CONS!
Let’s start with the negatives…
GRIT. I’ve never been in a non-beachy place with more sand. Although Minneapolitans call it GRIT. It makes me INSANE. I actually asked for, and installed, an under-cabinet vacuum to try to control it in the house – we walk around in our bare feet and if I’m not stepping on a piece of tile that the dog just licked, I’m walking around with grit attached to my foot. Usually dog spit first, then grit – sticks better and is extra annoying.
In some harebrained world, the powers that be decided that the playgrounds should have SAND instead of wood chips. Maybe some people have kids that carefully empty the sand from their shoes before entering the house, but mine was never in that habit. No matter what I said. Each little shoe would come off her foot when she came in the house and promptly deposit about 1/4 cup each of sand on the kitchen floor.
Grit part 2 / an annoying corollary. And really, the grit is secondary here, but it is like pouring grit in my wounds that it’s a part of this “con”. I live in the city of Minneapolis and plowing here is half-hearted at best.
To say this was a shock and disappointing when we first moved here is an understatement. In Chicago, politicians would lose their jobs if streets weren’t properly cleared. Here – meh. They’ll get to it. Maybe. But meanwhile – they will sprinkle the roads and alleys with GRIT! I’ll never understand how a place known for cold and snow is so lackadaisical about clearing the streets and alleys.
Merge lanes on the freeways… sticking with the road theme here… and the last of my vents for today. 🙂 Maybe in an effort to save money? Or maybe to give the interns a chance to feel accomplished? Not quite sure, but whoever planned the merge lanes as you enter and exit freeways here was more of a dabbler than an engineer concerned about people being able to execute these moves safely. They give you about 50 feet of shared space on the cloverleaf for you to get over and exit while navigating around people entering and trying to speed up and merge. Good times!
Pros!
It’s balanced. I’ve lived in small towns and big cities and for a long time I really craved some balance between the two – I want access to good restaurants, shows and artists that come to my town, public transportation to be available, I’m also a person that likes to be either IN or OUT – in the city or in the country. But if you’re not, and you like the ‘burbs – you can still enjoy the same benefits and have that suburban lifestyle.
We do live in the city – but #2 on my list of “loves” is the bike trials, lakes, and free events in the parks here. It’s just so easy to hop on a bike and ride up to the lake to take a sunrise yoga class in summer, listen to a free performance, rent a kayak or paddle board, have a (really good) meal outside at Bread and Pickle or Sea Salt Cafe or one of the other park cafes. All of them serve beer as well, so if you want to head up there and spend the day at the beach swimming with the kids, plsaying outside, or just letting your body make some of that valuable vitamin D it’s a great, eay way to do it.
Lastly for today! And this is more Minnesota in general – 4 real seasons and everything that goes along with them. People here seem to really enjoy being outside all year round and that means that there is always something to do to enjoy the season and they all feel sweet.
Bonus love – I get to see bald eagles almost every day. They are awe inspiring.
If you have something you’re curious about – let me know! I’d love to hear from you!
