I'm very nostalgic about my life in St. Paul. I miss many things about the city and the area. It doesn't help that HGTV regularly broadcasts shows about St. Paul / Minneapolis. Sigh..... Anyway, what do you do when you're nostalgic? You make lists.... Without further ado, here's Karen's Best of St. Paul:
- Best mechanic: Pat at Miller's Service is absolutely the most honest mechanic that I've met. Absolutely trustworthy.
- Best burger pub: The Nook on Hamline and Randolph. Get a Nookie burger which has cheese stuffed inside the burger. Also, after you've grabbed a beer+burger, head down to the RanHam bowling alley beneath the Nook. It'll take you straight back to the fifties.
- Best grocery/deli: I'm a huge fan of Kowalski's on Grand Avenue. Great produce and a superb deli offering. I love their pre-marinated meats, just go home and throw it on the frying pan and you have a scrumptious entrÈe.
- Best organic grocery: Skip the national chains and go to Mississippi Market. They have two locations in St. Paul. Their organic produce is excellent and they have a wonderful bulk food section.
- Best camera store: National Camera in Golden Valley has a great used camera department on the second floor. They also advertise in Shutterbug and sell on ebay.
- Best cheap haircut: If you are not risk-adverse, the best cheap haircut is through the Aveda School in Minneapolis. Get your hair cut by a trainee for a third of what it would cost in an Aveda salon.
- Best woodworker's store: The Rockler in the Uptown part of Minneapolis. Nice people, the store is well equipped, great classes in the basement. They run regular sales so get on their mailing list.
This is a list in process, so if you have any suggestions, please post them below!
Most people who have lived in the twin cities and moved away are nostalgic. I grew up in south Minneapolis in the 1950's. It was a great place to be a kid. It was very safe with no fear of violence. Lots of interesting places to explore -Minneahaha creek and falls, the Mississippi river, the lakes etc. I go back as often as I can. Karen, if you get a chance to go back after your time at Yale - go for it!
My partner and I regret that we never went to Duluth or to Lundsen's (?? some sort of family resort "up North"), or to the Dakota Badlands, or a gazillion other things. I guess we will have to go back someday! :-)
The Walker and the Children's Theater. Guthrie for plays. So wonderfully small and intimate. Penumbra Theater. Karen, I don't know of a Lundsen's but there is a Madden's resort near Brainerd, MN. Aqauatennial, Winter Carnival, Irish Festival at Macalester, Grand Avenue in general for browsing and bookstores and coffee shops. Cafe Latte on Grand in particular. Day trips to either Hastings, Stillwater or Stockholm, Wisconsin. Sunday brunches in Wayzata along Lake Minnetonka. I guess I will never be able to move from here.
In the summer, the farmers markets in Minneapolis are amazing. A lot of the food is actually organic, but the farmers are often to poor to get the usda stamp of approval. I there ever was a story to tell in minneapolis, its of the immigrant farmers that are living and working in minneapolis.