Impressions of Minneapolis after 2 months (Minnetonka, St. Michael: co-op, credit, transfer)
Minneapolis - St. PaulTwin Cities
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Restaurants: My experience so far is that restaurant food is a bit expensive. I've been in moderate places, cheap places and higher end, and all seem high priced for what you get. I'm not sure if it's due to taxes on restaurant food or just higher prices in the big city. I also haven't really found a good, cheap, ethnic restaurant. The chinese, vietnamese and thai places I've been to were overpriced and bland. I'm sure there are better places out there, but I haven't found them yet. "
Ok, you are really missing out if you haven't found good, cheap ethnic restaurants. There are TONS of them. Go to Eat Street on Nicollet to start. For incredibly good Vietnamese, try Quang on 28th and Nicollet. The PHO is to die for. Perhaps you have been going to ethnic restaurants that are run by white people. Go into the depths of Minneapolis etc and get the real deal. You won't feel ripped off and will probably leave wondering how they can sell such incredibly good food at such cheap prices.
Also, there tons of great buffets around that are ethnic. For about $7-$10 meal, it is impossible to feel ripped off.
Stay away from corporate owned "ethnic ????" restaurants.
xz2y, I opened this thread with great curiosity, as I will join the ranks of the transplanted in a few months. We are also from SE Michigan (SE Oakland County, to be exact), and I find your input as a new transplant to be very helpful. Good luck finding a new (better) job.
A few questions generated from your post:
-You said that the traffic and construction are bad, but would you say that it's as bad as, say, I-96 west of Novi or I-75/696 interchange bad? Were you in metro Detroit at all this summer?...the I-75 roadwork was just the absolute pits and I can't imagine it could be much worse in MSP. I haven't heard any of our friends who've moved from Michigan apply the adage "There are only two seasons - winter and construction" to Minnesota. I worry about this because I do not desire to live in the town where I'll work (Woodbury), and as such, will likely have to deal with a bit of a commute. We're actually thinking about living in St. Paul, as it seems far more residential than we'd initially thought for a large city and would give us a reverse commute.
-Just curious - what restaurants back in Michigan would you characterize as "good, cheap, and ethnic"? I, myself, am completely intrigued by the food of Minnesota - I don't know how easy it will be to find a non-red-meat Jucy Lucy, but I'm going to try! But I do love my Siam Spicy, Peking House, and Anita's Kitchen (TELL me there's a good Middle Eastern restaurant around!).
-Have you ever been to Westborn Market or Holiday Market (Royal Oak)? Believe it or not, leaving these grocery stores behind is one reason that I'm ambivalent about this move. If you could tell me that there's a reasonable alternative, I think I could breathe a little more easily...
Back in '92, I jumped in my Jeep soft-top from San Diego, California with a friend and moved out there. For myself, it feels like home; however, my friend left shortly after (6 months). It isn't for everyone with harsh winters. I'm an AVID hockey fan and an ice skating coach, so it definitely caters to my lifestyle.
Driving: Again being from California and driving a soft-top Jeep during the first winter, it was a nightmare. I almost froze to death. I slid off of the freeway twice (luckily not into anything or anyone), slipped and fell on the ice hitting my head on a concrete driveway (stitches) and called into work unable to arrive because there is no literature on what a "scraper" is... I still find that I am extremely nervous driving in the snow and ice, so I'm maybe a little too slow. I'd like to move back now that I have a family, but would be interested in driving lessons and some snow tires (if those help). The car key freezing was funny too. I'd also get an auto turn on thingy too.
Winter: VERY COLD!!! But, I found that I LOVE to shovel snow with a nice beer. It doesn't get warm and you turn on some music for some great exercise. Fresh air! Weird, huh?
Construction: Even so... traffic is still much better than Los Angeles.
People: AMAZING! I made the best of friends in the area. However, I must say when I lived there for six years I was single and being that Minnesota seems to be very family oriented I was hanging out at families houses not meeting other singles. I did leave believe I thought I'd be an old maid. Looking back I should have perhaps been going out more towards downtown or now Eden Prairie with young professionals. It is certainly true about Minnesota Nice and this coming from someone from laidback Californians.
Alcohol: So, it appears that drinking is associated with EVERYTHING. Ice fishing, volleyball, boating, snowmobiling, pig roasts, hunting, camping, etc., but when my friend and I shopped for it they sell 3/2 at the grocery store. That was funny... never knew what 3/2 beer was and then you cannot by alcohol on Sundays. The liquor stores are city? county? owned. That was different.
