Metromix: Dog Park Article

Off leash love

Get picked up at the dog park

By Amber Schadewald

Special to Metromix
April 10, 2008

Forget the grocery store. Give up on the bar. Dump your dating profile and stop going out with your roommate’s friends—dog parks are one of the new best places for singles or anyone looking for afternoon mingling.

It’s an age-old trick—adorable canines have the ability to steal a double take from almost any passerby, and if you’re single, these fluffy, four-legged friends are the perfect segue to conversation with an attractive stranger.

Whether you have a critter of your own or you’re simply an animal lover, the dog park is no doubt your best bet to bat eyes at someone new.
Regardless of which location you choose, off-leash parks are wide open for running and playing and great for Spot and Fido to improve their social skills with new dogs. Snarling fights are rare and doggie-style humping is fairly common, yet most owners agree problems between pets are uncommon and usually cleared up between the mutts themselves. Most conflicts are actually at fault of overprotective pet parents nervous about heavy play and barking, or those owners who fail to pick up a turd or two. (To be on the safe side, wear shoes with minimal grooves.)

Each park has its own set of rules, but all require owners to watch their dog at all times, regulating bad behavior and picking up their poop. For your pet’s safety and that of others, all dogs must have had their shots before entering the park. Minneapolis operated off-leash parks also require a permit for each animal and city residents must have pet licenses for their dogs. Park Police rarely come by to check tags, but be warned—the fine is a big stink.

Here’s a list of the open spaces in the metro that make the hounds think they’re in heaven. (And if you already have a significant other, you can go, too, since the park if filled with people who like to yak about pet issues, trading advice about training, diet and all things relating to your favorite pooch.)

Lake of the Isles

2845 E. Lake of the Isles Parkway, Minneapolis

Only a step off the lake trails, this park is a perfect break from the leash. Due to its busy location, this park is most popular for its abundant human social scene. A mix of nearby residents and suburbanites, there are plenty of chances to spark love connections—101 Dalmatians style. On nice days, the park fills up especially fast, dogs wrestling and chasing one another, usually swirling around groups of owners. It’s important to keep your knees bent, since fast dogs could be mistaken for linebackers. If you’re without dog, hang out by the fence for a good view of the action, minus the mucky wood chips and paw prints on your thighs. If you own a smaller breed, the park is split, offering an area specifically for tiny dogs.

Loring Park

1650 Harmon Place, Minneapolis

Loring Park has always been a great place to take the dog for a walk, but the new off-leash section makes for a nice change. Long and narrow, the fenced in area is more a dog run. Some perks: big rocks and climbable structures for dogs, benches and sculpture for people. This park is geared for those who like a calmer and less congested version of the other, more animated dog parks. Dogs get a chance to roam through the trees at their pace, while owners have the option of enjoying more intimate conversations in the shade. You may find a scattered collection of brown paper bags, but you’ll have to bring your own for poop pick-up.

Airport Park

Hwy 62 and 28th Avenue, Richfield

Directly alongside the Minneapolis-St.Paul airport runway, the Airport Park is unsuspectingly a great place for the hounds to roam. A large open field of green grass, woods, marsh and swamp give dogs the chance to experience it all in one play date. Even though the park is spread out, people and their pets tend to gather for friendly gossip. The open space is optimal for playing with the Frisbee and the frozen pond is a fun walk in the winter. Keep in mind the noise from the jets is quite loud and more annoying than any Shitzu’s yip. This park doesn’t cost a dime to enter or require certification, but that means guests must bring their own means for crap collecting.

Elm Creek Park Reserve

Located on Country Road 202, Maple Grove

A little harder to find, Elm Creek Park is 29 acres of possibilities for your pup to mark its territory. Nestled in woodsy Minnesota, this park is all about the nature and adventuring. Five miles of dog walking trails, not to mention ponds, streams, squirrels, birds and all kinds of country smells that are sure to make your city dog’s tail wag with curiosity. This park may not help you meet an executive or Uptown hipster, but bring some trail mix to share and you might make friends with a fellow outdoorsman and pup.

