Walkin’ Around Checkin’ Stuff Out. #28
Old School Minneapolis.
Hennepin Avenue. Minneapolis, MN.
Bits of the old Minneapolis are still there. But you have to look for them. A strip club, an old neon parking sign, a porn shop and a gay bar…two, actually. All from a time when Hennepin Avenue was…some would say ‘seedy’. I say it had soul. Bars, restaurants, art galleries and records stores…and of course strip clubs and porn shops. (You gotta have one to have the other).
The worst thing Minneapolis ever did was tear down ‘Block E’. Imagine what it would be today if they hadn’t torn it down. My guess is it would be the most vibrant, hip and diverse block in the city…by a long shot. Can’t say that for what’s there now.
W.A. Frost.
A few miles East of the Hennepin Avenue seediness is W.A. Frost. A classic old school iconic Twin Cities bar if ever there was one.
W.A. Frost. St. Paul, MN
Dice, wine and maybe a burger, makes for a perfect night.
There’s not a more classic bar in the cities. Frost is old school.
If there are ghosts, they’re here…sitting at the bar ordering a cocktail.
I know that’s where I’m going when I’m gone.
Dylan Mural.
Minneapolis, MN
I was working in the building that has the giant Bob Dylan mural and I guess they have to touch it up from time to time….I suppose colors fade and whatever else.
I wonder if it was the original artist doing the touch-up (I should have asked), and how often it needs to be touched-up? I’d be curious to see how much the art changes after a touch-up…even if it’s a simple touch-up, I image it would have to change somewhat. I’d love to see a time-lapse evolution over the years.
On A Pedestal…
Minneapolis, MN
If we don’t put dogs on a pedestal, they’ll put themselves up there. At least that’s what this guy did. He stood there all proud waiting for attention (which he got), knowing he was looking good.
Meat Raffle.
Northeast Minneapolis, MN
I saw this old dude walking through a Northeast neighborhood and his old school stocking hat caught my eye: MEAT RAFFLE. Whoa. That is cool. And he wore it with not one ounce of irony.
I guarantee you that dude is the Meat Raffle King. He lives for meat raffles. Some people have BINGO!, some have pull tabs. This dude’s jam is meat raffles. I want to hang out with this guy.
I’m just going to go ahead and name this guy the Meat Raffle King. He deserves it…if not him, who?
And if I ever see a hipster wearing one of those hats I’m going to smack it off his head out of respect for the Meat Raffle King.
Old Gas Station.
Carver, MN
Great looking old gas station. Not sure what it is now…pretty sure it’s not a gas station, but it’s not obvious what it is these days. Nice to see someone take care of a classic building like this and keeping it around to remind us of how stuff used to be.
It’s sort of like going to a Super America gas station, right?