Weekend What's What 12/4-12/8

WHIRLWIND

We wanted to say "Winter Whirlwind" but couldn't actually bring ourselves to make that bold declaration quite yet. While the recent minimal dusting of white stuff has thrown many people into a tizzy, we're perfectly content to pretend like it never happened. The inevitable hard-freeze surely approaches, this we know, but can't we get away with wearing cute Fall fashions just a little bit longer? We've got a really snazzy wool wizard cape that we haven't made enough use of! At any rate, this weekend is quite a whirlwind in itself, with reunion shows, farewell shows, hip hop blowouts, and scads of fashionable shopping parties to attend. Defy Old Man Winter, say we, and enjoy yourselves!

xo-l'étoile


THIS WEEK ON L'ETOILE

l'étoile's Guide to Holiday Cheer 2009

Check out our big annual "Guide to Holiday Cheer," an extensive list of holiday gift ideas, entertaining tips, and seasonal fashion advice and more! Click HERE for the guide.

l'étoile's Guide to Holiday Shopping Events

Jahna Peloquin has been diligently updating our Holiday Shopping events guide! NOTE: ALL fashionable sale events and trunk shows going on this weekend are housed with this guide, including:

No Coast Craft-o-Rama @ Midtown Global Market
CVA Holiday Art Sale @ College of Visual Art
Finch's Holiday Boutique @ 3615 25th Ave. S.
Atta Girl Trunk Show @ MNFashion Boutique
Dress Sale @ Cliche Boutique
Holiday Sale @ Up Six Vintage
And TONS more....HERE

l'étoile's Guide to Holiday Theater

Rob Callahan has put together a Holiday Theater Guide featuring a slew of festive shows HERE

Dessa: Doomtree's Distinguished Diva Discusses Poetry, Prose and Performance

Rob Callahan has also done an extensive interview with Dessa of hip hop collective, Doomtree HERE

FRIDAY BLOG PICK: BLUE FUTURE

Solid Gold lighting luminary and visual artist Bryant Locher's new blog, bluefuture, gives you a look into the mind behind the florescent light box magic. Including everything from a preview of the new Tron movie with a soundtrack helmed by Daft Punk; crazy future-sexy video clips; science news about cyborg helmets; and updates from the Solid Gold front. Other than that, expect "bullshit rambly writings and shameless self-promotion." An intriguing and entertaining mix, if we do say so!

Visit the Blue Future blog by clicking HERE.


FRIDAY DECEMBER 4TH

Toys in the Attic 2009

@ SooVac
2640 Lyndale Ave. S.
Minneapolis

6-9pm / Suggested $1-$5 or unwrapped toy donation

What's not to love about this altruistic event? Presented by Squad 19, the 2nd annual Toys in the Attic benefit show is equal parts toy drive, art exhibition and rock show celebrating the awesomeness of toys while raising money for those without them. The event features limited edition runs of toy-inspired art prints; custom-created art toys from some of our favorite local artists; and a silent auction where folks can bid on unique toys created (and donated) by artists from around the world. Plus, enjoy a killer DJ set from the boys of Solid Gold! Proceeds go to benefit The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, so you can feel extra good about your Friday evening! Bring a new, unwrapped toy to the show and receive an official event poster designed by Who Made Who cohort, Lonny Unitus.

Visit the show's website by clicking HERE

Toys by Sean Tubridy

FRIDAY DECEMBER 4TH

Anemoni Sushi Bar Grand Re-Opening

@ Azia Restaurant/Anemoni Sushi
26th & Nicollet
Minneapolis

4pm-2am / Fri-Sun

The l'etoile crew was treated to a sneak peek/eat of the newly re-modeled Anemoni Sushi & Sake Bar this week, and you can color us impressed! We're sticklers for ambiance and this new restaurant design definitely delivers. Decked out in an ultra-hip Japanese street motif, remodel lead and Azia marketing guru Nick Grzechowiak reimagined the sleek space with the help of some of the cities' coolest artists. Enlisted was ROBOTlove's Kristoffer Knutson (a man we defer to completely on all matters of design) to concept and direct the art installation portion of the re-model. In turn Knutson pulled in painter Eric Inkala to create a colorful mural as well as multi-dimensional art genius, Eric Carlson (of Hardland/Heartland) to do themed illustration work that resulted in a distressed, wheat-pasted poster installation that conjures the mood of a Tokyo alleyway. Lit with low-hanging red japanese lanterns and rounded out with video installations, the remodel takes a whole new spin on what previously sported an "under the sea" theme.

The restaurant also busts out a revamped menu by owner and culinary whiz, Thom Pham, that features a delcious bevy of Japanese hot and cold dishes and of course, some of the freshest and most prettily-presented sushi in town. Also on the bill is a stellar new cocktail menu complete with carefully crafted specialty drinks of unusual concoction (hello, aloe-flavored booze), delightful infused vodkas, and the largest sake menu in the Midwest. This weekend's grand re-opening will include happy hour drink specials from 4pm to 2am on all three nights, special offers, and we expect, liberal sushi eating! What's better? Anemoni serves their full menu every single day of the week until close, so you'll never want for a spicy tuna roll at 1am again.

For more info on the Anemoni Sushi Bar click HERE




FRIDAY DECEMBER 4TH

MNFashion Studio Opening & Industry Event

@ The NEW MNFashion Studio
Grainbelt Bottling House
79 13th Avenue NE #212
Northeast Minneapolis

6-9pm / Free

Yes! MNFashion has finally got itself a studio space! What does this mean? Well, for one, it means there's a GREAT new resource for local fashion designers to educate themselves on how to take their business to the next level. It also means sewing co-ops for those without the means or the space to create. It means awesome networking events for fashion industry types, and it signals the next step in MNFashion's ongoing mission to help evolve the Twin Cities into a productive and professional fashion capital. So, head Northeast tonight and join the MNFashion crew for networking, small bites and libations to celebrate the grand opening of this new space! In true MNFashion style, the group jumps right in by welcoming special guest Jay Arbetman of Chicago, a fabric and trim sales rep with a mile long list of suppliers with small minimums. We encourage you to come check out the kick off and maybe even ask the group what they need for the space -- we're sure they could use use donations of all sorts of things, possibly things you already have and aren't using. We're donating a brand new sewing machine for the sewing co-op, so match us!

Find out more info on MNFashion click HERE



FRIDAY DECEMBER 4TH

Beight Reunion Show

@ 501 Club
501 Washington Avenue
Minneapolis

10pm / 21+ / Free

We've missed Beight! On hiatus for two whole years, the indie pop quartet is back once again, with a reunion show at the 501 Club. If you weren't privy during the original days of Beight, you may be more familiar with the band's co-vocalist, Brad Senne, who plays acoustic solo shows all over town on a regular basis. The reuniting of Senne and bandmates Brian Just, Andre Leroux and Josh Lemoine, will bring to the table a melodic cache of snappy indie gems reminiscent of The Shins' melancholy pop and the harmonic complexities of The New Pornographers. With minimalist garage band, Falcon Arrow and folk-pop trio, The Western Ridge.

For more info on Beight click HERE



FRIDAY DECEMBER 4TH

So It Goes Farewell Show

@ The Fine Line
318 1st ave N.
Minneapolis

9pm / 21+ / $5

We hate to see the good ones go! Longtime Twin Cities rockers, So It Goes, hang up their hats tonight at their very last show as a band. But fear not, these local staples plan to keep the creativity flowing via new individual and collaborative projects in the near future. The group states that the split was "a harmonious choice" and that "Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt" and we tend to believe them -- they are pretty nice people after all. Come celebrate five years of Kurt Vonnegut-inspired "new-punk-wave dance rockin'" with So It Goes plus special guests White Light Riot, The Strange Lights, The Invincible Kids, and Dirty Mackenzie. It's sad to say goodbye, but we're also excited to see what they come up with on their own! Not to mention, we SO smell a renioun within a few years.

For more info on this event click HERE



FRIDAY DECEMBER 4TH

Hotel

@ Kitty Cat Klub
315 14th Ave SE
Minneapolis

9pm / free

Are you going to Hotel this weekend? You should, because it’s going to be a scorcher. Jonathan Ackerman, WzzWnshp and Gigamesh join forces to spin records for you all night long in the cozy confines of the Kitty Cat Klub. Kick off a month of social events and spiked nog tonight with Mr. Ackerman: professional party-starter.

