Rudy Maxa’s World – Top Six, Twin Cities
Posted on August 8, 2008
Rudy Maxa is a contributing editor with National Geographic Traveler magazine and one of America’s premier consumer travel broadcasters on public radio and television. You may know him as “The Savvy Traveler” on public radio’s business show, “Marketplace.” You will see Rudy contributing his Top Six lists here quite often as he travels the world filming his next PBS series. Now, onto Rudy’s Top Six.
Coolest Museum in Town: Hard to choose given the Science Museum and Minnesota History Museum in St. Paul, the Walker Art Gallery, Weisman, and Minneapolis Institute of the Arts in Minneapolis, but I’d go with the Mill City Museum along the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Located in one of the flour mills that put Minneapolis on the map beginning in the late 1800s, this museum is hands on and innovative. Don’t miss the very funny short movie, “Minneapolis in 19 Minutes Flat” by local raconteur Kevin Kling.
Favorite Restaurants: In and around St. Paul, it’s Meritage (for a bistro atmosphere and menu), i Nonni (elegant Italian; ask for a table outside, weather permitting), and the St. Paul Grill (American menu with a view of the lush city park). In Minneapolis, my picks are Vincent’s (fine French), Alma (stunningly prepared, locally sourced haute cuisine), 112 Eatery (warehouse district, hip, small-bite menu that’s creative and yummy), Fugaise (intimate, romantic room with an impeccable Continental menu), 20.21 (Wolfgang Puck’s outpost at the Walker Art Gallery), Chambers Kitchen (Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s outpost at the Chambers Hotel), Nick and Eddie (informal hipster restaurant with well-priced, fresh American dishes), Brenda’s Kitchen and Spoonriver (both offer masterful, almost-all vegetarian plates).
Best Walking Tour: In St. Paul, it’s the walking path along the Mississippi on Shepherd Road and the Lowertown, warehouse district for historical buildings from the day of the railroad barons. In Minneapolis, it’s the Mill District, also along (and over) the Mississippi. You’ll find a free download of my riverside walking tour for your iPod by clicking on “Minneapolis” at: nationalgeographic.com/podcasts/walks.html.
Most Interesting House: Summit Avenue in St. Paul is a long, residential, heavily treed street lined with gorgeous mansions. At 240 Summit (near the Cathedral of St. Paul) is the mansion built by the self-made millionaire, James J. Hill, who founded the Great Northern Railroad that linked the Midwest with the West Coast. This sandstone mansion was meticulously constructed under Hill’s critical eye and completed in 1891 at a cost of $931,275.01.” Hill was a meticulous keeper or records. The five-story mansion is open to the public. mnhs.org/places/sites/jjhh/
Best Pizza: Meryl Streep knows pizza. Why else would she favor–while in St. Paul to film the movie “Prairie Home Companion”–one of the three Punch pizza restaurants in the Twin Cities? There are two in Minneapolis and one in St. Paul. All three have simple, attractive dining rooms and serve true, Neapolitan-style pizzas with fresh mozzarella, Marzano tomatoes, and a great house salad sprinkled with pine nuts. No reservations, so try to avoid prime time and long lines. Ask for your pizza “wet.” Trust me.
Don’t Miss This: In St. Paul, it’s the gigantic Indian of Peace standing inside the lobby of City Hall. This 60-ton, 38-feet high slab of Mexican onyx turns 132 degrees every 2.5 hours and is quite an eyeful. It was created by a Swedish sculptor after he witnessed an Indian ceremony in Oklahoma, and installed in 1936. Saturday is Farmer’s Market Day, and St. Paul has one of the best in the Midwest. In Minneapolis, check out the millions of dollars worth of modern art hanging in the public areas of the Chambers Hotel. Start with the Damien Hirst on the wall behind the check-in desk. St. Paul City Hall, 15 Kellogg Blvd.; St. Paul Farmers Market, 7th St. & Wabasha St.; Chambers Hotel, 901 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.
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