Twin Cities Real Estate

We really know how to go out and Eat Here

We just don’t get in cars in Minneapolis to grab a burger to eat.  Some guys actually get in air planes and land on frozen Lake Calhoun to grab the food.  Note, this is not legal and should not be attempted by anyone.

It was a sight to see today when during the lunch hour a 64 year old Aeronca 7AC registered to a man from LeSueur, Minnesota and a Champion 7FC  registered to a man from the Stillwater, Minnesota sat on their skis parked while their owners went across the street to eat. 

A police officer said in 30 plus years on the force he had never seen such a thing.  You cannot land on a lake in the city of Minneapolis without a permit.  It causes too much disruption with traffic and pedestrians.  You have to realize this lake is 401 acres in size.  It might be the largest lake in Minneapolis but it is in the heart of the city.  It is just a couple block from the quaint shopping district of Linden Hills. The people ice fishing at the time the planes landed must have been in shock.

What was the price of these burgers?  Most likely the meal will cost the men over $1,000.  There are those of you out there that don't think we in Minnesota know how to have fun.  This was big time fun.

In Minneapolis we are Hunger Heroes

 

In 1992 Minneapolis hosted the Super Bowl.  I think we were the joke of the sports world at the time.  After all, don't those who attend these events want warm weather?  Marilyn Carlson, daughter of Curt Carlson, founder of Radisson Corporation and more, convinced the NFL to allow the Super Bowl to be in Minneapolis.  Yes, it was nice and cold for those attending and we had snow.  We had people snow mobiling and ice fishing, taking pictures of themselves in parkas, and sending it all home saying they had survived the Super Bowl in Minneapolis. 

Planners were in need of creating events that would entertain people yet be inside and warm.  What was born was the Taste of the NFL.  Twenty-eight chefs from around the country, one for each NFL city, served up their specialties alongside an alumni player from each of the NFL teams.  All were volunteers.  The event was sold out and raised $90,000 with all proceeds going to local and national hunger organizations. 

This Taste of the NFL continues  today and is held in the Super Bowl city the night before the Super bowl.  This year the Barenaked Ladies will perform at the Taste of the NFL in Florida.  (It might feel like Minneapolis there this year!) More than  $6.8 million has been raised and distributed to hunger-relief groups since 1992.

The core of the Taste of the NFL team is a group of Minnesota-based volunteers and businesses that have built Taste of the NFL into a valuable brand to use in the fund-raising efforts for hunger relief.  This fund raiser is held in about 37 communities in the United States.  You can bet in Minneapolis we still make it a big thing.  At the Mall of America today they are accepting pledges for people to give all year long for hunger-relief.  Right now Cub Foods is matching those pledges. 

This idea that started in Minneapolis has grown to assist hunger throughout the United States.  It is one example of the caring that happens here in Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota.  Go ahead and tell jokes about us.  That laughter is what fuels are creativity for caring.

The Men of Minneapolis

The men of Minneapolis tend to be white.  It might be our Swedish, Norwegian, German, Finnish backgrounds.  These guys are as white as the snow.  Again, coming from those countries they tend to be tall and big.  Most of these men become obvious in November-March.  They hang out on the front lawns and backyards of the houses in the neighborhoods of Minneapolis.

 

I find that they like to dress alike.  Most wear big buttons, mittens, and fun hats.  Can you believe this? They go without shoes.

Their noses are orange.  I would think they might be red due to the cold.  They have big coal like eyes that stare at you.  They say really nothing and are almost frozen in place.  Kids get along better with these guys than adults.  Again, that Swedish background makes them shy.  There is a story in Minneapolis that a Swede once loved his wife so much that he almost told her.

 

You will see these guys all winter, but come spring they disappear.  Perhaps they go fishing.  One never knows.  Here in Minneapolis we are proud of them and take pictures of them, dance around them, and will even write songs about them.  I can't think of a kid that does not want one as a fixture in their yard.  Parents help form the friendships with their children and these men.  These guys are harmless.  They are the snowmen of Minneapolis!

        

Our Concern Goes Out to those Living in the South

Those of us who live in Minneapolis take a great deal of ribbing about our temperatures.  Everyone wants to know why we live in this popsicle city.  The truth is we have houses, cars, clothing and life styles that can handle this weather.  We plant trees, bushes, and flowers that can tolerate the temps.  We were a bit unhappy with the high's of -7 degrees, but it was sunny and the temp got up to 10 above today.  I walked around with my coat open!