For more info on this event click HERE




FRIDAY DECEMBER 4TH

Get Cryphy

@ First Avenue VIP Room
701 1st Ave N
Minneapolis

10pm / 18+ / $3

A multi-colored, digital Hulk Hogan invites you to get nasty at Get Cryphy tonight! DJs Jimmy 2 Times, Last Word and Fundo are professionals, so put on your dance-pants and let them administer their musical services. Prof takes the mic as welcoming host to hype you up and disperse sweet prizes from Phenom and Familia. Also, drink specials!




FRIDAY DECEMBER 4TH

The Midnight Movie Society: CLUE

@ Red Stag Supperclub
509 1st Ave. NE.
Minneapolis

10pm-2am / $5 advance, $8 doors

A culty, grown-up version of Are You Afraid of the Dark's midnight society if you will, Vita.mn and DJ Jake Rudh conspire to create “The Midnight Movie Society,” a twilight social affair where ghost tales and campfires are traded in for truffle-drizzled popcorn and campy flicks. Anyone lucky enough to be among the attendees of the wildly successful Mad Men Season 3 Premier Party earlier this year can expect this party (of the same team) to be just as fashionable, spirited, and authentic – not to mention a total blast! Admission includes a midnight toast and complimentary super-tasty popcorn all night long! Arrive early to enjoy drinks and dance to Clue-inspired tracks from DJ Jake Rudh, then settle in for a midnight screening of the classic mystery movie. We predict plenty of Colonel Mustard and Misses Peacocks roaming the Red Stag – and don't forget your weapon o' choice!

For more info and to purchase tix click HERE




COOL LINK: L'ETOILE'S GUIDE TO HOLIDAY CHEER 2009

If you haven't heard yet, our annual guide to all things "holiday" is up and ready to be peeped -- and we're not afraid to shamelessly plug it! Wasn't it just yesterday that we were putting together our 2008 Holiday Guide? We swear it was. Time flies! l'étoile has had a wonderful year, and we are so thankful for every last moment of it. For our readers, our collaborators, our muses, our staffers, our friends and families, and of course the crazy/cool creative community of the Twin Cities -- you truly are the fabulous fodder which spurs us on! This year's holiday guide (which could go on and on and on, really) is filled with great gift ideas (of local origin), entertaining advice, do-it-yourself holiday fun, and of course, some festive fashion tips. Enjoy, and have a spectacular holiday season!

To read the guide click HERE




SATURDAY DECEMBER 5TH

Survival: When Truth and Fiction Intersect

@ Form + Content Gallery
210 N. 2nd St.
Minneapolis

7-9 pm/ free

A beautiful yet powerful new exhibit exploring human endurance, the Form + Content Gallery's latest show, Survival, features installations from artist Robyn Stoller-Awend inspired by Vilna poet, Abraham Sutzkever whose literary works detailed the story of doomed Lithuanian Jews who melted down lead printing type to make bullets during Nazi-controlled times. Stoller-Awend's large scale installations are hauntingly emotive and create a piece not to be missed. View the opening reception tonight and return on January 9th for a closing reception featuring Sutzkever's writings read by local writer, Alison Morse, artist and poet, Paulette Myers-Rich and social media blogger Margie Newman.

Click HERE for this art event and more at Mplsart.com!



SATURDAY DECEMBER 5TH (THROUGH SUNDAY)

2009 Minneapolis Underground Film Festival

@ MCAD
2501 Stevens Ave S
Minneapolis

$9 per showing / first showing 10am, last showing 10:30pm

Find out what local filmmakers have been up to lately at this year's Minneapolis Underground Film Festival. This weekend will be a perfect one to spend all day, every day indoors watching movies and growing paler by the second. 45 films of the most "underground" variety will screen continuously through the weekend at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Our picks? The City, a new film featuring a slew of seasoned indie film vets, is described as a "pitch-black dark comedy thriller" about a college student/screenplay writer who explores the more sinister side of himself on a quest for life experience (Saturday 7pm). We're also coveting the classic werewolf/vegan hipster film Living Arrangements (Saturday 8:30pm). And the award for "most inappropriate" surely goes to Porndogs (or at least its trailer) which appears to be a porn film featuring live dogs as actors. Um, ok. Director Q&As follow many of the screenings as well, so you can lay all your pressing questions on the table. This fest is a great place to see films you most likely won't get the chance to see anywhere else, so get thee to MCAD! Runs through Sunday.

Click HERE for the website and program schedule!

The City Trailer 2 from James Vogel on Vimeo.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 5TH

Doomtree Blowout XV

@ 1st Avenue
701 1st Avenue N.
Minneapolis

6pm / 18+ / $15

If you follow local hip hop you're most likely in love with all things Doomtree. The tribe of skilled emcees, DJs and producers have made national waves both collectively and individually, and together boast one of the most fiercely loyal followings in these here parts. With acclaimed rappers P.O.S., Cecil Otter, Dessa, Mike Mictlan, and Sims as well as DJs and producers Turbo Nemesis, Paper Tiger, Lazerbeak and MK Larada, the Doomtree posse is an explosively talented force to be reckoned with. Together for years (some of them, since High School) the collective didn't put out an official group album until 2008. Instead, they focused on collaborating on each others' perspective projects, touring, and putting on solid live performances - The annual Doomtree Blowout being the crown jewel of them all. It's easy to identify the communal influence, but each artist clearly stands out as unique. From the punk rock-rooted, rapid-fire raps of P.O.S. to the poetic and soulful flow of Dessa (the group's sole female member), Doomtree's differences seem to bleed into and bounce off of each other in an endearingly familial sort of way. Saturday's show is not only the hottest ticket in town, but it's also one that will make you want to run out and get M-P-L-S tattooed on your knuckles. The show is an early bird, at 6pm and is followed by an after party in The 7th Street Entry ($5) at 9pm. Tickets to the Blowout are $15 in advance and at the door, but we'd suggest getting yours ASAP, as this epic show historically sells out.

Check out Rob Callahan's article/interview with Doomtree's Dessa Darling on l'etoile HERE

Click HERE to visit Doomtree's website




SATURDAY DECEMBER 5TH

Communal Mix Tape

@ West Bank Social Center
501 Cedar Ave S
Minneapolis

9pm / Donations accepted

Mix tapes meet the 21st century tonight at the ever-conceptual WBSC. Here are the rules: 1. Find the perfect, or near perfect, YouTube song video (broad interpretation is fine here) to share 2. Arrive 3. Plug in your YouTube song/link to the commual playlist 4. Bask in the glory! You won’t have to get up to flip the tape though, tonight’s playlist will be projected and online for you to access later and relive good times. Grab a drink and brag to anyone that will listen that that is YOUR video of Scottish lads dancing to "Who Let the Dogs Out!" Hosted by the ever-clever Sergio Vucci, co-curator of the Soap Factory's Common Room.

To visit the WBSC site click HERE





SATURDAY DECEMBER 5TH

Monica & the Molecules

@ Turf Club
1601 University Ave.
St. Paul

9 pm/ 21+/ $6

It's hard to believe that with just a simple drum set, a keyboard and some echoed vocals one could produce such twisted, cabaret noir rock. But Saint Paul's dark doll trio, Monica & the Molecules, not only succeeds, but manages to command the stage with delicious tragicomic flair. Join the jamboree live tonight at the Turf with theatrical kindreds, Gay Witch Abortion; psychedlic rockers, Daughters of the Sun; and local thrashers, Buildings.

Visit the Turf Club site HERE




SUNDAY MUSIC PICK: TROPICAL AMBROSIA SALAD

Missing the days of sitting on the beach, lazily wasting the day away in the sun? You can have that feeling back! Make it a Brazilian beach, and you’ve got the music of Tropical Ambrosia Salad. Slow and sultry, these ladies and gents know how to keep you shimmying. They’re out and about in our fair city, so keep your eyes peeled behind your cooool sunglasses.

To check out Tropical Ambrosia Salad online click HERE.



