I Like Where I Live
I’ve lived in many places over my life: Columbus OH, CT, Akron OH, Bethesda MD, Guam, Richmond VA, Worthington OH, Granville OH, Washington DC, Philadelphia. I’m coming up on my 12 year anniversary of moving to Minnesota; I’ve never lived so many consecutive years in one place.
My husband and I still have family and friends in OH and PA. But we’ve made Minneapolis our adopted home. And lately, it seems we’re getting all sorts of reminders of why we do.
The most recent news is that local chef Alex Roberts, of Restaurant Alma and Brasa, was just named Best Chef Midwest by the James Beard Foundation. Last year it was Tim McKee of La Belle Vie.
Local food writer and wine author Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl was nominated for Beard awards for a food and a wine article; she won for Best Wine Writing in the Country.
Andrew Zimmern (who I used to watch on a local morning show before work) won a Beard for best television personality.
Local pastry chef Michelle Gayer (who baked my birthday cake this year) of The Salty Tart was a finalist for best pastry chef in the country, though she didn’t win. This year.
The Trylon was just named one of the country’s 10 coolest movie theaters cinemas.
My neighborhood was picked as the best of the Twin Cities this year, and the neighborhood Thai place got the nod as well.
Local author Neil Gaiman won the Newbery Medal last year for The Graveyard Book. Kate DiCamillo won it in 2004 for The Tale of Despereaux.
I feel like I’m forgetting some other kudos, but you can see it’s a good place for food, writing and movies. So it’s really no mystery why this feels like home.