abracanabra | Gettin' All Cultured-Like

Yup. That there's one of my goals for the next year, and why wait 'til then? I live in a city, and I like living in a city, but it's about time I learned to take advantage of it properly. As is, I feel rather backwards. Oh, I take advantage of a lot of the wonderful things about the Twin Cities--ethnic foods, the Mississippi River, citywide events, free or next-to-nothing lectures and classes--but usually it's by default rather than because I'm seeking out the wonder. My photograph safaris (when it's warm enough out) have helped me to find the unique, the random, the irreplaceable in my neighborhood, and I want to extend that to all of the Twin Cities.

Change starts now. To begin with, I'm going to seek out Christmassy celebrations in the Twin Cities--the Ice Palace, the Macy's display, the biggest gingerbread house ever in the MoA, Holidazzle.... This may be a horrible thing for the Mad Scientist, who's quite a Grinch; every year I have to fight him tooth and nail just to get a Christmas tree in the door. I haven't quite won the battle yet this year, as we will probably have to take the tree down before Christmas unless we can find someone to housesit the beginning of our Christmas break or to swing by and water the damn thing 2-3 times a day, reliably. Heaven help me when he figures out that I plan on actually decorating the entire house for Christmas. Anybody else got any tips about Christmassy-type celebrations that I should seek out in the Twin Cities?

More generally, though--I'm quite seriously contemplating getting a tourist guide to the Twin Cities so that I can fully appreciate it. In the meantime, however, I'm planning on taking exploring (at a leisurely pace of perhaps one or two a month) the museums and centers and zoos and interesting restaurants and whatnot. Many of these places have free days (irksomely, many on Thursdays, when I have Tae Soo Do classes), I can go to a limited number of restaurants for free as part of the mystery shop program I'm in, and the public library system has a great new system, the Museum Adventure Pass (duration unknown, funded by Macy's) allowing people to "check out" free passes for four to a certain number of events. Today we got to go to the Science Museum, which was a lot of fun, though we didn't go to the BodyWorlds exhibit, because Holy Exorbitant Pricing, Batman! I think next I'll be going to the Minnesota Zoo.

I'm entirely willing to share the free tickets obtained from the library, or to have company on my "free day" adventures.

American Swedish Institute
The Bakken Museum
Bell Museum of Natural History
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
Gibbs Museum of Pioneer and Dakotah Life
Historic Murphy’s Landing (Three Rivers Park District)
Mill City Museum
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Minnesota History Center
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Minnesota Museum of American Art
Minnesota Zoo
The Museum of Russian Art
Science Museum of Minnesota
Twin Cities Historic Sites
- Alexander Ramsey House
- Historic Fort Snelling
- James J. Hill House
- Oliver H. Kelley Farm
- Sibley House
Walker Art Center
Weisman Art Museum

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At the art institute they decorate the "period rooms" for Christmas... culturally and christmassy in one!

That's right! I think I went there a couple of years ago; it was very nice. I should do that again. In fact, in view of the coldness of outdoor zoos and the warmth and seasonal cheer of many of these locations, I should really hunt out the ones with Christmas exhibits. Fun!

I'd strongly recommend leaving the zoo until it's warm again - most of it is walking outside to different areas.

is the list meant to be of places the library has passes for? some of these are free anyway...

also, I'd be very interested in some of these, especially the James J Hill House.

Many of them are free on certain days; some all the time, but I gather that then a pass gets you some nice extras.

I'll be posting (with, um, more advance notice) the next time I head over to one of them.

Lemme know about the zoo--whether you wait or not... I will TOTALLY go with you.

I think I will be waiting until it gets all nice and warm again (unfortunately, I'm going to be busy over Thanksgiving....). I'll definitely let you know, though!

'Cause really, zoos are pretty interesting, but they also cost way too much.