SUNDAY DECEMBER 6TH

Riot Act Reading Series

@ Turf Club
Clown Lounge (basement)
1601 University Ave.
W. St. Paul

7 pm/ 21+/ $5

The Turf Club's brawl rich, rebellious ruffians aren't the stumbling lushes in the corner – they're the literary hooligans with the mic, aka the members of the Riot Act Reading Series. Join performers including Riot Act sire Paul D. Dickinson; poet and sire-ess Laura Brandenburg; comedian Mary Mack; Electric Arc Radio Show writer, Stephanie Wilbur Ash; and writer Frank Henry Rawlings III for a radical night of comedy, satire, memoir and self-deprecating stories – all in a classic drink-a-long style! Americana folk artist, Charlie Parr provides the live tunes.

To check out Riot Act Reading Series online click HERE



TUESDAY DECEMBER 8TH

JagerCon: Sci-Fi Tuesdays

@ Clubhouse Jager
923 Washington Avenue N.
Minneapolis

Every Tuesday
10 p.m. / 21+ / Free

Join hosts Kate Iverson (l'étoile magazine, Secrets of the City) and Beth Hammarlund (l'étoile magazine, A Tiny Machine) every Tuesday Night for JagerCon! JagerCon is a weekly sci-fi party featuring screenings of classic nerdy movies and television shows -- topped off with 2-4-1 cocktails all night served by Star Captain Paul!

Mingle with like-minded sci-fi geeks, discuss D&D strategies, and use that Captain Picard impression you've been perfecting to pick up chicks at the bar. Snort-laugh the night away while bragging about your MMORPG addiction and enjoy a cozy, nerd-friendly environment.

Upcoming Events:

DEC 8: The Fly
DEC 15: JageCon Anniversary Party / 12 Monkeys
DEC 22: Slither
DEC 29: Back to the Future
JAN 5: Spaceballs
JAN 12: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
JAN 19: The Forbidden Zone
JAN 26: Earth Girls Are Easy
FEB 1: Return to Oz
FEB 9: Dune
FEB 16: Dreamcatcher
FEB 23: Nightwatch
MAR 2: The Hunger

This week's flick is THE FLY


Editor in Chief: Kate Iverson
Contributing Writers: Lacey Prpic Hedtke, Robyn Lewis, Juleana Enright, Kate Iverson, Beth Hammarlund, Jahna Peloquin, Rob Callahan

l'étoile's Guide to Holiday Cheer 2009

Content shared with Secrets of the City

Wasn't it just yesterday that we were putting together our 2008 Holiday Guide? We swear it was. Time flies! l'étoile has had a wonderful year, and we are so thankful for every last moment of it. For our readers, our collaborators, our muses, our staffers, our friends and families, and of course the crazy/cool creative community of the Twin Cities -- you truly are the fabulous fodder which spurs us on! This year's holiday guide (which could go on and on and on, really) is filled with great gift ideas (of local origin), entertaining advice, do-it-yourself holiday fun, and of course, some festive fashion tips. Enjoy, and have a spectacular holiday season!

xo-l'étoile

Photo by Stephen Stephens for l'étoile agency



GRACEFUL GIFTING

Stop yourself from going to the "Maul" this holiday season and instead, spend your hard-earned dough at independently owned local shops and on Twin Cities artists' wares. Not only will you feel good about supporting local peeps, but you'll likely walk away from the situation with an uber-original gift for that special someone.

Below you'll find some of our top picks for holiday gifting, but you simply must check out our big GUIDE TO HOLIDAY SHOPPING EVENTS which we've been updating left and right with cool local holiday sale events.

EC Designs

Emily Johnson is one of our favorite local jewelry designers, and her sweet and witty necklaces for EC Designs make a perfect holiday gift for the fashion plate in your life. When shopping for a friend of family member you're grateful for, consider expressing your thanks in a literal way with a Wishbone necklace. The designer's signature Heart necklaces are a lovely way to express your unwavering affection, and her Minnesota necklaces (a local cult favorite featuring an adorable heart-shaped cutout over the location of the Twin Cities) show the world that home is where your heart is. Order online at ecdesignstudios.com.

Theater All Year

Presented by Secrets of the City, Theater All Year ticket vouchers offer you an easy and affordable way to enjoy a huge variety of Twin Cities theater offerings throughout the season! The perfect gift for the dramatic-types in your life, they'll be able to use the vouchers to reserve seats for any of the hundreds of designated performances by some three dozen theater groups. There’s no standing in rush lines, no hassles, just the opportunity to step out and sample new stages and theatrical experiences. And if you're lucky, they'll take you with them! A package of 6 ticket vouchers is just $99. Sweet deal! Available at Sorella Wine Shop, Max's Jewelry and Gifts, or online at TheaterAllYear.com.

Ruby3 Designs

Ruby3 designer Anna Lee's feminine hats, clips and fascinators have always made great gifts. But what we're really craving for the approaching winter months is her line of cold weather hats. Ruby3 debuted a new series of faux fur hoods during MNFashion Week this fall, and since first sighting them on the runway, we've been planning out how to work them into our winter wardrobe. The hoods are lined with warm and cozy polar fleece fabric, so not only will you look chic, you'll stay toasty as well. Though these hoods make a perfect gift for a friend, we're going to be honest: we really just want them for ourselves. Ruby3 is available at I Like You in Minneapolis and at the temporary MNFashion Holiday Boutique in Gaviidae Common. For more info visit ruby3.com


Thymes

There is something so luxurious and indulgent about giving beautifully scented candles for the holidays! But why pay high prices for designer candles at department stores when some of the very best scents and formulas are available from local, lady-owned product line, Thymes? We particularly love their Frasier Fir and White Persimmon fragrances, both perfect selections for home. If you're shopping for someone with a more adventurous nose, try the Tamarind Lychee candle. Thymes is not just about awesome candles, however, they offer a wonderous selection of bath and body products that run the gamut from skin care to perfume to baby products and more. We're completely in love with their Moonflower perfume, which comes in an affordable roller-ball gift-size option, complete with added micro glitter to give your skin a subtle, sparkly sheen. Thymes is available at numerous specialty shops around town, search for retail locations and shop online at thymes.com.

ROBOTlove

Is there anything not to love about this local design store? While the indie retail shop may claim its heart belongs to robots, any newcomer can tell its devotion extends to all arms of the pop art scene. Find limited edition vinyl and plush toys, jewelry and accessories, collectibles, screen-printed apparel and designer tees, uniquely designed home goods and arts & culture-themed books and zines. Plus, their gift cards, tailored stationery and mini figurines make for great stocking stuffers. Call it niche; call it cute. Just don't confuse it with a kid's store. Visit ROBOTlove online at robotlove.biz.

BONUS: Mention l'etoile and automatically get 15% off your purchase!

Art by Michael Cina

Original work by a world-renowned artist for as low as $15? Color us amazed. Big name, locally-based graphic designer Michael Cina applies his brilliant color theory tactics to abstract painting, and has put up an online shop just in time for the holidays. Peruse these reasonable priced, handmade works of art that come both framed and unframed. Cina's recent (and quite prolific) body of work runs along a theme of bulbous, multi-hued patterns and abstract layerings. Those familiar with his digital work will certainly draw comparisons between the use of color and balance of white space in these mixed media paintings. We liken this artist's work to clouds in the sky - it's really up to the viewer's imaginative interpretation. And for prices this low, you'll easily be able to snag impressive gifts for the art appreciators on your list. Visit the online store at michaelcina.bigcartel.com

Fun fact: Not only is Cina's work in the personal collections of certain l'étoile staffers, but one of his pieces served as inspiration for local art curator and fashion designer Emma Berg's 2010 collection, which will debut at Voltage: Fashion Amplified in April.