I seriously am concerned about people who live in the South.  They do not have houses or life styles to handle cold weather.  It also destroys their economy with orange groves freezing and tourists running back to their winter city homes.   You don't go to Florida thinking you will be on the beach in 30 degrees weather.  They have it tough right now and we hold all of them in our prayers that they come through this with as little damage as possible.

We adapt to the climate of where we live.  It is when surprises like this happen,   something totally out of the control of the residents, that we feel at a lost as to what to do.  Each part of the country has these issues that are so damaging.  Here in Minneapolis it might be the spring floods or the summer droughts.  We have tornadoes that destroy more than we can imagine.  California has the fires that destroy lives and property.  The South has hurricanes.  The idea that there is a perfect place to live is not correct.  What we have are places in our country that we make the best of it.  Our jobs, our families, our health, our financial situation, and more keep us here or has us moving to where we live.

Minneapolis is home to me.  Blame it on my parents.  They are the ones who brought me when I was 8.  I went away to college, worked outside of Minneapolis, but in the end returned due to my family.  If I had not come home, I would not have met my husband.  We would not have created the wonderful daughter we have.  We would not have been blessed with our son being placed in our home and all the excitement he has brought to us.  Then we would not have had the grandkids we have.  The dogs we have raised would never have been in our lives.  Think of all the friends we never would have met.  Now you can understand why I live in Minneapolis.  It all makes sense does it not?

Top Ten Reasons to Live in Minnesota

TOP TEN REASONS TO LIVE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

1) We have as many or perhaps more live theaters and art galleries than we have sports teams

2) We are home to many fortune 500 companies and the beat of medical technology starts here

3) We have four seasons to live for and to live through

4) We have excellent higher learning institutions starting with the University of Minnesota

5) We are a caring community opening our city to more people from outside the U. S. than perhaps any other non-costal city

6) We have all kinds of housing starting from the bungalow to the downtown lofts

7) We offer all kinds of eating establishments from the chains to neighborhood fare to the downtown ritzy restaurants

8) We have a stoic sense of humor-Laugh at our senior citizen quarterback, make fun of our Gopher, swat at our hand sized mosquitoes, point at our funny ski hats, get lost in our pot holes, and eat until you throw-up at our State Fair

9) We live in a metropolitan city yet have lakes and wildlife right in our city

10) We have a saying, "You cry twice.  Once when you find out you are moving to Minneapolis and you then cry again when you find out you are moving away from Minneapolis."

Walk On

For those of you who do not live in a winter city, you might think we don't walk in the winter.  Not true.  Minneapolis is a very walk able city.  In fact the City Council of Minneapolis on October 16th adopted a pedestrian master plan.  It is a 92 page document that promotes walking.  It addresses cleaning sidewalks after snow storms, maintaining boulevard trees, and improving pedestrian infrastructure.

The trick to walking in our temperature is to wear layers.  People who are new to Minneapolis go out and buy heavy boots and bulky coats.  That only make you fall down.  What you want are thin layers of good fabric that keeps the moisture away from your skin and is a barrier to the wind.  Once you start walking and burning calories, you will notice you open up your jacket and start removing the layers.  I am always tying the outer jacket around my waist once I get going. 

For those who are a bit nervous about walking on the ice and snow, there is a cure for those nerves.  You take the poles of cross country skies and use them as support as you walk along.  You will gain confidence and soon not need the poles.  You will be surprised how cleared our walks and paths are and the surface to walk on is easier than you can imagine. 

Minneapolis this weekend will go below zero.  That won't keep us in.  What happens is when it gets cold here, like below zero or one above, the skies get so blue and the sun shines on your face and warms you right down to your heart.  You need a good pair of sun glasses for the sun will shine off the snow and be brilliant.  I know some of you cannot imagine what I am writing about, but it is true.  The crisp air will sting your lungs for a minute, but then you warm up and think nothing about it.  You watch the squirrels run around.  The birds soar into view.  You see people on frozen Lake Harriet fly kites.  You wonder how people who live elsewhere can do without all this good stuff. 

Downtown Minneapolis has miles and miles of skyways.  People who work downtown often don't venture outdoors or wear coats.  Their world is sealed into glass walkways, their office buildings, and the parking ramp.  So you see for those of you who can't handle the cold, work and live downtown Minneapolis and take the skyway.  I get lost in them so for me the sidewalk is a better bet. 

