I noticed yesterday that the Gateway Ministry Center has opened next to Cost Cutters in Heritage Square along S. Hwy 3. Back in 2007, I blogged that they had opened Northfield Healing Rooms in Heritage Square, also selling books, art, health products, coffee, and art. Steve Roberts and Rebecca Roberts were the pastors, according to a listing in the Northfield News. Their focus at that time:
Our mission is to help unite, equip and empower the body of Christ to promote healing as a vital part of ministry. Our focus is on the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to work through us to heal the sick and infirmed.
Now they seem to have a different focus, though it’s not clear to me what it is. Steve Roberts is still listed as the pastor but there’s no mention of Rebecca Roberts. Their site also has a Gateway Youth Ignited page though this may be a discontinued program as their website doesn’t have a navigation option to it.
Shannon Hyland-Tassava will read from her new book The Essential Stay-at-Home Mom Manual: How to Have a Wondrous Life Amidst Kids and Chaos Wednesday, Feb 15, 2012 at 7:30 pm. A year ago Shannon read from Torn: True Stories of Kids, Career and the Conflict of Modern Motherhood. Tornis an anthology of essays by women about motherhood. Now Shannon has published her own book and we are happy to have her read again.
The Northfield News recently published an article about Shannon and her book. Here’s an excerpt:
Yet the job, as many know, is not glamorous nor is it a piece of cake. For many stay-at-home parents, finding a network of friends to share parenting ideas with, as Patterson did through Early Childhood Family Education, helps ease the trying times.
One such friend she encountered was Shannon Tassava, a Northfield clinical psychologist and stay-at-home mom who recently took the sharing of advice to the next level. Tassava’s book, “The Essential Stay-at-Home Mom Manual: How to Have a Wondrous Life Amidst Kids & Chaos” has recently been published by Booktrope Editions.
February 1, 2012 – Northfield music favorites Meredith Fierke, Steve McKinstry and Dylan McKinstry will play a concert in tandem with Twin Cities legend-in-the-making Chris Koza for a night of intimate, acoustic, atmospheric pop-folk music at the Northfield Arts Guild on Friday, February 10 at 8pm.
Fierke and the McKinstrys will be previewing material from their highly anticipated new album which will be released this spring. “This is by far the best music I’ve ever made,” says Fierke. “Steve and Dylan each bring something unique to the table, and together we’re creating something that I’m very excited about. I can’t wait for people to hear these songs.”
Fierke’s previous album, 2008’s The Procession, garnered so much attention that Minneapolis radio station Cities 97 placed her song Train’s Song on the prestigious Cities Sampler. Later that year, she was named Northfield’s best performing musician by the Northfield Entertainment Guide. The extra amount of time she and the McKinstrys have taken in recording their new album has created a lot of conversation amongst the Northfield music scene. “People have been wondering what they’re up to,” said local music promoter Rich Larson. “I’ve had a chance to hear most of the new album. The extra time and work really shows. Every song is a knock out. It’s going to be a real treat to hear this music in a great room like the one at the NAG.”
The show at the NAG is the second of a month-long tour of small coffee houses and arts venues that Koza is making throughout Minnesota. This comes fast on the heels of a two month West Coast tour with his band Rogue Valley. “I love seeing road warrior performers like Chris,” said Larson. “The best time to catch a singer/songwriter is in the middle of a long touring cycle like the one he’s in right now. He’s had some opportunity to flesh out his music in front of a lot of different audiences, which is really the best way to develop a song. This is going to be a very good night of music.”
“The thing that really strikes me is the $10 ticket price,” said Jessica Paxton of KYMN Radio. “You’d pay $25-$30 for this exact show at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis or the Fitzgerald in St. Paul. And, frankly, the NAG is a far more intimate setting. For fans of good music, this isn’t bargain. It’s a steal.”
The Northfield Arts Guild is located at 304 Division Street South. Doors will open at 7:30, and the music will start at 8:00. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance at www.left-handedentertainment.com or at the door the night of the show. For more information, contact the Northfield Arts Guild at (507) 645-8877 or Rich Larson at (612)756-0490.
