July 4, 2017
Update from the Executive Director

A very happy 4th of July, everyone!  A perfect-weather day to enjoy a multitude of festivities along the riverfront. Everything from rooftop dining, lobster boils, fun runs, half-marathons, movies, music, baseball, yoga, canoeing & fireworks. Minneapolis has got you covered! Check out the details   here!

There are some incredible program opportunities coming up. Look through the listing below and register early. Many of these events are filling up fast!

The MCC office is closed, today. Staff will return phone calls and emails first thing in the morning. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday!

MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.

~ Joan Wright
Rendezvous Readers' Book Chat
Wednesday, July 5, 9:30 - 10:30 am
Abiitan's Porter Cafe, 428 S 2nd St
Join us to discuss A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. A Gentleman in Moscow immerses us in an elegantly drawn era with the story of Count Alexander Rostov. When, in 1922, he is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, the count is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel's doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him a doorway into a much larger world of emotional discovery. Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count's endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.

If you'd like to read ahead, August's book is Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Have a book suggestion for the Book Chat? Email Barbara Goldner.

MCC members and guests. No registration required.
Social Bridge
Wednesday, July 5, 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Washburn Lofts, 700 2nd St S
Join bridge players for a round of social bridge; levels of expertise and experience vary. Bring a partner if you can, and remember to register both yourself and your partner. Questions? Contact Carol Jordan at [email protected].

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC.
Technology Help Desk
Monday, July 10, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
MCC office, 125 Main St SE, Suite 339 (Note MCC's new office address)
Schedule time with a tech support guru and have your nagging technology questions answered during our complimentary Help Desk. Support for both Apple products and PCs is available. After you register, MCC will confirm the time of your 20-minute one-on-one session. Reminder: Installing or upgrading software and creating accounts cannot be included in the Help Desk session, as they exceed the allotted appointment time.

MCC members sign up here.
Nosy Neighbor Tour: Dunwoody College of Technology
Tuesday, July 11, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Dunwoody College of Technology, 818 Dunwoody Blvd
Dunwoody College, founded in 1914, is the oldest institution of its kind in the Upper Midwest. Join us to learn more about its history, its impact on the Twin Cities and its future outlook. Following the presentation, we'll tour the state-of-the-art facilities and labs to explore what Dunwoody students are learning and creating in fields such as mechanical engineering, robotics, construction and design.

MCC members sign up here.
Understanding Turkey Today
Wednesday, July 12, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Washburn Lofts Common Room, 700 2nd St S
Few if any U.S. allies seem so troubled domestically-and so crucial to American success in the Middle East-as Turkey. It confounds the United States and Europe, and Turkey has many frustrations of its own, as well. How should one understand what is happening in Turkey, what are our interests with the country and the region around it, and what issues will determine Washington's ability to successfully pursue them? Speaker Ross Wilson is a distinguished senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, visiting lecturer in international affairs at George Washington University and chairman of the Board of Governors of the Institute of Turkish Studies. One of his posts in the course of a 30-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service was as American ambassador to Turkey in 2005-2008.

MCC members sign up here.
Men's Coffee and Conversation 
Thursday, July 13, 7:30 - 8:30 am 
Elsie's Restaurant, 729 Marshall St NE 
It's caffeine and camaraderie for the male members of MCC and guests! This group meets ev e ry other Thursday and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going. Please register by the Monday prior to Men's Coffee and Conversation. This week, MCC member Joel Kramer hosts on the topic of "Reflections on My Trip to Eastern Europe and Israel."

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC.
Our Turn: A Conversation for Women
Thursday, July 13, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Mill City Quarter Club Room, 322 2nd St S
This week, Jeanne Ravich hosts on the topic of "How I Learned to Read." Interpret this in your own way. Maybe you remember the first time you figured out how to read. Perhaps you had a special teacher who encouraged you to become an avid reader. Were you the kid who spent summer afternoons in a cool library? Maybe you have fond memories of a parent reading to you at bedtime. Is there a childhood book that had a special impact on you? So many possibilities!

Our Turn meets every other Thursday, alternating between morning and afternoon times. Locations, hosts and topics change each time.

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC.
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Tour
Friday, July 14, 10:30 - 11:30 am
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, 725 Vineland Pl
Learn more about the art and artists of the newly reopened Minneapolis Sculpture Garden in this MCC walking tour. Discover new icons, such as Katharina Fritsch's "Hahn/Cock" or Robert Indiana's "Love," and hear more about beloved favorites. The reconstructed Garden has many new features-did you know "Spoonbridge and Cherry" now use recycled storm water? Explore how art and environment come together in this crown jewel of the city's park system. Meet our group in front of the Walker on the Wilf Family Plaza at the main entrance.

MCC members sign up here.
Sunday Soiree
Sunday, July 16, 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Phoenix River Room, 6th Fl, 222 2nd St SE
Join your friends and neighbors for the MCC Sunday Soiree, hosted by Karla Ekdahl and Peter Hutchinson. Please contribute to the potluck by bringing a hearty hors d'oeuvre, main dish salad or dessert to serve at least 8. As you register, let us know what you'll bring by answering the "Question" that will appear on the screen. You are welcome to bring your own wine or beer to share.

MCC members sign up here.
The President, the Press and Our Democracy
Monday, July 17, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
La Rive Community Room, 110 Bank St SE
Joel Kramer, former editor and publisher of the Star Tribune and co-founder of MinnPost, will talk about the President, the press and our democracy through the first half year of Donald Trump's presidency. He'll explore the strains on the pillars of our democracy and how they're holding up.
 
