Twin Cities Real Estate Blog

Aaron Hicks is at a Crossroads

aaron hicks is a problem - mn twins

It’s gone on long enough. We’ve seen enough at-bats frittered away and men left on base. Aaron Hicks doesn’t have the physical skills to be a major league ballplayer, and more importantly, he lacks that mental drive one needs to play in the major leagues. His most recent comments clearly illustrate this. On May 30th Aaron Hicks told Ron Gardenhire he didn’t want to see anymore breaking balls during batting practice.

To his credit, Gardenhire told the media he “asked” the Yankees if they would be throwing any...

Minneapolis Real Estate Market Statistics

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Have you ever wondered what the real estate market is doing in Minneapolis?  There are three market trends that are worth discussing and each gives an indication about the direction the real estate market is heading. #1: Median Sales Price - many market observers use the median sales price of homes to gauge whether local market values are trending up or down.  The median sales price from June 2013 through May 2014 in the City of Minneapolis was $195,000.  This means that 1/2 of the homes sold during this time were above $195,000 and 1/2 of the homes sold...

Minneapolis Institute of Arts Set to Host 5th Annual 'Gala and Summer Party'

MIA 5th Gala 2014 One of the greatest things about the Twin Cities is our take on the arts. We have sculptures scattered all over the cities, great architecture, multiple museums and galleries to attend -- in general our community appreciates the arts, and the finer things in life. This year one of the Twin Cities' most renown museums, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, is holding its 5th annual Gala and Summer Party on Saturday, June 7th 2014. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts will be the place for the fundraiser. The Gala dinner will be inside the reception hall and the after party being at the Target Park, the...

'Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II' a Huge Hit

Bugs Bunny at the Symphony Minnesota This past Friday, May 23rd, I had the fortunate chance to see Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II. This feature was conducted by George Daugherty and performed by the great Minnesota Orchestra. George Daugherty and David Ka Lik Wong created and produced this idea where they play Looney Tunes cartoons on a giant screen at the orchestra and have live music play from professional musicians. Both have collaborated together on other projects like ABC Television's project ...

Minneapolis and Duluth Battle for Best Town in Midwest

duluth - best city in the midwest

Minneapolis and Duluth are fighting for the title of Best Town in the Midwest, part of Outside Magazine’s contest for America’s Best Place to Live. Duluth is currently in the lead, beating out Minneapolis by more than 4,000 votes. The winner is chosen by voting done on Outside Magazine’s website. The contest is a bracket-style competition that includes the Midwest, West, East and South. The preliminary rounds...

“We Are Hungry”— A Political Food Debate Over School Lunch Policy

school food debate

From the viral “We Are Hungry” video to Michelle Obama’s political backlash of the Republican efforts to reverse the current school lunch dietary requirements, the debate regarding school lunch standards is a hot-button issue to say the least. While students choreographed a clever pun on the “We Are Young” hit by the American Fun Band, the nutrition and health of our young American students is no laughing matter. It is clear there is a division between Congress, school administrators, parents, and students. This has moved me to question...

St. Cloud State Voted Best Community Garden in the State of Minnesota

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I was thrilled to see Saint Cloud State University’s Community Garden made headlines as the best community garden in the state of Minnesota (as voted by WCCO readers) -- I could not agree with you more! As a former student at SCSU, I completed my senior level course work focusing on the sociological and political aspects of food. In addition to our typical classroom course work (extensive reading, research, and writing), we also had the incredible opportunity...

Black Bear Wanders into Southern Suburb

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A wandering black bear decided to spend its Memorial Day weekend vacationing in the streets of the southern suburb Savage, disrupting holiday campers, slowing traffic and scaring elementary school children. The bear was most recently spotted on Thursday afternoon near a Kwik Trip on Highway 42 and Vernon Avenue, about a mile away from Harriet Bishop Elementary School. The students were led inside and parents were asked to pick up children who regularly bike or walk home. The bear has been seen multiple times in Savage since its first...

Movie Review -- 'Maleficent' Piques Interest, But Suffers From Shaky Storytelling

Maleficent-2014-movie review

I am well aware that I am not in the target audience for Disney's Maleficent. I am male, in my 20s and fairly orthodox when it comes to story structure; in other words, there are plenty of reasons to write off my opinion and go see it (though I am not advising total avoidance). Just be warned that the movie has major story-telling problems and viewers might have difficulty figuring out what exactly is disengaging them.
The Inexcusable
In an era with movies like Up that entice the attention of both children and adults via efficient openings, Maleficent...

A Wonderful Celebration For All Minnesotans -- The 'Edina Art Fair' Celebrates 48 Years

edina art fair animals Let's pretend for a moment you're not into fast cars*, so the free races on June 7th at Elko Speedway are not for you. You're more about creative expression than noisy competition. You're intrigued by a painted canvas, not a revving engine. Well, in that case, Minnesota Connected has found a great alternative to the racetrack for you next weekend... On June 6th, 7th and 8th, the 48th Annual Edina Art Fair will be held...