day of Bust

M Story By Beth Forkner Moe editor@southernminnscene.com

y mom is fantastic (as many of you may know). I’m lucky to have her (as are the rest of her kids, her “grands,” the rest of the family, and the incredible collection of friends she’s accumulated over the years).

So I’m going to lay out an ideal Mother’s Day weekend with just the two of us, to take place throughout Southern Minnesota (shhhh…. it’s a secret – don’t let her know all the fun we’re going to have!).

This weekend assumes that cost is not an issue (even though we’re both pretty frugal), that we’re both incredibly active and love physical adventures, and that we are both like the Energizer bunny and can go on and on and on…. Well, you get the picture.

I hope these ideas will give you some ideas as you think about spending special time with your own mom (if you are fortunate to have one) or with another woman you love and think of in this same vein. Our weekend will start and end in Northfield (that’s where she lives) beginning early afternoon on Friday, returning sometime on Sunday afternoon. Hang onto your hats – here we go!

at targets will be a good way to get out some of frustrations at the winter that never seemed to end this year (plus any other general aggressions). I’ve wanted her to go axe-throwing with me (which is super-fun), but she has put her foot down and told me that will never happen.

Info: 507-848-5260 or www.faribaultarchery.org. They also have a Facebook page.

by ourselves, which doesn’t often get to happen (because of all the wonderful people she surrounds herself with, there’s not as much one-on-one time as any of us would like).

Info: 507-331-3250, www.studio14salonandspa.com, 204 Central Avenue in Faribault. Or check them out on Facebook.

Friday: I’ll pick Mom up in the early afternoon (where her overnight bag would have been magically packed – I’ll probably have my sister go over to and do that ahead of time, warning Dad to keep it a secret!), and we’ll head to Faribault. I’ll fill her in a little bit about the weekend, but won’t tell her everything I have planned.

We’ll start our adventure at the Faribault Archery Club, located at the Commercial Exhibit Building on Fairground Drive.

Even though we don’t have our own equipment, they have several bows available that we can borrow. We’re both right-handed, but they have bows for left-handed people as well. Shooting arrows

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We’ll then head to Studio 14 Salon and Spa in Faribault. After all the hard work and concentration, we need to slow down and pamper ourselves a bit. So we’ll each have a mani-pedi (maybe some really sassy colors for summer!), then have a facial and massage. This will be a chance for us to visit in a relaxing atmosphere and just

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Well, we’ve certainly whipped up a good appetite by now.

I think the Cheese Cave might be next on the menu (pun intended). Yum! There are so many amazing options; it’s going to be hard to choose. Should we get pizza, a cheese plate, a sandwich from the grill, or a salad? Maybe we could get a couple things and split them. And, of course, we’ll have cheesecake for dessert.

Info: 507-334-3988, https://cheesecave.net/, 318 Central Ave. N. #6 in Faribault. They’re also on Facebook.

Finally, we’ll settle in for the evening at the Historic Hutchinson House, a bed-and-breakfast that’s well-known for its hospitality and lovely rooms. It’s been awarded a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, named #20 on the list of Top 50 Coolest Houses in Minnesota, and Best of Scene’s B&B category in 2018. Good night; sleep tight!

A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

we’ll be able to narrow it down; can’t wait to try it!

Info: 507-317-5354, m.me/CuriosiTeaHouse, 1745 Commerce Dr., North Mankato. Follow them on Facebook.

Info: 507-384-3291, www.historichutchhouse.com, 305 2nd Street N.W., Faribault, or on Facebook.

Saturday: Good morning! We’ll break our fast and start the day off right with some delicious food at the Historic Hutchinson House. They’re known for their three-course meal that includes a “starter” course, an “egg” course and a “sweet” course, along with scones.

And off to Mankato we go!

We’re going to start with a bit of creativity this morning, so we’ll go to ARTifact, a women-owned business where people can paint their own pottery. There are more than 200 items to choose from (starting at $12, with most items running $20-$25). The staff is there to provide ideas and assistance. Mom and I will each pick something and make it our own. It think it would be fun for us to pick the same type of item (maybe a serving bowl or a pitcher) and paint it in our own individual fashion.

Info: 507-351-3111, www.artifactmankato.com, 321 N. Riverfront Drive, Mankato. Or follow them on Facebook.

Time for one more adventure in Mankato, at Salvage Sisters Merchantile. They are unique in that they have painted, re-styled or re-furbished home and garden décor, at affordable prices.

Everything is one-of-a-kind. They also sell gift items and work by local artists and craftspeople. As their Facebook profile says, “Really cool stuff, mostly handmade. For baby, home and everything in between.”

Info: 507-345-8575, www.salvagesistersmercantile.com, 615 N. Riverfront Dr., Mankato, or on Facebook.

And off we go to the next adventure! I’ve actually been able to talk Mom into getting tattoos together – I never ever thought I would see this day in my lifetime. I’m so excited! As we head to Kat’s Tat’s in Owatonna, we talk about what we’re going to get.

Matching? Similar? And where? I promise her it can be discreet and that no one will have to know unless she tells them herself.

Maybe one of us gets a sun and one gets a moon? Maybe we both get little hearts? I don’t know; we’ll have to see.

Info: 507-214-2100, www.katstats.com, 320 N. Cedar Ave., Owatonna. Facebook, too.

OK, that was fun! (And, true to my word, no one will know what we end up getting – or even that we’ve gotten tats – unless we tell them.)

And, now we’re exhausted, so we’re going to call it a day. We have reservations at the Northrop Oftedahl House Bed and Breakfast in Owatonna. It was built in 1898 and offers beautiful oak woodwork with an open staircase and large stained glass windows. The lovely rooms are furnished with family heirlooms.

We’ve heard that the hospitality is warm and that the breakfast is quite delicious. We’re not quite sure what we want to eat tonight, so we’ll wander through downtown and grab something, maybe making a little picnic in one of the nearby city parks. We’ve certainly had some great adventures the past couple days. Tonight is our last night together before we go back to Northfield.

Info: 507-451-4040, www.northrophouse.com, 358 E. Main St., Owatonna.

Both of us are HUGE readers – we both love books. We often share our books with each other, then pass them on to others who share the same interests. We get our books from lots of places – the library, online, from local booksellers, from book sales (like the incredible one held every spring in Northfield).

We’ve decided that a fitting place to end our weekend is Content Bookstore. It’s an independent bookstore that has been open since July 2006. Content offers multiple events, book clubs, book credit (for used books) and so much more. We’ll each get a few books and take them home, thinking of our grand adventures as we begin turning the pages of the stories we’ve picked.

Info: 507-222-9238, www.contentbookstore.com, 314 Division St., Northfield, or follow them on Facebook.

This has been an imaginary trip with my Mom to celebrate Mother’s Day, but it’s made me so happy to think about all the things we could do together. Maybe, one of these years, we’ll have the opportunity to actually take a trip like this. Wouldn’t that be awesome? SMS Beth Forkner Moe is the editor of ‘Southern Minn Girlfriends’ magazine. She is also a non-profit consultant and freelance writer. You can learn more about her at her website, www.EnvisionItTogether.com.

Sunday: Time for a little snack. We had a huge breakfast, but we both love tea and have heard some great things about the Curiosi-Tea House. Boy, it’s hard to choose from the dozens of flavors. I know

Well, our Mother’s Day weekend adventure has almost come to an end. We’re sad, but so happy we had the chance to visit and make new memories (plus buy a couple things along the way).

And, we still have one place to go before I drop Mom off and head home myself.

A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

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“Instead of losing friends, people are making friends. We’re getting to know each other’s stories. We’re laughing together and eating together. Alzheimer’s disease often changes relationships that people have, so to be in a place that’s so accepting and full of love, it’s really important.” – Sandy Lubrant Story By GRACE BRANDT editor@southernminnscene.com

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hen the Singing Hills Chorus takes the stage at a concert, they look like any other choir.

The members are clad in crisp white shirts and black trousers, with festive purple scarves tucked around their necks. They step onto the platform, segregating themselves into groups of sopranos, altos, tenors and basses. Each singer holds a white music folder, patiently waiting for choir director Kristin Ziemke to cue them in for their first piece. When they begin singing, their voices swell and fill the concert space in perfect harmony.

They look like a typical choir. They sound like a typical choir. But there’s something very special about this choir, indeed.

Singing to remember The Singing Hills Chorus was founded with a special mission — to be a place where people living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias can fellowship in a singing-based community. About one-third of the group’s members have some sort of memory condition, while the rest of the singers are either caregivers or volunteers.

“A lot of times with this disease, people focus on the loss,” said Sandi Lubrant, Program Director at ACT on Alzheimer’s. “But there are assets and abilities that still exist, and I think it’s really important to figure out how to tap into it.”

ACT on Alzheimer’s is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that has chapters across Minnesota. According to Lubrant, members of the ACT group were inspired by a Twin Cities-based choir called the Giving Voice Chorus, which was created to offer people with different dementias, as well as their caregivers, a place to sing and socialize together.

“Instead of losing friends, people are making friends,” Lubrant said.

“We’re getting to know each other’s stories. We’re laughing together and eating together. Alzheimer’s disease often changes relationships that people have, so to be in a place that’s so accepting and full of love, it’s really important.”

Janesville native Kristin Ziemke acts as the choir’s music director. She earned an undergraduate degree in music therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and said she appreciates being able to use her skills in a different way.

