Persistence Pays Off by L.A. Nik

Persistence Pays Off

When I want something to happen, I make it happen. But I can’t do it all alone. Nobody can. You have to associate with people who have confidence in you and support your dreams and your ideas. Those people are out there – it’s up to you to get out and find them.

One of my favorite places in Los Angeles was The Comedy Store and one of the very first people I met was Dean Gelber – the General Manager. For some reason, he and I just hit it off. I think it was because we had a mutual love of cars and mechanical gadgetry. We became really good friends right off the bat and continue to be close to this day.

The Comedy Store became my second home. It became my support network. I hung out there all the time and got to know everyone who worked there. I got to know all the regular comics and all the regular customers. I still went to a lot of other places around town, but The Comedy Store was the place I felt the most celebrated and supported. It felt like home.

When I lost my home in L.A., Dean gave me a home. It was right on Genesee and Santa Monica Boulevard. It was a really nice house and I lived there for a year - rent free. Dean and Mitzi Shore took care of me. Mitzi was always feeding me. They gave me jobs to do, money, even gave me a Range Rover to get around in. Without them I would have had a tough time getting through that phase of my life. They did a lot for me and helped me through a lot and I will always be grateful.

The Comedy Store felt like home to me.

-

It was through my friendship with Dean and Mitzi that I learned that there is no one more persistent than a comedian. Even a bad band gets cheered. When people are drunk, they’ll still applaud and cheer. A bad comedian who’s bombing on stage gets silence. That’s the worst possible sound you could ever hear when you’re on stage! But they keep going.

They get on stage in front of these people night after night just praying for a laugh. They try their jokes out a different way. They keep going until they get that laugh from the crowd. And when they get that laugh, it’s an adrenaline rush. It boosts their confidence and they get funnier and more entertaining.

Comedians struggle big time. The Next time you’re at a comedy show, laugh. Even if it isn’t funny. The confidence boost might make them funnier!

Talk about persistence! I have a lot of admiration for Steven Adler's persistence in life.

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I’ve always been an exaggerator. I never lie, I hype. There’s a big difference. When I find a place that I think is really cool, I’ll hype it up on my blog. If I find a new musician that I think has some real talent, I’ll tell everyone about them and how great they are. If I’m promoting something, I’ll send out as much hype as the Internet will let me.

As much as I can hype up my own abilities, I’m also quick to hype up others. That’s one way to get other people to support you. You can’t be taking all of the time. You have to give back.

There's a difference between “a hype” and “a lie.” I will hype stuff to the roof but I'll never lie. Hyping something is exaggerating to the best of something without hurting someone. Lying is hiding something to gain an advantage.

Hyping is saying, "This is the best show and you'll have the most fun on a Sunday night ever!”

I love finding new things and sharing them with others. That’s my whole basis for staying in Minneapolis! I think Minneapolis has a lot of potential and has a lot of cool things to offer! I’ll do whatever I can to get people to see what I see, to go where I go.

You don’t have to buy into everything I say. You can disagree with me all you want! Just join me for a cocktail sometime and listen to what I have to say. Allow me to convince you. 

If you’re still not convinced, then be on your way. I’ll never beat a dead horse. Everyone has a limit to how much they can hear. I know when to quit. As soon as people tune me out, I’m done. Usually, I’m the one tuning them out. But then again, I get bored easily.

Persistence is similar to struggling for your dreams. You have to keep that at the forefront of your brain at all times. You can’t let yourself get distracted from what you want most in life. Like the comedians who torture themselves every night on stage telling jokes to a silent audience. To them, it’s rehearsal. It’s stage time. It’s practice until they get really good and get their own special on Comedy Central. To them, the silence is worth it for the huge laughs they’ll get later.

Each day in your life is stage time. Learn, create, and share every day of your life. Never give up and never quit a day too soon.

I know I’m a pest and I know I get demanding. But when I really believe in something, whether it’s myself or someone else, then I won’t give up until somebody else sees what I see.

I hosted the Paralympics' Nordic Skiing World Cup and met
so many people with more persistence than I'll ever have. It
was very inspirational.