I don’t have time to summarize what happened (hopefully, ED Megan Tsui will do that!) but I’m guessing there will be a website within a month, as Sean Hayford O’Leary and I volunteered to get that going.
Up a short flight of stairs, inside a former bank in a small rural town 100 miles northwest of Detroit, there is a special place, rich in history, and 100,000 brides-to-be from across the Midwest have made pilgrimages to find it. Just 10 foot by 8 foot, it has floor-to-ceiling mirrors on every wall, carrying the brides’ images to infinity. It is called the Magic Room.
The town is Fowler, Michigan, a middle-class community with 1,100 residents – and 2,500 wedding dresses. The building is Becker’s Bridal, home to each of those dresses, a figurative blizzard of white. Jeffrey Zaslow takes readers to this remarkable small-town bridal shop to explore the hopes and dreams parents have for their daughters. He weaves this true story using a reporter’s research and a father’s heart. Jeff came to Fowler not just to write about wedding gowns and what they represent. He came to understand the women wearing them, their fears and yearnings, and through them, he tells a larger story about the love between parents and daughters today.
In this magical book, Zaslow examines women on the brink of commitment, whose stories, secrets, and memories will pull you in from the moment they first see their reflection in this iconic room.
Jeffrey Zaslow is a columnist for The Wall Street Journal and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Girls from Ames. Through his writing, he has told the stories of some of the most inspirational people of our time. He is co-author, with Chesley Sullenberger, of Highest Duty, and with Randy Pausch, of The Last Lecture, the #1 New York Times bestseller now translated into forty-eight languages. Zaslow is currently collaborating with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, on their memoir. He lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, Sherry, and daughters Jordan, Alex, and Eden.
Carleton professor Jeff Ondich is a GBM regular and this morning he stopped by my corner office to alert me to the ice circles forming below the Ames Mill dam. I blogged about ice circles back in 2009 but haven’t seen them since.
Jeff’s photos (left and center) of the ice circles with his smartphone turned out a lot better than those from my smartphone. However, he really does have zombie eyes from spending too much time in front of a computer. In addition to being a computer science professor, he owns a language software/app company in Dinkytown called Ultralingua; they also have word game app called Accio. Now if we could only convince him and his Twin Cities-based employees to relocated to Northfield. Hmmm.
By Bridgette Hallcock, on January 25, 2012, 11:47 pm
We are seeking an enthusiastic, sales-oriented individual to join our team. Prior customer service experience and recent cash handling skills are required. Position is available at our Premier Banks Northfield location. Position will average 30 hrs/wk. including Saturday mornings. Schedule may vary every week.
Interested applicants may apply in person or send resume to Premier Banks, 112 East Fifth St., Northfield, MN 55057 or e-mail resume to hr@premierbanks.com.
The idea of the show was to test "the old claim that the Porsche 928 could go faster if driven backwards. To do so, they flipped a 928′s body to face the wrong direction."
The car is currently in Dennison, stored by the Clutchmen Car Club and on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 3 p.m. it will be transported to Car Time Auto Center in Dundas.
Host Will Healy and co-host David Henly celebrated the 3rd anniversary of The Long Way Home tonight at KYMN’s studios. Some of Healy’s former colleagues from Over and Back stopped by for an in-studio performance: Stephen Kampa, harmonica; Craig Wasner, keyboard; Michael Hildebrandt, fiddle. Here’s a one-minute video clip:
I noticed this week that the downtown storefront for Ali Hohn Photography is empty. A month ago, Northfield Patch did a story titled Hoffman’s Photography Closed? It’s been a while but Stone Cottage Photo had a studio on Bridge Square. I’m not sure what’s happening with Green LightHouse on Division above Champion Sports but their website is dead. And Harmon’s Photography in the lower level of the Nutting Block has disappeared.
