Groundbreaking of Schmidt Brewery Artist Lofts

January 30, 2013

The City of Saint Paul has announced that the groundbreaking has begun on an exciting new near-Downtown Saint Paul affordable housing project, the Schmidt Brewery Artist Lofts. The historic Schmidt Brewery has featured in several editions of the Saint Paul Almanac. The $120 million project will redesign the historic Schmidt Brewery to specifically meet the needs of artists. Schmidt Brewery, built in the 1930s, will have 260 units after the full-scale renovations, including 121 units in the bottling house, 126 units in the brew house and 13 new construction townhouse units built on a vacant lot adjacent to the bottling house.

Poem: My Chocolate

January 28, 2013

The warmth of his hands that wrap mine in the winters of Valentine love, The tall body that pulls my eyes to recognize him from behind and far away, The name that I call out just to hear his strong unique voice, The gentle look in his eyes that melt my sensations,      He’s become the replacement of my milk chocolates...

Introducing our new blog: Around the Editors’ Table

January 28, 2013

Around the Editors' Table is the freshly-baked-pulled-from-the-oven-steaming-hot blog that will feature original writing by members of Saint Paul Almanac's community editor group. We envision this blog as a place to get to know the editors, past and present, through their personal writing. It will feature poetry, prose, lyrics, interviews, articles, Spoken Word compositions and more. Text, photography, artwork are all welcome.

Lowertown Reading Jam Schedule 2012–2013

January 28, 2013

The full list of monthly Wednesday Lowertown Reading Jams For 2012–2013
. Events take place at the Black Dog Café, 308 Prince Street, 7-8:30 p.m., each with a featured curator.

PHOTOSTORY: Last week of AZ Gallery’s Winter Carnival Children’s Art Show

January 28, 2013

AZ Gallery's annual Winter Carnival Children’s Art show is back! The show features artwork by elementary and middle school students from public and private schools throughout St Paul, in celebration of the St Paul Winter Carnival. Visit the Winter Carnival Children’s Art Show at the AZ Gallery, 308 Prince Street #130, St. Paul, MN 55101. January 24th–February 3th, 2013. Gallery Hours: Thursday & Friday 5:30-8:30pm, Saturday & Sunday 9:00am-3:00pm.

Photostory: At the Lowertown Reading Jam with Louis Alemayehu

January 24, 2013

Photos from the January 23rd "Nuevo Mestizos" Lowertown Reading Jam with Louis Alemayehu. "We will explore through song, story and spoken word some of the ideas of Gloria Anzuldua as to what it means to live in the border lands of culture, race, sex, class and nationality. There is a visionary identity that connects us to the world, ecologically, spiritually, politically, culturally in a new way... Nuevo Mestizos."

They Build Ice Palaces There!

January 16, 2013

When I was eight years old and living in Pennsylvania, my father took a new job in Minnesota at the Saint Paul Foundry. He and my mother had immigrated to America from Scotland and always spoke lovingly of their hometown of Edinburgh, but work opportunities were better in America.

This One Is Not Hers: 1989 Golden 240 Volvo Station Wagon

January 16, 2013

I see the car. I know it is not hers. I know, because she has been gone for years—at least gone from my world. This car—it is the same color, the same make, maybe even the same year.

Linwood

January 15, 2013

The railroad caboose was our warming house. Pete didn’t open it until ten, but that didn’t stop us. With our blades and sticks over our shoulders, ear bras on our heads, choppers on our hands, we would change in the snow banks and the Stanley Cup finals began.

Workin’ on the Railroad— Dale Street Shops

January 15, 2013

Driving through the intersection of Dale Street and Minnehaha Avenue, in the Frogtown district, you couldn’t help being impressed by the massive yellow-ochre brick building with the exceptionally tall glass block windows.

There Was No Sun in the Room

January 15, 2013

I imagined her stretched out and weeping over her womb on a stretcher, Shaking.

Bridge

January 14, 2013

There’s no time in traffic on 35E to honor a place such as this—my old neighborhood in ruins. In one second my car wheels cover what was once my brothers’ bedroom with the nursery rhyme floor.