This is true not only for business and making your dreams come true, but also in pursuing relationships. You have to pay attention to when it’s a good time to pursue someone and when it’s a good time to pull the plug.

Timing is everything.

When I was on the pursuit of my girlfriend, Nancy, I knew she was something special and I knew we’d be good together.

She wasn’t so sure.

Two days after meeting her I had to go to L.A. so I asked her to go with me.

“Are you crazy? I just met you! I’m not going anywhere with you,” she said.

Okay, I have to admit, that made sense. But while I was out in L.A., I texted and called her every day. I made sure she knew I was interested and I was serious.

Best of all, she responded every time. If she hadn’t responded or texted back with “Stop texting me, you creep!” I would have left her alone.

But she didn’t.

Two week later when I came back, we had a date and have been together since. That was over six years ago.

Persistence pays!

It wasn't easy getting a mid-western, crop duster's daughter to
go out with me but persistence paid off.

Everything I’ve ever done was because I had the confidence to back up my hype. I’ve met thousands of people all over the world. Some of them have remained my close friends to this day. I just keep going to new places and meeting new people. The more people I get on my side, the better for me, the better for my friends and the better for the place I’m living.

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I went to Catholic school in my childhood so I know about the bible. And guilt.

There is nothing more persistent than religion – it’s the ultimate hype. I do believe in a guy named Jesus Christ. I do believe he existed. No matter where you are in the world, there are calendars based on his life. That’s just too big to be a hoax. There had to be a guy named Jesus who was born and died.

Think about it, you can’t make up a story and make it take over the whole world. It couldn’t happen today – it wouldn’t last. The odds are that he did, in fact, exist. There are twelve different books written about the guy in twelve different parts of the world. They didn’t know each other when those stories were written. They certainly didn’t email one another or send each other text messages.

Who knows what the real story is. Back in the day, you would have been stoned to death if you didn’t believe Jesus was the son of God.

That is some serious hype!

Think of it this way: if I told you a story about a man I knew and then you tell the story to your friends and they tell their friends, by the time it gets out to hundreds or thousands of people, the story has changed! It’s human nature. People make up stories every day. Stories get exaggerated and embellished. Who knows what really happened!

Nothing can be proven.

The persistence paid off though.

Christianity is huge in this world and it all centers around one man.

Let’s put it this way. Our calendars – our concept of time, is based on the death of this one man. 

Now that’s hype.

And persistence.

By L.A. Nik

DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS LANDMINE MAP RELEASED

EAT. PLAY. STAY. DOWNTOWN.

I'll say it again and again. Downtown Minneapolis is a great place to be - one of the coolest cities I've had the pleasure of living in. But, like all cities, it has its challenges and problems. 

People are what make a city great, and I've met some amazing people in Minneapolis. But people also make a city a scary place for some. After voicing my opinion for several years on end about crime downtown, actions taken by the city, allocation of resources and simple daily observation in patterns and habitual behavior - I've decided to help. Help for downtown residents, help for travelers, and help for suburbanites.

I didn't earn the title "Mayor of Minneapolis After Dark" for nothing.. I'm out late. Often. And when I walk the streets, I watch and observe and I see things. I've seen muggings, knifings, violent flash mobs, and straight harassment. The issues are centralized in certain spots and spotted throughout some others.

Minneapolis provides public data about crime in Minneapolis. One of the resources that may be alarming to many is the Minneapolis Shot Spotter. Visit this page HERE and click on each week. You'll notice that North Minneapolis has consistent issues with shots fired, and actual shootings. But you'll also notice that Hennepin ave and the downtown proper area have their issues and reported shootings just this past week. This does NOT include, knifings, harassment, beatings, gang violence or domestic abuse - only shots fired.

In order to help those navigating the city on their own or for the first time (or even those that are oblivious), the Downtown Business Coalition, which consists of local businesses, people and ideals, has released a map. The map is for the sole purpose of staying safe in our great city. It's meant to be a guide, and enhancement to your other resources. However, its focus is on Hennepin ave, Nicollet Ave and a small section of 1st Avenue as these are the most heavily trafficked areas. You can view the map below.

