Pop-Up Cafe

Talk about bad luck, the weather was gorgeous when the "pop-up sidewalk cafe" at the corner of 6th and Sibley (in front of the Wine Bin) was installed. Since it was unveiled at a press conference on Wednesday, not so much. With luck things will improve before it is removed. The trial is due to end on Sunday, Sept. 26.

Just one block from Chez Lofty, the concept seems better than we first envisioned. In the interest of full disclosure we have attended public meetings and spoken in favor of permanent widening of the sidewalk from Wacouta to Sibley. This means a bunch of parking meters would be permanently lost and the travel lanes would shift left in front of River Park Lofts, then back right in front of Mears Park Place. The pop-up decking would be a seasonal alternative that would extend along the full block. Here it takes up just one parking space.

Oh yeah, we do plan to update more often than every 16 months.

Friends of Mears Park

One of the best things about Lowertown's Mears Park is that all those gorgeous flowers are brought to us by volunteers. Mr. Lofty and I have adopted a plot and today started weeding, mulching, and planning for planting. Good thing we didn't plan to plant today-frost warnings tonight. I think the urban heat island will keep the impatiens that others planted safe, but I've had too many of the little darlings turn to mush over the years to be too eager to get them in the ground.

Here's a "before" pictures of our plot.