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Local Blogging 12.04.07
Metroblogging: Acadia Cafe relocating
Goobertech: Not liking the towing guys
Eda Cheryr: An angry response to a towing ticket
Abysmal Chick: Winter means never having to shave your legs
80 Reader Comments
No sympathy whatsoever. No one should be "surprised" to find their car towed--you can find snow emergency information all over the place in multiple languages.
I parked on the street in Loring Park, and I still followed the rules. Yes, I'd have to park quite a ways away sometimes, but that's how it works.
No need for this twerp to take it out on the tow truck drivers. They're just doing their job.
Driving down Lasalle Avenue on Sunday night, there were still a million cars on the street. How are they supposed to plow away the snow if there's so many cars still in the way?
Abysmal Chick must hang out at the 331 Club.
Just sayin'.
I take it back. Goober not even a twerp. He's 32. Old enough to know better.
This 331 Club must really be a happening spot. Hear about it all the time. It's just up the street from where I live. Looks like any one of a dozen little dive bars around here.
Funny you should mention 331. I keep meaning to go and watch my friend host an open mic jam there. (http://www.myspace.com/jennifermarkey) Never been, but it sounds like a good time. (hope they have a parking lot so I can avoid this towing bitch-naz!)
It's what I call a "swan bar," Rat.
It once was the the "divest bar in NE Mpls," no small feat with the Terminal, Double Duce, and Stand Up Frank's in the contest. It's owners (Jon & Jerret Oulman, a father and son team, son manages the bar while dad runs the hair salon upstairs) are friends of mine, and they have really transformed the place.
You should stop in some weekday before 6 to get on of their ultra cheap ($2) rail drinks or a darned good grilled Polish or Brat for a buck. The place starts filling up around 8 p.m.
achick: the 331 does have a lot in back, but it's tiny and shared with the Modern Cafe. Try the school lot across 13th St.
Some of these bloggers tell you just a little bit more than you need to know. Particularly in matters of personal hygiene.
Those folks were parked illegally at 9pm and they got towed. As they should have been. End of story. What's he all mad about? It wasn't even his car.
Seems like it's the first night that most folks get towed and then the next two days when more tickets are handed out. It's kind of hit or miss or luck of the draw as to whether one gets towed or ticketed or just plowed around if they're parked where they shouldn't be.
agreed justbob. The time to go to CC Club, as with most dive bars, is during the day. The conversation is better, and you can actually get a pool table.
Here's Marsh's take on the 331, and a recap of the problems they had with a certain city inspector (now resolved).
She-she is dead on. Other great dives to visit during day: Duffy's on Marshall (beer & breakfast Dago!) the Gopher Bar in St. Paul (coney heaven) and The Spot Bar on Randolph anytime.
Funny about the Acadia. Now that that neighborhood is turning around, condo builders seem to want to drive out all the businesses that upwardly mobile urban dwellers would enjoy frequenting (and the Starbucks doesn't count). If I still lived there I would be pissed.
Shit! The Acadia was the first place I bought a coffee at when I moved here.
The condo dwellers can't afford to go to Acadia. They're house poor now.
Didn't the 331 Club solve their problems with the inspector? I think they can have amplified music again.
The Acadia will be a great fit for the old New Riv spot.
It sucks that the Acadia is moving. The West Bank has enough crap. We needed the Acadia on Nicollet.
The aggrieved stories about being towed during a Snow Emergency?!? They are as predictable as a cheesy headline for Grand Old Day (e. g. "They Had a Grand Old Time").
Every year some people get towed and we get to hear excuses, or as a former football coach of mine once said, more baloney than Oscar Mayer. (I was only parked for five minutes, I swear!) The city sends notifications in the mail to every address in town -- I'm certain some people get missed, but they probably get 99% or more. If you don't know that plows are going to hit the streets after 5 inches of snow, then either you are willfully ignorant or dumb as a sack of hammers.
hey mjm, are you Dick Enrico?
Sorry. Had to.
I have not been to the 331 since it's diviest of dives days - I'm way outta the loop with the changes going on in NE and my friend only lives a couple of blocks from there.
