Clogtown: Frosty Weather, Snowy Weather At MIA

Once I made my decision to fully embrace the chill of winter and have all the snowy fun I can while I'm here in Minnesota, the opportunities to celebrate the frost and snow keep rolling in. I was delighted to read that the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA) is going for it too, with a new exhibit all about our most famous season. Frosty Weather, Snowy Weather is a little show that was perfect to take in on a day of flurries and frost outside.

I say little because it's only one room, but the art they've put together in this celebration of winter is definitely enough to put you in the mood for snow.

As my Mom is still recovering from shoulder surgery, and is on one real leg, it's been a little bit sketchy to take her out and about on the slippery, icy sidewalks. We were both getting a little stir-crazy, and to be honest, an art show about winter wasn't met with enthusiasm from her at first. Once inside the massive museum though, she was fully stoked, as she's a fine artist herself. She likes to really take in the pieces, reading all the blurbs, and examining the brush strokes. I was hoping she'd use it as inspiration too, as we've got a slew of empty canvases waiting for her to make beauty on them. (She doesn't need a wheelchair all the time anymore at all, but we just use it for big places like art museums or malls or big places like that). This was her taking in Brook in Winter, 1914 by E. Ambrose Webster. She dug it.

The centerpiece of the show is Winter, 1964 by Peter Blume, and it was probably my favorite. Part of Blume's Four Seasons series, the brightly colored birds against the snow and sky was strikingly beautiful, and Mom and I both loved it.

Another favorite of mine was L'Avenue de Neuilly on a Winter Day, 1874 by Luigi Loir. It was much more striking in person, like almost a photograph, and though we have plenty of ice and snow here, it still made me want to be on L'Avenue de Neuilly with that dude in his wagon.

Snow Squalls, 1909 by Rockwell Kent brought to mind Orcas ... but it was really just the sea. Again, the colors in person made it so much more vivid ... another reason to go check it out yourself if you're able.

A hand-colored lithograph by Wanda Gag, Winter Twilight, 1927 looked like an illustration to a really good children's book. The glowing windows beckon you inside, while the lack of footprints in the snow suggest that everyone is all safely tucked in for the night with their Netflix.

Diane Burko's work is all the way up my alley. A feminist organizer and environmental activist (aka a Soul Sister), her Columbia Glacier: Lines of Recession (1980-2005), 2011 show how the Columbia Glacier in Prince William Sound, Alaska has been melting and receding catastrophically over that 25 period ... along with the rest of our arctic ice. Something MUST be done, and I'm happy to see that artists are getting involved through their work as well. Heavy. Important. And somehow still beautiful.

Another series of Four Seasons was by Wendy Red Star, and her Winter, 2012. Red Star stares at the camera in traditional Native American costume, while sitting among a clearly artificial natural setting, asking viewers to look closer at their perceptions of history. Cool.

Winter Window, 1941 by Charles Sheeler was great because it really felt like you were looking out at your friends in the snow below, making you want to shout, "Wait up!" and get inside that thing. This one caused me to linger ... longingly.

I feel like every other painting was called Brook in Winter or Snow or Ice or something, and there was Brook In Snow, 1953 by Marguerite Thompson Zorach. I enjoyed the colors against the snow, but something about it felt a little dangerous. Like, don't fall in.

There was an all white piece that made me go "Oh, C'mon, is this from the play Art?" (the play where three friends argue about the value of an all white canvas ... "It's Art!") ... but upon closer examination, Untitled #14 (Icehouses), 2001 is a photo from a camera left outside in harsh weather in an attempt to capture the disorientation of being caught in a snow whiteout ... and there on the left side, barely legible, is the titular ice house. Pretty cool, actually.

Winslow Homer was represented by his piece, Prout's Neck in Winter, 1892. I had to look up where Prout's Neck was (Maine), but you could tell it was the East coast just by standing in front of it. Winter in the east ... so cold and lonely looking, but again, beautiful all the same.

