c Included the Minneapolis Skyway in my walk to escape cold and ice. Finally got to see inside the new Minneapolis Public Service Building. I’ve previously admired the exterior, so it was good to walk through the beautifully designed interior, including this skyway section.
Category: Twin Cities
Industrial Esthetic
It may not be the prettiest cycling route, but it does have a gritty, desolate beauty. Today, Saturday, was a good time to explore this industrial area as there were no heavy trucks on the road.
Dayton’s Reimagined
On my cycle ride through Downtown, Mary Tyler Moore was back on her perch, tossing her tam, competing for attention with the spiffy, just-opened Dayton’s building. It took over $350 million to transform the department store into office and retail space.
Honoring Ordinary People
On my cycle ride: Sheridan Memorial Park. Surrounding plaques honor veterans of ten wars while reflecting on the futility of so much conflict. I appreciate how this memorial focuses on the ordinary people called to fight in wars, rather than leaders.
Minnehaha Falls (Fall)
Took the obligatory photo of Minnehaha Falls while waiting for a friend.
Sinister Reflections
Played with mirrored surfaces at the Guthrie on my walk to meet a friend to go for a walk. The repetition of the George Bernard Shaw panel took me to a sinister place where a pacifist playwright was transformed into a Dear Leader.
Five Watt Earworm
Stopped at Five Watt Coffee for a cuppa. “California Dreamin” was playing in the background and inevitably became an earworm. On the way out, a red elevator lobby demanded my attention.
Chairs in a Park
On our walk: the Fairfield Chair Company had set up a pop-up showroom in Gold Medal Park for some interior decorators.
Tallest Buildings
Cycled downtown to pick up meds. Before cycling back, looked up at the Foshay Tower (1929) framed by buildings of the IDS Center (1972). The Foshay was the tallest building in Minneapolis at 447 ft (607 ft including the antenna mast) until the IDS Tower (792 ft) was built.
Projecting Calm
On my cycle ride: bollards projecting calm. Presumably originally installed to protect a ramp for launching small boats from barges, it’s now purely aesthetic. This section of the Mississippi is now closed to barge traffic.