Essbee

Nov 21

Reasons To Love The Vegas Lounge

For a bar that is the opposite of pretentious, it has some of the best karaoke in town.

Some of the best karaoke in town will come from the most unexpected people, such as a 50-something woman wearing a Young and the Restless sweatshirt who will walk up and fucking knock it out of the park.

You will probably talk to an older man who might initially be labeled as creepy, but actually turns out to be very genuine and says such hilarious stuff that you are motivated to start a tumblr dedicated to him (and others).

That same dude might just buy you and your friends roses.

A really hot dude might sing “Purple Rain” and nail it, while pulling every stage cliche in the book, which you will undoubtedly fall for because..well, he’s really hot.

Aside from the people, they have a really good song selection, cheap beer, and a parking lot.

New favorite place? I think so.

[thanks to Sara and Steph for coming out]

In addition:

A creepy man in a T-shirt and leather vest that randomly brings a harmonica up to play while others sing….who also asks young ladies to be his “back up dancers” while he sings “I’m a Soul Man.”
The tiny older woman who growls really well while singing….and who also drunkenly dances in the bathroom with her friends.

Cafe Brenda Closes

Chef Brenda Langton is closing her 23-year-old namesake establishment to focus on her newer restaurant, Spoonriver. With a Spoonriver cookbook in the works and a class to teach at the U of MN, Brenda says, “I’m having a great time moving into other arenas, and I just don’t have time for it all.” The tentative closing date is December 5.

Sad.

Nov 19

Awesome. Clandestinely signed copies of Ree Drummond’s book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. Drummond is amazing.

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

fightwithknives:

pencilthin:

Little Lovin’ - Lissie

Lissie is from Rock Island, Illinois. That’s where I’m from.

We were in the local theater production of “Annie” together. She was Annie, which you will find out if you read any interview with her.

Her Daytrotter session is pretty amazing, too.

Chicken Run Rescue Video

Mary Britton Clouse is my hero.

via MPR

Nov 18

Modern Radio Record Label Turns 10!

Save the date, the weekend of Friday, January 22 and Saturday 23 - 2010. We
start off the big weekend bash at a venue that has become a second home to Modern Radio, the Turf Club. Midwest super group FT (The Shadow Government) will convene for a rare performance along with Twin Cities stalwarts Daughters of the Sun, The Chambermaids and Double Bird The show will also include a special solo performance in the Clown Lounge by His Mischief’s own Sheridan Fox.

Saturday, January 23, the party continues at the Cedar Cultural Center for a early, all ages event. This show has long been in the works and we are so excited to be bringing you these four bands that have become household names in the Twin Cities music community. Modern Radio presents to you STNNNG, Skoal Kodiak, Vampire Hands and a reunited, one time performance by The Plastic Constellations for your listening enjoyment. You read that right, THE PLASTIC CONSTELLATIONS! We’ve got a couple other things up our sleeve for this show as well including some special guests, additional activities and surprises, from our favorite Twin Cities proprietors. So mark your calendars for what is sure to be the craziest weekend of winter. Tickets go on sale this Friday at the Cedar Cultural Center and participating outlets.

FT(The Shadow Government) and The Plastic Constellations FTW

Robin Asbell, well-known Twin Cities cookbook author, food writer, cooking instructor and chef, has published her second book, New Vegetarian, with more than 75 contemporary vegan and vegetarian recipes. Robin has been in the food industry for 20 years and teaches classes at cooking schools and co-ops around town. The book just hit shelves and is available locally at Patina, Bibelot, Cooks of Crocus Hill and online at Magers & Quinn.

via The Examiner

Nov 15

What do I want to be when I grow up? Iris Apfel.

Happy Chickens Lay Healthy Eggs

My new favorite blog - Happy Chickens Lay Healthy Eggs - written by 12-year-old Orren Fox.

Orren lives in NoBo (North of Boston) and has 24 chickens and four ducks. He is really interested in farming and the ethical treatment of animals. As a committed vegetarian, Orren would love to change the way egg layers and meat birds are raised. He says he has a lot to learn. He blogs and tweets about these issues.

Read his guest post on Every Kitchen Table, 12 Things Kids Should Learn on their Own about Food.

Nov 9

“Time and time again, people tell me that they just don’t have the time that preparing and eating good food requires - shopping, cooking, sitting down to eat, and doing the dishes (never mind growing the food) just take too dang long. And I agree - being mindful about our food choices does take time.

But let’s take just a minute to consider what we choose to do with our time instead. So many of us race from activity to activity every day, from soccer practice to play practice to book club to the gym to whatever. These are all worthwhile activites - every single one of them. I don’t want to give them up either. But what I realized was that, no matter how hard we try, we will never have enough time for all of the things we want to do. And I find this incredibly freeing.

” Lee Zukor of Simple, Good and Tasty (fast becoming my all-time favorite blog). Read it here. (via regilovesveggies)