Enjoying a hot coffee in the MIA café while watching the snow fall outside was the perfect finale to a show about snow, and I hope you'll get to copy us, because it made for a lovely winter afternoon ... and it's free! Love you, MIA. Thank you. Happy Winter!

Frosty Weather, Snowy Weather is on exhibit at MIA through April 12, 2020 (when it will probably still be snowing in April).

Clogtown: Meet Walvis The Whale By Bartz Snow Sculptures!

Now that I've decided to embrace the Minnesota winter, the (literally) cool things to do in our most extreme season just keep popping up. If you're going to visit the Ice Castles in New Brighton, drive another mile or so and you can meet Walvis, the massive whale snow sculpture created by the Bartz Brothers of New Brighton!

This is the 9th snow creation made by Austin, Trevor, and Connor Bartz, with help from family and friends - and the super cool neighbors that don't seem to mind the constant crowds coming to see the latest sea creature made from snow and ice right there in the Bartz front yard.

As I'm usually not here in the winter (except for Christmas), this was the first time I've been able to see a Bartz snow sculpture in person. It's really impressive, and educational too!

There is a little roped off area for visitors to line up to take their photo with Walvis (which means "whale" in Niger, which will benefit along with Uganda from the donations given by Minnesotans who have come to behold the ice behemoth), and along the way they have placed trivia questions about whales, so you can learn a little something too. Like, did you know whale vomit is used as an ingredient in perfumes? Yep.

The adorable Bartz brothers just got the idea to make a sculpture one snow day in 2012, and the attraction has grown and grown in the years since. When they started to get so much attention, they decided to use their local fame in an effort to raise $50,000 to bring clean water to places around the world that don't have access to it. So not only are they super creative and talented, they're good guys (You can donate online also, and for a $25 donation, Walvis the Whale will blow steam out of his blowhole!). They even have merch for sale!

I talked to one of the bros outside their home (Austin?), and he said the city will come destroy the whale on February 4th, as it starts to look less awesome, and they have to stop the crowds from coming at some point - plus they can't really have jobs during the snow sculpture hoopla, so they have to get back to their own real lives too.

A giant snow whale is real cool, for sure, but even way way cooler to know that Walvis will melt ... and turn into real, drinkable water all the way across the globe. Walvis the Whale is Wonderful!

Meet Walvis now through February 4, 2020

2777 16th Street NW
New Brighton, MN 55112

Clogtown: Visit The 2020 Ice Castles!

Minnesota Winter! I recently made the decision to get my Mom out of her nursing facility (long story, bad care, she didn't belong there, I couldn't leave her there, here I am), to be her caregiver myself. We're going to figure it out day by day (and I'm hoping she'll soon take to the idea of being a Venice girl ...), but for now I'm here in the thick of winter for the first time in 25 years. Rather than freak out, I've decided to embrace it and go full on Winter Lover. Today that meant that my friend Tonya and I took her daughters to visit the Ice Castles, this year in New Brighton, Minnesota. And WOW!

We went during the day, and it was not nearly so cold because the sun was high and the skies were clear ... and I think the Castles create a barrier from the wind, so it's not that bad except on your feet. But still, bundle up!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day today meant that kids were out of school and grownups were out of work, so there was a good crowd there, but they had timed tickets, so it never felt too packed (unless you met a pack of kids in one of the narrow tunnels - someone had to back up). There were two slides, a little one for little kids and a big one for everyone. They give you a little blue sled and off you go ... short but fun!

There's a little snack truck for hot drinks to warm you up, and sweet treats for the kids to beg for. They even have hand warmers for sale, but they weren't necessary today.

It was so bright you had to wear shades, but I imagine the Castles might be even better at night, as they're all it up and probably pretty dreamy. I can see it being a popular date spot, for sure.

The Ice Castles (and I kept telling the little girls that they HAVE TO watch the movie Ice Castles - "They forgot about the roses!") really are a winter wonderland, and with all of our new snow, they sparkle and dazzle like in the movie/s Frozen 1/2 ... and there's even costumed Elsa and Anna walking around to take photos with the kids (and a few Dads that I saw too).

