#Sell my business Minneapolis | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nostalgicamerica · 1 year

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True story:

Back more decades than I care to count my folks uprooted the family from Minneapolis and moved us all to Northern Michigan. Talk about culture shock!

From city lights to country roads. From skyscrapers to outhouses. From a city of millions to a small town of less than 500.

I was about 8 or 9 so I didn't know anything or care that I didn't know anything.

Anyway, Mom and Dad and 13 kids set up shop in a dinky little town and, once the fights were out of the way (I don't know why, but all of the boys - and some of the girls - who were my friends in my childhood I had to fight first.) life was mostly bucolic and serene.

This was before cable TV and computers. My folks didn't even own a television set back then (televisions existed then - my folks just liked to torture us kids by not getting one). Despite the lack of electronics, I don't recall being bored. I do know that if I complained about having nothing to do, Mom was quick to find a chore from her infernal chore list to occupy my time. I was a fairly quick study when it came to avoiding work, and kept any periods of boredom to myself.

One summer morning, my younger brother and I decided we would see who could catch the most snakes. Don't ask why. The 'why' never occurred to us so you shouldn't bother with such trivialities either.

Catching snakes was easy. Especially the Garter Snakes and Copper Bellies that slithered around where we lived. You'd just wander around fields and lift any cover and - especially on hot days - like as not there would be a snake or two. A quick grab behind the head and into the sack.

They are not venomous and most of them wouldn't even bite. The bigger snakes could put a couple of puncture wounds in your hand, but I hardly noticed the bites.

At the end of the hunt my brother and I met up to compare the haul. Numbers escape me. Maybe he caught 15 and I had 12. It doesn't matter; we had close to 30 snakes and we couldn't just let them go. But what to do with them?

We were young and stupid but we knew enough to know bringing them in the house could result in very bad things happening. We could easily foresee heinie whackings or groundings or more chores if our mom found them or if they got away in the house.

We wracked our brains to find a solution when we had the brilliant idea to keep them in the worm box in the basement. Perfect.

An older brother had a less than thriving business picking and selling nightcrawlers to local fishermen and kept his product in a worm box in the cellar. He had lots of worms but few customers and mostly, I think, forgot he even had the business.

The worm box was huge; it was at least 6 feet long, 3 feet high, and 3 deep. Imagine a poorly made coffin. It was painted a light blue and sat in the back of the basement in the darkest, coolest spot. It was about half filled with dirt and worms.

While, technically, the basement was a part of the house, we reasonably reasoned as only young boys can; snakes can't climb and they certainly can't navigate stairs. What do they say about experience being the best instructor?

Satisfied with the solution, we dumped our catch in the box, closed the lid and went off to see whatever it was the evening had in store for us.

The next few days were a repeat. Wake up, chores, beat feet for the creek to cool off and then a snake hunt. A new friend, Skunk, joined us on one of the days.

By the time of the great snake escape, we probably had close to 100 snakes in the worm box. It was hard to judge because they would not stay still for a count, and - I can't speak for my brother - my ability to count decreased dramatically once I got past twenty. Twenty-one if I were naked.

It is disputed to this day how the snakes got out. I think somebody left the lid ajar, my brother asserts they just found a hole. It doesn't matter now, and it didn't matter then. The only thing that mattered is that a mob of snakes made a break for it.

If the snakes had done the logical thing and gone out the door leading outside there would have been no problem. But, no. They went in every possible direction and we learned that, yes, snakes can climb stairs.

I was reading a book in our room. Tom Sawyer, maybe, or Moby Dick, perhaps? Regardless of what I was reading, I was yanked from the plot by a sister's screams coming from the kitchen.

A sister's screams may be differentiated by volume and pitch. A shrill, piercing warble could mean anything from, "Somebody ate the muffin I was saving for later." to "A serial killer is breaking in the front door." On the other hand, a shriek that can decalcify your spinal column from one floor away can be loosely translated as, "My goodness, there appear to be a great number of snakes writhing around in the kitchen."

It sounded like banshees were running amok. Pots and pans were crashing, Mom was yelling, the dog was barking, and I could hear Dad laughing.

Though it was already dark outside, my brother and I slipped out of our window and managed to make it to ground level without breaking anything and beat feet for the creek.

Suffice it to say, upon our return, my brother and I had our backsides paddled. While I wasn't a fan of spankings, I just stoically accepted them as consequences for whatever it was that I had done.

For the next day or so Mom could hardly turn around without a Garter snake asking her to dance, and every time, Mom reflexively swatted whatever child was closest, even those who had nothing to do with the snakes running amok in the house. She was frazzled and harried and at her wits ends.

The worst of it was a few days later when she had a group of local ladies over for coffee and nisu. We had only been in town a few months and Mom was going out of her way to make friends.

Apparently (fortunately, my brother and I weren't there) the ladies were settled in the living room, trading gossip, nibbling on various Finnish confectionaries, and listening to Mom's Verdi and Rossini record albums when a garter snake decided emerge from under the couch.

The snake, perhaps just hungry for Mom's korvapuusti, or looking for the elusive exit, slid up on Mrs. Pelkkanen's shoe to have a look or maybe join in the conversation. One of the ladies across the room spotted the snake and tried to sound the alarm, sucked a piece of nisu into her throat and began to choke. She began coughing and trying to point as the lady next to her began pounding on her back in an effort to dislodge the obstruction.

At that point, another lady screamed, not bothering to point, which set off other ladies screaming for no particular reason.

The snake, apparently insulted at the less than cordial welcome, proceeded to slither across Mom's area rug towards possible freedom.

Mom was so incensed at the snake's cheeky gall she jumped up to get rid of the serpent but stumbled into the coffee table, spilling the coffee pot all over Mrs. Suuri's white skirt, and flipped the tray of treats across the room. Mom began snarling at the snake and spitting with ineffectual rage.

Fortunately, my oldest sister, keeping her wits about her, grabbed the broom and brusquely swept the garter into the dust pan and deposited the snake outdoors, which was all it wanted in the first place.