“This choir has been just a God-send,” she said. “I love that this choir lets me branch outside of my music therapy [background], but I get to use a lot of my music therapy skills within it.”

Growing and blossoming

Provides Opportunities for Those with Dementia 20

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According to Ziemke, there wasn’t a lot of interest when work began to organize the choir, but membership has taken off ever since its official start in September 2017. The first concert, held in December 2017, had about 26 people performing, and the numbers have grown for every session since then. The latest concert, held Jan. 5, had 46 participants.

Cheryl Lamoureux and Kristi Krengel are a mother-daughter team who have been singing with the choir since its first season. Krengel acts as caregiver to her mother, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. They said they have both found a welcoming community that accepts them for who they are and what they bring.

“There’s a sense of community and freedom in knowing if you make a mistake, it’s okay,” Krengel said. “You don’t have to worry about messing up. It feels safe here.”

“You’re accepted for what you can bring,” Lamoureux agreed. “There’s a feeling here of acceptance, love and affirmation with this group. I just A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

love it. I look forward to this day every week.”

Ziemke explained that the choir tries to keep a 1-1-1 ratio: one caregiver and volunteer for every singer living with dementia. In fact, she said they’ve actually had to stop taking volunteer singers recently so that they can keep their ratio.

She said that they plan to cap the choir at 50 participants total to ensure it doesn’t outgrow the “community” feel, though she added that they would be interested in starting a second choir if the demand is there.

“We knew it just needed time to blossom,” Ziemke said.

“People struggle with feeling confident enough to come experience it, but once they’re in, they’re in.”

Mankato resident Jan Adams has been volunteering with the chorus since it began. She said she has sung in choirs before and enjoyed it, but she has never enjoyed another choir as much as this one.

“When I walk in the door of our practice room, I just get this infusion of joy,” she said. “I’m bolstered all day and some of the next day when I go. There’s a big hole in my week if I can’t go.”

Always singing The Singing Hills Chorus divides its time between two 14-week sessions in the spring and winter, each culminating in a concert, as well as a more informal “get together” session in the summer.

The choir’s leadership team meets a few months prior to each concert to brainstorm about music and come up with a theme, with the goal of offering participants a range of music that is both enjoyable and challenging. Part of this is including pieces that have two- or three-part harmony, as well as some songs most of the choir members are unfamiliar with. There are usually around 14 songs per concert.

“We try to choose music that promotes joy,” Ziemke said. “If there’s one thing that I can say about the choir, it is a joy-giving experience.

From the rehearsal to the music we choose, to the social time before and after, it’s about creating a joyful experience that promotes friendships, that stimulates cognitive health and helps [our singers] accomplish something that maybe they thought they couldn’t accomplish.”

Ziemke said the choir has all levels of singers, from people who have never sung in a group to people who have years of experience.

They also have all levels of dementia progression.

Because of this, Ziemke and her leadership team adapt the music to everyone’s individual needs, whether that’s creating a CD or writing out lyric sheets.

“As the disease progresses, we’re able to progress with them and give them the modifications they need,” she said.

Rehearsals are every Thursday morning in the School Sisters of Notre Dame’s basement, with a social time before and after. Four sisters are currently singing with the choir, along with their four caregivers.

“We are so honored to be in their home,” Lubrant said.

“They have just welcomed us. That’s a really beautiful relationship.”

Ziemke said, in many ways, rehearsals are just like rehearsals at any other choir; she works with members on diction, volume, breath support and other musical elements. However, she also modifies the way she directs to make it more appropriate for her members, such as doing things at a slower pace or providing moments to pause and really grasp the information.

“We’re working on the same goals as your average choir, but we may pace it a little differently,” she explained.

A place to belong According to Ziemke, the most important part of the choir is simply offering people a place to form new relation-

Upcoming events

The School Sisters of Notre Dame

When: 1:30 p.m. on May 11 Where: School Sisters of Notre Dame Cost: $10 (kids under 5 are free but still need tickets) For more information: www.singinghillschorus.org

It may not be surprising, but Singing Hills Chorus is not the first time the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Mankato have worked towards supporting people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Joining the choir

ships in a safe space—whether the singers have memory conditions, are caregivers or are simply volunteers.

“We’ve seen friendships develop,” she said. “We’ve seen people say, ‘I needed to be here this week. I needed to come back because I needed the joy that it brings. I look forward to Thursday. It’s the best day of my week.’”

“They just become different people,” Adams agreed.

“The joy that’s on their faces…. money can’t buy it. It’s just been amazing to me. There’s so much joy that this choir gives to them. You have to be there… Come one time for 15 minutes, and you’ll feel it. It’s a real special place.”

Adams is quick to share how the choir has taken care of her, too—such as last winter, when members banded together to drive her to and from practice after she slipped walking on icy pavement in the parking lot. She said from then on, a fellow member always calls to schedule a ride to practice, while another member takes her home afterwards.

“To have someone make the effort for me made me feel so honored and special, that someone would care enough about me to do that for me,” she said. “It’s not a real big thing, but it is to me.” SMS

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When: Thursdays from 1011:30 a.m. (with social time before and after) Duration: January 31May 11 Where: School Sisters of Notre Dame, 170 Good Counsel Drive in Mankato Cost: $25 per person (scholarships available) To register: Visit singinghillschorus.org, call 507-519-0626 or email katoactonalz@yahoo.com Registrations are accepted at any time if space is available. However, singers are encouraged to sign up prior to the beginning of the session.

The sisters were part of a pilot study that focused on aging, started by Dr. David Snowden in the late 1980s. By the 1990s, the doctor had expanded his study to include Alzheimer’s disease. The “Nun Study” opened to all School Sisters of Notre Dame provinces across the U.S., with a 66 percent participation rate. Sisters are evaluated yearly with memory tests and physical functioning assessments, among other things, and 98 percent of participants also agreed to donate their brains after they died. The study continues today, with three sisters living who are still enrolled.

“I’m really amazed by the contributions that the sisters have made for Alzheimer’s disease research,” Lubrant said.

“For them to say yes, come be here, and open their home to us, I love the energy.”

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The Pursuit of Happiness:

From Basketball to Photography

Story & Photos By GAGE Cureton editor@southernminnscene.com

O

n some nights, when most people are asleep, Mansoor Ahmad is wide awake with the white glow of a computer screen the only thing keeping him company.

Ahmad, a sophomore at Minnesota State University, Mankato, is a staff photographer, web editor, and copy editor at The Reporter -- the university’s campus newspaper. He’s covered big name events for the newspaper such as Taylor Swift, Panic at the Disco, Travis Scott, and Superbowl LII in Minneapolis.

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When he isn’t in class or pursuing his passion of photography, he’s in the newspaper’s office well into the night, editing and revising articles written by fellow students. While the job is sluggish and time consuming, he said he enjoys learning the ins-and-outs of the Associated Press writing-style, the grammatical writing format used in print journalism. While he’s editing, Ahmad said he’s often engrossed in his work.

“There’s been many times, even when I’m copy editing, not just taking pictures, that I’ve forgotten to eat,” Ahmad said. “But I like the fact that I’m learning AP style. It’s something I can put on my resume and up my stock as an international student.”

But while Ahmad is undoubtedly committed to his passion, he

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may still have obstacles to overcome, if he wants to continue pursuing.

Ahmad moved to Minnesota with a student visa in August 2017 to pursue a degree in information technology with a minor in photography. He grew up in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, or “Makkh” as it’s called in his native country. He had many passions growing up, but photography and newswriting weren’t any of them.

“During late middle school, I started playing basketball,” Ahmad said. “I just fell in love with basketball, but it’s only worshipped in the United States. Nowhere else are people crazy about it. Especially in Saudi Arabia.”

Ahmad said basketball doesn’t have a dedicated following in

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other counties like it does in the United States. However, he said he remembers he had high hopes to one day pursue his dream of playing basketball in the United States. After he joined his middle school’s team, he set about improving his skills. He quickly set himself apart from his teammates and spent hours on the court practicing shooting drills and footwork.

“And one day I was like, ‘I’m going to play in the NBA,’” he remembers with a laugh.

“And that didn’t go through obviously because I’m not good enough.”

After a debilitating injury to his ankle, he was forced to throw in the towel and retire from the sport he loved so much at a young age. He said he spent countless hours bedridden, depressed, and searching for something to get his mind off basketball. It wasn’t until he started studying classic films by Stanley Kubrick, that he began to find a new passion.

“I fell in love with the technical part of making movies,” he said. “Which is basically moving pictures -- so basically, pictures.”

When Ahmad moved to Minnesota after he graduated high school in Saudi Arabia, he started taking photography seriously. He said he recalls his college orientation day at MSU where, as part of a tour, he was introduced to Otto Recreation Center, the university’s fitness center. The building contains basketball courts frequented by students, and after seeing the students playing on the courts, an idea dawned on him.

“I just started taking pictures,” he said. “And the guys on the court didn’t mind and they were fine with it. I got some really nice pictures back at that time which I thought were good. But then I applied at The Reporter with those pictures I took just for fun and I got hired.”

Ahmad started shooting pictures of events around campus and gradually saw his skills increase as a photographer. He began to ascend the staff photographer totem pole at the newspaper and was assigned to larger events.

“Then I took pictures at the college games eventually,” he said. “And I was like, ‘this is good, combining the two things that I love – sports and photography.’

It’s a love-marriage.”

