The Jax Wake: Postcard & Program
Postcard advertising the JAX Wake, and the program handed out at the wake.
Food & Drink
From cozy cafes to music venues, museums, galleries, and outdoors and sports, the Food & Drink section lowertown.info’s guide offers a comprehensive look at Saint Paul’s Lowertown offerings.
The Buttered Tin’s Alicia Hinze featured in new James Beard Foundation cookbook (free for download!)
Lowertown.info—Alicia Hinze of Lowertown’s cafe, bakery and breakfast spot The Buttered Tin is one of 20 women in the restaurant industry featured in the James Beard Foundation’s new cookbook, A Place at the Table, published in collaboration with Audi and released at the beginning of Women’s History Month. The digital cookbook—free for download on James Beard’s site!—features twenty recipes from the foundation’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program. Hinze’s recipe is for “The Perfect Vanilla Cake with Swiss Meringue Cream”.
Lowertown reinvents to recover: Cancelled weekend art crawl returns as virtual art month
By Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—When COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the Spring Art Crawl, the St. Paul Art Collective—the hard-working, mostly volunteer-run organization that has produced the Capital City’s art crawls since 1977—immediately began exploring new options to assist artists in promoting their work. Now that the in-person Fall Art Crawl is not happening either, the Collective and others are ramping up their efforts to help local artists, who need more help now than ever.
Music Venues & Festivals
Lowertown has a variety of venues showcasing music ranging from classical to jazz, rock, pop, folk, and experimental sound, as well as large events including the annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival and Lowertown Blues & Funk Festival.
Galleries & Museums
Galleries and museums are key to the makeup of Lowertown, Saint Paul, MN. Art, science, and even pseudoscience play a part in this creative community’s makeup.
Fall 2019 Saint Paul Art Crawl weekend hits Lowertown on October 11
Twice a year artists open their studios and work spaces to showcase their artwork to thousands of visitors across the city. It is a great time to explore the many artists and artistic mediums that are found within St. Paul. In the art crawl’s ten art districts you can find 21 venues and over 300 participating artists who are waiting to talk with you! Hop the Green Line light rail to Downtown and Lowertown. Light rail rides are free with a pass you can download from the Saint Paul Art Crawl website. Saint Paul Art Crawl Catalog and Lowertown-specific map available here.
Outdoors & Sports
Lowertown’s is the home of the Saint Paul Saints baseball team, a stretch of the Mississippi riverfront which can be toured via Padelford Riverboats, the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, and Mears Park.
“This Is #Lowertown” podcast – Episode 2
Welcome to the second episode of “This Is #Lowertown”, a podcast created by Lowertown.info—an online visitor’s guide, news magazine, and community information portal serving the arts neighborhood of Lowertown, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Hosted by the editor of Lowertown.info, Nigel Parry, this show was recorded on 18th February, 2022. This podcast has been relaunched with a music focus to support Lowertown’s performing artists, which has the added bonus of also making it easier to produce regular episodes. Our main news feature looks at the closing of the Black Dog Café and music from Lowertown musicians and bands, including Eric Carranza and Jest, Steve Kenny, Goodnight Ritual, Jerry Kosak, and Pocket of Resistance.
Tracking COVID-19 in Minnesota: Last week’s changes to available public tracking data
Nigel Parry/Lowertown.info—Last week, Ramsey County launched a COVID-19 tracking dashboard, and the Minnesota Department of Health relaunched its positive cases tracker with a major change to how the date of cases is reported.