When calm was restored, the ladies were all laughing about the unusual entertainment and Mom had made several fast friends. Even Mrs. Suuri was mollified when Mom offered to clean her skirt, or replace it if cleaning didn't work.

If Mom was grateful for our assistance in expanding her social circles she had a strange way of showing it.

For the next two days my brother and I were required to pull every piece of furniture from each room, one room at a time, certify the room was snake-free, and replace the furnishings.

Without bothering to inform Mom, we found about a half-dozen snakes in various locations which were all set free in the garden.

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mariacallous · 7 months

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Sheila Glickman Leventhal isn’t your average Jewish American grandma. The 82-year-old owner of Cecil’s Deli in St. Paul, Minnesota, the spot her parents opened and where she’s been peeling and dicing potatoes since she was eight years old, is also an every day yogi and was recently named the St. Paul deli matriarch.

In a chaotic, fun interview with lots of laughter, Sheila (along with the occasional two cents from her daughter Becca Kvasnik) told me the most important factor to restaurant success, the most essential Jewish ingredient, and how she’s pretty confident she could still make schmaltz on Mars.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

What is it like running a Jewish food space in an off the beaten path Jewish area?

Sheila: Listen. We’re not off the beaten path. A lot of Jews settled here. They may have gone to New York but then they came here, either because they had family here or because they found it safer. I know that’s the way my mother-in-law felt, who first settled in Brooklyn.

What is the most popular menu item?

Sheila: The Reuben, absolutely.

Name a food that was once popular and has since gone out of style.

Sheila: Let’s say tongue. If you’re a New Yorker, you expect tongue on the menu. Tongue was an item that we discontinued because people stopped wanting it. It wasn’t healthy. We used to stuff the chicken neck…

Becca: Oh Jesus.

Sheila: … I can still see my grandmother standing there stuffing the chicken neck. We have it in the case, though we don’t make it. We have it frozen in the case. I’m pretty sure I can make it. I just don’t know where I would get the skin off the chicken neck.

Becca: Sounds like a winter project.

Sheila: Yes!

Do you think people are looking for more traditional Jewish dishes or a modern twist?

Sheila: It’s all about the old favorites. We sell a lot of chicken matzah ball soup. A lot! And sweet and sour cabbage borscht. It’s always been popular.

Have you seen an increased interest in Jewish food lately?

Sheila: When my husband and I got married in 1961, there were 13 Jewish delis in St. Paul. That’s not including Minneapolis. Today, there is only one in St. Paul.

What’s the secret to success?

Sheila: I consider consistency the biggest part of being able to stay in business. Be consistent and try to keep your people happy.

What do your non-Jewish customers think of the deli?

Sheila: After the Jews left the neighborhood the non Jews took their place very quickly and were our best customers. They wanted kosher corned beef, but with all the kosher meat places in Chicago closing down things got more difficult.

Any secrets you’re willing to share for making great Jewish food?

Sheila: Schmaltz! My parents opened this business in 1949 and my mother always used beef liver (to make chopped liver). She never used chicken liver. Now, we use beef liver and combine it with onions and schmaltz. It’s to taste and it’s a simple thing. A little bit of schmaltz in everything goes a long way.

Is there a story behind the menu? Any nostalgic menu items?

Sheila: The menu hasn’t dropped many of the original items. The current menu is huge. My son creates the menu and he gets a little carried aways because he’s always wanting to create new things. I would say the matzah ball soup.

Becca: And the corn beef sandwich.

Sheila: Oh, and the potato salad and coleslaw! Our potato salad and creamy coleslaw recipe has not changed since I was a little girl.

Where do you see Jewish food going?

Sheila: Let me just say that I plan to be here another 20 years.

Becca: Oy.

Sheila: My daughter thinks I’ll outlive her. Anyway, I don’t think Jewish food will ever go away. I see the way people are. They love it. You should see what it’s like at Christmas, how the people flock! The young families, the old families, they love our food and they love that kind of food. I think that’s how things are always going to be unless we live on another planet where the delivery would be harder. Although we might be able to create our own (schmaltz), all we really need is a chicken.

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beachtoosandytranscripts · 27 days

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3: Car Washes in Minneapolis, MN

“Welcome to Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet, a podcast featuring real reviews written by people who just need the world to know what they think. Between you and me, I wanted to like this podcast, but I'd give it zero stars if I could.”

Hello, everybody, and welcome back to Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet, the podcast where we read the worst reviews in the most dramatic fashion.

Yeah, welcome, this is episode three.

Already, wow.

Already, yeah. I came up with the theme for this week, and it was car washes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and you gave me a very mean challenge.

And I have no idea what I said, because I don't remember.

And that makes it so much worse.

What was it?

You gave me the challenge of finding a review written by a vegan of a barbecue place. That was awful.

That's very, very funny. Good job, me.

Yeah, good job. Well, but first we're going to go into our car wash reviews.

Right. And so exciting.

I'm going to go first.

Okay.

This is a review of Soapy Joe's Car Wash.

Oh, I looked at that place.

It was written by RS.

Okay.

And it was a one-star review, of course.

Sure.

And this is what RS has to say. Minnesota winters destroy the outsides of cars. Four-year-old kids with a $2-a-day Cheez-It habit destroy the insides of cars. Soapy Joe's is not the place though, to help with either. If your business is, you know, washing cars, then for God's sake have the ability to wash a car.

Makes sense.

If I go there, wait in line 15 minutes, only to find out that it will be another hour to have them clean my car, then maybe they shouldn't be in the car wash business. By the time you find out that it'll be forever for a full-service wash, you're at the front of the line and you can't escape.

Oh my God.

There's no turning back. So I get the cheapest wash, the one I don't need, and get the crap-tastic, fuck you, $6.99 version. The one where you drive it through and they pretend to dry your car.

I can do better at my neighborhood BP.

Oh, she's having a bad day. The lady or guy, do we know?

No, just RS. Yeah, this was rough.

Sounds like a bad time.

But like when you pay $6.99, then you're like, I could do better at my BP. Aren't the BP ones more than $6.99 anyway? But that's not all.

Oh, God, of course it's not.

You vacuum yourself. That's like going to a Starbucks and brewing your own coffee.