Ahmad said he never lost his love for basketball or sports even after he was injured in middle school and could no longer play. He said he sees photography as means to stay involved with sports and tries to pour his passion for athletics into his work.

“Just going to all these events week after week and seeing myself grow was important,” he said. “And when I started doing bigger concerts and events, I thought this is it, I don’t know where I’m going but it’s definitely better than where I’m at now.”

Ahmad said a pivotal moment in his career and growth at the newspaper occurred during the university’s spring break in March 2018. He spent much of spring break travelling to the Twin Cities and even Iowa.

“It was over a span of a week that I shot three concerts and got into my first mixed martial arts event,” he said. “And then I capped the week off by shooting the NCAA division two wrestling championships in Iowa. Just shooting a wide-array of subjects and getting access to all those places, and then seeing my photos decent enough for me to like them, was definitely a defining moment.” Ahmad said his plan after college is to pursue work as a photojournalist for a large news outlet. He said he wants to capture humanity in it’s most defining moments.

However, as an international student, he said he has to leave the United States one year after graduating if he doesn’t find a job related to his degree. He said he’s willing to work in information technology but would rather pursue his passion for photography.

“I.T. is just a backup plan,” he said. “And that sounds stupid because it’s my major. But eventually the plan is to go into taking photos full-time. And seeing the current situation, I don’t even know if I’ll be able to find a job because many employers don’t want to sponsor international workers.”

Ahmad said he wants to work as a photojournalist in the United States because of the higher standards and credibility given to photographers rather than compared to his native country. He said the United States has much more opportunity for those seeking to work in media-related careers.

“Photography is regarded more here than it is back home.” he said. “There are people who appreciate photographers here. I don’t care if I live in a one-bedroom apartment with barely enough food to spend the night. As long as I’m alive and people respect me, and I’m chasing something like my goals, I’m satisfied.”

Reflecting on how he views photography and what he sees as something that’s impacted his life, Ahmad said he’s motivated to pursue his dreams.

“It’s just that there are so many different ways to take the same picture,” he said. “It’s the fact that not each photo is the same, and there’s so many pictures to take. And that just blows my mind. As long as I’m content with myself and doing something I love, which is photography, and people respect and know me for that, that’s all I need and why I’m doing it.”

SMS

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23

Fitness in SoMINN

donovan belcourt Donovan Belcourt is the co-owner of Cannon Strength a gym in Northfield. Members differ in age, ability, and gender but share a powerful desire to realize their latent capacities for strength, health, and wellbeing.

Check it out at cannonstrength.com.

THEATER

n la p e is c r e x e to an effective

I

AUDITIONS MUSIC Purple Door Youth Theater Nov 26 | 5-7 pm Nov 27 | 4-6 pm Sign up for a time online

GALLERY 





magine it. You walk into a gym and to your right is a row of a dozen treadmills.

You decide they look safe and easy to use so you hop on the one in the middle, but it has an out of order sign on the controls, you migrate to the next one and figure out how to make it spin. Success.

Just as you are about to break a sweat you notice the clink of an awkwardly shaped machine. It spikes your interest so you head over to it and are relieved when the directions are plastered on the side of it. Success.

After a few minutes at the machine, your shoulder starts to feel funny. It must be the injury from your college days that you probably should have had looked at. It seems like a good time to explore the free weight section. On your way, you trip on the leg of one of the machines and narrowly avoid taking a spill. Success.

While at the free weights, you decide it looks pretty straightforward and you pick up the biggest dumbbells you think you can handle. You can see your biceps in the mirror, so it seems like a good muscle to work on. Success.

This is the default approach most people take when they embark on a fitness journey. I know this is what I did. There is a steep learning curve associated with starting an exercise routine.

MUSIC

Here are my 3 steps to an effective exercise plan Start Simple. Start Smart - Plan for hitting the gym 2-3 days per week for 45 - 60 min. Make sure you get yourself a notebook to track and record your progress. Sometimes it’s hard to tell how far you’ve really come.

Make a plan - Start each workout with 5-10 minutes on a piece of aerobic equipment (treadmill, elliptical, etc.). Make a list of 4-6 exercises you want to work on that day. 1-2 pushing exercises, 1-2 pulling exercise, and 1-2 lower body exercises. Do 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. Make sure you record what you do.

How to sound smart and use science - Become familiar with the term “principle of overload”. This means you should strive to do more this week than you did last week.

Our bodies adapt and grow with this “overloading stimulus”. Last week you did 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 20 lbs. This week, shoot for 4 sets of 10 repetitions with 20 lbs.

You increased your sets from 3 to 4 and that’s how overload works.

You can achieve the same effect by increasing the weight, increasing the repetitions, decreasing your rest time, or adding another exercise.

Unless you are a competitive athlete, exercise really doesn’t get more complicated than this. Start Simple, start smart, make a plan, (stick to it), and live by the principle of overload. SMS

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Why Brick and Mortar?

Margot Weyhe Margot Weyhe is an interior designer as well as the owner of The Design Element in Mankato.

She can assist in the entire design process and provide selections and materials for your new construction, remodel, and/or commercial project.

I

n recent years local businesses have worked harder than ever to compete with the growing popularity of internet sales.

Since I’ve been in the design industry (30 years) things have changed in ways I could never have imagined! In today’s world you can search through thouSPONSORED BY sands of inspiration photos and The Design Element then proceed to try to find the right 1711 Premier Drive products and at the click of a button Mankato, MN purchase it and have it shipped right 507.345.8708 to your home. Seems easy, right?

So how does a brick and mortar store compete and what can we (in our case The Design Element) offer what internet companies cannot? The most obvious argument is that supporting local businesses helps create a strong local economy. That’s a great argument and one I whole-heartedly support, but, with that being said, what we offer that the internet cannot is an “experience”.

The internet is many things, but it does not satisfy all our senses.

When it comes to design, a sensory experience is crucial.

When you walk into our showroom, our goal is to awaken your senses, inspire you, and provide a great shopping experience.

We recognize how you feel in your space is just as important, if not more so, than how it looks. We are regularly re-designing our showroom to keep it fresh and inspiring and many of our clients come often to see what new and artistic vignettes we’ve created.

But shopping online is so convenient – why not just order all my products that way? And you’ve certainly seen how easy designing a space is since you’ve watched so many DIY design shows, right?

Well, there is a caveat; a truly good design requires a lot of hard work, extensive product and industry knowledge, and a great deal of talent.

Once a budget is established, an experienced designer can make all the difference in creating the space you’ve always dreamed of, or even a space you never could have imagined on your own. To begin the process, we ask a lot of lifestyle questions that helps us to develop a personal connection and make the experience about you – in other words, custom tailored to you. If you’re someone

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who wants all the creative control – no problem. We literally have thousands of options from which to choose and we are a great resource to help narrow down your search and finding it in the right quality, budget, and style you are seeking.

Another major component of a design project is finding the right contractors to implement all these great design ideas. A seasoned design company should also have a relationship with a trusted contractor. In our case it is one of the things that sets us apart.

Our location also includes R. Henry Construction, one of the area’s most distinctive builders whom we regularly collaborate with and it has brought us many exceptional results over the years! One unique service they offer is floor plan design through drafters that we work with to create a customized space. This is not a combination you will find often and definitely not online.

By now you may be realizing another major difference between online and brick-and-mortar is that, in addition to product, we are also selling service. That is something I’ve also seen transform in the past 30 years – but not in a good way. Advances in technology have been great in many ways, but it has diminished customer service. Being able to deal one-on-one with a person to help educate you, guide you, and provide solutions for issues that arise is absolutely priceless!

We invite you to stop in and enjoy the experience we offer: quality product, industry knowledge, creative talents, and great customer service!

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THE Calendar Compiled

By Anne Kopas editor@southernminnscene.com

The Pigeoning

April 26-27, Sheldon Theatre, Red Wing Just in time for Earth Day (or week), this original, comedic puppet play looks into the divide between humans and nature, presented by award-winning puppet artist Robin Frohardt. In this family friendly show, cleanliness-obsessed Frank is convinced that a gang of pigeons is out to get him, and sets out to solve a problem that may or may not be real. Frohardt will also perform “The Dumpster Monster,” a 10-minute interactive performance, in various spots around Red Wing in the days leading up to the puppet play. Check the website for times/locations, or just wander town until you find the exploding plastic bag monster rising from a dumpster. sheldontheatre.org

Funk Junction Sour Beer Fest

Aretha: Honoring the Queen of Soul

If you’re into funky music, food trucks, barrel-aged sour beers or just beer sampling in general, this festival isn’t one to miss. Taste New Ulm beers alongside offerings from 25 other breweries from around the nation. Schell’s Brewery website advertises “groovy beats and funkadelic cheeses,” so get ready for a day of fun, complete with a huge disco ball. Bell-bottoms optional. Get tickets early, as they’re already on sale, and may sell out.

Vocalists Mary Lieser and Dianna Parks previously sold out the Paradise stage with their Linda Ronstadt and “fABBulous” shows.