Restaurants: I think there is a great variety of restaurants along with the usual chains.
Although I haven't lived there since '98, I'd love to move my family back and raise my children with good Midwest values. I'm working on convincing my husband who is an avid golfer and fears he'd only be able to golf for a couple of months the whole year. ha! I'm living now in the Bible belt and it is an extremely difficult transition. I have an interview in MN this week. Wish me luck!!!
Back in '92, I jumped in my Jeep soft-top from San Diego, California with a friend and moved out there. For myself, it feels like home; however, my friend left shortly after (6 months). It isn't for everyone with harsh winters. I'm an AVID hockey fan and an ice skating coach, so it definitely caters to my lifestyle.
Driving: Again being from California and driving a soft-top Jeep during the first winter, it was a nightmare. I almost froze to death. I slid off of the freeway twice (luckily not into anything or anyone), slipped and fell on the ice hitting my head on a concrete driveway (stitches) and called into work unable to arrive because there is no literature on what a "scraper" is... I still find that I am extremely nervous driving in the snow and ice, so I'm maybe a little too slow. I'd like to move back now that I have a family, but would be interested in driving lessons and some snow tires (if those help). The car key freezing was funny too. I'd also get an auto turn on thingy too.
Winter: VERY COLD!!! But, I found that I LOVE to shovel snow with a nice beer. It doesn't get warm and you turn on some music for some great exercise. Fresh air! Weird, huh?
Construction: Even so... traffic is still much better than Los Angeles.
People: AMAZING! I made the best of friends in the area. However, I must say when I lived there for six years I was single and being that Minnesota seems to be very family oriented I was hanging out at families houses not meeting other singles. I did leave believe I thought I'd be an old maid. Looking back I should have perhaps been going out more towards downtown or now Eden Prairie with young professionals. It is certainly true about Minnesota Nice and this coming from someone from laidback Californians.
Alcohol: So, it appears that drinking is associated with EVERYTHING. Ice fishing, volleyball, boating, snowmobiling, pig roasts, hunting, camping, etc., but when my friend and I shopped for it they sell 3/2 at the grocery store. That was funny... never knew what 3/2 beer was and then you cannot by alcohol on Sundays. The liquor stores are city? county? owned. That was different.
Restaurants: I think there is a great variety of restaurants along with the usual chains.
Although I haven't lived there since '98, I'd love to move my family back and raise my children with good Midwest values. I'm working on convincing my husband who is an avid golfer and fears he'd only be able to golf for a couple of months the whole year. ha! I'm living now in the Bible belt and it is an extremely difficult transition. I have an interview in MN this week. Wish me luck!!!
Man, that nice cold 15 degree air, sunny, after a snowfall out in the driveway..MAN, i actually kind of miss that...theres nothing like it. the air is so fresh, and the new flakes sparkle everywhere, everything is so trainquil and peaceful.
Throw in the ACDC greatest hits, grab a six pack of bud, and shovel that driveway!
Back in '92, I jumped in my Jeep soft-top from San Diego, California with a friend and moved out there. For myself, it feels like home; however, my friend left shortly after (6 months). It isn't for everyone with harsh winters. I'm an AVID hockey fan and an ice skating coach, so it definitely caters to my lifestyle.
Driving: Again being from California and driving a soft-top Jeep during the first winter, it was a nightmare. I almost froze to death. I slid off of the freeway twice (luckily not into anything or anyone), slipped and fell on the ice hitting my head on a concrete driveway (stitches) and called into work unable to arrive because there is no literature on what a "scraper" is... I still find that I am extremely nervous driving in the snow and ice, so I'm maybe a little too slow. I'd like to move back now that I have a family, but would be interested in driving lessons and some snow tires (if those help). The car key freezing was funny too. I'd also get an auto turn on thingy too.
Winter: VERY COLD!!! But, I found that I LOVE to shovel snow with a nice beer. It doesn't get warm and you turn on some music for some great exercise. Fresh air! Weird, huh?
Construction: Even so... traffic is still much better than Los Angeles.
People: AMAZING! I made the best of friends in the area. However, I must say when I lived there for six years I was single and being that Minnesota seems to be very family oriented I was hanging out at families houses not meeting other singles. I did leave believe I thought I'd be an old maid. Looking back I should have perhaps been going out more towards downtown or now Eden Prairie with young professionals. It is certainly true about Minnesota Nice and this coming from someone from laidback Californians.