MCC members sign up here.
Minneapolis Madams: The Fascinating History of Prostitution on the Riverfront
Wednesday, July 19, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Stone Arch Lofts, 600 2nd St S, #701
Our downtown riverfront neighborhood once had three thriving red-light districts within easy walking distance, but only one purpose-built brothel remains standing. Using official city and court documents, historical researcher Penny Peterson will tell the story of the city's secret past and a group of now-forgotten, daring, entrepreneurial women who exerted enormous influence over the city. As a bonus, Penny's husband Ted, an avid researcher of Old-Fashioneds, will share drink history and samples at the evening's end!

MCC members sign up here.
MCC Program Calendar

Plan ahead! View the complete MCC July calendar here.
News from Members

MCC ED Joan Wright invites you to attend an event at Abiitan's Smith & Porter Restaurant on Tuesday, July 11, at 10:00 am. Ryan Taylor, Minnesota Opera President and General Director, will give an informal talk on opera, his career and his vision for the Minnesota Opera. Refreshments served at 9:30 am. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Tommasso Cammarano at (612) 249-5550 or email [email protected].
Around Town

Global Conversations: African Folktales to Contemporary Authors
July 12, 6:00-7:30 pm, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall
From ancient oral traditions to contemporary literature, African stories reflect wisdom, cultural identities and social values developed over countless generations. St. Olaf College Associate Professor Joseph Mbele and Augsburg College Associate Professor Mzenga Wanyama will explore how these stories find expression today, both in Africa and in the African diaspora. Register for this free event here.

Book Art Biennial 
July 15-23, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, 1011 Washington Ave S, #100
The Minnesota Center for Book Arts hosts its fifth annual biennial featuring workshops, lectures and seven exhibitions with programming that encourages people of all disciplines and skill levels to amplify individual and collective voice through grassroots artistic practice. For details, click here.

Sister Cities Day
July 16, 1:00-5:00 pm, Nicollet Island Pavilion, 40 Water St
Celebrate all 12 of the Minneapolis Sister Cities with a free ice cream social and gathering. This family event features multi-cultural entertainment, children's activities, ice cream and refreshments. The event highlights all of Minneapolis' International Sister Cities, with a special spotlight this year on the 25th anniversary of our Sister City relationship with Harbin, China. For information about the event and the full schedule, click here.

Mill City Times is a local website devoted specifically to our neighborhood and a place to go to find out what's happening, whether it's a new restaurant opening, a local event, proposed construction, volunteer opportunities and more.  
 
Please Welcome MCC's Newest Member
 
Mary Harrington
 
Volunteer Opportunities 
 
Click here for community volunteer opportunities on the MCC website!  
 
MCC Ongoing Social Opportunities
 
Dutch Treat
Social Hour
Mondays, 4:00-5:00 pm
Aster Cafe
125 Main St SE
Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. No reservations
 required.

Guthrie Play Reading
Stone Arch Group
Tuesday, July 11,
6:30-9:30 pm
.
Rendezvous
Readers' Book Chat
1st Wednesday of the month, 9:30-10:30 am
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
    No reservations required.
A Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles

Rendezvous on 5
Wednesdays, 9-10 am
Guthrie Theater Level 5 Express
Drop in and join your friends and neighbors for fellowship at this neighborhood haunt. This weekly adventure requires no reservations!

Social Bridge
Every other Wednesday, 3:00-5:00 pm
Washburn Lofts,
700 2nd St S
Enjoy a round of social bridge. Be sure to register on the website!

Men's Coffee and Conversation
Elsie's Restaurant,
729 Marshall Street NE
Caffeine and camaraderie for the male members of MCC! This group meets every other Thursday at 7:30 am and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going.

Our Turn: A Conversation for Women
Relax and chat with other MCC women. This group meets every other Thursday and alternates between morning and afternoon times. Look for details in the body of this newsletter.
 
 
Ongoing Member-Led Activities

Exploring Meditation
Every Wednesday, June 20-August 1,    10:00-11:00 am
Reduce stress, clear the clutter in your mind and increase a feeling of calm. For more information on future meditation opportunities, email Betsy Wray.

MCC Caregiver Support Group
2nd and 4th Wednesdays,
May-August,
10:30 am-12:00 pm
A way to support members and non-members who are or have been in a  caregiving role. For
more information,    contact Betsy Wray.

Men's Dutch Lunch
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
Alternating Thursdays at 11:30 am
July 6 & 20
 This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact  Allan Burdick.
 

 Mill City Commons

Ongoing Fitness Opportunities


SBS Class

                      Thursdays

2:00-3:00 pm

G-Werx Fitness,

428 2nd St S, #100
An exclusive opportunity for members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance  and stretching to keep you fit and strong.
First time participants, please contact G-Werx Fitness at (612) 767-4415 and arrive 20 minutes early to complete paperwork. Cost varies depending on commitment.

  

  River Walkers

Tuesdays and Thursdays,

7:30-8:30 am

Stone Arch Lofts Riverside Parking Lot

All levels of walkers are welcome for this early morning walk along the banks of the Mississippi River. An MCC volunteer leads each walk.

  

Hatha Yoga

Wednesdays and Fridays,

8:00-9:15 am

Yoga Center of Minneapolis,

212 3rd Ave N, Ste 205

This is an alignment-based class. Purchase a 12-class pass for $132 directly from YCM to use as your schedule allows, or drop in on a class for $12.50. Contact Dena at 

612-436-4700 for details.

Drop-ins welcome.


 
 

 
 
Mill City Commons | 125 Main St SE, Suite 339, Minneapolis, MN 55414
www.millcitycommons.org | [email protected]  
(612) 455-3329