Egan Park, City of Plymouth

17105 Co. Rd. 47, Plymouth

Hidden on a winding back road, The City of Plymouth has created a dog park for all those hounds stuck in duplex developments with no creative spaces to run and/or go potty. Woods all around, the park is an open field with plenty of room to explore. With a lack of off-leash parks in the ‘burbs, this park gets a variety of visitors, most of whom are more than excited to be meeting other dog enthusiasts. There are benches and picnic tables, as well as a small shelter for owners who need some shade during sunny afternoons.

Minnehaha Park

5399 S. Minnehaha Park Drive, Minneapolis, MN

The king of dog friendly spaces, Minnehaha Park itself is huge. This being said, this park is known to be a little less social than the others. Take your happy Terrier or Labrador for a long walk through the park, stopping in the off-leash area to run off that extra energy.

Websites to hunt for other locations:

Three Rivers Parks

Minneapolis Off Leash Parks

Metromix: Atmosphere’s Ant Interview

When work wakes Ant up, he grabs a whiskey

By Amber Schadewald

Special to Metromix
April 21, 2008

When Ant saunters in to meet us, he looks a bit tired.

“I usually sleep until two or three in the afternoon, due to the fact that I usually work between midnight and 6 a.m.”

This spring, Ant’s night-owl schedule has become hectic, his time primarily consumed by the upcoming tour for Atmosphere’s new album, “When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold .”

It’s the group’s sixth studio album and their first official release since 2005, and to talk about the new album, Ant meets us at his favorite bar in the Twin Cities, Merlin’s Rest on Lake Street. And the bar choice fits, since Ant hasn’t let success change him into a cash-hungry label star or made him too cool to interact with fans. Instead, he’s maintained his chill demeanor and the same dedication to music that he had 20 years ago.

During the time passing between records, Ant and his partner in crime Slug worked over-time, creating a collection of seasonal EPs and a free album of party tracks, “Strictly Leakage”. The two also recorded a series of odd video-casts, tagged “Paint it Gold”, answering fan mail and acting a bit of out sorts for the average rap stars.

It’s just their way of passing time in-between real work–a chance to be ridiculous, have fun and put out more songs. Free of pressure for them and free of charge for fans, no one is complaining, Ant says, “It’s us doing what we love, just to do it.”

And to pass the time at the bar?

“I drink Jameson in the afternoon. Beer at night.” He shrugs and takes a sip.

Getting back to business, the “Lemons” album became a whole new game for Atmosphere, both lyrically and production-wise. Slug’s lyrics have been traditionally introspective, but this new collection of raps circulate around societal issues and experiences not directly his own.

Ant also took a different approach to the usual routine by looking for samples in his “garbage closet”, his actual closet filled with records featuring bad 80’s synth, nasty guitar rifts and his least favorite classical songs. Ant says the result sounds something like the soundtrack to a futuristic movie, “the way ‘Blade Runner’ looks is the way the music sounds to me.”

No worries, “Lemons” doesn’t sound creepy or spaceship like, but its references to growth and expanding one’s boundaries are completely relevant to the status of the musicians who made it. “Lemons” is Atmosphere all grown up, exploring possibilities in music they didn’t’ dare try until now.

“We’ve never been this detailed,” he says as a proud look flashes across his face. “We’re just hoping [the album] will be a splash.”

He laughs at the fact that he just said “splash” and throws back the last sip of his whiskey. With a worldwide fan base, there’s no doubt “Lemons” will make a few waves at minimum. In the future, Ant just hopes he can continue riding the music industry’s rollercoaster.

“I have no interest in anything but music,” he says. “Sometimes I watch sports for the escapism.”

Only a couple weeks prior, Ant says he inquired about a bartending job at Merlin’s, thinking it would be a fun way to meet new people; after second thought, he realized it wasn’t for him.

“If I was behind the bar, I’d actually have to do work,” he smirks.

