Lake St Wine and Beer Tasting and Silent Auction

Check out the 16th Annual Lake Street Council Fundraiser - sample fine wines, local brews, and authentic Mexican food while bidding on silent auction items donated by many of the people and businesses that make Lake Street great. November 8, 2012 from 5:30-8 pm at El Nuevo Rodeo (3003 27th Ave S).

Fireroast Mountain Cafe

Another great neighborhood cafe and coffee shop is the Fireroast Mountain Cafe at 3800 37th Ave S. Featuring local and organic food, coffee and coffee drinks, they also support local artists, musicians and community groups by providing a place for them to meet, play or display their art. Their menu includes sandwiches, soup, burritos, quesadillas, tamales, salad and baked goods made on the premises. Hours: Mon-Thur 6:30-9; Fri 6:30-9:30; Sat 8-9:30; Sun 8-5. Call to order take-out: 612-724-9895.

Soderberg's Floral and Gift

In 1925 Harold and Mildred Soderberg opened up a flower shop at 27th & E Lake St (the current home of T's Place). In 1932 they moved their shop to 33rd & E Lake, and Soderberg's Floral and Gift has served the Minneapolis area with fresh flowers, plants, gifts and floral arrangements ever since. The current owner, Howard O'neil, has 40 years of experience as a florist & floral designer. He and his staff have won numerous awards for floral design over the years, while remaining committed to purchasing over half of their stock from local growers. Call 612-724-3606 or order online to have flowers delivered locally.

T's Place

Located next to El Nuevo Rodeo at 2713 East Lake St, T's Place serves Ethiopian-Asian food that adds to the cornucopia of global dining choices in the area. Tee Belachew, owner and chef, learned traditional Ethiopian cooking from his auntie, then went on to work at Singapore! Restaurant before opening T's Place in 2006. City Pages named T's the 'Best Ethiopian Restaurant' in 2011 (click here to read the review).  Both the restaurant and bar are open 7 days a week for dinner and late night food and drinks (4 pm-2 am). Call 612-724-8868 to reserve space for large parties or for catering services.

20% Discount at This 'N That

Living in Longfellow is offering a special deal at This 'N That (see Aug 14 post for more about TNT). Just click on the coupon below to enlarge, then print and bring in to redeem. Support Longfellow businesses! Offer expires 10/27/12.

Jardin Magico

Jardin Magico Spanish Immersion Day Care and Preschool is celebrating 10 years of providing bilingual education focusing on community, cultural learning and a healthy environment. We are fortunate to have one of its three locations right here in Longfellow (3836 Minnehaha Ave), where they provide care for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Owners Xavier and Natalie Lopez have created a well-developed curriculum for each age group, and their commitment to healthy living is modeled by providing the children natural and organic meals cooked in the center's own commercial kitchen, and by using cloth diapers to reduce waste. They can be reached at 612-360-3196.

LoLa Art Crawl - Aug 25 & 26

Calling all artists and art lovers! The League of Longfellow artists (LoLa) is holding its 4th annual art crawl the week-end of August 25 & 26 from 10am-5pm. Billed as "the biggest little art crawl in Minnesota", 115 artists will be showing and selling their work at 69 sites throughout the Longfellow area of Minneapolis. In addition to artists studios, many of the artists are displaying their work at local businesses, including many of those that have been featured on this blog - Merlin's Rest, Harriet Brewing, Mosaic Cafe and Mother Earth Gardens, to name a few. Not to be missed!

This 'N That

Having a thrift store in your neighborhood is like having a year-round garage sale where all your neighbors go to buy and sell their stuff. This 'N That, located on 39th and Minnehaha, is just that kind of a neighborhood store. TNT sells second-hand clothing, furniture, housewares, electronics, jewelry and more. They also do consignment and sell Amazon recycled paint. Store hours: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm; Sat 10am-4pm. 612-767-4440.

Minnehaha Falls Nursery and Landscaping

With its origins in 1957 in La Crescent, MN, Minnehaha Falls Nursery & Landscaping has been firmly rooted in Longfellow for decades and is probably the only 2nd generation family owned and run garden store in the area. They have a large selection of seeds, plants, trees and shrubs for both indoor and outdoor gardening. And if you're looking to make improvements to your yard or garden, they can design and install walkways, patios, decks, rain gardens and more. Open year round; Mon-Fri 9am-9pm; Sat 9am-6pm; Sun 10am-6pm. (612)724-5453.

Starr Automotive

If you're looking for a new mechanic or car repair shop, look no further. The family owned and operated Star Automotive on 40th & East Lake has a 30-year reputation for "honest repair at a fair price". Owner Jerry Starr opened his first shop at age 21, and he and his experienced crew offer same day service, complete auto care for both domestic and foreign cars, and they don't fix things that aren't broken! Hours: Mon-Thu 8am-4 pm; Fri 8am-noon. (612) 721-3749

Mosaic Cafe

Same great mural, same great patio, same great frozen custard, but the Mosaic Cafe has a new look and a new menu. Formerly Glaciers Cafe (see my blog post from 4/5/12), Mosaic Cafe reopened last month with a burger, sandwich & salad based menu that emphasizes scratch cooking, vegetarian options, and local organic and farm fresh ingredients. Word has it that the rosemary garlic fries (baked in a special oven) are delicious! Serving beer, wine and sustainably grown coffee - another great addition to Longfellow! Open Mon-Thu 8am-9pm; Fri-Sat 9am-10pm; Sun 10am-7pm. (612)746-1504.