Alcohol: So, it appears that drinking is associated with EVERYTHING. Ice fishing, volleyball, boating, snowmobiling, pig roasts, hunting, camping, etc., but when my friend and I shopped for it they sell 3/2 at the grocery store. That was funny... never knew what 3/2 beer was and then you cannot by alcohol on Sundays. The liquor stores are city? county? owned. That was different.
Restaurants: I think there is a great variety of restaurants along with the usual chains.
Although I haven't lived there since '98, I'd love to move my family back and raise my children with good Midwest values. I'm working on convincing my husband who is an avid golfer and fears he'd only be able to golf for a couple of months the whole year. ha! I'm living now in the Bible belt and it is an extremely difficult transition. I have an interview in MN this week. Wish me luck!!!
Good luck on the interview. Tell your hubby that MN is #1 in golf courses per capita. Saw many people on the courses last weekend. Getting down to that time of year where any round can be the last round until spring.
I guess for local people because they have lived here for such a long time, they can get whatever they need and that's all they need, but for someone not born here and trying to find something else, you'll see that Twin Cities have very limited choices. I'll give several other examples:
1) Movie theater:
The Twin Cities claim to have the second most theater seats per capita other than New York City. I know that's for live theaters. I don't know about that. Movie theaters are the ones that I often go to. After exploring for 2 years, I can say that the movie theaters in the Twin Cities generally suck. I live near the University of Minnesota. That's quite close to downtown Minneapolis. The nearest IMAX theater I can find is in the Minnesota zoo, with just one screen. The only normal theater with an IMAX screen is in St. Michael, an hour's drive if traffic condition is good. Otherwise it can easily take two hours. AMC and Regal have both added IMAX screens in 20--30 cities, and neither of their lists include the Twin Cities. Yes, they do include Denver, etc.
The only theater here that shows foreign or independent, or other special movies is Landmark, and Twin Cities usually don't get in the first set of cities or the second set to show them. If Landmark doesn't show them, you don't get to see at all. Those films are usually first shown here in Landmark Uptown, a theater with every seat broken and the screen rotten. Landmark Lagoon and Landmark Edina are not very decent theaters either, by today's standard. Even an ordinary film like "The Duchess", if you want to be the first one to see it in Twin Cities, you will have to go to Landmark Uptown, one week after the release in other big cities. If you want to see it in AMC, well, wait for another week.
2) Shopping
The shopping in Twin Cities is really not something that they can be proud of. The selections are too limited. There isn't a Saks Fifth Ave store which can be found in a city like Indianapolis. So many brands you can find in every other reasonable sized city are missing here. Where can you buy A|X Armani Exchange? Nowhere. Where can you buy G-Star? Macy's downtown Minneapolis, with like three shirts and two pair of pants to select from. There isn't a Calvin Klein store. There isn't a Polo Ralph Lauren store. There isn't a Diesel store. There isn't any designer brand store except for Burberry, opened last year. The list can go on and on. The only Nike store is just set to open. Come on, you guys, Nike is the most famous American brand. You don't even have an exclusive store till this Nov. Someone would mention the local boutiques. Well, any big city has a few nice local boutiques, and what any high-quality boutique is selling is those high-end brands. Local boutique is a matter of taste, but you have to get an exclusive store with many options. For groceries, twin cities lack variety also. There aren't an h-mart or 99 ranch market. There aren't convenience stores like 7-Eleven. I know Americans generally hate chains, but sometimes chains just provide more selections and higher quality because they are more cost effective. Well, if you don't like h-mart or 99 ranch market, what do you have for Asian groceries? United Noodles? Shanghai Market? The selections available can't even be compared. I hate to say that, but from the retail perspective, Twin Cities is really a large suburb. It doesn't have what other big cities can offer. The living style is generally not urban. Oh, someone mentioned Phoenix. If Twin Cities can have a shopping mall like Fashion Square in Phenix Metro, I would die for it. And, to let you know, Phoenix has an AMC with 30 screens and IMAX. Phoenix is just an example. You'll find similar stuff in other big cities, not the Twin Cities.
