National Restaurant Association in May

In May, David Shea will be presenting at the NRA Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago. This exciting program entitled, "Building Your Restaurant Concept Into a Brand" will be a collaboration between Shea and experts David Dodson of The Cultivation Corps and Warren Wolfe of Macy's. With over 70,000 attendees last year, this is the food industry event of the year. If you are planning on attending the conference, please stop by and visit us at South Hall, 4th Floor on Saturday, May 19. If you would like more information on the program, contact Andy McDermott at Shea at 612-594-4245 or andym@shealink.com. For more information on the NRA Show, visit www.restaurant.org/show/index.cfm.

Kohl's Goes Solar

http://plainvanillashell.com/article.asp?ID=7739

MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH

Join us at Cosmos restaurant for Mother's Day Brunch on May 13th, 2007, featuring 5-course pre-fixe menu for $45 per person from 10 am - 8 pm.
For reservations please call 612-312-1168 or visit www.cosmosrestaurant.com. Complimentary valet all day.

Guacamole Contest

Guac Anyone???

The 2nd Annual Shea Cinco de Mayo Guacamole Contest will take place Friday May 4, 2007 at 3:30 sharp. This year the winner of the contest will receive a bottle of Don Julio Anejo Tequila. 1 entry per person, the only other rule is the guacamole must be homemade. Blind taste test and judging by all staff members will determine the winner. Shea will provide the chips and mucho cervesa.

Retailers try to convince customers to stick around

OfficeMax looks at new ways to make things better for their customers

http://www.miamiherald.com/795/story/87444.html

Prepare for Construction (oh yeah, and a Twins Stadium)

Twins Ballpark
The Start of Construction
3/28/07 Open House

MAJOR CONSTRUCTION BEGINS 2007
Ballpark construction will begin in May. The first tasks include site demolition of the Rapid Park site, relocation of utilities on the Rapid Park site, and mass grading of the ballpark site and parking lot area.
Also in May, the 3rd Avenue North connection up to the 7th Street Bridge and on to Glenwood Avenue closes permanently. The 5th Street Bridge will close temporarily and there also will be temporary lane closures and congested traffic at times. Any temporary or permanent closure gets posted for 10 days before it happens. Motorists are urged to drive carefully, expect delays, and allow extra time to reach destinations.

Disruptions include:
3rd Avenue North permanent closure from 6th to 7th Street by removing the ramp up to 7th. Permanent as of May 07. This closure allows for ballpark foundation work to begin.
3rd Avenue North between 5th & 6th Street for utilities installation. May 07-July 07 This work brings utility service to the ballpark site. This work involves private utilities like phone and electricity and public utilities like sewer and water.
3rd Avenue lane closure from Washington to 5th Street during new utilities installation. May 07-August 07 This lane closure is linked to the utility work described above.
3rd Avenue on ramp to I-394- temporary closures for pedestrian bridge construction. May 07-July 08 The Ballpark Project creates a new bridge link with downtown over 394. For motorists’ safety, traffic lanes will need to periodically close.
5th Street Bridge total closure for rebuilding of the bridge abutment to reroute rail traffic. May 07- October 07 This work provides for the movement of the BNSF railroad tracks such that the Cedar Lake Bike Trail can pass next to the ballpark and on to the Mississippi River. Metropolitan Council Environmental Services needs to reline a sewer interceptor at this time as well. The Bridge closes to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
7th Street/3rd Avenue lane closure for Ballpark sheetpiling. Intermittent from May/07- May/08 In order for the ballpark construction to move into this area, the contractor needs to set barriers to hold back dirt.


How Can I Avoid These Disruptions?
Watch for signs and detours for all temporary and permanent closures.
See attached maps for pedestrian and vehicle detour routes.
Check the Ballpark Authority’s WebSite: http://www.ballparkauthority.com for current information.
The Cedar Lake bike trail will continue to 3rd Avenue but be fenced off from the construction site.
All bus routes will operate as they do now.
Parking – The Rapid Parking lot between 5th and 7th Streets will close. The Rapid Park lot from 5th to Washington remains open. The ABC Ramps remain open.
How Do I Get Updated Information?

· Check the Minnesota Ballpark Authority’s Web Page http://www.ballparkauthority.com or call the Ballpark Authority Main Number- 612 543-PARK (7275).
Connect to the Ballpark Authority Webpage through: Hennepin County; The City of Minneapolis; Warehouse District Business Association; North Loop Neighborhood; Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association; Hawthorne Neighborhood Association; Minneapolis Downtown Council; and the Chamber of Commerce.
Check with your organization The following organizations have agreed to notify their membership about ballpark construction updates: the Warehouse District Business Association; the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association; the North Loop Neighborhood Association and the Bryn Mar Neighborhood Association.
Sign up for e-mail notification The Minnesota Ballpark Authority will also take your e-mail address and notify you directly (call 612 543-7275).
Check Media Staff will also send press releases to the print (including neighborhood papers)/ radio/ and television media.

