Robert Guthridge's Blog

“Eat Street” Art — Amateur Division I don’t know about the drawing skills of the tagger(s) who spray-painted the graffiti at 27th and Nicollet (above). But, they certainly are good  climbers , with a sense of balance to match: the tag is just above a narrow ledge on the 2nd floor, easily 15′ off the ground (photo, below). P.S.: Thanks to Gabriel Kaplan for help shrinking the photos to “blog-sized.” from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2rGyWgZ via IFTTT

At least to me, there are two things that are depressing about a high temp of 18° locally today, in what the calendar says is still officially mid-Fall: 1) the high temperature today was 18 degrees!! ; and 2) that merely ties, not breaks, the Twin Cities record for November 11. Of course, famously stoic Minnesotans are supposed to take such tribulations in stride. Here’s a (slightly) tongue in cheek comparison of the natives’ mindset vs. less hardy types elsewhere: 60 above zero : Floridians turn on the heat. People in Minnesota plant gardens. 50 above zero : Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Duluth sunbathe. 20 above zero: Floridians use coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats. People in Minnesota throw on a flannel shirt. 15 above zero : New York landlords finally turn up the heat. People in Minnesota have the last cookout before it gets cold. **Twin Cities window washers show up five minutes early, add antifreeze to cleaning solution (true — the home ...

Not-So-Name Brand Minneapolis Neighborhoods If you have kids and live in the Twin Cities, you’ve doubtless heard of Minneapolis’ Linden Hills neighborhood. With Lake Harriet on the east and Lake Calhoun on the north; terrific retail and coffee shops; and a range of housing (prices, style), it ranks amongst the Twin Cities’ most popular. But, have you ever heard of Minneapolis’ “Field” or “Northrop” neighborhoods? How about “Shenandoah Terrace?”** Likely not. But you certainly know some of the area’s prime attractions:  proximity to Minnehaha Creek (just to the South) and Lake Nokomis (east); lots of well-built, character-filled Tudor’s and bungalows; and terrific retail and coffee shops at 48th and Chicago. Sound familiar? Elusive Boundaries In fact, both neighborhoods boast their own Turtle Bread stores (48th & Chicago’s is bigger), and a similar, overall feel. But, there’s no one label (that I know of) that defines the area anchored by 48th & Chi...

Take a look at this picture — of TCF Stadium field, minutes after the conclusion of the Minnesota – Penn State football game this afternoon — and tell me if you can guess who won. Need a hint? Minnesota’s team colors are maroon and gold . . . from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2NumWay via IFTTT

Safety in Numbers vs. Tyranny of the Majority Who wouldn’t prefer a smaller condo or co-op building, where the scale is manageable, and it’s possible to actually know one’s neighbors? As desirable as that may be, would-be Buyers (and their agents) should be aware of three issues that can be more challenging for a small homeowners’ association to navigate than a bigger one, especially in the context of a sale. One . Professional management. Once a building or housing development has a couple dozen units, there’s typically enough money to hire professional management — not just property management, but legal and accounting as well. That means the association’s articles and bylaws, financial records, and meeting minutes are all well-kept and accessible (ideally online, with good security). By contrast, when there are only a few units in a building, it’s common for the building’s residents- cum- Association members to divvy up the foregoing functions on a volunteer basis, and to eng...

Who Says Nature Doesn’t Have a Sense of Humor?? Very few home problems that I’m aware of benefit from benign neglect. So, as both a homeowner and long-time Realtor, I’d strongly advise against ignoring that leaky roof, wet basement, or ice dam. Fortunately, there’s at least one exception to that rule: the casement (crank out) window in the Kaplan Dining Room that had been jammed shut since June. Thanks to much lower seasonal humidity, it opens just fine now . . . just in time for winter. from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230700 https://ift.tt/2CvKYM0 via IFTTT

Summer & Winter Solstices? Nope You might guess that the most brilliantly sunny time of year in Minnesota is the Summer solstice in late June, when the sun is at its highest and the days are longest (the sun actually sets at 9:03 p.m. on June 21, but dusk lingers till almost 10 p.m.). Similarly, it stands to reason that the darkest time of year is exactly six months later, December 21, when the sun and daylight hours are at their nadir. Wrong, on both counts. At least to this long-time Minnesotan (interrupted by stints in the Bay Area and Manhattan), the correct answers are: “November” and “March” — albeit with an asterisk. *Wild Card: Snow Cover So, the reason early November can feel gloomier than late December locally is because of (reflective) snow cover: brown terrain is darker than white (presumably snow-covered) ground. That is, assuming there’s snow in late December — true about +80% of the time in the Twin Cities. Now, fast forward four months or so, to mid-March....