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Dear Mill City Commons members and friends,
If you’ve ever considered joining us for a bike ride, now’s your chance. We held our breath a little when booking our final ride of the season, but the forecast is looking like it won’t just cooperate — it may actually exceed our expectations! It’s shaping up to be a wonderful opportunity to get out and enjoy the ride together.
You might think a bike ride isn’t the easiest place to get to know someone, but our group makes plenty of time for connection. We stop for snacks and photos, and riding side by side offers a natural opportunity for conversation. If you’ve been thinking about joining us, we’d love to have you along.
I’m also excited for next week’s Tell Me a Story program. If you’ve ever listened to The Moth on NPR, you’ll have an idea of what to expect — MCC’s own version features stories shared by our members but without a topic prompt. I love hearing the variety of experiences and discovering things about people that might never come up in other conversations. These are the kinds of stories that stay with you! It’s another wonderful way to connect with and learn more about the members around you.
And as you’ll see, there’s plenty more to look forward to, with lots of great programming coming up in the weeks ahead. I hope you’ll find something that catches your eye and join us soon.
Mary Texidor, Executive Director
(612) 455-3329, 1201 W River Pkwy, Suite 217C, Minneapolis, MN 55454
| | Our Upcoming Programs and Events | | |
Dining Around the Neighborhood: Rosalia
Registration closes Wednesday, October 21 at 12:00 pm
Thursday, October 22, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Rosalia, 333 E Hennepin Ave
Join us as we explore some of our favorite restaurants around the city and right here in our neighborhood. This month, we’ll gather for dinner at Rosalia.
This event is limited to 12 participants.
Metered on-street parking is available. Carpooling recommended.
MCC members sign up here.
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Black Music in America: Music, History and Culture
Wednesday, October 21, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
MCC Office, 1201 W River Pkwy, 2nd Floor Commons
Black music has played a central role in the development of American music and culture. In this presentation, pianist and educator Michael Cain takes a broad and accessible look at that history, from spirituals, blues, gospel, and jazz to R&B, rock & roll, funk, and hip-hop. Through stories about the music and many of the artists who shaped it, we’ll explore the connections between generations and the remarkable influence of Black music on American culture.
MCC members sign up here.
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Bike Ride: Coon Rapids Dam/Elm Creek Park Reserve
Thursday, October 22, 10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mississippi Gateway Regional Park – Gateway Center (on the west side of the Coon Rapids Dam), 10360 W River Rd, Brooklyn Park
Join fellow MCCers for a 21-mile ride along two beautiful bike paths. Please note that if it’s not going to be 50 degrees out, we won’t hold the ride.
We’ll meet at 11:00 at Mississippi Gateway Regional Park (which is on the WEST side of the Coon Rapids Dam). There is plenty of free parking there at the Gateway Visitor Center.
From there we’ll bike west on a flat paved path to Elm Creek Park Reserve. Once in the reserve, we’ll pedal a 5-mile loop (with some hills) inside the park, stopping at the nature center for restrooms and fresh water - and snacks provided by your leaders. This month we should see some nice fall colors!
We’ll return to our cars by 2:00.
MCC members sign up here.
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Breakfast at Elsie's
Saturdays, October 24 and October 31, 9:00 - 10:30 am
Elsie's Restaurant, 729 Marshall St NE
Start your Saturday with good company and great conversation!
Join fellow MCC members for a relaxed Saturday morning breakfast at Elsie’s Restaurant. Whether you arrive on foot, by bike, or by car, hot coffee will be waiting!
You can order a full breakfast or simply enjoy a beverage while chatting with friends—old and new.
NOTE: Breakfasts are outside as long as the temperature is at least 60 degrees. If bad weather, depending on Elsie's availability and our group size, we may be in the small banquet room or in the dining room. This seating arrangement is up to Elsie's discretion each week. This event is limited to 25 to accommodate Elsie's staff.
MCC members sign up here for October 24 and here for October 31; guests email MCC.
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Tell Me A Story
Monday, October 26, 4:00 - 5:30 pm
MCC Office, 1201 W River Pkwy, 2nd Floor Commons
Join us for our own Moth Radio Hour when members Sam Kaplan, Phyllis Moen and Pam Berkwitz share their stories with you.