“This Is #Lowertown” podcast – Episode 1
Welcome to the first episode of “This Is #Lowertown”, a podcast created by Lowertown.info—an online visitor’s guide, news magazine, and community information portal serving the arts neighborhood of Lowertown, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Hosted by Lowertown.info editor Nigel Parry, this show was recorded on the Easter weekend of 12th and 13th of April, 2020. Our main news feature explores how the cancellation of the Saint Paul Art Crawl due to the Coronavirus Crisis has impacted local artists • Hear music from Lowertown musicians Eric Carranza and Jerry Kosak from our GREEN LINE TRACKS playlist • Desdamona presents THE LAST INKLING—Spoken Word In The Time Of COVID, to keep your brain occupied and inspire you to create • Learn more about one of Lowertown’s art hubs—THE SHOW GALLERY • Saint Paul’s Queen of Jazz, Pippi Ardennia takes the stress out of songs-stress in a segment called DROP DEM PEARLS • Pick up some new dog care and training tips from local ‘dog-spert’ Tessa Anderson in her segment, PICK IT UP! • And we’ll hear more about news & events in the Lowertown neighborhood…
Video: Giant Black Dog Puppet at St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Lowertown Saint Paul
Lowertown.info—Photographer James Ramsay—jamesramsayphotography.com—loaded a GoPro on a monopod and walked down the entire length of the Saint Paul, Minnesota St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Lowertown and Downtown. The adventures of Java the Mutt, the symbol of the Black Dog Coffee & Wine Bar—blackdogstpaul.com—in Lowertown, Saint Paul were then fabulously chronicled. Every interaction with kids, cops, parade goers, and real dogs was captured in a series of 5 raw video clips totalling about 30 minutes.
Theater & Dance
Lowertown, Saint Paul, has two established dance groups—Indian and flamenco troupes—and a music theater.
Two Weekends of Free Halloween Happenings at Saint Paul Farmers’ Market
The Saint Paul Farmers’ Market will host two weekends of fun, free Halloween happenings for kids. On October 23 and 24 from 9am-12pm, the downtown Lowertown market will host its annual Pumpkin Decorating Station. The following weekend, October 30-31 from 9am-1pm, all Saint Paul Farmers’ Market locations will host Trick-or-Treating festivities for kids. The markets are brimming with pumpkins, gourds, seasonal produce, autumn flowers and plants, honey, meats, cheese, eggs, baked goods, and more. The Lowertown market location also has live music each weekend and free coffee until 9am, and hungry shoppers will find numerous cooked foods available for purchase from market favorites Chef Earls’ BBQ, Golden’s Bagels, Natasha’s Pierogis, and Minnebun’s steamed Bao buns, as well as delicious donuts.
Displaced Lowertown artists finally feel secure in their new digs
Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—Uncertainty, displacement and questions of affordability have dogged the Lowertown artist community for most of the last decade, primarily the result of an explosion of new residential development. Artists Barbara Evan, Tom McGregor and CeCeile Hartleib each were negatively affected yet have found a new home to continue to practice their craft.
Obituary: Remembering Dick Kelly
Richard “Dick” Kelly, owner of the now-shuttered Kelly’s Depot Bar for almost 30 years, passed away on July 12, 2019 at his home at the age of 76. In this feature, we remember Dick, and enclose an article written about him and his wife Jean in 2017, as well as copies of the memorial booklet and program from the visitation and mass that took place on July 19, 2019, at the Church of St. Joseph, in West St. Paul, Minnesota.
Saint Paul Farmers’ Market to host “Super Bowl Saturday” Celebration & Food Drive on February 12
Saint Paul Farmers’ Market—The Saint Paul Farmers’ Market in Lowertown will host its annual “Super Bowl Saturday” celebration on Saturday, February 12 from 9am-1pm with a “Super Chili Sampler” and vendors with local foods and all the fixings for a festive Game Day celebration at home. The day’s activities will include a food drive for Neighborhood House in which shoppers are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to donate.
Lifeline Tablets to provide mobile tablets to isolated COVID-19 patients
Nigel Parry, Lifeline Tablets—We’ve all seen the heartbreaking stories about how families are not able to say goodbye to their isolated relatives, dying of COVID-19 in the hospitals, and how healthcare workers have been holding up their own phones so that families can say goodbye one last time. Addressing the problem of patients’ isolation is not cost-prohibitive. Amazon Fire tablets can be purchased for $50 a piece. Paired with a gooseneck stand and headphones with a mic, a kit costs just $100.
