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Reliable Taxi Co in Twin Cities, MN

judybxxx — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:26:41 -0800

Seeking a good (reliable) taxi company in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St Paul). A long term Insomniac, now I'm having trouble staying awake more than 25 minutes if driving alone, and want to have the option of getting off the road and calling a cab. Reviews on the web seem totally variable. I can take a pill in advance, but I try to minimize that. The thing is, traffic can change my travel time. If coming home, Minneapolis Lakes area and St Louis park would be the area, but I occasionally go all over (i.e. Maplewood, this Thurs, St Paul, North Mpls, etc). The reviews I read go from 'best in the cities' to 'horrible, never use them' for the same company. What do you use if you want a good chance they'll show up when they say, drive reasonably, etc.
(if I catch a cab, then I'd come back to get the car with a friend, at a convenient time, if you are wondering about the strategy).

I appreciate your concern, but please, lets not start with insomnia suggestions - believe me, I work hard at getting more sleep, in lots of ways, and that's not the question I'm asking now.

(I recommend the book, Insomniac )
So, cab recommendations, please!

Blogs about the twin cities or Minnesota

TheClonusHorror — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:08:57 -0800

I'm looking for your favorite blogs about things to do in or around the twin cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) or in Minnesota in general. In Los Angeles, I read Eating L.A., which is about restaurants around town, and Big Orange Landmarks, which is done by a guy who travels around to all the places on the National Historic Register and takes photos. It hasn't been updated in awhile but the archives are still great. This guy chronicles his walks around Los Angeles' various neighborhoods and his road trips.

So I'm looking for blogs along those lines (or loosely related), but about Minnesota. Or if you have any ideas of google terms I should search for or other jumping-off points, those would be helpful too!

Already too far from Lake Itasca?

vytae — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:34:29 -0800

There are a couple of gorgeous beaches on the west side of the Mississippi river near Lake Street in south Minneapolis. Is it safe to swim or wade at them? Maybe I'm crazy for considering this, or maybe worrying is silly. Swimming in nonchlorinated water has always squicked me out a bit, so the mental alarms yelling "don't swim there!" are often just crying wolf. I need your more rational judgment to prevail.

Now, I don't want to swim across the river or anything, and I know the current out in the middle is swift. I certainly wouldn't go out far enough to get myself hit by a barge. I just want to cool off. If I stayed near the shoreline, would the water currents/pollutants/pathogens/man-eating-fish be too dangerous? What about wading, is that out of the question?

I know there are lots of other (lake) beaches around the city, but this one is close and relatively deserted at most times. I'd love to be able to bask with a book and then take a dip when the heat overwhelms me, as long as I wasn't risking illness or injury. What say you, twin-citians?

Non-corporate bagels in the Twin Cities?

caution live frogs — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:02:22 -0800

Minneapolis MeFites: Is some non-chain store place in the Twin Cities metro area where I can get a decent bagel? I'm looking for bagels the way they ought to be: Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and delicious, made fresh daily at the kind of store or deli that knows damn well lox is a standard bagel topping, and doesn't call it a "sandwich" and add a $6 markup just to drop 1/4 ounce of Nova Scotia goodness on top of the cream cheese. Lots of flavor combinations a plus - I don't want a place that only offers three or four types of bagel.

I am so sick of the chain stores. Surely there's a locally-owned and operated place in the metro that can do it better than a chain store, right? My wife and I haven't been able to find any place so far that fits the bill.

Bonus, for anyone who's spent time in Ann Arbor (or East Lansing back in the early 90s): My ideal match would be someplace approximating the Bagel Fragel. Awesome bagels, tons of topping combos, reasonable prices, and darn good deli sandwiches to boot - lunch was never more than $5 and change. Damn do I miss that place. I'd kill for another go at the "experimental" flavor bagel batches.

Crap. Now I want a fragel, too.

Tell me about St. Paul, OR

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:02:55 -0800

What can you tell me about St. Paul, Oregon and the Willamette Valley? I am considering taking a job just outside of St. Paul and know nothing about the area and won't get a chance to go there before accepting the job. It seems pretty agricultural and conservative. Is this accurate? I'm a little surprised at how 'western' it seems, being so close to Portland. What is there to do around there? Are there good hiking / camping / restaurants / brewpubs / other crunchy liberal sorts of things etc to be had? I will have a car to get around, but not much money to spend. Will I die of boredom?