At night, which can be about 5:00 pm., people walk with little lights on their hats and wear exterior clothing that glows in the dark.  We put coats on our dogs and even boots for the hounds that need them.  Off we go burning the calories we have taken in that day and get our hearts pumping.  You have to remember that people living in Minneapolis have their family stock coming from Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Germany.  Hearty is our middle name.  Now we have residents in Minneapolis from all over the world.  They catch on fast and join in on our winter walking. 

Blue Skies

You don't know how much you appreciate blue skies until you have not seen them for days.  Here in Minneapolis we started the gray sky bit a few days before Christmas and then it just went on and on.  If you want me to sum up my Christmas holiday in Minneapolis I would say, "It snowed and then I shoveled. I made food and then I shoveled some more. I did the dishes and then I shoveled.  I threw out the wrapping paper and then I shoveled."  Every time I looked to the sky I saw snowflakes falling on my face.

 

Don’t get me wrong, Minneapolis is a winter city, so I am use to snow.  It just usually is not a constant snow that terrorizes the public and makes national news.  Everyone was prepared for the snow and in the end it was a bit disappointing.  We did not get as much snow as was predicted, and what we did get on Christmas day was 35 degrees and rain.  Rain on top of snow is a mess and the  temps get colder and it freezes.  Now Minneapolis is a skating rink.

 

One thing about this city is that they have plow crews that are amazing.  They drop chemicals even before the snow falls keeping our streets safer.  They plow down the middle of the street almost right away and then the next day they are back plowing curb to curb.  If you don't move your car, you will be walled in by a pile of snow or your car will be towed and you will be at the impound lot paying lots of money in cash to get your car out.  The thing all residents in Minneapolis hate is digging out after the plow has gone your street or alley.  The plow creates a wall of snow in front of your curb cut that is almost as strong as concrete.  No plastic shovel will break through that mass. You need almost a pick and sledge hammer. 

 

For those of you who do not live in a winter city, you might not know that after we shovel our sidewalks and driveways, then we shovel our roofs to avoid ice dams and damage to the interior of the house.  It is just not Santa up on the roof tops but the owner of houses trying to free their roof of ice dams.  We have something called a snow rake that helps.  If you don't know what a snow rake looks like, then Google it so you can getter a better idea of what we in Minneapolis do for fun. 

Kings Wine and Bar

  

http://www.kingsmpls.com/

Congratulations to the Kingfield neighborhood of Southwest Minneapolis.  You have a great wine bar to walk to and enjoy conversation with your friends and neighborhoods.  Located at 4555 Grand Ave South in Minneapolis this local eating and drinking establishment reminds me a bit of Ireland.

 

In Ireland every so many blocks there is a  pub for neighbors  to gather and share their sorrows and joys.  Call it group therapy. Now in these tough times in the U. S. we need such places to gather and share our feelings.  Kings offers the atmosphere at a reasonable price to meet with family and friends.  Come in your jeans and sweaters and be impressed with the extensive wine list.  Food is served and there is free Wi-Fi.

 

The establishment is named after Colonel William S. King who arrived in Minneapolis in 1859.  That is how the neighborhood got its name. 

 

This is a local styled bistro with music playing in the background featuring local music.  The food is all natural ingredients and comes from local farmers.  The bread is from the Rustica Bakery just down the street.  The ice cream is from Sebastian Joes in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis.  One of the featured dishes is short ribs that is a must ry.  Their Tater Tots might sound pure Minnesota, but they put their own twists to the potatoes.  The servers are very friendly and most nights it is not difficult to get seated.  Look for the local music  scene.  Jim Walsh seats people on weekends.  Marc Perlman of the Jayhawks bartends as does John Schreiner  the drummer of Spittin'Cobras.

 

I hope to see more local places emerge in Minneapolis neighborhoods.  During tough times it is just good to get out of the house and see some good faces at your local drinking hole.

Food Glorious Food

I like food and I am certain I am no different than the rest of you.  Not only is it necessary to keep ourselves going, but it is so pleasurable. 

Minneapolis is a big city in the center of the large agriculture belt for the state of Minnesota.  In fact one of our nick names is the "Flour City."  Much of the grain was brought to Minneapolis and made into flour here.  Hence we have Pillsbury and General Mills with their corporate headquarters in Minneapolis. 