Questions? Contact Chuck Ballentine, Deputy Coordinator at 612-543-7275 or chuck.ballentine@co.hennepin.mn.us

Note: Project information may change due to weather, scheduling or other factors outside of our control. Information will be updated as soon as it becomes available.

Paper or Plastic?

Plastic grocery bags' convenience trumps environmental factor
Petroleum-based sacks like those used in Iowa are banned elsewhere, but big change is unlikely here.

By PATT JOHNSONREGISTER BUSINESS WRITER
April 19, 2007

Shoppers like their plastic grocery bags and still continue to choose them overwhelmingly over more environmentally friendly paper bags.
"Consumers like the reusability of plastic sacks and the convenience of being able to grab several at a time," said Fred Greiner, president of Boone-based Fareway Stores Inc., which has been using plastic grocery bags since 1988. The company's 93 stores use in excess of 1 million plastic bags a week.
But if a movement on the West Coast creeps its way to the Midwest, grocers will be looking for alternatives to the plastic bags. San Francisco has banned the use of petroleum-based grocery bags at larger supermarkets and drugstore chains. Officials in Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Calif., and Austin, Texas, are considering similar bans.
Several foreign cities including Paris and nations including South Africa, Bangladesh and Taiwan also ban the bags or plan to.
The majority of bags used at Iowa grocery stores are made with petroleum products. And it looks as though it may stay that way for now.
"Groceries have to be bagged up. And the vast majority of bags used are plastic," said Jerry Fleagle, president of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association. "Most consumers prefer plastic."
Hy-Vee uses about 5.4 million plastic bags a week and fewer than 350,000 paper bags in its 220 stores in seven Midwestern states. The company has created incentives over the years to reduce reliance on plastic bags and encourage recycling, such as offering a 5-cent-a-bag refund for customers bringing in used plastic grocery bags and selling reasonably priced, reusable canvas shopping totes.
But the plastic bags almost always seem to win out."They are reusable and waterproof," Greiner said. And they cost less for stores to buy than paper, he said.
But along with taking a long time to break down in landfills, the bags often end up as debris, strewn across fields and clumped in ditches, he said.
Susan Sanford of Urbandale said she prefers paper grocery bags because she can collect her other recyclables in them. She would like to see some restrictions put on plastic bag usage in grocery stores, but doubts grocers will do it on their own.
"I would like to see it done voluntarily, but whatever is the cheapest route, that's what the grocery store is going to use," she said.
A more environmentally friendly plastic bag is being researched, but so far a usable product hasn't made its way to stores, said Larry Johnson, director of the Center for Crop Utilization Research at Iowa State University.
Several years ago, a cornstarch-based plastic was created for use in making grocery bags. The bags were not as strong as their petroleum counterparts and did not degrade fast enough in composts and landfills.
"They never met consumer expectations," Johnson said.
Scientists continue to work on other alternatives.
"Finding a polymer derived from a renewable source is being investigated, but it's not going to happen overnight," Johnson said. On top of that, consumers are not willing to pay very much for a green product, he said.
So while the world waits for a better plastic bag, stores will look for ways to better use the bags they have now, Fleagle said.
Some companies, like Hy-Vee, Wal-Mart and Fareway, provide large barrels at store entrances so shoppers can drop off used bags.It's a successful program at the Hy-Vee on South 51st Street in West Des Moines. About 90 percent of the bags that leave the store are plastic, and at least some of them come back to the recycling bin, said store director Mark Luke.
"I have to empty the barrel every two or three days," Luke said. "I ship them to the warehouse where they recycle them."Consumers also need to take a look at how they are using plastic bags, Fleagle said. They can be reused or recycled, he said.
Amy Horst, communications specialist with the Metro Waste Authority in Des Moines, said plastic shopping bags aren't currently included in curbside recycling services. Concerns about the weightless bags flying out of recycling bins or drifting around landfills have yet to be addressed, she said.
"We are actively looking at it," she said.

Alcohol: Men vs. Women

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Alcohol abuse damages women's brains and other organs more rapidly than men's, according to a study released Monday.

Women suffered from alcoholism sooner and while drinking smaller quantities than men, according to authors of the study published in the May issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
Researchers gave 78 male and 24 female Russian alcoholics aged 18-40 a battery of tests of their mental functions after four weeks' abstinence as well as a control group of 68 men and women who were not alcoholics.
The female alcoholics did worse on tests of visual memory, reasoning and problem-solving than their male counterparts.
"Women experience the negative physiological consequences of alcohol abuse or dependence earlier in their drinking careers and with less alcohol consumption than do men," explained Barbara Flannery, senior scientist at RTI International and corresponding author for the study.
"Women have greater liver, heart and other cardiovascular consequences than do men," she said.
"The female alcoholics, when compared to the male alcoholics, performed worse on tests of visual working memory, spatial planning, problem solving and cognitive flexibility."
These deficits fall under the category of executive functioning, she added, which are also called higher-order functioning because they involved the integration of more primary cognitive skills.
"Deficits in executive functioning have a more pervasive effect on oneÂ’s ability to function on a daily basis," Flannery said. "For example, difficulties with problem-solving could impact an individualÂ’s ability to plan and execute a strategy to overcome a dilemma in daily life."
James Garbutt, professor of psychiatry and research scientist at Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, said the findings could be used to help treat alcoholism in women.
"Women should be made aware, and this includes teenagers and college women who drink to excess, that alcohol has a more detrimental effect on them both physically and cognitively," he said.
"The study reveals that excessive alcohol can reduce one's intellectual abilities," Garbutt added. "This knowledge might have increased motivating power to help some individuals move away from destructive drinking."

