EDINA NEWCOMERS

LADIES NIGHT OUT—-Wednesday, February 6th, 7:00PM—5th Annual Fondue Party
At the home of a member
Back by popular demand! Come indulge yourself. There’ll be wine, vats of hot cheese and chocolate, and everythi8ng we’ll need for dipping. $12.00 per person.
RSVP by Sunday, February 3rd to Sally@EdinaNewcomer.org

COFFEE—Wednesday, February 13th, 10:00AM—Honkin’ Joe’s
7015 Amundson Ave. (70th/Cahill shopping center) (952) 833-1539
This coffee-meeting place has fairly new owners and is trying to keep good food and drinks in the neighborhood. Good breakfast sandwiches and baked goods. They also do catering.
RSVP by Monday, February 11th to Sally@EdinaNewcomers.org

INTERNATIONAL NIGHT—Tuesday, February 19th, 7:00PM—Destination:China
At the home of a member
In 1993, Beth read Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang. In 1997, she made the 1st of 7 trips to China. In 2002-03, she took a sabbatical and taught at Jiaotong University in Xi’an. What began as curiosity has turned into a lifelong passion. Her home is filled with artifacts that tell the story of the changing face of China as its moved from a closed to an open society.
RSVP by Sunday, February 17th to Sally@EdinaNewcomers.org

WANDERERS—Thursday, February 21st, 11:00AM Departure—Landmark Center Concert & Traces Museum 75 West Fifth Street, St. Paul
St. Paul’s Schubert Club offers FREE informal, hour-long concerts every Thursday noon in a former courtroom of the beautifully restored Landmark Center. Bring a bag lunch or purchase sandwiches, etc. at the Center’s small café. Program at www.schubert.org.
After the concert, we’ll visit the Traces Museum also located in the Landmark Center. This unique, small museum is dedicated to preserving the stories of Germans and Austrians who encountered Midwesterners during World War II. Admission is $5, or FREE with a Museum Adventure Pass (good for 2) available at local libraries up to a week in advance.
A carpool will leave Edina at 11am, or meet us there.
RSVP by Wednesday, February 20th to Sally@EdinaNewcomers.org
Directions: 494 E to 35E North. Exit at Kellogg Blvd and turn RIGHT. Proceed 4 blocks to Market St. Turn LEFT and drive 2 blocks to Fifth St. Closest parking is the Lawson Ramp on 5th St. between Wabasha and St. Peter. Fifth St. is one-way going east. Further away may be some free, on street parking. Arrive early–the concerts are very popular.
LUNCHEON—Tuesday, February 26th, 11:00AM Departure—Quang Restaurant
2719 Nicollet Ave., Mpls. 612-870-4739

How does a bowl of hot Vietnamese noodle soup sound on a cold winter day? If you wear glasses, the soup is guaranteed to steam up your lenses and warm your tummy! Known for its authentic Vietnamese food, and judging by the number of people there at my last visit, its a popular place and very reasonably priced. Pork and seafood noodle soup– a huge comforting bowl that is a meal in itself– is $6.25,. We will order off the extensive menu available at www.quangrestaurant.com.
Carpools will leave Edina at 11:00AM.
RSVP by Sunday, February 24th to Sally@EdinaNewcomers.org
Please indicate if you plan to carpool or meet us there.
Directions: I-35W North to Lake St. exit 15. Turn LEFT onto E Lake St. and RIGHT onto 1st Ave S. Turn LEFT onto Cecil Newman Lane and RIGHT onto Nicollet Ave S. There is a parking lot in front of the restaurant, as well as street parking. Do not park in the lot just north of the restaurant, as you may be towed.

COMING UP IN MARCH

INTERNATIONAL NIGHT—Thursday, March 13th, 7:00PM—Destination Dubai
Ardell Hofstedt ’s daughter and son-in-law teach in Dubai, and Ardell has visited many times. She will bring artifacts, show a short DVD, and tell about her experiences in this very interesting part of the world.

BOOKCLUB – March (date TBA) Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
“Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski’s 90-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train, home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.”

COFFEE—Wednesday,  January, 9th, 10:00AM––at the home of a member
The holidays will be just a memory. Time to relax with friends and a good cup of coffee.  Please bring a treat to share. RSVP by  Sunday, January 6th to Sally@EdinaNewcomers.org

INTERNATIONAL NIGHT—Thursday, January 10th, 3:45PM––“The Kite Runner”
Landmark Edina 4 Theatre,??3911 West 50th St.,?Edina, MN 55424
If you loved the book, you won’t want to miss the movie–a moving story of friendship and redemption taking place in pre and post-Taliban Afghanistan. Meet in the lobby for the 4:00PM showing.  Please check theater listings to insure this movie is still playing—we’ll cancel or pick another flick. RSVP by Wednesday, January 9th to Sally@EdinaNewcomers.org

LADIES NIGHT OUT––Monday, January 14th, 7:00PM––Dinner at Cafe Maude
5411 Penn Ave. S., Mpls.
Cafe Maude is a new restaurant that several Newcomers have recommended or asked that we try. This former bakery is named after Maude Armatage, a guiding light and driving force in helping Minneapolis come of age. Born in 1870 on the family farm that is now the entire Armatage neighborhood, her grandparents founded Harmony, MN, later to become Richfield, then annexed by Minneapolis in the mid 20th century. Civic leaders, they founded the library, school, church and parks. Maude continued that tradition, living by the motto of “civilized leisure”. RSVP by Saturday, January 12th , to Brenda@EdinaNewcomers.org

BOOKCLUB––Wednesday, January 16th, 7:00PM––at the home of a member
Join our discussion of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. This breathtaking story, set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last 30 years, is the tale of two generations brought together by war, where personal lives are inextricable from the history playing out around them. RSVP by Tuesday, January 15th to Sally@EdinaNewcomers.org
READING AHEAD FOR MARCH: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen “Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski’s 90-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train, home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell.”

WANDERERS––Thursday, January 17th, 10:30 Carpool Departure—Weisman Art Museum
333 East River Road, Minneapolis
Designed by Frank Gehry, the Weisman’s distinctive stainless steel and brick building houses an impressive collection of early 20th century American artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Marsden Hartley as well as a diverse selection of contemporary art and  special exhibits.  The Weisman is part of the University of Minnesota.  We’ll browse the museum’s art work on our own.  For further information visit the museum’s website www.weisman.umn.edu.
Admission is always free.  A Museum Adventure Pass available from local library branches offers free parking in the museum’s parking ramp located beneath the building.  A carpool will leave Edina at 10:30am.  Or, you can choose to meet us at the Weisman around 11am. RSVP by Wednesday, January 16th to Sally@EdinaNewcomers.org Please indicate if you plan to carpool.

LUNCHEON—Tuesday, January 22nd, 11:00AM Carpool Departure––Carmelo’s
238 South Snelling, St. Paul,
This modest family-owned restaurant makes all its own sauces, desserts, etc., and has been rated one of the top 10 ten Italian restaurants in St Paul. With just a bit of luck the owner will come out and talk with us. Pastas anchor the menu–robust tomato and cream sauces and Parmesan-flecked pestos–chicken and seafood options are also contenders. Servers without attitudes gladly help navigate an ample wine list and advise ahead of time if the dessert tray is particularly tempting. Carpools will leave Edina at 11:00AM. RSVP by Sunday, January 20th to Sally@EdinaNewcomers.org  Please indicate if you plan to carpool or meet us there.

Directions: I 94 East to Snelling exit #238. Turn Right (south) following Snelling past Grand Ave. The restaurant is on left side of street in the middle of the block just after you pass the Macalaster stadium on your right.