View Full Version : Twin Cities folks - tell me about the area
I know we've got lots of Twin Cities folks here. Please tell me about the area. I've begun thinking again about maybe moving. ATL is good for my industry, but frankly, as this past summer showed me, I don't do heat well at all. Cold, yes!:laff: Minneapolis was one of the other cities on my list, plus, it's still in the Midwest. I'm a Midwesterner born and bred. If I did move, it wouldn't be for some months, until I had my work-related license.
Jobs in my industry are out by the airport - Eagan, Bloomington, etc. How's traffic and the cost of living compared with the Chicago area? For example, I'm paying about $3.59/gallon for regular unleaded right now. I rent a small 1BR condo with W/D in a nice suburb for $800 a month.
I have been to Minneapolis once, about two years ago, but it was for a conference, and so I didn't see much.
Thanks!
I've lived in the mid-Atlantic, southeast, southwest, and have visited 80% of the 50 states.
I LOVE Minnesota.
4 beautiful seasons, all distinct and, despite what you may think, reasonably proportional in length. Autumn here is always my favorite - beautiful trees, crisp weather. I don't like heat, either, so summers here suit me well. We occasionally have what is known here as a "hot" summer, but it is nothing compared to more humid and warmer climes. I think the hottest summer we've had since moving here involved 20 days when the temp exceeded 90 degrees. Some summers I never have to dig out my shorts, which makes me very happy, although you will hear locals complaining about that.
It is colder than Chicago, though probably not as windy. MOST winters we get strings of 2-3 days periodically from December through February when the high temp for the day is around 0 degrees F. Sometimes there is substantial wind added to that. However, most days the temps are above that, between 0-10F, and often between 10-20F.
Although I did not grow up in the Midwest, I enjoy the culture here, and find it a much better fit for my German upbringing than was the Southwest. Although not everyone is frugal or a simple-liver, I find that these sensibilities are more a part of the culture here than other places I've lived.
There is a strong local foods movement and the quality and availability of good foods has improved greatly since we moved here in 2004. Our farmers markets are, frankly, awesome from June through October. We also have a lot of reasonably-priced, excellent restaurants. Pretty much any kind of food you might like. Lots of ethnic foods and markets, too.
Bloomington has more traffic than some of the suburbs; Eagan less than Bloomington. BUT the traffic here is *** nothing *** like Chicago-area traffic. Really, for a large metro area, our traffic is very livable. It's better than Phoenix, LA, San Jose, Seattle, Portland, D.C., Dallas... to name a few. Gas this week is running around $3.20. Rents are highly dependent on area, but I think the number you cite is a little more than you would pay in the north metro suburb where I live.
I know that you are very active in your church; if I recall correctly, it is Russian Orthodox? I found this link with a quick search:
http://www.htoc.us/local_parish_directory.htm
catherine
12-8-12, 10:17am
I'm not from the Twin Cities, but my brother and SIL are, and my impression is that it's a GREAT place to live. I love Minnesotans--so friendly in a very down-to-earth way. My brother has lived there for 40 years now, now says stuff like "y'knaw.." :) and he's been really, really happy there. He and my SIL live in Marine-on-the-St. Croix, which is a lovely little town not far from Stillwater. I would guess that the quality of life index there would be quite high.
I would second everything the others have said. I grew up in Minnesota and I love it here. My grandparents live in Chicago and it seems to me that the cost of living here is less. If you work at the airport, you might consider living near the light rail line, which goes from downtown Minneapolis to the airport. That would take care of traffic for you, although traffic here is not as bad as in a lot of cities.
In addition to the things Rosemary has mentioned, we also have a ton of outdoor recreation and green space. I never realized when I was a kid how unusual it is to have this many lakes, wallking paths, biking paths and parks at your disposal.
I know you are Orthodox, so I will mention that NE Minneapolis in particular has quite a few Orthodox churches. We like to joke (because it's somewhat true) that we have a corresponding Orthodox and Catholic church for each nationality just across the street from each other in this neck of the woods.
Another thing that I think sets us apart is that in general, the Twin Cities are clean and relatively well-run. I say this after living in Los Angeles, which is neither of those things. :) I never appreciated that until I didn't have it. Minnesotans have a sort of thrifty, efficient vibe. Like Catherine said, we are down-to-earth and practical. Most people I know have their heads generally screwed on straight.
