Minneapolis Wanderlust

Picture it: 1995. Two teenage britpop fans from LA traveling across the nation to Oasis shows before “Wonderwall” end up in Minneapolis to watch them at a 21+ show at First Avenue. We crashed with an internet friend. Luckily, we managed to meet the band before the show and they took pity on us for being underage and let us walk into the venue with them. I made sure to take advantage of being in a 21+ show so I headed straight for the bar. After the show, we hung out backstage with the band. My friend soaked up the free alcohol backstage a little too much and vomited on one of band members. Thank you my friend for taking me along and the memories!

I got here a half hour before closing time and they were nice enough to just wave me in. The building alone is worth visiting—the museum is housed in a beaux arts mansion from the turn of the century whose owner was the publisher of a Swedish-language newspaper. Many of the rooms have amazing decor and matching Swedish stoves. The bookstore and handicrafts store are great for a browse and they have many books in Swedish and other Scandinavian languages, including language tapes and dictionaries…

If you’re not into Scandanavia, this museum will be less interesting to you, but they have a few pretty good exhibits about immigration and the history of Swedish-America, which at one point was a pretty influential diaspora that was doing its best to not melt into the rest of us. They also had an exhibit about Peter Nilson, a Swedish artist/scientist who takes amazing closeups of cells—you’ve probably seen some of his work, since he’s always on Nova.

If you visit Minneapolis, this is a great little area with restaurants and bookstores around the university.

I don’t get the spoon with a cherry in it, but there was a couple having their wedding picture taken in front of it when I was here. There are a few really wonderful pieces in this place—be sure to wander around. Also, make sure you go in the greenhouse to see the giant carp and the hibiscus.

A great museum! I didn’t realise it was in Minneapolis until I first started planning my trip… It’s worth spending a few hours exploring the exhibits and [free!] garden. My favorite experience at the museum was walking through the odd room/cave sculpture in the Cameron Jamie exhibit.

I liked eating bruch at Hell’s Kitchen, but I waited a long time [45 minutes!] for a table, and when I accidentally ordered a dish with bacon bits in it, they took it away but then charged me for it. Usually when I make that mistake, I don’t get charged for the dish. That was the most expensive meal I had in Minneapolis. The food was great, but I don’t know that I’d wait that long next time.

The first basilica in the United States! I kinda broke in—every door was locked, but the lady in the gift shop suggested that I take the elevator up to the main floor. It’s completely gorgeous inside…

I stopped in the park by Lake of the Isles to just refresh for a bit when I was in Minnesota. It’s a beautiful lake, and there were people canoeing in it and people walking, jogging and biking around it.

I want to canoe the creek and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District publishes the outflows from dam at Lake Minnetonka. Some days this summer were doable but most weren’t. They were recently but now are not again, and I’d like to go this weekend. Bah.

Great food (of course), but the reason you should go here for breakfast or lunch is because you have to LOVE any restaurant that has Ralph Steadman artwork all over (plus the occasional Far Side comic strip) and the wait-staff wear pajamas. If you have kids, look for the red tool boxes, each labeled by age range, filled with toys and games to keep them entertained during the wait.