Debra Keefer Ramage
Debra Keefer Ramage began writing freelance for Southside Pride in 2012, shortly after returning from a 13-year sojourn in England. She covers progressive politics, education, co-ops and neighborhoods. In 2017 she started doing Southside Pride’s restaurant review column, The Dish.
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Coffee Shops along East 38th Street — quality and quirk There are no bad coffee shops on East 38th Street! At 3745 Nicollet Ave. S. there is Five Watt Coffee, one location of a familiar local artisan roastery. Five Watt is known for its unique menu…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Culture and art Culture abounds on Minnehaha Avenue South! The corner of Lake and Minnehaha is unofficially “Downtown Longfellow” and it’s one of the few places in the Twin Cities with not one but two bookstores! (Three, if you count the “Uncles” separately.) Moon Palace is…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Retail shopping — groceries and more The hub of businesses at 34th Avenue, between 49th and 51st Streets, is the largest in the Nokomis neighborhood. It tends toward retail and services. Oxendale’s market is the largest physically. Oxendale’s has been on that corner for decades. In…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Openings, closings, and changes The newest tenants at Eat Street Crossing are Hikari Hand Roll Bar (opened January) and El Sazon Tacos & More (opened March.) I have tried Hikari Hand Roll, and it’s good. I have not yet tried FRGMNT coffee and they are now…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE The battle plan against Mother Earth Project 2025 — which is apparently the project plan for our present federal administration now — is particularly hostile to the planetary wellbeing of our home planet. It goes way beyond mere climate denial. In an attempt to get a…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Food and drink in the Chicago and 48th hub In the stretch from 47th Street into the 50s along Chicago Avenue there are many choices for food and drink. Creekside Supper Club, Town Hall Tap, BaGu Sushi & Thai, Pizza Biga, Pumphouse Creamery and Turtle Bread…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Lake Street, old and new Lake Street is one of the main arteries of commerce, traffic and history in South Minneapolis. It contains buildings and sites more than 100 years old, and some of the most interesting brand-new restaurants and businesses, and everything in between. Possibly…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Openings, closings, and other changes After many trials and roadblocks, including a devastating fire just weeks before a planned opening, Khue’s Kitchen finally opened on March 6 at 693 Raymond Avenue in South St. Anthony Park. A week later, there was the opening of Café Yoto…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE State and nationwide education news We may as well lead off by addressing the huge elephant in the room: the unfolding story of Trump 2.0, and particularly the administration’s bumbling efforts to eliminate the Department of Education. There is a lot of linkage, and overlap, between…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE (Re) Openings and closings ie Italian Eatery (4724 Cedar Ave., S.) is back, and it has “by Travail” appended to its name. The incredibly popular Italian fancy casual place was greatly mourned when the owner-couple, Eric and Vanessa Carrara, closed it. But restaurant group Travail…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Art, theater, circus, puppets, music Adventures in Cardboard (AIC) leads off our camp offerings in the arts category, although it could go in games or adventure as well. AIC was founded in 2012 in Powderhorn Park and has gathered a fanatic following, as evidenced by its…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Why are pet products booming? It’s partly generational, partly the pandemic aftereffects, and partly just vibes. Which means, in this case, when things go viral, it’s the thing to do, so it goes even more viral. In the U.S., about 66 percent of households include…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Openings and closings The Cabana Club has opened in St. Anthony Main as of Jan. 3; this was covered by Racket’s Em Cassel on Jan. 9. Catzen Coffee, a cat cafe and coffee lab, has opened on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. In early January, Travail…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Neighborhoods of Minneapolis What makes a home? What makes it feel right for you? In the real estate industry, the cliche is “Location, location, location.” In an urban setting, this can be shortened to “Neighborhood.” Neighborhoods have identities, and they may or may not fit with…
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BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Openings and closings of note In late November, openings included a second location of Francis Burger Joint, a popular NE vegan food outlet. This is on East Lake Street, in the former Peppers & Fries. Two others were new ventures: at 656 Grand Avenue in St.…
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