3) Downtown
The downtowns of Twin Cities are very clean, but that's partly due to the fact that they both become ghost towns after dark and during weekends. If there aren't people there, it is much easier to maintain clean. Well, downtown St. Paul is just a bunch of office buildings except for the Japanese restaurant Sakura which I love. It almost completely sleeps after 9 pm. Downtown Minneapolis has a few restaurant choices and retail options, but not many. Nicollet Mall is constantly going downhill. There are like 4 to 5 exclusive stores for brands I've ever heard of, including GAP. Hennepin Ave is a bunch of buildings that should be torn down a few years ago because they are so crappy. Many buildings are almost vacant, like the first floor of City Center. I am so confused that downtown Minneapolis is constructing so many condos there. If there is nothing downtown, why would people live there? No wonder they have a large vacancy ratio. I know downtown Minneapolis looks nicer than, say, downtown Atlanta or downtown Phoenix, but we don't have many things in this nicer looking place. Downtown Atlanta or Phoenix either, but they have Lenox Square or Fashion Square in the suburbs, and we have Mall of America which is a joke.
4) Banks
I really don't understand why Twin Cities doesn't even have a BoA branch, or a Citi branch or a Chase branch? It is especially inconvenient for somebody travelling here. Those are the most popular banks and are the ones that are likely to offer some reward program, so people have accounts there. US Bank and Wells Fargo are the two big banks here, but they are virtually non-existent in the east coast or overseas. Twin Cities is like a city isolated from everywhere of United States. Well, geographically, it is, but I don't know the physical location has such a large impact.
5) Construction
I don't think Twin Cities have too many constructions. I almost think the city changes so little that I am bored, and the construction is far from enough to maintain the roads in good condition. I think most people would admit that Twin Cities have the worst roads in US. There are so many roads that need re-paved. When you drive on it, you'll be constantly hearing "GaDong, GaDong, ...". But when you construct a road, at least make signs of detours very clear. When you isolate a road, show me that work is being done. Most of the time I see roads are isolated for no reason. There aren't people working there. The lighting of roads in Twin Cities is a mess, but I know that's the case in north cities in general, where road buttons are unavailabe because of snow and they still inherit the habbit of installing no street lights or very few stree lights.
The above are just a few aspects I could immediately think of. Honestly speaking, Twin Cities is a nice city for a visit, but to live here, I just find myself frustrated to find that I can't experience stuff available in every other city of America. I know some people would defend immediately, saying if you don't like it, why don't you move out immediately, etc, etc. Well, that's also one thing I am concerned about the Twin Cities. They generally don't see beyond themselves and don't recognize how the world has changed for the big picture, and they don't listen to any negative comments. They keep themselves in this shell and think this is the best the world can have.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mynycarana54
Although Minneapolis( or the Twin Cities) is one of the "better" cities in the Midwest, I still find it pretty boring and it's somewhat hard to meet people unless I've known them their whole lives.
Nightlife:
I was told by a friend to go to The Lounge. He said it was a great place to hang out, great crowd, music etc. I went and I was bored out of my mind. Boring crowd, not a single soul was dancing. The music was boring and the crowd didn't have a pulse and some of the patrons were far too old to still be trying to get with people in the club. I give it to them for still going out, but cheesy come ons were terrible and embarassing. And what is it with people going out in groups of 10 or more minimum?
After Nightlife:
EVERYTHING IS CLOSED, unless I want to drive out to the suburbs for some Taco Bell or Perkins.
Restaurants:
There is a decent amount of restaurants to choose from in Minneapolis, but St. Paul is slim. Although St. Paul is a nice city with a few neighborhood gems the selection is poor. There are not a lot of GOOD ethnic places to eat like you would find in the bigger cities. The ones that are trying to be "ethnic" are terribly homogenized.
People:
People seem nice, but are very stand offish and provincial and assume that you are crazy if you say hi or start talking to them because they don't know you. People avoid eye contact here at all costs and will avoid talking to you if they don't have to. Hallways, elevators, waiting in line. I'm usually met with the weird look like I'm crazy if I start talking to them.
Two Target " corporate redbots" actually whispered that I was weird for trying to start up a conversation while waiting to check out in their line.- Nice! Whoever said that, "nice to your face" statement was dead on.
Traffic:
Traffic is a minor inconvenience here. Unless you've been to LA, Chicago or NYC, traffic is nothing. I have noticed that people can't merge to save their lives here and for such nice Minnesota people, I've been flicked off and yelled at for passing them, but I can't get any eye contact at all if I pull up along side because that would mean they would have to confront me.
It's a great place to visit and it has it's charm, but there is a lot of stuff the two cities DON'T have.