No, it's not, but OK.

It's disdainful of the customer.

I don't think that's how that word works.

I don't think so either, RS. But yeah, I don't think that's what happens. That's Starbucks.

$6.99. You pay $6.99 and then you have to vacuum your car.

It's pretty disdainful.

I'm no free market expert.

Oh, no way, RS.

But if you want to wash cars, wash cars. I mean...

That's basically what the free market boils down to.

I don't know what they're...

They hit it right on the head.

I say this every time, but I don't know what their logic is. I'm never going to understand.

There's no plot.

I mean, I'm just spitballing here. But here are some options. One, hire more people.

Two, do things better. Three, sell and get out of the business all together.

Why didn't they think of that?

End of review.

Do things better.

That's just rude.

RS needs to write a business management, like, Bible for everyone.

It's like the Michael Scott, like, manager book that he's writing.

Oh my gosh. What was the title? Who's managing who?

Somehow I manage and he's shrugging on the cover.

Oh, yeah, of course.

Of course somebody made an actual, like, replica of it on the Internet. Somehow I manage.

RS needs to get into that game.

And then he says over one billion sold. Okay. Anyway, RS needs to hopefully take a nap.

Or open up their own car wash.

Nobody needs that.

Well, maybe they can do things better and then sell and get out of the business. Before or after they hire more people. Three steps to business.

The free market indeed. All right. So I'm going to give you a review written—I keep doing this and I'm sorry, but it's a five star review.

Is that allowed on these?

They're just so he didn't have. Just let me do it.

And then if it's not, if it doesn't work, we'll let the fans decide.

We got the fans.

We'll let the free market decide.

We'll let the free market dictate what we do next. So Will G had this to say of the downtowner car wash in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I went here with my mud covered jeep to give the piggy a bath. Inside and out. I have had this jeep five years and decided it was time to clean the inside, especially considering I sprayed mud all over the inside off-roading the other day. Fun, but messy.

Wait, this is the first time in five years they wash the inside of their car. That's disgusting.

Only because they sprayed the inside with mud off-roading. You know how it is, fun but messy. They went through this thing in detail inside and got it clean like the day I bought it clean.

Oh, man.

Five years go by, nothing needs cleaning in there and then all of a sudden just everything happens. Mud, energy drink.

This is actually uh Will's cry for help I think. Never in the five years that I've had this Jeep has that ever happened? Heck, in the 30 some years that I've owned cars, I've never had a can of soda explode in one.

I mean, really?

Wait, this was heat?

Yeah.

Like in Minnesota?

Maybe that's why.

The heat, but shouldn't the cold?

That happened to me one time.

I feel like that happens when it's really cold.

That happened to me with the diet coke that was in the car exploded.

Oh.

Because it was too hot.

It was hot?

Renee was in the car. We almost crashed into a pole.

I think that happens no matter what's going on.

It didn't have anything to do with the can of soda. Okay. I mean, really?

The day after paying $50 to have the inside detailed? Who hates me?

Anyways, the downtown people are awesome. They did a great job. End of review.

Wait, he didn't go back? Okay, but you know what I have to say? Good on him for getting a great clean and then writing that five star review despite the fact that it was ruined the next day.

Yeah, I think he just wanted to talk about that soda. I don't think there was any other reason. It was a good excuse.

Anyway, so that's Will's review.

Oh my gosh, Will.

I'm ready for it.

I wonder who hates him.

I mean, I kind of do. Just kidding.

Oh no. Well, I followed your lead on this one.

Oh, what does that mean?

I also found a five star review for my challenge.

Oh, oh God. So we are really...

Yeah, but that was fine for the challenge ones.

Oh, okay. So I'm just cheating. Got it.

That's what we're used to. It's okay. It's okay.

So this one, and I guess, you know, this balances things out because you'll just listen to the first sentence here. Oh, and I was inspired by last week's Monty review.

What's Monty again?

Oh my gosh.

What did he do?

Monty. He gave us the full Monty.

Wait, what was he? Was he reviewing? Oh, he's reviewing the stadium.

Yeah. What was it? Onion?

I don't even remember.

Uh, hashbr- no. Potatoes?

I don't remember.

Garlic fries. Garlic fries. Garlic fries!

I was close with the potatoes, just saying.

Okay, tell me. Oh, God, you're like really getting set up here.

I'm ready. This is this is Marlowe's review.

Marlowe.

This is not Marlowe's review. No, this is Jason's review of Marlowe's ribs. I can read my own notes.

Wow, you must—this is, I'm so excited to hear what you came up with.

From Memphis, Tennessee, by the way, when I was looking at barbecue places, I went I went to Nashville, Atlanta, and finally found the best one in Memphis.

Okay, I'm ready.

I used to be vegan until I came to Marlowe's.

What?

True story.

Are you serious?

I see that's where I was kind of like this might be cheating because technically now he's not a vegan.

Well, he was.

But he was when he went there.

Time is a construct.

Oh, yeah. In the free market, it doesn't matter what kind of food you eat.

Everyone's learning a lot about business today and philosophy.

Yeah. This is a podcast. That's what it's all about.

All right. True story. I was traveling through to check out Graceland.

I had been vegan for four years.

My God.

We got picked up in the pink Cadillac and taken to the restaurant. I asked the driver how the black bean burger was. He laughed.

When I walked in, something changed.

Oh my God.

I ordered pretty much one of everything. My girlfriend thought I was kidding. After I ordered, she said she couldn't eat all that.

And I quickly informed her that I was eating it.

It's not for you.

As I was eating, the server came over. My girlfriend told the server that I was vegan until just now, after four years. And the server didn't believe her.

No, because why on earth would that make any sense?

Exactly.

That's not a thing.

He was vegan until just now, for four years.

Until he ordered literally one of every item on this menu.

Literally the server was carrying plates and plates and plates over. It's like so annoyed.

And also, wouldn't you get so sick if you haven't eaten meat in four years?

Oh, it seems like a bad idea. But let's have a quick rundown from Jason about what he ate.

Oh, are you kidding?

