Chimborazo

This must be one of those places everyone knows about but me. Because there's no way a reasonably priced, delicious, cozy spot like this could be a secret. And if that's the case, I'd like to fault the city of Minneapolis for not introducing me to this place sooner. Heavens. So many lost opportunities for Chimborazo empanadas!

I'm not sure that I've ever had Ecuadorean food before but this one bowl of soup made it clear I need a more intimate understanding of the cuisine. The picture doesn't do the flavor or the size justice.  This is Encebollado de Pescado, a fish soup with ahi tuna, cassava, onion and tomato, and topped with tostados.  I'd never heard of a tostado (and, I'll admit, I expected some kind of chip).  But it tasted like a roasted piece of hominy, and the waitress confirmed the similarity so I gave myself an internal high five for a good guess. This bowl was hot, hearty, and satisfying, with huge chunks of fish in a bowl that could have easily fed two people.  Instead of offering to share, I took half the bowl home and enjoyed it the next day for lunch.

The spot is cozy and occasionally crowded at prime supper times but the happy hour specials make the wait worthwhile.  One of their brunch specials, a trio of empanadas with potatoes and eggs, sounds like heaven on a plate.  We split a beef empanada to start and it was perfect! An empanada and a cup of soup would be a great (and cheap) dinner out, if you're interested in fun flavors that don't break the bank.

This is a Northeast Minneapolis gem and I expect to return often.

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Trail Mix 25K

I've enjoyed the Trail Mix 25K race on three prior occasions, all at the former Hyland Park location in Bloomington. It was a tough course in a convenient location so it was always a favorite. This year, however, the location changed! Despite the trek out beyond the Western Burbs (whoa!), I was excited to run the race at the new locale.

Lake Rebecca is an equally challenging trail, but different in that the hills were more frequent but less steep. The trail was wide the whole way so there was never any congestion or single track madness. The Trail Mix volunteers and aid station support are always great. Friendly folks offering me flat coke and m&ms will always get high marks. I'm a slow poke, especially on a trail run, so I'm sensitive to that enthusiastic support.  And for anyone who's interested in their first 25K, this would be a great one, especially if you're concerned about being on the slow side.  The 50K relay starts about an hour and a half after the 25K solo race, so by the time the slower 25Kers are finishing up, they're joined by a pack of other runners.  So even if you're bringing up the rear, you don't feel like you're bringing up the rear. ;)

Lake Rebecca was well worth the drive so I'd be happy to run that route again. And as long as you're the embrace-the-mud type, this spring run is a must for trail lovers. 

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Once

For anyone who has seen the movie (add it to your Netflix queue immediately if you haven't), there's a certain hesitance in thinking of Once as a musical.  The intimacy of a close-up seems like it would be lost in the expanse of live theater.  How do you translate all those heart-sparking moments, often communicated with a glance from a piano, to the back of the house? For one, you cast beautiful vocal talents and genuine musicians and you somehow (miraculously?) transform a stage into an intimate space where the audience feels equal parts privileged and guilty to eavesdrop on a love story.

The movie, Once, introduced me, and the rest of the planet, to Glen Hansard, already a well-loved Irish songwriter by people more in the know than myself, and Marketa Irglova, who together penned the music and lyrics for the musical. I've since seen Hansard in concert as well as obsessed over The Swell Season's haunting/rocking (how often do those go together?) melodies. So my love for the story, the music, and the personalities aligned with this Tony Award-winning musical set me up for some pretty astronomical expectations and I'm thrilled to note that I was not disappointed. This short run at the Orpheum is a must-see for anyone in need of a love story, a sweet song, or proof that the dreams that matter will be bolstered by those that love you.  So really, it's a must-see for everyone.

Following an improbable meeting of a down-trodden Dublin busker and a music-loving (and gifted) immigrant, the audience watches as our heroine nudges our hero back into songwriting. With each song the would-be lovers step a bit closer to a shared dream and the success of that dream is deeply woven into the strength of their connection. Are they soul mates? Mutual saviors at a specific point in time? How would the answers to either question impact a lifelong dream?

