Lauren Booth

Star Trek: Into familiar territory

The latest installment is filled with the makings of a summer blockbuster hit

The best Twin Cities concerts: 5/15-5/21

Finally! The weather is starting to catch up with the time of year. Just in time for Northeast's annual celebration, Art-A-Whirl. Featuring creative works from all over Minneapolis, the 331 club will be hosting local favorites such as Gospel Gossip, Carroll, Prissy Clerks, Crimes and more. Minneapol ... More >>

The best Twin Cities concerts: 5/1-5/7

The first week of May begins with an exciting lineup. James Blake returns to First Avenue's Mainroom Wednesday while Veils rock the 7th Street Entry. Electric boy/girl duos Purity Ring and Crystal Castles play First Avenue Thursday and Sunday. Minnesota's local member of Cult Records (Julian Casabla ... More >>

Mid West Music Fest 2013 Day Three: Neon, the Ultrasounds, Reina del Cid, and more

MWMF Day Three With Hang 'Em High, the Ultrasounds, Neon, Reina del Cid & the Cidizens, Eli Glor, Stereo Confession, and Riflebird Winona, Minnesota Saturday, April 20, 2013 After spending much of Friday night at Mid West Music Fest pleasantly cooped up at Ed's seeing a strong cadre of established ... More >>

Spring Breakers: Exploitation or artful send-up?

Sun-and-sex movie is like a Girls Gone Wild video by Godard

Lollapalooza 2013 lineup: Mumford & Sons, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend & more

What a difference a year makes when it comes to Lollapalooza, Chicago's destination music festival in Grant Park every summer. The first details of the lineup have emerged, and compared to the rockist-leaning 2012 bill it's looking very much like anything that can loosely fit within the antiquated " ... More >>

Our favorite Twin Cities food trends

A closer look at some of the hottest plates in restaurants around the metro

The best concerts in the Twin Cities this week: 2/6-2/12

The second week of February is already underway with some great shows. Didn't get tickets to Lady Gaga? Have no fear. The Amsterdam will be hosting a Born this Way After Party with Lady Starlight and the Dirty Pearls. The silky voiced Cody ChesnuTT makes an appearance at the Triple Rock Th ... More >>

Red Dawn doesn't shine

North Korea (and audiences) go home unhappy in U.S. invasion story

Bill McGuire buys Minnesota Stars

It looks like the rumor mill was true: Twin Cities businessman Bill McGuire will be revealed as the new owner of the Minnesota Stars this afternoon, according to the Star Tribune. SEE ALSO: MN Stars new ownership deal could be 'days away' Minnesota Stars could be finished by end of the year MN Star ... More >>

White Light Riot on why the band is breaking up

See Also:White Light Riot ready to rebound after record label dispute"Bands are a very fragile, very ethereal thing. Almost like if you look at them too hard, they disappear," said the Cars' guitarist Elliot Easton in an interview with City Pages.  Such is the case for Minneapolis band White L ... More >>

Hipshaker's Brian Engel on ten years of spinning soul on 45s

The only thing standing you and a new career as a DJ is two turntables and a microphone. Yeah, a mixer too. Don't have 'em? Don't worry, you've got a friend who's got it all in his basement, and it's not getting used anymore. That's what's so incredible about Hipshaker's tenth anniversary, which wi ... More >>

Dum Dum Girls, My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, Polica, and more

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

Greycoats stay theatrical but get catchy on new EP Helicline

Release show at Kitty Cat Klub

Has Radiohead been dissected to death yet? OK Computer is 15

Fifteen years ago on Saturday, Radiohead released a follow-up to The Bends -- which two years earlier had essentially cemented them as the new leaders of Brit Pop. Called OK Computer, the album almost single-handedly destroyed the Brit styling as we knew it. (The Spice Girls helped too.) The Bends w ... More >>

Drink of the Week: Pimm's Cup at Merlin's Rest

Are you familiar with Pimm's No. 1 Cup? This centuries-old liqueur has some lesser known cousins (the No. 3 and the No. 6) that are still in production, but the most popular by far is the No. 1. It's a cola-colored, gin-based liqueur that is faintly herby and is set off perfectly when mixed with cit ... More >>

The Best of SXSW Music: Friday 3/16/2012

If you're familiar with chaos theory, which in its basic form is the attempt to find patterns in the random acts of shit on Earth, then you may understand the difficulty that comes with describing a full day at SXSW. To break down the chaos, Village Voice Media's roving music editors have selected t ... More >>

Imbibe like an Irishman this Week in Food

We hope you like corned beef and Guinness, because this week in food leading up to St. Patrick's Day is all about indulging Irish-style.