Let’s hope he sticks with his day… make that his night job.

City Pages Article, Electric Fetus

Electric Fetus: Still relevant after 40 years

The store reveals its secrets of vitality

By Amber Schadewald

Published on June 11, 2008

Woodstock, skin-tight bell bottoms, braless summers, and Janis Joplin; sometimes it’s hard not to be jealous of those who hit their prime during the ’60s and ’70s. But learning of the Electric Fetus’s “Naked Sale” in 1971 makes building a time machine that much more of a priority. Clerks and customers alike showed up to the beloved record store on that particular Saturday morning wearing nothing but their birthday suits, celebrating the last days of the Fetus’s West Bank location. About 40 people came in with bare bottoms, each receiving a free LP for their enthusiasm.

• Darin Back

  

  King of the music junkies: Electric Fetus store manager Bob Fuchs

Details:

THE ELECTRIC FETUS celebrates its 40th anniversary with Doomtree, Polara, the Hypstrz, Tony Glover, the New Standards, and more on FRIDAY, JUNE 13, at FIRST AVENUE and the 7th ST. ENTRY; 612.332.1775

Fetus owner Keith Covart says it was a “last hurrah that just kind of happened.”"The naked sale wasn’t something we advertised in any way, but it somehow ended up on the radio,” he says. “Things just happened back then. You didn’t need a plan.”

This month marks the 40th anniversary of the Electric Fetus, and when asked if there are any plans for a nude celebration, Covart answers with a shrill “No.”

“At this point, we don’t want to scare any customers away. I mean, I’m 62 and, you know, the neighbors would complain.”

Unfortunately, exposed skin isn’t what’s taking away business from the quadruple-decade-old record shop these days: It’s the records themselves. In a digital world, the popularity of mp3s is turning record shops around the country into ghostly abandoned storefronts. Forty years ago people spent their extra cash on the latest Beatles or Stones LP, but today kids beg for iTunes gift cards, downloading their computers full of American Idols and soundtracks to CW shows, never receiving a physical copy of their purchase.

Store manager Bob Fuchs began working at the Fetus in 1986, and has since seen sales both dramatically rise and dramatically fall. Only a mere eight years ago, he says, there was nearly too much business to handle—that is, until iTunes came into play.

“People are listening to music more than they ever have, they’re just not buying it,” he said. “People are previewing, not purchasing.”

With the grim reaper peeking over their shoulders, neither Fuchs nor Covart are worried.

“There will always be room for record stores,” says Covart with a shrug of confidence. “You can’t compare the experience of a store to your computer screen.”

Not a niche store, the Fetus carries everything from hot electropop to weird old country stuff, totaling about 65,000 titles. The Fetus has continually been praised for carrying a broader selection than the typical chain store, with a healthy supply of local artists. Since the Fetus opened in 1968, Covart says, the goal has always been to ensure that music lovers of all types could find their fancy. To keep up with modern trends, advertising director Dawn Novak says, the store constantly works toward appeasing all kinds of music buyers. Soon, the Fetus will begin offering a digital store on its website.

“With our new online capabilities, people will be able to buy digitally and locally,” Novak says.

Along with its impeccable selection, the Fetus is also picky about who works behind its counters, resulting in loads of compliments for the staff’s almost bizarre amount of knowledge. Job applicants must complete a comprehensive music quiz prior to being considered, and from personal experience, I can say it is ridiculously thorough: Average music enthusiasts, move aside. Full-on junkies only.

“We’re all just a bunch of dorks here,” says Fuchs, wearing a Fetus T-shirt. “Our passion is music. Our job is music. And we love introducing people to music.”

Across town and state lines, people visit the store for that very reason—to hear personal recommendations from people who live, breathe, and make love to music daily, instead of computer-generated suggestions. Voted a favorite Minneapolis music shop for years, the Fetus consistently treats people like they’re people, and this is why, as with bars and coffee shops, there are Fetus regulars.

