Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

This really is a full service blog.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

No one could have predicted…

You can’t love your country only when you win.

“Squeaker” McCarthy

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires

I really should read my own blog.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

I was promised a recession.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

It’s time for the GOP to dust off that post-2012 autopsy, completely ignore it, and light the party on fire again.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

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98Comments

  1. 1.

    c u n d gulag

    A Twins game.
    I hear their new stadium is gorgeous!
    And it looks it, from the games I’ve seen the Yanks play there.

  2. 2.

    ralph

    Mini golf at the Walker Art Museum
    Walk around Lake Harriet
    Mill City Museum
    Minnehaha Falls

  3. 3.

    Butch

    I earned my M.A. there but I imagine it’s changed some in the “few” years since I got my degree.

  4. 4.

    wmd

    Rent a scooter and tour the Mall of America. I hear there’s an olympic sized pool and indoor skiing available.

  5. 5.

    2liberal

    I recommend learning to spell Minneapolis correctly. Don’t they give a spelling test for your new high-level position?

  6. 6.

    bemused

    Lots of weekend options in the cities, farmers markets, brewhouses, museums just off the top of my head.

  7. 7.

    BD of MN

    Downtown Minneapolis? Burbs? I’d recommend the Walker Art Center and sculpture garden, they also have an 18 hole artist desgned mini golf course, if you’re into that sort of thing…

  9. 9.

    GailVortex

    Any meal, but brunch if you can swing it at Hell’s Kitchen (80 S 9th St). The benedicts and the Mahnomin Porridge are outstanding.

  10. 10.

    Beatrice

    Target Field is indeed awesome and the Twins are in town but it’s a night game and I assume you will be scheduled for something then. If you are into culture, Walker Art Center and sculpture garden. If you are into nature, Minnehaha Falls is at full force due to the wet spring. Or, in Saint Paul, Como Park Conservatory is great (although traffic in Como Park on a weekend can be bad).

  12. 12.

    Alexandra

    All I know about Minneapolis is…

    The diminutive Purple One himself. Guitar god. Legend.

  13. 13.

    Rock

    I’ll second both the Walker Art Museum and St. Anthony Falls. If you go to St. Anthony Falls and check out the Mississippi, there’s an unpretentious Greek restaurant I always liked nearby…The Gardens of Salonica.

  14. 14.

    Baud

    You could go to Michele Bachmann’s old district and let them know Obamacare covers mental health issues.

  16. 16.

    james

    If you have any interest in Asian and contemporary art, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is among the largest and most impressive collections in the US. Admission is FREE, and it is not very far from downtown…..

    http://new.artsmia.org

  18. 18.

    EthylEster

    Rainbow chinese restaurant 2739 Nicollet Ave..pretty close to the Walker.

    And the Institute of Art has some good stuff as well.

    And the “aquarium” at the Mall o’Merica was excellent 20 years ago.

  20. 20.

    Amir Khalid

    @2liberal:
    You’re a real sweetheart, you are.

    I wish I could join in and offer my own recommendations. Alas, my experience of Minneapolis is limited to transiting through the airport en route to Rochester, to attend IBM events, in 1993 and 1994.

  23. 23.

    drc

    Take a nice walk around Lakes Calhoun or Harriet. Hit Eat Street (Nicollet Ave in south Minneapolis between 24th and Lake Street. Target Field for the Twins, First Avenue for the history and music. The Sculpture Garden and the Walker art museum. Minnehaha Falls and the Mississippi River between the Uof M and downtown Mpls. Enjoy

  24. 24.

    rikyrah

    Minneapolis Institute of Art

    and look up the places from Minneapolis that made the list of Diners,Drive-Ins and Dives

  25. 25.

    BD of MN

    Here’s a link to the calendar of the local arts and music rag (as in “heard about your band, on some local page…”) City Pages, there appears to be quite a bit going on this weekend…

  27. 27.

    CMaryKatie

    You can rent bikes almost anywhere through the Nice Ride system, and the bike trails in Mpls are spectacular. You could ride around the lakes, along Minnehaha Creek, visit the falls etc. Have fun!

  28. 28.

    D58826

    @wmd: Beat me to it. It is the be all end all mecca of conspicuous consumption. There is a leggo store that is amazing. Never thought I’d see T-rex as a leggo.