Appearing onstage with his band the Long Beds (featuring special guest hotshot Andy Dee of Big Top Chautauqua Blue Canvas Orchestra), Mike will weave stories and humor (including material from The Clodhopper Monologues) throughout a lively concert of original songs, including those on his most recent album, Tiny Pilot (Ambledown Records).
Tickets $12 in advance (plus service charge) or $15.00 at the door. Buy advance tickets here or at Monkey See Monkey Read, 425 Division Street South, Northfield, MN beginning Dec. 15th.
Listen to a cut of Tiny Pilot here or stop by the shop. Tiny Pilot will be in full rotation this month.
All these items are available at Monkey See Monkey Read in downtown Northfield. An as always, we’ll wrap your gifts for free in some of our lovely wrapping paper.
Wingshooters by Nina Revoyr
In the traditin of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, A River Runs Through It, and Snow Falling on Cedars, Revoyr’s new novel examines the effects of change on a small, isolated town, the strengths and limits of community, and the sometimes conflicting loyalties of family and justice. Set in the expansive countryside of Central Wisconsin, against the backdrop of Vietnam and the post-civil rights era, Wingshooters explores both connection and loss as well as the complex but enduring bonds of family.
A damn fine book.
The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht
In a Balkan country mending from war, Natalia, a young doctor, is compelled to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her beloved grandfather’s recent death. Searching for clues, she turns to his worn copy of The Jungle Book and the stories he told her of his encounters over the years with “the deathless man.” But most extraordinary of all is the story her grandfather never told her—the legend of the tiger’s wife.
Alvin loved this one.
Making a Friend by Alison McGhee
Bestselling author, Alison McGhee reminds us all that nothing that has been cared for can ever disappear for good, for, “What you love will always be with you.” And, this tender story about the power of friendship will stay with readers long after they turn the last page.
Another winner from Alison McGhee
The Chronicles of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg
For more than twenty-five years, the illustrations in the extraordinary Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg have intrigued and entertained readers of all ages. Thousands of children have been inspired to weave their own stories to go with these enigmatic pictures. Now we’ve asked some of our very best storytellers to spin the tales. Enter The Chronicles of Harris Burdick to gather this incredible compendium of stories: mysterious, funny, creepy, poignant, these are tales you won’t soon forget.
The Clodhopper Monologues by Mike Perry
Not so long ago, author, humorist and amateur pig farmer Michael Perry fed the chickens, changed his boots, kissed his wife and daughters, and drove downstate to a refurbished opera house in Stoughton, Wisconsin. Waiting for him onstage was a microphone; waiting in the seats was a sold-out house full of folks ready to laugh. For the next two hours the walls of the old opera hall echoed with stories of love and long underwear, happily failed bachelors, aggressive roosters, one-eyed joke-telling butchers, the glories of pickup-truck-based courtship…and wave after wave of laughter. And then – right at the end there – came the story of the little girl, the guinea pig, and a math lesson gone wrong.
okay this one’s not a book, but it’s so damn funny.
Set Cubed
SET Cubed is A Curious Game of Clever Connections, challenging a player’s ability to identify SETs between the dice in their hand and those already on the board. Players can play up to 3 dice per turn making as many SETs as possible. Create SETs up, down and across the board, the more SETs you create, the higher your score. As the number of dice on the board increases so do the possible SET combinations. Rack up points by using BONUS SQUARES! Roll a WILD die and unleash the possible number of SETs that can be made during your turn! How many SETs can you make?! The player with the most points wins!
My favorite game
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
In her long-awaited new book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.
Simply an amazing story. Highly recommended
Haruki Murakami
We have a number of his books you could choose including his latest 1Q84. Murakami is always a delight to read.
Tiny Pilot by Mike Perry and the Longbeds
Like so many before him, Michael Perry learned to sing in church. Then a Waylon Jennings 8-track got him hooked on boogety-boogety. This combination yielded the mix of straight-up twang and churchly harmonies found in Perry’s music. Tiny Pilot is Michael Perry’s second full-length release with his band the Long Beds. The songs on Tiny Pilot range from boot-stomping country to roughneck folk ballads and are populated by characters drawn straight from rural and small-town America. The music made by Perry and his Long Beds has been described as ‘country folk,’ ‘folk-twang,’ and Americana.
