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grilling outdoors
Without the massive art fairs and festivals, this could be the first summer weekend in which we truly gather to celebrate. There will be lots of people showing their love for Juneteenth, the celebration that marks freedom from slavery for African-Americans, with picnics and bike rides. And smaller groups will gather in backyards and parks to cheer fatherhood. Will there be charcoal alight at most of theses functions? Count on it.
Doing Good in the Neighborhood
+ So nice to see the old Kitchen in the Market in full action as the home of The Sioux Chef. Sean Sherman and his co-horts are busy cooking and prepping some 2,000 free meals/week for at-risk communities through the Minnesota Central Kitchen. They've helped feed the homeless encampment though big donations, but they could still use your hands. Sign up to volunteer prep cooking, packing and assembling, cleaning up, and other good and worthy jobs that are the backbones of these missions.
+ Kemps has launched a cool buy-one-give-one project called The Giving Cow. For the rest of June, when you buy one of their shelf-stable sippy cartons of milk at your local grocery store, it will trigger a donation of shelf-stable milk to a local food shelf. "The Giving Cow is an 8-ounce airtight carton of 2% milk that was designed with kids-in-need in mind and is shelf-stable for up to a year, meeting the unique requirements of Minnesota’s local food shelves. The Giving Cow product was specifically made for food pantries and kids backpack programs, helping get more milk to more kids." More milk to more kids right now is good.
Juneteenth
>> On East Lake Street, in the Target parking lot, Juneteenth Celebration Unite & Rebuild MSP starts at 3pm and lasts until 8pm. This family-friendly event will have food trucks, music, and community speakers including keynote Gary Hines, Music Director of Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Blackness.
>> In North Minneapolis, the Community Festival and Rally for Justice that's kicking off today at the Cub on West Broadway goes from noon to 6pm, with the rally starting around 4pm. Look for Pimento Kitchen giving away free hot food, donation give aways for those in need, and live music before the George Floyd rally.
>> The Juneteenth Jubilee in Webber Park will be a drive-by celebration. Hosted by the Sit to Breathe project, which amplifies the voices of Black youth, this party starts at 4pm. Just drive up for free soul food, goodie bags for the kids, and informationals for the whole family to read in the car. They ask they you please wear masks, and take pictures from inside the car.
>> The Revolutionary Blackout Bike Ride starts on Saturday at 4pm. The all Black ride for healing starts at the Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Parkway, rolls on to the Walker Art Center, heading to the Sacred Space at 38th & Chicago before heading back.
Nice to be Out
+ Summer bucket lists come in all shapes and sizes, but the one you want to make sure is full of grease stains and check marks is this one: MN Fair Food Finder will take you all over the metro chasing corn dogs, fried pickles, and cheese-on-a-stick.
+ While you're at it, make sure you don't miss The Little Blue Food Truck which is the new mobile version of The Blue Barn! Peep it all around town this summer with Blue Barn Fair favorites (hello Pop Rocks French toast and bacon stuffed tots), plus goodies from the Blue Plate restaurants.
Takeout + Patio + Indoors Notes and News
>> Now open! Justin Sutherland's Handsome Hog 2.0 has relocated to Cathedral Hill. It's patio only right now, but whoa daddy what a patio they've installed in the former Fitz parking lot. Good news there are more smokers on site, which means never having to say "sorry, out of brisket". That's a good new normal.
>> The Keg and Case Market food hall is reopening today! But they're going inside out, having moved all the common seating and some of the vendors to the big ol' patio space: Clutch Brewing has a new outdoor taproom and Spinning Wyld cotton candy will be spinning from a sweet pink house. Others who will be reopening include: Five Watt Coffee, Pimento Kitchen, O’Cheeze, Bread n’ Boba, Pastamoré, Forest to Fork, Sweet Science Ice Cream, Soul Lao, K’nack, House of Halva, Revival Smoked Meats, and more. Per the Mayor, you have to wear a mask inside while you shop, and tables outside will be socially distanced, but need no rezzie.
>> Galaxy Drive-In is open again! New management has plugged in new life to the St. Louis Park icon, offering burgers, dogs, shaved steak Philly, big thick shakes, had made flying saucer pretzels, and car loads more.
>> In downtown Mpls., Jamie Malone's Eastside is open again for a special pop-up. Welcome La Pistola, a fast-draw, walk-up seafood and ham bar this Fri-Sat from 3-8pm. We're talking white anchovies with sourdough bread, Mangalitsa ham with bread and butter, lobster and fries, bacon mayo smash burgers and all the dirty glam that implies.
>> Pajarito has opened their Edina location for takeout. This is great since they were about to open it when everything shut down in March. Those kids have been slinging tacos in St. Paul, so they've got all the tricks down. For now, it's W-Sa 4-8pm. They'll consider opening inside as they watch the neighborhood's feels.
>> Both Hai Hai and Hola Arepa patios are now open! Outdoor only for now, and you need to make a reservation, but imagine all the vacation vibes. They do ask that you wear a mask when walking through, but you can also still get takeout.
>> Hi-Lo Diner is back in action, with their super sweet patio and inside as well. You can make rezzies up to 24 hours in advance, but walk ups are welcome. You will need to wear a mas when not at your table eating and drinking.
>> The Sample Room in Nordeast has re-opened for takeout. That greasy good Bottineau burger, and a solid Reuben are within your grasp! Also, cheese curds and blue cheese grits. Wed-Fri, 4-8pm, Sa-Sun, noon-8pm.
>> Rose Street Patisserie has re-opened their Snelling location. They are on the slow roll with a limited menu, but they'll expand it with time. Th-Sun, 8am-2pm.
>> The Vine Room is open on Mainstreet in Hopkins. The cute little winebar is open for indoor and outdoor sipping, from Th-Sa. They'll do glass pours and bottles, but flights are on hiatus. There's a brief menu of snacks, like cheeseboards and the like. Don't forget to check out their new next door wine shop, where you can take those previously sipped bottles home.
>> We have moved and flipped and whammied that other guide into the more shapely MSP Takeout, Patio, and Indoor Dining Guide. It is both our pain and pleasure to keep that beasty as updated and correct as possible with changes.
