the day after christmas is one of the most depressing days of the year to me. i don’t know why - it’s not like i really look forward to christmas, so there should be no crash afterward. but it always finds me thinking about new years.. and resolutions.

every year i claim to not make any resolutions, but privately i insert several new “to-do”s into my lists for the year. after reading an article on how “we learn much about ourselves by looking at our new years resolutions” or some such bullsht, i decided to pull up last year’s list and review my failures…

from 2008 (filed under, “become a better person”):

1) volunteer somewhere. this one makes the list every year.. and never happens. this year i did manage to get my company to do some free work for a favorite local charity of mine, Smile Network international but i don’t feel like that counts, since i didn’t have to work very hard to achieve it. i did manage to get around to researching several local volunteer opportunities but that’s it… my conclusion is always the same: “not enough time”. so what can i learn about myself from this one ..i’m a selfish bastard with my time?

2) read more. this one is left pretty open, so you’d think i could manage it… but a short list under the header includes: 2a) keep up on reading the new yorker & wired yeah right, i read maybe one in 6 of the new yorkers - this damn magazine just keeps coming every week to taunt me.. (i actually have come to completely dread seeing it in my mailbox). wired is a little better but more often than not i read an article or two and then just login and browse the blog headers.. 2b) read a book every month this is bad - i did manage to read about 5 books this year, but they were all in airplanes & airports, over the course of 3 weekends. which is not “one each month”, by any stretch). again - my excuse is always “lack of time”, but the reality here is that i saw probably a few dozen films this year (this week alone - hancock, iron man & burn after reading) so obviously that’s time that could have been spent reading.. so now i’m thinking this means i’m also a lazy bastard..

3) learn something new. thank god for this one.. i actually did learn something new this year - php. so i may be a selfish lazy bastard.. but i am not completely hopeless - or at least that’s how i interpret it.

This year i can already see the top 3 “non-resolution” resolutions, floating in front of my face:
1) volunteer somewhere.
2) read more.
and finally, a real (official) new year’s resolution (the mother of all new years resolutions)..
3) no more cigarettes.

hopefully i can do better than 1 out of 3 in 2009… and hopefully i can make some progress on becoming less of a bastard by next december 26th.

[this photo coutesy of stuart moffat - click to see more]

instead i will just say that this has been a great year. I’m very happy to have been back in minneapolis these past few months and am enjoying it so much more after so many years away (always the case, i guess). i’ve been lucky in both renewing old friendships & creating new ones - and next year is already off to a great start, with a new administration stepping in..

i wish you happy holidays and look forward to seeing you at one or more of the next week’s events..

happy new year!

[this photo courtesy of groverwatts - click to see more of his great images]

let me start by saying that clichè has been a favorite of mine, since i returned to the cities this summer. the shop is tiny but packed with cool style - hard-to find designers (including local designers) covering you with everything from funky-casual to contemporary-classy… and all surprisingly affordable (most dresses fall in the $40 - $100 range). they also carry tops, skirts, jeans, pants, sweaters, coats (LOVE the coats) and misc accessories - all with an edge. much of the clothing strikes a tricky balance between clean modern cuts (lots of asian-inspired) and vintage. owners Joshua and Delayna Sundberg do the leg work for us and bring us truly unique stuff that feels good to wear. the cherry on top - they show local artist’s works on their walls :)

to sum: the perfect place to find that rare gem - an awesome dress .. and you don’t even need to go downtown (24th & lyndale, by muddy waters). the best part is that they generally only have a few of any given item so, not only do you snag a new staple for under $100 bucks, you aren’t going to see it on three others girls at the show.

all that good stuff said, there are two things you should know before you go (filed under, “unhappy reviews from friends”):

tip #1 : if you like a personal assistant while you shop, clichè has you covered. the owner will size you up and bring you dresses that work for your body… the whole time you’re there. personally, i dig this - but if you’re the type who prefers to be left to your own devices when shopping, this may be a big turn-off for you.. so note: sundays are the best day to shop unassisted (he’s usually not there on sundays)

tip #2 (and this is a big one) : you should know that there are virtually no returns at clichè - and this is not something they tell you.. now ragstock does this right and posts this policy everywhere you look! but you’ll not find it posted anywhere in clichè - not on the walls, the checkout counter, nor on the tags or receipts. and i’m told that you’ll not find them particularly happy about exchanges either.. though they will (probably) give you a store credit

one assumes that, if you walk in the next day with the tags and a receipt, you will be able to return an item. not necessarily true at clichè.. Two bad stories about this, just recently - one particularly bad. I’ve always found the owners of this place to be pretty helpful, so it really surprised me to hear that a good friend not only found that to not be true in her case, but was actually offended by the owner- being accused of swapping tags and all other sorts of nonsense.

