STUFF TO DO
Thursday
MinnAnimate II
Witness an event that’s now officially annual with the second iteration of Minnesota’s showcase for talented animators. MinnAnimate is focused on shorts — an underappreciated, little-explored realm of film as far as the general public is concerned. I mean, when’s the last time a modern short that wasn’t Pixar-made registered on your radar? At MinnAnimate, there’s a special emphasis on the DIY aspects of animation: The featured shorts are focused on character and plot development rather than big budgets. The curious can get added insight into the process during a Q&A after the screening.
The Ritz Theater
345 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis
7 p.m.
$10 for students and seniors; $12 for adults
Friday
“Slippery Fish” and “Swath”
If interpretive dance is a confusing subject for you, the Cowles Center offers two different but complimentary pieces of interpretive dance. Both deal with the nature of, well, nature. With “Slippery Fish,” we’re promised different versions of the performance from night to night — the musicians each have five sections to perform, but which section they’ll play when is up to them. It’s that instability that is explored through situations in the natural world. “Swath” injects the urban into flora and fauna, exploring with six dancers the conflict of interest between life in the cornfields and the day-to-day in the city.
The Cowles Center
528 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis
8 p.m.
$15 for students and seniors; $20 for adults
Saturday-Sunday
The Electric Fetus Garage Sale & Fall Festival
Doesn’t it feel good to rummage? Flipping through records and finding that lil’ nostalgic nugget or rare copy of a classic is all it takes to make your day great. Expect some solid deals this Saturday: Items at the Electric Fetus garage sale will be marked up to 75 percent off. Add food trucks and live music, and this will be a flavorful dish. Andrew Broder and Jeremy Ylvisaker from the Cloak Ox, Black Market Brass and the Starfolk will be there. Sharpen your sweet tooth for Glam Doll Donuts and Potter’s Pasties and Pies.
The Electric Fetus
2000 4th Ave. S., Minneapolis
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday
CULTURE TO CONSUME
Watch this: Floyd Mayweather vs. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez
The prospect of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao squaring off in the ring remains the subject of rumor and conjecture. But the fact remains that the undefeated Saul Alvarez represents the biggest challenge for “Money” Mayweather in quite some time. Mayweather is getting up there in years, but he will go down in history as one of the greatest boxers of all time. Slower than in his youth, he is still a master tactician with a knack for dismantling opponents through the rounds. But “Canelo,” at 23 years young, has the winning pedigree and true desire to make history by defeating “Money” — a feat that would solidify him as a true No. 1. Catch it on pay-per-view at 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Eat this: Apples
You ain’t gotta be in New York to eat a big apple. Give one to a teacher; fend off the doctor —whatever it takes to mack on the classic fall fruit. Shy away from the decidedly un-delicious Delicious apples and go for something different. After all, there are more than 7,500 varieties of apples, so, pard, ya got no excuse to eat anything mealy. Think outside the box — there’s a gazillion ways to eat and drink apples.
Read: Reuter’s Investigates, “The Child Exchange: Inside America’s underground market for adopted children.”
Okay, so this isn’t a fun read per se, but it’s fascinating. The strange world of adoption is filled with well- and poor-intentioned people operating in a gray area of internet forums and unregulated interactions. This five-part feature comprehensively explores all aspects. This might prove a great opportunity to explore the content of Reuters in general — break the CNN, Fox and MSNBC cycle and start looking to some other news providers. France24 and RT (the English-language Russian news channel) are a few other outlets that offer different perspectives on international happenings.