Last edited by fashionguy; 10-14-2008 at 12:42 PM..
I guess for local people because they have lived here for such a long time, they can get whatever they need, but for someone not born here and trying to find something else, you'll see that Twin Cities have very limited choices. I'll give several other examples:
1) Movie theater:
The Twin Cities claim to have the second most theater seats per capita other than New York City. I know that's for live theaters. I don't know about that. Movie theaters are the ones that I often go to. After exploring for 2 years, I can say that the movie theaters in the Twin Cities generally suck. I live near the University of Minnesota. That's quite close to downtown Minneapolis. The nearest IMAX theater I can find is in the Minnesota zoo, with just one screen. The only normal theater with an IMAX screen is in St. Michael, an hour's drive if traffic condition is good. Otherwise it can easily take two hours. AMC and Regal have both added IMAX screens in 20--30 cities, and neither of their lists include the Twin Cities. Yes, they do include Denver, etc.
The only theater here that shows foreign or independent, or other special movies is Landmark, and Twin Cities usually don't get in the first set of cities or the second set to show them. If Landmark doesn't show them, you don't get to see at all. Those films are usually first shown here in Landmark Uptown, a theater with every seat broken and the screen rotten. Landmark Lagoon and Landmark Edina are not very decent theaters either, by today's standard. Even an ordinary film like "The Duchess", if you want to be the first one to see it in Twin Cities, you will have to go to Landmark Uptown, one week after the release in other big cities. If you want to see it in AMC, well, wait for another week.
2) Shopping
The shopping in Twin Cities is really not something that they can be proud of. The selections are too limited. There isn't a Saks Fifth Ave store which can be found in a city like Indianapolis. So many brands you can find in every other reasonable sized city are missing here. Where can you buy A|X Armani Exchange? Nowhere. Where can you buy G-Star? Macy's downtown Minneapolis, with like three shirts and two pair of pants to select from. There isn't a Calvin Klein store. There isn't a Polo Ralph Lauren store. There isn't any designer brand store except for Burberry, opened last year. The list can go on and on. The only Nike store is just set to open. Come on, you guys, Nike is the most famous American brand. You don't even have an exclusive store till this Nov. Someone would mention the local boutiques. Well, any big city has a few nice local boutiques, and what any high-quality boutique is selling is those high-end brands. Local boutique is a matter of taste, but you have to get an exclusive store with many options. For groceries, twin cities lack variety also. There aren't an h-mart or 99 ranch market. There aren't convenience stores like 7-Eleven. I know Americans generally hate chains, but sometimes chains just provide more selections and higher quality because they are more cost effective. Well, if you don't like h-mart or 99 ranch market, what do you have for Asian groceries? United Noodles? Shanghai Market? The selections available can't even be compared. I hate to say that, but from the retail perspective, Twin Cities is really a large suburb. It doesn't have what other big cities can offer. The living style is generally not urban. Oh, someone mentioned Phoenix. If Twin Cities can have a shopping mall like Fashion Square in Phenix Metro, I would die for it. And, to let you know, Phoenix has an AMC with 30 screens and IMAX. Phoenix is just an example. You'll find similar stuff in other big cities, not the Twin Cities.
3) Downtown
The downtowns of Twin Cities are very clean, but that's partly due to the fact that they both become ghost towns after dark and during weekends. If there aren't people there, it is much easier to maintain clean. Well, downtown St. Paul is just a bunch of office buildings except for the Japanese restaurant Sakura which I love. It almost completely sleeps after 9 pm. Downtown Minneapolis has a few restaurant choices and retail options, but not many. Nicollet Mall is constantly going downhill. There are like 4 to 5 exclusive stores for brands I've ever heard of, including GAP. Hennepin Ave is a bunch of buildings that should be torn down a few years ago because they are so crappy. Many buildings are almost vacant, like the first floor of City Center. I am so confused that downtown Minneapolis is constructing so many condos there. If there is nothing downtown, why would people live there? No wonder they have a large vacancy ratio. I know downtown Minneapolis looks nicer than, say, downtown Atlanta or downtown Phoenix, but we don't have many things in this nicer looking place. Downtown Atlanta or Phoenix either, but they have Lenox Square or Fashion Square in the suburbs, and we have Mall of America which is a joke.