Landmine Map Tri-fold Front

Landmine Map Tri-fold Inside

The Downtown Minneapolis Landmine Map is a useful guide that will serve as an amendment to other maps. The map reveals three different zones to be aware of after 8pm in the evening.

* High Danger Zones are signified by the landmine icon.

* Medium Risk zones are orange.

* Safe Zones are marked in green.

The key education points on the Downtown Minneapolis Landmine Map are meant to focus the public on safety and serve as a reminder to be educated and safe while enjoying downtown.

The Downtown Minneapolis Landmine Map is a product of www.meetMYminneapolis.com and funded by the Downtown Business Coalition. The map will be downloadable, sharable and printable. The map will also be available at participating downtown businesses, primarily in the “safe zones.”

Maps will be available for local businesses upon request at no charge.

Download the map HERE.

Tell em' L.A. Nik sent you..

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THE LAST OF SMALL BUSINESS ON NICOLETT MALL - REPLACED BY ANOTHER RESTAURANT.

L.A. Nik's Downtown Blog

Its a sad day in downtown Minneapolis. 

Not very many small family owned businesses exist in the immediate area of downtown Minneapolis any more. Sure... there are many independently owned restaurants and some small businesses in the skyway, some coffee shops and even a Walgreens, but on the strip that we proudly call our downtown mainstream - the very last of small business owners is being evicted for corporate dollars.

I won't call this the Walmart effect, because its being spearheaded by well known Rush family that owns "The 9's on Nicollet" (Rush and Kelly buildings) next door to Barrio and the Local. It seems they may leave their 60 year old wedding gown business on the upper level of the building and its been asserted that this is a local family owned endeavor, however their long time tenants are getting the boot.

A few good friends of mine are losing their space, one of which has been there for 20 + years - James & Mary Laurie Booksellers. Jim, the owner, you can find every single day in this space. At the moment, he's faced with moving more than 400,000 books and nearly 40,000 vinyl records, not to mention other rarities, artifacts, paintings and journals. He has to be out soon; rent elsewhere will likely triple and his inventory is nearly unbelievable. You could do Jim and Mary a huge favor and vist their space while its there. If you collect old vinyl, you'll most likely find everything you could possibly want.

LIKE their Facebook fan page HERE

Next business of concern is Jeromeo, a curiosity shoppe with unique items, clothing and furniture from around the world. This place is one of a kind and so is its owner, Scott. He and his faithful dog Webster are Nicollet Mall staples which would be sadly missed, should they be forced to leave.

According to the Star Tribune, "Scott Johnson, owner of Jeromeo, said he recently signed a new lease and hopes to stay post-renovation. His store, which features handmade jewelry, Asian artifacts and artwork, has been on Nicollet Mall for more than seven years". 

This is NOT the case, however. Scott Johnson signed a 5 year lease but it had weird stipulations that it could be changed at any time and he would have to move. So it is, that he and the others, will have to be gone by the end of June. Scott is moving his business to Brooklyn New York, where the lease will cost about the same as the new cost he'll be faced with in Minneapolis, except he'll be welcomed in a bustling area of tourists on walkways full of shopping and families, where his target market will support his unique offering - unlike Minneapolis.

LIKE Jeromeo's Facebook fanpage HERE

Lastly, Jean Stephens Gallery is on the chopping block as well. This is well known Gallery fueling Minneapolis's artistic culture. They've been a part of this community for 25 years and have hosted shows for Hart, Jiang, Markes, Rembrandt, Dr. Seuss, Mackenzie Thorpe, Michael Parkes, Yuroz, Evans, Von Koelnau, Digre, Lentz, Zjawinska, Byron, Tobiasse, and many others.

This is a 4000 square foot space with something for every art lover in the world. All three of these businesses are family owned, have been there for years and are a unique part of the culture of Nicollet Mall. Due to the cost of moving and increased lease fees in other spaces, its likely we'll lose them all in downtown Minneapolis.. and in some cases, the state of Minnesota.

