When Venus and Mars align in the night skies it is cause for joy and pagan celebrations. So too, when Stan's old pal Randy flies in from LA for the Christmas holidays, and friend Bruce motors in from South Dakota for a dental appointment, well, it's time for this Minnesota posse to reunite. They did so last night at the Cooper in St. Louis Park. The name of this new Irish Pub is taken from the old Cooper theater that was built nearby to showcase the wonders of Cinerama technology -- a forerunner to the IMAX concept of overwhelming visual effect. The theater was torn down and replaced by a major development that capitalizes on traffic generated by the intersection of I-394 and Highway 100. All that remains of the movie house is the name on this bar and lots of nostalgia. The fellas enjoyed a couple rounds of Smithwicke's in the packed joint, then light dinner fare. Stan left the gathering long before closing to join his sister in Shakopee, but the laughter of old friends rang in his ears all the way home.
