Our next episode dives into our host city, or I should probably say cities: Minneapolis-St. Paul. Now, technically we are in Minneapolis for the Everything Conference, as the McNamara Center is on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis (side note I don't know if I've ever seen so many Ms and Ns in one place as over this weekend). But are we obligated to mention St. Paul at least at some point whenever we mention Minneapolis? Or just say "Twin Cities"? Does the other one feel left out otherwise? In order to sort this out, one must talk to a local. We are blessed to have quite a few in attendance this weekend, and for this conversation I reached out to my friend and Minneapolis native Rachel Blanford, who I know from the Location Indie community and whom I had already met twice! in person, at Camp Indie in Connecticut the past two years. It would have been in 2023 therefore when Rachel said, as she is wont to do, "You should come visit in Minneapolis, I'll show you around." Of course, I said, "Sure," but what were the odds that would happen any time soon? Turns out, pretty good. Here we are just over a year later, sitting down in the living room of a beautiful Vrbo rented house, with Becca, Josh, Lindsay, Cory, Rachel A., Annie, David and Dustin all milling around in the background. We cover:
- Do citizens of both intermingle and go between? Or mostly keep to one or the other?
- How the Twin Cities have both pursued wonderful cleanliness and beautification schemes, from parks and public spaces to public art and murals initiatives
- How the banks of the Mississippi have been largely de-industrialized and returned to green space and nature, which is lovely to see.
- The feel of the city (does it feel "big" to a local?), population and diversity, and the Twin Cities' influence on the midwest and the country as a whole
Tips include:
- It's a metropolitan area that punches above its weight. See how many influences, cultural, economic and political, you can come up with
- Subtle art installations and effects to look out for when you visit
- Where to find the giant murals of Prince and Bob Dylan, amongst others
- Check out one of the many theatres and auditoriums when you visit, especially in winter
Minneapolis/St. Paul is like a hybrid between the big cities of Chicago, LA or New York, with their cultural influence, yet far more than just another Midwest city. It's a place that has certainly had, and continues to make, an impact. And by the time you finish this episode, you should know what to call a local: Minneapolitaniter. I think. Encouragement links:
My thanks to Jeff Long for his help with audio repair and processing for this episode. You can find him here at Zigzag Along with Deana & Jeff Photo credit: Rachel Blanford The MultiPod @ the Everything Conference miniseries © Quick Edit Podcasts, 2024 Production and original music by Ted Cragg ---- Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, on YouTube, or or on your favourite podcast app.