ITR TELL ME ABOUT LIVING IN MPLS OR THEREABOUTS

there are a couple companies i'd really like to work for in the area, but leaving the west coast seems a little !!! to me right now. still, i'm at a point in my life where i'd consider living closer to my family to be a pro, and a change of scenery might be good. i'm curious about things like:
1. the cold- is it really so bad? i grew up in chicago, so bitter windy cold is not new to me, and i never minded it back then, but i know mpls gets like next level cold.
2. is there good outdoor recreation? that's a big, big deal for me - otherwise, i'd seriously consider moving back to chicago. but it's just so flat there, i couldn't do it. are there good places to mountain bike, hike, backpack, etc?
3. what's the vibe like? bookstores, vegan eating options, art, etc...

very interested in your counsel...

i think you mean TELL ME ABOUT LIVING IN SEAWA OR THEREABOUTS

also there is a lot of valuable info on ITR TELL ME WHERETO I SHOULD MOVE

i wanted my own thread, okay? it's not all about your threads, you know.

just trying to be helpful JEEEEEZ

seawa is definitely on the table. in fact, my desire to live there is much more fully formed. however, i wouldn't mind going back to the midwest, but i have the feeling that mpls is the only place there i could live, plus one of the 5 or so companies i'm DYING to work for is there. moving there would definitely be contingent on applying for and getting a job there first. but before i seriously start looking at all, i'd like to know about it a little mre.

plus one of the 5 or so companies i'm DYING to work for is there.

I don't know if Pillsbury is taking applications.

1. the cold is kind of fierce, but it isnt as constant as people would have you believe. my current perception is colored by the fact that it is that memory-of-cold-horror erasing time that happens every spring where shit gets all green and comfortable.
2. lots of outdoor stuff, in particular northern minnesota is super forested and stuff. also, we have some major river bank bluffs sort of stuff going on right through the middle of the city. very bike-friendly vibe (when it isnt death cold of course). i am probably not the best person to comment on this tho because i am not a big mountain biking sort of dude. that being said, theres certainly a lot of flatland when you get out of the city and away from the river areas. southern MN is lots of farm areas with punctuated super verdant heavily forested areas.
3. ok here we do well, shitloads of art stuff, active book scene, tons of music, tons of theater, plenty of vegan friendly options spawned by the fact that the kitchens of MPLS are full of punk rock dudes. something that you will find particularly interesting i think: http://www.mnbookarts.org/

*NOTE: i am hugely biased about how great MPLS/STPL is, so im trying to be impartial, but i have been known to wax poetic about how i wouldnt live anywhere else, so bear that in mind.

oh yeah, and as for actual mountains, well we traded those in for lakes, so youll have to settle for a very hilly and rolling cityscape (mostly in STPL, although MPLS has its spots as well.)

1. The cold is def fierce---colder than CHI (where I lived for two years), but not by much. But yeah, JJ's right, it's amazing how a week of nice weather makes it almost impossible to remember ~how fucking cold~ it was in January.
2. I moved here because I had to (med school), but outdoorsy shit is my bag, for sure (former ski bum, spent the better part of my twenties in NH/CO/MT). I haven't had much time to get back into what MN has to offer, but it's waaay better than Chicago. Just the other night I went on a 20 mile bike ride from my apartment out to Minnehaha Falls, and was in parkland almost the entire time. There's supposed to be excellent single-track in the city limits out at Theodore Wirth Park (which also has miles of XC skiing trails in the winter), and out by Fort Snelling (near the airport). There's passable rock climbing at various points along the Wisconsin border, and excellent climbing up on Lake Superior (search 'shovel point' and 'palisade head'). And lakes and lakes and lakes, obv. There's also the Superior Hiking Trail that goes through the 'mountains' along the coast. Basically, MN has all the outdoorsy stuff of the mountains, but in miniature. You don't have spectacular ranges in your backyard, but it's still easy enough to maintain the skills/interest you need to, say, make a trip to those places. I, for example, am planning a trip out to the Black Hills/Devil's Tower in about a week (god-willing)---that's only 9 hours away.
3. MPLS pwns at this stuff. i've never been, but i gather we're a lot like portland?? but nicer

tza i will punch him in the leg for you, if you like

would i have to learn to drive if we moved there? i'm concerned about the snowy weather in winter and getting to work.

so: how is public transport?

ITR: TELL ME WHERETO I SHOULD MOVE

great stuff - in that thread and in this one... i could live with lakes/hills instead of mountains. of course lakes/mountains like the sierras are ideal, but the latter has its appeal too. just like extinct volcanoes, right tza?

and black cathedrals (no gotho)

if you are living in mpls proper then the bus ought to be fine. then again, my movements are very limited (to and from school), and bike pretty much all the time anyway, so

IMO It's a good idea to learn how to drive if you're moving to MPLS, if only to widen yr options on where to live and to have more control over your schedule.

And if you ever want to visit me, which you do, because I will feed you yummy desserts if you come over.

Also, if I can learn to drive in the Twin Cities, anyone can. Fear not!

I chose not to have a car for about ten years, and it was totally survivable - i wont lie, it did suck sometimes tho.

well, we have a car and jordan drives, my concern would be getting to work if we lived a less than walkable distance

BIKES

we do have bikes and j in particular is really into it. but what about in winter? when it's snowing/pissing with rain/blowing a gale?

where we live now, i have a 45min-1.25hr commute (most of which is walking), depending on where i'm working, which is fine since the weather is so unbelievably moderate.