Rice Park in St. Paul is doing a Winter Wonderland with a huge tree and train and carrige rides.
Do check out the Gibbs Museum it is really a cool place to visit! I think they are only open in the summer.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I went out a'culturin' yesterday too--we used the library museum pass to go to the Weisman, which rocked. It was free to get into anyway, but we got free parking and a gift bag.

Hey--I don't actually know where your number is. Could you guys give me a call so we can set up a time to hang?

612 879 0736 - if you forget, you can also look it up in any phone book. Right now, we don't really have plans this week except for Thanksgiving and this Tuesday night I won't be free until after 9 p.m.

Give us a call! Leave a message if you get a busy signal, as it just means I'm online.

As always, my work schedule is entirely unpredictable, so I never know when I'll be home--probably best to call after 7:00 p.m.

Or I could just try calling you later tonight, I s'pose. If I have your number.

Brent...do you have someplace to go for New World Day??

I do--I'm hanging out with the fam (I think both sides of the fam, actually, so I'll be as stuffed as, you know, 2 turkeys when I'm done). But thanks, though. I'm going to be here for a while, so let's hang--I've got my phone number on the latest entry for my journal.

Cheers!

Aw...Chad, you've got such a big heart!

You truly do. While most people focus on the Christmas spirit, I'm a huge fan of the Thanksgiving spirit, and you take the cake (or, you know, the turkey or lefse or something) this year.

Well, hell, the poor guy just got out of some Mayan temple with Nazis and Belloq chasing him! He needed a safehouse!

You rock. Call me--612.987.2453 (easier to just put it up this way) and we can celebrate the New World over beer.

Gay Men's Chorus is doing a Messiah sing-along, which I always think are fun. There's also the plethora of Christmas plays out there. I recommend Charlie Bethel's adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Seven Poor Travellers. It's got a one-weekend run at the Illusion Theatre in Dec. You can check their website for details -- it's illusiontheater.org.

Ah, I forgot to be clear about an important thing! These must be free...or very, very cheap.

I think the Gay Men's Chorus IS free... if not, there are other Messiahs in town that should be.

As for Charlie Bethel ... well, if you're really nice to me (and more importantly, is Aaron doesn't want them) I could give you my comps. You see, I'm the lighting designer.

Yeah? Awesome!

I could give you my comps.

I would just like to make one thing entirely clear: I love comps! If anyone is trying to get rid of comps (for shows that work with my schedule, obviously), I'd be delighted to rid them of their burden.

You know how some people just go crazy with the holiday decorating with the lights and stuff?

Well, I believe that *someone* puts together a list of addys each year of participants, with directions, so you can do a driving tour - you just drive around and look at all the people who have too much money and time for their own good.

Also - I don't know how many of your friends are born & bred Mpls people, but I am, so I am happy to tell you all I can about the quirky things you can do. I few things a couple of transplants may not have done...

Have you ever been to the quaking bog? That's a neat little nature trip. Its best to go when its just turning to night. It sounds like hundreds of frogs are all...well, whatever frogs do...at the same time, its very cool.

This may/may not be cheap, but in terms of culture, there is a Frank Lloyd Wright home, near Lake of the Isles, that is owned by the MIA and has tours occasionally (kinda funky schedule though...open like every 3rd weekend of the month or something).

The Como Zoo and Conservatory is open 365 days/year - admission to the zoo is free, the conservatory is I think a mandatory $1 donation, or close to that. They have a bonsai garden which is nifty.

I can come up with more...

I can't tell--is that a *someone* in particular, or just a *someone* in general? Good idea, though I'll probably have to lure in somebody else with a car to do this, as I doubt the Mad Scientist will be amenable.

I don't know how many of your friends are born & bred Mpls people

Most of them are transplants, actually.

Have you ever been to the quaking bog?

No, but that sounds awesome! I'm guessing this is a summer-only sort of trip?

I've been to Como a couple of times--the free is nice.

Thanks for the ideas!

Gettin' All Cultured-Like

Art Institute

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OH OH OH!!!

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Museum Pass-Gibbs Museum

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Whoa, hey...

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Hmmm

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