Mention to your friends that you’re traveling to Minnesota, and you might get a blank stare in return. It is a place, after all, that is known for its bitterly cold winters, the quirky accents of its natives and the mysterious sport of ice fishing. But lately, Minneapolis — the largest city in this upper-Midwestern state — and its twin, Saint Paul, have developed a much-deserved reputation as a cosmopolitan, artistically vibrant metropolis. Spend a weekend her, and you’ll never utter a mocking “you betcha” again.
Friday
Start your trip off in a very stylish way by booking a room at the Chambers Hotel (www.chambersminneapolis.com), which opened in 2006. The Chambers features original artwork by Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin, Alec Soth and others in the lobby and the 60 guest rooms. World-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten (of New York’s Spice Market) is the man behind the Chambers Kitchen, the hotel’s restaurant.
For the evening, check out some of the cities’ excellent theater. Minneapolis and Saint Paul have one of the most vibrant theater communities in the United States. The Guthrie Theater (www.guthrietheater.org) is the big name in town, and the company’s 2007-2008 season includes productions of Jane Eyre and Ibsen’s Peer Gynt.
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Spoonbridge and Cherry is a popular work of art at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
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Even if you’re not in the mood for a play, you can still take in the stunning Jean Nouvel–designed facility on the banks of the Mississippi River, which opened in 2006.
Other notable local companies include the Children’s Theatre Company (www.childrenstheatre.org), whose 2003 production of A Year with Frog and Toad was nominated for three Tony Awards, and Theatre de la Jeune Lune (www.jeunelune.org).
If you’re in search of a post-show cocktail, the cities offer plenty of options for the discriminating imbiber. Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge is a retro-styled tiki bar in Northeast Minneapolis that serves pizzas to a motley crew of punks, yuppies and hipsters. Or if you’re in the mood for a more sedate experience, try Saint Paul’s Moscow on the Hill. Technically a restaurant serving a full menu of Russian food, it also has an extensive vodka list — spirits are available from 17 different countries — and a variety of specialty martinis.
Saturday
Continue your artistic escapades by visiting the Walker Art Center (www.walkerart.org), one of the premier institutions dedicated to contemporary art. The museum, designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architects Herzog & de Meuron, is home to works by Donald Judd, Bruce Nauman and Kara Walker.
Directly across the street is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, where you’ll see Claes Oldenburg’s iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture. You might also want to swing by the Frank Gehry–designed Weisman Art Museum (www.weisman.umn.edu) on the University of Minnesota campus, where the permanent collection features work by Georgia O’Keefe and Roy Lichtenstein.
After you’ve explored the local museums, head to Minneapolis’ funky Whittier neighborhood for coffee or a light lunch at Spyhouse Coffee (2541 Nicollet Ave. S.). Steps from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, this trendy café features retro furnishings, a hip soundtrack and the work of local artists on the walls.
If you’re taken with the retro furnishings at Spyhouse, you can pick up a similar mid-century souvenir at one of the numerous vintage boutiques around the state’s capital city, Saint Paul. Succotash and Up Six are great places to pick up furniture, housewares and other miscellany, while Lula features a hand-picked selection of vintage clothes for men and women.
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The Weisman Art Museum bears the unmistakable design of architect Frank Gehry. |
Famished from all that shopping? Heartland Contemporary Midwestern Restaurant, located on an unassuming residential street in Saint Paul, serves Midwest regional cuisine made with ingredients from small family farmers and artisanal producers.
The menu changes daily, and may feature items like a grilled pork chop with pecan-roasted sweet potatoes, pan-seared quail, or wild-mushroom cream soup. Or you can check out the different cuisines from the vibrant Southeast Asian immigrant communities on University Avenue, including Hmong, Laotian, and Vietnamese eateries.
Then it’s time to hit the town. The Twin Cities have made their mark on popular music. To check out the scene for yourself, head to First Avenue (www.first-avenue.com), Minneapolis’ premier concert venue. This legendary Twin Cities club was immortalized in the film Purple Rain, and the main room and its smaller sibling, the 7th Street Entry, book an impressive array of both national and local acts.
But if you’re really in search of the next Replacements or Husker Dü, head to smaller venues like The Triple Rock Social Club (www.triplerocksocialclub.com), which is owned by a member of local punk stalwarts the Dillinger Four, or to Saint Paul’s divey Turf Club (www .turfclub.net).
Sunday
Start your day off with breakfast at Café Barbette, a bistro in Minneaoplis’ trendy Uptown neighborhood. After you’ve polished off your omelettes and scones, take a stroll around Lake Calhoun. If the weather’s nice — which it is more often than the stereotypes about icy winters would lead you to believe — you’ll find a multitude of Twin Citians out on bikes, jogging or paddling about in boats (canoes and kayaks are available for rent). Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, after all.
As the time for your departure nears, you’ll want to stock up on some reading material for the flight home. While the independent bookstore may be a dying breed in many cities, there are still a few left here, often catering to a specific genre or interest.
Comic lovers head to Big Brain Comics or Dreamhaven, where local author Neil Gaiman (creator of The Sandman comics) might pop in for a signing. Amazon Bookstore, in south Minneapolis, is the oldest independent feminist bookstore in North America. And the Bookstore of the Americas carries books, magazines, and other materials that focus on human rights and international issues.
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| The Mall of America features a wedding chapel, a college campus and even a log ride. |
Minnesota was the birthplace of the indoor shopping center, and no trip to Minneapolis is complete without a visit to the 4.2 million-square-foot (390,000 m²) Mall of America (www.MallofAmerica.com), the state’s most popular tourist attraction.
Stores range from Coach, Sephora and the Apple Store to outlets such as Field of Dreams (which sells autographed sports memorabilia) and Lake Wobegon USA, which offers nothing but Garrison Keillor and “Prairie Home Companion”–themed merchandise. (The popular NPR program is based in Saint Paul.)
There’s also an indoor amusement park, wedding chapel, church and a college campus. And once you’ve exhausted the mall, you’re just a couple of stops on the city’s light rail line from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
If You Go
Minneapolis Tourism
www.minneapolis.org
St. Paul Convention & Visitors Bureau
www.stpaulcvb.org
Minnesota Tourism
www.exploreminnesota.com © Behind Door 7 Media 2003 - 2011
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