Secrets of the City » Deals

For discerning hosts and discriminating palates

Kristin Henning — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:35:54 +0000

The Affair Minneapolis is an expo like no other expos that have come before – at least around these parts. All about entertaining, The Affair comes in all flavors and sizes, running November 7 and 8 at multiple venues. At the Minneapolis Convention Center Expo you’ll find us checking out the latest luxury taste treats, like truffles, pastries, wines, coffee and tea, cheeses, meats, and seasonal produce, while learning more about entertaining from experts on tabletop trends, fashion, cooking, baking, and…tasting! Meanwhile at Hotel Ivy, at the Vault, we plan to learn by sampling. With wine representatives who know a lot more than we do, we’ll get the inside scoop on wine and dinner pairings while we sip and swill. The hard part is deciding which day to go. Saturday, Nov 7, features a Progressive Dinner at Hotel Ivy, benefiting People Serving People. Sunday, back at the Convention Center, offers a fun luncheon and style show, with a chance to vote on the best table designs of the show.

Find Secrets of the City at the Affair, too, near the entertainment stage, as we offer assorted prizes and spout off various rakish secrets for holiday shopping and enjoyment.

November 7 and 8, The Affair;

the Expo 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Minneapolis Convention Center, Tickets $25 – $30

the Vault Noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Hotel Ivy, Tickets $50, including Expo

the Progressive, 7 p.m. – Midnight, Hotel Ivy, Tickets $150, including Expo

the style, 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Ballroom A, Minneapolis Convention Center, Tickets $65, including Expo

Want a chance to win a pair of admissions? Email Contests@SecretsoftheCity.com with the Subject line: THE AFFAIR. Five lucky winners will receive a pair of tickets to the Expo, and one additional winner will receive admission for two to The Vault, including expo! Thanks for playing; see you there.

Guthrie Theater 4-pack for Faith Healer

Kristin Henning — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:30:07 +0000

This production of Faith Healer makes us sit up and take notice for a handful of reasons, but primarily because Joe Dowling does double duty here, directing this Brian Friel drama, and playing the lead role (in his American acting debut). On top of that, Dowling is a bit of a Friel scholar; actually a full blown Friel-0-phile. In his first year here with the Guthrie, Dowling directed Friel’s Philadelphia, Here I Come, and we were entirely encouraged by the return of the Guthrie to pure story and an honest theatrical experience — without all the bells and whistles of bygone productions. That’s Friel, and that’s Dowling. Since 1995, Dowling has also directed Friel’s Molly Sweeney and The Home Place, and Brian Friel has visited our fair state in the process. Now’s the time: Win a 4-pack of tickets to the Friday, November 20 performance of Faith Healer, and get a pass for a free backstage tour, to boot! Send your full name in an email to Contests@SecretsoftheCity.com with the Subject Line: FAITH HEALER. Just to be sure, see all the scoop on the play in the Guthrie’s Play Guide, and buy your tickets here and now to see Dowling, along with Sally Wingert and Raye Birk, in this landmark production.

Faith Healer, through December 6, Guthrie Theater, 818 S. 2nd Street, Mpls; Tickets and Special Secrets Pricing of $20 on Tues, Wed, Thursdays

Theater All Year: on sale at The Affair expo

Kristin Henning — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:24:44 +0000

Presented by Secrets of the City, Theater All Year ticket vouchers offer you an easy and affordable way to enjoy a huge variety of Twin Cities theater offerings throughout the season. Find us at the Affair this weekend to purchase your vouchers in person.

Use the vouchers to reserve seats for any of the hundreds of designated performances by some three dozen theater groups. There’s no standing in rush lines, no hassles, just the opportunity to step out and sample new stages and theatrical experiences, at a savings.

Visit TheaterAllYear.com to purchase a package of 6 ticket vouchers for $99.

What’s the Deal?

6 ticket vouchers for $99, plus tax, postage and handling
Honored by more than 35 theater companies for over 100 productions
Use the vouchers in any combination
Make reservations by phone, advising the theater you are using your vouchers

Where to Buy

TheaterAllYear.com

How to Use

Choose a performance from the Program Guide. There are hundreds of productions by almost 40 theater companies. Vouchers are only valid for productions and dates listed in the Program Guide.
Reserve your seats by calling the theater’s box office directly. Telephone numbers and addresses are provided in the program guide. Tell the box office that you would like to exchange your Theater All Year voucher(s) for a ticket (or tickets) on your chosen date.
Exchange your voucher for a ticket at the theater box office on or before the day of the performance. You must present one voucher for each reserved ticket. No tickets will be issued without an exchange of an equal number of vouchers.
Enjoy the show!