OK, all caps, all of these food items and all of these reviews of food items are all caps. Brisket to die for, pulled pork to die for, pulled chicken to die for. This isn't all caps.

Well, the last word is cornbread, non-Yankee cornbread and amazing Mac and cheese. The bomb barbecue ribs, the best I've ever had.

Oh, the best he's ever, the most, the one that he's ever had because he's fucking vegan.

Fried pickles, amazing. Marlowe's doesn't play around. Their meat is cooked perfectly.

How would you know?

That's what I was thinking this whole time. I'm like, this guy hasn't eaten meat in four years. And then all of a sudden he's a meat expert.

Well, not because he spelled meat M-E-E-T.

No, are you serious?

I'm not kidding. It's got a fantastic flavor and smoke ring. It doesn't need the crutch of barbecue sauce.

It's not dry. I mean, Marlowe's is what I have compared every barbecue to since. It has turned me from vegan to carnivore and literally ruined barbecue for me because I compare everything I eat to Marlowe's, which is what he had just said.

But okay. Last year, I rode my motorcycle from Los Angeles to Memphis specifically to eat at Marlowe's.

I'm kidding. So wait, this vegan suddenly decided to eat barbecue and buy a motorcycle and...

Christina! He walked in and everything changed.

I— it must have.

Literally everything. I'm not retired by the way. It was just that important to me.

What?

I checked into my hotel, walked over to the store to pick up a beer and some guy tried to mug me at knife point.

Wait, hold on. Where did this come from?

Oh yeah, this is where it gets even juicier. He literally rode his motorcycle to Memphis to get this barbecue.

From Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles. Was there.

I'll just let that one slide, okay.

Went to go get a beer and was mugged at knife point.

Oh, my God.

I decided not to dine in after that. So I just ordered the food delivered to my room and barricaded myself inside. I couldn't make up my mind, so I ordered the above mentioned, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, pickles, mac and cheese and ribs.

Yeah, thanks.

I was in heaven. The mood of this has shifted very suddenly, like very back and forth.

I am having a hard time following this.

I couldn't finish about 85% of it. So I hope the cleaning crew at the hotel ate the rest.

No, they did not. They didn't eat the food you left behind. That's disgusting.

Marlowe's literally changed my life. I now own a smoker and barbecue ribs, pork and chicken a lot.

I'm not, was not even gonna say it, but I just the whole time was like, this is that guy who buys a smoker and then tells everyone he knows about his smoker. And clearly I was right. Okay.

Yeah, no, that's what Jason's become. I will ride back one day to eat it again. Consider opening up a restaurant in LA?

End of review.

I don't want to ever run into this guy, so.

Could you imagine?

No. And I just feel like I'd know instantly when I saw him, who he was. Also definitely the owner of this place wrote that.

Yeah, right? Although I did look at his history and he does review other things, like most of them are vegan restaurants, even still.

Wait, are you being serious?

Yeah, like he's— vegan restaurants in LA.

Wow, this guy is crazy town.

He's changed.

I've changed.

Yeah.

After that.

Yeah, there's just...

That was really-

I'm ready for some barbecue.

That was a lot. I know I am actually a little hungry right now.

I know. Thanks, Jason.

Thanks, Jason or Marty's or whatever.

Marlowe's.

Marlowe's. I guess in LA is the only place you would see a vegan riding a motorcycle. So maybe that makes some sense.

No, I don't know. I still don't think it does.

I'm grasping at straws. Anyway, well, that was a very successful... That was like extremely successful.

What, his trip to Memphis?

Yes. No, the restaurant's attempt at converting vegans. No, you're stepping up to the plate of my challenge.

Yeah. I did find some other ones, but they were like, oh, this place actually has vegan options. I had the black bean burger and it was great.

Did you know fried pickles are vegan?

Oh, I was actually wondering that while you read that.

And that's what people wrote reviews about fried pickles and stuff, but they were very boring and it's kind of like, okay, I know where to go if I want a vegan barbecue place.

That's gold. Okay. So we're going to announce our challenge in next week's theme after this little spiel we do to tell you where to find us on the Internet.

You can find us on Instagram and Twitter at Beach Too Sandy, on Facebook at Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet. Our website is beachtoosandy.com.

You can find us, I guess, wherever you're listening now or on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, anywhere you listen to any podcatcher, anywhere you listen to podcasts. And please leave us a review if you can. That would be super great and helpful and would help us kind of kickstart this thing.

All right. So now it's time for you to give us our theme for next week and I'll reveal your challenge.

Oh, God. Okay. So the theme for next week is tech stores in Jacksonville, Florida.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, it definitely does. Have you been watching? What have you been watching?

The Good Place?

Like that's exactly what I thought of.

He doesn't need to steal. Doesn't Jason's? And Jason.

Oh, maybe it's all in my head. Yeah. I think Jason robs a radio shack or something.

No, he robs a bar. But Atypical. What's his name?

Sam works at a. Oh, that's probably just mixing shows together and getting something good. That's a good one, though.

I like that one.

So what is my challenge? Because I'm nervous about that.

Well, because of Jason's wonderful food related review, I was very hungry when I thought of this. You are going to find a review of a candy store that mentions broccoli.

Oh, my God. OK, that's fun.

Yeah, I think so.

I like it.

I'm expecting someone who really hates broccoli and just needs to tell the world.

I'm going to eat that broccoli candy. All right. I will work on that.

Sounds good. Until next week.

See you then.

#beach too sandy #beach too sandy podcast #beach too sandy water too wet #btswtw #episode 3 #car washes in Minneapolis MN

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theadventuresofnatalie · 3 months

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The Midtown Global Market

I took a trip to the Global Market in Minneapolis, MN this weekend. All I can say is wow, that place is amazing! When I walked in, I immediately felt welcomed. Children danced to music with their parents, and people were eating food with their families and grocery shopping. Global Market has a variety of businesses. Food stalls served dishes from around the world, from Morocco to Jamaica to Japan and more. There were also shops selling art, East African clothing, and goods from Morocco. Moroccan Flavors was the shop that caught my eye. The owner is from Fes which has a population of 1.1 million people and has lived in Minneapolis for three years. The minute he saw me look at an item, he came over to show me more products and explain the other items in the shop. This was something I was not used to. In most stores I have been in throughout the United States, owners and staff usually welcome patrons as they enter and let them know they are available to answer questions. While it was a bit uncomfortable for me initially, I began to relax and ask questions about his hometown and products.