Just like Gordon Lightfoot…only zippier. Seriously, I love this album.
Big Little Brother by Kevin Kling
“This charming first children’s book by celebrated storyteller Kevin Kling, with whimsical drawings by Chris Monroe, traces a familiar arc from sibling rivalry to brotherly love.”
This Northfield community video project video that features Rich Garcia discussing his reasons for continuing to locate his business in Northfield:
Jasnoch Construction has moved their offices to their adjacent shop. The Jasnoch website is currently down but you can view a May 2009 snapshot of it on the Internet Wayback Machine.
For our December Third Thursday special, we will discount everything 20%. Well, not everything. There are a few exceptions like special orders. Books, games, toys, and calendars will be 20% off.
I toured all three floors of the Aldsworth Building at 19 Bridge Square yesterday, courtesy of Leah Rich at Neuger Communications Group. The Aldsworth is connected to their new space at 25 Bridge Square, formerly the Community Resource Bank.
The Aldsworth seems ideal for a coworking space: smack in the middle of downtown, many small offices, two kitchens, an elevator, and several larger conference-type rooms, two of which overlook Bridge Square (above photos). Here’s the floor plans PDF:
and a few more photos:
Are there other spaces in Northfield that would be ideally suited for a coworking space?
Yesterday afternoon, Megan Allen Tsui, Executive Director of the Northfield Enterprise Center (NEC), convened a meeting of possible stakeholders and other people interested in creating a coworking/incubator/accelerator space in Northfield (background blog post here). We met in a conference room at the Neuger Communications Group.
It’s less than two weeks before one of the best and most popular honky tonk bands in Minnesota, Trailer Trash, returns to town. They’re bringing their celebrated holiday show, A Trashy Little Christmas, to the Grand Event Center here in Northfield on Thursday, December 15th.
For more than a decade, Trailer Trash has taken the holiday spirit and put a spin on it that is decidedly their own, performing a series of holiday shows in the Twin Cities and Rochester.
The band played a couple of very well received shows in Northfield this year, and they are really excited to share their own special brand of Christmas cheer with us. Combining original songs for the season with some reworked holiday favorites, these “honky tonk heroes” will have you laughing, singing and dancing your little humbug off.
Left-Handed Entertainment is proud to present this one-of-a-kind holiday classic, and we hope to make it another traditional holiday event in Northfield.
Tickets are $8.00 in advance or $10.00 at the door (A true bargain! Tickets for the sold-out show in Rochester were $17.50 and $22.50). You can order your tickets online at ATrashyLittleChristmas.com or by contacting either me, Rich Larson, at bgwg@charter.net or Jessica Paxton at Jessica@kymnradio.net.
My other Small Business Saturday visit last week was to Rare Pair where I took a few photos while Robbie shopped. Proprietor Krin Finger and her chief collaborator, Jill Enestvedt (Studio Elements artist and manager), were on hand.
Reflecting back on the past 20 years of Holiday Window Displays this morning, i realized that the 2011 Holiday Display summarizes what The Rare Pair tries to represent. I am so grateful to work with such an amazing group of women…
I remember seeing Krin and hubby Dale Finger scrounging for branches and logs at the Northfield composting site a couple weeks ago. Amazing to see how it all turned out.
As part of Small Business Saturday (Nfld Patch article), I stopped by Present Perfect Underground yesterday. The shop ("vintage stuff, antiques, furniture, old buttons" says the sign) is located in the lower level of 310 Division St., underneath the Fine Craft Collective.
Ed Kuhlman and Mary Rossing were the beauties on duty, but other proprietors are Barb Kuhlman, Tom Buettell, Pam Curry, Jessica Paxton, Jen Severtsgaard, and Mary Titus.
Goodbye Blue Monday is closed on Thanksgiving but for several years now, a gang of morning regulars has been serving up free hot coffee to customers who stop by, thinking that the coffeehouse is open.
