Arts & Entertainment

Remember the culture
To many, all ethnicities aside, the holiday of Cinco de Mayo represents nothing more and nothing less than a weekend-long (or week-long, if you’re really ambitious) excursion to passionately pursue the highest-quality tequilas, cervezas and tacos in town. And while there’s nothing wrong with hightailing it to the nearest Don Pablo’s to feign your birthday in order to shamelessly adorn your cranium with their undersized sombrero as you sip on margaritas the size of a fishbowl, keep in mind that the significance behind the festivities stretches much deeper than a marathon’s worth of jovial drinking...

High marks for Highland National: The Metropolitan’s tour of public golf courses continues...
When the City of St. Paul reopened Highland National Golf Course in 2005, the “Snoopy”-shaped bunker on the 15th hole became a notable feature, but the course—and its staff—offer so much more than just a tribute in sand to “Peanuts” cartoonist Charles Schulz, who grew up in St. Paul playing and caddying on the original Highland Park course. A First Tee facility, and a place for women Brian Simpson, Franco Zerna and Angie Ause are teaching professionals deeply involved in Highland National’s First Tee programs. The First Tee initiative began nationally in the late 1990s with the help of the PGA of America, PGA TOUR, LPGA, US Golf Association, Tiger Woods Foundation and Augusta National Golf Club, amongst others...

Saib kuv: (Watch me - see the Hmong in me)
Metropolitan State University Third Floor Gallery is pleased to present Saib Kuv (Watch me—See the Hmong in me). The exhibit opened with a reception on Thurs., April 16 and will continue through July 24. This exhibit features a collection of digitally manipulated photographic portraits coupled with poetry and prose by emerging Hmong-American artists. The show was organized by the local nonprofit, In Progress, which provides opportunities for marginalized young people to develop their skills as...

‘Hi’ tea in the afternoon at the Hotel Ivy
Many Americans equate afternoon tea with old ladies or little girls who dress up their stuffed animals in bonnets. While there is something kitschy and old-fashioned about eating finger sandwiches and crumpets, it is a highly underrated tradition. More than a snack, afternoon tea is a relaxing way to reenergize, visit with friends and family, or simply reflect on the day’s events. The Hotel Ivy in Minneapolis is now hosting a daily event in their lobby (3-5 p.m.) that reveals to Minnesotans that tea does not have to be an archaic and stuffy affair. Joan Ida, the new executive chef of the hotel’s restaurant Porter and Frye, has developed a refreshingly global take on the classic British tea menu. For example, in place of the predictable egg salad sandwiches, Ida has invented a Japanese-inspired deviled egg...

Use the Web to build your own Blockbuster
Recession-hit Americans can now watch hundreds of free movies—by using a new Web site to borrow DVDs from their friends. “It’s like Netflix meets Facebook,” said Tim Jackson, founder of LendAround.com. “You list some DVDs you own, invite some friends you like, and start browsing their collections. The Web site helps arrange loans, and keeps track of where everyone’s DVDs are. And nobody pays anyone anything.” Jackson estimates that though there are over two billion DVDs in U.S. homes, 80 percent are watched just twice a year. “What stops us sharing with friends isn’t meanness,” he said, “it’s embarrassment. Borrowers don’t know how to ask, and lenders fear they’ll forget who they lent a treasured movie to.” LendAround solves the problem for both sides. Browse and search tools make it easy to find out what movies and TV...