Upside My Head (Pay Attention Now)
March 30, 2011 by Sara · Leave a Comment
Upside My Head (Pay Attention Now) blogger Ann Freeman is a 54-year-old artist, connector and wannabe DJ. She is also a mother, grandmother and “queer girl extraordinaire.” She is a white girl in a brown family and a mostly brown community of friends. As a result, her life crosses a lot of interesting intersections. At Upside My Head (Pay Attention Now), this Minneapolis resident writes about and discusses race, age, sexuality, politics, culture, life, art, music, motherhood, grandmotherhood and more. Pretty much anything goes when Ann starts typing.
What specifically drew you to blogging?
I was interested in exploring the medium as a way to engage in conversation about a variety of issues in which I have been interested over time. I like that it is easy to create attractive pages and provide words, photos, audio, or video, and links to related content. I launched my blog on a whim one night. I was at the computer with headphones on and some great music playing (Ruthie Foster, if I recall correctly) and I just went to Blogger and made it. I didn’t research the best blogging platform, didn’t really have a plan for content, or even the name (which I changed after a year, this link tells that story: Upside My Head (Pay Attention Now)). I just made it and went from there. Very reflective of my personal style. I do public relations for a living and having a personal blog is a terrific outlet for my own writing and opinions – and for my creative and wonky passions and interests.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to creating new content? How do you overcome it?
I am not particularly disciplined to post regularly. I vacillate between three and 10 posts a month. I’d like to be more consistent. I am a morning person with a day job, so it’s hard to get inspired to blog at night. I am more prolific if I get on the computer before work with a good cup of coffee. It helps to be thinking about subjects for a while so once I sit down to write I can kind of knock them out. I allow myself to do short easy blogs as well as longer, more thoughtful pieces to help with productivity as well as keep in interesting mix of subject matter rolling. I also try when I am inspired about something to drop everything and write. I may need to go back in later to edit, research, and finish, but at least I get the essence down when it is in my heart.
What is the most rewarding aspect of maintaining Upside My Head?
Once every 20 posts or so the magic happens. I write something and it resonates enough with people that it gets shared and lots of visits, and most important, comments. I have a small blog with a small but loyal following so when a post breaks out of that it’s exciting. I feel like I’ve made connections. The post that comes to mind that has had the biggest impact is “I don’t know my Somali neighbors.” The comment thread is far more interesting that the post itself and it was read by and shared among many Somali and other East African folks. A cross cultural conversation emerged, and best of all, I made a couple of new friends from the Somali/East African community.
What is one thing you hope your readers learn/understand from reading your blog?
My blog covers a variety of topics. I have the good fortune to live a life that exists on the intersections of many different communities. I have developed a perspective over the years that is specific to life on the intersections. I hope that readers are sometimes able to see things from a different point of view because of that, or to see parts of themselves reflected in my posts. I am a community-builder at heart and this blog is at its essence, a celebration of community.
Bloggers often draw inspiration from each other. What other blogs do you enjoy reading? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
One of my biggest inspirations is Erica Mauter who has been a long-time Twin Cities blogger. She is probably best know for fresh.mn, but is present all over the Web. She has a page that lists where you can find her. She is a friend, and someone who I learn from all the time.
Other blogs and bloggers who inspire me include Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture, Jack & Jill Politics, anything by Baratunde Thurston, This Week in Blackness, The Bilerico Project, Pam’s House Blend – Front Page, Tim Wise (on white privilege), Bao Phi, and TSUNAMEE. The bloggers are from all over the country and blog on a variety of topics, but most involve lively conversation on current events. I have not reached out to meet and connect with more local bloggers and would like to do that. I have the good fortune to be one of the bloggers that is part of MinnPost’s Minnesota Blog Cabin. The content for the daily Blog Cabin post is drawn from a large pool of local bloggers so I have learned a lot more about who is out there in our community, but have not yet built relationships.
What do you love the most about living in the Twin Cities and why?
I live in South Minneapolis and cannot think of a better place to live as a queer woman, to have been a white parent raising two children of color (I’m now a grandma!), an arts lover, a bicycler, rollerblader, and a water lover. We have great people here. It is way too white here, but I am privileged to call a very diverse group of fabulous people my community of friends. This winter was brutal, but the other three seasons are divine and the reward for enduring all that darkness and cold. I love the politics of Minnesota. At one point we had we had the completely eccentric Jesse Ventura serving as governor, and our senators were the late great progressive Paul Wellstone and the very conservative Rod Grams. Where else does that happen? And the grassroots activism here is ever inspiring.