We usually only get as far as the Otter Stop and then it's bad singing and Drunky McDrunkards after that. Good Times.
The 331 has a pool table? I love playing pool and there doesn't seem to be enough pool table bars in this town or I should say places that have more than one table that you can get on. Plus the peeps don't really play pool which is so very sad.
Regarding getting towed during snow emergencies:
"I forgot bank robbery was illegal." - Steve Martin
My only problem with the towing is that there weren't enough tow trucks. Lots of "plow-arounds" on the streets in my neighborhood.
I've been to the impound lot time and time again... for stories. The people are almost all college students and immigrants. The college students generally laugh it off, and come up with crazy ideas ("There should be a flashing light on top of the snow emergency sign when it's in effect")... the immigrants rail about "injustice" and the government stealing their cars.
A message to my car-driving friends on these snowy winter days:
I also miss the east-coast tradition of the yearly "people shoveling out parking spots and marking them with various junk" stories. Also the inevitable conflict that arises when someone doesn't realize or doesn't care that a plastic lawn chair is a legitimate claim on a street parking spot.
One great thing about living in the suburbs... no snow emergency tow problems.
you can drive a tank down your streets.
and many people there do.
The 331 has a pool table?
Not anymore. In fact, other than Gabby's, I'm not sure where you can drink and play pool in NE Mpls. Anyone?
I was towed for a leaf emergency once. That's sad.
Also, the Spring has pool tables.
The 331 has a pool table?
Not as of last I was there a couple of weeks ago.
I like 331 best on a weekday night when they have kinda chill music, the crowd is calm, weird, and old, and it's just busy enough to feel cozy but not so busy you can't get a drink.
Spring Street Tavern at Spring and Monroe has a single pool table.
The 331 can have amplified music again. Not sure if there are any restrictions or nor. We were there for the anniversary of the book West Bank Boogie week before last and all the usual suspects were playing. Fun show.
when I lived in Detroit, a whole winter went by without our neighborhood being plowed. there were cars buried for 3 months. it didn't really affect anyone too severely, though. the cars were already up on blocks and most of the neighbors didn't have jobs to get to.
Well then. My whine for the day is that there aren't enough bars in NE that have pool tables.
I was a college student once and we were so paranoid about getting our cars towed for any reason that we made sure we knew all of the rules of parking cuz' no one was cuttin' into our party fund, dang it.
On the other hand, my friend doesn't know how to use parking meters so I'm her impound ride buddy. I think they know her by name now; Scofflaw. Love that word and it so describes her. She doesn't really get that she's not really winning the fight as the money she has paid in fines could have paid for multiple vacations. She's pretty!
Leaf emergency! That sounds so... whimsical, almost.
By the way, you can buy parking meter cards for both St. Paul and Minneapolis. I'm sure the interwebs has info about it somewhere.
Then you don't need to have 30 quarters handy.
The Moose on Monroe across from the Spring Street has pool as well as the Knightcap across the street from Mayslacks. You can't play on Wednesdays thou because they cover the table for the Meat Raffle.
I believe that Lauras 1029 also has pool. I also think the NE Palace and Stauis's have pool.
The Cardinal in south mpls has some of the nicest pool tables in the city and they are on the LTR line. I haven't been in a while but they had 4 tables and some actually straight cues.
Downtown your best bet is probably Rock Bottom.
Saloth: Yeah, we tried that route - she lost the cards. Everyone has a special friend and she is that friend.
Simpleton: I used to hang out at the Cardinal a lot when I lived over that way. The pool and the burgers were always good.
I've been to the Rock Bottom, but it's really not my scene. Much prefer divey bars with lots of character and characters.
When I first moved to Mpls., there was a bar on Washington, the Mill Inn I think it was called (now it's the Eagle). Divey, cool tunes, great bartendars, good burgers, lots of crusty old characters and a pool table that was always open. And it was walking distance from my apt. I loved it.
The time to go to CC Club, as with most dive bars, is during the day.
The CC has Waylon Jennings on the jukebox! Totally awes!!