  31. 31.

    VOR

    @wmd: The Mall of America has a large aquarium and an indoor amusement park, but no pool and no skiing. Sorry.

  32. 32.

    Elmo

    A six-hour block of time in between family visits and wedding events? While traveling in a distant city? And nobody has yet suggested taking a goddamn NAP?

    Y’all kids get off my lawn.

  33. 33.

    Keith P

    Maybe see if Tony Bourdain or Andrew Zimmern has done a show from there (I think the latter has) and check out some of those places.

  35. 35.

    MHPH

    Try out the city bikes, and the various paths running through the city. Biking around the lakes (esp. Calhoun) and down the paths running along the Mississippi is pretty nice (but do not go on a segway tour, because only awful people do that).

    The farmers market (on Lyndale in the north) is magnificent though it might be a bit better for people who live in the area. It’s less touristy than it is “buy huge bags of fresh vegetables from old Hmong ladies at low prices”.

    The Hmong population is pretty large so Vietnamese food would be a good idea at some point: in southern Minneapolis Quang and Pho Tau Bay (both on Nicollet Ave) have a good reputation.

    The Midtown Global Market (on Lake Street) can be a lot of fun.

    I’ve lived here for a long time but I have no idea about the Mall of America, because it is for tourists, that is why it is next to the airport.

  36. 36.

    Bobby B.

    Visit NRO columnist James Lileks and catch him staring down a Target employee. But don’t call him Jim, or you’ll get the passive-aggressive frownin’ of a lifetime

  37. 37.

    Iden Hill

    @ploeg: No need to walk they have a guided segway tour and while your riverside on the Mississippi, stop at Izzie’s ice cream and get some Surly Ale flavored ice cream.

  38. 38.

    Suffern ACE

    Hmmm. Been awhile since I moved away. Does Lake Street still have those “health clubs?” Its always important to work out a little when on vacation. Prevents DVT from the flight.

  42. 42.

    MCA1

    All good suggestions above. If folks are looking to head out post-reception in the city, I’d suggest Nye’s Polonaise Room.

  43. 43.

    BGinCHI

    Do not go clubbing with Prince.

    He always exaggerates how long you will be out. Though if you want to miss the wedding and a few days of work then go ahead, get in that purple car.

  44. 44.

    Schlemizel

    Maul O Murica? Meh, don’t bother, it is vastly over rated (much like the Twins Billion dollar band box next to the garbage burner).

    Hell’s Kitchen is great and it is hard to go wrong on Nicollet from downtown to Lake street for places to eat. There is an excellent Greek place, “The Peninsula” for Indonesian and “The Rainbow” for CHinese. Harry Signh’s for Island, the Copper Hen for chef-driven lighter food and a half dozen decent Pho places.

    I am not a fan of the Walker but the outdoor sculpture garden on a nice day (which today is not all that nice) is worth a stroll. Over in St. Paul the State Capital building was designed by Cass Gilbert (design of the US Capital), it has the worlds largest cantilever staircase and is truly gorgeous. The Minneapolis Institute of Art is a better museum IMHO. If you are of an age you can stand on the corner where Mary Tyler Moore threw her hat in the air on Hennepin Ave & see the statue TV put up to the event. If you want a walk around a lake I’d recommend Harriet. Skip Lake of the Isles for a walk as the walkways are under water this year, but a drive around it will let you see some fabulous gilded age mansions. Summit Ave in St. Paul will take you past James J. Hill’s place along with a lot of other robber barons homes. Fort Snelling down by the airport has reinactors demonstrating life on the tundra in the 1840’s or 50s. The Science Museum in St. Paul has an interesting display of previously undiscovered giant dinosaurs.

    I’ll give it some thought & see if I can come up with other options

  45. 45.

    askew

    @GailVortex:

    Any meal, but brunch if you can swing it at Hell’s Kitchen (80 S 9th St). The benedicts and the Mahnomin Porridge are outstanding.

    I’ve been pretty unimpressed with the food at Hell’s Kitchen. I don’t get the appeal of that place at all.

    As for suggestions, Nye’s Polonaise Room is always fun. And I like hanging out at Lake Calhoun if the weather is nice.

  48. 48.