Lowertown COVID-19 Local Impact Report – Week 2, Part 2: March 16-19th, 2020
This report begins ten days after the first reported Minnesotan case of COVID-19, by which time the number of detected infected has risen to 54. Restaurants, bars, and cafes have been remarkably slow to even comment publicly, considering both the local, state, and federal government have been strongly recommending to shut down gatherings.
Just/Us Grand Re-Opening Celebration Party this weekend!
Just/Us—It’s been a long, grueling road to get this place up and running. But we finally made it, y’all! Now it’s time to celebrate. We’re throwing a WEEKEND LONG PARTY from Friday, January 10th – Sunday, January 12th and you and your mom and her weird boyfriend Donnie are all invited. Seriously though, bring the whole crew and hang out with us. So many of you were integral to helping us get this place open – whether it be physically, emotionally, digitally, or all of those things. This is your celebration too!
Just/Us reopening as restaurant, bar, venue, gallery, and community hub in former Golden’s Lowertown space
By Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—After opening in downtown at the end of 2017, Just/Us took the St. Paul restaurant scene by storm with a rolling series of creatively themed prix fixe tasting menus. Following the sale of the building they were located in, the team of Lowertowners are reopening in the former Golden’s space this November.
SPECIAL FEATURE: The JAX Wake
THE JAX, 39, of Lowertown Saint Paul passed away on April 30, 2016 after being fatally purchased for redevelopment. With great sadness, the St. Paul art community mourns the passing of a beloved art space that played an integral role in the Lowertown art scene for 39 years. Located at 253 E 4th Street in the historic warehouse that once housed Michaud Wholesale Grocers and The Jane Garrott Candy Company, The Jax provided affordable studios to artists and micro-businesses from 1977 until her passing.
Multimedia Story: Every March, the Mississippi flows green through Saint Paul
Lowertown.info—Irishman & photographer Mike Hazard offers images and memories of Saint Patrick’s Days past and an introduction to some of Saint Paul’s Irish alumni, with links to full-length documentaries about members of the local Irish community that Mike has produced. Saint Paul’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade returns on Thursday, March 17th, 2022 after a two year plague-related break. This year’s route is reversed, with the parade beginning Downtown at Rice Park at noon and proceeding down East Fifth Street to finish at Mears Park in Lowertown. Feature edited by Nigel Parry.
Photos: If Lowertown Took Selfies… An interview with photographer Jeff Schad
Nigel Parry—When photographer Jeff Schad and his wife Linsey moved into the Tilsner Artists Cooperative in Lowertown in Spring 2017, “specifically to be a part of the artist community”, he really didn’t know a lot about the neighborhood. “I wanted to be able to participate in the Art Crawls and to have a live/work studio space for portrait work.” Jeff’s work focus includes wedding and engagements, family and senior portraits, events, real estate and product photography. Clients have included the Minnesota Historical Society, Metro Transit, the Union Depot, WCCO, Visit Saint Paul, and others. Read more and browse a special gallery, “If Lowertown took selfies…”
Lowertown magician Star Newman to appear on Penn & Teller’s “Fool Us” show on March 4th, 2022
Nigel Parry, Lowertown.info—Star Newman lived in Lowertown for many years while working on props and stage management at the Park Square Theater in Downtown Saint Paul, delighting crowds with her pop-up street magic at art crawls, and working as an event magician though her business Pretty Magical. In February, Star announced that she would be appearing on “Fool Us”, magicians Penn Jillette & Teller’s show on The CW Network, which has aspiring magicians perform their best tricks to try and fool the world-famous team. Watch live on March 4th, 2022!