4) Banks
I really don't understand why Twin Cities doesn't even have a BoA branch, or a Citi branch or a Chase branch? It is especially inconvenient for somebody travelling here. Those are the most popular banks and are the ones that are likely to offer some reward program, so people have accounts there. US Bank and Wells Fargo are the two big banks here, but they are virtually non-existent in the east coast or overseas. Twin Cities is like a city isolated from everywhere of United States. Well, geographically, it is, but I don't know the physical location has such a large impact.
The above are just a few aspects I could immediately think of. Honestly speaking, Twin Cities is a nice city for a visit, but to live here, I just find myself frustrated to find that I can't experience stuff available in every other city of America. I know some people would defend immediately, saying if you don't like it, why don't you move out immediately, etc, etc. Well, that's also one thing I am concerned about the Twin Cities. They generally don't see beyond themselves and don't recognize how the world has changed for the big picture. They keep themselves in this shell and think this is the best the world can have.
1) Movie theater.
I disagree with about everything you're saying. Your comment about Theater Seats is completely irrelevant, because thats drama, theater-not Box office. 75% of Twin Cities Movie theaters have been built since 1995. So they're fairly new. I can name a handful of spectactular theaters. Dont let the area around Dinkytown sway your judgment. Also, I wouldnt judge the livability of an area solely based on "crappy movie theaters" i dont know which ones you are even talking about. Ps. St Michael is about 40 minute drive TOPS from Dinkytown, WITH traffic. Trust me. I worked in Dinkytown, adn I lived in St Michael. with no traffic it was a 25 minute drive at most. oh yeah, I guess the Twin Cities are so crappy because you cant find a cheesy theater with all your art buddies to drink tea and watch lame foriegn and indie films. But, however there are places, many places that you dont even know about.
2) Shopping
Shopping is a regional industry. Retail shopping like malls is everywhere, yes, but designer fashion shopping only is present in major cities.-Chicago, LA, NYC, Miami (kinda). In terms of shopping malls, there are plenty, but for designer, who in Twin Cities cares about Mx Armani, and G Star. I have plenty of clothes from Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren stores bought right in the Twin cities, too bad you missed out.
3) Banks
Wells Fargo has headquarters in Mineapolis, thats why there are so many banks. Sorry, but banks arent just going to open branches just because "visitors" might use them. Oh yeah, and you're right, there are no Wells Fargo on the east coast, but i dont get what thats even supposed to mean. oh yeah, Wells Fargo just aquired Wachovia, so all Wachovias will be wells.
You're message is just horrible. You are complaining about things that are just rediculous. Like the Twin Cities dont have a Citi, Chase or BOA branch. Thats just rediculous. The Twin Cities are saturated wtih US Bank and Wells, for a reason. There are no Wells east coast because there are so many BOA and Citi. Its a lame thing to hate a region for.
Oh the Twin Cities suck because you cant find a Burberry, or Armani? Are you kidding? This isnt LA or NY pal, float back down to earth. Sry the Twin Cities are so inconvenient for you because you cant find Burberry or Armani. Oh yeah, there is a Saks Fifth Avenue.
Seriously, I just think you're stubborn and afraid to get out of uptown and away from the coffee shops. there is everything you complained about not having. Oh yeah, this stuff is in everyother city in America? Really? Really?
Detroit? Seattle? Cleaveland? Omaha? Kansas City? Dallas? Buffalo? San Diego? Raleigh? DC? St. Petersburg? New Orleans? Nashville? Boston? Phoenix? Philadelphia? Salt Lake City? come on... you're absurd. nOne of those places have hsit on the TC.
I know the seats per capita thing is not for movie theaters. I mentioned that, but I can just say for what I know about. FYI, I have been to every movie theater in the Twin Cities I can find on google, including Marcus Oakdale and the recently opened Cinemagic Atlantis in Burnsville. Those theaters are good, but the movies they show are normnal. Not IMAX or the special movies I look for sometimes. When I want to see an IMAX movie, I have to drive an hour to St. Michale, and when I want to see a special movie, I have to stick to Landmark. That is what I am saying. And, yes, AMC and Regal added IMAX screens for their theaters for almost every city you mentioned with a size comparable to Twin Cities, like Seattle, San Diego, DC, Orlando, even Albany, etc that it originally didn't have IMAX operations. Cities like Boston don't even have to compare with Twin Cities in terms of what is available. It is a completely first-line city in everything. Philadelphia and Dallas are a lot larger so it is not a fair comparison either. But I don't think the size of a city like Buffalo can be compared to Twin Cities, and I don't think Twin Cities would like to even compare with Omaha.