Uptown mall's misfortune spreading to neighborhood

Chris Serres, Star Tribune, Minneapolis
April 19, 2007
Apr. 19--On a slow afternoon, the baritone voice of David Samake wafts through the halls of Calhoun Square.
Samake, manager of a kiosk in the center court that sells hats and jewelry, doesn't have many customers these days. So he often passes the time singing to himself and occasionally making animal noises.
"Anything to break the silence," he said. "Because there are times this place seems so dead that people feel uncomfortable just walking through here."
Like many merchants here, Samake spends a lot of time thinking about what went wrong with Calhoun Square. The once-bustling shopping center in south Minneapolis, which inspired Prince to write the lyrics, "Meet me there if U dare, Calhoun Square," has become a cavernous shell of its former self. All but a handful of the mall's early independent stores are gone.
The central courtyard serves more as a throughway to nearby clubs and restaurants than a shopping destination.
Just how Calhoun Square lost its way is a matter of considerable debate. Some retail observers say the mall's decline began a decade ago, when previous owner Ray Harris and his partners shifted the emphasis from independent shops to national chains and restaurants. Others blame Uptown's notoriously active neighborhood groups, which in more prosperous times fought changes that could have revitalized the property.
"What started out as a shopping mall has become just a building with stores," said Darrel Besikof, owner of Bay Street Shoes & Accessories, a store that has been in the mall since its 1983 opening.
Now there are concerns that Calhoun Square's troubles are spreading. Brown paper covers the windows of two buildings at W. Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue that, until this spring, housed a Gap store and Cold Stone Creamery. Panera Bread, Tibet's Corner, Gabriella's and Josi Wert are a few of the growing number of stores and restaurants that have vacated Uptown since early last year.
"There's a lot of frustration because stores keep closing and no one knows what's going to happen" to the mall, said Thatcher Imboden, board member of the Uptown Association, a business group. "Calhoun Square is still the focal point of Uptown, and the difficulties impact the entire community."
Bidders stepping up
Area residents who two decades ago feared that Calhoun Square's success would lead to the "mallification" of Uptown said they are ready to consider just about any plan that would help revive the center.
There is interest in the property. Last month, Principal Financial Group, the giant insurance and investment company that paid top dollar for Calhoun Square three years ago, said it was putting the property up for sale. It has already received at least six bids, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Its real estate broker, CB Richard Ellis, declined to disclose the names of bidders or their offers. It is unclear when Principal will choose a new owner.
The bidding process, which began last month, has injected an air of excitement into the mall and a sense that big changes are imminent. One of the known bidders is the Ackerberg Group, Uptown's largest landlord and co-developer of the Mozaic, an ambitious, 10-story condominium and hotel project on the site of the current Lagoon Theater in Uptown.
Stuart Ackerberg, the firm's owner, said he believes the mall has never lived up to its potential -- in part, because the previous owners allowed in too many chain stores found elsewhere. "Rather than be unique, it morphed into everything that was already out there," he said. "That was the frustrating part -- watching it decline when I know what it's capable of."
Stalled plans
On paper, Calhoun Square should be thriving. The building sits amid one of the most densely populated areas of the city. An adjoining parking ramp makes it convenient for families visiting from the suburbs. And a few longtime tenants, including Kitchen Window and Figlio, have remained popular destinations for more than two decades.
"Why aren't there more stores here?" asked a perplexed Anthony McDonald, 53, a Minneapolis firefighter, who was walking through the mall with his wife, Ekram Abdulahi, on a recent weekday evening. "The second floor is so empty, there's no reason to go up there."
Vacant storefronts are partially the result of a stalled redevelopment and expansion project that many now believe was too ambitious.
Three years ago, Principal Financial proposed a dramatic makeover to triple the size of the development and add 108 condominiums above the expanded mall. But this spring, Principal pulled the plug on the $75 million project, citing the condo-market slowdown.
The stalled project had a profound impact on the mall. Tenants that were moved to short-term leases while Principal prepared the project for redevelopment grew frustrated and left, including the Borders bookstore last May.
"It got to the point where, during the day, you could shoot a cannon through there and not hit anyone," said Tom Ford, who in January closed Caruso's Gelato Cafe in the mall.
Calhoun Square tenants weren't the only ones disappointed when Principal dropped the redevelopment. So, too, were area merchants who had counted on the project to bring more people to Uptown.
John Migala, general manager of the Urban Outfitters store across from Calhoun Square, said he persuaded his parent company to supply his store with a wider assortment of clothing in part because of expectations that Calhoun Square's redevelopment would improve sales. "I kept talking up the Calhoun [Square] project," he said. "It's extremely frustrating."
Chris Serres -- 612-673-4308 -- cserres@startribune.com

Macy's updates in-store dining

The following article was taken from Nation's Restaurant News and comes as no surprise to Shea!