These actors aren't alone in their travels.  Far from it, they're surrounded by a community of musicians of such grit and talent, every duet is underscored by a beautiful chorus of warmth. Each actor plays their own instrument and there's no question that the heft of this story lies as much in the connection between our lovers and in the character of a Hometown (in this case, Dublin), as personified by a pack of Czech immigrants and native Irishmen and women who answer life's trials with music.

Once is only in town through April 6th so don't delay on this one! And if you're a student/educator, don't forget to take advantage of rush seats, available at every performance.

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The Rabbit Hole

My love for The Left-Handed Cook brought me to Midtown Global Market frequently.  But I was pretty steadfast in my ordering habits, never venturing from the bok bok bowl (happily). That is not going to be possible at The Rabbit Hole, the still-on-the-newer-side restaurant opened by The Left-Handed Cook(s). As soon as I read the menu I thought, "uh oh, I want to eat ALL these things..."

I think I may have attempted to eat two of the messier options on the menu, but I'm attracted to things that will require finger-licking, so that wasn't a bad thing.  The pork curry poutine was an egg-topped hot mess (in the beautiful sense) that hit every point of creamy, zesty (not spicy), cheesy, thick-cut french fry goodness. We split this as an appetizer and it could have easily fed 3+ people as an app or a hungry soul as a main dish. It's on the list of "small" plates but don't let the adjective fool you.  That's a killer dinner if you're in the mood for decadence.





As my main course, I just couldn't do anything about my first choice.  If you put crawdads on a menu, I'm going to eat them. And these were so exciting and beautiful! Look at that picture! I'm used to my New Orleans crawfish boils, messy and spicy in their own way.  But this was a totally new flavor for me with jalapenos, smoky tomato oyster sauce, and green onion.  The crawdads were excellent but, honestly, if they had just served me a bowl of the sauce with a pile of steamed rice I would have left a happy woman.  I can't describe it beyond saying it's going to take willpower to try other things on the menu when these peppered beauties are waiting for me.

Midtown Global Market remains one of the coolest places to wander, poke around, enjoy a variety of cuisines in a casual space.  And The Rabbit Hole is an exciting addition of top notch food and cocktails that only make the space that much more vibrant and exciting.  I need to power through the rest of that menu, so I will be back. Often.

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Tristan & Yseult

As the audience files in, the "lovespotters" pounce. Roaming up and down the aisles as musicians on stage set a playful (yet somewhat sad) mood with renditions of popular songs of unrequited love, these chorus members, these "unloved," ask questions of those seated. "How long have you been married? Still smiling, so not too long." Dressed in drab jackets and hoods, they could be any wanderer on any street. These unloved permeate the classic tale of Tristan & Yseult, a Kneehigh production masterfully adapted by Emma Rice. 

Our narrator-of-sorts, Whitehands, introduces her band of unloved comrades and introduces us to the players in our tale, and with the aid of music and movement this ancient tale highlights every pained perspective of romantic love. Why do we love? Who do we love? Why are we unloved? Why are we loved? Why do we betray? Can we love two people at once? Does love die?

Love and romance can be funny and clumsy, of course, and there are elements of hilarity throughout.  There are giggles and guffaws to be had in between melancholy laments and the cast balances the joy and heartache of love perfectly, never losing the authenticity of either side of the pendulum swing. The entire production vibrates with energy, bolstered by grin-inducing elements of audience participation. This is a show that never slows down, never sinks.  Even the soberest moments have a strong pulse of passion, and some of the most powerful of those moments are provided by the band of unloved (whose ranks increase throughout the play, but I won't give any of that away), an astute comment on how brutal life is when staring at Love from the outside.

Alternating elevations on stage was a powerful and effective strategy for not only showing the change of time and location, but for creating a defined space for the lovers and the unloved.  The unloved are constantly outside the central circle most often occupied by our hero and heroine, only breaking into the space at moments of deception, heartache, and desperation.  Even when they're able to assert themselves within the bounds of that elite "club" (as noted by Whitehands, de facto queen of that band), they're quickly dismissed. "Do you love me?" is a question answered in the negative.  That stark line between those experiencing love and those forced to spectate on that experience is powerfully and beautifully drawn.

