The 2013 Saint Paul Almanac won a Midwest Book Award in the "Culture" category last night. The award was accepted with pride by Kimberly Nightingale, the publisher and executive director of the Saint Paul Almanac, at a ceremony attended by many authors, publishers and friends. Last year, the 2012 Saint Paul Almanac won the "Travel" category at the Midwest Book Awards.
Print This Post 
The 2013 Saint Paul Almanac is a finalist in three Midwest Book Awards categories—Travel, Reference and Culture! The Almanac was the winner in the Travel category of the Midwest Book Awards in 2012. 2013 winners will be announced at the Midwest Book Awards Celebration on May 8 at the Bloomington Center for the Arts.
Print This Post 
We at the Saint Paul Almanac were more than a little excited about the Minnesota Book Awards this year. Our very own community editor, board member and co-editor for the 2014 edition, Patricia Kirkpatrick won the award for poetry. Her book Odessa, published by Milkweed Editions, is a moving piece of work. It chronicles the painstaking reclamation of herself during a time that included some of the less than usual hardships that can knock one down in life. The book is an open heart, an invitation to be human and graceful just as we know Patricia to be.
Print This Post 
My son doesn’t care or understand what is going on. Besides, Daddy has been saying bye-bye ever since he was born. Bye-bye at the babysitter’s; bye-bye, Daddy is going to work, Daddy is going to a meeting, Daddy is going to an open mic, Daddy is going to a friend’s, bye-bye, bye-bye. This is just another one of those. My daughter, on the other hand, is nine and fast approaching teen. She understands this “bye-bye” is not see you in a couple of hours, or when you wake up in the morning. So she starts to cry. But tears come to her easily. Just like her mother. I don’t like tears. Just like my mother. They make me uncomfortable. Maybe because I don’t know the right words to say to stop them from falling. Maybe I’ve grown too cynical and practical—tears don’t make it feel better, so why bother. “C’mon, stop that,” I say to her. “I will be back soon.”
Print This Post 
Poetry, happiness and memory emerged as the dominant themes at lunch on March 20th with Minnesota Poet Laureate Joyce Sutphen at the Humanities Center in St. Paul, part of the Lunch and Learn series. Sutphen’s talk was playfully labeled with alternative titles: “Got Poetry?,” Poetry in Your Pocket,” “Poetry Out Loud,” and “Poetry for Lunch.” In the end, these were really just chapters in a free-ranging discussion that touched on why it’s important to get poetry, to understand it and keep it close at hand, like a poem in your pocket, something you can remember and recite.
Print This Post 
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory presents "Music Under Glass," a free concert series featuring local musicians inside the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory's two-acres of tropical gardens. "Music Under Glass" will showcase live, local musicians from 4:30—6:30 pm every Sunday beginning February 24, 2013 through March 31, 2013. Escape the winter chill to the comfortable confines of the Conservatory for a perfect blend of musical styling ranging from a variety of genres—Zydeco to Cello & Gypsy to Jazz. Food, cocktails, beer & wine will be available to purchase.
Print This Post 
The Saint Paul Almanac has begun the process of looking for photos and artwork for the 2014 edition! Deadline for photos/artwork is the end of March 2013. We are looking for photos of: original/fresh/new views of old parts of the Saint Paul landscape (eg. State Capitol, bridges, landmarks, etc) • Saint Paul festivals and events (Cinco de Mayo, Grand Old Day, Winter Carnival, flower shows, etc) • Saint Paul parks, zoos, wildlife, nature, seasons, weather, etc. • Saint Paul places (bars, restaurants, museums, art galleries, etc.) • Saint Paul people doing what they do (the Saint Paul Almanac is a diverse project that intentionally seeks out and includes all cultures that live in the city, so be aware that people submissions depicting only white people are less likely to be included).
Print This Post 
I had a meeting with Kimberly Nightingale in Lowertown two weeks ago and, sure enough, we got invited to play around with a Hasbro toy from our youth. Ta-coumba Aiken is the talent behind the world’s largest (they are going for the world record) Lite-Brite sculpture planned for the Union Depot. I am told that the bright sculpture will measure 9 x 27 feet and illuminate some 570,000 tiny blue, green, pink and red transparent pegs.
Print This Post 
Pale vision on an early day:
two gray wings gliding flat
balance on the body’s straight line.
A trill rises from the meadow....
