MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL

Minneapolis-St. Paul - Market size #16* - Most recent visit: August, 2019

*based on Metropolitan Statistical Area

Minneapolis

St. Paul

This summer marked my th visit to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul.  I first visited MSP in 1995, during a cross-country trip across the northern tier of the U.S., and it was love at first sight. My first stay lasted only two nights, but I have returned every year since then to the capital of Minnesota and the unofficial capital of the upper midwest. When I arrived for my most recent visit, I came with a purpose -  I came to judge. 

Appearance/Aesthetics/Overall Vibe - 

       

I believe the following disclaimer is necessary: all of my visits to MSP, except one -have taken place during the summer.  I offer 3 excuses for this: 1. During the non-summer months it is very difficult for me to find the time to travel there. 2. Flying in and out of MSP can be very tricky during much of the year, and my vocation can be unforgiving when I miss appointments due to weather-related flight cancellations. 3. I'm a wuss in the face of cold weather.  MSP is the coldest major metro area in America, and the weather plays a huge role in the lives of Misnnesotans---it also helps shape the character of the Twin Cities.  Minnesota's winter conditions are unique, even when compared to such frosty regions as New England.  I mention my (literal) fair-weather relationship with the Twin Cities (or, as the locals prefer, The Cities) in order to acknowledge that I have not experienced life in Minnesota as it is largely meant to be experienced--during the cold months.  Therefore, I understand completely if you take what I'm about to write with a grain (or pillar) of salt. 

Simply put, summer in the Twin Cities is glorious.  I recall when a resident once told me on a perfect summer evening, "if the weather were like this more than 2 months each year, we would have to build a fence around this place to keep out everyone else."   The only blemish on a Minnesota summer is the extreme weather that can pop up even in July and August. During the summer, Minnesota often finds itself situated on the boundary between the sizzling hot air mass which persists over the Great Plains and injections of much cooler air which swoop down from Canada.  When these air masses clash, they can produce very strong thunderstorms and tornados. During my visits, I have witnessed more than my fair of severe weather in southern Minnesota.  

I took this photo last summer at sunset -  moments before a  signature Twin Cities thunderstorm

Minneapolis and St. Paul are located in the southeast corner of Minnesota, one of America's most beautiful states. This area contains a unique topographical mixture of flatlands punctuated by dramatic river bluffs. The Cities straddle the Mississippi River, and are surrounded by dozens of lakes whose origin dates back to the end of the ice age.  In fact the name Minneapolis means City of Lakes - translated from a mashup of Dakota and Greek words.  

Even though Minneapolis and St. Paul share a common border, their downtowns are actually 10 miles apart....however, many locals consider the Cities to be galaxies apart.  You can observe this phenomenon by asking a Minneapolis resident for directions to somewhere in St. Paul.  You are likely to hear - "I have no idea what you're talking about....I haven't been over there in (months...years....eons)."  I once received a similar reply when I asked folks in Minneapolis for directions to a very, very famous St. Paul restaurant.  I might as well have asked how to get to Timbuktu's 4th favorite hookah bar.  

1920s roadmap of The Cities

I believe that Twin City residents exaggerate the distance between Minneapolis and St. Paul because each city has its own distinct cultural/aesthetic/political identity.  Minneapolis is the flashy upstart, featuring gleaming skyscrapers, and ample downtown shopping and nightlife--whereas St. Paul is more like your sensible midwestern great-aunt....it is far less sexy than Minneapolis, and contains fewer skyscrapers and flashy entertainment districts. St. Paul is also the state capitol, serving as a repository for minions of government workers. This status as the seat of state government undoubtedly helps shape that city's more sedate vibe.   

The distinct identities of Minneapolis and St. Paul warrant my discussing them separately. DISCLAIMER - 80% of my time in the Cities has been spent in Minneapolis; consequently, this imbalance will be reflected below.

Minneapolis--

This city of nearly 400,000 is the financial and commercial center of Minnesota and the upper midwest.  It was founded on the banks of the Mississippi by that river's largest waterfall known as the St. Anthony Falls.  The area was actually founded as two separate towns (Minneapolis & St. Anthony, which merged with Minneapolis in the late 1800s) on each side of the Mississippi --that is why the river seems to cleave the city into 2 parts.  By the end of the 1800s, Minneapolis began to boom as a flour mill town and became the home of General Mills and Pillsbury, which merged with the former in 2001.  By the early 1900s,  Minneapolis had become known as 'The Mill City,' and while most of the mills are no longer active, many have been converted to offices, condos, and museums.  This area, hard against the Mississippi, is now known as the Mill District and includes Nicolette Island, along with a set of parks and verdant trails that wind along the river and continue past St. Anthony Falls.