Twin Cities restaurant recommendations please!

triggerfinger — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:51:50 -0800

Calling all Minneapolitans - looking for a restaurant recommendation. I am looking for a restaurant in the Mpls/St Paul area which has a good view of a lake or the river. The restaurant must serve standard American food - steak, burgers, pizza, tacos etc. Price doesn't matter as much as the food. I know about Lord Fletchers in Minnetonka, Maynards in Excelsior and Sunsets in Wayzata and while these are good, something in either of the cities would be preferable to the suburbs. It's been years since I've lived there so I'm not fully up to date on all the restaurants. Any help much appreciated, thanks!

Two eyebrows, please.

gavagai — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 20:51:10 -0800

Where's a good place in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to get my eyebrows de-Munstered? I'm a female with some pretty serious eyebrows (verging into eyebrow, singular, if I'm not careful). I've never had them waxed, shaped, or threaded before, and friends' terror tales of overwaxed sperm eyebrows make me fearful of having it done. I'd be fine with having thickish eyebrows as long as they no longer look as if someone needs to take a wheedwhacker to them, so I'd like to go to a place that will rip with discrimination.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good eyebrow wax or thread in the Twin Cities?

Where in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro can we still find a reservation for Christmas dinner?

nathan_teske — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:59:56 -0800

Where in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro can we still find a reservation for Christmas dinner? Googling turned up a recent article in the Strib, but that list doesn't look too promising. Ideally we're looking for a traditional Christmas dinner which is priced somewhere between Old Country Buffet and the St. Paul Grill.

Poutine in the Twin Cities?

Waitwhat — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:04:33 -0800

Where in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area can I get some good poutine? Is there any place?

Where to find an unfinished wooden tray in Minneapolis/St. Paul?

deinemutti — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:53:00 -0800

Where to find an unfinished wooden tray in Minneapolis/St. Paul? I'm looking for a decent, unfinished wooden tray so I can lay mosaic on the surface and then finish it to match my mother's kitchen. I want a decent sized tray (about 17" x 14" or more)

I already have checked JoAnn's craft section and Michael's (In Apple Valley/Burnsville if that makes a difference), but the ones they had were too small and the wood used was very thin and balsa-like (far too weak to support tiles), and seemed strictly for decorative purposes. Whereas I want one that can actually be USED to carry things.

I plan to check Mosaic on a Stick tomorrow and Clay Squared doesn't seem to sell wooden surfaces, just tiles and whatnot. Are there any stones that I've left unturned locally?

I already found some shops on the internet as a last resort, but I have a thing about touching and holding stuff before buying (personal quality control).

Accordion & Uke Lessons in MN

Waitwhat — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:07:30 -0800

I'm interested in taking accordion and/or ukulele lessons in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Does anyone know where I might be able to take lessons? Additionally, does anyone know of places where I can rent either instrument?

Minneapolis/St. Paul Auto Glass Replacement Recommendations

hootch — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:38:33 -0800

Recommendations on an auto glass company in Minneapolis/St. Paul? I need to have the windshield replaced on my 2001 Toyota Corolla. Does anyone have recommendations on companies in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area that could do this cheaply? As I don't have glass coverage, that's my main requirement. I'd also like them to come to me to replace it, but I'll bring it to them if it ends up bringing the cost down.

Road trip! Wisconsin to Arizona

charmston — Sun, 11 May 2008 09:24:05 -0800

From Thursday-Saturday, I'll be moving from Eau Claire, WI to Mesa, AZ. I have to drive. Money-saving tips? Day 1: Eau Claire, WI to Wichita, KS
Day 2: Wichita, KS to Albuquerque, NM
Day 3: Albuquerque, NM to Mesa, AZ

I have family to stay with in Wichita, but will have to get a hotel in Albuquerque. I'm open to tips ranging from gas station rewards programs to driving tips.

Jimminy Cricket!

charmston — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:26:36 -0800

I'm looking for a cell phone plan similar to Cricket's Choice plan (emphasis on the lack of an annual contract,) that is available in the Twin Cities. Bonus points if it's a service portable to Phoenix, AZ.

Renegade clowns with meat cleavers? WTF?

jk252b — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 05:47:54 -0800

Renegade clowns with meat cleavers in Minnesota! Seriously, did I make this up? I grew up in St. Paul, MN and for years have had a bizarre memory from elementary school.

I remember around 5th or 6th grade, somewhere between 1991 - 1993, there being reports of a meat cleaver wielding clown running around St. Paul. He didn't actually attack anyone -- just scared children at playgrounds and maybe stared into people's windows. As the memory goes, the clown was spotted at the MLK Center which was directly next door to my school, and outdoor recess was canceled for a week. Apparently it was determined to be a hoax, and everything was back to normal.

