Very intriguing, and a way to put a lot of current things in perspective, from the recent attacks in Mumbai all the way to the huge success of the feature film Slumdog Millionaire. The exhibit will only be at the MIA for two more weeks: it ends January 18.

January 5 – additional tickets $5
January 6 – additional tickets $6
January 7 – additional tickets $7
January 8 – additional tickets $8
January 9 – additional tickets $9
January 10 – additional tickets $10
January 11 – additional tickets $11

Discount is valid on January performances of Henry V, A Delicate Balance and The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Offer valid on January performances only and excludes opening nights.
Not valid online, on previously purchased tickets or with other offers.

Escape to the Guthrie this January. Call 612.377.2224 for tickets

Dubbed a “foot-stomping celebration of New Orleans,” the Minnesota Orchestra’s “A Minneapolis Mardi Gras,” taking place on February 12, will feature The Rebirth Brass Band along with Grammy Award-winning vocalist Irma Thomas and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra AllStars.

Count me in!

Chef Paul Lynch was kind enough to come to my table for a glass of wine. We talked about a range of things—from his top 5 Minneapolis restaurant picks to his experiences cooking around the country and abroad to yes, I even asked him if he watched Top Chef (he has. And he’s a big fan of Tom Colicchio’s craft restaurant).

However, the most interesting thing I took out of our conversation was his commitment to local food sources. He told me that in the summer months, over 80 percent of the money spent on food at FireLake is spent on products grown and raised in the State of Minnesota. Even in the winter (a time that’s a bit chilly for crops), 60 percent of Firelake’s offerings come from Minnesota.

It’s great to eat in a place with a real mission and goal. It’s not that Chef Paul doesn’t have enormous skill and expertise, he does—but he’s also focused on issues important to our city (and, along with that, our state and nation) and the ultimate benefit of its citizens. He isn’t just making dishes for the sake of ingenuity or oddity. He’s making them because he wants his customers to experience the very best products Minnesota has to offer. The trout I ate was from a farm that has raised trout for over 100 years. The Elk you may see as you head south down the MN interstate? That’s what you’ll get on your plate. Talk about local.