The market itself was a very diverse space. I was one of only around 10 white people in the market. The patrons were a mix of people of color. The most common ethnicity I noticed was Latinas/os. Midtown Global Market is located in an area where residents are primarily Hispanic and Latina/o. Mercado Central is down the road and surrounded by Hispanic restaurants and grocery stores. Walking down the street from my car to the market was a surreal experience for me. Very rarely am I the minority in the environments I frequent, and this was the first time I had this experience where I was completely alone. I became conscious of how I was dressed and walked, my posture, etc. I wanted to shrink myself down to become invisible. This was the first time I had ever felt that way, and I want to continue putting myself in those situations. That way I can see my privilege and keep educating myself about the impact my privilege has on me, others, and my environment.

#MidtownGlobalMarket #minneapolis #minnesota

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zentloper-xmas · 1 year

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Zentloper Xmas Letter 2021

Greetings from Texas!

Well, sort of? Presently I’m back in sunshiney California, as I took on a seasonal gig at my old theme park, Great America. Auditioned for a role as an “Atmospheric Character” with the Midway Merriment team and got selected to play Mr. Twister. So I’ve been prancing about handing out candy canes to children, as well as doing quite a bit of dancing. It’s a delight when you’re paid to have fun! I’ll head back to Texas once the winter holidays end.

For the regular “season” (April to September) I worked closer to home, at a waterpark called Schlitterbahn (owned by the same company). Began as a Lifeguard but was quickly promoted up to Dispatch Supervisor, which ultimately wasn’t quite as much fun as I’d’ve liked it to be. Contemplating whether or not I’ll be returning for 2022.

Once the waterpark closed however, I was given the opportunity to work the month of October at another Cedar Fair property: Valleyfair! It’s located in Minnesota, near the twin cities (Minneapolis & St. Paul). They were oering free travel, accommodations, and meals, so it was a no-brainer. I had a splendid “workcation,” using my o days to explore all the area had to oer: hike the many trails and enjoy the parks, visit the zoo, aquarium, and arboretum, attend a hockey game, shop at Mall of America- all while taking tons of pictures, of course. Experiencing autumn that far north was so fascinating... the inclination of the sun cast this almost other-worldly glow over the landscape, along with the changing leaves on the trees... it was gorgeous!

I continue to work remotely for SEMI helping with projects here and there. I also finally started an Etsy shop where I sell stickers, pins, and prints of my art (mostly favorite fandoms like Sonic the Hedgehog and Star Trek). I’ve made well over five hundred sales since it opened in January, so I think I can safely say it’s been fairly successful! It would be cool if it continued to grow; the extra income is certainly nice. If you’d like, you can check it out here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sumofzed

You can bet 2021’s taxes are gonna be a blast. :P #adulting

Neil meanwhile is working at Amazon and continues to involve himself in a variety of coding projects at work, and studying AI/ML at home when time allows. Still hoping he breaks into the tech industry sometime soon. You’d think with all these big companies building factories out in the Austin area, there would be more jobs!

Achieving work-life balance is a struggle, but we managed to do some fun trips during the year now that COVID has abated. In March we camped at Enchanted Rock and enjoyed the numerous trails there. In June my parents and I went to Knott’s Berry Farm for the park’s 100th anniversary celebration, as well as explored Tombstone, AZ. In July my brother and I went to a cool retro gaming convention. Also in July Neil and I took a road trip up through Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky up to Ohio, where we explored two theme parks I’d always wanted to visit: King’s Island and Cedar Point (the latter of which was celebrating their 150th anniversary!). Of course, as an employee I get plenty of perks (like free admission and discounts), so that cut down on our costs. Though I bought quite a few souvenirs. It was an awesome time and I can’t wait to go back. Spent Thanksgiving with my in-laws, who were gracious hosts.

Along the way I’ve continued to post lots of Yelp reviews, and I’ve been nominated for their Elite crew for the fourth year running. Neat! Can you tell I like to stay busy? Being idle has never been my thing.

The biggest news is probably that in early November Neil and I combined our genetic material. I’d gotten my eggs frozen at UCSF some six years ago, but we finally took a big step towards becoming dads: we have seven embryos now ready and waiting for a surrogate. Mind, the cost of surrogacy is immense, and I balk at how we are going to manage to aord having all the children I want to have, but with determination, one day at a time, I hope we get there. I keep reminding myself I’ve come a long way in the past ten years since I came out as trans- even when things felt impossible I was able to overcome them. I relentlessly chase what I desire. It’s just a shame it’s been such a challenge navigating the IVF space as an LGBT+ couple.

Beyond that, though, we are thankful for our health and overall good situation, as well as a loving, supportive family. We hope for the same blessings in your lives.

Merry Christmas!

-Rick & Neil

#Zentloper #Christmas #Xmas #Letter #2021

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superiorminds · 2 years

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The reason. I like my house is because I have 2 corner stores that sell hot food, Mexican bakery just 2 blocks away and then 4 blocks away is an entire Mexican supermarket and mall with restraints and food, Chinese food, a pawn shop, a auto parts store.. all types of shit and if I had money I'd be there everyday buying blunt wraps and food and drinks always

The difference is you walk two blocks and there are business but you have to go a solid 8 blocks on this street until you get to a Walgreens

There are nicer restraunts and there are like two caribous and a Starbucks, I passed three gas stations and you can tell there is a more concentrated amount of money flowing down this street just by the type of shops but In Minneapolis there is just more variety even if it seems sort of sleepy and quiet

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trustfusion · 2 years

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Diligent boards download mac