Museum & Theater Gift Shops

The holiday shopping season just wouldn't be complete without a quick pop into some of our favorite museum gift shops! The always chic Walker Gift Shop is certainly a sure bet; Ladies will love a pair of local jewelry designer Karin Jacobson's whimsical "Tornado" earrings ($85). Personally, we're coveting the custom Walker Art Center planners. The Weisman Gift Shop is a winner as well, with a stellar mix of handcrafted gifts, jewelry , toys, books, and more; we'd scoop up some chocolate from local artisian B.T. McElrath and possibly some limited edition Adam Turman prints! The Guthrie's gift shop offers beautiful gifts hand-crafted by regional artists, plus show-specific merchandise. Buy your loved one a pair of tickets to an upcoming show, then top it off with a corresponding gift from the onsite shop! And of course, we adore the MIA's gift shop, which offers all sorts of snazzy handcrafted gifts, art books, and classic and contemporary art prints. We're still chuckling over the featured item t-shirt that says "Please Don't Lick the Art" ($22.95). The Science Museum is a good bet as well; snap up fun, educational science-y gifts such as books and games, also posters, jewelry and decorative do-dads. Last but not least, we have to give a shout out to the SOO Visual Art Center's gift shop, which features pieces by local artists such as Amy Rice, Deuce Seven, Greg Gossel and Jennifer Davis, as well as tons of locally-made jewelry items and clever knick-knacks!

And of course, no plug for museum gift shops would be complete without a suggestion to give the gift of membership to said museums! The year-round gift that keeps on giving, your recipient will be privy to members-only special events, first peeks at exhibits, curator talks, shopping discounts, ticket discounts and more. A very thoughtful gift, if you ask us!

Shuga Records

The latest addition to the local record store circuit, Shuga Records, was created by Chicago DJ, “Shuga Rose,” and is a spin-off of one of the largest online record shops out there. The new-ish physical location in Northeast Minneapolis features nearly 400,000 high-quality recordings on inventory, many from Shuga's personal collection. The shop also offers low-priced used records and 12''s, newly released vinyl and CDs and a free bin of records and album-cover art – all good fodder for the audiophiles and music collectors on your list. Not to mention it's an awesome place to hang out and gift search; with in-store performances, a DJ booth, vintage turntables, listening booths and visual wall art – including a 50-ft mural from Broken Crow. For location and more info or to shop online visit shugarecords.com.


Screen Printed Poster Art

Fact: numerous nationally-known screen print artists call the Twin Cities home, making it pretty darn easy for you to scoop up sweet, limited edition art prints to jazz up your walls! l'étoile is lucky to have not one, but two, collectives as regular contributors to our weekly JagerCon sci-fi night at Clubhouse Jager. Both Squad 19 and Who Made Who have churned out some amazing, limited edition poster prints for our geeky soiree, which are dearly coveted by the hipster nerds who show up each week. Celebrate Who Made Who's 2nd Anniversary at their shop on December 12th with a killer 2-4-1 poster print deal! Squad 19's website offers a slew of hot prints of some of your favorite local bands and more! However, if you're looking for the perfect gift for the nerd in your life, you can always stop down to the JagerCon 1st Anniversary Party at Clubhouse Jager on December 15th from 9pm to 11pm to buy your favorites out of the dozens of sci-fi movie-inspired prints by both of these talented collectives for the discounted price of $10 each. Play sci-fi trivia with us at 9pm -- the grand prize is one of pretty much every print ever made for JagerCon!


I Like You!

If this NE boutique likes you, feel honored. Their new store-front – located on the same block as the Red Stag and the Fox Tax gallery – is the core of local artistans and craft goods. Everything at I Like You is handcrafted and affordable, from knitted doggie sweaters, adorable handmade baby clothes, and bound journals featuring artwork from local artists to stencil paintings, jewelry designed from vintage buttons & bottlecaps, and fashionable hand-sewn laptop bags and clutches. Find one-of-a-kind greeting cards and stationery as well. Oh, and did we mention the entire floor is covered in plush Astroturf? So, kick off your shoes and stay a while. For location and more info visit ilikeyouonline.com


Digtal Crush Photography

It's no secret we adore our staff shutterbugs from Digital Crush Photography, and we certainly aren't opposed to sharing them with you. Through December 31st Digital Crush is offering steep discounts on photo sessions, including $100 OFF their one hour portrait sessions (regular price $300) as well as discounted event photography (price depends on length of event). Buy a gift certificate as a fun holiday surprise for your family or your favorite aspiring musician or model -- or maybe just for yourself (who doesn't want a glamorous Facebook profile image, after all?) Printable full color gift certificates are available, and have no expiration date. Let DC shoot your face this holiday season! Visit them online at digitalcrushphoto.com or e-mail info@digitalcrushphoto.com

Blacklist Vintage

We definitely haven't hid our love for Eat Street's cutest boutique, and why should we! Vanessa Messersmith and Jennifer Sapiro's huge collection of vintage good makes it the one of the best vintage shops in town. Don't be fooled by its modest demeanor, the charming shop is stocked with authentic vintage apparel, jewelry and home décor from the '50s to the '80s. And don't forget those fashionable guys on your list! Blacklist's entire upstairs is devoted to the masculine side of vintage with classic fedoras, great jackets and stylin' boots. Need help finding the perfect vintage gift? Their friendly staff always has great advice. Plus, Blacklist also has a working Ms. Pacman console to lighten your shopping woes! For location and more info visit blacklistvintage.com

Bone Adventure

And for those who want to pamper their pups and kitties this season, there's Bone Adventure – the local, independently owned pet store with eco-friendly and homemade products for dogs and cats. Like its empire-esque counterparts, Bone Adventure features all the basic pet supplies, but with a great twist – au-naturale food, treats, fun toys and pet grooming products. Don't let your pets miss out on the fun -- your beloved pooch and/or kitty are always welcome inside the store! And for those looking for an extra special doggie gift, Bone Adventure specializes in B.O.B (Bottle of Broth), a locally made canine brew that comes in a variety of flavors including chicken and beef flavors – it's like beer for dogs! Visit their Northeast location on East Hennepin store or for other locations check the website at www.boneadventure.com


Rox Jewelry

One of our favorite chicks on the planet, Robyne Robinson, has been hand-making her own line of stunning jewelry for years and we can't get enough of it! Rox Jewelry pieces are the kind of accessories that demand to take center stage with their eclectic array of semi-precious stones, metals, unique beads and creative craftsmanship. Find the perfectly bold statement piece to pair with a simple, elegant cocktail dress or throw on one of her chunky stone necklaces with a casual outfit to immediately add some eye-catching pizazz! If there's one gift you should give yourself this holiday season, we say it ought to be Rox Jewelry. However, if you're not stylistically selfish, anything from this gorgeous collection would make a brilliant and thoughtful gift! For more info and to find numerous retail locations visit roxmpls.com


Tomatin 12-Yr Single Malt Scotch at Surdyk's

We're kind of obsessed with scotch as of late. Drinking it sort of makes us feel like bookish old men that ought to be sitting before roaring fireplaces in leather wingback chairs, plotting world domination. Unfortunately we have neither a fireplace, a wingback chair, nor a feasible plan for world domination. We do, however, have wild imaginations. Giving the gift of a fine, aged scotch not only makes you look superklassy, but may even include an invitation to help drink your own gift -- and who can argue with that? Our recommendation is Tomatin 12-Year Single Malt Scotch, a classic choice that wont break the bank. Available at Surdyk's for under $20, Tomatin 12 Year is aged in traditional oak barrels, delicately balancing hints of fruit, malt and peat. The Tomatin brand produces scotches that are aged up to 40 years (and cost up to $1000 per bottle). Surdyk's carries both the 12 Year ($17.99) and the 25 year ($149.99). Stop into Surdyk's or visit them online at surdyks.com

Max's

We adore this artsy St. Louis Park boutique! Max's specializes in decadent and exotic chocolates from as far away as Venezuela, Trinidad, and Madagascar; unique jewelry by independent artisans; and artist-crafted contemporary home decor. With their constantly revolving selection of carefully curated merchandise, you're sure to find something that will put stars in the eyes of even the most picky of giftees. Not to mention, fancy chocolates make the finest of stocking stuffers! For more info and location visit stylebymax.com


Azia Gift Card Deal

What says "I love you" more than a spicy tuna roll? Give the gift of sushi this holiday season with a gift card from Eat Street staple, Azia, where you can catch sweet deals on gift card purchases. Buy $100 worth of gift cards and get another $25 FREE. And if you're anything like us, you know that $25 can go a long way with Azia's Late Night Happy Hour menu. Now is actually the perfect time to revisit this tasty hot spot, as they've just revamped their Anemoni Sushi Bar, complete with fantastic decor a la local artists! Stop in to purchase gift cards during regular business hours. For more info and location visit aziarestaurant.com.