Flour Power - The Mill District along the Mississippi

Aerial shot of Mill District

The majority of Minneapolis is situated south & west of the Mississippi River. The downtown core is a fairly compact 11x15 rectangle of city blocks.  Over the past 20 years a few notable quasi-skyscrapers have been built, providing the city with a more major-market appearance.   Recent notable downtown development includes the Twins' new baseball stadium, the main public library, and the Guthrie Theatre, all of which are strikingly beautiful improvements to the Minneapolis's central core.  

Target Field - Home of the Twins since 2010

Guthrie Theater

Minneapolis Central Library - circa 2006

One notable feature of the Minneapolis skyline (as well as St. Paul's and Duluth's) is the system of skyways that connects the downtown buildings so that one can walk around the central business district without venturing outside.   

Downtown Minneapolis skyway

Even during the warmest summer afternoons, these skyways offer silent testimony to the brutality of winter in Minnesota.

Map of Downtown Minneapolis Skyways

Overall, downtown Minneapolis is pleasant and walkable, although parts can be eerily quiet and deserted on the weekends   The central business district has its own nifty shopping district along Nicollet Ave. -- This mall is etched in the collective American consciousness as the spot where Mary Tyler Moore flung her hat in the air at the end of the opening title sequence to The Mary Tyler Moore show.  In 2002 the cable network TVLand dedicated a statue to the show on Nicollet Mall.

Over the past 30 years, Minneapolis has tried to attract more residents to the city center.  As a result of these efforts, the North loop/Warehouse district (adjacent to downtown) has sprouted countless bars, restaurants and condos. This area is also home to Target Field.

One of the unfortunate aspects of Minneapolis's city planning is its idiosyncratic (?) iconic (?) grid system.  The downtown plot of streets is tilted at a 45 degree angle from the adjacent streets to the south. 

Downtown Minneapolis Grid

This sudden directional change can be disorienting, but the real fun begins when trying to geographically orient oneself using street numbers or addresses. I can't begin to explain the vicissitudes of the city's street nomenclature. However, if you feel like torturing yourself, read this linked post by Thegonagle on city-data.com  -- My favorite part of that post is that the author begins with this appraisal: "It's pretty easy to get the hang of if you know some simple rules."  

Another unattractive feature of Minneapolis's street layout is that the areas around downtown are sealed off from the city center by myriad highways and retaining walls. Interstate 94 cleaves the city's south and west sides, creating an asphalt no-man's land on the edge of downtown.  


A large swath of Minneapolis is located North and East of the Mississippi.  This area is known as The Northeast (or 'Nordeast' if you're speaking Minnesotan), and it encompasses some of the city's most distinctive neighborhoods.  The Northeast has historically been a blue-collar area of the city as well as home to a variety of immigrant groups (including Polish, Slovakian, & Russian) many of whom maintain an active presence there.  They also maintain a tasty presence there as the Northeast has some of the best bakeries in the city.  Immediately northeast of downtown is Dinkytown (actual name) -- home to the University of Minnesota. This neighborhood has all the trappings of a typical college town - i.e. cafes, bookstores, inexpensive restaurants.   The U of M campus is quite large (nearly 2000 acres) and leafy, and it actually straddles the Mississippi.  At the entrance to the University's original library stands a statue of "the father of the university," Gov. John Pillsbury, who proudly watches over his progeny. 

The original Poppin' Fresh Doughboy

The areas described above are certainly vibrant and interesting, but I would argue that the bulk of Minneapolis's treasures are located south of downtown. 

One of these treasures is Loring Park. Sitting immediately southwest of the central business district, Loring Park is a beautiful rolling expanse of grass and ponds, where outdoor concerts and movie screenings are held during the two months each year when it is warm enough to do so.  

Loring Park

Movies at Loring Park

Adjacent to Loring Park is one of the finest museums of contemporary art in America - The Walker Art Center.  Its amazing, ever-changing exhibits are matched only by the design of the museum itself.   On its own, the Walker is reason enough to visit the Cities. 

