Download: Conspiracies, Owamni, Barry Manilow

SOCCER SUMMER: I’m not a typical sports parent, I don’t love talking about the game with other parents, I’m not breaking down strategy, I’m just here to support the kids. And yet there is something extra cool about this week every summer in Blaine - I loved watching a kid on Sam’s club team asking a kid from the Caymen Islands how hot it is there. The USA Cup brings kids and refs from around the world here - and it is awesome. I won’t miss most of sports dad life // running the kid taxi. But i will miss these moments! - Jason

TOO BUSY TO DOWNLOAD:

• Chicago dog icon leaving over rent

• UPDATE: Opening at 50th & France?

• Podcasts: Barry Manilow, Mancini’s and more

• Dialogue: conspiracies and silence

• Owamni Celebrates 3

• Pick of the Week: Up North (ish)

• Read to the end for great stuff over the Downtown Dialogue from last week

DOWNLOAD DIALOGUE: This week saw people who have spent the past 3 years laughing at the tinfoil hat crowd, putting the Reynolds foil on for themselves. It’s sometimes easier to believe that an assassination is staged or an election is literally rigged instead of facing tough realities. Someone shot at a former President. The Secret Service failed to prevent it. Your candidate failed. We’re all more susceptible to going down the conspiracy road than we think.

John Stewart had a great commentary on how in the moments after the assassination attempt we all went to social media to make sure that the killer wasn’t on our team. I hope it’s not a Democrat, or a (insert religion here), or a teenager or an old guy. YOUTUBE: https://fluence-media.co/3Y9TeN1

Sometimes it’s ok to wait. I didn’t put any personal commentary on my X account Saturday night as news was developing. As my friend Jeff Kolb said, X is amazing for breaking news but horrible for the loony takes that happen right after. No one regrets saying nothing.    Agree? Disagree? Reach out: Jason@JasonDeRusha.com

CHICAGO TASTE AUTHORITY LEAVING: On my radio show, Rob Dubnecay told me he’s leaving Chicago’s Taste Authority 42nd & Hiawatha location, it’s not about crime or politics or minimum wage - it’s that his rent is too high. Is it time for landlords to get real? MNMO: https://fluence-media.co/4f7z2Bj

CONFIRMED: As you first read here, Mr. Paul’s Supper Club is opening in the former Arezzo Ristorante at 51th & France. Chef/owner Tommy Begnaud isn’t giving full details, but he suggests I wait on putting out any new best pizza lists until late October!

OPENING WEDNESDAY: I’ll be at the soft opening for Black Duck Spirits & Hearth this weekend, the official opening date is this coming Wednesday. 2900 Johnson St. NE, Minneapolis, right by Hazel’s NE. It’s from Chef/owner Jason Sawicki, known for his food truck Fare Game. Meet the team: https://fluence-media.co/3W6L1qc

OWAMNI TURNS 3: Still some tickets available to party with Owamni tonight (Friday). Free party on the River Road level from 5-9pm –register at EventBrite to guarantee your spot! Inside the Waterworks Pavilion building, NATIFS and other nonprofits will have info booths and a popup NATIFS market with crafts from Indigenous vendors. $150 for VIP tickets with chef stations and drinks in the Owamni restaurant and its upper level terrace and patio. TICKETS https://fluence-media.co/3LAe0O0

DEEP FRIED RANCH SUMMER: As is my dumbest tradition, I have ranked the 33 new Minnesota State Fair foods based on a highly legitimate experience of tasting none of them. How’s the concept? The fun? The track record of the vendor? It’s fun to do and then see how reality matches up. MNMO: https://fluence-media.co/4czjRz6

PICK OF THE WEEK: Cru at Grand View Lodge has always been a favorite of mine - the room feels lodgey and elegant. But the food hasn’t always clicked. Chef Justin Grecco is remaking the menu with a focus on Central Minnesota farmers and producers. 30% of the menu is from 40 miles of Gull Lake, and the dishes we tried were stunning. We had rabbit and Garam Masala-dusted Venison Tenderloin, blackened ribeye. All glorious.

And then this truffled mushroom dish - with a simply prepared collection of mushrooms grown in nearby Pequot Lakes. I loved that so many guests had their little kids in the dining room too. Service was so warm and friendly - Grand View hosted us as part of my radio show being on location. They have a really nice steakhouse in the lodge too - but I’d go to Cru even if I were not staying at the resort. You can too - good wine list - rebuilding towards great. I love that they’ll take anyone into the cellar (which is arranged by price) and let them pick a bottle. A cool experience! BOOK: https://fluence-media.co/3y0iSsR

DRIVETIME ON DEMAND

BARRY MANILOW: a great chat with a legend! https://fluence-media.co/3W9METW

PAT MANCINI: Another icon! Pat talks about what he missed out on to run the family restaurant Mancini’s with his brother. https://fluence-media.co/3LtqJC6

ASHLEY SHELBY: She’s not just Don’s daughter! Ashley joined me to talk about her new book some call “cli-fi” climate fiction. https://fluence-media.co/4bVMRjj

WHO SHOULD REPLACE BIDEN: and why I think police should make more than teachers (i hate the guilt-trip-compare-everything-to-teachers) https://fluence-media.co/3WsR0qv

SUBSCRIBE TO THE DRIVETIME WITH DERUSHA PODCAST!

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We upload every segment so you can listen on your own time!

DOWNTOWN IS BACK DIALOGUE: The head of the Downtown Council, and my friend, Adam Duininck sort of disagreed with my take from last week. [Read the newsletter here: https://fluence-media.co/4bVZieZ]. “I think downtown Minneapolis is humming,” he said. We talked about it on my radio show: LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4cNIAzJ

Objectively there are some great indicators from this month - huge hotel stays. And no doubt hotel stays and visitors are important to getting things to a good level. We need to not talk about getting “back to normal” because that isn’t going to happen. What is success? What is enough activity for the businesses who support downtown?

My well-connected friend Jill points out that one of our biggest challenges is the lack of business travel. Because we’re not a huge leisure tourism draw, we rely on business travel along with conventions and special events to keep downtown hopping. Plus “people have fewer business meetings (I feel like I still notice more meetings that would have been a lunch or a coffee are just a zoom now). We have to figure out what the future of downtown looks like because there are inherent challenges for building a thriving downtown where you have a hybrid work model and Minneapolis doesn’t have high downtown residency like other cities.”

Doug raises an interesting point, that the crime that hit the city has spread to the suburbs. “I love our city, I loved it more before COVID, George Floyd and politics destroyed it. But I still go down and laugh at my neighbors who tell me venturing anywhere north of the Minnesota River is a death wish. Oh the life they are missing confined to their once safe haven of the south suburbs.”

ON ELI’S CLOSING: John lives within a couple blocks and like me has great nostalgic memories of Eli’s downtown, yet noted a major decline post-COVID. “There are a couple thousand people who live within a few blocks and a smart operator could create the next great neighborhood operation.  I fear no one will take on the challenge. I'll miss the old Eli's but not this one.” Agreed- although the economics of a downtown, full-service, neighborhood spot are tough. Maybe a counter-service/fast-casual spot with a full bar is the move.

E-MAIL ME!! HAVE COMMENTS? A GOOD QUESTION? WANT TO PARTNER? The partners make it possible for me to do this — so do you! Thank you for reading!! I love seeing your feedback - so please share thoughts and news tips to Jason@JasonDeRusha.com.

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