The Neighborhoods

Yesterday surprised me.  The weather was warmer than I expected, so I spent a decent amount of the day laying in my hammock reading, journaling, pondering stuff.  As I soaked up the rays and the heat while laying out on my deck, I reflected on how very blessed my husband and I are to live in the Metro.  It's the biggest city I've ever lived in and I have fallen in love with the culture, the neighborhoods, the food, our social calendar, and for sure our house and quiet suburban life.

I love living the southern part of Maplewood.  We live in a quiet neighborhood which is perfect for walks, runs, and hearing the sounds of nature while lying out on the deck.  I also love our secluded back yard.  We're less than 10 minutes away from the nearest shopping area which is convenient for running errands.  We're less than 25 minutes away from basically everything else in the city.  Everything seems within reach in the Metro, geographically and socially.

Here are some of my favorite neighborhoods in the city and my favorite places to visit in each:

Grand Avenue -  fantastic shopping, eating, and patios.  Brasa, Cafe Latte, Salut, Pad Thai, Twisted Fork, La Fresca are some of my favorite restaurants.  Anthropology, Lululemon, Bibelot are super fun shops for window shopping.

Highland neighborhood -  restaurants.  Sakana, Highland Grill, and Chatterbox are my favorite restaurants here.  There's also a nice bike path next to the river that works it's way into downtown St. Paul.  This is also home to Summit Brewery!

Longfellow neighborhood -  views of Minnehaha Falls, fantastic food, and Harriet Brewery!  My favorite restaurants here are Sea Salt, Longfellow Grill, and Matt's Bar.  There are a lot more that I'd like to try :).  Longfellow is also home to Peace Coffee shop which is wonderful.

Uptown neighborhood - boasts tons of shopping, eating, water sports on Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet.  Uptown is also known as the artsy district. The Lagoon theater is fun to visit as it plays mostly indie films that mainstream theaters would not.   I really need to explore this area more fully.  Restaurants I've enjoyed here are Stella's Fish Cafe, Amore Victoria, and Chino Latino. 

Loring Park - this neighborhood has become dear to my heart as my sister lives here.  Loring Park is great for a walk, restaurants, art, and is quite close to theater district (State, Pentages, etc.).  My favorite restaurants in Loring Park are Loring Kitchen & Bar, Eli's Butcher and the Boar, and Bulldog.

Downtown Minneapolis - home of happy hours, patios, rooftops, shopping, and Corporate Minnesota.  Most of my family happy hours are located in Downton.  We've enjoyed Marin, Rosa Mexicano, The Local, Newsroom, Barrio, Seven, Solera, Rare Steak & Sushi, and Brit's Pub.

Eat Street is aptly named as this part of Nicollet Avenue is home to tons of ethnic restaurants.  There are so many to check out and I've been able to cross Bad Waitress, Buddha Kitchen & Lounge, and Eat Street Social off my list.

Northeast - home of the breweries, boutiques, and food.  In Northeast Minneapolis alone, you can grab a pint at 612 Brewery, Boom Island Brewery, Indeed Brewery, Dangerous Man Brewery, Sociable Ciderwerks, Bang Brewing, Freehouse.  There are also clothing boutiques featuring local designers scattered throughout the neighboorhood.  I actually have yet to eat anywhere in Northeast other than Freehouse.  Bachelor Farmer, Parlour, Marvel Bar, Smack Shack are some of the places on my Northeast to-do list.

West 7th - Perfect place to pregame or watch the big game.  Next to the Xcel Energy Center, you can find numerous restaurants - the Liffey, McGoverns, Eagle Street, Tom Reid's bar, Downtowner, Burger Moes, and Cosettas.  Cosettas has the most wonderful display of gourmet treats in their patisserie.  Cosettas, McGoverns, and the Liffey boast the best patios/rooftops.

U of M West Bank - I attended the Carlson School of Management for my graduate degree so I am much more familiar with the West Bank than the East Bank.  My favorite spots on the West Bank are Acadia for their sweet tap list, Republic for their patio and fish bowls, and Town Hall Brewery for their tap list.  

St. Anthony Main in Minneapolis is one of my faves as it has a front row seat to the beauty of the Stone Arch Bridge.  Aster Cafe, Vic's, Tug's, and Pracna on Main all have patios overlooking the river and the bridge.  Nicollet Island Inn is a wonderful place to stay, especially if you partake in the exquisite Sunday morning five course gourmet brunch. Just across the Stone Arch Bridge is the Guthrie theater, the Minneapolis farmers market on Saturdays, and one of my favorite restaurants - Spoon River.

There are also tons of other pockets and neighborhoods to explore and appreciate; each with their own niches, vibes, and cultures.  There's a neighborhood, activity, and restaurant to suit each of your moods and fancies.  There are tons of activities, races, festivals, new restaurant openings, and shows throughout the year that it is virtually impossible to get bored here.

Now if we could just shorten the seven month winter, I would never have a reason to leave.