Phillips

Way to bounce back! The Twin Cities seem to have easily shaken off their holiday lethargy just in time for a pretty rockin’ weekend. Art exhibits, which have been on holiday hiatus as of late, are back in full effect; while rock shows and dance parties continue to ignite flames all over town. Our suggestion? Go out on the prowl! Meet some new people, see some new sights, and experience some fresh excitement. It is 2009 after all (an excuse we’ll be using throughout January, if not February). MORE »

Language can be a huge barrier for immigrant and migrant women. If your first language is Spanish, you may be able to get some essential services with the help of a translator. But the women of Pillsbury United Community’s Waite House wanted to offer more to these women, and so, in March of this year, Mujeres en Liderazgo was born. MORE »

Diana Thompson’s eyes filled with tears as she described how she came to spend Christmas at a shelter this year. She had been the only tenant in a building fallen into complete disrepair. The building was foreclosed, and then condemned, and Thompson was ordered to leave on December 1. The mother of a two children, one of whom is disabled, she gathered all the belongings she could carry and stayed in a motel for 12 days, and then moved into a shelter. Her landlord never returned her phone calls, and she has lost most of her possessions, including toys for her children, furniture, and clothes, due to the rushed move. “I hope something is done in the future,” Thompson said, “because I don’t want to ever do this again.” MORE »

This week’s picks

Thursday, December 25
The Roundup Beer Hall opens at 1 p.m.

Friday, December 26
There are just a few days left to catch “the Twin Cities’ most honest holiday tradition,” the British Television Advertising Award Winners at the Walker. Many screenings are already sold out, so order your tickets now. MORE »

Feel like swinging at a tall piñata to relieve some holiday stress? Well you’re out of luck, because the five-feet-tall and five-feet-long piñata that will be hanging at the Midtown Global Market all day on Saturday is just for show. Not to worry — there will be smaller piñatas available for children to swat at for the Posada de la Hispanidad, now in its third year. MORE »

This week’s picks

Thursday, December 18
Enough of this thinking crap…it’s time to kick back with a Premium at Jimmy’s Bar and Lounge in Northeast (1828 4th St. N.E.) for some good ol’ bingo. You can win up to $1,000! That’s a lot of cocktail weenies.

Friday, December 19
Whisk your sweetheart, or your family, or the hobo sleeping on the abandoned couch in front of your building (thanks, UPI) to the magical queendom of St. Catherine in the Grove Land of Ramsey County, where thee and thine might perchance to see a “classic” Nutcracker (in other words, Mother Ginger is probably the only performer in drag) presented by Ballet Minnesota. MORE »

Giant puppets and dancing children could steal anybody’s show. They didn’t have to steal a show or a scene during La Natividad, because this show belonged to them, and to all of the actors and to us in the audience, too. Like In the Heart of the Beast’s MayDay parades, La Natividad is part of the community it has taken place in these past three years. As much as its Christmas story belongs to the ages, La Natividad belongs to today and here and now, rooted in Minneapolis and in the experience of immigrants and carpenters and angels and babies and mothers. MORE »

The Minneapolis Police Department’s (MPD) Third Precinct has issued an alert regarding a series of robberies/assaults taking place on the Midtown Greenway bike trail and the adjacent Hiawatha light-rail transit (LRT) trail. MORE »