Now, they’re returning to Faribault to pay tribute to the legendary Aretha Franklin, who passed away in August 2018. They’ll be joined

by LaSonya Natividad from the band KnuFunk and Icognito (voted Rochester’s favorite band). This high-energy performance is sure to show the Queen of Soul some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

schellsbrewery.com/events/funk-junction/

paradisecenterforthearts.org/music

1 p.m. April 27, The Starkeller, New Ulm

7:30 p.m. April 27, Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault

Chase & Ovation: A Salute to Bluff Country Studio Art Tour the Music of Prince Nightfalls at Ramsey Falls April 26-28, Winona area

Enjoy a variety of art in one of Minnesota’s most scenic spots, the southeastern bluff country. There’s no set tour agenda, so take a leisurely drive and stop at the galleries of over 25 local artists in over a dozen cities. Get your fill of everything from ceramics, woodwork, clay, fiber, sculpture, photography, jewelry and more, with studios open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Pick out some locally created new pieces for the home, or simply enjoy the opportunity to meet the artists and view their work. There will also be a few tour stops in northeastern Iowa, for those who want to branch out of Minnesota.

Bluffcountrystudioarttour.org

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8 p.m. April 27, Verizon Center, Mankato

Spend an evening paying tribute to a piece of Minnesota heritage with the music of the state’s own pop star, Prince. Band frontman Tommy Chase knew and worked with Prince during his lifetime, and now honors him with his acclaimed tribute show, a concert that has traveled around the world. “I wake up filled with gratitude every day and give thanks in prayer for the gift of music that Prince has given to me, but more importantly the gift that he has given to the world,” writes Chase on the band’s website. chaseandovation.com/new-events/2019/4/27/verizoncenter-mankato-mn

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8 p.m., May 3-4, Ramsey Park, Redwood Falls

Each year, the city of Redwood Falls lights up the picturesque Ramsey Falls with a colorful light show. Bring the whole family early to get a good viewing spot, and while you’re there, enjoy popcorn, cotton candy, dance performance, live music and more. As the event has grown over the past few years, the lights have spread from the falls to throughout the park, so be sure to explore the park while you’re there — or come back for a second night of fun, as the event runs two evenings.

Redwoodfalls.org

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include a couple who married “against the odds” in 1947, a World War Two veteran who saved another’s life when Kamikazes attacked his ship, a woman who grew up in poverty in Somalia and went on to become a nurse at Mayo Clinic, and more. After the concert, stick around for a question and answer session with author Peter Razor. oacarts.org/music-concerts

Don’t Talk to the Actors May 3-4, 9-11, 16-19, Rochester Repertory Theatre, Rochester

It’s a play for people who like plays. In this comedy loosely based on the playwright Tom Dudzick’s real-life experiences, the cast of a Broadway-bound play descends into chaos, each wanting to get their way and be the biggest diva. The young playwright takes center stage as he and his fiancee get a taste of the best (and worst) of New York City’s theater scene and the egos that come with it. Get a good laugh as this young playwright tackles the not-so-dreamy side of his “dream come true.” rochesterrep.org/show/dont-talk-to-the-actors

Ragamala Dance Company: Nocturne 2 p.m. May 8, Historic Paramount Theatre, Austin

The Ragamala Dance Company, under the direction of a mother/ daughters team, blends cultures and styles in captivating dance performances that celebrate Indian culture and heritage. The directors’ IndianAmerican heritage is infused into all aspects of the performance as the dancers explore the mythology and spirituality of the culture.

Through the Bharatanatyam style of dance, hailing from southern India, the company uses movement as a language to explore a tension between one’s personal life and ancestry. The company has won national art awards and toured worldwide.

DSaily S pecialS erving BreakfaSt 7 DayS a Week

Mon. - fri.

8-11 aM Sat. 7-11 aM Sun. 8:30-11:30 aM

Austinareaarts.org

BeSt value in the area BreakfaSt & coffee for unDer

First Friday Art Nights

May 3, Downtown Northfield If you’ve yet to check out Northfield’s monthly First Friday Art Nights, what better time than a (hopefully) warm and pleasant spring evening? Art Nights are a citywide celebration of all things art. Enjoy live music performances in a cafe or two, wander through visual art exhibits, find free art activities scattered throughout area businesses, and maybe even stop by for a dance or art lesson, if offered. Past events have included everything from singer/songwriter music to Korean martial arts demonstrations to a mobile art truck, so be sure to check out the website for this month’s schedule of events.

$10

in a hurry?

downtownnorthfield.org/events/

When There’s Good to Be Done

2 p.m. May 4, Owatonna Arts Center, Owatonna

Minneapolis folk singer-songwriter duo (also a husband and wife duo) Curtis and Loretta tell real Minnesotan stories though their music.

They present stories through vocal harmonies and the folk harp, mandocello, guitars and clawhammer banjo. Featured Minnesotans

call anD orDer your fooD to go large groupS WelcoMe, call-aheaD’S

Alec Soth: Sleeping by the Mississippi

appreciateD

opening May 9, Minnesota Marine Art Museum, Winona The Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona celebrates all things water, making it the perfect venue for Minnesota photographer Alec

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CONTINUED page 28 Follow us on

faMily-frienDly Bar & grill

BottoMleSS cup of coffee

$1.25

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CONTINUED from page

Beyond.” His most recent album, “Late Stage Capitalism,” released in 2018, leans toward orchestral pop. His catchy tunes and relatable lyrics span a spectrum of emotions, giving him appeal to wide audiences.

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Soth’s photo series “Sleeping by the Mississippi.” The series captures the lives of those who live along the Mississippi and the landscapes that shape them. Twenty-one large-scale prints showcase the river from its Minnesota beginnings to its end in south. On opening night, a reception will begin at 5 p.m. for this exhibition as well as the gallery’s other show, “Maarten Platje: The Early History of the U.S. Navy.”

Sheldontheatre.org

mmam.org/alec-soth-sleeping-by-the-mississippi

Almost Paradise: 1984 Prom Night

7:30 p.m. May 10, Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault Travel back in time to the era of big perms, puffy prom dresses and loud fashion for an all-80’s themed prom night (yes, prom dresses and 80s outfits are strongly encouraged). Relive those high school prom moments with a grand march, king and queen coronation and a balloon arch photo booth. The night wouldn’t be complete without a 9-piece band covering all of the 1908s prom essentials, including Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Bonnie Tyler, David Bowie, Journey and more.

Whose Live Anyway?

Raw Fusion

8 p.m. May 14, Mayo Civic Center Arena, Rochester

8 p.m. May 10, Verizon Center, Mankato A fashion show featuring outfit ensembles made from raw building materials? It may sound strange and abstract, but that’s the point.

Models and designers get creative for a good cause at this annual high-energy runway show. The event raises funds for the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund while drawing awareness to the local builders’ association. Outfits are judged on uniqueness and flair, and maybe you’ll even find some offbeat inspiration for your own wardrobe.

Get your best audience suggestions ready for 90 minutes of improv comedy and song. Cast members Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis and Joel Murray (along with musical director Bob Derkach) revive some of the classic improv games of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” plus some new games of their own making. Sit back and let the cast do the work, or shout your suggestions loud and clear for a chance to join the cast members onstage. mayociviccenter.com/events-tickets

mnrba.com/raw-fusion/

Paradisecenterforthearts.org

Boeing Boeing

opening May 10, Commonwealth Theatre, Lanesboro The Commonwealth Theatre Company’s next show, Marc Camoletti’s laugh-outloud farce “Boeing Boeing” opens this May. Bernard thinks he has it great with his three fiancees, all flight attendants whose paths never cross. When a new Boeing jet disrupts Bernard’s finetuned schedule, it’ll take everything he has to make sure the three ladies never cross paths.

If you miss opening night, performances continue throughout the summer. (This Boeing probably won’t be grounded.) commonwealtheatre.org/our-season/boeing-boeing

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Walter Salas-Humara Band Intimate Concert 7 p.m. May 17, Torey’s, Owatonna

Jeremy Messersmith 7:30 p.m. May 11, Sheldon Theatre, Red Wing

Though he was born in Charleston, South Carolina, Jeremy Messersmith has become one of Minnesota’s most well-known singersongwriters, with a tender, indie style that led NPR to give him the title of “pop genius.” Though his instrument of choice is the guitar, he dropped a surprise album in 2017 titled “Obscenely Optimistic Songs for the Ukulele: A Micro-Folk Record for the 21st Century and

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Walter Salas-Humara (The Silos), Jonathan Rundman, Eric Kassel will bring Walter’s signature sound to this terrific new venue. Concert will be held at Torey’s Restaurant 208 N Cedar if The Music Space concert venue is still under construction on May 17. See Facebook Event page for up to the minute details.

For tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/walter-salas-humaraband-intimate-concert-at-the-music-space-of-owatonnatickets-59205217399

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SPRING TIME

= PAtio TIME Imminent Music in May

James Lewis & the Jack Pines with Cannon River Currents 5/3 Frothy Band 5/10 • Matthew Griswold 5/11 JC Sanford Trio 5/12 • Mark Kreitzer 5/16 No Time For Fame 5/17• Lone Rock 5/18 Fred the Bear 5/24 • Jon Manners 5/25 Live Jazz with TLA 5/26 • Cosmoline 5/31 Be sure to check our website for more information

Thursday 4-11 Friday 4-11

Saturday 12-11 Sunday 12-9

imminentbrewing.com

519 Division Street South (6th Street Entry) • Northfield, MN SPONSORED CONTENT

THE SOMINN GOLF

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best Golf course 1 2

Faribault GolF club Faribault, MN

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Blooming Prairie Country CluB

rice county | 507.334.3810 | faribaultgolf.com

he Faribault Golf Club was originally founded in 1910 when the original nine holes were designed, constructed, and opened for play. In 1956, Willie Kidd, the Interlachen golf professional, designed a new nine holes course in its present location, and Bob Carlson of Austin designed the back nine holes which was built and opened for play in 1966. Faribault Golf Club was instrumental along with Winona Country Club, Town and Country, The Minikahda Club, Rochester Golf & Country Club, Bryn Mawr, and Merion Park in founding and establishing the Minnesota Golf Association, and hosted annually since 1970, the Minnesota PGA Pro-Am Tournament.