What aspect of Spring in Minnesota are you most looking forward too?
I have been to almost every May Day parade and celebration for the last 30 years. It’s completely a rite of passage for me. I took my kids there when they were babies. I take my granddaughter now. It’s on our annual list of “adventures with Grandma.” I like having roots like that, a deeply felt sense of place, of community, and of home.
High Plains Thrifter
February 9, 2011 by Sara · 3 Comments
Meghan McAndrews writes High Plains Thrifter. As the name may suggest, this blog discusses thrift-store shopping in the Twin Cities and thrifting-related topics. She may be a native of Wisconsin, she has fallen in love with her adopted home in South Minneapolis. Meghan has an insatiable appetite for vintage clothes and a fascination with cast-offs from by-gone eras. She loves it so much, she has become the co-owner at Mighty Swell Vintage. In addition to thrifting, Meghan loves road trips, taking pictures, and creating things. She even shares the occasional recipe.
What was the inspiration behind starting the High Plains Thrifter blog?
I wanted to share my love for thrift-store shopping, and also provide some service in the form of store reviews, maps, tips posts, etc. Since I thrift all the time, why not share what I have learned so others can benefit? There are a lot of great fashion and style blogs in the Twin Cities (not to mention nationally), but no one here was filling the thrift/fashion niche…so I did!
You joined the blogosphere in March of last year. What factors led to your decision to begin blogging?
I was so reluctant to get started, it took me literally seven months to get posting. I thought I needed to know more about computers and all that jazz, but more than that, I was nervous about making parts of my life public. I’m naturally a pretty private person and I knew that starting the blog would force me to change a little. Luckily, I have friends who were super supportive and they pushed, prodded, and nagged me along when I was dragging my feet about getting going. I can’t believe it will be a year in March!
What are some of your favorite local thrift stores to shop for unique clothing?
The Salvation Army downtown is the best for beginner thrifters. The basement is full of new Target merchandise, so if you’re not into vintage or old stuff, you can just head straight downstairs and start shopping. The upstairs is huge, and although the prices have been hiked recently, you can still find some really nice deals on clothes, housewares and furniture there. Some other go-tos are the Savers on Lake Street and in St. Cloud, the Unique Thrift Store in St. Paul and the Family Pathways stores up in the northern ‘burbs/along 35W.
What other blogs do you enjoy reading and why? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
Nationally: I learn a lot about writing by reading good writers, and Meg and Jenny at Fashion for Writers are good. Zoe’s posts at Haiku Ambulance are so succinct and funny, plus, she knows how to dress. Style-wise, Fancy Treehouse is right up my alley, and Coury is like, angelically pretty. And, since it’s public knowledge that I’m a total sap, I’ll name Kissssing as one of my most favorite photo blogs. Locally: My pal Mary is hilarious and her fashion blog, Art of Wore, is awesome. Dirty Hair Halo is a rock star of the fashion blogging world, and I love her thrifty DIY ideas. And although our styles are different, I really admire what Sally McGraw does over at Already Pretty. I’ve gotten a lot of good tips on blogging from Elizabeth Dehn, who runs the top-notch beauty blog Beauty Bets (where I’m a guest contributor every Wednesday). I love the simplicity and beauty of onethirtyfive. Each post is one photo, accompanied by 35 words, put together by two extremely talented people. And of course, I have to give a shout-out to my fellow thrift-store blogger, JD Peddycoart, who runs Things I Found At the Thrift Store, which I also love.
You’re a proud Wisconsin native, living in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. What do you love the most about the Twin Cities / Minnesota and why?
There is so much to do in Minneapolis! No matter what your scene is–fashion, music, eating out, yoga, tap-dancing, you name it–you can be busy every night of the week here and I’m into that. But, there aren’t as many of the hassles that come with living in a larger city. I love my eight-minute commute, and being able to afford a house with a yard at such a young ace. And although the winters are awful, nothing beats the explosion of activity in the summertime. We all collectively, instinctively know that we have to get in as much fun possible before holing up again for another winter.
As someone who could still be considered a beginner blogger, what advice do you have for other people thinking about joining the blogosphere?
Be an active part of the community. Comment when you have something to say. Put yourself out there and introduce yourself to other local bloggers. Ask questions when you need help. Be open to working and collaborating with others. Good photography and visuals are important. Keep your content focused. Read over your posts before making them public. Continually expand your reading list. And most importantly, be authentic.
