'Til Death Do Us Part

Halloween used to be about getting candy ready for the trick or treaters that would begin ringing the doorbell right before dark. Not much of that going on in downtown and I have to admit I enjoy not having to get up to answer the door...if I'm home. The weekend will give way to the traditional Mexican Day of the Dead celebration on the first and second days of November, the celebration of death as a continuation of life....sugar skeletons, parades, and an all night party at the cemetery. Sounds like fun, but I would have to drive an hour north to visit the graves of grandparents and I'm not sure they would understand if I left a bottle of tequila on their tombstones. So instead we will go to St. Paul's historic Oakland Cemetery in the daylight hours with neighbors and visit some well known figures, governors, civil war generals and even a member of John Dillinger's gang.

Ax Man

The Ax Man stands at the window, looking out at the alley behind Station 4 Bar near Wacouta Street between 4th and 5th Streets. I don't remember when I first noticed him, is he a guard or cheap bouncer for bands like Through the Eyes of the Dead that will be performing there tonight. Do you need to have a name like that to perform during Halloween week? The yellow brick building to the right is the back side of the Straus Lofts renovated in 2005 from what once housed the Straus Knitting Company. Several years ago close to Halloween I saw a small notice in the paper inviting the public to come and explore the empty Palace Theater (once called the Orpheum?) in downtown at 7th Place. The folks like us who showed up were given a flashlight and and hardhat and could enter once we had signed a release to hold no one accountable for anything that might occur while inside. Our hosts included members of a local ghost hunting group who gave us the short story of who had performed in the theater during the vaudeville years of the 20's and who we might meet...those not wanting to leave the theater even though they were long dead. M and I made our way up the dark staircase to the balcony and hid in the projectionist room and waited for something to happen. Nothing did, but what I noticed in the dark and cold is that although in need of a good dusting, the theater was beautiful and seemed mostly in good shape. I heard about some efforts a few years ago to renovate it to its former glory, but that takes $$$. What the status of it is now I don't know.

Hidden Entrance

Sometimes you just want to get into the skyway fast and you have to know where the nearest entrance is located. That entrance just might be through a parking or loading dock. St Paul's skyway system is convenient for getting around in downtown when you want to avoid the heat or the cold, although you might not be able to get to your final destination without going outside at some point. Too bad we can't tunnel our way to some of the buildings that are not connected to the system. Last week while continuing my read of John Dillinger Slept Here, I found myself wanting to know the exact location of Nina Clifford's brothel (1880s to the 1920's) and the supposed tunnel that ran from her backyard to the basement of the Minnesota Club on Washington Street. M and I walked over to one of the upper levels of the parking ramp that fits into the hill and looked over the side. The loading entrance for the Excel Center is tucked into the cliff and nearby are patched up tunnel entrances to who knows where. The remains of a street and sidewalk hangs in the air over the cliff. Is this the old Hill Street? If you want a better understanding of the complexity of the tunnels and caves under St Paul, read the adventures of the ActionSquad and in particular their adventures in the tunnels of St Paul at http://www.actionsquad.org/labyrinth.htm. Maybe they know about the Minnesota Club tunnel?

Persephone

Looking up to the second story across from the American Burger Bar on Wabasha and 4th Streets is a relief panel of the Greek goddess Persephone. I always felt she needed more festive coloring than what the sculptor's choice of light brown stone gave her. Although Persephone is the goddess of the underworld, she seems too peaceful with her tamborine to cause much trouble. According to Larry Millett's AIA Guide to the Twin Cities, the panel is part of an addition to the Lowry Hotel that housed an art deco ballroom. The Lowry Hotel once home to gangsters in the 20's and 30's is now apartments and soon to be student housing for McNally Smith students. I recently started reading Paul Maccabee's John Dillanger Slept Here and had to immediately move ahead in the book to chapter 32 and the The Commodore Hotel (now condos and just off Summit Avenue) since I was just there last Monday for the art and antique show that is held there on the first Monday of the month. Rumor is that they don't know if it will continue at that location but the art deco bar is worth the effort if you have a reason to visit the building.

Sunflowers

Sunday afternoon M and I walked down to the new deli and market that is part of the Heartland Restaurant that opened this past July. It occupies the first floor of the Market House building across from the Farmer's Market. I had heard that the wild boar braunschweiger was excellent....and it was. I finished the remaining slice this morning for a German style breakfast. It seems like a nice compliment to the Farmer's Market and the hours from 9am to 9pm are generous (closed Mondays). The first time M and I were in the new deli, one of the waitresses from the Heartland waved to us. She had been our favorite waitress at the Bulldog (across from Mears Park) which generally falls a little better into our price range. The thing that I enjoy about the service at the Bulldog is that the waitstaff seem to know exactly when you want something and don't bug you every 5 minutes asking "how's it tastin'?" We were at the Bulldog this past week for happy hour and ordered the meatloaf sliders. Ten minutes later the waitress came out and said that the cook had forgotten to put the meatloaf in the oven. Since it would take an hour, they "comped" us an order of blue cheese sliders. Thanks Bulldog! Days later Whole Foods gave us a $5 gift certificate because the cash register broke down and we had to switch lanes. It's the small things that make me feel good.