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You Know You Live in Uptown When.....


Calhoun Square in Uptown Minneapolis
Calhoun Square

Yes folks, Spring has finally sprung in Minnesota! So in light of the excitement due to the change of weather, I decided to change it up and do something fun, and really not related to therapy or mental health at all. Instead, I compiled a list of what makes Uptown/Lyn Lake different from all the rest! Being as I've lived in the area for five years, I've started to notice what I call "Uptown-isms". Here are my observations.

You know you live in Uptown when........

1) You celebrate the start of "patio season" with a trip to your favorite rooftop.

As soon as the temperature rises above 60 degrees, we Minnesotan's refuse to eat inside. And what's better than a patio? A rooftop! Whether it be Moto-I (my personal favorite), Stella's, Uptown Tavern or Libertine, you will enjoy this first rooftop outing almost as much as Christmas each year.

2) You commonly eat appetizers of edamame, shishito peppers, or anything with pork belly.

Almost every menu in Uptown has at least one these on the menu. I'm not complaining, they are just "unusual" to out-of-towners.

3) You never leave on the weekends. And you definitely don't drive.

Why would you leave on the weekend when you are right in the middle of the action?! If you live in Uptown, you are seconds away from restaurants, bars, lakes, and shops. And you never drive, because you can walk or bike everywhere! How convenient, and also- a nice break from your car.

4) You never complain about traffic.

One of the first things people bring up when I tell them I live in Minneapolis is, "Oh my gosh, how can you handle all that traffic?! Let me tell you how..... I never drive during rush hour, and when I do- I always take the easiest routes (one-ways) and I know to double my expected traveling time and account for traffic if I really must drive. Not that big of a deal.

5) You NEVER turn left on Lake/Lyndale.

Speaking of traffic, you never turn left on Lake/Lyndale, even if it's not during the prohibited daily "rush hours." You never want to be that guy.....

6) You claim to "love the lakes" but you only visit them about once per month.

Maybe this is just me, but I don't get to Lake Calhoun (Bde Maka Ska?-meh) nearly as much as I'd like. Maybe it's because I live in Lyn Lake and further away from the the nearest beach access, but it's a real struggle. At the end of every summer, I always find myself promising, "Next year I'll go to the beach every weekend!" Maybe this year.

7) You belong to a gym.

Uptown folks are in shape, and proud of it! Also, where else do you go to see and "be seen?!" Everyone has their favorite gym, and regularly works out there at least a few times per week.

8) You probably don't have a 9-5 job.

Uptown folks are a creative and unique bunch, and are likely to have jobs that stray from the traditional desk job. Just walk down Lake Street at 2pm on a Thursday and you'll see what I mean- There's no shortage of people out and about!

9) You haven't been to the Mall of America in at least 5 years.

People from the area loathe MOA. There's so many people, it's hard to park (and remember where you parked!) and there's tons of better places to shop locally. You only shop at MOA when you have company visiting from out-of-town and they insist on going.

10) You want to shop at The Wedge or Whole Foods, but you can only afford Cub.

Oh how nice it would be to exclusively shop at Wedge or Whole Foods, and even though I bet most of you (myself included) fall into the trap of spending an entire paycheck here from time to time, it can't be sustained! We must venture into the dark depths of Cub Foods on Lake Street on occasion so we can still afford rent.

11) You feel "old" going to some bars......

Yikes. This just happened the other weekend when my husband and I visited the new Moxy Hotel bar for the first time. We might as well have been 70 years old, and I felt slightly out of place. Same goes for Williams and a few other bars in the area.

12) You drink craft cocktails with hand chipped ice, and only drink locally brewed beer.

The liquor game is high in this 'hood. Don't you dare give me regular "cubed" ice and some rail liquor and coke. I'm exaggerating/kidding.......kinda.

13) Your view of salads is completely different than most.

Case in point: Burch's Seven Seeds Salad. Ok, technically this is Lowry Hill, but still. This isn't your run-of the-mill salad with dressing and croutons. Uptown has fancy AF salads.

14) You frequently go to Bryant-Lake Bowl....but not to bowl.

BLB is an Uptown staple, and has great food. It's also got a cozy, old-school Minneapolis feel with the smell of old wood that can't be beat. You can be sure that the best spot in the house is sitting out front watching all the action on Lake Street. Plus the cocktails are great, too. (see #11).

15) You own a dog (or want to).

Everyone has dogs in Uptown! Since it's a great place to walk, be active, and engage in all the neighborhood action, bringing a furry friend along is part of the fun! Plus, a lot of restaurants with patios are dog-friendly.

16) Although you might leave Uptown someday, part of you will always stay in "Up-teezey".

I always call Spring in Uptown the start of "resort town" season, which starts in Spring and ends on Halloween. Everyone flocks to the area to enjoy the great weather and take advantage of all the amenities. Aren't you brilliant for calling Uptown home?!

I hope you enjoyed some of my "Uptown-isms". Feel free to comment and share, I'd love to hear what you've noticed about our unique neighborhood!

Courtney is a psychotherapist & owner of Revitalize Wellness Therapy, which specializes in Mental Health Care for Young Adults & Couples in Uptown, Minneapolis. For more information, contact Courtney at courtney@revitalizewellnesstherapy.com or 507-421-0180.

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