Howard Jones, '80s synthpop icon, coming to the Varsity Theater

​Howard Jones is one of few musicians lucky enough to have notable longevity decades past his prime, so don't take one look at his hair and mistake him for Richard Marx or that lead Seagull. He lived many musical lifetimes since his 1985 radio hit "No One Is To Blame,"  when he carved a niche ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Starkey, the Darkness, the Best Love Is Free, and more

James Blake at First Avenue, 9/28/11

​James BlakeSeptember 28th, 2011First Ave, MinneapolisIt was just a few short months ago that James Blake first set foot in our fair Cities, in town then to pay a visit to the 7th St. Entry. On his return to Minneapolis last night, Blake made the upgrade to the Mainroom, and his excitement was imp ... More >>

Gastro Truck, Barrio, Hola Arepa, and more

Food trucks bring new eats to the street

White Light Riot ready to rebound after record label dispute

Band comes rocketing out of limbo

Zakia Deli's Kafta Sandwich: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 6

Spicy meatballs of love...​The simple joy of a gently spiced meat sandwich filled with hummus should not be overlooked, especially when you can survey its beautiful contents through the deli glass before they meet their enrobing pita. Add to that a cheery person who assembles your lunch with a kin ... More >>

Cake Eater's Blackberry Pie Bar: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 4

Is that a whole blackberry?​Emily and Taylor Harris's Cake Eater has become a neighborhood hang, serving breakfast and pastries in their charming day-glo orange trimmed building. The cupcakes are still important, but have lost their primacy in the wake of Sheela Namakkal's departure for Chicago. W ... More >>

La Loma's puerco tamale: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 10

The lure of the puerco​Some dishes are precious, requiring a dedicated diner to make deep forays into their wallet, the world of impossible-to-get reservations, and hoity-toity food circles. La Loma's puerco tamale is just the opposite, which is part of the reason we consider it like an old friend ... More >>

Trung Nam coconut croissant: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 15

Expand your plain/chocolate/almond horizons: the coconut croissant.​Plain croissants are an indulgence that's fairly straightforward in nature: layers of whisper-thin pastry with a buttery buffering between. Almond filling adds an element of sophistication; chocolate a certain hedonism. But coco ... More >>

The Triple Rock's mother biker: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 12

Debbie TallenNo animals were harmed in the making of this hangover cure​The Triple Rock Social Club may not be the most intuitive place to find one of our 100 favorite dishes of the year. More bar than restaurant, and more punk music club than anything else, it's not the kind of place you br ... More >>

Zumbro Cafe's Chicken Wild Rice Hash: 100 Favorite Dishes, no. 17

A healthier hash!​Normally we like to go to Zumbro Cafe in Linden Hills for breakfast and fuel up for a walk around Lake Harriet with eggs Benedict or flapjacks. But when all those carbs and cholesterol feel like too much, we turn to the chicken wild rice hash.

The Good Day Cafe's glazed doughnut pancakes: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 20

Anne Rucker Craving pancakes AND doughnuts? Now you can have both!​What could be better than two decadent, sweet and delicious breakfast staples rolled into one dish?  With the glazed doughnut pancakes at the Good Day Cafe you get the best of both breakfast treats.  Hearty-yet-l ... More >>

Rinata's eggplant involtini: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 24

Mo PerryA delicate amuse-bouche​Rinata's eggplant involtini with goat cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and tomato sugo is perhaps the perfect appetizer. Light, delicate, and intensely flavorful, this is no heaping plate of deep-fried calamari or platter of bruschetta dense enough to render the bre ... More >>

Smack Shack's lobster roll: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 25

Emily UtneIt's finally food truck season!​Early this week, we're told, Smack Shack should be rolling its big white truck into its downtown Minneapolis parking spot at First Avenue and Fourth Street North to kick off its outdoor season. (Don't worry, Northeasters, it'll still be at the 1029 Bar ... More >>

The Happy Gnome's MN game burger: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 27

