Category: Minneapolis

Mistaken Identity

Nodded to the hostess as I sat at The News Room bar where Dwight would join me after his Y laps. Surly Furious in hand, I noticed the hostess hadn’t budged. Ah, a mermaid, should’ve worn glasses. Lunch, then down to the heated garage and home.

The House That Paint Built

Three blocks from our home, on a snowy walk, paused at Sherwin Williams’ Applied Science and Technology building. Built in 1905 as the headquarters of the Minnesota Linseed Oil Paint Company, the company later merged with Valspar. The combined company remained headquartered in Minneapolis. Finally, it was acquired by Sherwin Williams.

From Factory to Chic Hotel 

Included the Canopy by Hilton Hotel on a downtown walk with a friend. This lovely building was originally a factory for steam-powered wheat threshers and farming implements. An art-filled atrium has been carved out to bring light and drama to interior spaces.

Merry Thursday

It’s Thursday, so we crossed the road to Maxwell’s for dinner. Dwight’s Summit Extra Pale Ale next to my Surly Furious IPA, both local brews.

Skyway Sanctuary

The sun was shining, but the wind was biting, so four miles of my walk found me in the Minneapolis Skyways where I rediscovered gems like the lobby of the 1923 Medical Arts Building.

Avoiding the ER

Icy sidewalks drove me to the skyways, where I walked through interesting spaces, including the Westin in the former Farmers and Mechanics Bank building.

A Splash of Color

On my gray, misty Mississippi walk, a vibrant mural splashed across a concrete wall stabilizing the riverbank. “What Will Sustain Us?”—art that discourages taggers and transforms the mundane.

Still Waters

We took our usual Sunday walk along one side of the Mississippi River, then headed back on the other side. The weather was comfortably in the mid-30s, and there was no wind. Even the river was calm.