Art Crawl

Most condos and apartments in downtown have some communal area where residents can post events, services, business cards, etc. Someone may have a service to help you with your taxes or computer problems. Need a parking space or your dog walked? Leave a note on the message board. I enjoy looking at what people have for sale, things they can't take with them on the next move. Sometimes you see an old TV for sale. I wonder if anyone ever sells those. Best Buy on Robert Street will recycle it for a $10 charge, but they give you a gift card for the same. Seems like a good deal to me to just take it off your hands. The bulletin board in my building has a poster for the art crawl in Lowertown. In addition to the larger art crawls that take place in April and October a few buildings also have one on the first Friday of each month. That coincides nicely with the downtown community happy hour that also takes place on the first Friday of every month (4 to 6pm). It is hosted by the Capitol River Council and there are usually 40 to 50 folks who show up. Get on their email list at www.capitolrivercouncil.org to find out what bar is hosting the February event.

Chicken Burrito

Rumor has it that the owner from Bin Wine Bar will be opening a burrito place around the corner on East 7th. Or is that a taco place? Either way I´ll be happy to have another choice in dining downtown. And all the better if I can just get something great to take out and eat at home. A great burrito or taco has to start with the meat and my preference is grilled chicken. I´ll need homemade black beans and pinto beans not ones out of the can. Please don´t try to stuff my burrito with a bunch of cheap rice. Go easy on the cheese and sour cream. I don´t really need that, but I will need plenty of variety of salsas. I like to put both a salsa verde and some pretty hot stuff on there too....not Minnesota nice but the real thing please. See you at the grand opening!

Winter Sunrise

We have just completed our first week in 2011. Sometimes people ask if I have made a new year's resolution. Generally I try not to make grand resolutions that I am unlikely to keep. My standing resolution is that I will try to spill less food and drink on my clothes, something I believe I have been making progress on over the years. I think a good resolution might be "always have something to look forward to". Maybe that is not really a resolution at all, just a good idea. Getting organized is always a good choice for a new year's resolution. A fact of living in downtown is that we have less square footage to our apartments or condos than traditional homes. We can't afford to be pack rats and so we are constantly trying to organize, downsize, recycle. etc. It's a continual effort with all the things that we accumulate on a daily basis. Goodwill on Robert, St Vincent de Paul on West Seventh, the Animal ARC on East Seventh are all good places to unload the extra stuff in your closets.

WinterSkate

Free outdoor ice skating in downtown is available courtesy of Wells Fargo Bank until February 6th. Look at their website (http://www.wellsfargowinterskate.com/) for specific information on hours. I wonder if downtown workers take a skate break during their lunch hour? If you fail to pack your skates you can rent them there or show that you bank with Wells Fargo and they are free. The setting across from Rice Park, the library and the Landmark Center is sweet whether you skate or just come out to watch. I was never great at ice skating and I don't think I'll take it up again. Maybe I would be better at Broomball. No skates are needed for that. Can you just wear your tennis shoes or snow boots or do you need special shoes for that? The rink closes at 5 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to make way for teams that play Broomball. I'll have to stop by on my evening walk and check that out.