I was thinking a lot about Dr. King today, because he really is the reason we were able to go to this frozen attraction today. We all know him best for his I Have A Dream speech, and it got me to thinking that cool things like this all started with someone's dream as well. They bring people of all ages, races, religions, whatevers together, united in the name of fun and beauty. Ice Castles might not be the obvious choice of a way to honor one of our greatest leaders, but the thought was definitely there - and discussed.

Thank you to Tonya, Elsie, Inga, and the staff and creators of the beautiful, super Minnesotan Ice Castles visit for MLK, Jr. Day - we loved it. Let It Go!!!

Ice Castles
1500 Old Highway 8
New Brighton, MN 55112
Ice Castles Minnesota

A Venice Winter Wonderland!

Sometimes it's hard to tell what time of the year it is around Venice, with the year-round lovely weather always pretty much the same, but Christmas time is different. You know.

The halls of the houses get decked, Christmas lights show up everywhere, and one day a year there is even snow. This weekend was jam-packed with holiday cheer, although the 25th Annual Venice Surfathon took place on Saturday, making it feel all summery again. It was bright, warm, and sunny as the surfers from all different categories got into the water to ride the decent waves. It's always good to see the surfers out there every year, as it really becomes a reunion of longtime friends. It was very California to sit on the sand watching the competition while seeing snow on the mountains in the distance. I love that.

The snow day was Sunday at The Brig in the parking lot, where they truck in the snow annually to give the Venice kids a little taste of what winter is like in other places. The lines to take a spin down the icy snow were long, and everyone was in a festive mood. There were holiday arts and crafts, food trucks, and the chance to tell Santa Claus just how good they were this year.

The LAPD had a police sleigh (?) parked out front, and kids lined up to be handed up to Santa in the cop sleigh, which is both cute, and kind of funny. There was a different Santa later in the day to sit on the Santa throne, which may have confused some little ones who were there long enough to catch both, but still great. I love this little snow day every year, as it's a gift to the whole community, and people love it. It shows on their faces, and lets you know that our people are still here. Thanks, Brig!

We had a full agenda of holiday revelry on the books for Sunday, and raced downtown after sledding to see the wonderful Hansel And Gretel opera, which was a real treat. Getting our culture on meant that we were late getting back to Venice for the annual Venice Canals boat parade, but I was told that the actual flotilla was very sparse this year ... like five boats strong.

The sidewalks were full of partiers out to see all the brightly lit bridges and homes, but the actual parade participants were few. This tells me that there is either a lack of holiday spirit, which would be sad, or that many of the canal homes are being rented out for Air BNB, and no real members of the community really live in them, so the renters don't know to participate. That is a real bummer, especially for such a wonderful, special part of Venice that this annual parade always is.

The bridges were fantastic this year, maybe making up for the lack of nautical fun. There was the great VeNICE one, and the Eiffel Tower bridge was also very impressive (I like to think it's to show our solidarity with Paris, and also climate change awareness, but they might just like Paris).

Many homes were brightly lit and hosting parties, with both the lights and the sounds reflecting off of the surrounding waters. People seemed to shut it down extra early this year, which was kind of a buzzkill, but it was nice just to walk the sidewalks and see all the bright decorations. If (WHEN!) I live in the canals one day, you better believe this annual event will be made to be beyond memorable. The dark houses on this special day were sad ... and should be lived in by people that get it, and super appreciate the unique and fun place that they live. I'm working on it.

Time is flying and Christmas will be here before we know it, with everyone scattering to places all over the globe. It's great to have these little unique to Venice holiday memories to take with us and share with the world. I love it. I hope everyone got to go, and if you didn't, you should just take a walk through the canals on any night this holiday season. Your own reflections will join those of the lights, and you will feel the holiday spirit rise up inside of you, no matter how you are feeling. It can't help but cheer you up ... and to that, I say CHEERS!

Holiday Break And Back ... Happy 2017!