OTHER NOTES:

Check the expiration date on your vouchers before making reservations. Vouchers purchased for the 2009-2010 season expire 7/31/2010. Theater box offices will not honor expired vouchers.
Theater All Year vouchers are non-refundable, not replaceable if lost or destroyed, and may not be combined with any other offer. All reservations are subject to seating availability.
When you make your reservations, the theater may ask for a credit card number to hold your tickets until you pick them up. You will not be charged if you pick up your tickets on or before the date of the performance.
For customer service, please email theaterallyear@secretsofthecity.com. While Secrets of the City assumes no responsibility for seat availability or published theater restrictions, please notify us if you encounter any other problems redeeming your Theater All Year vouchers.

Production Schedule

Download the PDF 2009-2010 Program Guide.

Your Turn: Picture a Cool Secret Here and Win!

Kristin Henning — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:16:53 +0000

Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider is king of cool, and always on the lookout for new discoveries, and artful renditions of life on the edge. So Crispin, founded in the Twin Cities, is challenging you to capture a Secret of the City. Whether represented by a photo or an illustration, we want to see your image of what is so damn cool in these towns. Think of an Ah Haa! discovery, a small wonder, a fresh perspective…something we will be delighted to know about. In short, we want to see your artistic impression of a Secret of the City, Crispin style.

Email your artwork or image (up to three per person) in a jpg or gif file format, under 1MB, to CONTESTS@secretsofthecity.com, with subject line: Crispin Cool. Please include your full name, and a description, if needed, of under 25 words. The contest is open through November 29. A select group of finalists will be invited to show their work at a special event (details TBD), and receive very cool Crispin on Ice products. Who knows what other Secret prizes might be revealed? Perhaps a night on the town with stops at the top Crispin Cool destinations? All entries will be judged on their coolness factor, artistic merit, creativity, and originality. Watch for entries and comments posted here.

{fine print: Judging by Icebox Gallery, Crispin Cider, and Secrets of the City. Note: all images remain the property of the artist/photographer. However, by entering, it is agreed your image may appear on Secrets of the City and may be used for promotional purposes by Crispin.} Contest sponsored by Crispin Natural Hard Apple Cider. Judges Debra Fisher Goldstein, Kate Iverson, and Howard Christopherson are ineligible to win, but we’ve accepted their images here for display.

GIFT OF WINTER by Debra Fisher Goldstein

JAGER by Kate Iverson

LOVE by Stephanie Glaros

GHOST-HORSE by Stephanie Glaros

MINNEAPOLIS SKYLINE by James Durham

FEARLESS by Steaphanie Glaros

MEARS PARK RNC by Kate Iverson

KIDS ON THE BLOCKS by Jason DeRusha

GOD IS IN THE DETAILING by Debra Fisher Goldstein

PIRATE SAILBOAT, LAKE CALHOUN by James Durham

EGGS by Jen Scotty

HONEYBEARS by Jen Scotty

RHUBARB by Jen Scotty

Win tickets to David Wilcox at The Cedar

Kristin Henning — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:31:26 +0000

The acoustic guitar and some folksy banter never go out of style. David Wilcox makes his first ever visit to the Cedar in this tour stop following the release of his 16th album. “Open Hand,” recorded with musicians Dan Phelps (guitar/keyboards), Jon Evans (bass guitar & upright bass) and James McAlister (drums & percussion) was created over just seven days last December. The combined effort succeeds in telling the story of two worlds: home and touring, inspiration and expression, solo and group playing. Wilcox, who appears at The Cedar in an acoustic, solo performance, likens the process of his music to inhaling and exhaling. Expect both at this whistle stop, presented by Sue McLean & Associates.

Secrets of the City readers have a chance to win one of three pairs of tickets. Enter now by emailing Contests@SecretsoftheCity.com, with subject line WILCOX.

David Wilcox, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, November 12, The Cedar. Tickets $24 advance; 612-338-2674, or online here.

Playing for Change Live at O’Shaughnessy

Kristin Henning — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:52:24 +0000

Grammy-winning producer/engineer Mark Johnson and his Playing For Change team set out to inspire peace through music. For ten years, they traveled around the world connecting with diverse musicians from South Africa, the Middle East, from the Himalayas, to Europe and the Americas. Hundreds of musicians ended up being filmed, recorded, and compiled into a single release, “Playing for Change – Songs Around the World,” and many appeared in the popular “Stand By Me” video, which has been viewed more than 30 million times via internet. The common ground Playing for Change has created speaks to the pure emotional resonance of music, heard and felt worldwide.

Winners have been notified of their passes to the show. Thanks for entering.