Yesterday when I stopped by, Jim Crow, Jim Gleason, and Jose Rodriguez were the beauties on duty.
kiffi summa: Our mothers consider the ‘bunched panties’ remark too squalid to pass either their sainted lips, or those of their darling daughters… and seriously doubt whether it was said during your father’s time!
Jane Moline: Griff: you really didn’t know my mother and how do you even know if I wear panties?
Griff Wigley: Jane/Kiffi, I did some family of origin research and it turns out your mothers actually said “A stitch in time saves nine” and “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” about 3-4 times more often than...
kiffi summa: Jane: Both our Mom’s were smart, and they knew about the problems with “borrowing trouble” i.e don’t stir up problems that are non existent; there’s enough current problems to deal with, and even some of...
Jane Moline: I can’t believe I have to bring up my mother’s advice: DON’T GO BORROWING TROUBLE! If some women want to join the fire department in Northfield, we must be afraid that our fire department MIGHT respond like North...
Vicki Dilley: How many lives can we even begin to count that have touched by the Youth Exchange program? Northfield has been involved in Youth Exchange since 1969 when we hosted our first student…since then 100′s of High School...
Tom Durkin: This event supports one of the crown jewels of the Northfield Rotary Club – the Youth Exchange Program. Northfield can be proud that we send out more than fifteen students annually for year abroad study programs. We also host several...
john george: Kathie- I knew I was sticking my neck out on that one!
Kathie Galotti: Geez John. Don’t get Griff restarted on the geese!
john george: Yes, more beaches would certainly accomodate more geese. We have to remember to be waterfowl friendly.
Susan Hvistendahl: I totally agree with you re the need for more beaches in Northfield, having just returned from a week in Puerto Vallarta. Could have had rum punches there but….well, after we visited a local tequila distillery and got to...
Bright Spencer: Oh, you both look so happy! Thanks for sharing. More pics please!
kiffi summa: Griff: whither goest thy right arm if it starts to “whither” (sic) ? sorry; couldn’t resist… stuck at home with a bad knee provides way too much time on computer!
Bright Spencer: i’ve been looking thru a site, crazyguyonabike.com that has lots of journals and photos from around the world.
jane fenton: Congrats, Griff! That’s my son Cliff in the orange hat. He’s revamped the recycling bin prototype. You should see it!
Griff Wigley: Don, I’ll keep ping pong in mind. I’d hate to have my right arm start to whither from a lack of racquetball. In the meantime, I’m trying to excite as many Northfielders as I can about mountain biking. I’ll...
john george: Griff- Iris will have to work real hard to keep you in focus on everything else. I shutter to think where this could go.
Griff Wigley: Name: The Local Joint Description: A handmade and vintage collective in Northfield, MN. COLLECTING.CREATING.COLLABORAT ING. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheLoc alJoint Nfld News: Store to open in former ‘digs’ space
David Beimers: Hmmm… fans? air conditioners? ice cream?
Jessica Paxton: I know. But I don’t wanna spill the (cool) beans!
Megan Tsui: Edward, Sorry you weren’t able to attend. We’ll be posting notes from the meeting on the NEC website and if you send me your email, I’ll make sure you get a copy! If you (or anyone else!) would like to chat about it...
Edward Smith: I wanted to attend this, but was unable. Does anyone know if there will be a summary posted anywhere?
Kathie Galotti: My kid had a pretty decent AP Environmental Science class 2 years ago….he’s not a great math/science student, but this one got him interested in at least knowing enough science to create good policies. I remember...
Paul Zorn: A few years ago one of my daughters spent a year working in Copenhagen, largely in an office setting. All desks in her office could be raised or lowered to permit either standing or sitting positions. I have no idea whether such...
Griff Wigley: In today’s Strib: Office-dwellers stand up to ‘sitting disease’ Dr. James Levine has reviewed the statistics: One in three Minnesota adults is either diabetic or pre-diabetic, and one in four is obese. And he thinks...