#Diligent boards download mac full

It was at this point Flynn and Pettinger realized they were on to something major.Ī couple of years later, Flynn contacted Strang again and bought the rest of his stores, swiftly expanding the footprint from 10 to 72 units. The group proceeded to open a ninth and 10th restaurant, which debuted with high volumes. Within half a year, average weekly sales grew to $60,000. Krebsbach launched multiple initiatives, such as leaning into the bar and late-night business, shifting promotions to different lines or products, and stacking employment to meet higher sales volumes. And to ensure everyone’s interests were aligned, the duo shifted his compensation heavily toward profit sharing and gave him an equity interest. And he said, listen, we can make it here in this market, but we need to do things differently than the way they’re done in the Midwest.”įlynn and Pettinger gave Krebsbach freedom to make operational and CapEx decisions. “He is perhaps the best restaurateur I’ve ever met in my life,” says Flynn, describing Krebsbach. Subsequent to the acquisition, he joined Flynn’s company as director of operations. Neither had much knowledge on running a full-service restaurant, but that void was filled by Dan Krebsbach, who spent years working for Strang in the Minneapolis and Seattle markets. The restaurants earned about $45,000 per week.įlynn entered the venture with Brad Pettinger, who he recruited to build the World Wrapps business. His Seattle outlets, however, were struggling due to expensive real estate, construction, wages, and food. He bought those Applebee’s restaurants from Cleveland-based franchisee Don Strang III, who owned roughly 70 units in Minnesota, Ohio, and Indiana, and was starting to develop New Jersey and Delaware. So he took out a loan and purchased eight stores in the Seattle market. In that era, the hottest segment was casual dining, and the leader in the category was Applebee’s, Flynn says. “And then once you do it, the customers already know you, employees know you and want to work for you, the landlords know you and want to lease to you, vendors know you and want to sell you equipment. “I looked at this and it’s like wait a minute, I can borrow all of the money on a non-recourse basis to do this,” Flynn says. “Basically, you have to come up with all the money to do this.”īut in the late 1990s, he became aware of a financing opportunity in which he could receive all the necessary funds to buy into a top-tier franchise restaurant.

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“And you can’t borrow a dime for it, except on a full recourse basis,” Flynn explains. Nearly all aspects were inherently more difficult, whether it was convincing landlords to lease space, vendors to sell their equipment, employees to come work, or customers to try the food. Flynn also recognized that because he was in the beginning stages of an independent restaurant transforming into a small chain, he was playing in the riskiest end of an already treacherous sector. He learned to be a jack of all trades working in the front of house, back of house, construction, and other various tasks. Between 1995–1999, he opened 14 units, and was quickly introduced into the “school of hard knocks for running restaurants.” To accelerate development, Flynn agreed to build stores in Seattle, where he was growing a budding real estate business. “Everyone thought ‘oh my God, we’ve got the next Starbucks on our hands, and we need to bring this to market as fast as possible,’” Flynn recalls. The first unit opened in San Francisco in February 1995, with lines around the block. The company was founded by a classmate from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Flynn decided to make a small investment. That journey Flynn speaks of began in the mid-1990s via World Wrapps, a restaurant that “started the whole wraps phenomenon,” he says.

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mostlysignssomeportents · 8 months

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Unity's feudal gambit as class struggle between rentiers and capitalists

Today (Oct 16) I'm in Minneapolis, keynoting the 26th ACM Conference On Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing. Thursday (Oct 19), I'm in Charleston, WV to give the 41st annual McCreight Lecture in the Humanities. And on Friday (Oct 20), I'm at Charleston's Taylor Books from 12h-14h.

The outcome of this struggle is what determines whether the digital society is capitalist or feudalistic. Think of the recent grab by games toolsmith Unity, who have long extracted rents from the capitalists who used their tools to make games. Unity is “software as a service,” which means that you have to buy again it every month, for so long as your capitalist enterprise is in business.

The capitalists who rent Unity’s tools had resigned themselves to this, but then Unity went one step further, and demanded a royalty (a word with decidedly feudal origins!) every time a game made with Unity’s tools was distributed. The outcry was ferocious, and Unity eventually backed down, but even as they did, company executives insisted that they would continue to pursue a “sustainable system” for “shared success.”

“Shared success” is a pure expression of feudalism. Unity was not proposing a joint venture, where they would supply the capital to produce games and share the risk of that capital being competed away by a better games-maker.

Instead, Unity wants a rentier’s bargain: if the capitalist it rents do does well, so does Unity. But if the capitalist does badly — if a games-maker loses out to a competitor who is also a tenant of Unity’s IP — then unity also does well. Heads capitalists lose, tails the rentier wins.

When Unity speaks of this system being “sustainable,” they mean that they will seek to maximize the total amount of profits made by capitalists who rent its tools. Because the higher the total profits are, the more rent it can extract.

Profits are highest where competition is lowest. It’s in Unity’s interest for a single company — or a cartel of companies — to control entire genres or modes of games, and to be protected from innovators who might enter the market with better offers. Unity wants to pick some winners and bind them to its fields.

-A Major Defeat For Technofeudalism: We euthanized some rentiers.

My next novel is The Lost Cause, a hopeful novel of the climate emergency. Amazon won't sell the audiobook, so I made my own and I'm pre-selling it on Kickstarter!

#technofeudalism #rentiers #class struggle #capitalists hate capitalism #unity #patent trolls #means-plus-function

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trivialbob · 1 year

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Yesterday was a four brewery day!

Recently the newspaper had a story about three new smash burgers places. All three are within walking distance of each other (and lots of other breweries and restaurants) in the North Loop area of Minneapolis. I’m starting to like that neighborhood.

First we stopped for one of those smash burgers at Bricksworth Beer Co. They just opened a new bar and restaurant in Minneapolis. The original location, which serves pizza, is in Burnsville. I’ve been meaning to that one too. For some reason I rarely go south of the Minnesota river. It’s just a few miles but seems much farther to me. Or as my younger sister says, “It’s just not in my comfort zone.”

The burger was excellent as was the one beer I had. Sheila and I chatted with the people sitting next to us at the bar. I love doing that now. She is so proud that she has trained me to like sitting at the bar instead of a corner table and talking to strangers.

Across the street is Modist Brewing. We walked in to take a quick look but didn’t order beer. I just wanted to see the place and count how many dogs were in there. There were two sleeping dogs I saw. I let them lie.

