Serving Up Images Of The Johnny Northside Movie Party, Part Two...

Photos By John Hoff

Here are a few more images from the Johnny Northside movie fundraising party. More of these events will take place, which include discussions about the issues impacting our neighborhood.

In the top photo, Realtor and part-time model Connie Nompelis (No-buhl-iss) demonstrates innovative NoMi name-tag wear. Her dress was too, um, slinky for the stickers to stick. The poor dear!

As part of our kicky "demolition" party theme, the name tags were made to look like...

...little condemnation placards. Guests had a choice of being condemned for stuff like lack of maintenance, bad hygiene, no utilities, etc. "Unsafe structure" was rather popular with a few of the men who were into, like, body building.

In the next image, our host Brian Reichow shows off a letter he received from the city after trimming branches and leaving a pile of branches sitting around for ONE DAY. I told Brian, geez, I could show you a pile of branches on Bryant Ave. N. which has been sitting in a front yard for THREE MONTHS. But, like I tell him, "What's a crime in Homewood? Answer: somebody burned the toasted brie." By that definition, Brian and his unsightly branches are the Homewood equivalent of a whorehouse.

Put that in your crack pipe and smoke it, Brian!

In the next photo, Connie poses with a copy of the original Homewood advertising brochure from the early 1900s. A particularly amusing portion of the brochure says, "This could never happen in Homewood." These pieces of history remind us things do change. In fact, sometimes things change dramatically if a few energetic people keep pushing in a focused way.

Right now, in the wake of historic opportunity created by the foreclosure crisis, we are remaking our neighborhood. The Johnny Northside movie documents a part of that struggle. It is a story of North Minneapolis told BY us, not ABOUT us.

In the last photo, hard evidence from Brian's fridge that even exclusive Homewood is still "Single Daddyville." Brian is very devoted to his daughter who is nearly the same age as my son. I'm told when Brian's daughter comes over for visitation, she helps with the recycling. By use of the Minneapolis Advantage program, Brian found an incredible deal on a house and has created a wonderful life in this affluent enclave of North Minneapolis.

But he still craves the excitement and struggle of neighborhoods like Hawthorne and Jordan. That's one reason Brian hosted this party. I want to take this opportunity to thank Brian for his hospitality. Brian, your beautiful home was truly "of service" to our effort!