From Where I Sit

By Pat Spilseth, Columnist

January 2024 is only a few days away. I’m feeling the need to explore a few new ideas. By the end of the year, I get stale and have the urge to try new foods, visit new places and meet new people. We planned a trip to Minneapolis to see the Swedish Institute and the Russian Museum of Art, find a new restaurant and taste some new flavors. Our plans didn’t quite fit our energy, which has been depleted with holiday festivities.

Last week Dave and I decided to go to the Russian Art Museum at 5500 Stevens Ave. in Minneapolis. They were featuring a new exhibition The Wintertime Carnival: Traditions of Old.

Winter holiday traditions from the time of Imperial Christmas to the Soviet New Year under Stalin and Khrushchev were displayed. Handmade ornaments and sculpted figures, masks and costumes made a fascinating, colorful display in the main gallery.

The Soviet New Year used to be a religious holiday until Communism took over the country and pressed secular celebrations on the people. The government declared that New Year pageants, holiday events and festive decor were intended not only to be enjoyed but more importantly to educate and indoctrinate. The tree’s branches were decorated with Red Army soldiers, piglets in hats, pickled cucumbers, penguins and clowns…nothing to do with Christ’s birth.

My tree doesn’t look anything like that. Costumed and masked life-sized figures surrounded the trees. Of particular interest to me was the tree decorated with space age ornaments like rockets blasting off; another had guns and rifles, military objects. But the spirit of the winter carnival persevered. The Russian people were not willing to be controlled by a government’s ideology which tried to force their ideas on their people.

I remembered a past visit to this museum when my favorite painting was of milkmaids relaxing from their work and enjoying a great laugh. The painting made me smile and feel good; this Russian New Year exhibit was interesting but not my favorite by far.

Next we were hungry and drove down Nicollet to an old gas station remodeled into a restaurant by two men who own Tangletown Gardens across the street from the restaurant. Homemade soups and delicious huge Dagwood sandwiches were delicious! Everything is locally produced and packaged for sale in canned jars. Baked goods looked just like mom’s cakes and cookies and tasted delicious…every bit as good as my mom’s pastries.

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This weekend’s newspaper stated that only 20 percent of Americans aged 18-29 knew their neighbors. Of the folks 65 and older, 34 percent  report  knowing their neighbors. Sad… My column title this week is New Outlooks. I got this idea from one of our new neighbors who decided to have an open house to meet her neighbors. She threw out the invitation to folks she never met. Her house was packed with people who want to meet and interact with their neighbors they’d never gotten to know, maybe never even seen. Everyone brought appetizers and desserts and the party was a huge hit! What a generous gesture to start the new year and celebrate life!

Let’s make a new resolution to get to know our neighbors.

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To contact Pat, email: pat.spilseth@gmail.com.