some scenes from the first day at StoryCorps

It was a magical first day! Have you signed up yet?

The StoryCorps Airstream, in Northern Minnesota, is a once in a lifetime opportunity! You come in with someone you know (a friend, loved one, coworker) and have a conversation. Maybe you know the story you want to talk about, but maybe you'll ask questions like,

What was the happiest moment of your life?

What were your grandparents like?

What was your favorite job?

What did you think you would be when you grew up?

What is your biggest regret?

Mary the Kayak Lady and her mother Goldy

As we get ready for StoryCorps coming to town next week, Mary the Kayak Lady and her mother Goldy stopped by to do a little recording of their own. Goldy is leaving town before the booth gets to town, so we tried a KAXE version of StoryCorps.

Mary and Goldy came in and we sat together for 40 minutes while Mary asked her mom some questions. Britta Arendt from the Grand Rapids Herald review was there, and we all enjoyed hearing the feisty Goldy tell her stories of conquering her bucket list.

Goldy is 86 and determine to try new things. Here's just a few things that Goldy has done in the last few years:

jump out of a plane
ride bucking bronco
drive a race car
ride a jetski
ride in a helicopter

I knew that I would enjoy this pre-StoryCorps session, but I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did! There was something utterly inspiring about sitting across the console from a 4'5" 86 year old woman that not only wasn't afraid to try new things, but LOOKED for them. You could see the pride in Mary's eyes and the surprise in her face at some of the things her mother said.

Hope you can be a part of the StoryCorps project, here in Grand Rapids, Minnesota August 29th-September 20th. Call us for more information! 218-326-1234

The Intrepid Dennis Elj and his 6-word memoir

Here it is:

Underachieving pleasure punk seeks constant gratification. Dennis Elj

Our very own Dennis was published in "Not Quite What I was Planning, Six-Word Memoirs by Famous and Obscure Writers."

What a great idea! What would your 6-word memoir be?

Here's a few others:

Running away. Best decision I made. Stephen Elliot

Weird quiet girl fading from view. Felicia Sullivan

Hey Red, order Up! Chop! Chop! Patty Griffin

Last words, our daughter, too soon. Steve Allen.

And, from KAXErs

Surprisingly, it is going quite well. Gail Otteson

And 2 from Michael Goldberg:

I'm still wondering what comes next. All I really expected was everything.

Post YOUR 6 word memoir here!

Guido's Arts Roundup, Thursday, August 21st

The Edge Center for the Arts in Bigfork: this Saturday (8/23) at 7 pm, “Expressions”---an evening of music by area artists (kids and adults) featuring cello, violin, vocals, AND the new piano. Tix at the door. In the lobby: throughout August, Timothy’ Ray’s collaged paintings and collographs. Big, busy, abstract work---wonderful, very accomplished stuff.
Over in Bemidji, the usual abundance: “Re-Collection” at the Art Center, “In the Good Old Summertime” at the History Center, “Coming Together” at Dunn Brothers, “Earthly Delights” at Wild Hare---and there’s more, of course, at bcac.wordpress.com

Ripple River Gallery/Deerwood: now through 9/21, David Norstad and Tracy McMan, “Paintings, Collage and Constructions”---excellent, as everything at Ripple River always is---

Jaques Art Center in Aitkin: opening this Saturday (8/23) and running through 9/27, western and Native American art and, in conjunction with that, in their Dialogue With The Arts series, next Tuesday (8/26) at 1 pm, “Native Art – Woodland Pottery” with Carri Estey, Mille Lacs Indian Museum Director.

At the Range Art Center in Hibbing, they’re winding up their Summer Art Camp for kids this week. For next things there, check out rangeartcenter.org

Ironworld in Chisholm: beginning next week (8/30 – through 1/4/09) “In the Dark”, a nationally traveling exhibit from the Cincinnati Museum Center.

