Post by the Hawthorne Hawkman, photos by the Hawthorne Hawkman unless noted otherwise.
NoMi Realtor extraordinaire Connie Nompelis organized a happy hour at Good Sports Bar and Grill this weekend to welcome new NoMi homeowners, (renters were welcome too!) and it was a resounding success. I arrived early, as the first order of business was to set up the Dinosaur. Or, as Bryan Thao Worra has coined it, the DiNoMisaur. We can even take it one step further and give it a second name depending on the neighborhood it's in. Since Good Sports is in my neck of the woods, on Sunday this was the DiNoMisaurus Hawthoraptor.
But the DiNoMisaur wasn't the only thing I was asked to help out with. I also brought along...
...this.
Astute JNS readers will recognize this rope as belonging to the post that tells the story about a swinger's bed. It turns out that we were able to hang signs inside and on the dinosaur without this rope. My repeated assurances that I washed the rope after each use strangely did nothing to encourage people to employ it for this event.
The owners of Good Sports know I can cook, and consider me one of their top food critics. So they brought out an item that wasn't even on the menu; the Rueben. Let me tell you something folks. This sandwich is phenomenal, and what you see below is only half. Pretty much everything at Good Sports is top notch, but I can't think of a single thing you could add or take away from this sandwich to make it any better. Five stars. It should be on the menu within the week, so make sure to look for it the next time you stop by.
Things got hopping pretty quickly, and a good mix of new residents (some of whom haven't even closed on their homes yet!) from a variety of neighborhoods, longer-term residents, and even some dedicated activists showed up. I even met people from Hawthorne that I hadn't known before. Like so many NoMi parties, there was a common refrain of, "Oh yeah! We're already facebook friends! It's so nice to meet you in person!"
I also got the occasional shout-out when I would tell people that I was the Hawthorne Hawkman on Johnny Northside. It's so nice to have an alter ego but NOT a secret identity.
After a while, a bunch of us went outside for impromptu pictures with the DiNoMisaur. First up is its creator, artist Ken Farkash.
Next up, I posed with Emily, a new Hawthorne resident, as we imitated the dinosaur's hands. This picture was taken, I believe by one of the Levey brothers, owners of Good Sports.
Finally, we decided to put baby Alex, another new NoMi resident, in one of the hands. These pictures are just so cute that they put those Anne Geddes abominations to shame. Frankly, I always found those pictures to be rather disturbing for some reason anyway.
And then it was time to go back inside for more happy hour specials (for this event only!) and plenty of great socializing with the wonderful NoMi folk. Thanks Connie for putting this together, thanks to Good Sports for hosting, and thanks to all the people who make our community so much fun!
36 comments:
Ok i'm glad you all had fun but can we get down to the real NOMI business? I want to know what is being done about the ugly glass at that shoe store on the corner. My ass is less brown I swear.
Sorry guys couldn't make the welcome too many commitments over the weekend like celebrating Beltrane, you may see this on another local blog.
As much as I'd like to meet everyone, it's a little difficult taking my children, including the one in the wheelchair, anywhere. His screaming can be kind of unsettling for people who aren't used to it.
Dang Pond Dragon we missed you. Next time try and arrange your schedule better.
"My ass is less brown I swear"
God, can't the trolls be more creative than this? I mean really, it's such a tired, played out angle that we've been hearing for years here on the northside. It totally blows any anonymity the trolls might *think* they have. I could name them on one or two hands.
Get real. Get a life. And get a new angle.
All new homeowner's should be asked to put a "We watch, we call" sign in their yard. We are all in this together.
Why not make that a requirement of all landlords as well. Even if the tenants maintain a thug attitude we could force the landlord to post the "we watch we call" signs of a size that is visable from the street. It would be fairly easy to just add this to the inspections to maintain a rental license.
I think the We Watch We Call thing is a personal choice.. Sometimes i think it says " we are narc's so please break into my house.... "
What good is a 'we watch, we call' sign in the yard if the landlord lets thugs live in the building? The sign does nothing unless the residents are actually watching and calling.
Sometimes I think these anonymous sign pushers are trolls trying to stir the pot.
"It would be fairly easy to just add this to the inspections to maintain a rental license."
Seriously? Anybody pushing this is asking the government to get waaaay too much into our business.
Let's try to get landlords to do background checks or maintain their properties first... then worry about whether or not they have a sign in their yard.
Signs don't necessarily push out crime... attentive residents that don't give up DO!
@hans
Yes I think you are correct on the anonymous sign-pushers.
The "We watch we call signs" are not a very welcoming attitude in the neighborhood. It gives the assumption that this particular pocket of the neighborhood is less welcoming in my experience.
One time I moved into a new home and the police greet me saying that they had a report of selling drugs. I am a woman with 4 small children moving my furniture into the property and some aweful person calls. The I guess this should have been a hint of the unfriendliness of the neighborhood.
I eventually moved because of lack of respect to me and a few other renting neighbors. All I wanted to do was keep to my self and ensure my grade school and preschool age children are achieving their goals at school. I think many people need a major attitude overhaul IMHO.
A troll now claims to have four little troll children. What other startling facts will the anonymous troll anonymously reveal? Any sort of fact can be claimed when you're an anonymous troll, but that doesn't make the fact THE TRUTH.