SingleSpeed
The SingleSpeed blog is written by cycling enthusiast Reuben Collins. He lives with his wife in Minneapolis. They are expecting their first child this year. When he is not blogging, cycling or running, Reuben is a Traffic Engineer and Transportation Planner with a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning. He also writes the VeloTraffic cycling blog.
How would you describe your blog to someone who has never read it before?
Twin City Sidewalks
December 7, 2010 by Sara · Leave a Comment
Quasi-journalist, ardent bicyclist, and self-proclaimed devotee of communities and urban planning activist Jane Jacobs, Bill Lindeke of St. Paul writes the twin city sidewalks blog. Bill is in the PhD program at the University of Minnesota’s Geography Department studying the politics of alternative transportation. Through his blog he reports what’s happening on the Twin Cities streets, with a primary concentration on politics, urban infrastructure, media infrastructure, and neighborhood life here in the metro. Lindeke states that “Our cities are changing fast. Are we getting enough information about how and why this development is happening?”
What specifically drew you to blogging?
Probably a mixture of narcissism and curiosity. I started my first ‘website’ back in 1996 on a platform called Geocities that doesn’t exist any more. I’ve pretty much had a website or a blog ever since, somewhere to post writing, somewhere to stare at my reflection late at night. The cool part about that history is that I now have an archive of my blogging and writing that stretches back for more than a decade.
Twin Cities Sidewalks has been around for over 5 years. How has it evolved since you first started it?
When I started the blog, it had a totally different purpose. I wanted to make a clearinghouse for local planning and development news. Anytime I found an article or bit of information about land use, transit, new condos, or whatever, I’d put a link and comment on the website.
Well, this proved far far too time consuming, and the blog evolved into something that, I think, is both less of a time-suck and far more interesting. I try to post 4-5 times a week, and its a mix of photos I take on the streets of the Twin Cities, short essays, occasional punditry, link dumps, and more ‘journalistic’ pieces. The blog evolved slowly, gradually complexifying and branching out. I’m always trying to think of something new to try out. There are a number of recurring features: photos of dogs left tied up to benches called “Sidewalk Dogs”, a bi-weekly summary of the Highland Villager (a local St Paul newspaper that is not yet online), and my favorite, little essayistic odes to interesting spots in the Twin Cities called Sidewalk of the Week.
I used to have a great feature called “Classic Sidewalks of the Silver Screen” that was little clips from old movies that took place on sidewalks, but since YouTube started cracking down on embedded films, I’ve stopped that.
What is the most rewarding aspect of maintaining your blog?
Well, most obviously, its meeting people. I’ve met a bunch of really terrific and creative people through the website. This can’t be overstated!
But I also enjoy the feeling of having a project, like a detective. When I’m walking around the city during my everyday life, I always bring my camera along. So, for example, each time I see a street musician, an interesting doorway, or a handwritten sign in a shop window, I am compelled to stop and take its picture. I then post them all on the blog. That’s really rewarding.
I have to add, too, that it’s rewarding to be able to write from the heart. At the University of Minnesota, I find myself writing about the same kinds of topics — urban planning history, car-dependency, architecture — but I have to write in a very specific, painstaking, and citation-filled way. On the blog, I can just write for fun, and that’s a huge pleasure.
In fact, in a great many ways, the blog has kind of launched me on my career, helped get me into grad school, helped me make important connections and decisions. It’s kind of amazing.
What is one thing you hope your readers learn/understand from reading Twin Cities Sidewalks?
The goal of the blog is to entice people to go for walks. I’m trying to share the things that I love (or hate) about walking around as means of transportation. I’m trying to shine a light on what Americans are missing by spending so much time in cars or houses.
Obviously, that’s a tougher sell this time of year. But honestly, one good winter coat and you’re all set for December strolling. Take advantage of the delicate sunlight, the snow falling, and the pale hue of the sky’s blue.
Bloggers often draw inspiration from each other. What other blogs do you enjoy reading? Who are your favorite local Twin Cities bloggers?
I used to read a lot more blogs, but I’ve become busier lately. I try to restrict online browsing time to urban planning news that comes through my RSS feed. My favorite blog is probably called “If Charlie Parker was a Gunslinger, There’d be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats. Its just an eclectic and eccentrically organized and always surprising collection of wonderful old photos. BldgBlog and the famous Bike Snob NY blog are two of my other favorites.