Also, consider sharing one of your own personal stories that have left a lasting impression on your lives in the coming months. These reflections—sometimes surprising, sometimes poignant or humorous—can offer a glimpse into the moments that shape who you are. Perhaps your story inspired you to change direction at that time or made you smile or cry when you think back to that time. Maybe it’s about an intention you have for the future. Their stories may spark memories of your own or even inspire you to put pen to paper. Come to listen, reflect, and connect.
Feel free to contact Mary Texidor or Sonia Cairns if you want to participate in a future storytelling event.
MCC members sign up here.
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Mid-Term Election Recap
Registration closes Tuesday, October 27
Tuesday, November 10, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Grenada Theater, 3022 Hennepin Ave S
This year’s midterm election cycle is behind us. Now what?
The Theater of Public Policy is talking with political reporter Mary Lahammer, media analyst Blois Olson, and political science professor Kathryn Pearson about the outcomes of the midterms in Minnesota. Host Tane Danger will moderate a conversation between the three about what happened in the election, why it happened, and what it means for our day-to-day lives. The conversation will be followed by a slew of totally unscripted, midterms-inspired comedy scenes. Understand the election results in a fun, informative, and nuanced way.
This program builds on the conversation we started with our 2024 Post-Election Panel Discussion two years ago. We’re thrilled that the conversation has now grown into a public program, and we couldn’t be more excited that the Danger Boat Productions' team has invited us to attend. It’s a great opportunity to continue the conversation together in a new format—with analysis, discussion, and plenty of humor.
A note about seating: If you select General Admission seating and you use the MCC coupon code, you will be seated with other MCC members attending the program. If you’d prefer a more private experience, table-for-two seating is also available.
• Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner and drinks
• Show starts at 7 p.m. and runs about 90 minutes
Pricing: With fees and taxes, tickets are $20.06 for standard seating, or $55.65 for a table for two with a server. For more information and tickets, click here. MCC members will receive $5.00 off their ticket using this discount code: T2P2MCC.
This program is hosted by Tane Danger, accompanied by live T2P2 improv comedy.
Parking is available at Seven Points Parking ramp.
The Uptown Lobby will be open with beverage and dining. Reservations can be made here.
MCC members sign up here.
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"Medicine Ball": Film & Conversation with Executive Producer Syd Beane
Wednesday, October 28, 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Abiitan, 428 S 2nd St
Join us for a powerful evening of film and conversation as the MCC Native American Programming Workgroup and Abiitan co-host a screening of Medicine Ball.
Basketball was introduced to Native youth in boarding schools as a tool of assimilation and control. But over the generations it became a symbol of hope and a space of healing, pride and identity. For Native families, the game is more than sport; it is a lifeline, a way to carry forward culture, to build community, and to create joy amidst adversity.
Directed by Leya Hale (Dakota/Diné), this documentary film follows Leroy Fairbanks IV (Leech Lake Ojibwe) and Lexus Redthunder (Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota) as they navigate college life at the University of Minnesota Morris, a campus built on the grounds of a former Indian boarding school. Their personal journeys as athletes unfold alongside the layered history of how basketball became interwoven with Native resilience. Guiding their path is Dakota historian Syd Beane, whose own family connection to basketball provides a living bridge between past and present.
Following the screening, we will gather for a discussion with the executive producer and featured historian of the film, Syd Beane, to reflect on the film’s themes and explore its relevance today. We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful opportunity to learn, connect, and deepen our understanding of Native American history and resilience.
There is on-street metered parking available. All registrants must check in and out at the concierge desk. Abiitan recommends arriving 15 minutes early.
MCC members sign up here.
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Men's Breakfast*
Thursday, October 29, 8:00 - 9:00 am
Elsie's Restaurant, 729 Marshall St NE
Medicare Advantage plans seem to be dropping faster than leaves this Fall, forcing many of us to change our health insurance arrangements. At this Men’s Breakfast, which is a table discussion without a speaker, we will exchange our stories, offer strategies, places where we have found useful information, and ideas about viable plans that we are either enrolled in, or that look good to us. This is an opportunity to share what we know about how to proceed if our plans have been canceled or significantly changed.
*This event is open to all members of MCC. Registration is required.
MCC members sign up here.
