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 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…
Continue reading
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…
Continue reading
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…
Continue reading
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…
Continue reading
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.…
Continue reading
BY DEBRRA KEEFER RAMAGE Why I just could not write another dark and serious holiday article this year I reviewed the ten holiday pieces I have written for Southside Pride’s December issues since 2014. This year will be number eleven. Around about 2020, the tone of my writings got darker,…
Continue reading
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Look to indigenous ways Although you will be reading this in December, or later, I wrote it in November, which is American Indian Heritage Month. I thought for that reason, plus the fact that the past few years has seen a great increase in availability of…
Continue reading
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Openings and closings Some openings of note: I don’t know if this is something we didn’t know how much we needed or not, but a new place called L2 Tii Cup has opened in Uptown (27th and Hennepin) and they sell Boba cocktails and Taiwanese street…
Continue reading
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Models of care – a constantly changing landscape. The last few editions of Gracefully have focused on people who remain independent when past the age of 65 or beyond, and ways to ensure you’re among them. We have a few more of those resources to share,…
Continue reading
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE The holiday smorgasbord Here we are again in beautiful November, with winter holidays just around the corner. And here is Southside Pride again to tell you what’s on, among both the traditional and the innovative, and even the downright weird. As per the last few years,…
Continue reading
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Openings and closings. Du Nord Cocktail Room and Lagniappe opened about a month apart in the newly renovated Coliseum Building at Lake and 27th. Du Nord co-owners Chris and Shanelle Montana were a big part of the project to renovate and open The Coliseum, so…
Continue reading
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE New school year, hot news items Our last Education column was out the first of March 2024 (so remember it was written in February.) Just days after that, many important education news items inundated the local media. So I’m going to cover most of that “in…
Continue reading
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE What’s changed? And where can I eat? On 28th Avenue and 42nd Street, as everywhere, it’s fall. Kids back in school, lake beaches closed, air conditioners sent to the shop for their autumn tune-up and pumpkin-spice scents fill the air. Not a lot has changed since…
Continue reading
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE The future of the University neighborhood We’re going to start our look at Dinkytown by focusing on its neighborhood ecosystem. In 2023, the boards of four of the so-called University neighborhood associations (NAs), Marcy-Holmes (MHNA) which includes Dinkytown, Southeast Como (SECIA), Prospect Park (PPA) and Nicollet…
Continue reading
BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE Openings, closings and changes Forepaugh’s, the venerable fine dining place in St. Paul, has reopened in its original place, a mansion built by a guy named Forepaugh. Wife and husband duo Mary Slater and Tenzin Dechen have opened a new Lao cafe called Asian Duck…
Continue reading