Strange memory, huh? Now, I'm not the type to make this sort of thing up and I don't usually have false memories but no one yet has corroborated my memory. The only person I'm still in touch with from grade school has some faint memory, but says it may just be a result of me talking about this in more recent years. Google has failed me, as has Lexis-Nexis.

Am I crazy?

Relationship counselor in Minneapolis/St. Paul?

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 07:56:46 -0800

Looking for marriage/relationship counseling in Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Has anyone had any experience with a good, secular relationship counselor in the Twin Cities area? Low cost would be an added bonus!

Where can I get Jelly Babies in the Twin Cities?

adamwolf — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:13:23 -0800

Where can I get Jelly Babies in the Twin Cities? I'm looking for some Jelly Babies, and being that the Twin Cities aren't quite the UK, I'm having a hard time finding them. I've also googled for places that may sell marmite in Minneapolis or St. Paul, but still no luck.

Escape from New York

mtstover — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 18:37:34 -0800

Escape from New York: Toronto or Minneapolis / St. Paul? My wife and I have decided to leave the Big Apple after 8 years by the end of this year. One option is to transfer within my company to either Toronto or St. Paul. Looking for opinions from Mefites on the respective merits of your burghs... FWIW, I'm a management consultant, have what would be considered a great income anywhere but NYC, and have a 1 year old kid with plans for more. Wife doesn't work and is looking to have a community of other non-working moms if possible. Outdoor activities are important to us, as are good restaurants, a relatively left leaning, educated population, and a "cosmopolitan" feel. For reference, she grew up in Ithaca (we love it), and I grew up in Nebraska (not moving back). The weather is not a worry.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Small reception sites in Mpls/St. Paul

Zosia Blue — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:44:16 -0800

Looking for a place for a small wedding reception in the Tiwn Cities, with a few other specifications. This is a spur-of-the-moment wedding, so I don't hold hope I'll be able to meet all of my desires, but here's a go:

The wedding reception will be 15 people or under on a weekend in early December of this year. I'd like a nice restaurant with a private room. I'd like it not to be exorbitantly expensive, as we're on a budget. (I don't want to throw out price ranges, as I'd like to see what you guys come up with.) The actual ceremony will be in Excelsior, so I'm not opposed to restaurants in the outer suburbs. I'd like to completely avoid downtown Mpls, which I know limits options, but, man, I HATE downtown. My most specific request, and I'm flexible on this, is that the private room have a window or two. Most don't, I know, but I'd like to avoid being stuck in a basement or a wine cellar. A plus PLUS would be a restaurant on one of the lakes, but I know those tend to be in the upper price range. Good vegetarian fare is a plus, but not a must. Basically: a nice place (but not TOO nice as to impose a stiff atmosphere and a weighty check) with a great atmosphere, not downtown.

Any ideas? I'm open to the idea of renting a space, and bringing in catering, too.

Restaurants and Hiking in Twin Cities

gauchodaspampas — Sun, 14 May 2006 17:19:29 -0800

What are good restaurants and hiking trails in the twin cities area (for a visiting Houstonian to go to)? My aunt is going to be visiting us in the Twin Cities for a week. She will be staying with my parents in Highland Park (I myself now live in Minneapolis). So far, we have some ideas for what to do, so I don't need general 'things to do in the Twin Cities,' which has already been asked anyhow. She has told my parents that she would like to go hiking at some point, so I could use some suggestions for good hiking trails nearby. They're not looking to really leave the Twin Cities area, so within a 30-45 minute drive from Saint Paul would be good. Also, my parents would like to take her to eat somewhere that has food she will not be able to find in Houston. If you've read the thread mentioned above, you'll see that I obviously am recommending Punch Pizza, but I'd like some more ideas. I'm looking for anything that is available here, but not in Houston if you happen to be familiar with both areas, or just food in the Twin Cities that is absolutely superb and of a quality that will be hard to come by anywhere else.

Save my GPA!

charmston — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 20:54:20 -0800

Looking for personal recommendations of quiet coffeehouse-type study spots in the Twin Cities. With the Winter Olympics in full swing, I am no longer able to withstand the temptation of the television in my room. Free wi-fi is a must, late (11pm or 12am) hours on weekdays is a bonus. Anywhere in Minneapolis or St. Paul will work, although the closer to downtown Minneapolis or the Macalaster/St. Thomas area (Grand and Snelling in St. Paul) is preferred. Some local joints I've already found that I enjoy:

- Muddy Paws Cheesecake
- Vera's Cafe
- Coffee News Cafe

Thanks in advance!