Category: St. Anthony Village

Wednesday, 4 November 2009

Fitness Crossroad Group Fitness Calendar for iCal & Google Calendar

by Garrick van Buren Comments Off on Fitness Crossroad Group Fitness Calendar for iCal & Google Calendar

I rejoined the Fitness Crossroad, the neighborhood gym about a month ago and have yet to make it a regular part of my schedule.

In hopes of more quickly getting in a comfortable rhythm1 I’ve ported their Group Fitness Schedule PDF into a subscribe-able calendar (for iCal or Google Calendar).

If you’re in the area and have the same need – here’s the link for your calendar: Fitness Crossroad Group Fitness Calendar

1. As an additional incentive – I’ve committed to burning >1300 calories each week between now and January.

Saturday, 1 November 2008

Decision 2008, and My Vote Goes to…

by Garrick van Buren 2 Comments on Decision 2008, and My Vote Goes to…

Attention, St. Anthony Villagers, your sample ballots are here (Hennepin | Ramsey)

My votes;

Presidential & Vice Presidential:
Barak Obama & Joe Biden

U.S. Senator:
Dean Barkley

U.S. Representative District 5:
Keith Ellison

U.S. State Representative District 54a:
Mindy Greiling

Constitutional Amendment: Clean Water, Wildlife, Cultural Heritage and Natural Area: Yes.

Overall, the decisions were easy. Either the incumbents are doing a great job, or their competitors irked and frustrated me multiple times.

Tuesday, 22 January 2008

Thursday, 18 October 2007

Walk It Off

by Garrick van Buren Comments Off on Walk It Off

Ed Kohler draws a 2 mile circle around his house and identifies all the places within biking distance.

Walkscore.com quantifies and ranks the amenities within 3 miles of your house on a scale of 0 – 100. Suprising results at least for me – the Roseville Apple Store is bikeable at 2.48 miles away.

Saturday, 4 August 2007

VillageFest 5k – 28:20

by Garrick van Buren 1 Comment on VillageFest 5k – 28:20

A light, refreshing rain started with the VillageFest 5k this morning. The course was a nice tour of the south-western corner of the Village, with a few more zigs and zags than I’d like.

Even in the rain, a few fellow citizens – including Jen and C – stood on the corners to cheer everyone on. Thank you and thanks to the police officers blocking street traffic for the duration of the race.

While the first 2ks went really well (4’48 k/mn & 5’02 respectively), I spent the third (5’30) struggling to find a pace. There was a golden retriever just ahead of me and we took the 4th k together (5’03), when he found a squirrel. I took that opportunity to shoot ahead finishing (5’03) with a sprint I didn’t know was left.

After that we all headed up to the community center for the pony rides, petting zoo, face painting, and the entire purpose of VillageFest – the helicopter ping pong ball drop.

Unfortunately, Bush is in town to checking out the remains of the 35W bridge. So, in addition to the increasing showers dampening the festivities, the Village airspace is restricted grounding the ball drop. Totally not worth having the POTUS in town.

What a bust.

Monday, 16 July 2007

Thursday, 17 May 2007

Gas Line Break: Old Highway 8 & New Brighton Blvd

by Garrick van Buren Comments Off on Gas Line Break: Old Highway 8 & New Brighton Blvd

From the St. Anthony Police Dept, 8:47am:

“Our department is currently on the scene of a significant gas line break in the area of Old Highway 8 and County Road 88. At this time, officers are evacuating the residents of the Arbor’s Townhomes located in the immediate area of the break.”

Update 9:20am:

“The damage to the gas line involves a steel pipe that can not simply be pinched off. They are currently awaiting a part to repair/replace the damaged line and it is expected to take over an hour to complete the repair.”

Friday, 11 May 2007

Suspicious Van in the Village

by Garrick van Buren Comments Off on Suspicious Van in the Village

This just in from the St. Anthony Police Department “Suspicious Activity” mailing list:

On the morning of May 11th, two young boys were playing basketball in front of a home in the 3500 block of Belden. A black full-size van with tinted windows pulled up next to the driveway and the driver asked the boys to let him see them make some baskets. As an adult inside the home came to the door, the driver was heard telling the boys he would see them tomorrow. The van then left the area. The driver was described as a white male approximately 40-50 years old. The van and the driver were not known to the juveniles or the adult.

The driver did not make any attempt to entice the boys to come closer or to get into the vehicle.

Thursday, 18 January 2007

The News Block by Block

by Garrick van Buren 1 Comment on The News Block by Block

“The future of media is to stop boring us with news that doesn’t relate to our lives. I’ll start reading my ‘local’ newspaper again when it covers my block.” – Chris Anderson

Chris nails the idea I’ve talked about on this blog (1, 2, 3) and in numerous lunches: the blog-on-every-corner news.

St. Anthony Village is a pretty small town geographically, 3 square miles. Imagine if just the houses on the corners published something community-related every other day. That’s 1/3 of your neighbors writing about what’s happening on their block – regularly. More frequently than any of the papers – all without an ‘Associated Press’ byline.

Sure, the same topics will be covered…but the importance (relevance + intimacy + community) will be so much greater. Plus, far greater comprehensiveness on any given subject whether High School Ice Hockey or City Council proceedings. Overlap verifies.

Later 11 Apr 2007
I just picked up blogbyblock.com.

Friday, 15 December 2006

SAFD Says Merry Christmas 2006

by Garrick van Buren Comments Off on SAFD Says Merry Christmas 2006

We finished trimming our first, real, Christmas tree in 4 years tonight, good thing too. Tonight was the annual, unofficial, St. Anthony Village Christmas parade.

Christmas carols waving in and out of earshot as not one, not two, but four (!) St. Anthony Village Fire Department vehicles slowing cruising each block. Of course, the lighted reindeer and Santa on a firetruck is the main attraction. From our place on the corner, the anticipation was nearly unbearable. When they finally pulled around 30th Street, we threw a winter cap on bottle-sucking Little C, and ran out to meet them. As did a handful more Villagers across the street.

In addition, our fine, holiday-spirit-filled firemen were also collecting Toys-for-Tots.

Year after year, one of most entertaining reasons to live here.