Just got a bike helmet today and intend to hop back on after 15 years off.

Oh yeah, and MPLS is great, though there are definitely drawbacks. It kinda sucks right now if you're a dyed in the wool film geek.

my husband bought me a bike as soon as i arrived in the US, but having not ridden one in almost 15yrs either, i was pretty nervous. to date, i've ridden it TWICE - the roads here are such a wreck of huge cracks and potholes, i'm scared my inexperience and general clumsiness/lack of coordination is gonna get me hurt. i have enough trouble on two feet!

http://www.midtowngreenway.org/

^^ check it

also, MPLS is the bikiest city in the country, save for portland, MAYBE, and it's pretty safe to be on the roads. as for winter: harden up. or take the bus. i bike year round, but that's because a) i have a bike that's able to manage it b) i'm used to it and c) it's fun. for me.

harden up is really good advice for someone who is just getting into biking and wondering how it will be in a new city. and if rabid stray dogs chase you, just ride faster.

easy, tiger

btw yr last bit of advice is actually the correct bit of advice

you should ride faster. also: htfu. there is no other advice to give. it gets to be a bazillion degrees below zero here in the middle of winter, so, yes, if you are planning on riding a bike through that, ...harden....up....

also buy like warm clothes and shit but if you didn't know that already yr retarded

ffs

hang on, i'll respond once i'm done convincing my wife to harden up for our life of winter bike commuting toil in MPLS.

so: how is public transport?

― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Wednesday, April 29, 2009 9:39 PM (2 days ago)

^^^ i was asking about public transport, not bikes.

why you gotta come on here and get all snarky. you did the same thing on the thread where a few of us just wanted to reminisce about foods we missed from home. not sure what i did to get in yr bad-books.

also, most times i get hard and then try to ride my bike don't go too well.

wait, how am i getting snarky, exactly?

1. The cold is def fierce---colder than CHI (where I lived for two years), but not by much. But yeah, JJ's right, it's amazing how a week of nice weather makes it almost impossible to remember ~how fucking cold~ it was in January.

― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Wednesday, April 29, 2009 11:33 PM (2 days ago) Bookmark

if you are living in mpls proper then the bus ought to be fine. then again, my movements are very limited (to and from school), and bike pretty much all the time anyway, so

― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Thursday, April 30, 2009 2:47 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark

The (relatively) new bridge over Hiawatha just north of Lake St. is stunning. Can't wait to ride over it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3142/2786799500_63a05d6678.jpg

the sabo bridge! it's great! i ride over it every day, basically. apparently it exists because there were some accidents w/ppl trying to cross hiawatha?? whatever.

also there are dudes that hang out on the benches most nights and by dudes i mean guys w/bottles of thunderbird

so obv one thing we have all learned from this thread is that at some point we should all hang out w/eric. i always forget that you live here!

I never commented on the Hastings thread because Hastings is, like, 30 miles away!

I forgot who, but some ilxor spotted me at the climbing gym once and I told him to ask for a belay next time and it hasn't happened yet.

well given my complete opposition to healthy living decisions i am certain that wasnt me

It's a cold day in May
Once again
I'm hanging uptown
Down on Hennepin
The license plates
look like Fresca cans
My future's mapped out
But I got no plans.

also justin3 i think you are misreading gbx's comments, he is a v v nice dude that just happens to be a hardcore bike guy. certain that no offense was intended. like i said though, i am completely frustrated by the public transit system here, but i used it exclusively for about 10 years, so it is functional, it just sucks that our ancient ancestors didnt go "oh shit its cold as hell here maybe we should build a subway".

light rail system will be the shit if the suburbs dont continue to fuck it up royally by being baffled as to why anyone would live in the actual city.

I think it is partially that they don't want OMG TRAINS going through their suburbs. It would really make my life 1000% easier if I didn't have to drive an hour to get to the Cities. (not that metro hospitals are hiring nurses right now, but still)

i am of the opinion that a lot of them are scared that the urban poor might get access to their panera bread locations, but that is mostly because i am a snide cynical bastard

No, it is also because it's true.

for totally self serving reasons i am most interested in a trunk line connecting downtown MPLS to downtown STPL, but the logistics of who gets to get displaced by the rail line is making that v v difficult

To address the "biking" issue upthread - I think that, for *most* people, you could get around on a bike well in the TC area for maybe half the year. There are plenty of winter days that I don't want to get into my car due to cold/ice/snow/freezing rain issues; no way would I be getting on a bike. And it's one thing to do so if you're a single person with no kids, but if just1n3 and ytth decide to reproduce, there is a lot of weather that makes biking + baby pretty unsafe.

I've always been a bit baffled by the public transportation here - it's so minimal. I had a conversation with a Republican friend a few weeks ago and his objection to adding more light rail was this: it always costs more than "the government" says it is going to. (Okay.... so the longer we wait the more it really WILL cost, and it's needed, and would be better for the environment... Seriously, I like this dude and we've been friends for decades, but I REALLY don't get that thinking.)

It's infuriating how the old streetcar system got dismantled.

yeah no lie. my dad tells me stories about streetcars and i get v v angry that we had awesome public transportation and then dismantled it t (o_O t)