DISCUSSIONS/ART
MAEP Community Meeting

Attention artists and art appreciators! As many of you already know, beloved coordinator of The Minnesota Artist's Exhibition Program, Stewart Turnquist, who held his post for the past 31 years, resigned unexpectedly last week. Many local artists are concerned, fearing the future of the artist-run program - which under Turnquist's leadership has successfully maintained a collaboration between the MIA and the statewide artist community. Come down to the MIA this Saturday morning for a public forum which will invite those with questions and concerns about the future of MAEP to speak their mind. Our local artists need your show of support, so if you appreciate the vibrant arts and culture scene that has been so carefully cultivated in our fair city throughout the years, or you are an artist yourself - your input is absolutely vital!

Saturday, 10:30am-Noon, The MIA, Pillsbury Auditorium, 2400 3rd Avenue South, Minneapolis, Free

ART
All Buildings Dream in Blueprints

One of my fave Minneapolis photographers and an all-around talented fellow, Eric William Carroll, opens this amazing solo exhibition at Augsburg College's Christensen Center Art Gallery tonight. Using light and blueprint paper, Carroll transforms three-dimensional objects and spaces into two-dimensional images using an old-timey photography process referred to as diazotype. Cool, right? It gets cooler. The installation includes a 2-D, large-scale recreation of Augsburg's annual Student Art Exhibit, which was on display in the same gallery this past April. All Buildings Dream in Blueprints merges memory with this very moment, creating a visual version of deja vu that is as pretty as it is fascinating. Runs through September 5th.

Friday, Reception 5:30pm-7:30pm, Christensen Center Art Gallery, Augsburg College, 720 22nd Ave. S, Minneapolis, Free

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MUSIC
Anthony Cox, Phil Hey & Chris Lomheim

Here's a gig that lets you strain the brandy or fine single malt over your tongue while you swell with pride for living in a place with such a vibrant local jazz scene. Cox is an internationally renowned bassist who had Billy Higgins and Dewey Redman on his first record and happens to call the Twin Cities home. Hey is a protégé of Ed Blackwell and has been arguably the top drummer in town for two decades. They've formed trios with pianist Billy Carrothers and guitarist Dean Magraw, among others, but when Cox called Lomheim as well as Hey to fill some corporate dates, things took a quieter, albeit very satisfying, turn. Lomheim favors the melancholy of Bill Evans and is also a composer of some note. Cox, who always admired Evans' bassist Scott Lafaro, was amenable to that approach. The first time they played the AQ a few months back was reportedly a luminous affair. Despite their Ornettish associations, Cox and Hey are enjoying the hushed, relaxed groove of calling out standards-be it Monk or Jerome Kern, with Lomheim always bringing at least one original for variety-and spooling out the interplay. -Britt Robson

Friday & Saturday 9pm, Artists Quarter, 408 St. Peter Street, St. Paul, $10


FESTIVALS
Highland Fest

I spent a good chunk of my youth living in St. Paul's Highland Park neighborhood, and the bustling Highland Village was a primo spot for within-walking-distance loitering. Each summer for three days, tents, moonwalks, food vendors and more come out of the woodwork to turn this specialty shop-infested three block stretch into an arts and crafts mecca, and the whole neighborhood turns up to spend their hard-earned cash on pottery, dreamcatchers and cheese curds. The best part, of course, is the beer garden set up near the library, where you can sip (or guzzle) 3.2 Bud Light while enjoying the musical stylings of such safe-bet acts as Martin Zellar, Yodel A-Go-Go, and tons more. Highland Fest is a fun stroll-through, a decent excuse to scarf down some mini donuts, and a good way to get some sun! Watch out for off-leash children

Friday-Sunday, Highland Park, Ford Parkway & Cleveland Ave, St. Paul, Free

WINE & DINE

A Culinary "Cue" from Chef Alan Shook

Meet Chef Alan Shook from Cue at the Guthrie, get recipe tips from the upcoming World Flavors Dinner Party, and pick up ingredients at Whole Foods to make your own gourmet meal! Chef Alan will demonstrate cooking techniques, sharing a special scallop recipe plus dip and sauce recipes from our upcoming World Flavors event. You'll learn how to transform asparagus, carrots, and red peppers into a colorful party mosaic, pretty as a picture and good enough to eat too!


Don't forget to RSVP for the World Flavors Wine Dinner and Patio Party at Cue on July 22nd from 6 to 9pm featuring a multi-course gourmet meal, live jazz from Irv Williams and Peter Schimke, and more. Grab a date and enjoy this culinary adventure with us! Click HERE for more info and to reserve your spot!

Saturday, 1-2pm, Whole Foods Market, 3060 Excelsior Blvd, Minneapolis, Free


FESTIVALS
Chiang Banger

Who knew a Thai restaurant could rock so hard? This Sunday throw caution to the wind and join the crew at delicious Uptown staple Chiang Mai Thai for their first (and hopefully annual) block party. Spice up the laziest day of the week with yummy food, ice cold beer and music from some of the hottest bands in town including local indie legends, Polara, sexy electro-dream gods Solid Gold, and many other hipster notables such as Ouija Radio, The Mood Swings, Shortcuts, Fuck Knights, Frontier, Caroline Smith, Bitch City, and Grey Skies - with witty banter thrown in between sets by emcee and comedian Chris Maddock. The perfect end to a smashingly good weekend!

Sunday, 2pm-10pm, Behind Chiang Mai Thai, Lake St. & Girard Ave., Uptown, Free