Top Tens, 3rd Edition

Top Ten Things About Living in . . . Minneapolis, MN

10.) Shopping I do not consider myself to be an avid shopper. When I need something I go to the store and do my best to avoid going when it's busy. I don't go shopping unless I have something specific to get, and I try to get the job done as quickly as possible. All that aside, there is something to be said for the shopping opportunities offered by MSP. There's MOA, downtown, malls in all the suburbs, and a huge-ass REI. You can find anything you could ever want here. It allows you to be a very picky consumer and not have to settle for anything but what you really want. It's awesome :)

9.) Up North The only thing better than living in a big city is getting away from a big city. Minnesota provides excellent opportunities for this type of recreation with a bevy of destinations referred to as "Up North." It's pretty up there, and it reminds me much more of Montana. Probably because there are fewer people, but also because there are more pine trees. Lots of camping and a bazillion lakes, what's not to love??

8.) Foliage My Mom has said to me for years that one of the things she missed the most after leaving eastern South Dakota for Montana was the Fall colors. I had no clue what she was talking about. I thought Montana had some good colors. I was mistaken. In Montana, the only foliage that changes colors is generally right along rivers. All the rest stays green. Nice to look at, but not that colorful. Minnesota's Fall colors are gorgeous, especially Up North.

7.) C-u-l-t-u-r-e Not that Missoula and Madison don't have culture (they do), they just don't have it in the same way. Minneapolis is second only to New York City in theaters per capita. Then there's the Guthrie, the Walker, the Art Institute, the Weisman, the Science Musuem, etc. It's cool to live someplace where there's so much going on. Not that I take advantage of most of it that often, but it's nice to know that I could.

6.) Cafe Latte There is nothing finer in this world than the desserts at Cafe Latte. The endless varieties of cheesecakes, triple chocolate torte, luscious cupcakes, and pretty much anything else in their dessert case are to die for. I've been going there for years, so now it is the ultimate Anne comfort food. Although overshadowed by the desserts, they serve some damn fine cafeteria-style meals as well. Their soups are great, and sandwiches and salads are good, too. And it's pretty reasonably priced. It's where Pete and I go to celebrate the everyday occasions of our lives: Halloween (the pumpkin pecan cake was sooooo good), promotions, job offers, grad school acceptances, and pretty much anything else.

5.) Lots O' Sports There are four major professional sports franchises here. While I don't care about the T-Wolves or the Vikes, I greatly enjoy the Twins and the Wild. That's just the tip of the ice berg where sports are concerned, and I think that's fabulous. Local pro sports + local college sports = always have a game to watch. Up yeah!

4.) Music Not that I go to lots of shows, but again, it's good to know that I could if I ever had money and time. However, Semisonic at the Aquitennial and Cake at Summit's Big Brew were superb.

3.) Sculpture Garden I love, love, love the Sculpture Garden. The first time I visited Minneapolis I was taken to the sculpture garden and I feel in love with the cherry spoon. I love the view of the city skyline and just the feel of the place. And even better than the Sculpture Garden is the Sculpture Garden while listening to Semisonic's "Sculpture Garden" song. I highly recommend it. It's gorgeous, it's free, and it makes you feel cultured.

2.) HOCKEY! If you're a hockey fan, the State of Hockey is a good place to live. The Gophers and the Wild team up to provide me with a steady stream of hockey to watch. I'm looking forward to going to even more of the crazy prep school tournament this year.

1.) LAKES! There are many lakes here. I started out by enjoying Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun. I expanded to include Lake of the Isles, and later Lake Nokomis. Last summer I learned about the awesomeness that is Lake Bemidji. Perhaps the lake that I have enjoyed the most, however is North Center Lake. Pete's dad has a beautiful place up there, and they are kind enough to let us come up and use their boats in the summer.