Miyagi Salon Aveda Deal

For the beauty icon in your life, a gift of Aveda products and/or beauty services is the way to go. One of our favorite salons in town, run by some of our favorite people in town, has a sweet promo going for the holiday season! Put together a custom Aveda gift package worth $20 or more and get a $20 gift card for goods or services, free! Not only does Miyagi stock a stellar array of beauty products but their salon services are top notch. Stop in and mention l'etoile to score the deal, or visit Miyagi online at dojoforbeauty.com.


Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell's Kitchen

We've become seriously addicted to Hell's Kitchen's Peanut Butter since hosting this Fall's Project Runway Screening Parties. Lucky for us, we've got our mitts on owner Mitch Omer's new cookbook Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell's Kitchen, which features every decadent dish served at the popular Minneapolis restaurant (including the Peanut Butter). Co-written by renowned local food critic, Ann Bauer, Damn Good Food is not simply a cookbook, but a helluva good read. The book details Mitch's battle with mental illness as well as numerous rough and rowdy tales from his rock n' roll, drug-addled history. From his days as an out-of-control nightclub bouncer to his beginnings as a renegade chef, and finally to the success of Hell's Kitchen with his wife Cynthia, Damn Good Food paints the picture of a passionate, intensely interesting man with a brilliant culinary talent. Visit Hell's Kitchen online at hellskitcheninc.com for details.

l'etoile special offer: e-mail cyn@hellskitcheninc.com before January 1st to be sent an instant coupon for a free 4-oz. jar of their homemade peanut butter with purchase of the cookbook and/or any entree. Yes, the is the mighty good stuff Gourmet Magazine called "the best peanut butter we have ever tasted, ever." Also a damn good gift? Hell's Kitchen Gift Certificates, which come as oversized "Tickets to Hell."


Drink This: Wine Made Simple

If you're not familiar with the clever culinary scribblings of one Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, you've most likely been living under a loaf of Wonderbread since 1995. The longtime City Pages restaurant critic, more recently know as Minnesota Monthly's resident food and wine guru, Ms. Dara serves up some of the funniest, most endearing accounts of culinary wisdom we've ever had the pleasure of reading. Her new book, Drink This: Wine Made Simple, is a common man's guide to the art of wine appreciation. Complete with Moskowitz-Grumdahl's signature wit, this tome fills you in on how to drink good wine without breaking the bank; how to identify and properly pair it with meals; and much more -- sans snobbery. Filled with personal anecdotes as well as interviews with some of the world’s savviest critics, winemakers and chefs, Drink This: Wine Made Simple is the perfect gift for the wine connoisseur and newbie alike. The book is available at most major booksellers, though we suggest you shop local pick it up at an independent retailers such as magersandquinn.com

We asked the lovely Ms. Dara to give us a few recommendations on local restaurant gift card ideas for the wine/food enthusiast on your list, and she happily obliged:

by Dara Moskowitz-Grumdahl

Parasole Restaurants
Not sure if your gift-recipient would prefer Champagne and a chilled seafood tower, steak and Cabernet, or Chianti and pizza? Let them decide! A gift card for Parasole can be redeemed at any Parasole restaurant, including Salut (for the seafood tower), Manny's (for the steak) or even brand new Il Gatto, (for pizza and Italian grill-roasted meats) as well as other top spots like Muffaletta, Chino Latino, and more. Purchase gift cards online at parasole.com

Vincent
Chef Vincent Francoual is world-class. He once cooked at one of the universe's best restaurants, Le Bernardin, and his wine list is excellent, and draws a very personal picture of the best southern France has to offer. If your gift-recipient is a knowledgeable globe-trotter, there's no finer pick than this. For more info visit vincentarestaurant.com

Heartland
If your gift-card-getter doesn't like a fuss but does have a taste for the exquisite, how about something that can be used in one of the best wine-bars in the country? Heartland offers groundbreaking fine-cooking using astonishingly good, and astonishingly local ingredients alongside wines chosen not for their popularity, but for their complex flavors and overall delightfulness. For more info visit heartlandrestaurant.com


ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS SOME COLT 45

If we could gift ourselves with snarky poetic insight, we may very well buy it straight from Paul D. Dickinson. Known as the original Twin Cities "Punk Poet," Paul D. has made memorable impressions as the co-founder of the famed 1990s alternative art and music space, Speedboat Gallery, as well as a performer (as himself) in the popular Electric Arc Radio Show troupe. You can catch Paul D. every first Sunday of the month at the Riot Act Reading Series too -- December 6th he hosts along with writers/performers Mary Mack, Stephanie Wilbur Ash, Frank Henry Rawlings III and Laura Brandenburg at 10pm in the lower level of the Turf Club. We asked the punk poet to recommend a couple "Paul D. Approved" books for gifting and to whip us up a little holiday poem...complete with his signature zing, of course.

All I want for Christmas is some Colt 45
by Paul D. Dickinson

All I want for Christmas is some Colt 45
And the tiny little chance to
Pretend I'm alive
So I demand a rematch
My guns and thoughts ablaze
As I destroy the nearly toasted year
With your spaced out gaze
I demand a rematch
This time I'll be the space alien
And you be the human
Lets promise to do just three things together
Two of them being listening to records
And drinking
For
All I want for Christmas is some Colt 45

Paul D. Approved Book Recommendations (blurbs from publisher)

Down and Out in Paris and London
by George Orwell

This unusual fictional account, in good part autobiographical, narrates without self-pity and often with humor the adventures of a penniless British writer among the down-and-out of two great cities. In the tales of both cities we learn some sobering Orwellian truths about poverty and society. Available HERE via Magers & Quinn.

A Fan's Notes
by Fred Exley

Mr. Exley, a schoolteacher in a dismal rural New York town, finds pleasure in rooting for the Giants and his own survival in modern American society in this fictional memoir. Available HERE via Magers & Quinn.


ENTERTAINING, L'ETOILE STYLE

We love a good holiday party! What's better than getting together with comrades, sharing a drink and reminiscing about the past year and all you're thankful for? Check out our suggestions on ways to make your holidays sparkle (as in sparkling wine, of course).

THE GRAPES OF (NOT SO MUCH) WRATH
by Dana Lade

Local vino expert Dana Lade fills us in on wonderful wines to enjoy over the holidays. Great for gifting and/or guzzling...out of a pretty glass of course!

Duval Leroy “Paris” Brut NV Champagne, France

Duval Leroy produces the best Champagne available in the Twin Cities market for under $35. Try it by the glass at La Belle Vie or pick one up at Solo Vino for $34.99. It’s a classic brut blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay contained in a gorgeous etched bottle complete with a drawing done by local artist Leroy Nieman of a Paris street scene for Madame Leroy. As a matter of fact he did the drawing on a napkin while dining with Madame Leroy, who was so charmed by the image she had it transferred to her flagship bottling. Expect to drink a proper, toasty style of Champagne, alive with nuances of citrus and brioche. Even better, it’s sold in a rather fabulous gift box. Available at Solo Vino, Zipp’s, Kowalski’s Wine Markets

Altos Los Hormigas Malbec 2008 Mendoza, Argentina

Malbec is so hot right now. No seriously, it is. And for good reason! Wine from Argentina has European know-how behind it and doesn’t take a pricing hit when it’s sold to the US, unlike wines from Europe. The winemaker for Altos spends his Northern Hemisphere summer in Montalcino, Tuscany making Brunello. In his spare time he is producing some of the best Malbec that Mendoza has to offer. A great Malbec should always boast lush blue fruit and satisfying dryness. Perfect with most anything! $11.99-$12.99, Available at Solo Vino, Sorella, Byerly’s

Huber Hugo Gruner Veltliner 2008 Austria

Invited to dinner? Not sure what’s being served? Trying to appease your budget while showing up with a wine that everyone can enjoy? Try a Gruner Veltliner, Austria’s answer to food friendly white wine. The Huber Hugo retails around $10-$12 and nary leaves a palate disappointed. In fact, Gruner is one of the only wines that can claim to pair nicely with wine unfriendly foods, such as asparagus and egg dishes. This one offers delicious notes of kafir lime, mineral, and quenching acidity; NO OAK. Try it, you’ll like it. Available at Surdyk’s , Solo Vino, and Zipp’s


