Secrets of the City

And Minneapolis? Yes? No deal? Who’s got the scoop?

Nothing new for Minneapolis, I guess. Probably will be a yes also.

I wonder how many establishments have been ‘bought out’ for the entire convention? My sister works at Brit’s and they will be closed to the public for the duration. Which totally sucks for the locals.

How will they be able to tell you aren’t in town for the RNC? Are they going to get little stamps on their hands or something? I don’t know how any of this works.

There’s a secret handshake, sandburg.

I’ve decided to celebrate the invasion in Chicago watching Cubs games. I’ll raise a glass to all of you stuck in traffic at last call. Which is 4:00 am there all the time. Hell. Yeah.

I would assume that a company bought them out that will be hosting various parties throughout the convention. They probably send passes out or have a list of people invited to the parties.

Dear RNC

FUCK Y’ALL!

Yours,
The people who live in the metro you’ll be shitting on for a week.

Somebody should make a list of the places that are even going to be open to the general public during the RNC. I seem to remember reading that more than a handful of places around the metro were “bought out” within days of the announcement.

mnblrmkr: The list is at the bottom of the article. It says that there are currently 32 bars/restaurants who will be open late.

Here’s an odd one from the Saint Paul list: “Original Coney Island, 444 N. Saint Peter.”

The placed is closed. The owners of OCI have been claiming they will “open soon” for the past 10 years. Don’t hold your breath.

Want a coney in Saint Paul? Go to the Gopher Bar.

why don’t we just close everything EARLIER than usual while they’re here to show them how the good old backward midwest works?

No, sorry sir, we’re a quiet serious people who don’t stay up late. You’ve got to get your dinner by 8 because we’ve got to be to bed for the morning chores.

My sister works at Brit’s and they will be closed to the public for the duration.

Sheesh. Yet another reason I’m hoping to get the hay out of town for as much of the convention as I can. However, a friend from college who works for a PR firm in DC is coming to town for the RNC, and he might be able to get me into some sweet parties. Decisions, decisions.

Josie, go to the parties. As a SPY.

I too wish I could leave but that’s the first week of school. Thank you, republicans, for making an already hectic week even more insane.

A tied-up Brit’s Pub is no loss to the locals or The Local. I’ve been to better “British” bars in Orlando.

But I suppose the overall downtown Minneapolis scene during the GOP convention will be just like an extended weekend — the same white out-of-town douchebags, except they come from outside the metro and wear ties.

I’m concerned about how much time this will leave for s*x.

I’m guessing the Mexican restaurant/bar by my house won’t be over run by Republicans. Maybe it will be a good opportunity for all of us to try out new places.

/trying to be positive
//really, it is going to suck

Ya’ll can come out to SLP and we can get drunk at Al’s. They even let you leave your cars there overnight.

oh kevin, it’s funny when you pretend you get laid

ps, champs … b-b-but how can you pop your collar when you’ve got a tie on?!?

Someone should create Republican Visual Archetype Bingo, where a talented artist illustrates various Republican archetypes on a bingo board (blow-dried country club casual old guy; cross-eyed socially awkward IT guy in a RON PAUL L33T R3VOLUTION ZOMG!!!11! t-shirt; nervous-looking non-accredited 19-year old evangelical Christian college intern, etc.), and as the week rolls by, you cross them off when you see them out on the town. First bingo wins a copy of Barry Goldwater’s autobiography.

You could carry it with you while you’re out and about stuck in traffic.

This is something someone could put on a “blog,” even!

It’s funny cause it’s true.

Josie, go to the parties. As a SPY.

In my experience, Republicans know how to party. Maybe because they spend so much time repressing everything. Like Larry Craig.

I live in North Minneapolis, there’s nothing for the Republicans to take over. So, I guess for once, we win.

No doubt, Josie…

So, is Alary’s like a strip club or something? The staff pictures are quite, uhm, revealing.

Cat, is that list of places that will be open to the general public? Or is the only criteria that they’re going to be open until 4 AM.

