Twin Cities Real Estate Blog

Around the holiday season, you can hardly go into a retail store without seeing someone in a red apron ringing a bell in front of a red Salvation Army kettle. The donation buckets have become synonymous with the Christmas season -- while many make it a point to drop some dollar bills or coins in the bucket, very few of us (or none) could ever match the donation the Salvation Army got last week. A $500,000 check was written out to the Salvation Army and dropped into the donation kettle at a Rosemount Cub Foods. Not surprising, the donation was the single largest ever made in the Twin Cities. While the Salvation...

Circle of Design, the Minnesota fashion favorite runway show, will return in 2016 with a new exciting concept and fresh designers. On April 23rd, Minnesota Fashion Week will be infused with beautiful designs, compelling dance performances, and Circle of Design’s famed story-telling method of runway fashion. The show next year will be hosted at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis at 7:00 pm and will include both men’s and women’s fashion, taking viewers through the day of the working man and woman and how their wardrobe changes day to night. One of the biggest changes to the show next year is the inclusion of students --...

It’s hard for me to evaluate the real value of a movie like Brooklyn. Most people go to the movies to be distracted for two hours. This Brooklyn does admirably. Its star, Saoirse Ronan, will likely get a lot of awards attention for her performance. This is also well-deserved and long overdue for one of the more reliable young actresses working today. The photography is pretty, the screenplay crisp and entertaining, the production values irreproachable. It is dressed up like a prestige period piece, and for the most part it plays the role admirably. But there’s something missing....

When I saw the remake of Poltergeist earlier this year, I wondered whether seeing the original helps or hurts enjoyment of the remake. I theorized that maybe a bad remake (for which that definitely qualifies) might benefit from the viewer knowing the original, because at least then you know the justification for inexplicably bad choices and can follow along. However, having not seen the Argentinean Oscar-winning El secreto de sus ojos, I decided to take in its American...

It’s the day after Thanksgiving and you are looking for something to do. Perhaps you are not interested in getting caught up in the crowds of Black Friday Shoppers. Or, you’re looking for something to do after taking advantage of those early morning deals. Well, here’s an idea: how about visit a Minnesota State Park? And, the best part is, you don’t have to pay for admission. Governor Mark Dayton has proclaimed this Friday to be “Free Park Friday” at all of Minnesota’s 75 state parks and recreation areas. There are plenty of options that would allow you to experience nature....

In this writer’s humble opinion, Roman Holiday is the most romantic movie ever made. It sparkles with the narrative efficiency, emotional clarity, and flawless craft that one associates with the best of golden age Hollywood. Every moment is efficient and beautiful and evocative of the most alluring daydreams Hollywood can muster. It reminds me of the old school work ethos associated with early filmmaking. They didn’t consider themselves artists. They were craftspeople, and their job was to churn out a good product at an astonishing rate. The results, occasionally, happened to be great art as well. The screenplay, which won...

The Hunger Games book trilogy was turned into four Jennifer Lawrence led movies, finishing with Mockingjay: Part 2. The film picks up exactly where Part 1 left off and realizes the end of Katniss' long journey that started with her volunteering for her sister as Tribute in the first chapter. The beloved series has a faithful following which was shown by the chaotic lobby of excited fans who waited hours to get into the only press screening in the Twin Cities -- a lot disappointed fans were turned away from the sold out affair. The IMAX presentation at the Minnesota...

Fitness season is upon us! When the Christmas lights go up, so does our awareness for the end of the year, which means we are making resolutions and carving out a new outlook for the New Year! People will be flocking back to their gym memberships for the post-New Year’s rush with hopes of being more committed than ever. Some of us will be implementing a new diet we have never tried before, while others are hoping to stop drinking soda or even quit smoking. Either way, we are striving to begin our new year with a solid foundation to implement...

It’s been reported recently that two Metro Mobility Drivers have been accused of sexual assault. The most recent incident involved a 23-year-old woman who has the mental capacity of a 12 to 14-year-old. Segundo D. Aucapina, 44, of Minneapolis, has been charged in Hennepin County District Court with third degree Sexual Assault criminal conduct. He remains in jail on a $150,000 bail. KSTP TV reports if he is convicted, Aucapina faces a prison sentence of up to 15 years and up to $30,000 in fines. According to the...