Like clockwork, Carl Peterson, 59, and his wife Phyllis, 75, pop into the Fetus every Tuesday morning. Each week, Phyllis reads the list of new titles to her blind husband and together they browse and mingle throughout the store. Carl has been coming to the Fetus for 33 years, his first visit on October 23, 1975, when he vividly remembers buying albums by Elton John and the Bee Gees.

“I had just moved back to the Cities and I was so surprised when my friend told me about the new record store in town,” says Carl. “The best part about it was passing by my favorite café on the walk there. We could shop for records and pick up éclairs and the best corned beef, all at the same time.”

Carl currently owns over 5,000 titles, every week adding a couple more. On a recent visit he was excited to find a live Smithereens album and Sting’s Fields of Gold.

“He likes all kinds of music. Almost everything except rap—which he spells with a ‘c’,” Phyllis Peterson says about her husband with a chuckle, apologizing for her language.

The happy couple has become as much a part of the Fetus as the smell of incense, and each Christmas the Petersons bring popcorn tins for the staff (which once came in surprisingly handy for an in-store performer who forgot his drums).

Last year when Carl had heart surgery, Phyllis picked up the weekly list and brought it to the hospital. In his notable absence, employees of the record shop sent along a stack of get-well cards.

“How many other places will do that for you?” asks Carl.

Just like the Petersons, there are a host of other customers who incorporate the Fetus into their weekly routine, another stop between the grocery store and gas station, getting their fill of music. Over the years, the Fetus has built all sorts of relationships, resulting in friendships, marriages, and memorable meetings with musicians like Billy Bragg, Bon Iver, and Patti Smith during in-store performances.

Like a proud dad, Covart says he’s been blessed.

“Damn, it’s crazy. I don’t know a better word for it,” he says in a moment of reflection.

Although many of us are used to it by now, plenty still wonder what’s behind the name, “Electric Fetus.”

Covart smiles when asked, and says it can’t really be explained.

“It was the ’60s. It just made sense.”

Well said, man.

Excerpts from Vita.mn’s Summer Guide Cover Story

June 23–29 View all events listings for this week Twin Cities Pride Celebration (June 27-29) Photo by Jerry Holt 2005 Pride Parade Whether you’re in, out or anywhere between, Twin Cities Pride is a gay old time, even for the straight folks. With more than 450,000 people in attendance last year, it’s obviously popular for a reason. Spanning a weekend, events range from free bowling at Elsie’s “Fruit Bowl” to a St. Croix River cruise, drag shows in Loring Park and, of course, the over-the-top Ashley Rukes GLBT Pride Parade on Sunday. The highlight of this year’s fest is Saturday night’s concert in Loring Park headlined by 1990s R&B divas En Vogue and Deborah Cox. Hearing “Free Your Mind” should inspire some flamboyant excitement. -AMBER SCHADEWALD

June 30–July 6 View all events listings for this week RZA as Bobby Digital (06/30) Getty Images As Wu-Tang Clan’s chief producer, RZA has quite a legacy in the world of hip-hop. He has a long list of collaborative albums and productions, along with a few solo projects that didn’t necessarily live up to expectations. This June, he’s giving it another shot and releasing the album “Digi Snacks” under his alter-ego Bobby Digital, which he claims is for “fun.” With a little bit of funk and RZA’s ghostly confidence, maybe the album will be more on the exciting side, but if not, seeing him live is still the duty of all who claim to be Wu-Tang fans. Los Angeles R&B group Stone Mecca will open. -AMBER SCHADEWALD

