Tell me why I'll love MN! (Duluth, Bloomington: quality of life, living, suburbs)

[frieda36]

I used to live on the westcoast and loved the easy going weather, but:
-you have real season's here! Amazing fallcolor, dog days of summer, big snow, longing for spring, plus throw in some real thunderstorms. Never boring!
- lots and really nice playgrounds for kids. ECFE (early cildhood family education) classes for kids that are a good way to meet other parents and get some quality playtime for kiddos at very reasonable prices. Great children's museum in St.Paul. Great kid friendly science center. Overall a very kid friendly and kid oriented state.
-good medical care with some world class hospitals close by
- very decent public and private schools (and colleges)
-lots of very very nice houses at very good prices right now -especially compared to CA
-if your are a city person I'd recommend the south west Minneapolis neighborhood (great walkable lakes, beautiful houses and neighbourhoods, best schools) or Mac Groveland/Summit neighborhood in St. Paul. If you are more of a suburb or smaller city person -can't help you there.

Take some time to adjust and connect but I think you'll come to love it

[teeteeca]

Wow, thanks for all the info. This definitely gives me a place to start looking. I checking with hubby about the address thing. He said that his office is about 5 minutes SW of downtown St. Paul. He didn't know if that was considered a different city or not. So I guess it is kinda between Minneapolis and St. Paul but closer to St. Paul. I need to get out there sometime so we can check out the area. I have some more questions but I'll post them on the Minneapolis board.

Thanks everyone!

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by teeteeca

Wow, thanks for all the info. This definitely gives me a place to start looking. I checking with hubby about the address thing. He said that his office is about 5 minutes SW of downtown St. Paul. He didn't know if that was considered a different city or not. So I guess it is kinda between Minneapolis and St. Paul but closer to St. Paul. I need to get out there sometime so we can check out the area. I have some more questions but I'll post them on the Minneapolis board.

Thanks everyone!

That probably puts him into Mendota Hieghts/Eagan area which would make Stillwater a long commute. What company is he working for, we will probably know where that is.

[teeteeca]

His company is called Internet Broadcasting. It's on Randolph and Shepard I think he said.

[Aylalou]

Originally Posted by teeteeca

I'm from northern CA, bay area (which I absolutely love) and my husband just accepted a job in St. Paul that was too good to pass up. We have to move there some time in the next 6 months--he'll commute back and forth in the mean time. I have a 3-year-old, a 5-year-old, and one on the way and I am FREAKING out. Please tell me why I will love living in MN! I'm trying to have a good attitude about this. I'm sure I will be back with lots of questions about schools and neighborhoods, etc. but right now I just need help getting excited about this move.

So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me all the wonderful things about living in MN!

Thank you!!!

First, before I forget. Trader Joe is coming to Saint Paul (being built as we speak) on Randolph and Lexington in the Highland Park/Mac Groveland (lovely areas both) area of Saint Paul. We have good health stores. Whole Foods is not far at all from Trader Joe's on Grand and Fairview. I love Saint Paul and Minneapolis for the following reasons:

I love the snow - don't like the cold - and the winters are long. But that is the only negative.
In summer, it's gorgeous with many pristine, clean parks and lakes.
Nice old houses along with new ones - lovely architecture.

A very, very easy, relaxed lifestyle with no pressures. Life is a breeze here, including traffic compared to bigger cities.
The Twin Cities are clean.
Saint Paul is a cozy city made up of neighborhoods.
There is no urban sprawl.
You can get to the country in 20-40 minutes easily.
Houses are far apart in most neighborhoods.
Suburbs are so close and so resembling the quiet look of the cities, that you don't even know you've entered the suburbs.
You can pretty much trust the people here and workers you hire to get anything done. Everything is on the up and up; it's made up of rule followers - no corruption.
Great city for kids - Saint Paul is a family lifestyle - versus singles lifestyle. Plenty of parks and playgrounds for the kids - The Children's Museum, water parks, State Fair, culture (great theater here, including The Children's Theater), libraries.

You could find much worse places to live. I love S.F but I need a more homey look. I also love the Pacific NW so if I like S.F. and the Pac NW and also love Saint Paul, maybe you will too.

[Aylalou]

Originally Posted by teeteeca

His company is called Internet Broadcasting. It's on Randolph and Shepard I think he said.

Oh about 10-15 minutes from downtown. Easy to get to.