... And we're back! That beast of a year 2016 is finally over, we've flipped the calendar to a new year, and 2017 is already feeling way, way better. No major deaths to speak of, I got bumped up to first class from an iffy standby seat back to L.A. from Minnesota, and the Hollywood sign was changed to "Hollyweed" for New Year's Day ... pretty cool so far.

Minnesota is always extra dreamy at the holidays, and this year was no different. As always, my favorite part is to be with friends and family, reconnecting with my roots and gaining strength for a new year from the people who know me best.

My favorite new thing in Minneapolis this year was the Holidazzle Christmas Market in Loring Park. It was strange to me that so many locals had no idea this was going on, and if they did, they didn't go. That was a mistake, because it was the absolute most charming thing we did, hands down.

The park is transformed into a Winter Wonderland full of twinkling trees adorned with lights, a whole bunch of booths selling everything from Christmas ornaments to Holidazzle sausages (brats with spices, wild rice and cranberries in them - mmm). They had free ice skating, fire pits, choirs singing, outdoor movies, interactive sculptures, spiked cider, and the best Santa I've maybe ever seen. He told me my wish for World Peace was completely possible, because it's inside all of us every day. I tried to set my Mom up with him. She'd be the best Mrs. Clause ever.

We rode ferris wheels in the winter sky. We hiked the woods on icy trails. We took in a lot of hockey, both professional and pond. We shopped a little and ate a lot. We exchanged "Merry Christmas!"'s with strangers, and felt cozy in our homes and hearts.

Christmas itself was the usual wonderful chaos, spent with friends inside on a freezing rain, brutal day outside that no one even really paid any attention to, as there was so much catching up and laughing to do. Thanks, as ever, to the fantastic Hendrickson family for opening their home to a whole slew of Spartans that look forward to it all year.

It's always a treat for Mom to have all three of her kids home together, and we once again hit up this year's edition of Star Wars to re-live a little of the childhood that we shared together.

We saw dear loved ones from near and far, and Christmas always puts the patina of nostalgia over the gatherings, reminding us of those who are no longer with us, and those who will soon be joining us (new babies coming in '17!). The people are what make any of it special, and all of couldn't be richer in what we have there. There are so many truly good people, making life a complete treasure to share this Earth at the same time as, that it really helps you to know that no matter what is going on in the world at large, there will always be good people to handle it. Thank God.


I got the dread winter cold, so a couple days were spent just totally down - like didn't leave the house - and even that wasn't that much of a drag. Christmas cards to read, movies and games to watch and play, fridge stocked ... it was fine.

After the whole city seemed to be hacking and sniffling, it seemed fitting that we would end our 2016 with a Sauna party, to sweat out the old toxic past, and prepare our bodies and minds for the freshness of a new year. I know it's just a symbolic flip of the page that mankind made up a zillion years ago, but there's still something nice about the feeling of starting anew with a clean slate - even if it's still pretty dirty from the last mess of a year.

More than anything, being home with so many of my loved ones made it clear that most anything good that happens is because of the People. Not governments, not corporations, but the citizens that decide to make good things happen themselves. It doesn't even really matter what nightmare of an administration is about to take office, it remains up to us to oppose what's wrong, stick up for what's right, and make things happen that are supposed to in order to make it a just and beautiful world for everyone. Everyone.

I saw a beautiful last sunset of the year over a frozen lake, and a beautiful first one of a new year flying over the Western skies. Both let me know that everything has the potential to be full of wonder, and it's up to us to make it so. I arrived back in a very cold and grey Venice, which was and is ok, because that's the lesson. No matter what, there is still beauty to be found. I mean, look!

So here we are. A brand new year to make of it whatever we together choose. Let's decide to make it great, and never look back - unless it's with gratitude for what we've collectively learned to make our time here together as good as it can be. We got this. Happy 2017 to us ALL!!!

I can't wait to see what happens.

A Holiday Medley And A Happy New Year!

