Embarrassing Confessions of Urbanists

[fehler]

I like driving down 6th towards the HCGC. Feels like the trench run in Star Wars. Stay on target!

[Nick]

I was going to say that--the view looking towards the Government Center down 6th from the skyway to City Center in winter during afternoon rush hour is one of my favorite downtown views. All the red brake lights, miscellaneous steam, the canyon.

[bapster2006]

I like the Govt center too, and both plazas. The view in the north plaza looking west has given me lots of cool photos. It's a nice canyon view.

[nate]

I had business inside the HCGC this week (not a court date) and the twin towers thing was quite fascinating. On my side, bureaucrats worked in open offices. Across the atrium, in clear view, people waited for court. I am not a sucker for symbolism but there was a fascinating gulf between workaday Wednesday for the people on one side and an exceptionally shitty day for the people on the other.

[seanrichardryan]

I've only ridden on light-rail once.

[twincitizen]

I'm pretty sure my 5-story apartment building is "out of scale with the neighborhood," but it was built in 1972 so IDGAF

[RailBaronYarr]

^No way man. I really like that building, and the corner of 35th/Dupont has a ton of old 3-3.5 story buildings. A 5 story one fits right in.

[Silophant]

My girlfriend and I went to the Dakota Jazz Club for Valentine's Day. It's all of six blocks from my apartment, but we drove.

[min-chi-cbus]

I've shopped at Wal-Mart

[PhilmerPhil]

My girlfriend and I went to the Dakota Jazz Club for Valentine's Day. It's all of six blocks from my apartment, but we drove.

I can top that. My wife and I drove to the White Castle that is also six blocks from us for Valentine's Day.

[acs]

I commute in a coal roller from Wisconsin to Minneapolis...

Just Kidding.

[Lancestar2]

My girlfriend and I went to the Dakota Jazz Club for Valentine's Day. It's all of six blocks from my apartment, but we drove.

I can top that. My wife and I drove to the White Castle that is also six blocks from us for Valentine's Day.

Can I ask why to both of you? Why was driving more desirable than walking or public transit or for silophant taking the skyway for your trip. I'm just curious.

[Nathan]

Probably because it was cold and windy and they were dressed up. I think comfort on valentine's day is a must lol.

[Silophant]

In my case it was to avoid going outside. We drove from my building's garage to Retek's garage, then took the skyway across 10th to Target Plaza.

Relatedly, my "It'll be good for me to be forced outside, so I'm going to intentionally live in a non-skyway connected building" plan that seemed like such a good idea in May when I was looking for housing has seemed much worse these past couple months.

[PhilmerPhil]

A few reasons.

-It happened to be just a few degrees out that night. We would have walked had it been in the twenties or higher.
-My wife was wearing a dress, because we dress up when we go to White Castle.
-Like many of us die-hard urbanists on here, our spouses may not be as willing to push those bike/walk/transit limits as ourselves. We can try to nudge them to other modes, but at some point, compromises have to be made and you end up driving more than you would prefer. (Gotta give my wife credit though, she loves to walk and bike places when it's nice out!)

[FISHMANPET]

Yeah Saturday was just disgustingly brutally cold. I went outside to throw some garbage away and I felt like dying.

My wife and I have made a tradition of Valentine's Day lunch then staying home for the evening.

[MNdible]

Like many of us die-hard urbanists on here, our spouses may not be as willing to push those bike/walk/transit limits as ourselves.

I know this is supposed to be a fun thread, but can I just ask that you keep this nugget of truth in mind when you go back to the Transportation thread? And you could maybe also remember that many aren't as physically fit as young people in their 20's.

[Tcmetro]

Like many of us die-hard urbanists on here, our spouses may not be as willing to push those bike/walk/transit limits as ourselves.

I know this is supposed to be a fun thread, but can I just ask that you keep this nugget of truth in mind when you go back to the Transportation thread? And you could maybe also remember that many aren't as physically fit as young people in their 20's.

Hence why Minneapolis needs subways.

[talindsay]

My girlfriend and I went to the Dakota Jazz Club for Valentine's Day. It's all of six blocks from my apartment, but we drove.

I can top that. My wife and I drove to the White Castle that is also six blocks from us for Valentine's Day.

Can I ask why to both of you? Why was driving more desirable than walking or public transit or for silophant taking the skyway for your trip. I'm just curious.

It's hard to make out in the back seat of a city bus or a street bench. Actually, it's not hard but it lacks the privacy of a car.

[FISHMANPET]

But also probably easier in the bank of an Uber, as you'll be making out AND getting to your destination.

Unrelated, I wish there was a by the mile black car service in the Twin Cities that wasn't Uber.