Then we made a short hop to Northeast Minneapolis. We stopped at Indeed Brewing to see if they had Coconut Macaroon Cream Ale, a limited edition Sheila has been wanting to try. There was no more CMCA. That didn’t deter us from ordering something else and playing cards.

Indeed was busy. I asked two women if we could share their large table. They gladly said yes. When they later left, Sheila waved over two other people who were looking for somewhere to sit.

As an old, bald guy wearing nice shoes and a good sweater, and my wife with her gobs and gobs of red hair, people seem to trust us. The two young women who joined us got up to use the rest room or smoke. They left iPhones and pocketbooks on our table. They didn’t even ask us to watch their stuff.

When we left someone else took our seats at the table. I like that. The video at the top I took from Indeed’s patio. That area was busy too, with a barrel fire and patio heaters keeping it comfortable. Of course I like watching the trains pass by.

When we finished there we drove back closer home and met friends at our local brewery. The place was busy. There were a lot of kids there. Unlike at Target, I’ve yet to see a child melt down at a brewery. Some little kids near us had lots of toys and snacks. The Girls Scouts were in there too selling cookies.

This picture below is from a brewery, not a daycare :)

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sellmyhomefastcolorado · 2 years

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Colorado Springs Independent, sister publications adopt nonprofit model as publisher retires

At the end of October, the Colorado Springs Independent and its associated publications will adopt nonprofit funding models. John Weiss is stepping down as publisher. Originally starting in 1993, The Indy was created as an alternative to gag bill limiting the rights of LGBTQ+ people. According to an article on their website, Colorado Springs Business Journal; Southeast Express; and Pikes Peak Bulletin are all publications owned by Colorado Springs Publishing House. Sell My House Fast Colorado Weiss told the Indy that having two newspapers is important for Colorado Springs.. "I’m confident this model — where we will supplement our income with community support — makes total sense, and I’m confident we have the team in place for success,” Weiss told the paper. “The timing is right for me because after three decades, I’m ready for new challenges.” Readers may notice that we no longer promote political candidates or ballot measures as a result of our recent change to a nonprofit. “I really, really want to emphasize that the mission hasn’t changed,” Amy Gillentine publisher, executive editor, and CEO told Indy reporter Pam Zubeck. That includes “standing up for people who are marginalized. We won’t stop shining a light where it needs to be directed.” A board and a Colorado Springs-based organization called Citizen-Powered Media will be in charge of the project.. Zubeck's documentation shows that prior to making the decision to take nonprofit funding, Gillentine and others in positions of authority looked at the success of similar media, such as the Colorado Sun and the Times-Recorder. “We’re confident we’re moving in the right direction and see a trend that more community newspapers will be following,” she said. “ I think it will [lead to] a more robust reporting and news gathering operation.” Paula Gillentine, director of operations for the Minneapolis-St. Paul News Bureau, said that although a quarterly print edition will continue to be published, local news will become increasingly digital in 2019.

#sell my home fast colorado #sell my house fast colorado #sell house fast colorado

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annarellix · 2 years

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The Book Haters’ Book Club by Gretchen Anthony

Book Summary: Filled with humor, family hijinks, and actual reading recommendations, The Book Haters’ Book Club features a messy group of people trying to save their local Indie bookstore -- and who might just save each other along the way. This heartwarming, wildly entertaining novel is both a celebration of found family, and a love letter to booksellers and librarians everywhere. Elliot, co-owner of Over the Rainbow Bookshop in Minneapolis, started The Book Haters’ Book Club—a newsletter of reading recommendations for the self-proclaimed “nonreader” – because he believed that it only takes the right book to turn a Book Hater into a Book Lover. Now, after they’re all reeling after Elliot’s sudden death, his business partner, Irma, has agreed to sell Over the Rainbow to a developer. When Irma breaks the news to her daughters, and Elliott’s romantic partner, Thom, they are aghast. Especially since Irma won’t explain why she’s so intent on selling. Irma’s daughters and Thom conspire to save the bookshop. Even if it takes some snooping, gossip and (minor) sabotage, they won’t give up without a fight.

My Review: Bookstores are not just stores, they're places where you discovered new worlds, learned something new, and they're forever part of your soul. This is the story of a bookstore, of people who love it, and how they fought to save it because it was part of their life and soul. It's lovely book with a cast of great characters and an interesting plot. It made me smile and root for the shop. The beginning is quite slow and it takes someting before things get going but if you are patient you are going to read a lovely and entertaining story. It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last. Recommended. Many thanks to Park Row and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Buy Links: HarperCollins.com BookShop.org Barnes & Noble Amazon Books-A-Million IndieBound

The Author: GRETCHEN ANTHONY is the author of Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners, which was a Midwestern Connections Pick and a best books pick by Amazon, BookBub, PopSugar, and the New York Post. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Medium, and The Write Life, among others. She lives in Minneapolis with her family.

Social Links: Author Website Twitter: @granthony Facebook: Gretchen Anthony Instagram: @gretchenanthony.writer Goodreads

#fiction #PARK ROW #review #Netgalley #blogtour

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newstfionline · 2 years

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Sunday, July 10, 2022

Canada: Outage leaves many without mobile, internet service (AP) A widespread network outage left many Canadians without mobile and internet service for most of Friday, disrupting police, business and court services as crowds flocked to work at coffee shops with Wi-Fi. Rogers Communications Inc. said it started restoring service late in the day and said its teams “are working hard to get everyone back online as quickly as possible.” The outage began early in the morning and stretched into the evening, interrupting services across retailers and credit card processors, police and courts, airlines and train networks. The company offered no explanation for what caused he outage, how many customers were impacted or where they were located. Many Rogers customers scrambled to find internet service, heading to coffee shops to connect and trade tales of the outage. Kathryn Bowen, 30, an independent fashion designer, spent Friday morning on the floor of a Starbucks in Toronto’s financial district, videoconferencing with clients. “I don’t really know where to go because if I go home, I don’t have internet,″ said Bowen. “I can’t even step outside and text anyone because Rogers doesn’t work on my phone either, so I’m just sitting here until my phone dies basically.″

In era of transparency, Arizona law limits filming police (AP) Arizona’s governor has signed a law that restricts how the public can video police at a time when there’s growing pressure across the U.S. for greater law enforcement transparency. Civil rights and media groups opposed the measure that Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed Thursday. The law makes it illegal in Arizona to knowingly video police officers 8 feet (2.5 meters) or closer without an officer’s permission. Someone on private property with the owner’s consent can also be ordered to stop recording if a police officer finds they are interfering or the area is not safe. The move comes nearly a year after the U.S. Department of Justice launched a widespread probe into the police force in Phoenix to examine whether officers have been using excessive force and abusing people experiencing homelessness. It’s similar to other investigations opened in recent months in Minneapolis and Louisville. The new law doesn’t make exceptions for the press. Media groups including The Associated Press said the measure raises serious constitutional issues.