The Walker

The iconic 'Spoonbridge and Cherry' on the grounds of the Walker

Situated a mile southwest of the Walker on Hennepin Ave. (one of Minneapolis's main N-S arteries), Uptown is a trendy shopping/dining/boozing area. Unfortunately, the recent emphasis on boozing has, in the eyes of many, damaged Uptown's reputation.  The balance of that area's commerce has shifted from bookstores and artisan shops toward loud bars with lots of drunken patrons, especially during the weekends.  However, one of the midwest's most important art fairs, the Uptown Art Fair, is held in this neighborhood every August.  
   

The Uptown Art Fair is a pretty big deal

I'm not exactly fond of crowds, yet I quite enjoy hanging out at the fair because of the variety and high quality of art on display.

Further to the south and west of Uptown lies the most amazing feature of Minneapolis, and the origin of the city's name---its beautiful lakes.   The first time I visited Minneapolis, my girlfriend and I had intended to have dinner in the Mill District, and then continue westward.  When our waiter learned of our truncated itinerary, she practically commanded us to see the lakes. We complied, and I'm so glad we did.  The lakes instantly became my favorite part of Minneapolis. There are over a half-dozen principal lakes south of downtown, each with its own identity.   All of these lakes are surrounded by ample tall trees and a network of walking/biking trails named The Grand Rounds.  

My favorite lake, and the spot where I have experienced many of my favorite memories here is Lake of the Isles.  Nestled just southwest of downtown and the Walker, this lake is the perfect backdrop for a picnic, a quiet nap, or an evening walk (or run..or dog walk).  

The fairest lake of them all

Sometimes named 'The Quiet Lake,' especially when compared to its bustling neighbors Lakes Calhoun and Harriet, Lake of the Isles is situated among some of the most stately neighborhoods in the Cites. One such neighborhood - Kenwood, includes the home which served as Mary Tyler Moore's TV residence. 

Home to Mary, Rhoda, and Phyllis (and Lars)

Immediately south of Lake of the Isles is Lake Calhoun.  Compared to the quiet repose of Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun is abuzz with activity.....biking, jogging, fishing, boating, swimming, and even above-average dining at the Tin Fish, a summer staple.

The Tin Fish......

......contented Tin Fish diners

South of Lake Calhoun lies yet another notable lake - Lake Harriet.  In addition to its own set of well-groomed bike/jogging trails, Lake Harriet also sports a singularly beautiful concert venue - the Lake Harriet Bandshell.  The bandshell is used several times each week during the summer as hundreds of residents fill its seats, or lounge in the nearby expanses of grass to enjoy picnics and barbecues.

Bandshell by the lake

Another summer concert at the bandshell

Ariel view of the bandshell

Minneapolis (and Saint Paul for that matter) is a city of neighborhoods - each with its own defined set of boundaries and distinct identity. The lion's share of these neighborhoods are located in South Minneapolis, where leafy streets and tidy craftsman homes predominate.  I appreciate the scale of these homes and yards.  Although much of America fetishizes size and grandiosity, the homes of S. Minneapolis tend to have modest footprints, yet can comfortably house small-to-medium sized families.

Southwest Minneapolis is home to some the Cities' most aesthetically pleasing neighborhoods.  One standout is Linden Hills.  Straddling the south shore of Lake Calhoun and the west shore of Lake Harriet, this enclave features winding tree-lined streets, immaculate pocket-parks, and a picture-perfect shopping area.

Linden Hills 

Como-Harriet Streetcar which travels along the edge of Linden Hills

Minneapolis's suburbs range from prosaic to sublime.  They sprawl in 3 directions - north, west, and south (east is where St. Paul and its suburbs begin).   The prosaic suburbs lie to the north, northwest, and south, where tract housing meets strip malls.  It can get pretty grim up there.  I mean...like Fargo-grim.

I warned you --- it can get grim up in the northern suburbs

The southern suburb of Bloomington hosts the largest mall of the them all - the 96-acre Mall of America.  I have no comment on this commercial leviathan as I've never seen it.  BIAS ALERT = CityJudger hates being inside during the summer, so I've never even considered visiting the MoA. 

The western and southwestern suburbs are simply beautiful and home to some of The Cities' most well-heeled towns.  Sitting on Minneapolis's southwest corner is Edina, my favorite town in the metro.  This town has literally everything from a top-notch school system to great shopping and restaurants to well-maintained parks and a killer aquatic center (full-disclosure: I have been a member for several years).  Not surprisingly, Edina and its residents are, from time-to-time, subject to accusations of snobbery from residents of other parts of the metro.   I find the place to be - in the words of James Lipton - a delight.