RATES/POLICIES/AMENITIES

COuRSE STATISTICS

New Membership Rates Family - $1099.00 Individual - $899.00 Under 40 Family - $840.00 Under 40 Individual - $660.00 Pool only - $250 Ask us about our new Non-Resident Membership.

Prices do not include MN sales tax.

PAR: 72 YARDS

Blue White Red

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he Blooming Prairie Country Club opened in 1936 is regarded as one of the finest nine-hole courses in southern Minnesota.

In the club house you will find all the amenities… a pro-shop stocked with a limited selection of everything a golfer may need, as well as, a menu of food choices, snacks, beer, and soda. Our professional, friendly staff is committed to making each visit a pleasant experience and we hope you come visit us in Blooming Prairie!

Blooming Prairie Country CluB faCility features:

6447 6252 5468

STAFF & PERSONNEL Golf Professional General Manager Superintendent

7701 Se 118th St.

Blooming Prairie, mn 55917 | 507-583-2887 | aaronressler@hotmail.com

Josh Weaver Michelle Pederson Nick Klinkhammer

• 3,026 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 36.

• The course rating is 34.8 and it has a slope rating of 127.

• The Blooming Prairie Country Club is a fun, well-kept, challenging USGA 9-hole public golf course.

• Open to the Public

CluB staff: Aaron Ressler Manager

KENYON COuNtrY Club

Shoreland Country Club

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Kenyon, MN, Goodhue County 507.789.6307, kenyoncountryclub.com

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St. Peter, MN

43781 Golf Course Road Le Sueur County • 507.931.4400 www.shorelandcc.com

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his course has many hills, two sand bunkers, and tree-lined fairways that are narrow. Water hazards come into play on three holes.

• 9 Hole, Par 34, Public Course • 1/2 mile North of Kenyon on Hwy 56 • Mature Trees • River & Hills • Bent Grass Greens • Watered Fairways • 2 Sand Bunkers • Practice Putting Green • Men’s Tees - 2656 yards, Women’s Tees 2498 yards • Course Rating - 32.6, Course Rating - 107

RaTES Weekday (Mon-Fri am) Walking 9 - $12.00 Walking 18 - $20.00 Weekend (Fri pm-Sun) Walking 9 - $12.00 Walking 18 - $20.00 Cart Rental 9 Holes - $12.00 18 Holes $18.00 Mon Eve: Couple’s League Wed: Ladies’ Day Thurs: Men’s Day

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horeland offers much more than just great golf. lf. This course is tucked away in the bluffs above the Minnesota River Valley, and on the shores of Lake Emily.

This 18-hole golf course offers a challenging round of golf for experienced golfers and novices alike. Don’t let the shorter-than-average yardage fool you. It may only have a par of 69, but with 7 par 3’s ranging from 110 yards to 215 yards long, Shoreland makes things interesting for everyone.

Shoreland also offers affordable rates for every class of golfer, whether just coming out for the day or joining for the season. Memberships at Shoreland include all golf, range usage, and pool access during the season.

AMENITIES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

CLUB HOURS & INFO

• Available for weddings & events • Grab & Go food items (Hot dogs, pizza, chips, pop, beer, liquor) • Morning - Coffee & Rolls • Sunday Morning- Coffee & Rolls Hours: 8am-8pm Mon-Fri 7am-7pm Sat & Sun

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COURSE STATISTICS

• Social Event Golf Course with great group rates • Tournament Events- Corporate golf outings, group golf outings, great food/restaurant • Lessons/group lessons • Custom Club fitting • Full service golf shop - carry major golf brands Senior Rate: Monday – Thursday $32 includes cart Before Noon* Twilight: Friday, Saturday & Sunday 4pm-after $34 includes cart* * Taxes not included.

Shoreland Country Club is a par 69, 18-hole, semiprivate golf course. The course has a slope rating of 123 from the white tees. It is considered a short course by many of today’s standards, but what Shoreland Country Club lacks in distance, it makes up in variety.

With 7 par 3’s, rolling hills, views of the Minnesota River Valley and Lake Emily, the setting could not be better.

STAFF & PERSONNEL PGA Professional

Jason Harrell

Map Key Number

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WASECA LAKESIDE CLub 6

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NORTHFIELD GOLF CLUB

Northfield, MN 707 Prairie Street | Rice County | 507.645.4026 | NorthfieldGolfClub.com

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orthfield Golf Club is one of the oldest private clubs in Minnesota. Members enjoy a challenging 18-hole redesigned course plus full practice facility along with the camaraderie of a vibrant membership. The spacious clubhouse offers both casual and formal dining with a totally renovated Grille/Bar and a function room - all with spectacular views of the course.

Today, it’s a pleasure to know that a quality golf membership can be found at an affordable price — even at a prestigious private club. Membership is invited and the public is welcome to play up to six times per year—TRY US OUT! This gem of a course is located just south of Minneapolis/St Paul in the heart of historic Northfield, MN. Northfield GC‘s location is amazingly accessible from not only the south metro but also the Twin Cities at a bit more than half an hour from either Minneapolis or St Paul.

COURSE STATISTICS

AMENITIES • Refreshingly Affordable Private Membership • Limited Public Tee Times Available — A Value • Dining Room, Bar, Private Lounge, Patio • Dining Open to Public • 200 Capacity: Weddings, Parties, Biz Meetings • Tournaments Available — Value Priced • Leagues: Men’s, Women’s, Juniors, Couples • Instruction and Youth Programs

Black: yards 6728, rating 73.3, slope 143 Blue: yards 6270, rating 71.4, slope 139 White: yards 5760, rating 69.0, slope 134

STAFF & PERSONNEL • GM/Director of Golf: Dan Dols, PGA • Golf Shop Manager: Mark Westblade • Head Golf Professional: John Hall, PGA • Superintendent: Bill Whitworth, GCSAA • F&B Event Manager: Beth DeMann

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Legacy goLf

Waseca, MN, Waseca County

1515 Shumway ave. faribault, MN 55021

507.835.2574 - wasecagolf.com

ll new golfing 2019 MEMBERSHIP memberships from Waseca or within 15 • 18 Hole Golf Course miles are 40% off.

• 12 Reciprocal Golf For any questions, please use Courses the CONTACTS link above.

Age discounts noted below • Full Driving Range are available on all golfing • Practice Green memberships.

• PGA Golf New Golf Membership Non-Resident Golf Package: (Residence is more than 15 miles from Lakeside or resides in Waseca less than 100 days) • Family (2 spouse) $669 • Family (1 spouse) $565 • Single $475

Professional • Fully Stocked Pro-Shop • Heated Swimming Pool • No Minimim spending • Great Family Atmosphere

POOL FAMILY $319 New members Only!

STAFF & PERSONNEL Matthew Hauge ASK ABOUT OUR OTHER Pro/Manager DISCOUNTS Map Key Number

Brooktree golf course

507-332-7177 www.Legacygolf.net

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he Legacy in Faribault, Minnesota is a 6,500-yard, 18-hole Championship facility with a course rating of 71.5 – slope 136.

The Legacy project, which includes over 100 uniquely different golf community home sites, was started in the early 1990’s. The golf course designed by nationally accredited golf architect Garret Gill opened for play in 1998. The Legacy is a public course which offers yearly memberships, corporate outings, competitive tournaments, leagues, Jr. golf programs, lesson programs, practice facilities, PGA Professional, pro-shop, golf cart rental, club rental, snack bar and world class service.

The golf course as described in the 1998 Minnesota Golfer Magazine has three kinds of holes. The center of the course is slightly hilly, with classic tree lined fairways. To the North, rolling topography is punctuated with prairie grasses, creating Scottish style links. And in the South, there are beautiful vistas with the internationally known college prep school Shattuck-St. Mary’s in the background.

rATes/PoLICIes/AMeNITIes

Course sTATIsTICs

9 holes weekday $20 Weekend/Holiday $21 18 holes weekday $31 Weekend/holiday $33 9 hole cart $12 per person 18 holes $17 per person

sTAFF/PersoNNeL

6500 yard championship golf course with multiple tee boxes for all types of abilities

• General Manager/PGA Golf Professional Mark Fitzenberger • Golf Course Superintendent Phil Jones • Food and Beverage Manager/Event Coordinator Wendy Olsen

North LiNks 11

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THE SUMMIT GOLF CLUB

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31286 Hwy 19 Blvd Cannon Falls, MN Goodhue County 507.263.4648 summitgolfclub.com

he Summit Golf Club features a dramatic Championship 18 Hole Course along with a fun and enjoyable Par 3 Course. Our 27-hole facility features a perfect blend of golf and nature.

