David Byrne’s Playing the Building—if you didn’t know—was an art installation in the Aria building in the North Loop. Here’s the elevator pitch: A large warehouse is cleared out, retrofitted with weird noisemakers (motors, pipes, etc) all connected to a central organ—an organ which you can play. So when you punch a key, no organ pipe sounds, but in a distant (or not so distant) warehouse cranny, a sound originates. You really do play the building. Sounds pretty cool, right?

Well it is, pretty cool, that is. The Aria warehouse is a stark open space that creates a certain sense of the grandiose when seated at the organ. On the second floor, the building does provide a few listening rooms outfitted with vintage decor. But initially, we wandered through the open spaces listening to people bang on the organ. Or at least, that’s certainly what it sounded like.

The source of the musical incoherence became clear when it was our turn to “play the building.” It was impossible. And that’s saying a lot coming from someone that played piano until the age of 11 (just kidding). As the line formed behind us while we played the organ, the ridiculous sounds that we were creating sounded sillier and sillier.

Overall, the concept—creating an instrument out of a building—turned out to be a little cooler than the idea in practice. Nevertheless, it was worth experiencing. We ended up wandering out of the building after about a half hour, and that was about as long as you would want to spend there.

This would be a great first date if you:

1. Like musical experiments (or any experimental thinking of any sort).
2. Aren’t good at the piano (because if you are, you might be disappointed at how bad your music sounds).
3. Are or are not claustrophobic. You will feel no claustrophobia (unless you’re super claustrophobic, in which case you likely have trouble entering buildings).
4. Can maintain conversation over coffee or a drink. You’ll probably want to grab one before or after, because this won’t keep you entertained for too long.

Unfortunately, you just read this, but you can’t go. It’s over (this was more of a review than a preview). But there’s always cool art around. Check out the Soap Factory—they’ve always got good stuff.

trying to sign up for an online dating site…ugh what do you mean i have to describe myself and what im looking for? too much work.

— Kerri(@misskerriann) November 14, 2012

Waaay too much work. Plus, I always find myself at a loss for hobbies… I seem to end up saying that I like snowboarding, but that was eight years ago and I didn’t like it then.

This new show, Catfish, on MTV is so crazy! Online dating = scary!

— Chenue Her (@ChenueHer) November 14, 2012

No comment.

Where’s the online dating site that has all the CUTE boys that have BEARDS??? I need a beards-only dating apparatus!!!! *shakes fist*

— Mizz Mitten (@mizzmitten) November 14, 2012

Too bad beardlove.com is already taken… on second thought after visiting, the site shows promise…

facebook just suggested that I sign up for the “Instagram of online dating”….

— Anna Timmons (@anna_timmons) November 13, 2012

I cannot even imagine what that means. Is that like normal online dating except all the selfie profile pics have filters?

Dude, if I recognize you from my FIRST go-around with online dating, it is time for a new profile picture. #nokaycupid

— Stefanie (@foureyed_girl) November 13, 2012;

Maybe it’s time that guy tries the Instagram of Online Dating…

Imagine the most embarrassing moments of your grade school career. You probably weren’t thinking spelling bee (more like “talking to girls” or “job interview at the polaroid developers”), but now that I mention it, it does sounds pretty terrible, right? Standing up in front of all of your peers (who were mean and judgemental back then) and trying to spell words without SpellCheck. You certainly didn’t handle failure as well as this kid.

But now imagine yourself standing up in front of people with the self-confidence (sort-of) of an adult (sort-of). And now imagine your swelled self-confidence after imbibing two free drinks earned by correctly spelling your first two words. This is the premise of 331 Club’s Drinkin’ Spelling Bee.

We arrived later than we meant and luckily grabbed the last table (Tip #1 for success: arrive early. You’ll want a table and you’ll want a drink). We went shortly before Halloween, so the words were themed accordingly. My first word was “goblin.” Goblin, G-O-B-L-I-N, goblin. Nailed it! Each word you get correct, you get a drink ticket for a free beer. I proceeded to get the next word right and bowed out gracefully in the third round (I’m omitting the word because assuredly you readers after reading it would judge me).

It’s an emotional rollercoaster as the number of drinks you consume is directly related to the number of words you spell correctly [pictured right].

My perception of my spelling ability started out as any normal person: slightly higher than my actual ability, but understanding that I’m no SpellCheck. From there I hit peaks and nadirs of confidence [still pictured right].

Even though I ended the night down in the dumps as far as spelling confidence is concerned, we had a great time. Here’s your checklist for whether or not this would be a good first date to you:

1) You’re not an arrogant speller as this will be embarrassing
2) You’re not a condescending speller (that should really be kept secret until date three or four)
3) You like drinking at least three beers (comes with the territory)
4) You like drinking at most five to six beers (this isn’t a frat party)
5) You caught the five errors in the paragraphs above
6) You can read

If you can check each of those off, head over to Plume Blue and post the date. You’ll have an awesome time.