50th & France - Edina's "downtown"

Sublime -- Edina Aquatic Center

The west/southwest suburban region has a hugely unfair advantage over the other suburban regions----this advantage is named Lake Minnetonka.  Once an exurban retreat for patricians, the lake is now a year-round leisure location.  Each summer I see countless boats and jet skis buzzing across the lake, while its shores are filled with sunbathers and swimmers. 

"The Lake"

Lake Minnetonka is surrounded by affluent towns such as Excelsior or Minnetonka Beach which sport leafy streets and stately homes.  No MSP town is leafier or statelier, however, than Wayzata.  Only 20 minutes from Minneapolis and perched at the northeast corner of Lake Minnetonka, Wayzata is as genteel and asthetically pleasing as any town in America. 

Downtown Wayzata

Comfy cottage in Wayzata

Another typically modest Wayzata habitat

Saint Paul--

This is Minneapolis's more humble, less flashy sibling.  St. Paul doesn't boast an eye-catching skyline or chic downtown shopping/entertainment center; and as the state capital, St. Paul devotes a considerable portion of its real estate to mundane government offices.  However, St. Paul is quite charming in its own way.  Due to its location hard against the high bluffs of the Mississippi, St. Paul has a more dramatic natural setting than Minneapolis.  In fact, St. Paul is surprisingly hilly for a city on the edge of the great American prairie-lands. Summit Ave., arguably St. Paul's most storied thoroughfare, climbs one of these hills and then flattens out to become a picturesque boulevard, buffeted by very stately homes. These homes include some of the finest examples of turn-of-the-century brutalist design. 

Summit Ave. beauties

Running parallel to Summit Avenue one block to its south, is St. Paul's own Champs Elysee: Grand Avenue.  Like Summit, Grand Ave. runs east-west from downtown St. Paul to the river bluffs.  While Summit is primarily residential, Grand is commercial, sporting charming cafes, restaurants, and unique shops. The variety of shops, along with the distinctly midwest aesthetic and laid back shoppers and merchants make Grand Ave. one of my very favorite shopping districts in the country. 

Grand Ave. & Victoria St.

More Grand Avenue offerings

Even though St. Paul hosts an NHL team and a premiere convention center, the city has a distinctly more modest, down-to-earth vibe than Minneapolis.  While Minneapolis boasts the sizable Nicollet Mall and Hennepin Ave. downtown entertainment/shopping districts, St. Paul has cozy Lowertown--a compact 8 x 2 block area of restaurants and shops.  While Minneapolis's U. of M. is one of the largest, grandest campuses in the country, St. Paul's Macallister College is a small but incredibly vibrant private liberal arts college with a very elcectic student body, and the school's alumni are some of the coolest, most interesting people I know.

People - 
           
Anytime I judge a midwestern city, I make sure to extol the unique virtues of midwesterners:  reserved, courteous, decent, and friendly.  While these qualities are commonly found throughout the region, the people of the Twin Cities are the apotheosis of midwestern decorum.   Often when I visit here, I am surprised by the unfailing courtesy on display.  My east coast ears are unaccustomed to people saying "excuse me" and "after you."   I constantly have to remind myself that I have arrived in a land where public displays of douchebaggery are exceedingly rare and disfavored.  However, Minnesotans do more than simply refrain from acting like jerks around others.  They are, in general, exceptionally friendly, acknowledging strangers on the street and greeting guests/patrons enthusiastically.  The following phrases were recently directed at me by a barrista at a suburban Minneapolis cafe:  "Hi!!  How are you today?? Thank you so much!!  Nice to see you again!  Have a great day!" To the unaccustomed, this friendliness may be startling and even a bit off-putting. Soon, however, one may find oneself greeting others in this manner and possibly even engaging in some innocuous banter with residents.  The locals call this behavior "Minnesota Nice," and it appears that Minnesotans come by it naturally.  A large portion of the region's inhabitants are descended from Scandinavians - people whom I have found during my visits to N. Europe to be among the most well-behaved (although not as effusively friendly as their midwestern relatives) people on earth.  Therefore, it is not surprising that their American cousins are equally courteous and affable.  

