Minneapolis!

apollonia666

So a dear, dear coworker is deserting my office to go to law school in Minneapolis. I know there are some Minnesotans on this here site -- anything in particular you'd suggest a new resident there should definitely see or do?

laura b

I've never been, but this was in the Times yesterday:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/travel/17hours.html?ref=travel

whyfi

A google search will cover the museums, theaters, music venues, etc.

If a native guide is available, and your friend will be there in time, I would suggest stopping off at the MN State Fair. Without a native to give context, it might be... well, it'll be odd either way, but it'll make more sense.

In the same neighborhood as the MNSF, a St Paul Saint's baseball game is good way to spend a summer afternoon.

pitu

hey the search function on the site is working pretty well . . .
from a few years back:

WhyFi wrote: [quote=pitu]whatever will keep me from fighting with the nice norwegians
whatcha got?

Science Museum of Minnesota is always fun, and they have one of the best (and the very first) convertible dome omnitheaters around. If you're still around downtown St Paul at night, the Artist's Quarter is a great & cozy jazz club, and they mix a decent drink. See what's going on at the Ordway, too... oh, and MN is the home of hockey, and even if you're not a hockey fan, Wild games are a lot of fun.

The Walker and the Mineapolis Institute of Art are both worth the a visit. (Actually, I need to get over to the Walker the next time I'm in town - a new wing was added and featured in the WSJ about a year ago...) Also, The Children's Theater is attached to the MIA and it's fun even if you're not a kid (actually, a great fun date place).

If you want to get out on the town, head to downtown Minneapolis and be sure to stop off at Prince's club, First Avenue. For something more laid-back, try out St Paul's Grand Ave (just try to avoid the college kids on the weekends).

I was going to suggest seeing a taping of A Prairie Home Companion, but they're going to be taping in NY around Christmas

And if you're particularly masochistic, you can go check out the biggest mall in America. (I just found this out - did you know that 7 Yankee Stadiums could fit in MOA?!) It's one of the few places in MN that you're pretty much guaranteed not to see a Minnesotan... but even I'll admit that the place does have a... kitschy attraction.

I'm sure that some of the others can recommend a ton of individual places to visit, but these are some of the more Minnesota things to enjoy without actually being exposed to the elements in the freezin'-the-brass-balls-off-a-monkey-dead-of-the-winter. A lot of the beauty of the area is... outside, and there's not an easy way to enjoy it during that time of the year, unless you're a hardy soul.

My personal suggestion is to enjoy the woodsy outdoor beauty before the shock of winter temps unimaginable to non-Canadians. Kayak while you can. There's good flea markets outside of MPLS - although I have no recollection of where exactly I was . . .
also, there's good Ethiopian and Vietnamese restaurants in MPLS. The other local delicacies are walleye (fried fish), dill pickle potato chips, and aged cheddar.
The Mall of America is a big sad place.

modsquad

Go to the source of the Mississippi River. You can spit in it knowing it will end up in New Orleans. Oh Yea, say hi to Paul Bunyan and his wife Babe.

theoryofpractice

Lunch in uptown and a walk around Harriet or Calhoun. Or maybe a picnic by the bandshell. This is a great time of year there.

apollonia666

Good stuff -- thanks, y'all! I know he can and will Google stuff, but I figured there might be some recommendations from former Minneapolis folks.

carnivore

Maybe the MOA could be more interesting than at first glance...

18 wrote: Marijuana Grow House Found In Mall Of The Americas[/size]
Sunday, August 24, 2008 12:15:16 PM

MIAMI -- The Drug Enforcement Administration discovered something unexpected in the Mall of the Americas.

DEA agents found a hydroponics lab with more than 200 marijuana plants, standing 3 to 6 feet tall in the air and worth millions of dollars, in a storage area on the second floor of the mall.

Authorities said the electricity that powered the lab was diverted from the mall's main power supply.

No arrests have been made. Authorities said officials with the Mall of the Americas are cooperating with the investigation.

From:
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2008/8/24/marijuana_grow_house_found_in_mall_of_the_americas.html

prodigalson

Minneapolis is a lot more exciting than life is here in Lake Wobegone (also known as St Paul).

While here, you have to learn the Minneapolis National anthem:



"Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen!

St Paul's National Anthem:



"Peanuts Theme"!



St Paul's Grand Avenue will remind you of Greenwich Village without the huge crowds. St Paul is a college town and two schools can be found along Grand: Macalester and St Thomas --- both have excellent Division III soccer teams (and other nationally ranked squads). Concordia College is nearby and plays excellent Division II girls soccer and volleyball.

Folks in St Paul are not much into restaurants as family and home life are highly significant in this very Catholic town. But there are some good Mexican restaurants in the West Side (actually, the neighborhood is SOUTH of down town - use the Robert Street bridge or Wabasha Bridge to get there).

As noted above, Minneapolis has excellent cty parks. In fact, they may well be the very finest in the USA.

whyfi

Carnivore wrote: Maybe the MOA could be more interesting than at first glance...

[quote=18] Marijuana Grow House Found In Mall Of The Americas[/size]
Sunday, August 24, 2008 12:15:16 PM

MIAMI -- The Drug Enforcement Administration discovered something unexpected in the Mall of the Americas.

DEA agents found a hydroponics lab with more than 200 marijuana plants, standing 3 to 6 feet tall in the air and worth millions of dollars, in a storage area on the second floor of the mall.

Authorities said the electricity that powered the lab was diverted from the mall's main power supply.


No arrests have been made. Authorities said officials with the Mall of the Americas are cooperating with the investigation.

From:
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2008/8/24/marijuana_grow_house_found_in_mall_of_the_americas.html
Dude, you gotta work on your geography...

carnivore

Wait, there's more than one Mall of America?


EDIT: D'Oh! Just noticed the Mall of America/Mall of the Americas thing.

pitu

Carnivore wrote: Wait, there's more than one Mall of America?


EDIT: D'Oh! Just noticed the Mall of America/Mall of the Americas thing.

damn! I loved that story when it was in MPLS. In Miami, meh.