Commerce East - Hmm…that’s odd

Watching Michael Hearst’s Ode to Odd Instruments video, we wondered what odd kind of instruments the artist was using.

Here is what we found:

Hohner Claviola

Bass Melodica

Stylophone

Otamatone

Moog Theremin

Elastic Audioware Rattle

Here are some other weird instruments we found.

Kalashnikov guitar

(An AK-47 converted into a guitar, shown here by former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan)

Laser Harp

Pikasso guitar

Hello Kitty Stratocaster guitar 

(Not so weird looking, but still kind of cool…in a Hello Kittish way)

          Have you ever wondered “How long has the Minnesota State Fair been around?” Well Westside has asked that question and we went on a search to find out the answer.

The 1^st Minnesota State Fair was held in 1859, the year after Minnesota was granted statehood. It was held in what is now downtown Minneapolis.

          In the last 152 years the fair has been held every year with only five exceptions, 1861 &1862 due to the Civil War, 1893 because of conflicts with the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, in 1945 because of wartime fuel shortages and in 1946 due to the Polio epidemic.

          In the early years the fair was dominated by Agricultural exhibits. Now while the focus is still agriculture the fair has added many attractions the interest all ages of fair goers. From the Petty Barn, Horse barns, DNR Building, Grandstand shows, 4H exhibits to every kind of food on a stick there is something for everyone.

  Of course there are the standard fair foods- Pronto pups, corn dogs, foot long hot dogs, Fried green tomatoes, The Beer gardens, Sweet Martha’s cookies, Cheese and on stick and let’s not forget the “Cheese Curds” hot out of the fryer!

Although it’s still a week away, Westside can’t wait!

Commerce East - Get ready. Get set. EAT!!

Roasted corn-on-cob, cheese curds, elephant ears, turkey legs, mini donuts, pronto pups, Sweet Martha’s cookies, oh my!

Haunted house, giant slide, parades, concerts, fireworks, bazaar, ooh, sounds fun!

With the government shut down and the uncertainty of whether some vendors can operate at the fair along with rain, hot, humid weather, severe climates from tornadoes to flooding—sheesh! The list continues.

Our great state had endured much and we’re only a little half way through the year. It’s only fitting that we celebrate the milestones at the Minnesota State Fair. So go enjoy the fair. Eat lots of on-the-stick food; deep fried everything from candy bars to pickles. Gain some weight. Sweat it off. Puke it out. Yuck. OK. So don’t do that. Try some new food.

Some new food to try:

We’ve come across a list of new foods for 2011! Here they are:

Chocolate Covered Jalapeno Peppers

Deep Fried Cookie Dough

Sweet Corn Ice Cream

Pretzel Dog

Northwoods Salad on-a-stick (wonder how that’s going to work.)

White Razzy Puppies (just to clarify, it’s a white chocolate Belgian waffle dipped in dark chocolate and drizzled with raspberry sauce. Yummy!)

Pizza Kabob

Breakfast Lollipop

Chow Fun (It’s a stir fry noodle dish)

Yankee Apple Pie Chocolate Sandwich

Dirt Dessert 

Some things to think about:

We’ve noticed that the state fair is not so friendly to wheelchairs. There is limited handicap parking and some buildings and activities are not handicap accessible. For example, the haunted house. Some stalls are just off the curb, which makes access to them difficult. Yes, it’s crowded. That is understood. But, please, be considerate and do not stare, per MsG. Give way to wheelchairs. Be patient. Yes, it’s frustrating at times, so think about how frustrating it is to not be able to reach the counter to pay for your purchase or someone not understanding, “excuse me.”

To be fair, the Minnesota State Fair does try to make it accessible and that is greatly appreciated. Check out the fair’s website for more information.

Feel free to comment and or share your state fair experience with us. 

8-8-11 West – Minnesota State Fair

Billed as “Twelve Days of Fun” ending Labor Day, this year’s Minnesota State fair runs from August 25 thru Sept 5,2011.  This year promises to be more fun then ever!

In class today we talked about the up coming Minnesota State Fair. The excitement was electrifying and everyone can’t wait for the “great Minnesota get-together”. While the exhibits are a big part of what the fair has to offer, here at Phoenix it’s all about the FOOD!

Cheese curds reign number one with most everyone here. Those tasty deep fried chunks of cheese are worth the long lines to buy them.  Mini doughnuts and a bucket of Sweet Martha’s chocolate chip cookies were a close second and third.