Playing For Change appears live at the O’Shaughnessy on Friday, November 6, 8 p.m. See Playing for Change information and a video sample here; Tickets available at the O’Shaughnessy Box Office at 651.690.6700, all Ticketmaster locations and online at Ticketmaster.com

Week 4 Clue: Lit Scavenger Hunt

Kristin Henning — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:59:21 +0000

Just like the birthday party games of yore, the lit community is having a little fun in order to celebrate several significant anniversaries. Coffee House Press is 25, Graywolf Press is 35, Milkweed Editions is 30, and the Loft Literary Center is 35. Around the Literary Twin Cities in (Almost) 80 Days is a city wide scavenger hunt running now through December 26. New trivia questions are posted every Sunday, with clues added on Wednesdays. Get the full scoop here. To get started, you can download your passport and get more details on the featured bookish destinations here.

November 1, Week 4 Trivia Question: Which Pulitzer Prize-winning poet wrote a poem that references the Walker Art Center, the Guthrie Theater, and the former Minneapolis Artificial Limb Exchange, and what is the name of the poem?

Visit one or both of this week’s featured destinations, answer the question correctly, and win a prize! Go to either Back to Books in Hudson, WI, or Once Upon a Crime in Minneapolis with your answers by November 7.

Win prizes from each week’s destination when you provide the right answer. Get your passport stamped too. At the end, the person with the most stamps wins the Grand Prize which includes the entire 2009 collections from Coffee House, Graywolf, and Milkweed, plus a Loft membership and season tickets to Talking Volumes. Ready? Set? Go!

Guys Raking through Books for Children

Kristin Henning — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:19:51 +0000

Guys? With little rug rats? Our monthly happy hour book club is at it again: bringing together local writers to discuss their work, their readers, and almost anything else. This month we feature men who write for young people: Pete Hautman and John Nielson. They will dispel the notion that all children’s books are written by mothers, geese, and little ol’ lady school teachers and librarians.

Pete Hautman writes novels for teens, middle-grade readers, and adults. How To Steal A Car is a YA novel about a fifteen-year-old girl who enjoys auto theft. His awards include the 2004 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature for Godless, three Minnesota Book Awards, and two Michigan Library Association “Thumbs Up” Awards. His poker-themed crime novels Drawing Dead and The Mortal Nuts, and his YA novel Rash were selected as New York Times Book Review Notable Books.

John Nielson started writing his graphic novel for kids after one of his daughters lost a toenail and wondered if, like losing a tooth, show would receive money for her toenail. Toe Jam and the Toenail Fairies: Toe to Toe with the Tooth Fairy was the end result. a 75-page, softcover, gross, graphic novel. John promises the book has been thoroughly inspected and disinfected for your reading enjoyment.

Join us! Raking through Books, Tuesday, November 10,5:30 – 7 p.m. Kieran’s Irish Pub, 330 2nd Avenue S., Mpls; Free.

Cosponsored by Loft Literary Center, Secrets of the City, KFAI, U of M Bookstore, and Kieran’s Irish Pub.

Enter now for the November Sample Night Live Show

Kristin Henning — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:05:52 +0000

Every week, Secrets of the City offers tickets, goodies, invitations and prizes of various shapes and sizes to our email subscribers. To sign up for the emails and enter this week’s drawing, email CONTESTS@SECRETSOFTHECITY.COM with subject line SUBSCRIBERS – NOV 4 SAMPLE NIGHT, and include your full name (first and last) in the email. Your email gives us permission to add you to our Secrets email lists (and of course we don’t do any funny stuff like sharing your email with others). If you are just looking for Secrets of the City’s email sign up, sign up here and now.

Sample Night Live, the popular arts sampler event that showcases a variety of acts for your (short attention span) pleasure, is held the first Wednesday of every month at the History Theatre. It’s just the ticket to sample song and dance (and film and drama) and find your way to the next Big Secret. See the line-up for the upcoming production here.

Sample Night Live, November 4; Act One G-Rated 7 p.m.; Act Two Unrated, 8:15 p.m.; History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St, Downtown St. Paul, $20

Watch ‘Project Runway’ with the local fashionistas at Hell’s Kitchen every Thursday!

Kristin Henning — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:53:20 +0000

Come cheer on our hometown boys Ra’mon and Christopher! Put on something snazzy and head to Hell’s Kitchen for screenings of Project Runway Season 6 every Thursday!

8-9pm:
FASHION TRIVIA! With Kate and Beth from l’etoile! Win a $50 bar tab for food and drinks all night at Hell’s Kitchen and other great prizes!

9-11pm:
Watch the new episode of Project Runway live on Hell’s big screen, followed by the spin off show, Models of the Runway. Enjoy drink specials, revelry, and great food in Hell’s Kitchen’s hot underground digs!

Parking: $5 parking in adjacent lot, or metered street parking.

Every Thursday, Hell’s Kitchen, 80 S. 9th Street, Downtown Minneapolis, Free