Minnehaha Yoga Studio & Body Repair Shiatsu and Massage Therapy

Near the corner of 42nd and Minnehaha Ave sit two studios that embody the movement toward healing and wellness in our society. Minnehaha Yoga Studio (414 Minnehaha Ave; 612-729-8387) is a boutique studio offering small classes and diverse styles of yoga, including Vinyasa, Ashtanga and Spa Yoga. Just next door is Body Repair Shiatsu & Massage Therapy (4147 Minnehaha Ave; 612-722-51820) where you can have a certified massage therapist do some "body repair", including Shiatsu and various kinds of therapeutic massage.

Sosa Puerto Rican Deli

Tucked inside the Sosa Foods convenience store at 39th & Minnehaha is Sosa Puerto Rican Deli. With seating limited to a counter and several tables, you might want to order carry out, but by many accounts this deli has some of the most authentic Puerto Rican food in Minneapolis. Especially recommended is a dish called mofongo, made from mashed plantains and combined with seafood, meat or vegetables. They are open Mon-Thur 10am-7 pm and Fri-Sun 10am-8:30pm. (612)728-9662.

Glass Endeavors

One more reason I like Living in Longfellow: artists and craftspeople like the ones at Glass Endeavors. A stained and fused glass studio and retail store, owners John & Zoi Sandy and their staff have many years of experience creating glass art and teaching the craft to others. They offer fun and affordable classes, custom design, repair & restoration of glass, crystal and china, and they sell finished products and supplies to make your own glass or mosaic pieces. Hours: Tue-Thu 10-8, Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5 (closed Sun & Mon). 612-721-9553. Located at 2716 East 31st St (next to the Minnehaha Ave post office).

Riverstone Salon Spa

Summer's here and it's time to relax and rejuvenate. Can't get away to the woods or your favorite quiet spot? How about a trip to your neighborhood spa? Riverstone Salon Spa offers a variety of hair, skin and nail care services, therapeutic massage, acupuncture, and spa packages. Riverstone is locally owned since 2005 by Longfellow resident Tamie Drackert, and is located at 34th St & 42nd Ave S - right across from Turtle Bread. Hours: Mon-Fri 10am to 9pm; Sat 9-5 / 612-721-1518.

Longfellow Community Warming Party

Join your friends and neighbors on June 7th in celebrating everything that makes our neighborhood great! The Longfellow Community Council (LCC) is hosting the return of their Community Warming Party, bringing together the neighborhood for food and fun. The event will kick off the "Take a Look at Longfellow" campaign - showcasing some of the neighborhood's great places and history. There will also be a silent auction featuring donations from local artists and businesses with all proceeds benefiting LCC. The event is FREE and open to all!  Tuesday, June 7th - 5:00-7:00 pm - Longfellow Grill Patio (Lake St & West River Pkwy).

Guitar Rodeo

Being a music lover as well as a Longfellow resident, I am continually surprised at all the independent artists and craftspeople doing business in our neighborhood. Just a few blocks from my house is the Guitar Rodeo, where they build, sell & repair custom acoustic guitars. As the world's largest independent Taylor guitar dealer, they sell most of the guitars through their website, but you can stop in their showroom at 4151 Minnehaha Ave and see for yourself these beautiful instruments. Showroom hours: Mon-Fri 10 am-5 pm; Sat 11 am-3 pm. 612-767-2800.

Ballare Teatro Performing Arts Center

Ballare Teatro ("Dance Theatre" in Italian) teaches dance to people of all ages, from toddlers on up. In 1998 dancer & owner Ann Williams founded Ballare Teatro, which currently has 4 studios and 16 highly trained dance instructors. They offer classess, workshops and performances in tap, ballet, jazz, modern and hip hop dance. That's a lot of dancing! They also have a full schedule of summer classes and workshops, including some fun pre-school and elementary age workshops like the 'Wizard of Oz' and 'Star Wars' (especially for boys). Located at 43rd & Minnehaha; 612-721-8619.

Patrick's Cabaret

Begun by performance artist Patrick Scully and friends over 25 years ago, Patrick's Cabaret has played a major role in the diversification of the Twin Cities performing arts community.  With its mission of serving the needs of local artists from underserved communities, Patrick's prides itself on being "edgy, experimental, improvisational, culturally expansive, socially relevant, politically charged, entertaining, provocative, and mesmerizing." The building has recently undergone renovations to add more bathrooms and updates for performers with special mobility needs. Check out the calendar of local theatre, dance, music, comedy and of course, cabaret-syle variety shows. 3010 Minnehaha Ave S; Shows - 612-721-3595.