Earlier this year, Canvas Collaborations with Cocktails founders, the lovely Rachel Christopher and Katie Groenevelt, put their business backgrounds and artistic skills to work and created a series of events around the Twin Cities focused on painting and drinking. They require no expertise to participate, thankfully, because we have none. Resident painting savant Katie leads the night by showing attendees, step by step, how to replicate a featured painting. They provide all the materials: canvas, paints, easel, and apron. All you bring is enthusiasm and cash for the bar (we suggest wine, because it’s the classy choice). And hopefully, a date, although there is something sexy and mysterious about the lone, misanthropic wolf sitting in the corner quietly painting a masterpiece, so feel free (or compelled by lack of date) to work that angle too. Each event is laid back and casual, just like your alcoholism.

This is the full version of the image above. You deserved to know.

The events, held every ten days or so, features a different topical painting selected by founders Rachel and Katie. Past paintings have been Van Gogh’s Starry Night, and Picasso’s La Guernica. Just kidding! That would be terrible. The featured painting we did last weekend was very doable, and hardly anyone’s (read: almost everyone’s) painting totally sucked, so now there is officially no excuse not to hike your tookus to the next Canvas Collaborations with Cocktails event, which is Friday July 20th, by the way. Events are held mainly at a wine bar in Burnsville and in downtown Minneapolis. Check out their website here to view future event times and locations, as well as the painting you and your already-impressed date will be recreating!

We sincerely hope your drink does not literally collide with your painting, although rocking that Pollock thing could potentially be pretty cool. Either way, don’t miss this date night!

For more information, visit their website here.

Here’s the credit: http://www.mbaprograms.org/news/does-online-dating-work.html

Isles Bun and Coffee makes for a perfect mid-morning date. Short, oh-so-sweet, and delicious. Indeed, IB&C ordered their name accurately: buns before coffee. Way before. Actually, they come before everything in IB&C. In the about section of their website they write, “We are too busy making puppy tails to remember…” and oh are they! To follow suit, please take a moment to enjoy this photo:

Hopefully that left you wanting the real thing, because I promise it’s better in real life than on the Internet (like most things). We arrived at IB&C on a beautiful Saturday morning and were greeted by a quaint patio, wafting smells (just as free as Jimmy John’s, but I promise they’re better), and a sizeable line—it moved quickly though. The shop is small and gets crowded easily. The semblance of a line outside the door dissolves faster than the buns in your mouth once you cross the threshold. You walk into a cluster-bun of sitters, standers, people in line and people waiting for their order. Honor and chivalry are tossed aside when the siren-wiff of the bun hits the nose. Just kidding, but it does feel a bit crowded.

The short wait and your friend that always complains about his claustrophobia is well worth the reward. As the bun/puppy tail/cinnamon-and-sugar ambrosial nectar hits the inside of your mouth you forget about your dead-end job, credit card payments or venereal disease (speaking in generalizations, of course) and just enjoy. As you enjoy it, the tunnel vision caused by the intense puppy tail cravings dissipates and you begin to remember that there were in fact other things inside the shop—employees, patrons and a kitchen. Indeed, yes, a kitchen. All of the baking is done on site and in site, right behind the counter. You can watch them stir the dough, pour cinnamon and do other bakery-type thingys (obviously I was distracted slash know nothing about baking). Isn’t that the best?! The only times seeing food preparation made me queasy was when I saw cheese curds being made and everything in the Perkins kitchen (microwaves stacked floor the ceiling!). Sorry to end on that note; let me direct you back up to the photo of the buns.

Do you ever sit around in the Twin Cities thinking, “Hey we should stop sitting on our butts playing video games and do something?” Well, we’re meeting you half way—Rusty Quarters Arcade let’s you play video games standing up. Can’t say fairer than that. Plus, now there once again is an acceptable place to play video games in public that doesn’t include Big Buck Hunter and a smelly bar (note: not actually acceptable). Sandwiched between Bryant Lake Bowl and Jackson’s Coffee & Gelato on Lake Street in Uptown, RQ Arcade is the perfect casual Saturday day-date.