Bright Spencer: The All Pro Game last Sunday between the AFC and the NFC was so enjoyable. The stess, the anger, the anxiety all gone…well I didn’t watch all of it, as I rarely do watch an entire game, usually just the beginning and...
Griff Wigley: Today’s Strib: Hockey safety goal expanded to youth In an unprecedented mid-year change, Minnesota Hockey is toughening the penalties for checking from behind and boarding. The change will affect 40,000 hockey players in the...
Bright Spencer: I like hockey and all sports very much. I was a star basketball player in my day. I don’t remember anyone suffering any major injuries in all my hs and college days. I feel certain that coach’s know who does what and...
john george: You are correct. That is why I didn’t allow my children to attack the character of their siblings just to support their position. There do need to be some kind of ground rules in any discussion so as to keep individual...
kiffi summa: The issue could be considered to be: what is “conflict”, and what are two sides of a discussion… see #33 re: the Mayor’s admonition to Peter Dahlen at the joint Council/ChartComm meeting. I don’t see how...
john george: Kiffi- This is a good article, and I agree with most of it. Just thinking about my kids in their youth, there was always some conflict between them, but our goal as parents wasn’t to force them into some weiner form but to help...
kiffi summa: A very interesting article in the Jan.30th New Yorker magazine on the nature of the dynamics of creative discussion; it’s entitled “Groupthink; the brainstorming myth”. Based on studies done by a psych professor at...
Griff Wigley: Kiffi/Kathie, I didn’t have that reaction. But I’ve put up a new blog post to discuss it and everything else related to the Fire Department so let’s shift the discussion there.
Kathie Galotti: I read Betsey’s blog and, like most of Betsey’s blog entries, found it well-written and making a very good point. Though I agree that geographic districts aren’t the only way to represent different constituencies,...
john george: Griff- The NN editorial presents the difference between geographic representation and ideological representation. Right now, the wards establish geographic representation. With this approach, depending upon the voter turnout, a person...
kiffi summa: I hope that people will use the link here on LG to read the current posting by Councilor Buckheit on her blog, re: wards versus all at-large, and take the opportunity to comment. Once again, the NFNews has not given a very well...
Griff Wigley: Nfld News editorial: Keep the current ward system intact
Sean Hayford Oleary: In any case, this issue doesn’t seem like it needs to be another opportunity to dis/agree with the current council. Regardless of how focused on the downtown (or not) they are, it’s clear this change would not...
Griff Wigley: In today’s NY Times: Turning to Kettlebells to Ease Back Pain Kettlebells, cast-iron weights that have been used for centuries to train Russian soldiers and athletes, appear to be a promising therapy for back and neck pain, new...
Sandy Vesledahl: UPDATE ON RHONDA: We are very happy to report that Rhonda was adopted over the weekend by a local family. Rhonda’s new mom is a Family Counselor and Rhonda will be going to her office with her and helping with her clients. So...
Megan Tsui: Griff, The NEC is moving forward with the idea of a non-profit Coworking Incubator/Accelerator space. Megan
Megan Tsui: What do you think? Come to the Community Dialogue and tell us! January 31st from 2 to 4 pm at the Archer House lower level conference room. Share your ideas, thoughts, and dreams about a Coworking Incubator/Accelerator space in...
kiffi summa: I would hope the City’s Historic Preservation Commission would explore this option, and the appropriateness/allowability for use on properties within the Historic District. Thanks, Jim.
Jim Haas: I was reading a story by Porter Fox about his visit to Copenhagen. He mentioned in passing that the city is vigilant about removing graffiti using high-pressure washers with ice crystals as a mild abrasive. I did a little rudimentary...
kiffi summa: The LWV observer reports are meant to be a summary of actions taken, not a ‘blow by blow’ transcript. This is the reason that anyone deeply interested should watch the meeting for themself, if they want a full...
Yet the job, as many know, is not glamorous nor is it a piece of cake. For many stay-at-home parents, finding a network of friends to share parenting ideas with, as Patterson did through Early Childhood Family Education, helps ease the trying times. 
About four years ago, I 
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