    Yatsuno

    Lit the catsignal for wifey. Hopefully she’s not asleep & will be about here soon. I unfortunately know nothing about Minneapolis besides big aiport hub & MTM.

  49. 49.

    Goblue72

    @catclub: Jeebus. Sadly, much of this is a consequence of the horrible non-democratic governing structures in Africa combined with complete lack of economic development, and the West’s piss poor involvement in the continent.

    Poor countries are at the mercy of Malthus.

  50. 50.

    Schlemizel

    @askew:
    Thats weird because I have never had a good meal at Nye. The polka lady was fun but the food, nope. Breakfast at Hell’s has always been outstanding, dinner maybe more spotty but not bad. I’m not saying you are wrong but it is weird how different people canhave such different experiences at the same place

  51. 51.

    MomSense

    Saw the most disturbing photo on twitter. A guy from Florida pointing a gun at a kitten. I don’t even know. People are sending it around hoping they can find the &^%^&**()*(&*^&%$%^$%&*(*( and rescue the kitten. He has a distinguishing scar on his face.

    Need to find happy something happy to look at and unfortunately kitten pics won’t do the trick this time.

  52. 52.

    Schlemizel

    If you are in St. Paul for the capital or science museum the City Hall has a giant onyx statue “Vision of Peace” by Swedish sculptor Carl Milles that is interesting. Minneapolis City Hall has “Father of Waters,” by American sculptor Larkin Goldsmith Mead.

    Oh, Minnehaha falls is going great guns this year & its a pleasant park but it will be crowded if the weather is good.

  56. 56.

    askew

    @Schlemizel:

    I was definitely in the minority. Everyone else loved their meals at Hell’s Kitchen, so what do I know?

    My favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities is Cossetta’s in St. Paul by far.

  57. 57.

    Steeplejack

    @Alexandra:

    And, to help you feel old, the movie of Purple Rain will be 30 years old on Sunday. (I think the album was released a month before.)

  59. 59.

    Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)

    Well, for starters, you have to purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.

  60. 60.

    asiangrrlMN

    Hello! I second the MIA recommendation (Minneapolis Institute of Art) and maybe just crawling on Nicollet Mall. There’s also great ethnic restaurants on Central Avenue such as Sen Yai Sen Lek (Thai). http://www.senyai-senlek.com/ If you had more time, I’d recommend visiting the lesser known Twin City, St. Paul, but you probably can’t squeeze that in. And, Lake Callhoun/Harriet are always nice to visit as well. Enjoy our fair city!

    @Yatsuno: Hey, Yutsy! I actually get up before noon these days. O_o

  62. 62.

    Yatsuno

    @asiangrrlMN: You know the drill: pics or GTFO.

    Oh and hi honey! This just fit your alley nicely. Doesn’t sound like the Mayhew clan has time for a meet-up unfortunately.

  64. 64.

    Corner Stone

    @Yatsuno:

    This just fit your alley nicely.

    Oh, rahr!
    This thread has turned into one sexually depraved cesspool. Who would’ve guessed Minnesota Nice would have been so damned dirty.

  65. 65.

    Steeplejack

    @Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name):

    Thank you, I Googled it before I wrote but didn’t want to look obsessive, as you now do.

    Only reason I was thinking about it was because my 40-something white-bread CPA gal pal who is an obsessive fan has been peppering me with Princiana in e-mail all day.

  66. 66.

    MomSense

    @Steeplejack:

    I didn’t need the date–remember it very well. End of the school year celebration.

    Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today to get through this thing called life

  67. 67.

    Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name)

    @Steeplejack: Oh well. It’s not like I’ve never posted obsessive music trivia stuff here before.

    ETA: For example, staying with a Minneapolis theme – 777-9311 was Dez Dickerson’s actual phone number.

  69. 69.

    Corner Stone

    Man, it’s a good thing I recently cut off the AC and got naked before returning to this thread.

  71. 71.

    icedfire

    If you’re nerdily inclined, the Bakken Museum explores the history of electricity and magnetism and is located in a beautiful old mansion directly on Lake Calhoun. The exhibits are interesting, the grounds are gorgeous, and the weather is supposed to be in the high 80s tomorrow so you could potentially transition into a walk around the lake.

  77. 77.