SAN FRANCISCO , Calif. (Apr. 18) Macy's has started outfitting its stores with a new proprietary quick-service concept and variations on a landmark West Coast outlet created by famed baker Nancy Silverton.
The department-store chain describes its new homegrown Macy's Taste Bar as a "quick-service gourmet food and coffee bar." The menu includes soups, salads and sandwiches developed by Macy's Culinary Council, the group of celebrity chefs who lend their names to the chain's other food outlets, the retailer said.
News reports say the concept made its debut yesterday in a newly constructed 180,000-square-foot Macy's in Bolingbrook, Ill. Press reports from Florida say the Taste Bar may be featured in as many as eight of the retailer's outlets in that state.
Meanwhile, the company said, its stores in California are slated to add additional branches this spring of Nancy Silverton's La Brea Bakery, the café-style place in the Macy's on State Street in Chicago. The concept is patterned after the famed bakery on South La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles.
The Chicago store also features Rick Bayless' Frontera Fresco, a variation on the famed local chef's Frontera Grill.
Macy's stores in Florida will host units of Wolfgang Puck Gourmet Express and chef Todd English's Figs chains.
Macy's, a holding of Federated Department Stores Inc. here, sports a variety of foodservice facilities in its more than 725 stores nationwide. Those other brands include outlets of the Cosi fast-casual sandwich chain and such one-of-a-kinds as the Cellar Grill in New York City.

Urban Roots comes to Minneapolis

Introducing – Urban Roots Garden Center
In the SW Corner Parking Lot of 5th Ave N & Washington
Open every nice day from 10:00am – 5:30pm
Pick up available at Gardner Hardware until 7:00pm.
Starting April 28th – Open Through June 31st!

Starting on April 28th Urban Roots Gardner Center will be Open for Business!

Come Check out the newest addition to the North Loop Business Scene – Urban Roots! Focusing on a wide selection of flowers, vegetables, and herbs to meet the gardening needs of the North Loop Neighborhood, Urban Roots will be a one stop shop to all your urban gardening needs. Available products included:

Flowers - Alyssum, Begonia, Celosia, Coleus, Dahlia, Pansies, Marigolds, Impatiens, Petunia, Snapdragon, Verbena, Viola, Zinnia, Dahlberg Daisy, Morning Glory, Bacopa, Fuchsia, Geranium, Gerbera, Lobelia, Sprengeri, and more.

Herbs & Veggies – Peppers (Belle Boy, Habanero, Jalepeno), Tomato (8 types), Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Lavender, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Spearmint, Thyme and more.

Baskets & Hangers - for every downtown garden big or small.

Special Orders are available if you do not see what you are looking for and can be available for pickup within 2 days.

For more Information email us at http://www.mplsurbanroots@gmail.com/or check out our myspace page mplsurbanroots, we need all the friends we can get.

ALSO!

We're sponsoring an exciting new event this summer – "Everything About Orchids" presented by the owners of Winsome Orchids Company, Minnesota's premier orchid importer. On May 6th and June 16th from about 11:00am – 1:00pm the people of Winsome Orchid will drive their truck to our parking lot with 30-40 different orchids. The orchids will be on display for everyone to look at and purchase if inclined. In addition, they will give a one hour presentation on the history of orchids, caring for orchids – including potting, dividing, and repotting live demonstrations, and then answer any questions. Winsome Orchids has done many presentations throughout the state and routinely presents for the Minnesota Orchid Society and at the Minnesota Arboretum. Refreshments will be served. Reserved seating will be available for sign up at Gardner Hardware or email at mailto:www.mplsurbanroots@gmail.com, limit 20 seats per presentation. Ample standing room will be available as well, and everyone is welcome to bring their own chairs. Hope to see you there!

The Loon is 25!!!

The Loon Cafe is celebrating their 25th Anniversary and this is the last week to take advantage of some great specials! Some of the specials this week include Margarita Madness, South of the Border Celebration, a party with the Jagerette Grils, 1982 Rollback pricing on select items, Bonus Brunch, a chance to meet Captain Morgan and the Morganette Girls, and Burger Blast. For more information stop into The Loon Cafe at 500 First Avenue, call 612-332-8342 or visit them on the web at http://www.thelooncafe.com/.

Shea Gets the First Taste of Fogo

Fogo de Chao invites Shea for a taste
On Monday, April 16 Fernando and the gang from Fogo de Chao invited the entire Shea staff over for dinner. The restaurant officially opened Thursday, but we were their guinea pigs.

About 20 people showed up to try out Brazilian style cooking. And most have fallen in love! The salad bar could keep any vegetarian busy for quite some time, plus everyone else. The asparagus were HUGE!

With about 20 kinds of meat to try, we were eager to flip our fogo coasters over to the green side telling the gouchos to "bring it on!"