[Veridian]

Originally Posted by teeteeca

I'm from northern CA, bay area (which I absolutely love) and my husband just accepted a job in St. Paul that was too good to pass up. We have to move there some time in the next 6 months--he'll commute back and forth in the mean time. I have a 3-year-old, a 5-year-old, and one on the way and I am FREAKING out. Please tell me why I will love living in MN! I'm trying to have a good attitude about this. I'm sure I will be back with lots of questions about schools and neighborhoods, etc. but right now I just need help getting excited about this move.

So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me all the wonderful things about living in MN!

Thank you!!!

Well, it depends on what you like in a place.

I suppose, however, that many would like these things about being here:

- The Twin Cities have a cultural life equivalent to that of much larger cities, from contemporary fine art, to dance (there is a theater in downtown Minneapolis being renovated solely for dance, and such spaces are extremely rare across the country), to many highly regarded musical institutions, to a stellar theater scene

- You can have this great cultural scene, yet buy more house for your money than you can believe if you come from the Bay area. Furthermore, if you like, you can have a yard. I like to garden, and I don't know if you do as well, but you'll see this city explode in a huge variety of growing green things come spring. Personally, I grow a lot of plants native to this region (including prairie natives), but I also get abundant crops from my raspberry bushes and grape vines.

-Generally speaking, this is a good area to raise children. Minnesota is one of two states (California may be the other) that separates its test scores from the rest of the nation in international math and science tests, and it likely does so because it uniformly gets much higher scores than the national average. Clearly, that is just one indicator and it covers the state as a whole so there will be exceptions, but for the most part you can feel confident that your children will have ample opportunity for solid educations.

- Overall, the Twin Cities community is very white collar (either 1st or 2nd highest percentage of white collar employees, the closest competitor being Seattle), has a strong creative class, is eclectic, is technologically advanced (one of the most wired cities in the country), has a high level of education, high income levels and high standards of living. Also, the Twin Cities are very clean.

Lastly, you will be impressed with the variety of greenspaces, parks, lakes, rivers, etc. within the Twin Cities proper, not to mention the surrounding state.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by teeteeca

His company is called Internet Broadcasting. It's on Randolph and Shepard I think he said.

That is an easy commute from the southern Suburbs, not so easy from the east/west and you don't want the north. I would start looking in the Eagan/Apple Valley/Rosemount area, great schools, a lot of young families (more in Rosemount and Apple Valley then Eagan but still plenty in Eagan).

[MplsTodd]

Originally Posted by Aylalou

There is no urban sprawl.
You can get to the country in 20-40 minutes easily.
Houses are far apart in most neighborhoods.
Suburbs are so close and so resembling the quiet look of the cities, that you don't even know you've entered the suburbs.

I agree with your post, but I can't help but say that there is plenty of urban sprawl in the Twin Cities. As you enter the Twin Cities from virtually any freeway or major highway (but especially I-94 from the northwest and I-35 from the south), development sprawls along for mile after mile... The Twin Cities are unique in that the central cities are relatively compact and have a high quality of life -- due in large part to the high amenity value of living near the city lakes, the rivers or the creeks and the excellent network of parks and parkways. But outside the I-494/I-694 ringroad, we sprawl as much as any (and more than most) metro area

[skipast75]

Originally Posted by MplsTodd

I agree with your post, but I can't help but say that there is plenty of urban sprawl in the Twin Cities. As you enter the Twin Cities from virtually any freeway or major highway (but especially I-94 from the northwest and I-35 from the south), development sprawls along for mile after mile... The Twin Cities are unique in that the central cities are relatively compact and have a high quality of life -- due in large part to the high amenity value of living near the city lakes, the rivers or the creeks and the excellent network of parks and parkways. But outside the I-494/I-694 ringroad, we sprawl as much as any (and more than most) metro area

By Comparison, the Phoenix area has over a million more residents then the twin cities, and is pact into a valley half the size of the twin cities metro area. The cities do sprawl, but are never as thick with people as some other cities. Anyone who has ever traveled this country will agree that the twin cities are amongst the best in the country. Clean, full of stuff to do in and out doors. A very competitive pay scale, with companies that lead the way in worker happiness. (Best Buy lets their corporate employees work from home or work from a treadmill exercising within the corporate campus) Not to mention the Mall of America!!!just kidding. Oh, if you are into theater then you will be in heaven. The twin cities boast more playhouses then any other city in america besides NewYork City. Including the famed Guthrie theater. It is a very cultured area........