    ItAintEazy

    Jesus Christ, after seeing all the suggestions, I never knew the Cities were *this* boring.

  80. 80.

    Karla

    The dinosaur exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul is quite good, and the regular exhibits are also well designed. The interactive exhibits on identifying pseudoscience and on developmental psychology are favorites of mine, and there are only three other Triceratops skeletons in the world that are as complete as the one at the SMM (the other one in the US is at the Smithsonian). Cossetta’s is a ten-minute walk from the museum, and I’d recommend driving up to Hamline and Randolph Avenues to Lynden’s Soda Fountain if you have any room for dessert. (The Grand Old Creamery on Grand Avenue is also tasty.)

  81. 81.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Yatsuno: Hahahahhahahahhahahaha no.

    Hell’s Kitchen is overrated. Maya Cuisine is also on Central and really good. https://mayacuisineminneapolis.com/ Origami is a more-upscale restaurant with really good sushi. http://www.origamirestaurant.com/ If you want to dance, there’s First Ave. http://first-avenue.com/ There’s also Ground Zero, which is a bit more alternative (or at least was back in the day). https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ground-Zero-Nightclub/162965219745?rf=115822128438832

    There are tons of beaches, too, as we have more than 12,000 ‘lakes’ (in quotes because some are glorified ponds).

  82. 82.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Yatsuno: Hahahahahhaaha, no.

    My second post is in moderation because of too many links, I’m guessing. In summary: Hell’s Kitchen, overrated. Mayan Cuisine and Origami are better dining options. Dancing opportunities – First Ave. and Ground Zero. Lots of lakes, more than 12,000, but some of them are just glorified ponds.

    @Corner Stone: Don’t EVER change, CS!

  83. 83.

    Gex

    If you go to the Stone Arch Bridge, you can also walk down to the end of Main Street. Down by the dog park at the end of the street there is a nesting pair of bald eagles with a baby eagle who not long ago learned to fly. I’m going to upload some video I have of that guy, it’s awesome. And if you really wanted to see them, I we could connect and I could help you find them. He flies around low and near the street around 11 am.

    There’s a Segway tour of the Stone Arch Bridge area that covers the bridge and the St. Anthony Falls. It’s near the Guthrie and the farmer’s market too.

  92. 92.

    gbear

    @Omnes Omnibus (the first of his name):

    ETA: For example, staying with a Minneapolis theme – 777-9311 was Dez Dickerson’s actual phone number.

    Not quite Minneapolis themed. 777 was the prefix for North St. Paul and Maplewood, which are NE suburbs of StP. I grew up with a 777 number, and went to high school with Dez. He graduated a year after me.

    Richard, if you wind up in St. Paul, I also recommend visiting our beautiful state capitol, but if you want pizza, skip overrated Cossettas and head east on 7th Street to The Savoy. One of the best pizza around.

    In Mpls, I’ll recommend the MIA over the Walker, and then head over to The Electric Fetus to shop for music and gifts and leave with the smell of patchouli in your clothes for the rest of the day. Uptown has gone downhill, but Lyn-Lake is kind of a hoppin’ area if you don’t mind being stuck in traffic.

    The neighborhood around Macalaster College is kind of fun to walk around, and there’s a huge independent bookstore at the corner of Snelling and Grand (one block from fabulous Summit Avenue) that Garrison Keillor is part owner.

    I’m going to guess your halfway into your free time already. Hope you found something fun to do.

    Edit: walking the stone arch bridge is also really cool. The falls are raging right now.

  94. 94.

    NotMax

    @gbear

    The neighborhood around Macalaster College is kind of fun to walk around, and there’s a huge independent bookstore at the corner of Snelling and Grand (one block from fabulous Summit Avenue) that Garrison Keillor is part owner.

    Macalester also the location where Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion was first broadcast, 40 years ago this month.

  97. 97.

    Armadillo

    Surprised no one else on this animal-obsessed blog came up with this suggestion, but the Minnesota Zoo is very good. Particularly nice outdoor exhibits of northern animals: Siberian Tiger, Kodiak Bears, Musk Ox, etc. Also a large indoor tropical house, Snow Monkeys, and other good stuff. Highly recommended.

    I have good memories of the Science Museum, but haven’t been there in about 25+ years, so they’re just memories.

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