I Heart MN

You guys.

I miss Minnesota.

I lived in the Twin Cities for 6 years during and a little after college.

I totally fell in love with the cities. I wish that I could tell you that I totally fell love with Virginia and Hampton Roads, but I didn't.  I am still trying, but there is not a whole lot of love going on here.

I went back to MN for a wedding and it just made me miss everything so much.

 To help ease my nostalgia for my old college town, I compiled a list of things that I love and miss about the Twin Cites. (In no particular order or importance)

~ Minnesota Nice. Really. People are just SO nice there. Cute little old ladies talk to me, just cause I had a book and they wanted to know what I was reading. I was shocked. Good old hard east coasters have started to do me in apparently.

~ Caribou Coffee. They are everywhere and I love their coffee.

~ Minneapolis city skyline. It was always like a welcome beacon when I was driving back to my apartment.

~ No sales tax. A $19.95 shirt is $19.95. The shopping in the twins cities is fantastic.

~ Centennial Lakes. Lake Calhoon. Pretty much any of their little lakes.

~Festivals and outdoor activities that do not include getting coated in sand.

~ Uptown.

~ Chino Latino

~Lienenkugel Honey Weiss

~Grand Ave.

~ Real art and science museums. I found out 3 hours before I flew home that the King Tut exhibit was at the Science Museum. I almost died. I have wanted to see that since I was little...had I known, I would have rearranged my whole schedule to go to it. The Science Museum in St. Paul is outstanding.

~ The farmer's market downtown Minneapolis. It is the best of both worlds. Bustling urban downtown with the freshness of country roadside stands.

~ Being with friends that you have not seen in years and having it feel like just a few months.

~ The Minnesota State Fair. Namely, Sweet Martha's Cookies.

~ Fireworks off of the Stone Arch Bridge.

~ Theater. Real, live theater. Minneapolis has the 3rd largest theater district in the world.

~ Adult ballet classes downtown.

~ The ability to go to a pro football, baseball, hockey or basketball game.

~ Dinky town and their coffee shops.

~ The summer weather in MN.  Granted, this is their (MN) best weather of the year and this is our (VA) worst weather of the year...but it just felt so refreshing to be in a low humidity 85 degree day!

And not to be all peaches and cream on this post, here is what I do NOT miss about Minnesota.

~ MOSQUITOES! Those buggers are out early and in full force.

~ 494/94 construction traffic.

~ The road conditions of 169...or any of their roads really.

~ The amount of people that continually run red light in St. Cloud, MN.

So, I will just patiently wait till the next wedding, get together or whatever and think back fondly of my little Minnesota.

What places make you nostalgic?