The biggest snow shown in the industry is being hosted in our sibling city, Minneapolis, June 19-22. We are very excited the symposium will be in our home state this year and wanted to share some things our employees enjoy doing in the Twin Cities.
- First up: The Guthrie. The Guthrie is the largest regional playhouse in the country. Granted you may not have time to take in a show, you can always step onto the Endless Bridge. The Endless Bridge stretches out more than half a block from the building, giving you a view of the Mississippi River and other nearby historical landmarks.
- The Stone Arch Bridge – Once you have finished at the Guthrie, head on over to the Stone Arch Bridge, a short five minute walk. The bridge holds the perfect pace for pedestrians and bicyclists alike! On one side of the bridge you are able to view the St. Anthony Falls, while the other holds a newer addition to Minneapolis, the 35W Bridge. If you remember, the 35W bridge collapsed during rush hour on August 1, 2007. It has since been rebuilt, equipped with anti-icing sprayers (for you snow removal contractors) and can be recognized at night by its bright blue lights.
An interesting fact about our “new” 35W bridge is that the bridge makes use of a special photocatalytic concrete called TX Active for the construction of two decorative sculptures that resemble the symbol for water used on maps. This material reacts with ultraviolet light and pulls pollutant particles of carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxide out of the air and converts them to less harmful substances. The sculptures contain a compound that makes them self-cleaning, so they should stay white for as long as they stand. - The Walker Art Center and Sculpture Garden – The Walker Art Center is one of the five most-visited modern/contemporary art museums in the United States. On Thursdays you are able to get in to the art center for free thanks to Target’s Free Thursday Nights.
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is the largest urban sculpture garden in the country and home to the Spoonbridge and Cherry. Trust me, once you see it, you will understand why it is one of our city’s most visited landmarks. - If you have an extra day in the Twin Cities, I suggest you hop on the light rail and head on down to the Mall of America. Being one of our most well known attractions, the Mall of America has been around since 1992, offering over 520 stores to shop at. Not only does it offer great shopping, there is also the indoor theme park, Nickelodeon Universe, along with the Minnesota aquarium, SEA LIFE. It would apparently take 86 hours to spend just ten minutes within each store in the mall, so if you plan on going, I suggest you make it a day trip!
- Okay you must be tired from walking and sightseeing by now. How about some food and drinks?
I recommend Brit’s Pub. Some of the best chips and curry and Pub pies I have ever encountered and don’t even get me started on their beer selection! Once you’ve finished eating you can head up to their rooftop English Garden Park to play a game of Lawn Bowling all while enjoying a view of downtown Minneapolis. It’s located on Nicollet Mall and is within walking distance of the Minneapolis Convention Center. - Not in the mood for fish and chips? Head on over to Fogo de Chão. This is a great place to enjoy a meal if you are coming with a large group of snow removal contractors or acquaintances. It is an authentic Brazilian steakhouse, and let me tell you, you will not leave hungry! This is one of those places where they walk around with the meat on the skewers and you just flip a card when you want more. It’s delicious, but bring your appetite!
- Baseball fans should definitely head over to Target Field, which ESPN: The Magazine named the best stadium in North America, and watch the Twins take on the White Sox. Ticket scalping is legal in Minnesota, so you can probably pick up good seats pretty inexpensively on the streets, or just go the usual route and go to the box office. The Twins have a night game on Wednesday the 19th, and a day game on the 20th before they head out of town.
- Feel like visiting your friends at HindSite and see what we do, see what our office looks like, or heck even to put a face to a name? Please feel free to stop by our offices! We'd be more than happy to show you our snow removal software and show you all of it's benefits.
Not in the mood to travel to St. Paul? No problem! We will be hosting a free luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 21 at the Millennium Hotel in Minneapolis! For more information and to register, check out our State of the Snow Industry Luncheon.