Welcome to our arts and culture issue. This month, we celebrate the endeavors of the creators in our community. I’m excited for readers to delve into the life of Paul Peterson, whom I first met at a Rotary Club of Edina meeting. He was the club’s president at the time and would start every meeting by serenading us. Another person sitting at my table asked me, “You do know who he is, don’t you?” I replied, “Paul Peterson.” “No,” they said. “That’s ‘St. Paul’ Peterson. He used to play with Prince.” And then it clicked. He’s the guy in the orange suit in Purple Rain! But he’s not the type to boast about it. He is more likely to chat about his podcast or his work at the Church of St. Patrick–Edina. Our writer Jennifer Pitterle beautifully captures how music has influenced Peterson’s life.
We also delve into the history of another local icon, the Westgate Theater. While the building is no longer standing, its legacy endures. Author Jon Gaspard has penned a book that chronicles how the theater gave Harold and Maude its cult-classic status by screening it for two years straight. The quirky comedy went from a critical and commercial flop to a beloved phenomenon all because of this one theater and its devoted community.
Speaking of quirky, one of my favorite memories from my grad school days in London was a Sunday afternoon of adventure. I went out for a walk with my friends Gwladys and Aarty. The afternoon began on Tottenham Court Road, where we ducked into a Cornish pasty shop. Wall-to-wall glass cases with pasties in probably more than 20 flavors. “What is a pasty?” Gwladys asked. The shopgirl replied, “It’s a savory pastry the miners used to eat. Try one!” I don’t remember the shop’s name, but I’ll never forget the bacon, chicken and leek pasty I had. Its deliciousness was unparalleled. Fueled by that buttery, savory pocket of joy, we broke into an impromptu dance and skipped across the city from Oxford Circus down Regent Street, through Picadilly Circus and over the bridge to Waterloo. That long walk was fueled by some serious pasty power. From that day on, whenever I go out, I make it a point to try a dumpling from any cuisine I encounter. A calzone, a pierogi, a samosa, a wonton; if it is dough wrapped around something, I am in. Which got me thinking: What if I took you, Dear Readers, on a dumpling tasting spree around Edina and Linden Hills?
I hope this issue brings you inspiration to sing, to create and to plan your own dumpling tour.
