Any Arkansans living there in Minneapolis? Fellow Arkie wanting to know how you like it... (Nicollet: houses)

[johncronejr]

My wife is originally from Minneapolis and has made mention of her desire to move back. Something about these 100 degree/ 98% humidity days don't sit well with her. To tell you the truth, they aren't pleasant for me either. I have never been to Minneapolis, or Minnesota for that matter. She has told me how cold it gets there. How have you adjusted to life in Minneapolis? If there are just no Arkies on this forum, any southerner will do for this question. Thanks!

[akronbball]

Couple of my friends are from Arkansas and have lived up here for about two years. They both said the first winter was the worst, but then you become acclimated by learning how to stay warm during those bitter cold stretches. Most of my family is in the South and they have said the same thing. Its not only the weather where things will be different though, the culture in MN is different from the south. Its a good place though, I moved away twice and am back again.

[dossman]

I'm from Ft. Smith and love it here. I moved here in 1991 and may never leave. People get so hung up on the weather, but there's so much more to life than air tempeature. I live in south Minneapolis and it is a wonderful city. It has all the big city fun - great music scene, pro teams in all the sports, plenty to do - yet has something else I really like; fishing. Really, really good fishing. If fishing isn't your thing, it's still a great town. I play guitar in a rockabilly/surf band and have been in plenty of bands here over the years and there's so many great places to play and see shows. Plus, it's just a really scenic place. All the streets have towering tunnels of trees which are striking in any season. I like to run and bike and the trails around the lakes in town are amazing.

I don't get the big deal with winter. It's so beautiful after a fresh snow. Cold? Of course it gets cold. So what -my house is heated, my car is heated and my jobs are heated. If I don't want to be outside, I'm not outside and it's nothing more than a change of scenery in the window. Being me though, I even dig the ice fishing. All my southen friends and family think I'm crazy, but it's really fun and nothing at all like "Grumpy Old Men".

Its a very communal and quirky place too. I love all the block parties, aquatenial and winter festivals, weird state fair stuff - the whole bit. The whole area seems to just revel in the fact that we're all here and the rest of the country thinks we're insane.

I love my neighborhood (lower Nicollet ave area) too. Talk about walkable! Within two blocks of my house in any direction is; two places to get milk, a bar, two coffee houses, a great mexican food place, a crappy chineese place, a locksmith, a dry cleaner, an indepedant record store, a make up school, a mexican food market, a handy car repair place, drug store, a karate scool, and a bagel place. I can walk farther for more, but don't often have to.

I don't want to ramble, but moving here (sight unseen on a coin toss) was the best thing I ever did for myself. Certianly not for everybody - but great for me Big thumbs up.