Up the street from KAXE at Brewed Awakenings this month, Cindy Jackson---Heidi Holtan’s sister. Go to womenofwhim.com and check out the photo of Cindy (guess her age) AND her diverse portfolio, handbags to canvas art and everything in between. The photo’s black-and-white, the artwork nothing but color, color, color.

MacRostie Art Center, in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids: now through the end of the month, the 16th Annual Juried Exhibition, plus a show in the back gallery by Rachel Melis, the juror. Front and back: diverse, accomplished work, beautifully installed. Fall classes posted now and starting next week...http://www.macrostieartcenter.org their new and really nice website)

At the Reif Center up on Conifer Drive, tonight at 7:30, Darlene Westgor, Nick at Night’s Funniest Mom in America, the last show in Reif’s Summer Comedy Series. Thanks to our underwriters for the funny stuff every Thursday since June, Reed Drug and Wendigo Lodge, Golf & Conference Center. Next Tuesday, the last of the summer’s Indies on Tuesdays, sponsored by Rivers Wine Bar and Bistro: “Drifters”, an award winning film from China, by way of the Grand Rapids Area Library. Next Thursday the 2008-2009 Reif Season opens with “Teddy Roosevelt…Today” by Keith McGough, underwritten by US Bank and Itasca Reliable Insurance Agency.

Notes from farther afield…. At the Guthrie in Minneapolis Theater Latte Da brings “Old Wicked Songs” to the Dowling Studio, directed by Grand Rapids native (and my old neighbor) Peter Rothstein, in preview 9/12, then running through 10/5. And that same weekend, between here and there, at the Rainbow Granite Quarry in St. Cloud, it’s Merce Cunningham and John Cage’s “Ocean”---our very own Eric Uzelac will be in the orchestra for this literally world-class event. There are three performances, but it’s been sold out for weeks. Dodger and I do have some tix---I’ll report next time.

Steve "Guido" Downing is the Development Director at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids. Steve does a monthly arts roundup on KAXE's morning program. Add your reviews and comments on the northern MN arts scene.

Would you drive 55

Staff physicist Aaron Wenger was in yesterday to talk speed limits, hair-dos and don'ts, asteroids and Mars.

Aaron talked about HIS theory (take that yesterday's StarTribune!) that to conserve energy and lower our use of fossil fuels the best thing the government could do is to enforce a lower speed limit. He said it is simply ASTOUNDING how a substantial chunk of the hydrocarbon load could be lowered 15-20-25%. He's in favor of a totalitarian regime that throws people in jail after a couple of tickets. He even mentioned the possibility of car manufacturers putting a cap on how fast you could go.

Is this a crazy idea? Would you agree to it? Post any other ideas you might have here....

Lemon Curd - What is it Good For?

On NPR's Morning Edition this morning they talked with foodie and domestic goddess Nigella Lawson. She talked about cooking vegetables and the beautiful array of colors this time of year....she even had a vegetable dessert - a zucchini cake with lime curd between slices and cream cheese frosting on top.

That got us thinking, what the heck IS lime curd? Or lemon curd for that matter? So we posed it to listeners and sure enough, Joan from Boy River called in and told us about a recipe for lemon curd that she found online.

Here it is (from www.joyofbaking.com)

Lemon Curd Recipe:

3 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)
1 tablespoon (4 grams) finely shredded lemon zest
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces

In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week.

Makes 1 1/2 cups (360 ml).

Note: Room temperature lemons provide more juice. After squeezing, strain the juice to remove any pulp. Zest is the yellow, sweet-flavored outer rind of the lemon. A zester or fine grater can be used to remove the rind. Cold lemons are much easier to grate. Grate lemons just before using as the zest will lose moisture if it sits too long.

I also mentioned a website I had seen that lets you enter in the contents of your pantry/refrigerator/freezer and it will give you a recipe. One of those sites is called RecipeMatcher... you can also check here or here

What online food sites do you frequent? Post them here!