The servers were knowledgable of the food, drinks, and desserts. Our table had a great time seeing just how much we could eat before exploding.

Please share comments on your experiece!!!

Crave - the familiar with flair
Predictable fare with a bit of style makes for a winning proposition.
By Rick Nelson, Star Tribune

If FM-107 were a restaurant, it would probably resemble Crave.
From my perch at the marble-topped bar -- my favorite seat in the house, people-watching-wise -- it's obvious that the shiny new Galleria restaurant's target demographic mirrors the radio station's: J. Jill-clad, Rocco Altobelli-coiffed, Ampersand shopping-bag-carrying women. Even my MBA, gathering dust in my brain's least-traversed recesses since the mid-'80s, allowed me to recognize a savvy business strategy when it sees one.
In devising his menu, chef Eli Wollenzien clearly crunched the numbers, too. In short: no surprises, no unwelcome wackiness. Instead, something to suit just about every -- and apologies in advance for this -- craving. Sushi, wood-fired pizzas, rotisserie chicken, salads, sandwiches, pastas, a big New York strip with creamy mashed potatoes for the significant others dragged against their will into a Pottery Barn run: It's all there.
But here's the nice news. Because the ownership has its hand in other well-regarded enterprises (Bellanotte, View), the end results at Crave are often a cut above the cookie-cutter outcomes that diners have come to expect from most suburban restaurants.
Another surprise? The kitchen's emphasis on well-sourced ingredients and their clear, vibrant flavors, another shopping mall rarity. You can taste the difference in the lovely salads, so fresh that they seem to practically levitate off the plate. I love the pretty toss of garden-green spinach and arugula flecked with candied walnuts and a tasty Minnesota-made blue cheese, practically overshadowing a hefty slab of plush salmon. Ditto for pears and apples paired with balls of a tangy Kimball, Minn., goat cheese as well as the well-balanced sting of citrus vinaigrette against roasted beets and walnuts.
Sandwiches start with a superb burger, a thick sizzling patty of ground sirloin topped with slow-cooked onions and a just-right amount of smoked Cheddar. A chicken salad sandwich -- simple, abundant -- is so delicious it rivals the one at the nearby Good Earth, and that's saying something. There's a fine pastrami and a you'll-eat-every-bite muffuletta, too. Even the house-fried chips -- paper thin Yukon Gold potatoes and red beets, crunchy and nicely salted -- are a treat.
A wood-burning oven adds a smoky dimension to a host of pizzas (the flatbread style wins out over the more lackluster thick-crust versions), and the appetizers' best foot forward is a long plate of neat slices of grilled bread topped with shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes and a gutsy pistachio pesto; the pasta department's rendition of this dish is its top performer. The wild rice soup steers from the traditional cream-clogged recipe, opting for a brighter, tastier chicken-broth profile with sweet corn accents.
Several familiar-sounding entrees have just enough flair -- and even execution -- to keep them from feeling passé: marvelously juicy rotisserie chicken and pork; tender, thinly sliced flank steak topped with highly seasoned mushrooms, mouth-melting short ribs with ginger-laced mashed potatoes. The rather extensive sushi menu is perfectly pleasant, although with the exception of an amusing and disturbingly delicious nod to Minnesota tastes involving smoked walleye and mayo, the lineup is not unlike the output available at a dozen other sushi-focused competitors.
Not all is perfect
Some dishes suffer from enthusiasm or clumsiness, I'm not sure which. The rice wine vinaigrette in a cabbage-rice noodle-chicken salad was so overseasoned that my tongue was feeling the burn an hour later. Plump scallops were cooked to rubber. Angel hair pasta, nicely tossed with little sweet grape tomatoes, flavorful basil and crunchy pistachios, was swimming in olive oil.
A cool, delicate tuna tartare was overpowered by a salty sake-soy reduction, and a too-pungent miso glaze sealed the coffin on an overcooked sea bass. Nothing was going to save the tomato-mozzarella "tower," a depressing one-two punch of flavorless, out-of-season tomatoes and equally bland cheese. And the overwrought, been-there-done-that desserts -- a barely chocolatey and decidedly molten-free lava cake, an odd berry tart/flan hybrid, a too-sweet apple crisp -- could use some retooling.
The decorators tricking out the Galleria's pricey condos might want to take a few design cues from the restaurant's posh visual pastiche, an appealing whirl of gleaming copper, sparkling glass tiles, rich African cherry and handsome art glass fixtures amid the requisite demonstration kitchen, display wine room and wide-open bar, a fitting and flattering backdrop for its prosperous clientele.
The cast of "Brothers & Sisters" would fit right in. What a coincidence: The nighttime sudser is probably one of TV's top-rated new shows, particularly among -- you got it -- women.
Rick Nelson • rdnelson@startribune.com
©2007 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION PRESENTS A GATHERING OF OUR ESTEEMED MEMBER COMPANIES AT

508 FIRST AVENUE N

WEDNESDAY MAY 2
at 5pm
Food served from 5pm-6pm
2 complimentary glasses of beer or wine per person

The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota cordially invite you to attend









"Banking on Preservation"
at the Westin Hotel--Minneapolis
88 South 6th Street
Friday April 27, 2007
6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
$50.00 per person
fine hors d'oeuvres and cash bar




Be one of the first inside the new Westin-Minneapolis before it officially opens on May 3rd. Designed by architect Dale McEnary in 1941, celebrate the Art Moderne-style Farmers and Mechanics Bank and its expert transformation through the use of federal rehabilitation tax credits. Building tours will be given by expert architectural historians from Hess Roise and Company. Purchase your tickets to this very special event by callingthe Preservation Alliance of Minnesota at 651.293.9047. Please make ticket purchase by Friday, April 20, 2007.