It has been awhile since I've seen a show that I immediately wanted to see again. And thankfully, with shows through March 23rd, there's time to indulge repeatedly. It's time to head to the Guthrie again, people.

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Mamma Mia

My experience of musicals has been a bit somber recently, thanks to Andrew Lloyd Weber's penchant for melancholy drama. At this point in the winter, however, I think everyone is aching for a bit of sunshine, musically and otherwise.  Enter, Mamma Mia, playing at the Orpheum through February 23rd. There's no melancholy to be had, no somber beauty, no tragic demise of our heroine. Nope. It's everything you expect of a musical based loosely on the songs of ABBA, it's all silly, joyful, head-bobbing happiness, complete with young love, middle-aged love, and the grins both induce. Just in time for our brief thaw (and the snow predicted for Thursday), Mamma Mia is a touch of warmth in the mid-winter doldrums. 

The performances are playful, the songs familiar, and if your audience is anything like mine, rousing enough to inspire a few hollers from the peanut gallery. For those that haven't seen the movie, the story sees young Sophie, daughter of former 70s-era singer, Donna, inviting her three potential dads to her wedding in Greece. Who's the daddy? Is it Donna's lost love, Sam, who ditched her for a fiancee twenty years ago? Or is it rebound love from study abroad in Paris, Harry? Or is it that wild child adventurer, Bill?  You'll have to check out the show to find out for yourself. 

The strongest performances come from Donna's ladies-in-waiting, Tonya and Rosie. Reliving their high-flying, exuberant past while cracking jokes about their middle-aged flirtations makes for a fun twist on some ABBA classics like Take a Chance on Me. 

If you're in need of some aural sunshine and/or there's a Dancing Queen in there itching to commune with your brethren, make your way to the Orpheum for Mamma Mia's brief run. It'll put a smile on your face, and with this winter, that's saying something.

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TC Valentine 5K

I don't sign up for a lot of 5Ks. I have a host of races I love to do every year and after registering for those and others that tempt me (fie upon you, cute swag!), I just don't have the budget to add a bunch of extra races to the mix. But I signed up for the Twin Cities Valentine's Day 5K for the best of reasons, to run with a dear friend who recently started running.

The organizers can't be faulted for the weather. The negative wind chills were unpleasant, but as Minnesotans we really should know better than to pay good money to play outside in early February.  Weather aside, I thought the race was wonderfully well-organized, a reasonable size, and most importantly, provided plenty of volunteer support to cheer on the crazies who signed up.  Keeping with the cheesy Valentine theme, everyone was encouraged to wear tags on their backs indicating their relationship status (single, taken, it's complicated, and a few unique write-your-owns). We didn't end up with dates but somebody winked at me (or had ice in his eye), so I'll call that a win.

5Ks are a great starter distance for new runners, so I feel like every 5K should recognize that.  Not everyone has done a million of these or understands how a sweats check works. But the TCM crew was helpful, happy (a large feat given the chill), and energized by the crowd.  The newbie runner, Molly, was already brainstorming her next race when we sat down later for brunch, and that's a big kudos to the TCM team for making her first experience so positive.

Hot chocolate and coffee were served at the start, hallelujah, and that took a bit of the edge off.  Molly was excited for her first starting line so we got to there a little earlier than necessary.  But enthusiasm is awesome and I won't tease her too much for my near frostbite. Importantly, the race started on time and despite the usual Lake Harriet parking nightmare, I didn't feel like the off-street parking was that arduous. We got there a bit early but I also think the not-huge size of the crowd helped, too. The shirt and pint glass were cute (still, sucker for the swag), and the post-race Valentine cookies were a sweet touch.

Cold or no, I'd recommend this race for anyone who wants to take a crack at their first 5K or run a pretty winter race that isn't overly crowded. I enjoy a lot of TCM's races, and I'd be happy to add this one to the yearly roster. Hopefully, next year we'll break into the double digits.

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