I of course know I can buy some Calvin Klein or Polo Ralph Lauren clothes, from Macy's or Bloomingdales. Well, I can do that in a college town like Gainesville, FL. What I am saying is that it doesn't have an exclusive store for those brands, where selections would be more. You should read other people's comments carefully before replying them. There isn't a Saks Fifth Ave here. The one in downtown Minneapolis is a Saks Off Fifth Outlet. It was originally a Saks Fifth Ave, but was closed in 2004. I believe it is the only Saks Off Fifth in the downtown area of a city.
For my comments about banks, I understand this sounds absurd to you. But I do think for a city with reasonable size, there should be some nationally popular branches like citi or BoA. If you don't believe it, just do some research. Yes, Seattle has WaMu headquarter, but it still has a lot of BoA branches before WaMu going to bankruptcy. If you don't believe BoA is popular, why would Mall of America put a BoA ATM machine at its entrance? BTW, Wells Fargo's headquarter is now in San Francisco, it was in Minneapolis though. I am not saying Twin Cities should have Citi, BoA, Chase, as well as US Bank and Wells Fargo. But I think it should have one of the former three to meet traveler's needs, if it wants to gain its global status. Citi is not popular in the west coast, but you do find Citi branches in almost every big city in California, like San Diego which is the smallest of the three biggest cities in California.
For the cities you've mentioned, I agree that some cities are not as good as Twin Cities even for the matters as I mentioned, but I don't think any Minnesotan would even think that Omaha is better than the Twin Cities. I am just saying that Twin Cities is not comparable to Seattle or San Diego for the aspects I mentioned, which are also in your list, but is kinda comparable to Omaha in those aspects. Twin Cities is up there in terms what is available. I wouldn't say it is in accordance with its size though. The size of Twin Cities is like 15th or 16th in the nation. In terms of what is available, it is probably 30th. It has some but also lacks some, and I don't see anything so outstanding that it exceeds expectation of a city its size. In terms of the aspects that I mentioned, it is a metro area with a population of 300 million and some Midwestern attitude that it doesn't like to spend, and therefore not a big market. That's it. I just don't like the fact that some people think or say this place is that special, and skip the ones that it lacks. It can mislead someone like, umm, me.
I am not saying Twin Cities suck as a whole due to these aspects, either. What I am saying is Twin Cities lack in those aspects and need to improve. Another proof that you are not reading my comments carefully. You are just being annoyed immediately. Twin Cities is not for everyone. That's for sure. I am just giving my two cents.
Quote:
Originally Posted by knke0402
1) Movie theater.
I disagree with about everything you're saying. Your comment about Theater Seats is completely irrelevant, because thats drama, theater-not Box office. 75% of Twin Cities Movie theaters have been built since 1995. So they're fairly new. I can name a handful of spectactular theaters. Dont let the area around Dinkytown sway your judgment. Also, I wouldnt judge the livability of an area solely based on "crappy movie theaters" i dont know which ones you are even talking about. Ps. St Michael is about 40 minute drive TOPS from Dinkytown, WITH traffic. Trust me. I worked in Dinkytown, adn I lived in St Michael. with no traffic it was a 25 minute drive at most. oh yeah, I guess the Twin Cities are so crappy because you cant find a cheesy theater with all your art buddies to drink tea and watch lame foriegn and indie films. But, however there are places, many places that you dont even know about.
For all the cities you have mentioned,
2) Shopping
Shopping is a regional industry. Retail shopping like malls is everywhere, yes, but designer fashion shopping only is present in major cities.-Chicago, LA, NYC, Miami (kinda). In terms of shopping malls, there are plenty, but for designer, who in Twin Cities cares about Mx Armani, and G Star. I have plenty of clothes from Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren stores bought right in the Twin cities, too bad you missed out.
3) Banks
Wells Fargo has headquarters in Mineapolis, thats why there are so many banks. Sorry, but banks arent just going to open branches just because "visitors" might use them. Oh yeah, and you're right, there are no Wells Fargo on the east coast, but i dont get what thats even supposed to mean. oh yeah, Wells Fargo just aquired Wachovia, so all Wachovias will be wells.
You're message is just horrible. You are complaining about things that are just rediculous. Like the Twin Cities dont have a Citi, Chase or BOA branch. Thats just rediculous. The Twin Cities are saturated wtih US Bank and Wells, for a reason. There are no Wells east coast because there are so many BOA and Citi. Its a lame thing to hate a region for.