I can shop at the big stores such as Lunds or Bylery's.  These are our top end stores that have anything you could ever want in the line of food.  They make food shopping an experience.  Kolwaski's is a smaller yet elegant chain to shop at.  Then we have the biggies such as Wal-Mart, Target, Cub, and Rainbow.  If you have a membership card you can go power shopping at Sam's Club or Cosco.  I am concerned about healthy food so I try to find the good stuff.  We do have Whole Foods but better yet is the Linden Hills Co-Op.

This Co-op is located in SW Minneapolis in the neighborhood we call Linden Hills.  The address at 2813 W 43rd Street will be changing The move will happen next August and it will be located less than a mile away in another SW Minneapolis neighborhood.  Those who walked to the co-op hate to see it move, but the new location in the former Sunnyside Market will give room for future growth.  It is an excellent opportunity for the cop-op.

It costs $80.00, a onetime fee, to join.  You purchase a equity share and it is not an annual fee.  There are many benefits to being a member and not just a shopper at the Co-op.Here are some of the reasons why people shop there.

*The wonderful wide selection at the co-op makes it a perfect place to shop.

*I like being part of a co-op where people care about what I eat and support local businesses and farmers.

*Buying locally produced products is very important to us, the co-op is so close to our house.

*My soup tastes better using the produce from the co-op

This earth friendly, healthy choices, community spirited co-op in SW Minneapolis is well worth a visit and then is a great investment for people living in Minneapolis.  If we are to think green then we sure as better being eating green.

http://www.lindenhills.coop

Mall of America

What, there are like 7 more shopping days to Christmas?  Most of you probably think that Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota is where I go to get that shopping deed done.  No and no again.  I find the big malls in the Minneapolis area not the answer to my shopping needs.  I don't like the parking ramps, the crowds, all the smells of the food, and the entertainment atmosphere.  I don't go shopping to ride a roller coaster or to eat a cinnamon roll with 2,000 calories in it.  I shop to find the right thing for me or the person I am buying for.

 

Those of us who live in Minneapolis like a smaller shopping area called Galleria in Edina.  It has some very classy restaurants if you want to dine, wonderful book stores to get lost in, clothing stores where there are not 24 items in each size, and real customer service.  Yes, you might be paying a bit more in price, but the quality and the beauty of what they are selling are well worth the price. 

 

The city of Minneapolis was laid out in grids when it was developed.  The street car line would take people from one grid to another.  Wish we had those street cars back today.  Each neighborhood every so many blocks would have a small shopping area.  Remember, it was not until after WW II that the large grocery stores were built.  That is why there were buildings for the grocer, the butcher, the baker, the drug store, the hardware store.  Above these buildings we still have the apartments that the owner many times lived in.  These local stores are now gone.  Which is a pity.  We do our shopping at Target, home is Minneapolis, where we can get our food, drugs, clothes and anything else we need.  In Minneapolis these stores are not empty.  They are now being used to house some of the best specialty shops in SW Minneapolis.  That is where I do my shopping.

 

The 50th and France shopping area on the boarder of Edina and Minneapolis has a splendid assortment of shops.  During the Christmas season these is a horse drawn sleigh to take you through the district.  When you get hungry be sure to stop and grab a bite to eat at either Salut or the Edina Café.  Either place will nourish you to get back in the shopping mood.

 

Just down the street is the 44th shopping area.  Bebe Babble founded by Kedra Lewis has some of the most interesting baby and up to age 5 or 6 clothing and children needs.  It is a place for a grandmother to get lost in.  Go to Turtle Bread and get some good homemade soup and bread.  There never is a reason not to shop in this area.

 

The Fulton area at 50th and Penn has some good shops.  One sells just organic clothing.  How much more green can you get?

 

A few more blocks down is 50th and Bryant which has Patina.  This shop is where my husband shops every Christmas Eve.  It has wonderful gifts and clothing.  It's card assortment is one of the best in town.

 

Travel down France Ave to Excelsior and you are at Excelsior and Grand with more shops and McCoy's Pub.  They really know how to make a meat loaf sandwich. There is one shop dedicated to pets and you can really spend to make yourself happy.  Not sure how the dog feels wearing the sweater you buy there.

 

I have just touched the surface.  You can go down Excelsior a mile and be in the Uptown area on the shores of Lake Calhoun.  More places to eat and some good shops. 

 

I tell you your Visa card will give out long before you run out of fun places to shop in Minneapolis.  Don't think we are just the Mall of America.  Minneapolis is that and so much more.