Where nerds drink for free

Q: Where can you show off your deep knowledge of inane facts that run the gamut from Rick Santorum's dirty deeds to theme songs from awful 1980s sitcoms like “Perfect Strangers”?

1) A convention for Proust scholars in Amsterdam just before the tulips bloom; 2) During the coffee break at a Bronson Pinchot fanclub-reunion of three recently divorced souls; 3) The cozy and quaint 331 Club in Northeast Minneapolis on Sunday nights at 9 p.m., where red wine flows and nerds unite.

If you guessed number 3, you just might be ready for Chuck and Sean’s always-entertaining Sunday night trivia at the 331. The self-deprecating and self-proclaimed local “big wigs” at trivial pursuit are actually local musicians Chuck Terhark (Como Avenue Jug Band, Death to our Enemies) and Sean McPherson (aka Twinkie Jiggles of Heiruspecs, Ela, and Big Trouble) whose combined knowledge of trivia covers history, politics, and music.

Sure, bars like Kieran’s, Brit's, Keegan's, and Green Mill compete for the collective brainpower and beer money of local trivia buffs. But Chuck and Sean’s trivia has that extra-special dose of pure geekery and love that often comes in the form of an exciting round of “name that tune.” (This is where one’s knowledge of Led Zeppelin, Snoop Dogg, and James Brown finally proves useful.)

Plus, who doesn't love the vibe and selection at the 331? Not only can those dark booths turn trivia into something sexy and romantic, but that bottle of red wine doesn’t hurt the heart and mind, either. And if you’re really good, you might get that bottle of sweet elixir for free. The winning team gets a $20 bar tab, while losers get to go home and practice for next Sunday.

331 Club: http://www.331club.com/home.php, 331 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, 612.331.1746
Chuck and Sean's trivia: http://www.331club.com/events.php

The banned elixir of poets and painters — in Minneapolis!

Absinthe has been illegal in the U.S. since 1915—until now.

The legendary elixir of poets, novelists, expressionists, and Parisian lovers was made illegal in most parts of the world due to a widespread rumor that it caused insanity. Call it an early 20th-century attack of hype, not unlike the villainization of marijuana in the 50s or LSD in the 60s. For every hipster druggie action there is an equal and opposite law enforcement reaction.

As it happens, the tide is turning. England and France have lifted the ban, and several manufacturers have revived traditional recipes and stills, including one—M.P. Roux—which makes Absente, the only legal version of absinthe available in the U.S. Its makers claim the pale green, anise-flavored liquor is made with a botanical variation of Wormwood, the controversial herb at the heart of the absinthe recipe.

Now you can buy this historic curiosity for about $40 at Surdyk's in the cordials department. We secured a bottle and mixed according to the easy-to-follow instructions right there on the label. (You pour a shot, then strain cold water over a sugar cube into the absinthe. The result should look like six ounces of green skim milk, and taste like nothing you've ever had before. Cool!)

While we have a policy that runs in the opposite direction of William Blake's—"the path of excess leads to the palace of wisdom"—we can say that the first few steps toward that castle are pretty darn intriguing.

Absente, Absinthe Refined, http://www.crillonimporters.com
Syrdyk's, 303 N. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, http://www.surdyks.com/

Shaken, stirred, and with plenty of ice breakers

There's a spot in Minneapolis that some people say extends into forever. It stretches over the Mississippi, across the ends of the earth, and into waterless dimensions. Others look up at its muscular, extended arm and call it the perfect meeting of man and mechanics: a shrine to industry and humanity.

But we prefer to think of it as the best make-out spot in town. It's the "endless bridge" at the Guthrie Theater, and tonight you can check out its make-out-worthiness during the Guthrie Learning Center's first-ever martini mixer.

Tonight from 6:30 till 8:00 p.m. the theater architect-fetishists call "subversive" and "seductive" will host a crash course in theater-based ice-breakers. Guests can sip on a variety of spicy or fruity or just plain strong martinis from the bar while partaking in collaborative, instructor-led activities of dance, movement, acting, and poetry.

The 90-minute class costs $15. It's just one in a series of courses the Guthrie launched his month--from beginning acting to memoir writing to tap dancing. Aside from tonight's event (which is 21-plus), we're looking forward to "Singing the Classics" on January 31, where we will gain enough gumption to annoy our friends with our wise-guy renditions of Porter, Berlin, and Gershwin classics.

Tonight's tip: The endless bridge will no doubt be packed with lurking lookey-loos hoping to glimpse into eternity. So put your newfound acting skills to use and pretend the bridge is filled only with the night's nose-numbing air—and love. Because there's nothing wrong with sneaking a romantic public peck on the bridge to everywhere and nowhere.

Guthrie Theater: http://www.guthrietheater.org