The Summit was voted by Golf Digest best new “affordable” course in 2002. Please visit summitgolfclub.com for information on specials and events.

couRse statistics 5,000-7,000 yards plus Slope and ratings Blue - M: 74.2/141 White - M: 71.7/135 Gold - M: 69.5/130 Red - W: 70.8/123

Rates/Policies/amenities Please visit summitgolfclub.com for additional rate and special information

staFF/PeRsonnel Charlie Denet Head Golf Professional

Owatonna, MN Steele County 507.444.2467 ci.owatonna.mn.us/parksrecreation/ brooktree-golf

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ome to play Brooktree, one of the finest municipal golf courses in Southern Minnesota. In 2017 Brooktree was voted the Best Golf Course in Southern Minnesota by SCENE magazine. This 18-hole championship course, 6684 from the blue tees is located in NE Owatonna near the entrance of Mineral Springs Park.

Memberships & punch cards are available to suit your needs!

Brooktree now features Broken Tee Bar & Grille.

Look for special golf & food events in 2019.

A great golf destination to play, relax and enjoy!

RATES & SPECIALS Monday – Friday 9 Holes = $16, 18 Holes = $26 Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 9 Holes = $20, 18 Holes = $31 Power Carts 9 Holes - $9.00, 18 Holes - $14 Senior/Military Rate (Monday – Friday) 9 Holes - $20, Includes a cart 18 Holes - $30, Includes a cart

ADD YOUR EVENT FOR FREE TO THE TIMELINE CALENDAR. GO TO W W W. S O U T H E R N M I N N . C O M / S C E N E / C A L E N D A R & C L I C K + A D D A N E V E N T

COuRSE STATISTICS PAR: 71

Blue White Gold Red

RATING

72.5 71.1 70.1 72.3

SLOPE

128 128 126 124

STAFF & PERSONNEL PGA Professional Tom Vizina

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Map Key Number

N

orth Links Golf Course is a public golf course featuring a traditional, prairie style layout with multi-tiered and undulating greens to challenge golfers of all abilities. North Links features an extensive practice facility, full service banquet facilities, and a fully stocked Pro Shop.

Our banquet staff specialize in wedding receptions and golf outings of all sizes. The banquet facilities at North Links provide panoramic views of the golf course with an outdoor and indoor patio areas to give your event added ambiance.

We’re located just 3 miles west of North Mankato and 1 hour south of the Twin Cities.

North Links is owned and operated by the Wilson Golf Group and the group’s pride in ownership is represented in every detail.

North Mankato, MN Nicollet County 507.947.3355 northlinksgolf.com

rATes/PoLICIes/AMeNITIes

18 Holes Weekdays standard $31.00 seniors* (62+) $24.00 Juniors $15.00 $15.00 9 Holes standard $18.00 seniors* (62+) $14.50 Juniors $10.00 $18.00 Twilight everyday $25.00

Call to confirm start

Weekend

Cart Fee

N/A

$7.00/rider

$31.00 $15.00/rider

$18.00 $8.00/rider N/A

$4.00/rider

Course sTATIsTICs PAr: 72 YArDs rATING sLoPe

Blue White Yellow Red

6133 5690 5101 4682

69.7 67.8 65.2 67.6

sTAFF & PersoNNeL

General Manager Superintendent

Mike Thomas Chris Carpenter

Map Key Number

$25.00 $8.00/rider

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Photographing SoMinn:

Chasing Trains Photos and text by Elizabeth Nida Obert www.nidaphoto.com elizabeth@nidaphoto.com

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f you’ve seen one train show, you’ve seen them all.

Right?

Wrong. If you’re like my husband, trains rev your engine and provide a seemingly endless draw in a wide variety of forms; the mechanics, the history, the engineering, the sound. And, of course, the nostalgia.

Carl can easily pass an afternoon chasing and watching trains on Highway 61 along the Mississippi River, making his way through such charming towns as Minneiska and Winona. Circling back and cutting down side streets to catch a thrill is not uncommon. I’ve even caught him watching the flashing lights of the crossing signals as a train approaches on the internet!

Yep. He’s a train nerd.

So, on March 21 we gathered our family together and drove about 45 minutes north of Rochester, MN to the little town of Randolph, host to Randolph Railroad Days. The 15thannual event was held at the local high school and rail yards.

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Randolph’s other claim to fame? They are host to an annual FFA tractor parade, which is an unusual and interesting spectacle to the uninitiated. “Only in Minnesota,” a city slicker might reflect.

But backing up the train a bit…..

I was like a walleye out of Mille Lacs Lake as we strolled the seemingly endless array of sometimes expensive train-related merchandise. Big model engines. Little model engines. Big model caboose. Little model caboose. There was so much.

And the elaborate train sets….. it was like toy heaven for grown-ups.

Controlling one of those elaborate train sets were three men dressed in identical button-down shirts. I’d never seen a pattern with so many colorful trains and asked where I might find such a shirt. The man was proud to tell me his mother had sewn them and the fabric was nowhere to be found. I wasn’t the only one to enquire about their original shirts, he said. And I believe him. SMS

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SoMinn Food & Dining

Review

pat garry JOURNALIST – COPYWRITER – EDITOR – FEATURE WRITER My experience spans 19-years, and I will apply my skills to help beef-up any lifeless copy within your website, brochure, press release, catalog, etc. - patgarry@charter.net

ALL ABOARD

THE LAKE CITY RAILHOUSE GRILL! “This adventure has been a life-changer in many ways. After having our children involved in the business, we believe that everyone should be in the service industry at some point in their lives. There are life skills to be learned that just can’t be taught anywhere else. The relationships you form, the lives you become a part of, what you learn about other people, and ultimately yourself, is absolutely invaluable.” – Doug & Lisa Wallerich

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n the 19th century, railroad lines crisscrossed the land, and train stations popped-up everywhere. By the 1950s, automobiles replaced trains as the preferred commuting choice, causing the abandonment of numerous depots. However, many of those havens were given new lives as museums, community centers, libraries, private homes, and restaurants. In 2011, local residents Doug and Lisa Wallerich opened The Railhouse Grill in Lake City.

The restaurant is built on the original site of the Lake City Depot, a once-revered lunch-stop for train passengers traveling through the city, during the last century. The cleverly-adorned, cozy venue also includes an outdoor patio that comfortably seats 18 people. It is an exhilarating, dining experience for folks to observe the Amtrak, barreling through a couple of times a day, or to rubberneck at an occasional freight train, zipping by. Literally lacking in any previous restaurant experience, the Wallerichs had a passion to share with others, the foods they were having so much fun preparing at their home. “It has grown into something much bigger than we ever imagined, and we’ve experienced things that were never even on our radar. We often smile (or yell...or cry) and ask, what kind of monster have we created? Well, it’s a giant, friendly, welcoming, warm, familydriven, demanding monster that has become the center of our lives, and we wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Lisa.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner is offered six days a week. Tuesday through Friday breakfasts are served in the adjoining Coffee Depot, where fresh-ground espressos, cold press smoothies, teas, homemade pastries, oatmeal bakes, and breakfast sandwiches, are featured. The Coffee Depot fills a void in Lake City for great refreshments, and also provides a space for friends to gather in a relaxed atmosphere. It has grown into a special retreat, managed by Heidi Walker, who always has a smile on her face. Saturday/Sunday breakfast is presented in the main-room Railhouse, with a full slate of classics (awesome pancakes) and originals, including the “Big Boy” Steak Skillet. Wednesday lunch and dinner, as well as Sunday dinner, also includes a pizza/salad/soup buffet, showcasing Doug’s infamous wood-fired pizzas. The same menu is offered for lunch and dinner, with special entrees added to the dinners: ribs, rotisserie-style chicken, fresh fish, pastas, steaks, etc.

Mother’s Day highlights a brunch buffet with carving and omelet stations, fresh fish, breakfast items, pasta, and more. “We also have

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a Burger of the Month special; created by our talented cooks who are given the freedom to experiment and develop fun, new, taste combinations,” expressed Lisa. The Railhouse Grill selections boast traditional favorites with unique twists. A popular pasta dish is the Cajun Steak Penne (tender steak bites, with a creamy Cajun sauce, peppers, onions and just the right amount of heat); salads are fresh-cut Romaine, and paramount among those are the Salmon Salad, Grilled Steak Salad, and Fiesta Black Bean. “One of our signature appetizers is the Walleye Fritter (walleye nibblets) which are a house exclusive – green peppers, onions and walleye, mixed in a secret batter and gently deep-fried. We don’t always have them, but when we do, they don’t last long!” Lisa exclaimed. The “simply can’t do without” meals include the Seafood Trio: seared Ahi tuna, bacon-wrapped scallops, and jumbo shrimp served with house-made mushroom/onion orzo risotto and grilled asparagus; Surf & Turf (one of the most popular): blackened bourbon-grilled steak medallions and jumbo shrimp (hand-shined, bock-battered or wood-fired) with smashed Yukon gold potatoes and grilled asparagus; and Pecan Bourbon Chicken: pecan and crusted chicken breast with bourbon sauce

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over smashed Yukon gold potatoes and grilled asparagus.

Lisa and Doug pride themselves in offering the best in cuisine and service, employing a courteous, knowledgeable staff, and presenting a clean, welcoming milieu. “We are all about homemade; from soups to slices, sandwiches to salads. We take no short cuts and your taste buds will attest to that,” suggested Doug. The Railhouse supports local talent, by supplying live music on the weekends; always free

CONTINUED page 38

A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

ALBUM REVIEW

By Daniel G. Moir editor@southernminnscene.com

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randiose and sweeping, Good At Falling is willing to ask the “Big Questions” lyrically amid intricately crafted melodies and sound.