To the Bat Cave!

Every secret headquarters, from the Bat Cave to 24's CTU, has THAT map - you know, the ultra-detailed, wall-size one that poinpoints villains with blips of light and provides further information in a calm, computerized voice. We always dismissed it as Hollywood techo-fantasy -- until we discovered the Global Incident Map.
A self-described "Global Display of Terrorism and Other Suspicious Events," the Website combines the staggering accuracy of Google Maps with constantly updated bulletins of more or less real-time news, ranging from ambushes in Baghdad to false alarms on airplanes in Oahu.
While the site might feed your paranoia, it's also queasily gripping. With categories ranging from Airport/Aviation Incidents (e.g. shotgun shells found at Manchester Airport) to Biological Incidents/Threats/Anthrax Hoaxes etc. (a possible hazmat contamination at the courthouse in La Plata, MD), the map gives you a quasi-omniscient snapshot of the post-9/11 planet.

http://www.globalincidentmap.com/home.php
****
Be informed. Be afraid. Stock the bunker.

Nice Place to Visit, but I Wouldn't Want to Live There!

Unbuilt Houses 2007
As an exclusive online supplement to Record Houses, we present here seven unbuilt houses. This annual feature highlights the otherwise under-observed practices of drawing, process, and representation.
Pursuing unique intentions, these projects range from the speculative to the almost-realized. Some, such as the Beach House and the Nazareth House, will be built within two years. Others, including Jellyfish, Moonstone, and the Ranch House, are studies of sustainability and form. The Distributed House and X House take on issues of program and theory.
Collectively, these unbuilt projects demonstrate the value of drawing, irrespective of their potential for realization. Unencumbered by construction, they affirm drawn architectural propositions as a legitimately autonomous practice—and help to reframe the discipline of architecture as a condition of possibility. - John Gendall

The Distributed HouseHarbour Island, the BahamasOffice for Metropolitan Architecture

X HouseThe Berkshires, MAWW Architecture

Ranch HouseWashington StateDORA

Moonstone HouseMoonstone Beach, RIWORK AC


Nazareth HouseNazareth, PALewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis

Beach HouseMalibu, CAMichael Maltzan Architecture

Jellyfish HouseSan Francisco Bay, Treasure Island, CAIwamotoScott Architecutre

Phantom Screens

One of JELD-WEN’s most important breakthroughs of the year is designed to let the beauty of Custom Wood windows shine through by incorporating Phantom Screens® Technology into the frames themselves.
JELD-WEN is the only company in North America to offer factory-installed Phantom retractable screens as options for Custom Wood windows in casement, double-hung and awning styles. True to their name, retractable Phantom screens retract out of sight when not in use. When an insect screen is needed, they easily slide into place on a built-in track. As part of JELD-WEN’s offering, there’s a matching wood cover for the screen and an attractive wood handle that blends seamlessly with the window frame. See details below:

http://products.construction.com/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=204&PageID=24436&cached=true&mode=2&src=C&companyId=NST37274

Krystal's impressions of Tryg's

My first impression as I walked into Tryg’s was the amazing copper ceiling and the way the lights bounced off it to illuminate the main entrance. I walked into the bar where the energy seemed relaxed and very low-key. I noticed that the seating varied from intimate booths to casual high top tables and having low tables with an arrangement of seating gave people many comfortable options. Cheerful couples and small groups of people around the age of 30 and up were scattered among the bar enjoying themselves with a glass of wine. Tryg’s has a great selection of wine and specials to cater to people coming in for dinner or to wind down after work. The bar lamps were definitely a nice component that added to the visual of bar top.
As I walked into the dining room, I couldn’t help but notice the circular booths with wooden slats that varied in height. I thought that this was a smart vertical design element because it brought your eyes up to notice all the details with the ceiling. The circular soffits were great tying in with the same curves of the booths. Also, the red upholstered chairs along the banquets looked very sharp. The service was very good my server gave a great description of the specials and the menu. They recently added four new flatbreads to the menu, along with pan roasted scallops, crab cakes, an oak plank grilled Atlantic salmon and a Tuna tartar. I chose the Atlantic salmon; it had decent presentation and a nice grilled taste and was served with mashed potatoes and asparagus which was a nice compliment to the salmon.
After dinner I toured around the rest of the restaurant. I went into the private rooms I like the privacy that the rooms were given with the drapery. The mirror in one of the rooms gave the elusion of being larger which was a good idea for a small space. I love the joined bathrooms the sink was sleek and curvilinear which fit the scheme of the rest of the restaurant. The sculpture added a feminine touch to the bathrooms without being overbearing. I was impressed with the bathrooms although, the wall tile threw me off with the blues and the orange wasn’t really sure how it fit in with the rest of the restaurant.
All around, I truly enjoyed my Tryg’s experience and definitely plan on dining there again in the near future.