Tell him to get off it, we want to listen to some music...
If you want divey and pool then the 19 Bar.
Has anyone else heard of snOasis?
You can park free in some City Ramps during the first night of a snow emergency.
("There should be a flashing light on top of the snow emergency sign when it's in effect")
When I was in college at Mankato, one of the apartment complexes I lived in had exactly that. Each building had a blue "emergency vehicle light mounted on its side. After a snow storm, they turned those on until plowing of the parking lots was done. Until the lights were turned off, you had to follow the snow parking rules.
Nice idea, but it would be pretty expensive to do citywide.
hey mjm, are you Dick Enrico?
Sorry. Had to.
I think I should change my web handle to denrico or something.
Steve Martin loves its heated underground parking and laughs at other cars that come in the next morning covered in snow because their driver spent the night at the bf/gf house where there is only on-street parking.
By the way, you can buy parking meter cards for both St. Paul and Minneapolis. I'm sure the interwebs has info about it somewhere.
Then you don't need to have 30 quarters handy.
I was in Baltimore recently, and they've apparently done away with parking meters there, at least in spots. We went to dine downtown and later went to the Baltimore Museum of Art and in both cases there was a kiosk in the middle of the block. You could feed coins, bills or debit cards into the kiosk and buy as much or as little time as you needed. A receipt was printed and you put it on your dash with the expiration time clearly visible.
Kind of a neat system.
Laura's 1029 (now called something), does not have pool tables but they do have a kick-ass karaoke and a big gambling wheel that I always lose my money to.
Much prefer divey bars with lots of character and characters.
And fights.
One great thing about living in the suburbs... no snow emergency tow problems.
I have a confession to make: I am so in love with my garage in Eden Prairie right now.
Erica: Embrace your inner suburban self, sister, don't be afraid. I lovvess my two-car detached garage up north. Wish I had a roof over my car today at work!
Note to self: go out early and scrape off ice and snow.
I have a 3 car garage baby! Currently, my vehicle is trapped in it. I haven't shoveled the driveway yet. Oh yeah, it is IN St Paul! City dwellers can have big garages too.
Simpleton, thanks for that pool table listing...I knew there had to be more in NE than just Gabby's. I know I've played at the Moose more than once.
As far as DT, doesn't the Saloon have a few tables as well?
Pool (and darts) are a great reason to hit a non-dive bar during the day. Places like the Library in Dinkytown are pretty awesome when there's nobody else there.
OK, enough of this work crap. I'm going skiing.
The Corner Bar -- the forgotten bar of seven corners -- also has a pool table and darts.
I hate to see Acadia go. It was a great venue and place to hang out. The new space sounds ok, but it really has a steep hill to climb to be as cool.
My wish for the owners is that they reconsider their BMI/ASCAP license boycott. Come on, fork over the grand or whatever. I wanna play my acoustic Joan Jett covers.
Does Grumpy's on Washington have a table or two as well? I don't think I've been there since it was the Roadhouse.
I went to Sergent Preston's last night and there were tons of open pool tables. But the food is pretty terrible.
I work for a towing company in Eden Prairie and we tow snow emergencies for the city of Hopkins. I feel for these people who had their vehicles towed, and I don't even own a car--I can't afford one. The city of Hopkins declare a snow emergency and notify us and we are required to pick up vehicles. They claim they notify the media, but I heard no mention of this on Channel 4. Of course a lot of local news is pre-empted by football on Saturday, and by the time the 10 pm news is on the snow emergency has begun and the tow trucks are already out hauling vehicles. A lot of people are out of town and return home to find their cars are gone. Speaking as a dispatcher for a towing company, I recommend if you go out of town and snow is forecast park your car in the garage (if you have one). Otherwise make arrangements with a neighbor, friend, or relative to move your car to a safe location.
I live in the city; lifelong renter with a lovely landlord who takes care of shoveling for me. Oh, and a garage. It's a wonderful life.
Yup, Grumpy's has a few pool tables. It's usually where we end up going when we feel the need to play.
Saloth: I'm envious. I won't be able to get any turns in until Friday. I'm hoping for more snow.