LIKE their Facebook fanpage HERE.

These spaces will be the new home Ling & Louie's Kitchen; an Asian Fusion concept coming from Phoenix, Arizona. Biz Journals covered the story here. "While Ling & Louie's is new to this market, its top executives are well-known restaurant players. McDermott and Chief Operating Officer Jason Merritt also run Rojo Mexican Grill, which has a restaurant at The Shops at West End in St. Louis Park and plans to open a second location at Edina's Southdale Center later this spring. They also previously held the same titles at Kona Grill". - Biz Journals

Story has it that the Rockler family owned the "9's on the Mall" for 99 years under an agreement for something as little as $1.00. So they have had control of this property for a very long time. About ten years ago, when Jeromeo came in, the Rush's made a deal with the land owner to buy it for some un-disclosed low cost. The Rockler's never renewed the real estate and the building is now in the hands of the Rush's. They own the entire space free and clear and now wish go after a larger monthly income by investing millions into yet another restaurant.. I can't blame them; its  private sale and personal business decision, but one that is affecting the proud culture of Minneapolis, uprooting the lives of local business owners, and quite frankly not viewed as progression by many.

Most people know me well by now; I'm the first person to check out a new venue, restaurant or bar and support the growth of the city and specifically the future of downtown Minneapolis, but I have some concerns with this type of growth. Here's an article in the Star Tribune that talks to some depth about the plans for downtown. 2025 is ongoing plan but city officials say much of this is happening now; new apartments being built, business expanding and growth at every level, including downtown's population to be double by this time next year...

This is true, and growth is good. Minneapolis should compete with A-list cities and be a destination other than corporate convention crowds. However when the corporate crowds are here with the convention center (which is most of the year) I can't even get a friend a hotel room anywhere downtown to save my life. If there is one available, its typically in the $280-$400 range.. How does Minneapolis expand the rental space for hotel rooms and visiting people to double our current capacity if we can't facilitate what we have? 

Downtown definitely has some work to do and I'm a huge advocate of enhancing downtown. My concern with the current developments are that though the mission is to attract more people and become a destination, we are increasingly adding less and less for families to do. As department stores, family run businesses and any option of enjoying a day with your kids, disappears on Hennepin Ave, Nicollet Mall and elsewhere around the city, the feedback I hear increasingly every day is "why would I come downtown"?  

The single only option two parents and a child have to do here is walk  for miles and select bars and expensive food, while being harassed by pan handlers, preachers, child fund advocates and thugs on every corner. Its not an Austin, Texas and its not Chicago; Minneapolis is a city that needs a tied-in tourist pathway and a more concise police presence and message.  I was even kind of shocked to find Minneapolis on this strange debate over who the worst downtown parking scenarios in the country are..luckily one of those surface lots in the middle of the city is being replaced by a 35 story, $100 million Opus project for luxury apartments...?

Im a support of a bigger, better Minneapolis and I understand the planning and politics that has to be in place in order to get things done. I am a voice for the people though. The people don't understand why we're wiping away cool, family run shoppes for yet another restaurant with a roof-top. Sure people will flock to it and love it, but the competition will be fierce as new restaurant / bar concepts crop up all over town. Minneapolis has a history of recycling these businesses and we now have 2 dozen options that sell an $85 filet within 30 blocks. Its seems to clash with the underlying mission of being an arts focused city, supporting the small guy and providing outlets for people to find them.

The funding for the 2025 plan is largely private investment, corporate subsidy and tax dollars. Will it all come through? Will we fill a handful of of new 30+ story buildings with rentals as high as $4,000 / month? Can we double the population of the downtown proper area to fuel the new grocery stores, restaurants and other large scale businesses taking up tens of thousands of square feet? When Nicollet Mall was designed 50 years ago, the idea was to bring people back downtown.. Now the city is running a contest for design teams to concept what the new Mall will look like in the future. My hope is that someone closes off that bus line, seals up the street itself and creates a bustling walk space filled with vendors, small businesses, horse rides and family fun. It would eliminate the street loitering, pan-handling and other problems that plague this city. No one is moving in if we don't resolve the simplest things. In fact, many people I talk to that live downtown want to move out to Lake Minnetonka and the western burbs.