Oh the Twin Cities suck because you cant find a Burberry, or Armani? Are you kidding? This isnt LA or NY pal, float back down to earth. Sry the Twin Cities are so inconvenient for you because you cant find Burberry or Armani. Oh yeah, there is a Saks Fifth Avenue.
Seriously, I just think you're stubborn and afraid to get out of uptown and away from the coffee shops. there is everything you complained about not having. Oh yeah, this stuff is in everyother city in America? Really? Really?
Detroit? Seattle? Cleaveland? Omaha? Kansas City? Dallas? Buffalo? San Diego? Raleigh? DC? St. Petersburg? New Orleans? Nashville? Boston? Phoenix? Philadelphia? Salt Lake City? come on... you're absurd. nOne of those places have hsit on the TC.
Last edited by fashionguy; 10-14-2008 at 02:39 PM..
I know the seats per capita thing is not for movie theaters. I mentioned that, but I can just say for what I know about. FYI, I have been to every movie theater in the Twin Cities I can find on google, including Marcus Oakdale and the recently opened Cinemagic Atlantis in Burnsville. Those theaters are good, but the movies they show are normnal. Not IMAX or the special movies I look for sometimes. When I want to see an IMAX movie, I have to drive an hour to St. Michale, and when I want to see a special movie, I have to stick to Landmark. That is what I am saying. And, yes, AMC and Regal added IMAX screens for their theaters for almost every city you mentioned with a size comparable to Twin Cities, like Seattle, San Diego, DC, Orlando, even Albany, etc that it originally didn't have IMAX operations. Cities like Boston don't even have to compare with Twin Cities in terms of what is available. It is a completely first-line city in everything. Philadelphia and Dallas are a lot larger so it is not a fair comparison either. But I don't think the size of a city like Buffalo can be compared to Twin Cities, and I don't think Twin Cities would like to even compare with Omaha.
I of course know I can buy some Calvin Klein or Polo Ralph Lauren clothes, from Macy's or Bloomingdales. Well, I can do that in a college town like Gainesville, FL. What I am saying is that it doesn't have an exclusive store for those brands, where selections would be more. You should read other people's comments carefully before replying them. There isn't a Saks Fifth Ave here. The one in downtown Minneapolis is a Saks Off Fifth Outlet. It was originally a Saks Fifth Ave, but was closed in 2004. I believe it is the only Saks Off Fifth in the downtown area of a city.
For my comments about banks, I understand this sounds absurd to you. But I do think for a city with reasonable size, there should be some nationally popular branches like citi or BoA. If you don't believe it, just do some research. Yes, Seattle has WaMu headquarter, but it still has a lot of BoA branches before WaMu going to bankruptcy. If you don't believe BoA is popular, why would Mall of America put a BoA ATM machine at its entrance? BTW, Wells Fargo's headquarter is now in San Francisco, it was in Minneapolis though. I am not saying Twin Cities should have Citi, BoA, Chase, as well as US Bank and Wells Fargo. But I think it should have one of the former three to meet traveler's needs, if it wants to gain its global status. Citi is not popular in the west coast, but you do find Citi branches in almost every big city in California, like San Diego which is the smallest of the three biggest cities in California.
For the cities you've mentioned, I agree that some cities are not as good as Twin Cities even for the matters as I mentioned, but I don't think any Minnesotan would even think that Omaha is better than the Twin Cities. I am just saying that Twin Cities is not comparable to Seattle or San Diego for the aspects I mentioned, which are also in your list, but is kinda comparable to Omaha in those aspects. Twin Cities is up there in terms what is available. I wouldn't say it is in accordance with its size though. The size of Twin Cities is like 15th or 16th in the nation. In terms of what is available, it is probably 30th. It has some but also lacks some, and I don't see anything so outstanding that it exceeds expectation of a city its size. In terms of the aspects that I mentioned, it is a metro area with a population of 300 million and some Midwestern attitude that it doesn't like to spend, and therefore not a big market. That's it. I just don't like the fact that some people think or say this place is that special, and skip the ones that it lacks. It can mislead someone like, umm, me.
I am not saying Twin Cities suck as a whole due to these aspects, either. What I am saying is Twin Cities lack in those aspects and need to improve. Another proof that you are not reading my comments carefully. You are just being annoyed immediately. Twin Cities is not for everyone. That's for sure. I am just giving my two cents.
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