What, no corrupt politicians like down here?:0! I wouldn't know how to cope! LOL
Stella, the Orthodox parishes I'm well aware of. When I was up your way two years ago, it was for a regional church conference, with a service and breakfast at St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral. It's a large and vibrant parish. I wouldn't call them friends, but the St. Mary's choir director and his wife are acquaintances of mine, having been at the cathedral down here. I sang with them a number of times. They're still Facebook friends of mine. That would be one parish to start with at least. There are others of Russian tradition in the area, as well.
Well, have to say the area sounds great. Do you all have regular cars or are 4x4 needed for the snow? I drive a little Ford with not that much ground clearance.
Thanks!
The Twin Cities area is very pretty.
In Bloomington is The Mall of America. haha.
We have a minivan and a Saturn, so unless you live out in a more rural area, I don't think a 4 wheel drive vehicle is necessary.
fidgiegirl
12-8-12, 3:46pm
I have a Pontiac Vibe and it's more than fine. People have all kinds of cars here, I think your little Ford would do fine in the the Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul are "The Cities" in local-speak).
Not too much to add, other than that both Eagan and Bloomington are big suburbs geographically. So if you do decide to go for it, consult with us before you commit to an apartment - we can help advise on commute times, traffic conditions, etc. While what Rosemary said is true about traffic, there are hot spots, esp. on the main freeway through Bloomington and round the airport (and MOA). Would the facilities be in the airport terminal itself (well, there are two passenger terminals, anyway, I guess I don't know anything about the freight side . . . ), on the grounds, or in the vicinity, but off-site?
My beloved neighborhood of St. Paul is only 10-15 min from the airport. It's very walkable, historic, charming. And as Stella pointed out, if you choose wisely in South Minneapolis, you could be able to take the light rail/bus to work.
Keep us updated!
Fidgie - not on the airport proper, but in the nearby towns.
fidgiegirl
12-8-12, 4:12pm
That's what I thought - and they are all big, especially the two you mentioned.
Keep us updated . . .
One of the advantages of living in a place that regularly gets a fair amount of snow is that they know how to take care of the roads. Definitely no need for 4WD here. The roadsin MN in winter are in better driving condition than they were in VA when I lived there!
I've lived in Minnesota now for more than half my life. I can someday see moving to someplace with a more temperate climate (West Coast, somewhere), but I suspect DW is too attached to friends and family here to consider it seriously, no matter how cold it gets here (she dislikes any temperature under 70 degrees). But it's really an okay place to be. When the most you can complain about are the winters and an utter lack of anything that resembles a New York City style deli, life's pretty good.
IMHO, keys to living happily in the Twin Cities include:
- making your peace with winter. If you want to reserve it as time for hibernation/inside crafts/projects/interests, great. If you can't wait for the flakes to fall to enjoy skiing (both kinds), snowshoeing, hiking, snowmobiling, etc., excellent. If winter is a five-month impediment to your preferred lifestyle, it's going to be a mighty long spell every year. Oh, and buy winter tires. Your car and your insurance deductible will thank you. So may your bones when you avoid skidding into something.
- making your own friends. People have mentioned how friendly Minnesotans are. It's called "Minnesota Nice" and it does exist. The label comes, however, because most of the people who live here have lived here all their lives, and their school friends or college buddies or their neighbors have been here for years as well. Despite surprisingly large (but recent) influxes of both West Africans and Hmong/Laotians, Minnesota is not full of "transients" like Atlanta or NYC or Las Vegas or California is. People here don't typically have to make friends; they simply extend their long-time networks. For many years, my closest friends here were people who also had lived elsewhere. My wife and my second-closest friend are born-and-bred Minnesotans, but among my friends, that's relatively rare.