Lowertown.info: Statement on KARE-11’s firing of Sven Sundgaard
Lowertown.info—Following KARE-11’s firing of weatherman Sven Sundgaard after a viciously homophobic & antisemitic campaign by right wing extremists, Lowertown.info & its related Twitter feeds @lowertownlive & @lowertowninfo will no longer be reposting any material from the news station.
Lowertown Pioneers series: Tom Dunn calls for support of local artists
By Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—Tom Dunn is one of many artists affected by the cancellation of the Spring Art Crawl. A photographer and former St. Paul Art Collective president, Dunn know firsthand how important events like this are to local artists. He has participated in the Crawl for the past two decades and has many stories to tell.
Lowertown Pioneer: Ta-coumba Aiken, the ‘Mayor of Lowertown’
Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—Even if you’ve never met Ta-coumba Aiken, you’ve most likely seen his artwork around the Twin Cities. He’s the creator behind the iconic 117-by-33-foot-high Lowertown “Be Nice!” mural that greets those stepping off the light rail at Union Depot, as well as the beautifully decorated fireplace on the fourth floor of the George Latimer Central Library and the ceramic tile mural on the parking ramp at 7th and Robert. It seems his work is everywhere. I had been a patron at Wells Fargo bank in Downtown for two decades before it dawned on me that the 80-by-21-foot mural behind the teller station was his handiwork.
Thursday morning Lowertown farmers markets begin October 17th at Union Depot
Beginning October 17th, the Saint Paul Farmers Market is coming to Union Depot! The Market and Depot have teamed up to host an indoor work-week farmers market every Thursday from 10am–1:30pm. Stop by Union Depot to shop locally-grown produce, baked goods, jams and jellies, honey, eggs, chocolates, sauces, and more! The Market will be setup in the historic Head House just a few steps from Union Depot Bar & Grill and Java Express.
A Windy City wonder in the heart of St. Paul: Meet Pippi Ardennia, St. Paul’s queen of jazz
Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—Chicago native Pippi Ardennia has been crooning since age 13. She cut her teeth while performing in Chicago’s celebrated jazz clubs, including the Burning Spear, Mr. Kelly’s, Rosebud on Rush, the Green Dolphin, and larger venues such as the Chicago Symphony Center and Taste of Chicago. She has delivered her lush, sultry vocals before such notables as President Bill Clinton, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, Tony Bennett and Liza Minnelli, and has performed with Freddie Hubbard, George Freeman, Billy Branch and other respected jazz musicians.
The JAX Wake: Images by Lowertown photographer Vaughan Harries
Photography has always been important to Vaughan, particularly the potential for a good image to lift the human spirit. Landscapes and flowers are particularly good for uplifting the psyche and calming the soul in this way… think of it as ‘umami for the eyes’.
The JAX Wake: JAX artist DeAnne Parks: “An Artist’s View of Lowertown”
Two weeks ago I participated in my 33rd consecutive and final St Paul Art Crawl in Jax studio 306. Now, all of the artists have vacated the premises. It will be gutted and turned into upscale lofts as will the 262 Building across the street. I’m grateful for the 16 years I got to spend in that studio, the artist community I was able to be part of and the conversations I had with the homeless of Lowertown. My life is richer for it. Oh how I loved standing in the big north windows looking into the alley, but the view has changed.
The JAX Wake: Lowertown artist Cami Applequist: “Dear JAX, (Dear Lowertown,)”
All because our view included the JAX – all of your faces – your art – your hearts – your inspiration – your courage and spirit! Just by existing in the space around us and holding tight and fast to a passion for art and for humanity, you have made this community thrive for all – all of the artists here and for all of the people who visit and love what we create. Seeing the JAX artists go is devastating to me. Seeing this view change is heartbreaking and it puts a cloud over the future.