SCHNAPPS: DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK

Here's a tidbit of boozy Minnesota History for ya: Our own Phillips Distilling Company was the FIRST to introduce Schnapps to America, way back in ye olde 1935. Spanning from (the original Schnapps) Peppermint to fruitier flavors such as peach, watermelon, and raspberry to festive sippables like butterscotch and cinnamon, Schnapps is a kitschy and versatile liqueur that can add pizazz to just about any concoction. We love the nostalgic connotations it holds as well -- we imagine Joan from Mad Men has sipped her fair share of Schnapps! Make your holiday party sparkle by serving a cute 'n classic Schnapps-inspired cocktail, such as the one below! For more info on Phillip's Schnapps visit phillipsdistilling.com

Chocolate Mint Martini

5 oz Prairie Organic Vodka
2 oz Phillips Creme De Menthe (green or white)
1/2 oz Phillips Peppermint Schnapps
Dark chocolate (grated or shaved)

Combine in a shaker with ice and strain into a martini glass (or an 'I Heart Mom' mug, whatever's handy). Garnish with a mini candy cane and grated dark chocolate.


AND THE RETRO BEVERAGE AWARD GOES TO...

Hot Dr. Pepper

This hot drink gained popularity in the early '60s and is still a perfect holiday bevie for a cold winter afternoon. Take a thin slice of lemon and place it in the bottom of your favorite mug or teacup. Heat Dr. Pepper (please, no Dr. Thunder--this is not the time to go generic) in a saucepan until it appears to be boiling (due to the carbonation, it will start bubbling before it reaches a true boil). Pour the steaming soda over the lemon and enjoy this bizarre beverage that we swear we didn't make up!


TRIMMIN' THE TREE: ROCK N' ROLL STYLE

How classic is trimming the tree with the fam? Pretty classic, but now that you're all grown up it may be time to start your own holiday traditions if you haven't already. We suggest putting on a rock n' roll tree trimmin' soiree for all your favorite friends. Throw some some New York Dolls onto the turntable and serve up liberal amounts of mulled wine or warm brandy (we like ours with a dash of Amaretto and a lemon wedge) and spend an evening decorating your tree with good pals. This idea works equally well for a gift wrapping party -- why do it alone when you can rock out with booze and besties?


DIY OR DIE!

Ok, we don't want you to die, but in the punk rock spirit of Do-It-Yourself, we couldn't help but say it. And while our DIY recommendations are more gifts and crafts than studs and spikes, we still feel that giving something inspired by your own creativity and know-how is way more hardcore than buying-off-the-rack. Check out our suggestions for handmade decorating and gifting that will surely impress.

For the Love of Paper!

We're pretty obsessed with Paper Source, a veritable goldmine of craftable ideas and pretty, pretty products. Our staff designer and Paper Source guru, Chris Larson, recently used materials from the cute shop to create the adorable "present hats" in our holiday party promo shoot, and they turned out splendidly if we do say so ourselves. Hit up this specialty retailer for all manners of decorative paper, ribbon, crafting kits and more. The perfect place to stock up on supplies for artsy holiday projects like paper ornament making, as detailed in this tutorial via craftstylish.com. Another great paper-related resource in the Twin Cities is the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, which offers wonderful paper art classes (workshops are a great gift, say we), as well as a fantastic gift store that sells not only really cool paper, but also really cool how-to books and handmade paper art items crafted by local artists. The possibilities are endless! For more info and locations visit mnbookarts.org and paper-source.com


Stuff your Stocking!

We'll admit we're suckers for anything Santa-related, and the Christmas tradition of hanging stockings over the fireplace is one that we find extra sweet. However, the design of anything store-bought leaves a lot to be desired (hello, cheesy cartoon reindeer and cheap acrylic fluff). Our suggestion? Make your own for the lil' ones in your life, or simply for sassy holiday decor! You can put your own kooky spin on it and at the same time make something cool that hopefully will stick around for many holiday seasons to come. It's not too tough to sew and embellish your own stocking (here's an easy pattern that can be modified) but the real fun comes in picking the fabric! Hit up Northeast's Crafty Planet to find some zany retro fabric and embellishments for your stocking, as well as pretty yarns, fun sewing patterns, and cute handmade gifts. In fact, Crafty Planet is even offering a stocking-making workshop for kids on December 12th! For more info and location visit craftyplanet.com.

Baubles for your Babe!

Attention Boys: this is an official l'étoile challenge! Want to really bring a tear to your lover's eye this holiday season? Try your hand at jewelry design! We have the utmost confidence that any guy can cobble together something stunning with the help of the wise sages at Uptown's Bobby Bead shop. Stop in and learn all you need to know about creating simple necklaces and bracelets. No need to get uber-complicated -- a single strand of unique beads of different shapes, sizes and colors -- hand-selected and hand-strung by you -- is quite impressive enough. Bobby Beads stock about a bazillion sparkly beads and embellishments and their staff can fill you in on techniques for creating a professional piece that won't fall apart -- and they may even let you work on it in the store's workshop area if you ask nicely. Unfortunately, stringing some pony beads on dental floss isn't a viable option, fellas, so seek the advice of the professionals! For more info and location visit bobbybead.com

TO THE THEAT-AH WE GO: L'ETOILE'S GUIDE TO HOLIDAY PERFORMANCE

We heart dramatic holiday classics and quirky new plays alike, and luckily for us there's definitely an abundance of both circulating around the Twin Cities theater scene this month. From offbeat comedies to Nutcrackers, our handy-dandy Guide to Holiday Performance by l'etoile's own Rob Callahan, will fill you in on some of the best of 'em. To check out the guide click HERE

WHAT TO WEAR! WHAT TO WEAR!

The holiday season is filled with festive occasions that all demand a different style of dress. And if you know l'étoile at all, you know we don't like to be seen in the same "costume" twice. Check out our guide, complete with shopping tips and recommendations for numerous holiday occasions!

WHAT TO WEAR: JUBILEE presented by l'étoile and Blacklist Vintage

We can’t help but toot our own horn -- l'étoile is known for throwing a mean party, and this holiday season is no exception. Since it’s been the year of Mad Men and we wanted an excuse to buddy up with our friends at Blacklist Vintage, we figured ‘50s was the way to go. Do your best Betty or Joan and don a body-hugging number, all the better to show off your hourglass figure. Don’t forget the matching pearls and necklace set! Fellas, whip out that suit and skinny tie, and be sure to tuck your cigarettes into a shiny case. Bonus: Blacklist is hosting a Black Christmas shopping party on December 11 to get you ready to go for the big event on the 19th! (Jubilee, Saturday, Dec. 19; Secret location, RSVP to jubileersvp@gmail.com to request an invite to this private affair)

WHAT TO WEAR: Transmission’s annual New Wave dance party

Jake Rudh’s weekly Transmission dance night has long been the primo choice for Wednesday night debauchery, and the night before Christmas Eve should prove to be the place to tear it up before enduring some family time. The always-dapper man knows his way around the DJ booth, so you’ll want to wear something that’s easy to dance in and can withstand a packed house. Since no one’s going to see your lower half, go for big hair and hot pink lipstick. While you’re at it, it’s probably a good time to bring out the sequins, multi-ruffle dresses, and Madonna-esque corsets. Fellas, do your best Flock of Seagulls homage and skip the popped collars in favor of skinny pants and eyeliner; if you’re really feeling festive, add a holly-red ruffled poet shirt. (10 p.m. Dec. 23. Free. 21-plus. Clubhouse Jager, 923 Washington Ave. N., Mpls.)


WHAT TO WEAR: Holiday lights & Skating in Rice Park

During the early winter months, St. Paul’s Rice Park boasts the most dazzling holiday lights display, right alongside the most fanciful, romantic ice rink in the Twin Cities. Take in the stunning view of downtown St. Paul’s European architecture and twinkling trees while holding hands with your main squeeze - in an ultra-chic warm weather ensemble, of course. Guys, a classic pea coat is the way to go. Ladies, pull out your favorite fur-collared vintage coat. Besides, what better reason could be there to don our favorite winter accessory, the muff?