A Nicollet Mall work group was formed with city council members, Lisa Goodman and Robert Lilligren to decide the future of Nicollet Mall. Shortly, the design contest will ensue and the city has $550,000 in the 2013 budget to cover the initial stages of this. The project is expected to cost $30-40 Million... Would you like your voice to be heard?

Currently, we need to clean up the streets which is part of the long term plan (I hope). Its a challenge to talk any suburban person into to coming downtown Minneapolis for anything other than dinner, a game or a theatre show. They think its limited, they think its unsafe and they think Wayzata, Woodbury or Maple Grove shopping malls have more to do for their family then our city - and they're right..

The project is called "9's on the Mall"

You can see projected drawings, watch news videos and read all about what is happening on Nicollet, on the website right HERE.

You can subscribe to the Mayor's RSS feed HERE.

Weigh your opinion and let the city know what would make you come downtown with your family. This topic is very controversial in the underground of the city. The people who live here view progression in a very different way than the visionaries implementing plans. David Motzenbecker's departure form the planning commission may or not be related to the future of Minneapolis. Check that out HERE.

Wiping out small business owners to open another trendy restaurant will not address the public's concern. What does the future of Nicollet Mall really look like. Is this really what Minneapolis wants? 

~ L.A. Nik (Mayor of Minneapolis After Dark)

Follow @RockerLANik

WHEN THE IPC NORDIC SKIING WORLD CUP COMES TO MINNEAPOLIS....

2012 Paralympic Nordic Skiing World Cup

I had a great privilege these past two days in Minneapolis.  The International Paralympics Committee brought the Nordic Skiing World Cup to Minneapolis for its final two days of competition.  Theodore Wirth Park was the host site of this truly inspiring athletic event.  It was pretty interesting given we've really have zero snow.  I mean zero !  Last year at this time, we had been through 4 snow emergencies and public transit had been shut down completely at least once.  This year is a different story..   Living in warmer climates most all of my life, I've never actually seen man made snow.  I thought it was pretty cool !

There were some pretty big sponsors for this event.  Whole Foods seemed to have provided the warming tent and bathroom areas just below the ski trails.  City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation was serving food in the tent which I assume was provided by Whole Foods.  Gillette was a big sponsor as well as the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board and Minnesota Academy of Opthamology.  I was disappointed in the turn out for this event, but.. it was in the middle of the week and in the middle of the work day for many people.

I was invited by Meet Minneapolis to deliver the closing comments at the dinner and banquet ceremony at Hiltion Garden Inn Thursday evening.  After some technical difficulty with their equipment I simply gave the room full of 150 plus people some great advice about visiting Minneapolis.  Many of them are here through the weekend visiting.  My friends over at BANK Westin agreed to take care of whom ever we brought into their space - Thank you to Neil, Andy, and the rest of the crew that got tromped by 70 or so people around 9pm at BANK.  You did a great job and everyone enjoyed a bit of downtown Minneapolis: USA.

We got plenty of photos taken.  I'll let those do the rest of the talking..

Everybody has a story.  Challenges face every single person - I've been through my fair share.  I met a guy tonight that was a professional soccer player.  He lost his legs due to a cancer.  Yet he presses on competing in sports by using his arms.

We take to the streets !  Nearly 70 in all; we headed down 11th street from the Hilton to Nicollet Mall where I pointed out many of the local establishments, Target Headquarters and other Minneapolis landmarks.  It was really was a nice night out - perfect for a tour.

Finally at BANK.  $5 appetizers and $4 and $6 drinks. We eventually moved to the local and some people found their way to Brits.

Just another great experience in Minneapolis, MN.  Life is what you make it.  Look where the arrow is pointing, not where its been.

- L.A. NIk

Ambassador Downtown Minneapolis