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The Maverick Judge: Miles Lord and the Fight for Justice
Thursday, October 29, 3:00 - 4:30 pm
MCC Office, 1201 W River Pkwy, 2nd Floor Commons
Judge Miles W. Lord (1919-2016) rose from humble beginnings on Minnesota’s Iron Range to become one of the most colorful and powerful judges in the country, described as “an unabashed Prairie Populist” and “a live-wire slayer of corporate behemoths.” He cut a wide swath through history on his path to the bench, coming of age alongside a cadre of young midwestern progressives, including Hubert H. Humphrey, Eugene McCarthy, and Walter Mondale. Among Judge Lord’s landmark cases were the Reserve Mining environmental case and the Dalkon Shield IUD litigation.
Join Roberta Walburn, who clerked for Judge Lord and authored the book, Miles Lord: The Maverick Judge Who Brought Corporate America to Justice, for an in-depth and insider view of this one-of-a-kind Minnesota icon.
MCC members Karla Ekdahl and Peter Hutchinson have read the book and say it is “….profound, fascinating, timely, inspiring AND a very well written page-turner.”
Roberta Walburn is an attorney based in Minneapolis, where she has focused on complex civil litigation and was co-lead counsel representing the State of Minnesota and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota in the Minnesota Tobacco litigation. Previously, she worked as a reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone. She is currently a trustee of the Ciresi Walburn Foundation, which focuses on education equity.
MCC members sign up here.
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Mix of Minds
Friday, October 30, 9:30 - 11:00 am
MCC Office, 1201 W River Pkwy, 2nd Floor Commons
If you are a reader/listener of thoughtful investigative and critical journalism from magazine and newspaper articles and podcasts, please join MCC member Melinda Ward once a month for Mix of Minds, a ninety-minute discussion of a recent article proposed by a member of the group. This will be like a book group but focus on shorter pieces that generate interesting questions and thoughtful conversation from a wide variety of sources such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic or The Economist, etc.
This is a good way to learn about new topics and sources that you may have missed. We'll meet on one Friday morning a month from 9:30 - 11:00 am.
The article for October 30th is Should I Stay or Should I Go? by Eyal Press in The New Yorker about the hard decisions that workers in the federal Justice Department face. The decision to stay or to go applies to many human realms. Do I stay in this job, this marriage? Do I leave my family and home town for college or work? Do I evacuate my home to avoid a pending storm? Do I leave my country? You can access the article here.
MCC members sign up here.
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Sunday Concert and Appetizer Soiree
Sunday, November 1, 3:30 - 6:00 pm
Phoenix on the River, 222 Second St SE, Unit 706
Enjoy a truly one-of-a-kind musical experience! Join your friends and neighbors for a special Sunday Concert Soirée at Phoenix on the River, featuring an extraordinary afternoon of music and camaraderie.
Hosted by your friends Keith & Mary Bednarowski, Karla Ekdahl & Peter Hutchinson, Bob Jordan & Dianne Moore, and Mark & Mary Jo Nissen. Please contribute to the potluck by bringing your favorite appetizer to serve at least 8. Please be as specific as you can. You are welcome to bring your own wine or beer to share.
This appetizer soiree will be held at Phoenix on the River in Bob Jordan and Dianne Moore's home, Unit 706. Please enter the lobby and check in at the front desk. Guest parking is very limited; carpooling is recommended.
The concert begins promptly at 4:00 pm, doors open at 3:30 pm. The concert will last about 50 minutes with socializing until 6:00 pm.
Concert Program:
* L. van Beethoven Sonata for Violin & Piano in G major, Op.30 No.3 (20mins)
* Cesar Franck Sonata for Violin & Piano in A major (30mins)
* Selected encores from the repertoire of violinist Hilary Hahn
Read more about pianist John Jensen here and violinist Ray Shows here.
After you register for the Soiree, please click here to let us know what you will be bringing.
MCC members sign up here.
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Getting to Know Ten Thousand Things Theater
Tuesday, November 3, 2:30 - 4:00 pm
MCC Office, 1201 W River Pkwy, 2nd Floor Commons
Join us for an engaging introduction to Ten Thousand Things, a professional theater company that has been bringing award-winning performances to audiences throughout Minnesota, including our own Mill City neighborhood, for more than 30 years. Meet Artistic Director Catlin Lowans and actor Dustin Bronson, who recently appeared in the Guthrie’s Private Lives, as they share stories about the company and its unique approach to theater. You'll also have a chance to win free tickets to an upcoming performance!
MCC members sign up here.
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The Depot Social Hour
Mondays,
5:00-6:00 pm
Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. Note: Contact the MCC office if you plan to attend for the first time.
