Twin Cities Real Estate Blog

“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” ~Toni Morrison For many would-be novelists, National Novel Writing Month is in full swing with the first full weeks of writing passed. A local kickoff was hosted by the local Municipal Liaisons of NaNoWriMo at Wilde Roast Cafe where people were able to meet fellow writers, veterans and rookies alike. There are numerous resources...

It is easy to find the very clear, yet invisible, line drawn between consumers’ stance on the recent General Mill’s $82 million Annie’s Homegrown acquisition. A simple stroll through the web will all at once land you in a pile of consumer outcry and applause. You can find simple words of thanks and praise for hopes of affordability and great availability down to petitions of protest and disgust surrounding Annie’s “sell out” betrayal. This dispute poses significant questions. How critical should we be regarding food company acquisitions and takeovers? Each year, independently owned companies shrink...

Now that the Vikings are halfway through their season, I think it's poignant to have a midseason analysis of this 4-5 football team. Up until this point, despite their win in Week 9 over the Washington Red.... ugh, football team, this season has been quite deflating on many levels for those who bleed purple. The first week high, fostered by the destruction of the formidable St. Louis Rams, quickly evaporated with news of Adrian Peterson's situation and injuries to starting offensive players Brandon Fusco, Matt Cassel and Kyle Rudolph -- just like that, four starters, gone from the lineup. In the following weeks, the team has been on a roller coaster of...

I mean, you wake up one Monday morning and all of a sudden the amusement park has closed. The parades have stopped and nobody remembers how or what to sing anymore. And on your way home from work that day, your car breaks down and the money it costs to fix it is more than what you have to your name. And somehow, the next day, the girl you can't get over shows up at work and you fall into an emotional masterpiece of lost wandering in the forests only you've seen and no one cares to discuss the diversity of the tree branches that are which therein. And then finally, at the end of each day, you at last get home just soon enough to feed your cat, play catch with him for hours on end, cook dinner things, and then fall...

You can count me as one of the bigger fans of Christopher Nolan -- the titles in his filmography rank amongst some of my favorites (Batman Begins, The Prestige, Inception). With Interstellar hitting theaters last weekend, you can bet I was enthused to see a press screening last week on the huge IMAX screen (Lie-MAX) at Southdale (though it was not presented on the TRUE 70 mm film stock that...

Recent polls indicated more than 90% of Americans support mandatory labeling of GMO foods. Oregon’s Measure 92 hoped to demonstrate this support through the election polls on November 4 (the proposition was voted down with a 51% against) . The measure would have required GMO foods to be labeled beginning January 2016. As a result, any manufacturers and/or retailers who violate the regulation can be sued. Of course this has sparked controversy among manufacturers. Measure 92 attracted a record amount of financial support and opposition from large companies on both sides of the labeling campaign. While the percentage of Americans who want...

Grain Belt has been operating in Minnesota for 120 years now -- this brand, which makes two of my favorite beers (Premium and Nordeast), has been a state-wide icon for decades now. Most Minnesota residents will recognize the famous beer sign picture above -- this sign, which is situated on Nicollet Island right next to the Hennepin Avenue Bridge, has not be lit up in over 20 years. Well, that will no longer be the case. The owner of the famous Premium Grain Belt brand, the August Schell Brewing Company, will be ...

The northwestern corner of St. Paul has followed the lead of nearby northeast Minneapolis and started brewing in earnest. The most notable of these newcomers is Urban Growler; Jill Pavlak and Deb Loch (who is famous among home-brewers for her accolades in beer competition) established this St. Anthony Park brewery over the past summer. ...

DJ Lance Rock, Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, and Plex all stopped by the State Theatre on their first stop of their "Music is Awesome" 2014 tour. Playing two shows, an early 3 o'clock, and a later 6 o'clock, the cast got all the kids dancing over the course of the 60 minute show.

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