The We Watch, We Call signs tell people moving in there is law and order. If people coming to the neighborhood think the signs are "not very welcoming," maybe they should go to another neighborhood where there is less "unwelcoming" law and order.
It's not just that we want to be unwelcoming to you thug types "Keith", I mean 7:18, we want to kick the people like you out of the neighborhood.
I don't think the we watch we call signs should be required, but people should get tax breaks for putting them up.
Any progress on getting the signs in Hmong and Spanish too?
@John - you took the words right out of my mouth.
@Patrick - oh good grief, now a made-up troll is calling out his fellow made-up trolls. You guys are beyond redonkulous.
I'd also like to add that those of us around the blog for a while can introduce ourselves by our blog connections. Jeff was the Hawkman; Connie was "Atlas Pillar"; I was "Squatter House." It worked. :)
Hey 7:18...
Either come back with a name or a better story.
Even if your story is real, the signs didn't call the cops on you... so your fight is with those particular neighbors, not the people on this blog or others with signs in their yard.
As they used to say in WW II Germany, if you aren't doing anything wrong you shouldn't mind if we watch you.
Patrick is on the right track with a tax break. However, this does not go far enough. If you have a "We Watch, We Call" sign, Obama should pay your mortgage like he promised.
Responses to a few comments here:
One of the purposes of a "We Watch, We Call" sign is to identify your property to fellow neighbors and police as one where people are actually watching and calling. So making them mandatory or otherwise encouraging their placement at houses where this is NOT happening defeats the purpose somewhat.
For the record, I disagree with Megan and think that Patrick is not a troll.
I haven't made much headway on the Hmong or Spanish language signs. I think things need to be clearer on how they'd be used. In the yards of people who speak those languages? Or by English speakers as a way to identify themselves to others as helpful neighbors?
Finally, I wanted to reject the Tore Simonsen comment because it's so outrageously inaccurate. But I checked with John first, who said that "stupid has never been a criteria for rejection."
Jeff, you and I have also disagreed in the past about other "characters" around the northside scene, until they have shown you their true colors.
So far I think I've retained my winning score. But there is an easy way to settle this one.
Hey Patrick, how about I buy you a basket of wings and a drink of your choice at Good Sports. Jeff and I can meet a new NoMi neighbor and we can all get to hang out a bit? (Of course if you aren't a wing eater I'd be glad to treat you to something else).
Matter of fact, let's have a JNS commenter's meet-up. Everyone invited. Who's in?
disclosure: I'm not treating everyone, just Patrick!) ;-)
Would that not be just hilarious a get together with all the do-gooders and trolls, both who i'm guessing enjoy the blog for their own reasons. I want to see Shamika after a few shooters. We could give trolls the stop snitching shirts and the do-gooders the we watch we call shirts. Maybe a rugby match?
I don't really get to go out to bars or restaurants anymore (just on the odd occasion during school hours), but I do get out to Cubs and Aldi regularly (and now So Low; thanks for the recommendation, Jeff). We're also starting to explore thrift stores and other interesting places around the neighborhood now that the weather is warmer. I'm sure you'll know me when you hear my voice. Not too many born-Hoosiers in this area, I'm sure, so my accent is very noticeable to Minnesotan ears, I'm told. :)
Megan has an excellent idea for those of us who use this blog.It could actually morph into something big if you think about it.I believe we could assemble a team of eyes and ears in our own specific areas of North Minneapolis and get together now and then talk about our accomplishments and dicuss other subjects face to face.How 'bout this?Hoff For Mayor 2014?Anyhow i think she has a good idea.Semi-computer illiterate Boathead still having password problems!
"Patrick" is strongly suspected to be a false voice. What "Patrick" says should not be seen as representing the "We Watch, We Call" movement.
On another note: I don't have a problem with Keith Reitman being in the neighborhood. I just want to see him clean up his act and stop being such a slumlord.
Johnny -
With regard to Keith Reitman's slumlord tendencies, well, it take a town to raise; I mean, it takes a city to; I forget the saying; oh yeah,
Old habits die hard!!!
Ok the gathering is all set for 5/12 at Good Sports 6:00pm everyone who can please be there.
@The Gathering, who are you? Who is gathering?
Some anonymous person saying everyone gather at such-n-such at 6pm, sounds like a set up to me.
I'll try to make it.
Me and my partner will try to make it as well. The only thing "false" about us will be in my partner's bra. But it's still pretty convincing if you ask me.
;-)
As much as I'd like to make it to finally meet some people around here, it's difficult to take our kids anywhere, and we don't know anyone who babysits (especially someone who can take care of a special needs kid like Jamie). Have fun though!
We had a blast last night. Thanks to everyone who made it!
Patrick, where exactly did you have a blast? And who made it?
We gathered at BJ's Liquor Lounge. It is way more fun than Good Sports Bar and Grill. We should have more working class topless establishments around NoMi. Perhaps the Eco-Village can open one near Lowry and the topless girls ( and guys) can make it a green establishment by pedaling exercise bikes that create energy, of course doing this while they are topless.
You know, Patrick, that's the funniest and most interesting comment I've seen you make on here. I approve of topless bicycling.
Again, not the real Patrick. I was at Good Sports. Strip clubs aren't on my menu. I think they dehumanize woman.
As the real Tore Simonsen, I just want to say I did not author that post.
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