WHAT TO WEAR: A night at the theater

A night at the theater requires something more than the usual jeans-and-a-t-shirt, and we personally love any opportunity to dress up. Whether you’re heading with the family to “A Christmas Carol” at the Guthrie (ongoing through Dec. 31) or the less traditional “Ballet of the Dolls: The Nutcracker (Not so) Suite” at the Ritz (Dec. 10-31), go for classic sophistication. You’ll look like a serious appreciator of the arts in all-black - a wrap dress or pencil skirt always look classy. Guys, your shirt should require buttons and a tie, and a sport coat would be ideal. Wear jeans if you must, but if so, they should be a dark, well-fitting, hole-free denim. What you wear on top is also important: leave the puffy North Face coat at home and opt to cover up in a long wool or fur-trimmed coat.

WHAT TO WEAR: New Year's Eve

There’s always a ton of parties happening for New Year’s, but wherever you go, dressing down is not an option. Ladies, think all that glitters, sparkles, and twinkles. Up the zing factor if you’re wearing an all-black ensemble with bold costume jewelry (try vintage or Betsey Johnson for maximum sparkle), a jeweled belt (Belle Reve has a gorgeous one that will add glam to any basic look), or even legwear. Guys, you can get into the act too if you find a skinny tie with a subtle sheen to wear (jacket required, though a matching suit isn’t necessary). But with this New Year’s providing our leap into the ‘10s, you could just go all-out and don a tux, complete with bow-tie - why the heck not? Keep your eyes peeled for details on the l'etoile-sponsored NYE bash at the 501 Club and the Secrets of the City annual NYE soiree at the Red Stag Supper Club!


2009 Holiday Guide Editor: Kate Iverson / Contributors: Kate Iverson, Juleana Enright, Beth Hammarlund, Jahna Peloquin / Guest contributors: Paul D. Dickinson, Dana Lade, Dara Moskowitz-Grumdahl

Dessa: Doomtree's Distinguished Diva Discusses Poetry, Prose and Performance

by Rob Callahan

On a cold December night in 2005, a line formed around the block outside of the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. Fans huddled and shivered as they waited for the doors to open and the show to start. The sell-out crowd surprised everyone in-the-know within the local music scene at the time; from critics to the group themselves. What would become the annual tradition known as "The Doomtree Blowout" catapulted the much buzzed-about collective from the relative underground to local notoriety in an instant.

"Before doors I got a call telling me there was a line, and I asked, 'Where?'" says Dessa, a member of the Doomtree Crew along with fellow emcees Sims, Mike Mictlan, Cecil Otter and P.O.S. "They told me, 'Outside the door!' We were all so excited that at least two of us put on really big hoods to go outside and see if it was true, if there really were people waiting outside to see us."

"It was the first show that we'd ever headlined without asking a lot of our friends to join us on the bill," she recalls, "because we wanted a litmus test. We wanted to better understand our draw in Minneapolis, so we tried to make it a really special show." The uniqueness of the show revolved around personal mixtapes. Each of the emcees made one, in old-school fashion on analog cassettes, and fans entered a raffle for their chance to win a tape made by a member of the crew. "So the night before everyone was staying up and painting things, and frantically trying to find a boom box that would record cassettes. Nobody slept."

Photo by Bo Hakala

In the years that followed, the annual events became bigger and more elaborate, with half-time shows featuring choreographed performances by troupes of B-boys and B-girls, multimedia displays and a computer animated logo that towered over the stage and moved along with the music, each letter keyed to react to a specific emcee's words. "I was the D in Doomtree, and every time I talked on the mic the D would vibrate and move." With the increase in showmanship from one year to the next, word spread about the group and the Blowout, and it never failed to draw a capacity crowd.

The members the Doomtree Crew continue to write, record and tour together whenever breaks in their other projects will allow, with each of them boasting their own repertoire of creative talents, and none more so than Dessa. A rapper, poet, author, singer, songwriter and instructor teaching classes on rap music and song writing compostion at McNally Smith, she flashes a charming and disarming smile when asked to retrace some of the steps that brought her down the path to where she stands now.

Photo by Phong Tran

"I was uninformed about how big it was..."

"Some of it I always knew I had an interest in, but I wasn't sure. Like with philosophy," she remembers, having had an interest as a child, "I knew I wanted to think about things, to take a given premise and follow it up and guess at all the possible different outcomes. When I was a kid my mom was telling me to get my immunization, and that the needle was so little it wouldn't hurt, and I kept imagining what it would be like if it was half the size of the needle I had last time I went, and then half the size of that, and so on. I used to love dreaming about that stuff, but I didn't know that that had a name. I didn't know there was something called metaphysics or epistemology." As an adult she attended the University of Minnesota, where she studied philosophy as an undergraduate and began to connect with members of the local arts scene, at first by chance.

"I had a bad breakup and my roommate took me to a slam at Kieran's Irish Pub. It was a Valentine's Day theme, so we went together." After watching the performers recite their pieces, Dessa's roommate suggested that she should try writing a poem, "so I wrote one and a few weeks later, she came into my bedroom and asked if I had finished that piece I was working on, so I recited it." Little did Dessa know that her roommate had an ulterior motive, and was holding a dictaphone behind her back while Dessa spoke. "She recorded it and then kind of moonwalked out of the room," recalls Dessa, who goes on to recount that the secret recording was then shared with Yoni Reinharz, an influential figure in the spoken word scene, who brought her to the stage at her first poetry slam. Unbeknownst to Dessa, her first competition was during team selection, during which any poet who ranks, wins a spot on the slam team. She ranked.

Photo by B Fresh

In ways, her introduction to slam poetry was accidental, if not at least unwitting, and she soon became involved in something much bigger than she'd realized. "I was uninformed about how big it was," she remembers, "internationally," and from spoken word she took an otherwise unlikely step into the realm of hip-hop.

"Yoni was this crazy, extroverted, intelligent Jewish MC," says Dessa, "and he thought I was talented, so he asked if I wanted to join his rap group [Medida]. I was flattered but I couldn't rap, so I said thank you, but no. He said I should come over and read some of my poems over his beats and to see if I could, so we went over to his house." She recalls the anticlimactic end to his initial wooings: "So I read a poem over one of the beats and he was not very impressed, but he said we'd work on it. And slowly, we worked on it and I became a rapper."

Yoni inundated her with CDs to listen to, to influence and inform her own style - including A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, The Wu-Tang Clan - and one disc among the many was of particular interest to her. "There was this one burned cd with a picture of a dead bird, and I was just starting to recognize regional signatures, East Coast and West Coast stuff, and I asked him, 'Who are these guys?' He said they were Doomtree, and I asked where they were from because I couldn't place them, and he said they were from Minneapolis." Not only were they local, but they lived two houses down from Yoni, so she knocked on their door, introduced herself and soon became friends with them.

Photo by Zoe Prinds-Flash

After months of rapping with Medida and hanging out socially with Doomtree, Dessa was invited to open a set for Sage Francis with one of her poems. "That poem was probably two minutes long, but I was so nervous, I probably did it in about a minute ten." After her recital, she went backstage where surprised members of the Doomtree Crew were waiting in awe, having not known that she could rap. "I realized that I had been so shy up to that point that I just hadn't mentioned that I rapped in this other group. Some months after that, the Doomtree guys sat me down in their living room and said, 'We've been thinking a lot about it and we were wondering if you wanted to be part of...' what was essentially their tree house gang at the time. It was pretty informal. We weren't an LLC, we didn't have t-shirts. They were just a bunch of dudes who called themselves Doomtree. And I said 'Yessssssss!' After that, I performed both with Medida and Doomtree."

"I was so excited, I called my mom," says Dessa, joking that the words, 'Mom, I'm in Doomtree!' - said over the phone and late on a weeknight - might have easily prompted a concerned parent to ask if she needed them to come and get her out. "It's a funny sounding word, and first she asked me what a Doomtree was. I said the guys I told you about next door, and then I told her it was hip-hop and she said, 'Well, be careful.' I asked what she meant, and she said something about cocaine, and I told her none of the guys in this house has enough money to purchase even the smallest amount of cocaine.”