However, as is probably true with any local population, the more one comes in contact with them, the more nuanced their behaviors appear.  Such is my experience with Minnesotans.  A few years ago, I had the pleasure of volunteering for a statewide political campaign headquartered in St. Paul.  I made hundreds of phone calls on behalf of the candidate, and no one hung up on me, or was otherwise rude.  When I shared my surprise and delight with other campaign workers, they responded with an oft-stated self-criticism: "Minnesota Nice" can be a front for "Minnesota Passive-Aggressive," or "Minnesota Mildly Nefarious."  The campaign workers soon regaled me with tales of frosty family gatherings, grudges held, and deeply buried resentments. Garrison Keillor has frequently lampooned the behavior of Minnesotans on his long-running radio show; however, the Coen brothers provide the most incisive depiction of Minnesota Nice in their film Fargo---in which both decency and venality are wrapped in a candy coating.  

Before commenting on the physical appearance of Twin Cities folk, I must provide the following BIAS ALERT = CityJudger is in complete agreement with the many who appreciate the exceptional beauty of Scandinavians. Not surprisingly, I find the Twin Cities to have, on the whole, the most attractive residents of any major American city--- Blond, thin, and healthy-looking folks are in abundance here. 

Another interesting dimension to Twin Cities residents is the fairly recent influx of Somali and Hmong (from the northern region of the former Indochina) immigrants.  These populations appear to violate the historical pattern of immigrants relocating to areas with similar climates/geography to their homelands.  It's safe to assume that neither of these immigrant groups has ever experienced a winter like that in Minnesota (if they've ever experienced winter at all).  Both groups have greatly enriched the local food and cultural scene, and their presence has resulted in some of the most exotic multilingual signage I've ever seen.

Check out the middle-two translations!!

Food - 
            

Much in the same way California cuisine makes use of myriad local produce offerings, Minnesota vittles reflect that state's diverse and abundant agriculture. Minnesota wild rice (which is not actually rice), along with locally produced corn, butter, and wheat find their way into a variety of soups and stews.  For the better part of the 20th century, Minnesotans used these ingredients to create their own distinct (although some would say infamous) cuisine featuring jello-salad, mashed peas, creamed corn/onions and hot-dish, a type of casserole. 

  Jello Salad - The official appetizer of Mad Men

Behold-----Hot dish!!!

While old-school Scandinavian-American cuisine including smorgasbords and lutefisk can still be found at church dinners and a smattering of restaurants, there has been a recent emergence of nouveau-Nordic cuisine which is impacting the local food scene. 

 

Bachelor Farmer - a very popular cutting edge nouveau-Nordic restaurant

The area's Scandinavian heritage is also reflected by a plethora of really good bakeries.  Brunch spots and hamburger specialty restaurants also have taken up prominent roles.  Overall, however, the Cities enjoy an ample supply and variety of quality restaurants at various price points which one would expect to find in a much larger metro area.  

Turtle Bread -- home of killer soups, sandwiches, and of course breads

   

The legendary Colossal Cafe

...behold a Colossal breakfast biscuit

L&B is truly a SUPER-market!

A surprising note:  The Cities have some of the nicest local supermarkets I have ever seen.  One such example is a local chain called Lunds & Byerly's - a Twin Cities institution that opened before the Great Depression. Their hot bar and salad bar offerings are so varied, fresh, and tasty that I grab a sizable number of meals there--especially at their showcase store in Edina (pictured above).

Cost of living  - 

The Twin Cities cost of living is precisely equal to the national average; however, apart from housing, which has heated up recently, The Cities don't feel expensive---food prices still feel noticeably cheap. These Sperling's pages confirms my experience with prices in The Cities: Sperling's Minneapolis, Sperling's St. Paul.  These pages also break down how The Cities' cost of living compares to the rest of the country. An overview of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro housing market is found on this Trulia Minneapolis page and this Trulia St. Paul page.


Other Quality of Life Stuff -


Notwithstanding the area's challenging weather, The Cities are quite livable. The pace of life strikes the perfect balance between active and laid back. Twin City drivers are much more courteous than the road warriors I'm used to dealing with back east.  Unfortunately, traffic is quite congested for a metro area this size. I-94, the main highway joining Minneapolis to St. Paul along with crosstown route 62, can clog at any time, during any day of the week; several major highways converge in a tangled and dangerous junction just outside of downtown Minneapolis. Also, Minnesota's very short warm season results in frenzy of summer road construction. For as long as I can remember, it has felt as if the area's major roads undergo massive overhauls each summer.  This summer is no exception, as I was greeted by a fresh set of construction delays and detours, including the simultaneous closure of two major arteries for an entire weekend!