It’s just that I seem to remember reading that a good chunk of the places in both downtowns were snapped up for private functions during the RNC. I even seem to remember a couple of dive bars saying that they were going to be closed for private parties.

Or because we’re all just really awesome people who know how to have a good time.

Like Larry Craig.

no, that’s definitely not it, kevin.

my “don’t log in at work” policy lasted for all of 1hr 35mins.

I don’t get the “this is going to suck because they’re republicans” banter. Yeah, it blows that traffic will be messed up, and a few bars will be inaccessible, but it would be all ok if it was the Democrat convention?

This coming from a very liberal voter.

Don’t knock it ’til you tried it, wanyo.

mb, the only reason I think it will suck due to their republicanism, is that they are going to draw more protesters. The DNC would suck pretty badly too. I wouldn’t be invited to either of their parties.

mnblrmkr: Good question – I thought it was for both open to the public and until 4 a.m.

mb: Yes it would be better if it was the DNC as it wouldn’t feel like my whole damn family invaded the Twin Cities.

Why isn’t the Muddy Pig or Sweeney’s on this list? It seems they went around these locations…..was there some sort of footwork required on the part of the bars to be allowed to stay open until 4 am in St. Paul?

Cat, but I would love to meet my in-laws!!

That said, you’ll find me with Alie at Al’s that week, possibly Laredos too. Except my sole venture into SP for The Daily Show.

The DNC would just feel like MY whole family and my union invaded. Not better, really.

I wouldn’t be invited to either of their parties.

With your history of being a communist sympathizer, are you really surprised?

I don’t see The Strip Club on there, thank god.

I’m sure if I gave money and time to the Dems or the Repubs, they would let me come to their parties. Money can make political parties look past almost anything.

It’s not going to suck because their republicans, it’s going to suck because they are people from out of town attending a convention.

Just say “Reagan sent me,” and you’re in! Works every time. Stick shrimp in your pockets for later. Hit the open bar — hard — make some Larry Craig jokes. Pass out at table.

Bix- I agree, but a lot of the comments lately have been geared towards republicans suck, therefore the convention sucks.

…and while both statements are true, they are actually independent variables. Neither is causal.

Bix, I think you should rent a bus and provide bus tours to conventioneers promising them they will get to see “the real America.” As they see the foreclosed houses, etc., be sure to give a voice over claiming it’s all due to “the welfare state” and “forty years of failed liberal programs.” Then drop them off at that strip club on Broadway that has the meat raffles.

mb: Ha! Can we have “us” time for a bit longer before the in-laws show up? The birth father is ok, but the mothers are crazy.

I’m inviting myself to Al’s with you and Alie.
btw: What night are you going to the Daily Show?

This is from Jane McClure from the St. Paul neighborhood papers. . . Actually, the article is missing some information. It’s not just seating capacity or a location downtown that determines where or not a bar can be open until 4 a.m. A location in a commercial development district also makes a bar eligible. St. Paul has 12 of these; six are actual neighborhood districts, set up several years ago to create nightlife districts in St. Paul. (And I hear some people choking — now stop that, please.)
The districts are also a way to get around St. Paul’s per-ward cap on on-sale liquor licenses.
There is a district on East Selby, for example, where there are several establishments. Oddly enough, there is one near the Amtrak station in the Midway. It has no bars.
Six districts are actually single locations of ONE bar/restaurant, used to get around the city’s per-ward cap on liquor licenses. Buca is its own district. So is the Chipotle in Highland Village, which needs a liquor license to sell premixed margaritas.
Yet another district is the historic GTA Head House, part of the old grain elevator complex on the Upper Landing. The retaurant proposal there was dropped recently but the district remains for anyone wishing to open a restaurant there.

I would assume that a company bought them out that will be hosting various parties throughout the convention.

IIRC, CNN will be using McCormick’s as their base of operations. So it’s not just all partying that’ll be going on. How nice it must be to be based out of both a restaurant AND a bar. Very convenient!