Album Grade: B+

The Japanese House Good At Falling

After four E.P.s spread over an equal number of years, English Indie Pop act The Japanese House finally release their refreshing full-length debut album built on an ambient swirl of melodies over intriguing sonic landscapes. Consisting of sole member Amber Bain, Good At Falling‘s study of relationships begins tentatively with “went to met her (intro)” before the stirring single “Maybe You’re The Reason” properly kicks the album off.

Bain’s vocal approach on Good At Falling is immediate and attention grabbing. While her voice is thin on its own, her technique of multi-tracking it with tight harmonies lends a strange, unique presence to the material and gives the songs an otherworldly sound that serves them well. This approach enhances the dreamy quality of both music and lyric and is unusual and smooth.

“Maybe You’re The Reason” looks at “the big questions of life.” It is a search for meaning, of faith in a time of doubt. While it doesn’t resolve with an answer, it doesn’t really need to. It is about the willingness to search. It is in the exploration that perhaps some level of resolution can be found. Musically, Bain uses wide swaths of expansive synthesized sounds and a simple clean guitar riff to convey a sense of vast open space.

The percussive beat is augmented with multiple rhythmic parts to brilliant effect.

As good as this song is, “Follow My Girl” is Good At Falling’s best song. For this slinky bass-driven, hook filled, alternative pop song, Bain’s vocals and instrumentation crash and shower into an explosive warm mix of sound and emotion. Written and recorded at Bon Iver’s Fall Creek studio in Wisconsin, lead melodies and background harmonies fall unexpectedly out of the either to cascade off skittering lead lines that mirror the protagonists sense of lack of control and a desire for stability. This is a pure moment when lyrical content and musical style coalesces perfectly to balance and support each other in conveying the artist’s intentions.

A rare, winning combination in popular music.

“You Seemed So Happy” is evocative of mid-Sixties pop songs and similar in feel to “Windy” by The Association. The sound of the track is very upbeat and happy much like the 1967 pop classic, but in direct contrast to the lyrical content of the song. Written as a reaction to an ex-love’s death, Bain is writing about depression, anxiety and a sense of mortality hidden underneath a bright exterior.

Good At Falling does lag a bit at the midway point with the listless and meandering 3-song set of “Lilo”, “Everybody Hates Me” and “Marika Is Sleeping.” The album recovers quickly with “Worms.” Taking the perspective of a person at the very beginning of a relationship, this is a rumination on the importance of others as the way to move beyond individual loneliness.

“Worms” also serves as a possible answer to “Maybe You’re The Reason” from earlier in the album. From

the comparative perspective of a day old worm, Bain indicates that her answers lie in investing in something, or someone worth, investing in. While it doesn’t solve the problems to be faced, it does suggest that it does makes them easier to cope with.

“I Saw You In A Dream” closes out the album. This quiet, acoustic ballad returns to visit the desceased ex-lover who appears in the singer’s dreams is wistfully evocative and sweet. It is a song of sadness, hopeful remembrance and healing that Bain handles remarkably well. A fitting end to the journey that began with the first track.

Produced by Bain, BJ Burton and The 1975’s drummer, George Daniel, Good At Falling has a futuristically fluid, grandiose sound. While Bain may have previously hid behind the moniker of The Japanese House, in the past she is deeply personal on this extraordinary album.

Songs are well thought out and meticulously executed with great feeling. Much of this album was composed following the death of first love and the start of a new relationship, and the album titles are reflective of both the artist’s ability to be good at falling in, and out of love. Lyrics are direct but vague enough to incorporate your own perspective and interpretation to make them “yours.”

Bottom Line: The Japanese House may be Good at Falling, but this remarkable debut album also suggests an ability to craft a winning collection of music as well. This is an artist worth your time and attention.

Daniel G. Moir has forgotten more about music than all the rest of us know combined. Reach him at editor@southernminnscene.com

Over 70 Years of Pappas Family Ownership!

Minnesota Restaurant Association’s 2012 Restaurant of the Year

• Bagels to go • Sandwiches • Catering • Homemade Cream Cheese • Soups • Coffee • Sweet Treats

Open for Breakfast and Lunch!

(507) 451-3193 • 211 N. Cedar Ave, Owatonna Order online NOW! www.oldtownbagels.com A d d y o u r e v e n t f o r F R E E t o t h e T I M E L I N E c a l e n d a r . G O TO w w w. s o u t h ernminn . c o m / s c ene / c a len d a r & C l i c k + A d d a n E v ent

Superb Cuisine since 1854

The Hubbell House first opened as a stagecoach stop in 1854. Paul Pappas laid his eyes on the old limestone structure in 1946 and knew he had found the location of his dream restaurant.

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THE BOOKWORM SEZ By Terri Schlichenmeyer

Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered the

Solid-Body Electric Guitar and Rocked the World

by Kim Tomsic, illustrated by Brett Helquist All your life, you’ve heard that you can be what you want to be.

You just have to put your mind to it, is all. Knuckle down and never look away from the prize. Reach for the stars and

stay positive. Be what you want to be or, as in the new book “Guitar Genius” by Kim Tomsic, illustrated

by Brett Helquist, make what you want to make.

When young Lester Polsfuss was a schoolboy in Waukesha, Wisconsin, he loved music class more than any other. He couldn’t read music, though, and that irritated his teacher but Lester’s Mama said never mind.

He could “do anything you put your mind to,” she told him.

Well, one day, Lester’s friend, Harry, came over with a new crystal radio set. It was the 1920s and nobody

Terri Schlichenmeyer is a book reviewer based just across the river from SoMinn in LaCrosse, WI. She can be contacted at bookwormsez@gmail.com

had much money but Lester wanted one of those radio things, so he made one out of stuff around the house.

Hearing a radio program was the first time he heard a guitar, and it didn’t take long for him to want one of those, too.

For weeks, he saved money until one day, Lester finally got his guitar! He couldn’t reach all the strings, so he messed around until it was just right for him, and he sounded good but how would he know for sure if he couldn’t hear himself? So Lester built a “recording device” out of stuff around the house, then he built a better way to play the harmonica. Pretty soon, he was performing on the radio in Milwaukee and in front of crowds. When people in the “way, WAY back” couldn’t hear him, he built a microphone speaker. But then he learned that folks there couldn’t hear his guitar…

While his fame rose and his name (shortened to “Les Paul”) became known, Les continued to tinker with his guitar. Sometimes, he learned a thing or two. Other times, he just destroyed a guitar. Then finally, he built something out of stuff around a factory and it worked!

Audiences in the back could hear him, and they cheered.

And that was beautiful music, too.

Here’s a surprise for you: much as it might look like a picture book in size and shape, “Guitar Genius” is not for very small children.

Of course, they might enjoy it but the narrative that author Kim Tomsic offers is lengthier and more advanced, vocabulary-wise, than most toddlers will tolerate and the afterword is absolutely written in Big-Kid-ese. No, this book is more for the earlygradeschooler who relishes his parents’ music, wants (or has!) a guitar of her own, or who loves to rock out with Grandma. It’s also a lesson in perseverance and a nice bit of music history and for that, nobody over 30 should mind reading it aloud during storytime.

All children will enjoy the illustrations by Brett Helquist but the story is the thing here and your young music-lover shouldn’t miss it. For a kid like that, reading “Guitar Genius” is where he’ll want to be.

Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered the Solid-Body Electric Guitar and Rocked the World

by Kim Tomsic, illustrated by Brett Helquist, c.2019, Chronicle Books, $17.99 / $25.99 in Canada, 56 pages.

Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story

by Jacob Tobia

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Nobody can tell you what to do.

To think otherwise is tantamount to telling you what not to do. No, you have your own mind, and you’ll make it up just fine by yourself. Nobody tells you what to do and, as in the new memoir “Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story”

by Jacob Tobia, they can’t tell you who you are, either.

Many people who are non-binary, says Tobia, equate coming to terms with gender as “a journey.”

Tobias considers theirs “more like an onion,” with layers of discovery “veiled beneath a thin skin.”

It started with Tobia’s parents, both role models: their mother, who was a tomboy at heart; and their father, who ignored stereotypical women’s work and instead, pitched in around the house. The next layer consists of Tobia’s brother and kids in the neighborhood who didn’t think twice about a child who play-fought in the mud one minute, and loved pink tutus and Barbies the next.

But then Tobia started school, and the teasing began. They “went from being a person to being a sissy” and shame accompanied the label. When it became apparent that the taunts would be flung at them no matter what, Tobia considered suicide.

Church was the only place they “felt unequivocally and unconditionally loved.”

Things changed for the better when puberty hit Tobia and their peers. Cis boys wanted desperately to be with cis girls, which was something Tobia

did effortlessly and it made them “cool” even as it highlighted their differences from other adolescents.

By the end of high school, Tobia had chosen the word “gay” to describe themselves, even though it wasn’t quite right.

They came out to a church counselor. They came out to their gay best friend. Years later, they came out to their parents as “gay.” It wasn’t until college, the acquisition of several pairs of high heels, lipstick, and a sheltered sense of security that Tobia realized that their work toward understanding had only started. Maybe they were boy and girl and neither and both, and not having to question that would be a battle they’d “have to do… all over again.”

“Sissy” is a one-hundred-percent solid, smack-in-themiddle, okay kind of book. It’s not the best thing you’ll ever read; it’s far, far from the worst.

