Minneapolis Farmer's Market, Part Deux.

As you walk the stalls, you can't help but be impressed with the variety, both in type and color. This 2nd post will feature more of that vibrancy and also showcase some of the farmer's market outliers.


[an interesting sales technique adopted by many of the vendors is to mound and showcase many of their items, in a unique way - some are more successful than others]



[i believe these are japanese eggplants, and some of the most interestingly hued ones i've ever seen - can you match this color in the Lowe's paint department?]


[so many kinds of tomatoes, this whole table. i don't even think i could name more than a handful of tomato varieties - you?]

[thinking tomatillos in green, possibly the purple too, not sure]

[mr. squash, meet mr. cauliflower]


[some people spell it p-o-t-a-t-o, some people spell it p-o-t-a-t-o-e, shrug. alls i know is this guys melons were huge]

[ever since the inaugural NYC trip, i can't walk past a hot or warm nuts sign without smirking. there are so many possible jokes and almost none of them work on paper, or even in person]

[and lastly, one of the most, if not the most popular booth at the whole market - the sausage guy. not only will he cat-call at any attractive woman that walks by, he'll sell you a regular or spicy brat, with the works, at 8 in the morning. kids, high-school girls, moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas - everyone has a sausage in their mouth. i have not dared to try yet - and please don't dare me]

Poll Results, #58, Texting.

I was going to text you all the results, but clearly not everyone would be happy with that medium, so back to the ole stand-by, the blog post:

> 3 people (23%) chose 'i have an unlimited text plan and i worry about hitting the limit' - you make sure you get outside and see the sunshine though, please. [you can text in the sunshine]
> 5 people (38%) chose 'a few times a day' - i don't do much else a few times a day, but this is a given. i wish it were more too.
> 3 people (23%) chose 'a few times a week' - careful, your cell carrier maybe calling you about a new text plan.
> 0 people (0%) chose 'a few times a month' - seems like you're either for it or against it. i realize it's a polarizing topic, like abortion.
> 2 people (15%) chose 'almost never, i secretly hate it' - we need to talk, i can help, i've helped others.

anyone got a poll idea? one up as soon as i stumble on something.

Minneapolis Farmer's Market, Part Un.

Time for another short series. This time, it's all about the Minneapolis Farmer's Market. Please note, this is the one in Minneapolis and not the one in St. Paul. I've only been to Minnie's. Attending St. Paul would require a long bike ride or a car ride, both of which I generally shun on an early Saturday morning (at least for produce).

We'll start this two-part series off with some likes & dislikes, see some produce, and then use the 2nd part to talk about some more fun items.

Likes: It makes a great Saturday morning trip. You get up, shower (or maybe not, which I believe is the tradition), get some coffee, a giant cinnamon roll or giant brat (I don't get this one), and walk around and find some finds. They also seem to bring out such a variety of people, both vendors (farmers, foreign folks, etc) and shoppers (residents, out of towners, kids, students, etc). Finally, as you'll hopefully see, it's so dang colorful - vibrant vegetables, flowers, people, sounds, etc. It's just a nice way to begin the weekend.




[without the sun, it makes for a very cold morning - check the weather before you leave]





Not Likes: Seems like everyone drives to this shin-dig. I suspect that's mostly due to it being held basically under the highway, in a not-so-nice part of town. I rode my bike and thought it was less than ideal riding. The only other thing you notice is that it's alot of the same thing at each booth. I mean, how many pickling cucumber tables can you take in early on a Saturday morning, or better yet, why would I want to see them all?


[you didn't believe me, Mrs. Sourpuss?]


Come back soon for Part Deux.

Tom Arndt.

Ok, I lied. I had one more post from the MIA. One of the last exhibits I wandered into was for Tom Arndt. I learned he is one of the most prolific MN street photographers of his (our) time. The most interesting part of the exhibit for me was seeing MN life from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. He really was able to capture aspects not often seen or photographed. Some really caught my eye and a few wound up on my phone.

He also has a new book of his work out now, titled Home. (I had no idea the cover was the last photo below, weird)


[silly old people, bikes are for kids]


[it just looked funnelcake-a-licious]

Random act of kindness?

[duh, what am i good for?]

Have you seen one of these before? I did, at IKEA once. But you know the worst part, I bought it. Now I know what you're saying, "In the name of all that's good, why did you buy one?" And my answer is, "I don't know." IKEA's like that to people - isn't it? You see something on the shelf that seems kinda quirky and cool (sometimes it's pedestrian and uncool too, ahem)... and you stick it in your big yellow bag, or normal-sized cart or side-ways moving large item cart.

So, I've had this dumb thing sitting on my bookcase for years now. It's never done anything. I think someone commented on it or touched it once. Well, I had a better idea for it - but you be the judge, won't you?

I decided to leave it in the bathroom at my favorite coffee shop. I didn't ask them if I could, I didn't ask them if they wanted it. I just used the restroom on the way out and left it on the toilet tank. I'll keep checking in on it (her? him?) and see how long it stays there. It fits in with the kitch and quirkiness of this particular coffeeshop, or I wouldn't have thought of doing it. Who knows, maybe this is the IKEA fit model art posing doll's ultimate purpose. Sure as shootin it's a better purpose than sitting on my bookshelf.

[ahh, it's new home]

Minneapolis Institute of Art, Large Art, IV.

[perhaps the biggest, scariest Pokemon/Hello Kitty object I've ever seen. It's easily about eight feet tall)

There were many big items in the museum. I was taken aback by many of them, but more interesting was seeing some of the little kids walking up to them or sitting in front of them. Everything on this page is taller/wider/bigger than I am, easily:


[this whimsical hanging object is above the children's wing/theater. i thought it was a perfect item for kids to stare up at - what it's made of? looked like recycled yellow stuff]


[this is the one that a little girl just said 'wow' to herself/outloud. it was really big and very interesting to catch a glimpse of while walking through other sections - right after this photo, i drew a text bubble out of one side, they did not find my comment/graffiti amusing]


[how about a car?!]



[this was in the modern collection and it seemed rather fitting. great lines, very big presence, and I think it was rolling on twenty-twos - ya hear!?]

Minneapolis Institute of Art, More Art, III.

A collection of items I couldn't quite categorize into the other posts, but should be interesting to see:


[like alot of the items in the collections, something would catch your eye as you looked at pieces in another room or walked by, unaware. this room was dark except for the lit bulbs over each portrait. the artist described/titled this a memorial for all the children. not because they were no longer alive, but because at the time of the photo, they were children. since that time, they would all grow up and never be as they once were in the photos. a large 20x30' room was used for this collection. must have been 12-18 pictures, all lit like these. i could not walk by the room without going in - yes, if you unscrew one bulb, they all go out]


[hand blown glass from early America, just so hard not too see out of the corner of your eye and then walk up to to see close-up. really nice glass and the display was perfect - don't try to blow into them to make the empty bottle whistle though]


[a huge, wonderfully rich, warm armoire - it's better in person and no, they do not like it if you try to see if you can fit yourself inside]


[this was my lunch from that day - a combo of roasted golden beet salad and half a oven roasted turkey-bacon sandwich, chips, limonata, and a small lemon bar for dessert. it complimented the art very well and tasted great too. it wasn't terribly expensive and powered me through my whole tour. they have a local restaurant run a nice cafe - notice the little "can cover" on the Peligrino Limonata? Those Italians are so clean, could be where i get it from]