Let's Get Our Clients Stoned

Jody Winger is a stonewall artist, and she is married to Bill, who works next door to us here on the 6th floor (at the Dept. of Agriculture). At first, these were just art projects, but after getting positive reviews from architects and landscapers, she has decided to "go public" and offer her creations for any interior or exterior project that needs an artisan stone wall.

Bill asked me to spread the word to our Interiors people, so consider yourselves notified. It was a surprise to Bill that there were other landscape architects here at Butler Square, and now he has also been in contact with SEH and Landform during this low-key marketing campaign.

If you are interested, I can have you speak directly to Bill, otherwise I will be displaying a small sheet of stonewall pix and Jody's unique business card on our hallway counter.

Contact: Jody Winger 612.377.4838 jodyco@isd.net

--- Larry Z.

Amanda Reviews Copper Bleu

Copper Bleu
17516 Dodd Boulevard
Lakeville, MN 55044
http://www.copperbleu.com/ (see for hours of operation)

Copper Bleu is one of the newest restaurants to come to Lakeville in the last 2 years. It features American, Steak, and Seafood selections with a casual yet elegant dining environment. You can get a great meal here for under $30.00. The interior is filled with a rich color scheme of earth tones, an open ceiling with wood beams, and stylish décor.
They offer banquet, private, bar/lounge, and patio dining as well as takeout. It is a non-smoking restaurant with wheelchair accessibility.
I have been to Copper Bleu twice now and I have enjoyed my experience both times. The décor is very intriguing. When you first walk in, there is a blown glass light fixture on the ceiling that branches out in every which direction like flames. It’s a beautiful piece of art.

The handles on all the doors, including the bathrooms, are oddly shaped metal hardware handles. It’s a cool feature to dress up the door and it adds to the style of the place.

In the bathrooms, there is a molded organic shaped vessel made out of metal with a faucet pouring into it on the side. I thought these were the best part of the restaurant design.
The host stand has an interesting way in storing their menus and it offers a spatial barrier to the dining area and front entrance. They have wood cubes attached to metal beams that hold them at different heights. Pretty cool……In the dining area, there is a ramp down to a lower level of dining tables, which breaks up the room nicely. It offers different dining experiences. The tables are open sided in some cases with bench chairs in a plush velvet. The velvet is also on the single dining chairs which look like a Victorian style. Along one side of the wall, there is a dark purple or black curtain that lines the entire wall. There are sconces that look like mushrooms, which are also in the bathrooms, attached to the curtain wall. Booth seating lines this area and offers a more private feel to the space.
Across the room there is, what I think, an ugly room divider design. It looks like records that have been attached to one another and placed up in the middle of the space. It just looked out of place, design style wise and location. On the other side of that divider, there is the more private dining for parties and what not. Same design as the rest of the dining area. The window wall is covered in wood veneer trim pieces and it curves back and forth. This was a beautiful application. The window looks out at the outdoor dining. The outdoor dining is nice because there is a hill that hides you from the busy road right next door.
Back inside in the bar area, the whole wall behind the bar is in a mosaic tile pattern. The colors are blues, whites and silvers and it goes up in to the ceiling with a curved edge. I thought this was a pretty aspect. I like that they have the bar area and lounge area separated from the dining area. The bar/lounge has a lower ceiling and smaller corridors so it feels more intimate.
On the exterior, it is faced in copper (obviously) and cultured stone. The roof and façade sway up and down and it’s a rounded building. It definitely makes you want to check out the inside. The logo and type face work very well together as well.
All in all, the food was great, except the salmon (they took it off our bill because we both thought it was god awful) and the service was pretty good. The server stations are in convenient locations for either the server to see you or for guests to get the attention of one. The layout is nice and offers a variety of seating. They have great wine and exceptional pricing for what they offer.

More pictures are available, but due to poor lighting, the quality wasn't the greatest. Please see Amanda if you want to view more!

How Much Do You Love Your Mom?

Consumers to Spend Almost $16 Billion for Mother's Day

http://www.ddimagazine.com/displayanddesignideas/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003572966

Bored in the check out line? Check this out!

Store's monitors help pass time at checkout

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2007/04/17/stores_monitors_help_pass_time_at

Are You Going the Extra Mile?

Read how you can go the extra mile to help our clients

http://www.bizjournals.com/extraedge/consultants/sales_moves/2007/04/16/column544.html?hbx=e_sol

New Products!

The following are products Krystal recommends you check out!