Critic’s Choice in City Pages

Alicia Wiley

By Amber Schadewald

Published on May 21, 2008

A young woman who considers herself on the shy side, Alicia Wiley looks nowhere near timid when she’s sitting behind her piano onstage. Combining a variety of soulful music genres, Wiley is an extremely talented jazz pianist with a voice that’s both sexy and refreshing. Solo or with a band, jazz piano like Wiley’s is best complemented by an attractive date and a martini of your liking. Hints of Fiona Apple or Tori Amos’s voluptuous vocal tones mix with elated Norah Jones-style melodies, helping audience members sit back and breathe easy. Wiley’s occasional salsa or Spanish-inspired songs are a stirring treat in between her bluesier repertoire, which can win over any ear in range. Wiley has three full-length albums to date and is currently recording her fourth, meaning there are plenty of gems to play. As she traditionally performs in jazz clubs around the city, the romantic atmosphere of the Varsity Theater will be that much more of a perfect setting in which to be swooned by Wiley’s gorgeous creations. With Jistoray and 2wurds. 18+.
Fri., May 23, 8 p.m., 2008

Cover Story #3

Cycling in the city

May 8, 2008

Transportation. Sport. Exercise. Hobby. Art. Lifestyle. Statement. Obsession. Community.

By Amber Schadewald

We’re a nation of gas-aholics, slouching behind the wheel, listening to talk radio discuss global warming. But luckily for Twin Cities inhabitants, our cities are prime for getting out of your four-door and straddling a two-wheel. One of the best cities for bicycling in the United States, Minneapolis has an extensive collection of trails, inner-city paths and bike-welcoming routes. Minneapolis was one of four cities in the country awarded $21.5 million in 2007 through Transit for Livable Communities, federal funding to increase rates of biking and walking, while reducing driving.

So if it’s so easy to start riding, why do so many people feel intimidated by city bike culture? It may be the bike fashion or the bike attitude, but somehow Minneapolis bike people give off the air of a high-school clique. Outsiders assume that if your bike isn’t fancy or you own a car, the bike groups won’t accept you. But ask nearly anyone on a bike if this is true, and you’ll get a solid no.

Bike culture in the City of Lakes isn’t just about transportation — it’s a movement, run by a growing community of people who are dedicated to a number of open-ended causes: the environment, healthy living and social justice. The goal of nearly any bike enthusiast is to inspire others to ride and enjoy the benefits of cycling through our gorgeous city.

Whether you’re into trail riding, racing, errand-running or bar-hopping, there are bikes, bike people and bike shops of all types. Regardless of why you ride a bike, the fact is, you’re riding.

Andy Larson

Messenger: His job

• Age: 26.
• Occupation: Bike messenger for Blazing Saddles.
• What he rides: An old Bridgestone road bike he found “wasting away” in a snowbank.
• Why he rides: “It’s ideal. I ride my bike and get paid.”
• Why he thinks others should ride: “Biking is one simple thing we can do to make the world better.”
• His deal: In the six years Larson has been a messenger, he’s delivered everything from pantyhose and ice cream to mysterious medical packages and even a birthday cake. Larson zigzags across the city for an average of 35 miles a day. He rides under sunny skies and snowstorms alike; freezing rain is his only gripe. A trendy messenger bag and short-brimmed hats may be all the rage, but Larson hopes as the planet wilts, people will take a more serious look into using bikes for transport.

A bike shop he likes: Behind Bars

This mom-and-pop shop is great for the commuter or messenger who needs to carry things. It has new and used bikes, road and mountain bikes, and lots of gear. (208 13th Av. NE., Mpls. • 612-436-0255 • www.behind-bars.com)

Sean Burns

Racer: His passion

• Age: 43.
• Occupation: University of Minnesota info tech professional.
• What he rides: An Independent Fabrication cyclo-cross bike and a Gunnar Ruffian single-speed mountain bike. Capt. America, his fixed-gear, is in storage until winter.
• Why he rides: For exercise. For the thrill of the race. For “hedonistic” reasons.
• What he races: Mainly cyclo-cross; some road, mountain, track and alleycat races.
• His motto: “Work to eat, eat to live, live to ride, ride to work.”
• His deal: Cyclo-cross racing began in Europe as off-season training for road racers. Throughout a multi-terrain course, riders must hop off their bikes to climb stairs or jump hurdles. Cyclo-cross is about aerobic endurance and bike handling, both aspects Burns finds appealing. But racing isn’t always about the finish line for him: “I ride bikes for fun. There’s no need to be the fastest.” That said, Burns did win the title of B-Class State Champ in 2005.

