100 Things

A perk of my job: reading tons of magazines.

I really love reading magazines - I have five subscriptions myself. I also like to catch up on all kinds of magazines as I wait for doctors all day every day. I especially like to linger longer in the fancy-schmancy offices that have the really expensive magazines that I would never buy myself but love to peruse. I especially like the magazines about the Twin Cities - like Twin Cities Metro, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine, Minnesota Monthly, etc.

I saw an article in the most recent Twin Cities Metro Magazine on 100 Reasons to Love the Twin Cities. Well, I love the Twin Cities, so I definitely wanted to check out what others had to say on the subject. Though my top 100 would definitely look different, it was fun to see what things on this list I am familiar with. I bolded things I have done/places I have been/etc.

100 Reasons to Love the Twin Cities


1. The Blizzard (as in Dairy Queen’s Blizzard). Apparently it wasn’t even invented in MN – and neither was the Dairy Queen brand (which I thought it was. It was actually invented in IA). Anyway, I have some kind of personal goal to have a Blizzard each week. Especially in the summer. My favorite is the French Silk Pie, but my tried-and-true-standard is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. MMMM. And I don't care what anyone says - Dairy Queen Blizzards are better than ANY other restaurants' ice cream. This would probably make #1 on my list as well.
2. Louise Erdrich (novelist)
3. Wing Young Huie (photographer)
4. Dr. Mambo’s Combo at Bunker’s (band)
5. Experimental College
6. Tanpopo Noodle Shop
7. SS Billiards
8. The Electric Fetus - Been in there, looks pretty cool from the outside, too.
9. Grand Old Day
10. West Seventh - (St Paul) I have a bunch of clinics along West Seventh. I also like a bunch of the restaurants in the area.
11. The weeHouse
12. Team Diarrhea (MN Dept of Health)
13. Broder’s Italian Cucina and Pasta Bar - Some friends took me once, and it was delicious!
14. Charles Baxter (writer)
15. Peace Coffee
16. MN Historical Society and Press
17. Art Car Parade
18. Allen Christian and the House of Balls
19. Land Stewardship Project
20. Intermedia Arts
21. MinuteClinic - Not a huge fan, though I frequented MinuteClinics while in college.
22. Theodore Wirth bike trail
23. Radio K
24. Paul Douglas - I used to watch him on the news all the time, but I also met him on the roof of WCCO when I was 18. I was in a group that was on a weather segment with him and we all shook his hand, but that was the extent of the meeting.
25. Michael Anschel (architect)
26. Michelle Gayer (pastry chef)
27. Magers & Quinn Booksellers
28. American Swedish Institute
29. Northrup King
30. United Noodles
31. Minneapolis Central Library
32. Bill’s Guns
33. MCAD Student Art Sale
34. St Thomas Academy’s eSum
35. DJ Jake Rudh
36. Farm in the Market
37. MacPhail Center for Music
38. High School Hockey Tournament
39. Macy’s Christmas Show
40. The Bundt Pan - I've used one
41. The Twin Cities Free Market
42. The Humidity - NOT A FAN. Can't imagine why this made their top 100.
43. Art in Bloom
44. Rhymesayers Entertainment
45. Clancey’s Meats and Fish
46. Steven Brown (chef)
47. Ralph Burnet (art collector)
48. U of M Veterinary Medical Center and Equine Center - I have a friend in school there now. Kinda a stretch....
49. Mini burgers at Lurcat - BEST BURGERS IN TOWN! I had them at a Bachelorette Party once. AMAZING.
50. Freewheel Midtown Bike Center
51. Burlesque of North America
52. The Minnesota Lynx - Gone to a bunch of games thanks to a friend who had a sister working for the team at one point. I even caught a shirt at a game once.
53. Cinema Lounge
54. Minnesota Orchestra - I've only gone once - on an assignment for a class in college. But I really liked it.
55. Museum Adventure Pass
56. Midsize Theater Scene
57. Corn Pancakes at Maria’s Café
58. Rebuild Resources
59. The Depot Coffee House in Hopkins
60. Aamodt’s Apple Farm
61. Uptown Theatre
62. ACME Comedy Co. - Been there a bunch of times.
63. Sisters’ Camelot
64. Al Milgrom (film expert)
65. Bumbershute
66. Blueberry Mojito at B.A.N.K.
67. Adult Milkshakes at Town Talk
68. 112 Eatery
69. Jeffrey Hatcher (playwright)
70. Mary Jo Copeland (Mary’s Place/Sharing and Caring Hands) - Went to Mary's Place with the contestants for Miss Minnesota. We played with the kids and had a good time.
71. U of M Academic Health Center
72. Stacia Rice (actress)
73. Minnesota sur Seine
74. Foshay Tower - I have a clinic there
75. Lakewood Cemetery
76. Battle of the Jug Bands
77. Seven Corners Ace Hardware
78. Our Lady of Lourdes Church
79. Priscilla’s of Boston - A friend of mine works there and I met her there for coffee once. It's a gorgeous place!
80. ReUse Center
81. Taqueria Los Ocampo
82. John Gordon (Twins announcer) - Listened to him many times - especially with my Grandpa
83. Hazelden
84. Dinkytown - Is it bad that my favorite thing in Dinkytown is the two-story McDonald's?
85. The Bakken Museum
86. Light Rail - There's a stop four blocks from my house, so I take it downtown quite a bit. Pretty much like it a lot.
87. Peter Ostroushko (fiddler)
88. Coastal Seafoods
89. The Wedge
90. National Sports Center
91. Ayd Mill Road - Best short cut in the cities
92. Pulled Pork Sandwich at Be’Wiched
93. Shaker’s Vodka
94. Chain of Lakes - Fer Sher one of my favorite things about the cities!! I live very close to one of the lakes and I enjoy walking the dog around it.
95. Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus
96. Artists’ Quarter
97. First Avenue
98. Twin Cities Marathon - I only ran the 10 mile, though. But I really love watching the marathon too!
99. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
100. Cloud Cult (band)

There you have it. I'm only familiar with 23% of the list, but now I have a few more ideas of things to do in my spare time!