Once your tummies are happy it’s time to wander the fair grounds. Tractors and Farm implements, Animals, 4H building with the wonderful projects and of course the Brazar and

Heritage Square

are all favorite spots to explore everything the fair has to offer.  Golfer, Sassy, Fan lady and Princess Nor all love the petting farm and going to the big barns.

While the exhibits and Food are a big draw there are also 12 days of concerts and free entertainment.  Also, who has gone to the fair and not checked out the Midway with all the exciting, fast and dizzying rides. The Space Needle seems to be the favorite ride with the folks in class.  Star Gazer saying she makes it a tradition to ride the Space Needle every year. “I love being able to see the whole fair grounds from way up high”

So if you have a free day, stop by and have some cheese curds, mini doughnuts and a corn dog or something else on a stick! Come join us at the great Minnesota get-together!!  http://www.mnstatefair.org/

Commerce East - Give me a COOKIE…

In cooking class on Wednesday, August 03, 2011, we made Easy Pudding Cookies! They were delicious; soft and warm and almost melt in your mouth. MovieLover said they were “good.” F said they were “yummy.” PepsiLady couldn’t let go of her recipe!

                                 

Make them at home:

Easy Pudding Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 package (3.9 oz) JELL-O chocolate instant pudding

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

1 package (6 squares) Baker’s white chocolate, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add dry pudding mix and beat until well blended
4. Add eggs and baking soda; mix well
5. Gradually add flour until blended
6. Stir in chopped chocolate
7. Drop a tablespoon of dough on baking sheet about 2 inches apart
8. Bake 10-12 minutes
9. Cool for 1 minute

(Recipe from www.kraftrecipes.com)

Enjoy the cookies!!

        

            During our class we discussed eating healthy and how to help the local farmers. Webkin , Madam X and Fan lady all have family gardens at their house.  Star Gazer said she helps out with her family’s garden on weekends and enjoys the fresh veggies and fruit. This weekend she harvested raspberries. “They were amazing!

  One way to be healthier is to take advantage of all the wonderful fresh vegetables and fruits sold at your local farmer's market. Locally grown produce is usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested. Enjoying fruits and vegetables at their freshest also helps ensure you get the most nutritional benefit, as nutritional value can decline with time. Why should we buy at the Farmers Market?

1. You know what you are getting. You can ask the farmer about how the produce was grown.               Was there pesticides used or is it organic?

2. The food is fresher. Most of the produce is fresh and less then 24 hours from being harvested.

3. You help the environment. Buy fresh means there is no store packaging waste and energy used to refrigerate the produce.

4. You support local farmers. By buying direct we are paying our farmers a fair price for produce, which helps them stay in business.

No matter where you live, make a point to stop by your local farmers market weekly and buy what is available for fruits and vegetables, instead of picking up your produce at your closest supermarket.

St Paul and Minneapolis both have big weekly Farmers markets with a wide array of produce and products to choose from. To find the nearest Farmers Market go to-

 Http://Stpaulfarmersmarket.com/locations. 

Commerce East - Summer Reading

Reading is a past time not shared by some, but it is a favorite past time for others. Here at Commerce East, we discussed some favorite books and places to get them from borrowing to purchasing.

Where to get books:

Aside from major book sellers like Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, and Borders (which is sadly going out of business), there are several other ways of getting books that are money savers.

Half Price Books: offer books at half off original prices.

Library book sales: Check out your local libraries for book sales. Search for their bag sales; all you can fit in a grocery paper bag for $5. That’s a steal.

Do you have an electronic book reader? Barnes and Noble has free Fridays that offers a free eBook to download on their Nook. Libraries and Washington County offers eBooks downloadable on their library website.

Thrift stores offer a great collection as well. Their stock changes quickly but it’s worth a look. Stores like Unique Thrift Store and Valu Thrift Store in St. Paul offers hardcover for $2.49 and soft cover for $1.49.

Libraries are FREE!! Make sure to return the items you barrowed on time! Can’t make it to the library? Some libraries offer mail services for free so check out your local libraries.

Garage sales are other great options. And of course, borrow from friends if you can. It saves money and you don’t have to worry about a due date, unless you set it of course.

Recommendations:

The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

Exodus by Leon Uris

The Help by Katheryn Stockett

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

* The DaVinci Code, The Help, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo have been adapted into Movies. The Help and the English version of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo are scheduled to release soon.

Feel free to add to our list of recommended books.