Shop he likes: Cars R Coffins

The cozy shop is a great place to chat with other two-wheelers over a latté and sandwich. There’s a smaller collection of bikes, both used and new. Check out the gear and gadgets in the back and the bike literature under the counter. (3346 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. • 612-822-4130 • www.carsrcoffins.com)

Bethany Jolson

Newbie: Her hobby

• Age: 27.
• Occupation: Business analyst.
• What she rides: A Kona Dew, a bike intended for asphalt.
• Why she rides: For the social aspect of riding with friends, for quick and fun rides to the Lake Harriet Rose Garden or the bar across town, and because it’s easy to park.
• Her recommendation: Arrange a bike tour of friends’ houses for a fun way to learn roadways and hang out.
• Her deal: On her 25th birthday, Jolson decided it was time to get her first big-kid bicycle. Jolson’s bike is a comfortable ride that requires minimal maintenance. Her bike’s frame is dusty blue with yellow, which she said was a great excuse to shop for matching shoes and bag. Jolson has a car, but likes to switch it up with her environmentally friendly wheels, especially if she’s only going a short distance or if the sun is out.

Shop she likes: The Alt

Besides the usual cycles, the Alt also has options for weekend warriors, BMXers and those with an eye for the cruiser and basket. Buy a bike and receive lifetime service at no charge. (3013 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. • 612-374-3635 • www.altbikeboard.com)

Rachel Speck

Commuter: Her transportation

• Age: 24.
• Occupation: District support specialist.
• What she rides: A Raleigh Marathon from the ’80s, converted into a fixed gear.
• Why she rides: Speck doesn’t like cars or driving. She likes saving money, being outside and knowing how to fix and maintain her cycle.
• Myth she’d like to bust: “A super fancy, cool bike isn’t a necessity. You can turn any bike into a good working bike.”
• Her deal: When Speck moved to Minneapolis three years ago, she needed transportation. Financially, a car wasn’t an option. Today, she still prefers two wheels to four. Speck commutes 13 miles to and from work each day, not to mention running errands, light trips to the grocery store or cycling with friends. For Speck, biking makes transportation a pleasant experience.

Shop she likes: The Hub Bicycle Co-op

A cooperatively owned shop, the Hub has a diverse set of owner/employees, meaning their inventory reflects many different riding styles and opinions. Its two locations feature all types of bikes, new and used. (301 Cedar Av. S., Mpls. 612-238-3593 • 3020 Minnehaha Av. S., Mpls., 612-729-0437 • thehubbikecoop.org)

Shanai Matteson

Enthusiast: Her life

• Age: 26.
• Occupation: Bicycle ambassador and program aide for the City of Minneapolis’ new Bicycle & Pedestrian Ambassador Program.
• What she rides: Her uncle’s old Benotto racing bike, repainted yellow and converted to single-speed.
• Why she rides: For the community of cyclists, for exposure to the elements and the world around her, for the environment, to save money and for fun.
• Her deal: With her urban studies background, Matteson is constantly reminded how cars affect the city. Cars isolate, she says, whereas bikes expose you to your surroundings and help create community. “As far as I know, there aren’t too many car communities or auto-body clans,” she grinned. “Driving with your friends doesn’t compare to the experience of biking with your friends on a beautiful summer day.” Matteson has worked with a variety of bike-friendly organizations, most notably Bike Walk Twin Cities. “We need to promote biking as a fun lifestyle anyone can enjoy.”

Shop she likes: One On One

If you’re interested in creating a bike from scratch, dig deep in the bargain bins in One on One’s “junkyard.” Amid the parts, you’ll also find row after row of ready-to-ride bikes or new models upstairs. The shop is also a cafe, busy with hungry bike folks. (117 Washington Av. N., Mpls. • 612-371-9565 • www.oneononebike.com)