After a considerable, two-chapter throat-clearing, author Jacob Tobia promises hilarity then gets down to business, about their life, their experiences as a gender nonconforming person making their way through, and the gender-acceptance work to be done. Yes, that may seem like a familiar story but there is uniqueness to be had here: Tobia’s memories of their later adolescence and attendance at a prestigious Eastern college offer something different in this genre, in freshness of voice.

Also uncommon: their willingness to admit regret for advice not taken.

Finally, yes, this book is amusing but outright hilarity?

Not so much: you’ll enjoy “Sissy,” but your gut is in no danger of busting. Still, if memoirs are your thing and your TBR pile is short, you know what to do.

Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia, c.2019, Putnam, $26.00 / $35.00 in Canada, 336 pages.

Ten Drugs: How Plants, Powders, and Pills Have

Shaped the History of Medicine

by Thomas Hager A certain fictional British nanny was correct.

A spoonful of sugar helps with the meds but in your case, you need a cup of it.

Your illness is real, the pills are big, the shot is small, you’ll feel better when it’s done, and in “Ten Drugs”

by Thomas Hager, you’ll find out how our cures affected more than just our health.

To see it all laid out was a shock.

On a recent trip to Great Britain, Thomas Hager saw an exhibit in which 14,000 pills – the lifetime prescription consumption of an average Brit – were displayed on one forty-six-foot-long table. More

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shocking, he says, is that Great Britain’s pill-taking “pales in comparison” to that of American consumers.

We can’t live without our meds. Sometimes, we can’t live with them. But which ones changed the world?

First up, says Hager, is opium, with a history that literally circles the globe.

Once upon a time, it was a drug of choice: early Romans could openly buy opium-infused cakes on the streets, but even they knew the addictive properties of the drug. The British traded with opium, it was smuggled into China, even Thomas Jefferson used it.

Without it, the invention of syringes might’ve been delayed but opium and its cousin, heroin, have caused mankind a lot of problems, even as they alleviated a lot of pain.

Lady Mary Montagu, a survivor of smallpox, was with her husband in Constantinople in the early 1700s when she noticed that Muslim women had unblemished skin, indicating that they hadn’t contracted smallpox. When

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THE BOOKWORM SEZ By Terri Schlichenmeyer she asked how, they showed her their very rudimentary method of smallpox prevention. Lady Montagu was so amazed that she used her own children to prove that their method worked.

Sulfa drugs led to a Nobel Prize for a scientist who had to refuse it. The Pill has its roots literally in roots, and its most logical counterpart began as a heart disease medicine. And as for modern drugs, addiction rates just keep going up…

In his introduction, author Thomas Hager explains how he chose the ten drugs in this book: aspirin and penicillin, for example, are not here; inoculations are.

Inclusion and omission, therefore, is quite subjective and perhaps somewhat argument-sparking, so keep that in mind as you read “Ten Drugs.”

The other thing to know here – the thing that makes this book so appealing – is that it’s not just about ten

individual drugs. No, Hager unearthed his information for casual readers who aren’t necessarily in medical fields, so the book’s focus is much wider as he takes a time-traveling jaunt around the world to show how drugs have been embraced, evolved, and ejected.

Truly, in the best sense of the word, it’s a trip.

Readers who wonder how we got here, in the opioid crisis and in kerfuffles over the price of prescriptions, will appreciate that, as will folks who like unusual reads.

If you’ve taken your medicines today, you’ll want a dose of this. Missing “Ten Drugs” may be a bitter pill to swallow.

DEAL OF THE

CENTURY!

Ten Drugs: How Plants, Powders, and Pills Have Shaped the History of Medicine by Thomas Hager, c.2019, Abrams Press, $26.00 / $33.00 in Canada, 320 pages.

The Trial of Lizzie Borden: A True Story

by Cara Robertson Twelve people just like you.

At trial, each of them will hear the same words.

They’ll see the same evidence and watch the same witnesses, but they’ll each embrace different things. How will they judge – guilt or innocence or, as in “The Trial of Lizzie Borden” by Cara Robertson, will the end of the story come as a surprise?

Were she a child of today, Lizzie Borden would be considered spoiled.

Her father, Andrew, was a parsimonious, dour man of means who was quite surprisingly generous to his two motherless daughters but he favored Lizzie, who once admitted that she always got what she wanted.

That was not the case, however, with Andrew’s second wife, Abby, a plump former spinster who was forced to make do with a small allowance to run the family’s sizeable household.

Though Abby was, by most accounts, a pleasantenough woman, her existence seemed to upset the Borden girls, both of whom were disdainful of her.

As the girls matured, the atmosphere at the Borden home was often tense, becoming worse in 1887 when Andrew helped his wife’s half-sister, financially: Lizzie and her sister Emma were reportedly very jealous and, although their father tried to soothe angry

CONTINUED page 38

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THE BOOKWORM SEZ By Terri Schlichenmeyer CONTINUED from page

37

feelings and he offered monetary gifts to the girls, the situation simmered for months.

But did it get so bad that, five years later, Lizzie Borden took an ax and…?

At the inquest, most evidence pointed to a resounding “yes.”

District Attorney Hosea Knowlton questioned Lizzie at great length about where she was, what she was doing, and how it was that she saw and heard nothing while her father and stepmother were bludgeoned to death. During the questioning, she appeared to be either crafty or addled, contradicting herself, doublingback on answers, and frustrating the D.A. with her befuddlement.

Investigators and observers were sure that Lizzie was a killer.

Her trial would prove otherwise.

For sure, readers of this book’s first pages will be amazed at that outcome from more than a century ago. The evidence, presented at trial and again by

Terri Schlichenmeyer is a book reviewer based just across the river from SoMinn in LaCrosse, WI. She can be contacted at bookwormsez@gmail.com

author Cara Robertson, still overwhelmingly seems to point to guilt but “The Trial of Lizzie Borden,” a day-by-day account of then-sensational courtroom proceedings, explains what happened.

And that’s a fork in the road for readers.

Generations of true crime fans have devoured the story of Borden’s supposed “hacks,” and they’ll be delighted with this detailed re-telling of her life, of the bloody crime, and of the weeks before arrest and trial, all of which take up much of the front half of the book. As soon as Robertson gets to the trial, however, this account becomes more about proceedings and legalities and less about the crime itself. That isn’t a bad thing at all for deep courtroom-drama fans but it could overwhelm true crime devotees.

Ultimately, be aware of what you want out of this book, and proceed accordingly. “The Trial of Lizzie Borden” is an excellent addition to this gruesome story, but wise readers will reserve their personal judgment.

The Trial of Lizzie Borden: A True Story by Cara Robertson, c.2019, Simon & Schuster, $28.00 / $37.00 in Canada, 400 pages.

bothered Pickett that someone left unchecked traps in his territory. To let any creature needlessly suffer was unimaginable to him; that the trapper left his name and address on the traps was laughable.

But the guy was a “ghost,” which wasn’t funny at all; going by what Pickett could tell, the trapper didn’t exist prior to two years ago. No records, nothing.

The bigger problem, though, was that it was late spring, the elk and deer that survived the winter were fragile, and some idiot with a drone was harassing the animals. Pickett’s colleague in the next county was as peeved about it as Pickett, but the issue was complicated by fact that the harasser appeared to be the father of Pickett’s daughter’s boyfriend.

This wasn’t going to go well at all.

Just outside the county, Pedro Infante knew he was losing control.

Of the four people in the Wolf Pack – three men and Abriella Guzman – Abriella was trouble: beautiful, confident, completely merciless, all good reasons why she wasn’t in charge. Pedro was, but finding their target and assassinating him was taking too much time.

Abriella was growing impatient.

The Wolf Pack was getting nervous…

So. How are your fingers? In good shape, are they?

Great, because you’ll need them for edge-of-your-seat clinging while you’re reading “Wolf Pack.”

But first, readers may be surprised by an opening chapter that’s kind of clunky and a bit on the prurient side. It’s important to the story, so power through it – what’s to come will more than make up for it, as this tale literally winds up mountains and down through arroyos, between rocks, far above ground, and between bullets. That this book is a thriller is appealing, but the scenery in the story is just as attractive and author C.J. Box tops it off by bringing into this novel many of his best-loved characters.

Just beware that some of them may not make it out.

If you’re new to this author, prepare yourself for a future search for the rest of the series. For fans of Pickett or Box, though, you know what to do about “Wolf Pack”: hunt it down.

Wolf Pack by C.J. Box, c.2019, Putnam, $27.00 / $36.00 in Canada, 371 pages.

Wolf Pack by by C.J. Box Hunting season has opened.

And there you sit, waiting. It’s quiet in the woods, where a snapped twig is as loud as a gunshot out there and as urgent. That snick, and your attention is focused, your adrenaline rushed.

The question, as posed in “Wolf Pack” by C.J. Box

CONTINUED from page is: which are you, the hunter, or the hunted?

According to Courtney Lockwood at the Forest Service, wolves in Yellowstone Park never strayed beyond the park’s boundaries.

Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett knew that was untrue, as did the ranchers in Twelve Sleep County; as if anecdotal evidence wasn’t enough, a black wolf had been caught and contained in a rancher’s horse trailer. It was a magnificent animal, but it was killing the rancher’s heifers.

Like most game wardens, Pickett had a soft spot in his heart for wildlife, the wolf included, just as it

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