Minnesota singer puts Levi Johnston in her music video, we puke in our mouths a little

National treasure D-Bag Levi Johnston (aka Bristol Palin's baby daddy) has been seen gettin' all up in the business of Minnesota r&b/pop singer, Brittani Senser (aka Joe Senser's daughter). They hit up the Teen Choice Awards together and the Strib's C.J. reported (and even posted a video) from L.A. that Levi was making a special guest appearance in Brittani's new music video. Barf!

We're not usually too catty on LOL/OMG, but damn, girl - putting the biggest douche in America in your music video isn't going to do anything but get you bad press. And despite the saying, sometimes bad press is JUST bad press. Tacky!

Update: On the upside, we heard that Senser went to L.A. with a suitcase full of clothing by local designer Jenny Carle and (as we reported earlier this week) she wore a Christopher Straub dress to the Teen Choice awards. Wonder if some local designers will pop up in the Levi-tainted video? hmmm.

Image via Perez Hilton viz WENN

submitted by @letoilemagazine

Yeah, we're the best.

The Twin Cities tops yet another Best-of list, this time for having the highest number of volunteers in the country! The Strib reports on a national study that shows that over 900,000 Twin Cities residents (and 1.5 million state-wide) donated an average of 44 hours of their time to various charities, schools, and other organizations in 2009.

We knew Minnesota Nice wasn't just a saying!

Feeling left out, lazybones? Get off your couch and find an organization or a cause you love, call them up and volunteer your time -- it's that simple! We actually discovered the Strib article through a Facebook post from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, an organization that relies heavily on volunteers...and we're sure they could find use for a few more (hint hint)!


Submitted by @letoilemagazine

Psycho Suzi's to take over Gabby's?

Rumors are afoot that Psycho Suzi's may be moving from its long-time spot on the fringe of Northeast down the street to the building that currently houses Gabby's Night Club.

According to City Pages' Hot Dish blog:

"...the Strib's Tom Horgen got at least one of the parties to confirm the story. Suzi's owner Leslie Bock said she has signed a purchase agreement while Gabby's owner said it was too early to comment and that Gabby's will continue to operate as usual until a deal is reached. If the move does go through, Suzi's killer patio would move to even more awesome riverfront digs."

Horgen also quotes Bock as saying, "I will actually have natural features to work with this time, vs. creating a tropical paradise out of thin air and magic."

Social media hounds seem to be on board with the idea...

Jamie Schumacher: even closer stumbling distance to home!!!

Nancy Sartor: good news indeed. hopefully this will curb the repetitious public urination and disturbing the peace shenanigans that have plagued the neighborhood in recent years.

Janella Fesenmaier: SWEET! Gabby's sucked!

Photo courtesy of Psycho Suzi's

Nothing says LOVE like a poop heart!

Awwwww, this is so stinkin' cute (pun intended)!

Thanks to Stephanie Wilbur Ash for Facebooking this funny/adorable Strib story on a farmer in Albert Lea that created a huge 1/2 MILE wide heart in his farm field -- using MANURE! Bruce Andersland made this expansive Valentine as a gift for his wife of 37 years. He started the project with his tractor and manure spreader on Wednesday and finished Thursday. If that's not love, we don't know what is.

Darren Schone, Associated Press - Ap

Submitted by @letoilemagazine

Only in Minnesota...

Northeast artist Jeff Lohaus is on a mission to erect a $100,000 statue of a pierogi on Central Avenue. Yes...a pierogi. You know, the food? A nod to the Eastern European culture of Northeast Minneapolis, the "Pierogi Project" will involve Lohaus building and erecting a 17ft bronze monument formed in the likeness of the tasty dumpling, complete with a fork stuck in it.

When asked by the Strib how he plans on tying in the area's more recent Mexican and Asian immigrants, Lohaus says the answer is simple, "Filled and cooked pockets of dough are a nearly universal food. Mexicans call them empanadas. Tibetans call them momo. Nestlé calls them Hot Pockets."

To raise the whopping $100,000 he needs for the project, Lohaus is selling mini versions of the proposed sculpture. In other words, we may see the full size monument erected in 2045 or so. However, if you want to snag your very own hand-cast pierogi, you can visit the artist's website for more deets and contact info.

The comments on the Strib's online article are pretty LOL-worthy, as is the video clip in which a worker at Kramaczuk's Deli thinks James Lileks is giving her an award in the form of one of Lohaus's mini-pierogi statues.

photo by David Brewster for the Star Tribune

Here come the (Fun) Police

@kristoffer_k tipped us off this morning via Twitter that Brant Kingman is in the news (again). Star Tribune columnist Jon Tevlin had a chance to recently talk to Kingman about his ordeal, which we're sure you all know, has been going on for a few years now. To sum it up quickly in case you've been living on the Moon the last decade: The City of Minneapolis does not want Kingman, a well-known local artist, to have art events (read: parties) in his studio. For years the City has been throwing the book at him for various reasons, trying to shut down his invite-only art parties for good. The clever creative has always seemed to find a loophole, until recently.

Ricardo Cervantes, deputy director of licenses for the city claims "Kingman's working studio is simply not safe for large gatherings as it contains flammable materials and welding tanks." Bad cop, I know. But Cervantes goes on to say that he is an art lover himself adding "I know about throwing a pot and painting." Yeeaah.

I am sure most of you have been to Kingman Studios before and had a great time mingling with local artists, musicians and undercover cops too, as the article reveals. Does City of Minneapolis have legitimate reason to worry? Or are they just trying to prove a point?

Photo at Kingman Studios by WorldofArun

Submitted by @marrina