As you walk into Rusty Quarters, the space itself is bright and friendly, with old-fashioned soda and candy for sale at the front desk (they embrace humor (and no AC (I wonder how many times I can nest parentheses (I think I’ve reached my max))) with their candy sign that reads, “Half-melted chocolate bars, 50¢). A mounted flat screen continuously plays cult classics, and they retail video game cartridges for those that want to relive their glory days when video games only had two buttons (I’ve been on the hunt for Mario Kart 64, if anyone has it lying around). When I think of an “arcade” I imagine the dark, shady corner of the movie theater lobby populated by unsavory middle-school types, but I understand arcades used to be much cooler, and if Rusty Quarters sets the bar, I can safely claim that the 1980’s was the best decade this country has ever seen that ended in “80’s.”. Rusty Quarters is a time portal to the blissfully internet-free days of yore, back when video and arcade games were a social event, bursting with the ineffable camaraderie of fellow gamers (and no, that “friend” you made playing Halo 3 who lives in San Antonio doesn’t count, neither does your World of Warcraft Guild).

Getting down to the gritty: the collection of arcade games Rusty Quarters offers is a varied mélange of old school fun. It includes the really vintage (Galaga, Frogger, Q*Bert) the irreplaceably classic (Ms. Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros), and some more modern games (we spent about a half hour playing Street Fighter Alpha 3, Haaaaaaa-douken!). With over 20 games available, Rusty Quarters satisfies all kinds of vintage arcade appetites. These videogame enthusiasts discovered a handful of games we had never heard of (such as BurgerTime and Joust) that we spent quite a bit of time messing around on. Remember the thrill of learning your way around a new game (me neither…)? Revisit some old faves and make some new videogame friends (oxy-moron?) for your next low-key, pressure-free date. Check out Rusty Quarters as soon as you possibly can.

It’s that time of year (sorta) and we’re compiling a list of all the minneapolis / St. Paul patios that are open for biznaz. If you’re a Twin Cities establishment with your patio open, shoot us an email here or drop us a note in the comments. Happy patio weather! P.S. pardon the drab title, frankly, it’s solely for search purposes.

 Open Patios

J. Arthur’s Coffee
Muddy Waters Bar & Eatery

…They’re all open…

Are you tired of shopping exclusively at Whole Foods and Kowalski’s (of course you’re not, you shop at Whole Foods and Kowalski’s.)? Do you enjoy international food (of course you do, you shop at Whole Foods and Kowalski’s.)? Come to Midtown Global Market, where you can enjoy an authentic experience of international food with other people who are tired of shopping exclusively at Whole Food and Kowalski’s!

Located on East Lake Street in Minneapolis, Midtown Global Market is not only the most concentrated location for diverse, delicious international food, but also a great excuse to seem incredibly cultured by leaving your neighborhood for a neighborhood that isn’t totally gentrified. However, this in no way compromises the quality of the food (In fact, this shopper felt that the admittedly unnecessary string quartet in the middle of the food court provided a delightfully soothing soundtrack to her day of shopping and dining). In true market style, MGM (Rawwr!) is a vibrant mix of groceries, ready to eat meals, jewelry, art, and clothing. MGM houses outdoor market-style stalls featuring locally owned, independent food vendors from the Twin Cities ready to satisfy all of one’s international needs (they number so many!).

MGM offers freshly prepared cuisine from every habitable continent, including Indian, African, Italian, Middle Eastern, Mexican, French, Japanese fares. After thorough investigation and careful weighing of options, your intrepid Date Tomaters chose to get lunch from La Loma Tamales. (Somehow we forgot to order an actual tamale from a vendor famous for their authentic recipe for tamales. We blame this on our being overwhelmed by choices, i.e. having lunch be more complicated than Chipotle versus Cold Pizza.) We had delectable chicken and beef tacos, which came with beans and rice on the side. It was a really refreshing meal, with all of the joy of Mexican food plus the added, bourgeois satisfaction of having eaten local and authentic.

The fun isn’t even half over after lunch (we chart fun as a metric throughout our day, which by design really takes the fun out of things). MGM is the perfect gustatory labyrinth through which to meander (we got lost). We kept finding new food vendors we wished we had the appetites to try, namely, The Holy Land Grocery & Deli, which in addition to having a great selection of reasonably priced deli meats, had an amazing looking kebab spread. It’s worth noting that most of the food vendors either offer catering or have packaged products for sale—we almost left with a handful of European cheeses and homemade jarred spaghetti sauce. I did end up caving and ordered a single coconut macaroon from the delightfully named patisserie Salty Tart and it was heavenly; crunchy and chewy and delicious! The Midtown Global Market has just the right sprinkling of whimsy, including an ample assortment of Mexican candies, an Italian gelato shop, and a 1950’s style malt shop that is very charming and not at all cheesy. At La Loma, we also stumbled upon Coca-Cola from Mexico (apparently they use more sugar? Or better sugar? I thought it just tasted like slightly sweeter Coke, but if that’s your thing, go wild).