Some CRAZY COOL things to do with tile!
www.artistictile.com

Treat Yourself to some ICandy
www.icandyartwork.com

W.A.C. Lighting

http://www.waclighting.com/USA/

Eat out...Fight AIDS

I found this link on a local radio station's website. Check out what restaurants in your area are giving part of their proceeds to fight AIDS on Thursday, April 26. All you have to do is eat!

http://www.drive105.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.diningoutforlife.com/home.php?city=22

Coke Wants YOU to design their vending machines

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=58822

NEW PRODUCTS

Leucos Italian Lighting


http://www.leucos.com/home_usa.php





Accidents happen, that's why there is Crypton Care.


http://www.cryptonfabric.com/cleaning_solutions.aspx

Liquid tiles and Fiberoptic carpet!!!
http://www.groundplans.com/

A Closer Look at "The City of the Sea"

http://www.ddimagazine.com/displayanddesignideas/magazine/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003566321

A tale of two cities: Dubai & Shanghai A consumer dynasty China's bustling Shanghai ramps up to stand out as one of the world's most sought after markets

Target Goes Solar

Target Store to Debut Solar-Power Roofing System

APRIL 16, 2007 -- Minneapolis-based Target Corp.'s three-year-old store in the Park West Place shopping center in Stockton, Calif., is the first major retail spot in the city going green with a solar-power roofing system, according to The Record. Although Target corporate offices confirmed the project, no further information was disclosed. According to information submitted by Target to the Stockton Community Development Department, solar panels have been laid out on the rooftop in five grids, covering about 40 percent of the 123,800-sq.-ft. rooftop--about 50,000 sq. ft. of panel surface, which is more than enough to cover a football field. The amount of electricity that these panels will be capable of producing would be enough to power the equivalent of about 65 typical single-family homes. The city approved the permit application in February. The solar grids, which consist of 1,962 interlocking solar photovoltaic modules, have black anti-reflective surfaces slanting at a 10-degree angle. According to the permit application paperwork, Target also has plans to install solar-power systems at California stores in Antioch, Fremont, Gilroy, Hayward and Walnut Creek.

Make room for the inn crowd

Rob Goldberg left his CEO gig at the PlumpJack wine and restaurants group last month for a unique mission at a local resort company: selling casual hotel rooms at a price that is anything but laid back.
If he can make that tricky proposition work, the former Hard Rock Cafe executive should be well on his way toward building a $130 million business in just four years, as Mill Valley's Auberge Resorts has asked. Auberge's brand-new spinoff, Moana, is already halfway there, but needs a series of edgy new hotels to close the gap.
See full article below:
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2007/04/16/story2.html?f=et181&b=1176696000%5e1446830&hbx=e_vert

High-resolution wining and dining

Business First of Louisville - April 13, 2007

Velocity Broadcasting and Morton's, The Steakhouse are teaming up for a private satellite business capable of transmitting high-definition broadcasts to Morton's 46 restaurant locations, offering the new technology for interactive marketing, according to a news release.

Morton's and Velocity are creating high-definition suites with digital theaters, according to media reports.

One way Morton's and Velocity see the technology being used is for pharmaceutical companies to make presentations to doctors at dinners at Morton's across the country, according to Cathleen McCarthy, a spokeswoman for the project.
Morton's Restaurant Group Inc. is based in New York City. Velocity Broadcasting is based in Pittsburgh.
The Morton's in Louisville is at 626 W. Main St. in the central business district.

Learning at a Mall?

The “Classy” Mall

“What they did was sell invisible things. After they sold what they had, they still had it.” Terry Pratchett
http://plainvanillashell.com/archiveoped.asp?id=863

Sophisticated drinkers reach for a glass of beer

Consumers Willing to Pay More for Beer

Gas prices are high, the housing market is tanking and unemployment is rising. Even so, people are more willing than ever to spend a few extra bucks for a quality pint of beer.

See article below:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/04/12/ap3607762.html

30 second commericial = $57,000

Do you have a "love affair with the thick, rich taste of America's favorite ketchup"? Try your hand at creating a 30-second commericial for Hines ketchup and if your ad is chosen, you could win $57,000.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07105/777882-28.stm

Wal-Mart Sees In-Store Clinic Boom

Wal-mart Stores predict that more than 6,600 in-store medical clinics will open in the next five years.

http://www.retailnet.com/story.cfm?ID=36848

Target Expans

Target plans to expand 25% in the next five years!
http://www.retailnet.com/story.cfm?ID=36769

Dinner and a Movie?

Texas entrepreneur Terrell Braly to open a string of cinema/restaurant combination facilities called Cinebarres, starting with an outlet this June in Asheville, N.C.
http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=338392

Design Tip: always doublecheck your work

Sound advice for our next project in Asia!
Go to www.engrish.com for more examples.

Welcome to the NEW Blog!

With technology ever-changing, our blog has moved and transformed into a company friendly version. Welcome to those who are new to our blog, and welcome back to those who are old experts. I may grab old posts from the old blog before it becomes deleted forever.
Feel free to post anything you think we at Shea should know (industry news, technology changes, special announcements, etc). Remember, this is a place to "Shea Anything!"