Ukraine grain farmers devastated by Russia’s Black Sea blockade (Washington Post) The morning Russian tanks and troops stormed across Ukraine’s borders, Volodymyr Onishchuk’s grain got stuck. He had delivered about $100,000 worth to a storage site at Ukraine’s Black Sea port in Mykolaiv on Feb. 23, but by Feb. 24—when the ship with his harvest was to set sail—Russian troops were on the ground and warships lingered menacingly off the Ukrainian coast. On that day, Onishchuk wasn’t overly concerned that he hadn’t been paid yet. Fending off Russia was foremost on his mind. But then one week passed—and then a month and then four months—with Ukraine’s main ports still blockaded by Russia’s fleet. Not only was he missing the money from his last yield but a new crop was nearly ready to send to market, with no way to profitably move it. And future crops were uncertain. “If we don’t sell this grain now and don’t cover our expenses, tomorrow we simply won’t be able to plant,” he said.

Russia continues to ‘raise true hell,’ Ukraine governor says (AP) Russian forces are managing to “raise true hell” in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland despite reports of them taking an operational pause, a regional governor said Saturday as the government in Kyiv urged people in Russian-occupied areas in the south to evacuate “by all possible means” ahead of a Ukrainian offensive. The governor of Luhansk, Serhyi Haidai, said Russia launched over 20 artillery, mortar and rocket strikes in the province overnight and its forces were pressing toward the border with neighboring Donetsk. Last week, Russia captured the last major stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in Luhansk, the city of Lysychansk. Analysts predicted Moscow’s troops likely would take time to rearm and regroup. But “so far, there has been no operational pause announced by the enemy. He is still attacking and shelling our lands with the same intensity as before,” Haidai said.

Sri Lanka protesters storm president’s residence, office (AP) Sri Lankan protesters demanding President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resign forced their way into his official residence and nearby office on Saturday, local television reports said, as thousands of people demonstrated in the capital against the island nation’s worst economic crisis in recent memory. It was not clear if Rajapaksa was inside the residence in Colombo but footage shot on mobile phones showed a large number of people inside the well-fortified house and on the grounds outside. Hundreds of protesters, some carrying national flags, also entered the president’s office in another nearby building, television footage showed. Protesters blame Rajapaksa for the economic woes and had occupied the entrance to his office building for the past three months calling on him to step down.

Reeling from Shinzo Abe’s assassination, Japan probes gunman’s motives (Washington Post) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida returned to the campaign trail Saturday with heightened security after former leader Shinzo Abe’s assassination, as mourners laid flowers, tea and sake near the site of Friday’s shooting to honor the country’s longest-serving premier. Offials are also probing the suspect’s motives, and details of the homemade weapon he used. The apparent gunman, a 41-year-old unemployed man from Nara named Tetsuya Yamagami, told investigators he believed Abe was linked to a group he hated, police said. Police have declined to identify the group, citing the ongoing investigation. Yamagami was a Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force member for three years in his early 20s. Police found multiple homemade guns in his home Friday. He told investigators that his mother had become bankrupt after spending her money to support a religious group, according to Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, which cited police sources. He said his family fell apart because of his mother’s obsession with the group, and he targeted Abe “out of resentment,” Mainichi reported.

Russia Votes to Shut Down Last U.N. Aid Route Into Syria (NYT) Russia vetoed a measure on Friday that would have allowed the last U.N. aid route into Syria to remain open for another year, in a vote that diplomats and critics said endangered the lives of millions of people already suffering after more than a decade of war. Foreign officials and international aid workers had implored Russia to approve a one-year extension for the humanitarian corridor, which leads from the Bab al-Hawa crossing at the Turkish border into northwest Syria. The U.N. mission, which started in 2014, expires on Sunday. But with its veto on Friday, Moscow maintained its long-held insistence that the route violated Syrian sovereignty—and that it should be up to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to decide how foreign support is distributed. Thirteen members of the U.N. Security Council voted to continue the aid mission, and China abstained. Only Russia opposed it. “This was a life or death vote for the Syrian people, and Russia chose the latter,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said after the vote. “This was already the bare minimum the Syrian people needed to survive.” She and other diplomats said they would try to find another way to ensure that Syrians continue to receive food, medicine and other aid.

The hottest new service at hotels? Sleep. (Washington Post) After the pandemic forced the Cadogan hotel in London to temporarily shut down, general manager Xavier Lablaude and his team began thinking of ways to bring guests back in. With reports of insomnia on the rise, they decided to lean into one of a hotel’s key functions: providing a place to get a good night’s sleep. The hotel launched its Sleep Concierge service in early 2021, assisting guests with all things slumber through a range of services and amenities, from hypnotherapy to calming tea. The hotel is one of many to invest more heavily in sleep-themed services, with offerings across numerous properties aimed at helping guests get the most out of their shut-eye. Hotel director Connie Wang said the idea came about after guests sought respite at the hotel as people worked from home during the pandemic and the boundaries between personal and professional blurred. Many locals flocked there to get away from their work-from-home space, she said. “We were already noticing this trend with hotel guests coming to stay in the hotel to find that really restful night of sleep, away from their emails and away from the stresses of home life and the stresses and the rigors of the pandemic, and just have an escape,” she said.

#headlines #news

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