- (a little tongue-in-cheek here) understanding that Minnesota (and Minneapolis in particular) seems to have a sizable inferiority complex. Minnesotans have a lot to be proud of -- lots of fairly-protected natural resources, an interest in education (coming out at or near the top in school rankings, even public schools), an enviable work ethic, a clean and largely uncorrupt political process, stable employment and a history of innovation in commerce and industry coupled with an expectation of contribution to the community, a thriving arts scene (at least in the Twin Cities),... For some reason, though, Minnesotans (and, again, Minneapolitans in particular) get surprisingly defensive when referred to in any dimunitive terms. People here bristle at the notion that this is not a "foodie" town, though, compared to cities like NYC and San Francisco, it certainly is not. Minneapolis/St. Paul is the smallest geographical market that has major pro-league sports teams in all four sports -- baseball, football, hockey, and basketball -- and each of those teams had (or are having) new arenas built largely at public expense because Minnesotans somehow feel inferior if all four are not present -- like it's not a real city anymore (the comparison with Omaha really hurts). You kind of want to tell people that its okay not to be excellent at everything -- it's what we tell our kids, after all -- but, for some reason, when it comes to civic pride, they ain't buying it. *shrug*
The best I can suggest is to come for a visit. Try not to visit in winter. Try in the spring (late May) when you can smell the lilacs in the air on Highway 100 and enjoy the blue sky and the green grass. The place will suck you in, too. :)
You kind of want to tell people that its okay not to be excellent at everything
but that's not how it is in Lake Wobegon!
And MN has a better gun culture than IL. I could CCW. :)
Honestly Tradd, after getting to know you (to the extent one can on an internet forum) over these years and knowing that you are coming from Chicago, where the cold is probably a much smaller factor than it would be if you were coming from, say, SoCal, I think you'd probably like it here. I think the fact that you are a regular church-goer would make it a bit easier for you to make friends, since you'd have a sort of built-in community to join. Those two things, the cold and the ability to meet people (which I actually think can be somewhat related to the cold too, it's just harder to get out in the winter) are the main complaints I hear from newcomers. I think you'd be able to find your niche. If you do come for a visit and are so inclined, maybe we could have a little get-together. If you are serious about moving and need any information or even help getting your stuff moved in, I would be willing to help you (or lend you my DH and his friends, for the heavy lifting).
Aww, Stella, thanks very much for the offer. Will depend on what happens with the still evolving work situation (see my new thread under workplace).
Will definitely let you know what happens.
How much you will love Minnesota depends on your first reaction to photos like this one:
http://i49.tinypic.com/2gtxavb.jpg
View out our front door after Round 1 of snow-clearing. n.b. it's the stop sign that's off, not the photographer lol
Steve, that doesn't bother me! Looks like it would be nice to take a walk in :)
Gardenarian
12-10-12, 3:46pm
I lived there for four years (Minnetonka.)
It's bloody cold.
SteveinMN
12-10-12, 7:07pm
Steve, that doesn't bother me! Looks like it would be nice to take a walk in :)
Actually, in that pristine state, it is! Dress appropriately, wear good boots, and have fun!
The problem comes when some folks have conscientously cleared the snow and ice down to the concrete, others have done about half of the job, and still others (usually landlords who don't live nearby) who haven't bothered at all and the tamped down snow/ice has thawed and refrozen a few times. Then it's just treacherous and that takes a lot of the joy out of a walk. :(
I'm starting to feel the same way about the roads: it's better if they leave them alone. Maybe if they just left the 8-10" we just got, people would slow down, people would buy winter-appropriate tires (like they used to do), and we wouldn't end up with this hard-packed ice-grit amalgam that's challenging to drive on. We had to run a couple of errands today during non-rush hour and passed at least four cars hung up on the median or in the ditch. Some roads were almost clear; others were like driving on corrugated ice. If they'd just left them alone....
So how did that snowstorm work out for you all? I have to say I'm jealous. It was like 75 today and this is Central Virginia! In mid-December!
When it's winter, is it absolutely impossible to engage in daily outdoor activities like walking the dog or running?
I would love to move somewhere different but I don't think I could handle 20 below. I don't even think it's ever been zero here, much less in the minuses.
fidgiegirl
12-10-12, 9:37pm
Oh no, we walk the doggies every day! When it's really cold, like below zero, we put booties on them, mainly to battle the overuse of sidewalk salt. Only when it's reeeeeeeallllllly cold, like maybe -20, do we skip a walk, even if it's a short one. I don't think we had such a cold day last winter, but the winter before we had several.
That said, I'm off to take my turn with the show shovel outside. :)
Rosemary
12-10-12, 11:20pm
We got 14" snow. Today was incredibly beautiful - crystal clear blue sky, sparkling snow on everything, highlighting every branch and tree.