Photos: Lowertown SantaCon XII
Lowertown SantaCon—On Saturday, December 14th, the twelfth annual Lowertown SantaCon took place, a festival of surrealness and comedy…with some drinking. Sponsored by SantaLawyer.com, the Dark Horse Bar & Eatery, Just/Us Eatery & Events, Lowertown Wine & Spirits, and nigelparry.net, the event included members of the Macalester College Pipe Band and the Minnesota Krampus society. Talented Lowertown photographer Tom Dunn kindly documented the event.
Lowertown SantaCon XII to “put the Elf back in TwELFth” on December 14th
lowertownsantacon.info—Lowertown SantaCon XII is “Putting the Elf Back in TwELFth” this year on Saturday, December 14th 2019! The party starts at 7pm at the Dark Horse Bar&Eatery, heads through the streets via Mears Park, and ends at Just/Us until bar close. Lowertown SantaCon features a costumed cast of hundreds. Come as Santa, come as an elf or reindeer or get creative and come as a Santasaurus, a Hanukkah Chicken, a Kwanza Ham…you get the picture! The Minnesota Krampus society, Santa Lawyer, and the Macalester Pipe Band are scheduled to make appearances.
Video: WCCO’s DeRusha Eats—Saint Dinette In St. Paul’s Lowertown
WCCO’s Jason DeRusha Eats at Saint Dinette where a fine dining chef is becoming known for a cheeseburger. First broadcast on WCCO’s show This Morning, on September 10th, 2015. Jason co-anchors WCCO This Morning weekdays from 4:30am-7am, WCCO Mid-Morning from 9-10am, and WCCO 4 News At Noon. He is also the station’s food reporter, producing “DeRusha Eats”.
Black Dog Cafe to reopen for one final Saturday Night Jazz Show on January 15th
Lowertown.info—At the beginning of the year, the Black Dog Coffee & Wine Bar in Lowertown posted a simple notice on its front doors announcing that the Lowertown, Saint Paul hub was closing permanently. The poster added a date for the cafe’s final goodbye to the neighborhood—on Saturday, January 15th—the last night of Steve Kenny’s popular “Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog” series at the 23-year-old community venue. Come down and say goodbye to the end of an era.
“We Have Loved You” – Mike Hazard Remembers the Black Dog Café
Lowertown.info—“The Black Dog Café was the biomagnetic center of the universe that is or was Lowertown.” Filmmaker, poet, and photographer Mike Hazard remembers the Black Dog Coffee & Wine Bar, one of the last community hubs in Lowertown, Saint Paul, MN.
Events: Art Crawl kicks off on April 27th
April 27, 28, 29, 2018 • Friday 6–10 PM, Saturday 12–8 PM, Sunday 12–5 PM. Recognized for its tremendous success, the Saint Paul Art Crawl has become a model arts event that is emulated in cities across the country. To the artists and residents of Saint Paul, the event means much more. The Art Crawl has evolved from a fun weekend art event to a framework for creating and fostering important, interdependent relationships between the arts community and the city of St. Paul.
Help the Just/Us Crew Build a Food Truck!
Though we’ve been put through the ringer… we can’t be kept down for long! We are so thrilled to share our next step with you. We scrounged our cash together and bought a food truck! Well, right now it’s sort of just a truck. That’s where you come in. We have called upon your kindness before and are asking once again for your support during this next phase. We’ll be bringing a few just/us menu favorites back, in addition to lots of new items with a street food flair. We’re working towards partnering with breweries, local events, and business parks to park & serve at all around the Twin Cities and maybe even beyond.
Winter Farmers’ Market in Lowertown to be held outside this winter due to COVID-19 concerns
The Saint Paul Farmers’ Market in Lowertown announced Friday that it will hold its Winter Market entirely outdoors from December until April, featuring 15-20 vendors each weekend. Downtown Winter Market: December 5th-April 17th (Saturdays from 9am-1pm): The Winter Market will remain outdoors throughout the winter, until April when the outdoor growing season market begins.