Things were so crazy before I left for the holidays that I never got to say THANK YOU/TUSEN TAKK to all the fun folks who came out for Glögg Fest 2015! We ate, drank, and were merry, and it was the perfect send-off for my time back home in the Minnesota snow globe.

Only there was no snow in the snow globe. It looked like Tim Burton Christmas when I landed in Minneapolis, and jackets weren't really even necessary when we had our family dinner at Murray's a couple of nights before Christmas. Everyone in Minnesota seemed pretty happy about this ... I was not. Minnesota is not supposed to be brown in December. Sorry.

We did all the usual running around leading up to Christmas ... shopping, meeting up with friends, seeing Star Wars, taking in a Minnesota Wild game with the Nelsons ... all the usual good kind of madness. It was nice then, to take a moment to appreciate the silent and calm night when we finally sat down for the Christmas Eve service at Mindekirken. It was so beautiful that I cried and could barely sing ... as usual.

Christmas Day found us enjoying the fun and chaos of Christmas at the Hendrickson's, where it was a joy to catch up with everyone, and see how much bigger the kids had grown. We had a Christmas miracle when we got just about everyone gathered around at once to take our Spartan Christmas photo! Always a classic ...

The party went pretty late on Christmas night, late enough for us all to see it begin to snow, and I mean SNOW! It continued on all night long, and the barren trees were quickly transformed into branches of confectioner's sugar, all sparkling and perfectly white. I was so happy I couldn't contain myself, and my brother Paul and I soon realized that we had to stay up all night long, walking around in it all. Bur first, we had to get our Mom outside to take photos of her with the snowstorm swirling around her. Because, of course!

We're very lucky that our Mom is such a good sport. The kind of Mom that not only thinks it's great that you're out capturing beauty in the middle of the night, but will have hot chocolate waiting for you to warm up with.

Brother P and I both agree that it was one of the best walks of our entire lives ... all flawless perfection, surrounded with the kind of silence that only comes with a true snowfall. Magic.

I raced around doing all the holiday in Minnesota greatest hits ... Fa la lattes at Caribou with friends, a birthday skating party at The Depot for Kate ...

... A Vikings game watched with leftovers and best friends ... a visit to the Walker for the great Hippie Modernism show (where you could lie in hammocks and listen to Hendrix!).

I decided to stay in Minnesota for New Year's Eve this year, without even a hint of a plan. For years I've been hearing about how Woodlake Nature Center lines the winter pathways with luminarias on New Year's Eve, for people to ski, snowshoe, and walk around the candlelit nature and reflect on the year behind and to come (that's what I wanted to do, anyway), and I was all over that.

It was so beautiful you almost couldn't stand it ... but it was also super, extra cold, and I for sure couldn't stand that. We didn't make it all the way around, but long enough to appreciate how gorgeous it was outside, and how good it would feel when we got back inside.

Inside was a wonderful crab legs dinner at my dear friends', The Krsniks, house. Everything was absolutely perfect ... best friends, delicious food, wine flowing ... and then a horrible feeling of nausea passed over me at the same time a burning sensation began in my throat. Oh, NO! All the putting off of a cold I'd been doing before the holidays had finally caught up with me. I was in bed by 10:30 pm on New Year's Eve. Great.

My Mom got me up to see the ball drop. I nodded, said a muted "Happy New Year!" and was right back in bed. I flew back all super sick, and just today have ventured outside of my room for the first time (reluctantly, but work calls). It wasn't my ideal way to start a new year, but I'm not mad. It's all uphill from here!

I have mad library books to read (and books to write!) so it was all good, especially when I saw a lovely first sunset outside my sickbed window.

I might say this every year, but I really have a good feeling about 2016. Sweet '16! Oh, the stories we'll tell! Fittingly, my horoscope this morning contained a quote, "No one else sees the world the way you do, so no one else can tell the stories that you have to tell." - Charles de Lint

Exactly. Looking forward to sharing them all with you in this exceptional new year. CHEERS to us all, everywhere! Happiest New Year.