{favorite things minneapolis}

In two short months, the last piles of Minneapolis snow will finally give in to the warming spring temperatures and begin their imminent melt into a perfectly splashable puddle on the walking path around Lake Calhoun. In two short months, Minneapolitans everywhere will have traded in North Faces and snow boots for t-shirts and Keen sandals, nights savoring a glass of red wine by the fire for evenings savoring local music groups by Lake Harriet, and winter comfort foods for fish tacos at Tin Fish. In two short months, professionals young and old will come home from a long day at the office and, instead of throwing on sweats and settling in with a sitcom on the couch, will round up friends and family for a walk around the nearest lake or dinner on a local terrace. In two short months, Minneapolis will emerge from its winter cocoon and begin the time of year that stole my heart almost three years and nudged me to call this city home.

But in two short months, as this transformation takes place, I won't be so lucky as to take part. Because in two short months, I will pack all of my earthly possessions into a UHaul and drive Harold, my dear Honda Accord, the almost 1200 miles from the Twin Cities that have called me one of their own for two and a half years to Charlotte, NC, where I will begin the next chapter in this exciting story the Lord is writing for my life. 

"The move," as I've taken to calling it, is definitely bittersweet. In some ways I feel like I grew up here. Not in the "I worn born here, raised here, and have all my childhood memories here way," of course. But very much so in that the person I was when I moved here two Januaries ago seems almost a stranger to the person I will be when I leave. I worked my first real-world job here. I ended my first adult relationship here. I met the love of my life here. I recommitted my life to Christ here. I discovered my passion for kids and education here. I'm leaving my first real-world job here. 

But the cool thing is that none of those experiences has to stay behind in Minneapolis when I leave. Sure, they happened here, but they won't hop out of Harold at the Minnesota state line and wave goodbye in my rear-view mirror, ready to be revisited over a cup of Rustica coffee during the one or two trips back I'll make each year. Nope. Those are for keeps. I get to always remember the lessons learned in the cubicles and meeting rooms of General Mills. I get to always serve and grow in my relationship with Jesus Christ, who I fell back in love with on a park bench off the path of Lake Calhoun. I get to live out that passion for education in a middle school classroom in North Carolina. And best of all, I get to have A with me in Charlotte and every city we might live in after that. 

There are, though, many things I will leave behind. My favorite coffee shops. The beautiful lakes and Greenway I frequent all spring and summer. Incredible restaurants. The best yoga class ever. Paddle sports on the lake where A first told me he loved me. And hardest of all, the many amazing friends that have pulled me in and welcomed me to their bible studies, girls nights, happy hours, coffee dates, etc. Not that these friendships will be forgotten, but the dynamics of a friendship change dramatically when you have to trade Saturday afternoon mani/pedis or girl talk over a bottle of wine every Tuesday for the occasional weekend visit and Skype sesh. Uff da. 

All of this is why, for the next 8 weeks, I will be posting a weekly "favorite things" piece on everything I love about Minneapolis. For one, I want to have it for myself, as I look back on these years I've spent in the great white north, so that I can always remember all the great places I was blessed to enjoy while here. But I also hope that you guys will enjoy it, too. For those that call MSP home, maybe it will remind you of how good a thing you've got up here and encourage you to go out and enjoy everything that makes these cities so great. And for those that live elsewhere throughout the U.S., should your journey (oops, just got cheesy there - I hate when people "journey-drop" like that) ever bring you through the Land of 10,000 Lakes, you'll have a plethora of recommendations on what to do, what to see, and OF COURSE in this delectable foodie haven, where to eat.

Coming up first: favorite restaurants (not coffee shops - that's a favorite of its own!) for every occasion!