Against All Odds: Lowertown’s Lisa Mathieson continues to make art, strengthen the community
By Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—When Lisa Mathieson moved to Lowertown a dozen years ago, she quickly became involved in the arts community and has since made her presence known. She has served as a community arts organizer and St. Paul Art Crawl liaison for the Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative, a board member of the St. Paul Art Collective, and co-organizer of the Lowertown Drawing Circle, now approaching the end of its first decade of weekly Sunday meetings.
Hip-hop artist Desdamona working to spread the love
By Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice—In recent years, internationally acclaimed artist and Lowertown resident Desdamona has been working to inspire the next generation of poets and hip-hop and spoken-word artists by sharing her artform in a variety of settings, from schools to prisons. “I do a lot of teaching,” said Desdamona, who is a vocal promoter of her neighborhood. “I work with a couple of organizations that bring artists into community situations.”
Karen Pence, Lara Trump to hold “Women for Trump” event tonight at Saint Paul’s Union Depot
Nigel Parry—Tonight in Lowertown, Saint Paul, Second Lady Karen Pence, and Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, are hosting a “Women for Trump” event in the Union Depot. “Women for Trump” was formed by TV producer and Trump daughter-in-law/re-election campaign senior adviser, Lara Trump, who is married to Eric Trump. It is unclear whether Vice President Mike Pence will be in attendance. Starting at 6pm, according to the Trump Pence 2020 website, the event takes place in the Union Depot’s Red Cap Room (Suite 300) and requires pre-registration.
Artist Spotlight: Tara Weatherly, cofounder of Sendero Flamenco
Nigel Parry, Downtown St. Paul Voice —“I want people to understand the history of this place and respect the people that came before,” she said. “When I came here the first thing I did was learn about what this neighborhood is, what it was, what it turned into, and who was responsible for it. It was very important for me to give props to the elders who came before me, who did all this groundwork, so that I can do what I want to do here in this space.”
SPECIAL FEATURE: Domination Corporation art installation explores gentrification at Northern Spark 2017
Northern Spark’s third annual all-night arts festival took place on June 10th, 2017 a locations in the vicinity of Metro Transit’s Green Line light rail stations, between Saint Paul and Minneapolis, including in Lowertown, home to the Union Depot light rail stop. This year’s festival featured an interactive installation created by the Lowertown community, titled “Domination Corporation: Proudly Homogenizing America since 1984”, to create a conversation about gentrification. Archive created by Nigel Parry.
The JAX Wake: Wake sketches by Lowertown artist Roberta Avidor
ROBERTA AVIDOR writes, “I’m an illustrator who’s lived in Lowertown for almost three years now. One of my specialties is creating illustrated maps, one of which is the Downtown and City of Saint Paul map for the Saint Paul Almanac. Working on that map and being involved with the Almanac was one of the factors that made it desirable to make the move from Minneapolis to Saint Paul. My husband, Ken, and I appreciate all the interesting events and people around here and strive to capture that vitality in our artwork.”
The JAX Wake: “Farewell Jax Artists” series by Lowertown artist Dolan Cyr
Rachel Wacker (a.k.a. Dolan Cyr) graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame in 1999 with a B. A. in studio art and a concentration in philosophy and literature. Rachel now resides in the Lowertown Arts District where she is a full time artist, community art event designer, and emerging curator. She is an active member of the Saint Paul Art Collective, a coordinator for the Lowertown First Fridays Committee and the resident curator for 262 Studios’ public galleries.
The JAX Wake: Lowertown artist Kara Hendershot: “This is a magical place”
I found my place in Lowertown a dozen years ago. I found a place where my art and ideas and expressions were supported and appreciated, and this allowed me to feel known and understood in a way I have never been before. Even those closest to me got to know me better through my art, because I’m not the best at words and therefore painting is my best form of communication. I found a place where people take the time to ask curious questions, and who really listen, even if they don’t fully agree with everything I’m saying. Open-mindedness, that’s the word. Inclusiveness. Support.
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