It only took one time getting towed during a snow emergency to make me watch the news/internet like a hawk. What I can't stand now is when they DON'T tow offenders and our street has snowy parking traps that are left because someone didn't move their ride.
...the crowd is calm, weird, and old,
Well that's just great. I like the 331. I guess that makes me calm, old and weird.
Actually, I'm fine with that.
Also, for us internet enabled, you can have Minneapolis and/or Saint Paul e-mail you when a Snow Emergency has been called. Here is the Minneapolis link. It appears they'll text message you as well...
Re: snow emergency notifications.
I could see where, if the forecast called for "around" 3-inches, there might be some confusion as to whether or not a snow emergency would be declared. But, c'mon, when the forecast (however inaccurate) is calling for 8-10 inches ...
And it's not as if the towing occurs immediately after the snow stops falling. St. Paul didn't officially declare its snow emergency until Sunday noon-time ... and even then one still had 9 (NINE!) hours to move their car.
If you're like me, and god help you if you are, weekends are not spent watching TV. Thus, I can see being totally oblivious to what the weather is or what they say it is going to be.
As you pointed out though, DouglasG, there are so many different ways to find out about a snow emergency than TV. We live in a state that gets snow every winter. I think the cities have done a great job in trying about every way possible to notify people of snow emergencies. Other than having a personal "Hey, it's a freakin' snow emergency, move your freakin' car" dude come knockin on your door, there aren't many reasons why a person wouldn't know.
BTW: If we get another 3+ inches of snow today, do they finish out the current snow emergency or do we start all over with Day 1? Now that could get confusing.
BTW: If we get another 3+ inches of snow today, do they finish out the current snow emergency or do we start all over with Day 1? Now that could get confusing.
My guess is that a Snow Emergency gets declared tomorrow morning and starts at 9PM. That's about as far from official as it gets, though.
Doesn't the snow emergency end at 5pm tonight? So, a new one could begin at 9pm tonight rather than having to wait until 9pm tomorrow. In Saint Paul, it ended yesterday at 5...
St. Paul snow emergencies only last 20 hours because by then, even the plow drivers don't know where the fuck they are and give up.
Hey! Kevin swore! Wasn't something supposed to happen if he did that?
In Minneapolis it ends this eve at 8pm.
I guess it's possible for Mpls to start a new one again tonight at 9pm, but if the first go-round had people whining, my guess is that a new snow emergency begun this eve would be asking for more abuse.
I came back to my neighborhood at 1:30 am today after flying back from Miami to find a snow emergency and minimal parking. I was not best pleased.
Snow is pretty, though.
Hope your car didn't get towed, josie!
Yeah, I thought about whether or not you would have left your car out and got towed, j-dog. Then I decided that since you were in MIAMI I wasn't going to feel bad for you if you did.
My car was safe and sound in my friend's driveway in Hopkins. You join my parents in their constant fretting over the possible towing of the Focus.
You shouldn't feel bad for me, Kevin. I have a tan.
OK, I went skiing and it was great. And my car didn't get towed but I did get chased and nipped at by two frickin' aggressive dogs. People, if you can't heel your beasts, don't let them off-leash.
Where did you stay in Miami, josie?
The Rat used to live there.
My brother lives in Fort Lauderdale and also owns a condo in Sunny Isles Beach, where my friend and I stayed...
...across the street from the nude beach.
*cough*
You can get a tan there, I suppose.
Doesn't the snow emergency end at 5pm tonight? So, a new one could begin at 9pm tonight rather than having to wait until 9pm tomorrow. In Saint Paul, it ended yesterday at 5...
In Minneapolis it ends this eve at 8pm.
I guess it's possible for Mpls to start a new one again tonight at 9pm, but if the first go-round had people whining, my guess is that a new snow emergency begun this eve would be asking for more abuse.
IIRC, the city has stated that they will not declare a Snow Emergency after 6PM.
It's been more than two years since I had a tan. Forget about feeling bad, I envy you. Does the sun still give you that warm open feeling when it hits your bare skin? Gawd I miss that.
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