mind you, this is a very respectable and cool lady and i have no doubt that her story is true - just bummed to hear it. sadly, this was her first - and last - visit to clichè (she’s giving the store credit to her daughter)

so.. in the end.. a mixed review & some important tips. I will still shop at clichè and will still recommend that people go there.. although i will now add that the shopper should beware and first read the (nonexistent) fine print..

now i know the phrase “arts and crafts” may freak some people out (it certainly gives me the creeps) but this will be cool - think more like robot love.. or patina (on mescaline) .. with stuff to funk-up your home (art, throw pillows, toys, etc) and stuff to funk-up your person (jewelry, bags, etc)..

the list of participating artists is impressive : Jennifer Davis (if you missed her last show at the soo you should definitely go to this thing) Joe Sinness, Bethany Kalk, Liseli Polivka, Amy Rice, Lindsey Borgerson, Brittany Foster, Glamoramapuss, Emily Johnson, Annika Kaplan, Margaret Nimocks, Sisbro, Collaboration Thursday with Swank Dollar, Drive by Bags, Zeichen Press & many more ..

this is also the last weekend that sean tubridy’s “toys on roids” will be up.. (if you haven’t already - see last week’s post, save polaroid. save the world)..

rhea pappas @ the fallout urban art center
the senior show for rhea, celebrating her graduation from mcad. i had no idea her images were so huge.. some great images here (i am trying to convince her to become a suicide girls photographer on the side - we’ll see) check out her books on her site

the support show @ art of this gallery
silent auction to benefit “free arts mn” non-profit group, with works by john grider, Tara Costello and many more.. insanely good prices on these works - unfortunately - i’m broke from x-mas shopping :(
decent turnout though and the awesome little thrift store next door stayed open (which came in super handy when gina had a serious wardrobe malfunction - thanks to the very nice girl @ the counter who re-opened the store for her)

opening for allen brewer @ umber studios
this show had an impressive turnout - the studio was packed with very good-looking people.. yeah it’s tiny but that’s still impressive for it’s location. my first time @ umber and i liked it. alot. excellent presentation & friendly bar service (though the food was extremely .. odd - oh well, didn’t come for the food anyway)

stopped by the leaning tower as well, to see john erste’s new mural over the bar (and for the best drink special in town - 2 for 1 on ANY DRINK) .. check it out the next time you go there

On February 8, 2008, Polaroid Corporation announced that it would discontinue production of all instant film… shortly thereafter, local artist sean tubridy & some friends took up the cause and created the phenomena known around the world as savepolaroid.com, with the modest slogan of “save polaroid. save the world.”

my first thought when i saw the site was, “cool” and second, “that guy has way too much time on his hands”.. but i was wrong. in fact, it appears that this guy may be one of the busiest guys in minneapolis.

when tubridy’s not running around taking polaroids of toys (and trying to save the world), he’s busy creating and selling his graphic illustrations, collaborating with the soo gallery to create his first book “toys on roids”.. and running his web and graphic design company, blue over blue..

he’s also participating in a show at the soo visual arts center - which ends christmas eve.. who knew?

what: Free Arts MN Benefit, with Silent Auction
when: December 13, 7-11pm (auction ends at 10pm)
where: art of this gallery, 3506 nicollete ave s

Participating Artists:
Amy Anderson
Kat Corrigan
Tara Costello
Jason Gillman
John Grider
Eddie Hamilton
Elizabeth Kimmel
Jamie Lang
Hugh Mann
Karen McPherson
Russ Olson
Susan Opitz
Nate Reiman
Wing Young Huie

gina louise makes great paintings - i actually still owe her money for a piece i got at the 11on18 show.. sht

when: Saturday, December 6
where: mill district arts gallery, 1023 washington ave, dt mpls
when: 2pm - 8pm
cost: free

join us as in celebrating his huge head and ability to finagle a decent mortgage loan in this economy @ his loft-warming party in the new international market square lofts - featuring artwork by erin sayer

email me @ my personal email address or call for the loft #

where: International Market Square Lofts, dt mpls
when: this friday @ 7pm
site: www.kadlac.com

her images are simple and beautiful - and each of these seemingly “normal” environments/moments that she captures somehow seem to shift and take on an increasingly haunting quality, the closer i look… like i have stumbled in on some intensely personal moment or exchange that i had no right to witness. subtly eerie expressions… great work. the fact that rhea pappas is still a student makes it that much more impressive

If you can’t make this one, there is an opening for her sisters series in mid-december - more on that here soon

what: art opening (black and white photography, winter beauties series)
where: perpich center for arts education, 6125 Olson Memorial Highway
when: thursday dec 4, 2008 6:30-9 PM
website: www.RheaPappas.com