Relocating to the Twin Cities from Hawaii.... (St. Paul, Maple Grove: crime, co-op)

[franklin42]

My girlfriend and I are actually going to visit some friends in St. Paul in a few weeks and will be checking out neighborhoods. We will be checking out all of the places you guys have recommended! Can't wait! Can anyone recommend any farms(pick your own fruit/hay rides...)? Looking to do some fun outdoor fall stuff. Also, can anyone recommend any good record stores around the twin cities? Thanks and take care!

[golfgal]

Try Aamott's Apple Orchard in Stillwater. It is right off highway 36 on Manning Trail (county road 15). There is also another place on 36 near there that has hay rides, haunted house, etc. but I don't know if they are operating that stuff yet, usually not until October.

[LeeShort]

Also, what do you mean by "close to stuff". How close? What stuff?

I personally would consider the Rosemount too far from the stuff that matters to me -- but it might be just fine for you.

[franklin42]

Stuff=Restaurants, record stores, hardware stores, pubs, book stores markets, parks, museums...You know, STUFF! It would be nice to be able to walk/bike to these destinations but a 10/15 minute drive would be just as good. Right now, we have to drive over an hour to go to a borders or home depot and a little over a half an hour to the supermarket. With gas at $3.50 a gallon, it's a little rough. Thanks Leeshort!

[franklin42]

Thanks golfgal! I will do some research on those places.

[yellowsnow]

We had a frost advisory last night. Remember to bring jackets!

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by franklin42

Stuff=Restaurants, record stores, hardware stores, pubs, book stores markets, parks, museums...You know, STUFF! It would be nice to be able to walk/bike to these destinations but a 10/15 minute drive would be just as good. Right now, we have to drive over an hour to go to a borders or home depot and a little over a half an hour to the supermarket. With gas at $3.50 a gallon, it's a little rough. Thanks Leeshort!

You aren't going to have to drive more then 10 minutes to get to anything in any area of the twin cities. Most of the suburbs have the day to day things you need right there. We have everything you mentioned on your list except the museum within 3 miles of our house, most a mile or less. Museums, etc. are mainly centered in Minneapolis and St. Paul but easily accessible from everywhere in the metro.

Gas is $2.83 at the station by our house tonight if that helps too.

[Minnehahapolitan]

Record Stores (you hit a weak spot here)
Electric Fetus - Franklin Ave at 4th Ave. Mpls. Lots of CDs, fewer LPs. Alot of new stuff, but a good amount of used. I find it kinda expensive, but it has been there for 40 years.
Hymies - Lake St in the 30ish Ave area, Mpls. The guy who founded it died , so his employees brought the place out. Its completely discombobulating. Alot of international, classic rock, generally weird stuff. The place is a total fire hazard, which I like.
Know Name - Dinkytown, Mpls. and 6000 Portland, Mpls. Not huge, but a good place to kill and hour.
Cheapo - Uptown, Mpls. I don't think Ive actually ever been in it. This weekend....
Half-Price Books - Various locations, including one in Highland Park, actually a bookstore, but a good selection of things. The idea is that people don't want something, so they sell it to Half-Price. Each store has its own strengths according to the demographics of the area.
I know there's more, but I'm sick of typing.

[LeeShort]

Out in suburbia (in which category Rosemount fits), restaurants, pubs, markets are generally substandard and whitebread IMO. It's really a question of how demanding you are; I'm pretty demanding in those areas. But *some* food is definitely available within 10-15 minutes.

Museums are further than 15 minutes. Park access varies a lot from suburb to suburb, but there are some very nice nature parks in the burbs. Can't really speak to record or book stores.

But even in the burbs, you will have a lot more access than in your present situation.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by LeeShort

Out in suburbia (in which category Rosemount fits), restaurants, pubs, markets are generally substandard and whitebread IMO. It's really a question of how demanding you are; I'm pretty demanding in those areas. But *some* food is definitely available within 10-15 minutes.

Museums are further than 15 minutes. Park access varies a lot from suburb to suburb, but there are some very nice nature parks in the burbs. Can't really speak to record or book stores.

But even in the burbs, you will have a lot more access than in your present situation.

You sound like my brother-in-law thinking that the suburbs, Rosemount I guess specifically, is at the end of the earth. They keep telling us they need to plan a whole day to come visit because it takes so long to get there. The live on the west side of St. Paul and from the time we leave our house to the time we are knocking on their door it is 20 minutes, they drive farther to work then that every day .