"So she was not excited," says Dessa, "but she came around in a couple years, and dad ended up coming around just a hair ahead of my mom because they had exactly the same ideas about hip-hop that would concern any parent with a daughter. If you're only informed by pop culture, there's a lot of reasons not to like it."

"I'm not interested in portraying myself as some sort of goddess."

At first, Dessa didn't encounter those reasons, and she attributes initial freedom from them to the insulation of the Minneapolis hip-hop scene. "There were some great guys in Doomtree and Medida, who were - I don't want to say respectful, cause that sounds like there was some sort of formality - but we were just friends. Then, as we slowly but consistently ascended in the underground scene, I started to meet people who weren't necessarily sexist in a confrontational or adversarial way, but in those sly, suave ways. Like you're getting hugs that last too long, or men are calling you cute names, or you're in a serious setting and you're going over line five on the contract and he says, 'Alright babe, by the way, nice sweater!' And I'm like, 'To whom are you speaking?'"

"There have been some occasions where there are some really violently, outrageously sexual lyrics," she says of the styles and prose archetypal of mainstream rap, "and I've had the opportunity to just walk away from those stages and say, 'Screw you. That's just whack and personally offensive.' I think a lot of the time there is an expectation that female MCs will tolerate a lot of foul language to prove they're as tough as the dudes or say, 'I'm as much of a thug cause I hate women even more than you do.'"

Photo by Steve Cohen

"On the other end of the spectrum," she notes, examining a movement within hip-hop that she hesitates to call feminism, "I guess you'd call it fem-centric, glorifying women - and I'm about celebrating being a woman, but being a woman sucks for the same reasons that being a man or being human sucks: I'm broke, I'm lonely, I don't know why I'm here, I'm existentially bummed out, I'm bored, I'm hungry. All the same things that are human concerns are female concerns - and I'm also not interested in portraying myself as some sort of goddess. Anything that ends in E-S-S is not for me. E-S-S is okay in DESSA, but that's it."

Gender relations are an all-too-prominent part of the hip-hop lifestyle in other ways as well, as Dessa recalls the extent to which the creepy factor manifests in the occasional overzealous fan, "but the guys who are creepy to me are not as creepy as the girls who are creepy to the boys. I think everybody knows what a creepy guy is like. Right away, you have a personality type in your head. But generally, sexual advances from women are welcome, so there's no line of conduct that the girls won't cross. The guys in Doomtree are polite enough that they'll just retreat into the green room and hide from the groupies, or just very politely send them back to their pack of girlfriends."


"It sort of feels like visiting someone else's life."

"It's a weird job and I get it," she says of the hours and unusual expectations. "Every night that you're at work, the other people are partying. You go to work, you're sober late at night, and everybody's been drinking for three hours on their off night, so right away it's a pretty pronounced difference."

Nowhere is the difference more pronounced than at the big shows, where the scale is grander and the expectations higher than at other times. "On the road it's exciting if fifty people come out in Denver, but we're working hard for every step. Whereas the blowout is the best that we know how to do every year, and it's a show full of spectacle," she says emphatically. "And it's one of the few that has all of us on stage at one time so it's kind of a gestalt thing. It shows that we've been friends for ten years. It's goofy. We mess up and drop and catch microphones and all sorts of nonsense on stage, which I think is part of it, because we're not pitch-perfect every show. We never have been, so it's all about the show itself."

"It sort of feels like visiting someone else's life," she says of the big crowds and over-the-top performances. "I know that it looks so cool, but it's so few evenings in one's life that that's what your job looks like. So I know to my mom and dad, who of course aren't going to come to a lot of rap shows, will come to the Blowout and see this room full of people and it's a cool room and people really like us, and they must think that my entire career is evenings like that, but it's one very special night a year that still feels phenomenal and humbling."

Photo by John Behm

The Blowout may be the most prominent portion on Dessa's plate, but it's far from a complete course. It's more like a mere part of a balanced breakfast, including a new solo album, another book and an upcoming tour.

"It's easy to play up the vagabond thing, where I'm carefree and I've got sand in my bra."

A Badly Broken Code is the title of the next Dessa disc. "It's a line that I shamelessly lifted from a poem I really liked by Billy Collins. In an effort to contact him in any way, I thought I could write him and ask permission to use this title. I had hoped to open a dialogue with him," she says with an embarrassed smile, "but his receptionist got the request and was like, 'Yeah, that's fine.'" The album will traverse new and unbeaten paths for Dessa, jumping from aggressive raps to hymn-like acapella cuts -- and Dessa anticipates a hard sell due to the diversity of styles it showcases. "I think it needs most of my attention to get off the ground. It's a heavy kite."

Dessa's singing, which figures more prominently into the makeup of the new album than it has in her past work, is another dream from her youth that she's managed to make a reality. "Singing seemed like such a long shot to make a career of. I didn't like it when adults thought my aspirations were cute. It was like saying, 'I want to be a quarterback,' and everyone saying, 'That's great. Go get 'em on the sand lot, kid.'" But having proven her chops on the stage at Doomtree shows, book readings and radio appearances, she's ready to integrate it more fully into her portfolio, incorporating the many influences she's had in life. "My family was very frugal and wouldn't buy a lot of records, so we had a very small musical collection. I listened to Michael Jackson's Thriller, Whitney Houston, Joan Baez, Rod Stewart and my dad playing classical guitar. I still hear classical pieces whose names I still don't know, but I recognize it, because my dad played that one."



"Writing I wanted to do," she says when asked about her first book, Spiral Bound, "but I didn't know that it counted if you did short stories. I thought writers had to do full books. Interest, yes, but vocational aspirations less so. Initially, I'd really liked writing and wanted to get into it if I could just figure out how. So the bad breakup lead to the slam and that lead to rap music. Rap music lead to six years later, I hadn't written as much as I wanted to, and I think I just started to get salty. I wasn't as fun to hang out with because I was bummed out. I was bummed out that I hadn't done more writing, so I decided I was going to finish – even if it was a little slim volume – a collection of essays and poetry."

Faced with the prospect of being a relatively unknown author trying to sell her work in a genre where being published is nigh impossible for anyone less famous than David Sedaris, Dessa worked with Doomtree to set up a print wing of the group's ever-increasing spectrum of creative genius. The resulting book was the culmination of many years' worth of thought and consideration.

"I first started getting into creative nonfiction in college. I was probably nineteen or twenty and I had this really bad ass teacher, Thomas Haley. He introduced us to a variety of essays between five and fifteen pages. Some of them had better characters in them than they had plots, which was new to me. I liked it because it was like a conversation with one of those people who could talk about anything and you'd giggle. It could be about the most mundane experience and it's still profound, like I'm paying to get in between the writer's ears, not because they had an exceptional experience but because their mental life is so interesting. That may have appealed to me because I was twenty and I didn't have any good stories yet," she jokes, "but I still love it."


Her next book, which at this time has not been secured by a publisher, departs from the more free format of Spiral Bound and tells the longer story of her travels through India. "I think it's going to be called A Perfect Burn," she speculates, acknowledging the difference between this and her first book. "That one's harder. I think it's because the stakes are higher – It's easier to sound snotty when you're doing travel writing. Or inauthentically spiritual when you write about somewhere far away. It's like going to France and now you can't remember the word for cheese, so you just say 'fromage' all the time so you look like a poser. Finding a good gentle but honest touch is what I tried to do. For example, I went to the City of Death to watch the lowest caste, the untouchables, treat their dead in India. I really dug it, but it's hard to write about well."

"It's easy to play up the vagabond thing, where I'm carefree and I've got sand in my bra," she says, "to glorify the lifestyle of backpackers. But I knew that I really liked the travel experiences I had and I wanted to figure out a way to share those. Songs didn't seem to work, so I did this new book."

The 5th Annual Doomtree Blowout takes place in the First Avenue Mainroom on December 5th, with a 6:00pm door.

The CD Release Party for 'A Badly Broken Code' happens January 22nd at the Fine Line.

For more info on Dessa visit her myspace page HERE for more info on Doomtree click HERE.

video promo for Doomtree Blowout