RLM Art Studio

Right across the street from the Tapestry Folkdance Center (see blog post from Jan 31) sits a small art studio with a lot of heart and soul. RLM Art Studio is the home of Ricardo Levins Morales and his "art for social justice". Born in Puerto Rico and Minneapolis-based since the mid-70's, Levins Morales was a founding member and "Director of Outreach and Troublemaking" at Northland Poster Collective for 30 years. The shop and internet store & gallery feature beautiful posters, notecards, buttons, calendars and commissioned art work for individuals and organizations, not to mention his free monthly downloadable calendar. 3745 Minnehaha Ave S; 612-455-2242.

Blue Moon Coffee Cafe

The Blue Moon Coffee Cafe has been an East Lake Street mainstay for over a decade. This independently-owned corner coffee shop offers coffee, tea, sandwiches, pastries and more in a warm, cozy atmosphere. With it's rotating art display (currently featuring beautiful nature photographs by Kay Christianson), board games and huge notice board, the Blue Moon is a true neighborhood cafe and a favorite stop for many local residents. 3822 E Lake St; (612)721-9230. Hours are Mon-Fri 7am-10pm, Sat & Sun 8am-10pm.

Merlin's Rest Pub

Merlin's Rest Pub at 36th & E Lake St is a fun place to hang out, where all are welcome to eat, drink and be merry. As the 'British Isles home in Minneapolis', Merlin's offers traditional pub food like fish & chips and the less well know Scotch egg, pints & half pints of 2 dozen different beers, as well as wine and specialty drinks. And for those of you brave (or blasphemous) enough to request the 'Whiskey Bible', you can choose from a huge selection of Irish whiskies and single malt scotches. But just as much fun as the food & drink is the 7 nights a week schedule of live music, pub quizes, pub song sessions, Celtic music sessions, darts, rugby matches on the TV, and of course, the Friday kilt & corset night. (612) 216-2419.

Free Appetizer Offer at Midori's Floating World

Living in Longfellow's February Special Offer At Midori's Floating World Cafe - To redeem, just print the coupon below and bring it to Midori's any evening, except Mondays, after 7 pm. Offer good through February 16.

Tapestry Folkdance Center

Dancing is alive and well in the Longfellow neighborhood, especially at Tapestry Folkdance Center, where almost any night of the week you can find "the joys of dance from around the world". The calendar of classes & dance styles taught is impressive, including Argentinian Tango, Ballet, Contra, Cajun, English Country, Morris, Irish Step, Scottish Highland, Nordic, International, Waltz, and I'm sure I left out a few! They also have a First Saturday Salsa Dance with beginner lessons and a live salsa band. 3748 Minnehaha Ave; 612-722-2914.

Greg's Automotive Services

When I first moved to Minneapolis over 20 years ago, a friend recommended Greg's Automotive Services to me when my car needed some work. Over the years, I've frequented Greg's Auto many times and recommended his shop to my friends. Greg and his staff are reliable, friendly and stand behind their work, and they keep prices down by using used parts whenever possible. Located at 4737 Minnehaha Avenue; (612) 724-4081.

Transition Longfellow - Building Resilient Sustainable Community

Transition Longfellow will have it's 1st annual Pancake Breakfast with wheat and gluten-free pancakes, real maple syrup and apples! 

Saturday January 7th, 9:00 - 11:00 AM Bethany Lutheran Church - 3900 36th Ave South.                    Donations will be accepted to cover the costs of the event. 

From Transition Longfellow:  "The Longfellow Sustainability Group --  now called Transition Longfellow -- began one year ago. Let's celebrate  what we've accomplished as individuals and as a community. If you've ever attended a Saturday morning group, a movie night or a book group, we hope you will join us again. If you've never attended a meeting, this would be a great time to start! We're planning our program for 2012 and we'd love your input."

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El Norteno Mexican Restaurant

If you like Mexican food, you owe it to yourself to try El Norteno at 40th and East Lake St. This family owned and run restaurant serves fresh, traditional Mexican food at reasonable prices in a casual, family friendly environment.  The homemade tortillla chips and fresh lemonade are favorites (they also serve beer and wine). El Norteno is attached to a small Mexican market & deli, and in the summer features a lovely outdoor patio. Hours are Monday-Saturday 10 am-9 pm. 4000 E Lake St; (612)722-6888.

Special Offer at Natural Built Home

Welcome to 2012! Living in Longfellow will be offering a new feature this year, that of special offers and coupons from some of the businesses I've highlighted on my blog. For the inaugural special offer, Natural Built Home is offering $5 off a gallon of paint or primer during the month of January to Living in Longfellow blog readers. Just click on the coupon below to enlarge, print and bring it to Natural Built Home to receive your discount. The paints and primers sold at Natural Built Home are non-toxic and very low odor - perfect for painting indoors in the winter!