As mentioned in the previous AHH post, the last Art Happy Hour (@ the Bedlam) is looming: Just ten days away and counting.

The last time to be artful. The last time to be happy. The last time to be, uh, timely?
The Bedlam Theatre (as we currently know it) will soon be closing its doors, and we’ll never see its exact like again.

So, come while you can.

The SCOOP: The Last Art Happy Hour
at the Bedlam Theatre
Wednesday
August 25, 5 - 7 pm

Ah, loneliness.
Ah, Minnesota.

Is there any lonelier month, and any lonelier place, than Minnesota in March?

Well, be lonely no longer. Thanks to:

ART HAPPY HOUR, the antidote to March loneliness.
Come, gather with your art-loving friends. Mingle and make crucial art-professional contacts.
Drink well, and cheaply.

And, best of all, be less lonely.

Wednesday, March 10, 4 to 7 pm
At the fabulous Bedlam Theatre
Click here for directions

It is a
period of
great fear and
thirst across the
land. Harsh snow-
storms, striking from the
Albertan tundra, have sapped
the strength of a ragtag band of
Twin Cities artists. During the cold
snap, one brave rebel organizes a regular
slate of monthly gatherings, called ART HAPPY
HOURS, to provide hope to the discouraged artists.
Driven by despair from their dark caves and sad hovels,
the artists race to attend ART HAPPY HOUR, and thereby
save art and restore hope to the galaxy ….

WHEN?: Every second Wednesday of the month February through July
WHEN EXACTLY?: 4 pm to 7 pm (and often later)

WHERE?: The Bedlam Theatre
WHERE EXACTLY?: 1501 S. 6th St. on the WEST BANK, MINNEAPOLIS

AND THE NEXT ONE IS?: Wednesday, February 10, 4 to 7 pm

Hey folks. You may have noticed, but Art Happy Hour has been away from the happy hour business for awhile. This is mostly because of several major projects that have been going on in my life this fall — the least of which has been prepping for my little family’s first (and possibly only) little bundle of joy.

That’s right, Baby Happy Hour is due anytime in the next two weeks. And it’s been such a chore to wrap my mind around the idea of having a child for the first time at the ripe of age of 43, on top of aforementioned projects, and the Christmas season, and so on and so forth, that I’ve had to drop the Art Happy ball for the duration.

That all said, I looked up from my to-do list today and noticed that A) the wise folk at the Bedlam went ahead and scheduled an Art Happy Hour anyway for this coming Wednesday, December 9, at 4 pm, and that B) I’m actually pretty caught up on things and fairly prepared for this big event. So I figure, why not just do it? Why not drink and be merry as we wait for new life to enter our peripheries?

And so, come one, come all, to:

December Art Happy Hour
At the Bedlam Theatre

Wednesday, December 9
4 pm to sometime later

(Of course, this all assumes I’m not on my way to the hospital that day)
Hope to see you!

As the zombie ghost of Rod Carew, who stood watch over us in the Right Field Nose Bleeds,  can attest to, the Stuck in Right Field event yesterday was, at least in one respect, a complete bust. The Twins were demolished, in a real test of fan fortitude, by the visiting Tribe, 10 to 1. It was depressing, to say the least (as you can see from the doleful gaze St. Rod is casting upon the assembled).

Still, the fabulous artists who were Stuck in Right Field, for the most part stuck out the entire nine-inning affair, and we reveled much in the full camaraderie and artistic bonhomie that ruled over the evening.

If you missed the Stuck in Right Field event, well, so much the pity. I am terribly sorry for you.

But lest you despair too much, keep in mind that there is always hope — the regular Art Happy Hour takes place in just a few short days at the fabulous Bedlam Theatre.

What: Art Happy Hour, a chance for artists to mingle, share business cards and good high spirits, and exchange information and provide mutual support

When: Wednesday, June 10, 4 to 7 pm

Where: Bedlam Theatre

Who knows what marvels may span the course of a week?

For our resident artiste adopté, Joe Mauer, the past week was filled with marvels of a most extraordinary nature. Yesterday, it was announced that Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer was being named the American League Player of the Week presented by Bank of America for the period ending Sunday, May 24.

In seven games last week, Joe Mauer went 11-24 (a .458 batting average) with two doubles, four home runs, 25 total bases, 12 runs scored, and 13 RBI . Joe was overall, as of Tuesday, batting .444, and had 11 HR, 31 RBI, a 1.042 slugging percentage, and a .516 on-base percentage. In particular, on May 21, Mauer went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a grand slam, accumulating a career-high six RBI, and leading the Twins to a 20-1 victory over the A.L. Central rival Chicago White Sox.

