By: Mary Reller

A troop of cyclists stood chatting behind local bicycle shop Calhoun Cycle on Saturday morning. The sun was out, and helmets were on.

Around 50 idle bicycles were ready to take off — some mountain bikes, some with skinny tires and baskets and at least one with a carriage attached to the back for hauling kids.

The conversation died down as the group ride leader and brand manager of the shop spoke to the crowd.

“There are a lot of people who came here alone today, so introduce yourself,” Martha Garcés said.

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By: Mary Reller

A troop of cyclists stood chatting behind local bicycle shop Calhoun Cycle on Saturday morning. The sun was out, and helmets were on.

Around 50 idle bicycles were ready to take off — some mountain bikes, some with skinny tires and baskets and at least one with a carriage attached to the back for hauling kids.

The conversation died down as the group ride leader and brand manager of the shop spoke to the crowd.

“There are a lot of people who came here alone today, so introduce yourself,” Martha Garcés said.

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By: Micaela Resh

As the University of Minnesota’s creative writing program approaches its 20th anniversary, it will host a celebration on Friday at the Weisman Art Museum.

The event plays a small part in the greater Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference. With about 12,000 attendees from around the world convening to converse about contemporary literature, it’s the largest literary event in North America.

A wordy weekend, noteworthy authors and readers alike are scheduled for presentations, panels and lectures from Wednesday through Saturday.

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By: Jackie Renzetti

The Counterfactuals are paving their way in the prof rock world.

Carleton College professors Daniel Groll, Jason Decker and Andy Flory and St. Olaf College professor Michael Fuerstein comprise the indie rock outfit from Northfield, Minn.

The group released its first album, “Minimally Decent People,” in January 2014, and it has another album that’s currently in the works. The Counterfactuals will play at the Minnesota Music Summit at the Amsterdam Bar in St. Paul on Friday.

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By: Jackie Renzetti

Hunched over the table, Billy Mullaney recited descriptions off the wine menu using poetic rhythm.

Lately, Mullaney said, he’s looked at everyday text for meanings beyond their conventional use.

On Friday and Saturday, the 2011 University of Minnesota graduate will present “Uncreativity Festival,” a variety show highlighting excerpts from six different authors and playwrights, including Mullaney. All of the works involve erasing or selecting portions of pre-existing work to create something new.

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By: Micaela Resh

Lucie Biros prides herself on being unique.

She works with corsetry, leatherworking and outerwear —sensibility has never been a force behind her work.

“I either do things that are really practical or not practical at all. There’s no middle ground,” Biros said.

The Minneapolis native graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in apparel design and a minor in retail merchandising in 2013.

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By: Mary Reller

Finding the right location with the ideal music scene has been an ongoing process for singer-songwriter Matt Latterell.

Though he grew up in Foley, Minn., he said he considers Northeast Minneapolis his home. He moved to the city several years ago.

But last year, he said goodbye to Minneapolis and tried to make a new start in St. Cloud.

“I [had] a weird detour through life that took me to St. Cloud for a while,” Latterell said. “I was going to get married, and it didn’t work out.”

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By: Yena Lee

It’s day nine of your peanut butter and jelly sandwich binge. You’re getting really tired of PB&Js, but you can’t eat anything else because you can’t afford to go grocery shopping. What do you do?

PB&Js are cheap, easy to make and extremely boring after a while. But add some outlandish ingredients to the mix and the classic PB&J gets a facelift.

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By: Jackie Renzetti

From scansion to songwriting, sophomores from the University of Minnesota and Guthrie Theater BFA program will show off their Shakespeare studies this weekend.

The students present two Shakespeare productions every year as part of the program’s sophomore curriculum. This year, the students will perform “Taming of the Shrew” and “Comedy of Errors.”  

“If you can act Shakespeare, you can act any genre because Shakespeare is very challenging,” said Steve Cardamone, director of “Taming of the Shrew.”

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By: Mary Reller

Local musician Erik Appelwick used his English degree to write about life on the water, leading him to make the concept for his project, Tropical Depression’s self-titled debut album, about being on a yacht.

After Appelwick’s electro-rock project Vicious Vicious, he felt like he’d “strangled” his creativity, he said. So he began looking for a way to bounce back and found it in Tropical Depression.

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