Alary’s is a WEIRD bar. When I was there for St. Patrick’s Day all the waitresses were in their underwear. But I heard from a friend that on normal days they strip down to their underwear at 10pm or something.

d2dusk – there was a quote from the Muddy Pig owner in the article. They had a pay a lot if they weren’t in the downtown district.

Thanks Jane. And this list is only the list of eligible establishments– not the ones that are going to be open, right? They have to decide if it is worth $2500 to stay open until 4am.

Alary’s is some weird morph of a Hooter’s, Coyote Ugly, and Date Rape Cantina. They’re the place quickly that took down their R-rated website immediately after that Winter Carnival Vulcan was charged with groping the ’staff.’

Watch out for the wasted louts out on the street should you drive, ride or walk down Seventh Street after dark.

that’s correct, Jason. I’m not certain the list is complete.
Our understanding is that some establishments not downtown and not in the commercial development district are asking for city staff to verify their seat counts so they can apply.
Even if a bar or bar/restaurant is on the list it doesn’t constitute automatic approval.
Any business wanting a 4 a.m. permit needs to apply for a city license. That then has to be vetted by the licensing staff and city attorney’s office, and then sent to the City Council. the district councils also have to weigh in at some point. that’s going to be controversial in some neighborhoods. of course you’ll just have to read about it in the Villager.
what’s been confusing about this issue is trying to get up-to-date information out of the city. the original list included Minnehaha Lanes (which is closed for good) and at least one other bar that is closed due to licening violations. It also didn’t include all of the commercial development districts.
and no, the city staff don’t like it when the reporters correct their lists. . .

You’d think city staff would be more familiar with places that sell alcohol. No surprise that reporters are.

Heh, Jason. Did you see the Bob Collins tweet where he called for honesty in reporting this news item? It’s for the 8,000 reporters more than anyone else, sez (the other) Bob.

So Jason, how about combination good question/bar bus tour? (One of my occupational sidelines was bus history tours of St. Paul, before high fuel prices kicked in.)
I’m sure the mnspeakers would be a courteous group of bus riders, with lots of polite questions. . .
ps — what’s a tweet? I’m 50, you know.

So am I, Jane. Tweet is web-speak for a posting on Twitter, a free web social group that focus on the mico-message, the trivial and the immediate. Weirdly addicting.

Bob Collins, as you may know, runs the News Cut blog at MPR. He, Jason and a number of us other MNspeakers also Twitter. More here.

thanks, justpbob! you get a front seat on the tour bus

Does that bus have a restroom?

I don’t understand why so many people are getting their panties in a bunch about the convention. It’s only a week and it’s bringing a ton of revenue to the cities. Seems like a good thing to me.

Anything that lets me drink late is okay with me.

Amen to that!

I work in St. Paul way too close to the rivercenter. The area becomes a cluster when even when it’s a simple MEA week, gawd help us all when thousands of GOP’ers show up complete with multitudinous camp followers. The only reason my shorts are in a bind is that I will have to cross the cordon of steel to get to work.

Like you two need an excuse…:-)

I think I’ve decided to try and work from home W-F of the convention. I’ll come down Tuesday to see what a clusterfuck it is.

I was hoping that Pawlenty would allow us State workers to help at the convention, since they are short volunteers, and get paid. I suppose that would look very political for him, but I don’t really think it is. They need help, I’d like to get a day off for volunteering. I’d be a great greeter.

Yeah the traffic downtown is going to be a nightmare. It’s where I live and work. I do not look forward to a second of it.

I’m kind of more interested in the RNC than the DNC, maybe because it’s here and not in Colorado, but also because I honestly don’t know many republicans. I also suspect that they might be harder at partying, which is always awesome. I just want to figure out how I can get myself into some parties.

I signed up to be part of the “host welcoming jamboree” or whatever, I guess I’ll see what’s in store for me once they run all the background checks.

The whole traffic issue isn’t so bad (gas aside) because I think everyone will be expecting it, so turning up late somewhere won’t be a huge deal. I plan on blaming my lateness on traffic even if I’m walking someplace! Score!