Mo PerryEating locally sourced food never tasted so indulgent​Eating locally sourced food has been all the rage for quite some time now, but maybe you've eschewed the whole idea, thinking it meant stuffy, sparse plates of morally superior greens sprinkled with a few smug flax seeds. Allow me ... More >>

Patisserie Margo's Zuppa Englese Torte: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 28

A perfect 10 in taste and looks...​The Zuppa Englese torte at Patisserie Margo has a gorgeous multilayered construction that amazes the eyes and seems more precise and perfect than the original Italian treat. When translated, it means English soup, which one theory says came about when Italian che ... More >>

Dolsot Bibimbap at Dong Yang Oriental Food: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 31

Kei TerauchiDolsot bibimbop: the food pyramid in a stone pot​It may be true that fast food provides you the most calories per dollar. But you are paying for processed fat and starch flavored to taste acceptable to the tolerant palate. If you are looking to fill up on healthy and full-flavored ... More >>

Meritage's pommes frites: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 33

Joy SummersHold the ketchup, pass the Bearnaise ​Everything tastes better in French. Admit it. Would you rather eat mayo or aioli? A loaf of bread or a baguette? Velveeta or a little fromage? French fries or pommes frites? I rest my case. For French cuisine in the Twin Cities, it's hard to ... More >>

Piccolo's scrambled eggs with pigs' feet: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 32

The elegance of eggs​Doug Flicker has a reputation as one of the best, if not the best, chefs in town. Those who know food, like other chefs and serious food followers, watch his every move. He's earned that respect by cooking his food his way, even if it might not appear to be what's popular with ... More >>

Travail's fried chicken: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 34

​Even those who have lived in New Orleans for decades, where fried chicken is an art form, might find themselves losing years of their lives trying to prepare the dish at home, always feeling some sort of disappointment at the results. It's not always easy to pinpoint what is wrong. Was the batter ... More >>

Urban Eatery's Asian pork sliders: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 37

Take that, White Castle!​To think that we once satisfied our late-night snacking urges with the mushy blandness of the White Castle slyder, a meal that's perfectly content to be seasoned with nothing more than steamed onions. Sure, there's comfort to be found in the squishy buns and flat mea ... More >>

Sunny Side Up Cafe's Santa Fe Railroad French Toast: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 40

Sara RiceSunny Side Up Cafe knows the way to Santa Fe... French toast, anyway​After a night out in Uptown, it's important to have your recovery plan in place before hitting the sack for the night so you know where to stumble to when the sun rouses you. There's no shortage of breakfast joints ... More >>

Dancing Ganesha's Chicken 65: 100 Favorite Dishes, No. 42

Colorful and tasty too​Good smells waft down Harmon Place when you open the doors to Dancing Ganesha and grab a seat at the bar, it only gets better. Pass by the elephant and settle in to watch the dual TV's -- one showing a Bollywood musical and the other reprising a cricket match with the West I ... More >>

Prairie Ale House introduces better class of pub grub

Eden Prairie restaurant merges sports and great eats

Is Britney Spears's 'Hold It Against Me' a Bellamy Brothers rip-off?

​Britney Spears is back in the spotlight today for her new single, "Hold It Against Me," which leaked yesterday and was offered up on iTunes at midnight last night. Reactions so far have been fairly positive, but not everyone is stoked about this new release from Brit Brit--most notably, country d ... More >>

Beyonce's perfume commercial: Too hot for TV?

​We begin at the base of a perfume bottle, its diamond-cut girth giving way to a more cylindrical, skyscraper-like shape, a deep cognac-red yielding to light-beer amber; suddenly, just like that, we're contemplating the bottle's top. A feminine hand removes it, uncorking the bottle and triggering ... More >>

The Bootleg: Minnesota's signature country-club cocktail

Prohibition-era drink deftly masks taste of alcohol

Ten Most Wanted

2006 was a tasty, tasty year. Dara goes through her memory book and anoints the stars.

Most of the Enchilada

New D'Amico Mexican Restaurant Masa Is Casual and Likable, and Mixes a Damn Good Margarita. Isn't That Good Enough?

Most of the Enchilada

New D'Amico Mexican restaurant Masa is casual and likable, and mixes a damn good margarita. Isn't that good enough?

Deck Days of Summer

Storing up extra sunshine for the winter ahead