Today also marks the beginning of the last week before the “Stuck in Right Field” event that takes place at the Metrodome on June 3. And considering Joe Mauer’s marvellous past week, we may well all know no end of marvellous glory as we count down the days until we meet in the fabulous Nose Bleeds, tossing down abuse on the visiting rivals, lavishing praise on our own hometown boys, and stuffing our hotdog-holes with all the Hormel dollar dogs we can lay hands on.

Here are “Stuck in Right Field” event details:

What: We will meet up to watch your Minnesota Twins take on those hard striving, underachieving kids from Cleveland (boo!) at the Metrodome.

When: Wednesday, June 3. Gametime, 7:10 pm.

How: Artsy sorts are asked meet up at the main Twins Ticket Office — near Gate G — no later than 6:20 pm. (!!!!!) (Be there on time, or miss your chance to sit with the gang!) Look for a slightly pudgy guy in a blue home  Twins jersey and black beret (that’ll be Mr. Art Happy Hour, Michael Fallon).

Everyone will pitch in to buy general admission tickets for themselves (for cheap! — only $8), and it will be Marvellous.

Note: Facebookers can sign up for this event (and get more details), here.

1.

I recently submitted to Andy Sturdevant’s fantastic and ever-entertaining blog, Southtwelfth, a Kentucky Derby-day cocktail recipe called The Bruitist Manifesto. I present the recipe here (cleaned of typos and slightly clarified) for your Art Happy enjoyment:

The Bruitist Manifesto

1. Ponder a confusion of noises, colours and spiritual rhythms.
2. Play your favorite recording of the essence of a tramcar with the yawns of Mr Smith and the shriek of brakes.
3. Order vermouth from a club in Berlin which you can join without any obligations (if preferable, you may consider clubs in Honolulu as well as New Orleans and Meseritz).
4. Now, as you are bound by no frontier, religion or profession, pour into a cocktail shaker several peace congresses, scuffles in the vegetable markets, social get-togethers, etc., etc.
5. Pause to read the paper as the Balkan express crosses the Nisch bridge and a pig squeals in the cellar of Mr Bones the butcher.
6. Add several jiggers of bourbon and, as bitters, several dashes of the unrequited tears of a novitiate of the order of Carmelite nuns. Shake well.
7. Recite in a foreign accent: “Down with the anaemic abstraction of Expressionism! Down with the literary hollow-heads and their theories for improving the world! Long live Dadaism in word and image! Long live the Dada events of this world! To be against this manifesto is to be a Dadaist!”
8. Pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with a page from a Proust novel. Enjoy.

2.

Reminder: The next Art Happy Hour takes place on May 13, at the Bedlam Theatre, 4 to 7 pm.
Includes: Art Trivia contest (with prizes).
Note: Art Happy trivia hints starting today, May 1, on Twitter.

3.

Save the date — June 3 — for the next Art Happy combine: “Stuck in Right Field” – An artists event at the Metrodome.

Stay tuned (to http://www.arthappyhour.com/; to “Art HappyHour” on Facebook; to /ArtHappyHour on Twitter) for the deets about when and where to meet up with your fellow baseball (and hotdog)-loving artists!

And please don’t forget: Down with the literary hollow-heads and their theories for improving the world!

Come on, people! Why are we letting a little doom and gloom get us all, um, gloomy and doomy?
Sure we’ve got lemons galore, but that never stopped Thomas Jefferson from making vodka lemonade!

In other words, come to Art Happy Hour! Where else can you mingle, in relaxed and fun surroundings, with artists, arts writers, arts organizers, museum professionals, filmmakers, screenwriters, theater artists, and other art scenesters of all age?

At the Fabulous Bedlam Theatre – Wednesday, May 13 – 4 to 7 pm

May’s Art Happy Hour features:

• Food and drink specials

• An Art Trivia contest

• Fabulous prizes

• A very special guest

Plus, advance information about two special Art Happy Hour June events!

(Here’s a hint about one of them):

All are welcome!

Art Happy Hour!

At the Bedlam Theater (1501 S. 6th St., Minneapolis)
4 to 7 pm

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday ( April 8 )

Consume food and drink. Enjoy a Dyngus Day buffet.
Mingle with fellow art lovers. Enjoy a relaxing happy hour.
Try your hand at the Happy Art Trivia contest (inaugural version, truncated). Maybe even win a prize!

More info for Facebookers.

Directions for the anxious: If you want to come to Art Happy Hour but are concerned about how you will manage to find the group, just follow these simple steps. 1. Go to the West Bank area of Minneapolis. 2. Enter the front door of the Bedlam Theater (1501 S. 6th St). 3. Look for people who are eating, drinking, smiling, possibly laughing. 4. In case you can’t seem to find the group you’re looking for, seek out a guy wearing a black jacket, gold shirt, and Roberto Clemente-era Pittsburgh Pirates cap (that’ll be Michael Fallon, a.k.a., Art Happy Hour).

See you there!