Bunnys, where in VA are you? I lived in NoVA & Charlottesville for some years. It is indeed much colder here than there, but it's not difficult to adjust. I think people spend more time outside here than in Phoenix where I lived for a while.
SteveinMN
12-10-12, 11:31pm
So how did that snowstorm work out for you all? I have to say I'm jealous. It was like 75 today and this is Central Virginia! In mid-December!
I certainly would not mind 75 degrees on a December day! But I must say I don't think I'd like living someplace where frost didn't kill off or make quiescent so many critters. :~)
How did the storm work out?
I probably spent a total of three hours (in two passes) using the snowblower on our driveway and sidewalk. I did spend some of that time snowblowing my neighbors' sidewalks and my mom's sidewalk and wheelchair ramp. That's just kind of a "thing" in this neighborhood -- the snowblower owners look out for the shovel owners during the bigger storms.
DW and I had to go to the tire store to take care of a blowout she had last night (about $200 between the tire, installation, and the tow to the store; the car came with a can of goo instead of a spare). There were a couple of spots on the highways when we could hit 60 mph -- and a bunch where we could go no faster than 20. What normally would have been a 20-minute trip took about 35 minutes.
Yesterday the temperature was in the low 30s (F); right now it is 3 degrees and that should be about the temperature tomorrow morning. I was comfortable working outside both days. Really, dressing properly is key. Layers, waterproof boots, wool caps, all with thermal linings, ... DW has an arsenal of thermal underwear, battery-heated vests and such.
When it hits about 20 below zero, people are advised to be careful about exposed skin -- both their own and their pets. Breathing through a scarf help. Outdoor dogs are often brought inside. Indoor dogs take care of their business really quickly. :) Some folks plug in block heaters on their cars. I don't, but even the diesel starts up with some care and technique. Usually there's one week in January where the high temperature is zero. But it's not that often. Part of the magic of living here....
cattledog
12-13-12, 10:46am
I love this area. If I ever leave MN, it will be kicking and screaming. I'm not from here (southern USA originally), but it fits my no-nonsense sensibilities. I had trouble meeting people when I first moved here (in my early 20's), but I made a couple of friends eventually, mostly other transplants. I married a native (back several generations) and my social circle expanded exponentially. :) Traffic isn't too bad compared to other metros. I had a 20 mile commute at my last job. It took about 40 minutes when I didn't have daycare pickup. I live in Mpls and commuted to a suburb, so going the other way might be a little different scenario.
It's clean here too. I'm always amazed at the lack of trash. The seasons are nice and contrary to popular belief, winter doesn't actually last 6 months. In fact the last winter was really mild. Too mild for my taste.
SteveinMN
12-13-12, 2:27pm
In fact the last winter was really mild. Too mild for my taste.
Last winter (only two feet of snow) was an aberration -- as was the winter before that (six-and-a-half feet of snow). Combine the two and divide, though, and you get about four feet of snow -- just about the long-term Minneapolis/St. Paul average :~) . Of course, with global warming, all bets are off...
I have to tell you that this winter in NE IL so far has been entirely too mild for my taste! I've got MSP as an additional location on the Weather Channel app on my phone, and those temps seem more like it!
I'm doing a decluttering this winter and I'm clearing out some books, papers, etc., so if I decide to move, it will be that much easier to pack. I could easily move with just what I could fit in my car (plus maybe a few mailed boxes), ditch my furniture, and start out new. I don't use my couch anyway. I could get another Ikea Ektorp chair (just bring slip cover with me, as that color is no longer available) and camp out with an aerobed until I got a bed. My small fold flat Ikea round table (for two) would fit in car, right against front seats, and I would just replace the chairs, which are kind of cruddy now, anyway.
Actually the prospect is kind of exciting, although I would desperately miss my church and friends here. When I was talking about this on Facebook (NO current/former coworkers are friends nor anyone else who has contacts with any of them), one FB friend in S. Dakota, who spends a fair bit of time in MSP, said she'd love to have me close(r).
So we shall see what happens.
I grew up in Minneapolis, and I probably don't have to tell you this after reading all the posts, but Minnesotans love to talk about the weather.
I miss that.
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