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Aster Cafe's Patio Social Hour
Tuesdays,
4:30-6:00 pm
Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. Note: Contact the MCC office if you plan to attend for the first time.
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Wednesday Morning Coffee
Wednesdays,
9:00-10:00 am
Drop in and join your friends and
neighbors for a morning chat at
C.R.E.A.M Cafe.
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Play Readers
Specific Wednesdays,
6:30-9:30 pm
Our 2026-27 season of six readings will run September-May. If you'd like to be added to the sub list, please email Jane Stacy.
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MCC Community Care Resources | | |
MCC Caregivers' Support Group
2nd and 4th Wednesdays,
September-December,
10:30-12:00 pm
A way to support members and non-members who are in a caregiving role. Contact the MCC office to learn more about future openings in the group.
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Member-to-Member Volunteering
If you want to support other members, you can sign up to become a volunteer driver or member-to-member volunteer.
If you are in need of volunteer services, let us know. Mary Texidor can help arrange a ride, meals, grocery shopping, visits and more.
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Medical Equipment Loan Program
If you have a medical need, we may have the equipment you are looking for. Consider contacting the office before you buy or rent a piece of equipment. We have a shower chair, raised toilet seat, cane, wheelchair, grabber, walker and knee walker available.
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First Stop Guide
MCC's First Stop Guide has invaluable member-recommended service providers. If you're looking for a dentist, tech support, a personal trainer, healthcare provider or more, you can find it here.
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News From and For Members | | |
Many of you participated in our Get Out The Vote programs with the Minneapolis League of Women Voters to encourage voting registration for all citizens. With 3+ weeks until the midterms, participants agreed that encouraging people in their own spheres – family, friends, neighbors, Uber drivers, neighborhood stores, etc - would be most effective. To help you in these efforts, the League of Women Voters has provided stickers, voter guides, voter information sheets and more. These items will be out at upcoming programs but can also be picked up at the office with prior notice.
Upcoming MCC meetings:
- Program Committee Meeting, October 27
- All Chairs Committee Meeting, November 4
- Membership Committee Meeting, November 9
- MCC Board Meeting, November 18
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Fall Art Opening & Open Studios at the Kickernick
October 22, 5:00-8:00 pm, Kickernick Building, 430 N 1st Ave
Attend the Kickernick Fall Art Show, an evening celebrating art, creativity, style and the incredible community of artists creating in downtown Minneapolis. Guests will come together to experience art where it’s made, meet the artists, explore their studios, discover new work and connect with Minneapolis’ creative community! Click here for more information and to secure your free tickets.
MacPhail Presents: Project Amplify 5th Anniversary Concert
October 29, 7:00 pm, Antonello Hall at MacPhail Center for Music, 501 S 2nd St
Celebrate five years of impact with MacPhail’s Project Amplify program, which brings dynamic teaching artists and culturally relevant music experiences to hundreds of K–12 students each year. This special anniversary concert brings Artists-in-Residence who have helped shape the program from the classroom to the stage, featuring legendary hip-hop artist and human beatboxer Terrell X and the vibrant West African rhythms and movement of Duniya Drum & Dance, led by master drummer Fodé Bangoura. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
Deconstructing The Music LIVE - The Beatles' Revolver
October 29, 7:30 pm, Dudley Riggs Theater, 824 Hennepin Ave
In Deconstructing The Music LIVE: The Beatles’ Revolver, Scott Freiman, host of the Public Television series Deconstructing the Beatles, celebrates the 60th anniversary of this groundbreaking album. Scott will take you on a track-by-track journey through this Beatles masterpiece, explaining the inspiration for the songs and their evolution in the studio. Click here for all of the details and to purchase tickets.
Global Conversations: Minnesota’s Diplomats
November 2, 12:00 - 1:00 pm, Landmark Center, 75 5th St W, St. Paul
From the first woman to hold the position of U.S. ambassador through foreign service officers meeting the complex challenges of the 21st century, Minnesotans have a long and remarkable legacy of diplomatic service. Join Global Minnesota and the Landmark Center to discover the stories behind some of Minnesota’s most inspiring diplomats. To register for this free event and learn more, click here.
Mill City Times is a local website devoted specifically to our neighborhood and a place to go to find out what's happening, whether it's a new restaurant opening, a local event, proposed construction, volunteer opportunities and more.
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