Presently, the Cities has only one light rail line (although another line linking Minneapolis with St. Paul is in the works) which runs from the Mall of America to downtown Minneapolis.   

Hiawatha (Blue Line) Train

The Hiawatha line trains are quite pleasant, clean, and quiet, and the route provides a nice overview of  the eastern half of Minneapolis and its inner ring suburbs.  The Cities also have a very reliable, comprehensive and widely used system of buses which I have ridden extensively without any complaints. 

The Cities feel relatively safe, despite pockets of higher crime typical of cities their size.  During the past few years, however, both cities have experienced notable public safety challenges.  Minneapolis has struggled with crime in the downtown entertainment districts especially during summer weekends, while St. Paul has grappled with gang-related criminal activity. 

One of the most surprising attributes of The Cities their coffee.  On the whole, Minneapolis-St. Paul is America's finest coffee location.  Are you listening Seattle?  Portland??  Over 15 years ago, a buddy of mine and I set out across the U.S. in search of the best coffee cities.  Minneapolis-St. Paul won that informal competition, and they still retain the crown.  The Cities have a coffee culture that is unrivaled.  In addition to being the birthplace and headquarters for Caribou Coffee - a worthy chain competitor to Starbucks, The Cities are home to dozens of individually owned cafes, many of which are open quite late, serving a variety of artisanal coffees. I especially like that upon my return each summer, there are always new cafes to sample.   A special shout-out to Bob's Java Hut, Vicinity, and Spyhouse Coffee for providing me with countless cups of great coffee, free wifi, and very cool baristas. 

Another area in which The Cities are unrivaled is their bike-friendliness. Not even famously bike-friendly Portland can compete.  Minneapolis and St. Paul have a huge network bike trails and bikeways (both on and off-road). Minneapolis has built bike greenways which are like bike super-highways, similar to those built in Copenhagen. 

Midtown Greenway

This bike infrastructure extends past the city limits as Hennepin County has some of the most well-constructed, picturesque bike trails in the country, including the incredible Dakota Rail Trail, which traverses Lake Minnetonka.

The incomparable Dakota Rail Trail

As an inveterate biker, I can't overstate how much this facilitation of bike travel enhances the region's quality of life.  When I volunteered for the above-mentioned political campaign, I was able to commute 13 miles each way on my bike without hardly ever using a roadway shared with cars.  It was amazing!

The Minneapolis-St. Paul media market is one of the last places where media outlets have retained a decent measure of quality and local flavor.  The Cities are served by two well-written (albeit thin) daily newspapers along with several lively alternative weeklies.   Both television and radio feature local personalities (sporting distinctive Minnesota accents) with deep ties to the area. Of particular note is WCCO-AM, a throwback to the days when full-service, local personality-based news/talk stations like WBZ or WGN used to dominate their markets. WCCO has mostly resisted the temptation to use nationally syndicated personalities; they have also resisted the national trend of hiring flame-throwing right-wing talk show hosts.  Instead, WCCO's hosts are very....Minnesotan -- friendly, thoughtful, and moderate.  During a Saturday afternoon in late July, WCCO broadcast play-by-play from a Little League baseball tournament.  It was authentic, charming and entertaining.....and extremely unusual for a 50,000 watt station in a major market.

MSP airport is yet another pleasant surprise.  It is conveniently located smack-dab between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul (10 mins. to either place), and is quite easy to navigate, clean, cheerful, and outfitted with a variety of shops and restaurants.  The main terminal also has a great men's room whose toilets can accommodate any man with a wide stance.

The bottom line on the Twin Cities is that it's one of America's most livable, pleasant metro areas even though it is cursed (?) blessed (?) with some of America's most extreme weather.  However, during those glorious 80 degree sunny summer days, it is impossible to resist the area's charms:  great food, gorgeous scenery, and incredibly friendly, decent people.  Like a migratory bird, I return to the Twin Cities every summer, and I look forward to it all year long.



OVERALL RATING: 

This concludes my sappy love letter.

Additional information about The Twin Cities can be found on this Minneapolis City-Data page and this St. Paul City-Data page.

Dallas-Fort Worth....Prepare to be judged!!

Follow on Twitter -- @CityJudger