Blogs I read locally? I try to read things written by people I know. I read all the local planning bloggers, like Brendan Slotterback’s NetDensity. I like Ken Avidor‘s sketch blog. I’m an avid reader of local online news, actually. TC Daily Planet, MinnPost, all the mainstream outlets, the Southwest Journal. We have a lot of great reporters in this town, and most of my online browsing time goes there.
I worry about the future of journalism. How will reporters make money in the future? Who will get paid to do research and legwork for important stories? Who will cover the city council or the legislature?
What do you love the most about living in the Twin Cities / Minnesota and why?
Its a tie between the huge difference in seasons during the year and the wonderful coffee shops that aren’t too full so that you can actually hang out there all day without spending more than $4, and also tied with a great arts and culture scene filled with creative people.
2011 is right around the corner. Are you making any big plans for your blog in the New Year?
I’ve a few ideas. I’ve been wanting to have a ‘skyway week’ where I try to get to the bottom of what, exactly, the skyway system is all about.
I also want to do a NCAA bracket-style competition for ‘Twin Cities worst planning mistake’, where there would be voting between big-time SNAFUs such as the Lake Street K-Mart, the Metrodome, and Block E. Eventually we would crown a 2010 champion!
Twin Cities Restaurant Blog
May 11, 2010 by Sara · Leave a Comment
Kristi Sauer is a teacher by profession, restaurant-diner by hobby. She is not a professional food critic, she is just a normal gal with a serious “Foodie” streak. She started the Twin Cities Restaurant Blog because she enjoys trying new restaurants and wanted to offer other diners a comprehensive peak into each place she visits. She provides readers with an honest, objective opinion and detailed information about the establishments she patronizes. In addition to critiquing the food, she reviews the restaurant’s Features, Atmosphere, Menu, Prices, Specials, Service, and Overall Impression. Her blog was started in early 2007 and though she has still only visited a small fraction of restaurants around the Greater Twin Cities, she is slowly but surely eating her way around the metro and loving every morsel of it.
How long did you think about it before you started the Twin Cities Restaurant blog and what was the catalyst for your first post?
I first started a personal blog in early 2005 and about a year later I started thinking about creating a blog solely based upon my dining experiences to share with others. At that time there were very few personal, independent restaurant bloggers. In fact I couldn’t find any others in the Twin Cities! I thought about the idea for at least six months before purchasing the domain name, twincitiesrestaurantblog.com. The very first post I wrote was in February 2007 after my 30th birthday dinner at Boca Chica Mexican Restaurante. At that time I did not have a template in mind for each of my reviews, so the review was very basic. The Twin Cities Restaurant Blog has come a long way in the three years since the site launched!
Blogging about restaurants and the food they serve has a unique set of challenges. One specifically comes to mind, and that is how do you decide which restaurants to try? Do you have a set “schedule” for eating out?
There are literally thousands of restaurants around the Twin Cities and it can be difficult sometimes deciding where to go. Many of the restaurants I have reviewed are in the Northeastern suburbs because that is the area in which I live. I do, however, have a list of restaurants around the Cities that I would like to try and I am steadily making my way down that list. My general rule of thumb is that if I am going to go out to eat, I am going to try a restaurant that I have not tried before. I have also tried several restaurants after being invited out by various people in the business (owners, managers, marketing/PR, etc)
What has been the response from restaurants you’ve critiqued on your blog? Without naming names, has a restaurant ever responded negatively to one of your reviews?
Actually, no. I think because my reviews are mostly informational (and honest!), most restaurants have been pleased to get the exposure. I actually have many restaurants who invite me to come out to their restaurant just to be featured on the blog.
Although I have never received a negative response from a restaurant, there are always disgruntled customers who leave negative comments on the TCRB about a particular restaurant. People love to tell everyone about their bad experience.
If you were to narrow it down to one, what’s your favorite local place to eat? What do you like about that restaurant?
This question isn’t fair to ask a Foodie!! I do have a handful of favorite restaurants though, mostly the ones in my geographical area that I have been to many, many times.
The Twin Cities has lost some high-profile and beloved restaurants in recent years. Is there one you think was a particular loss to the area? What made it so special?
My heart breaks just a little every time I hear of another restaurant closing, but none of them have personally affected me. I was sad however, when I heard that Fuddruckers started shutting down their doors locally. Great family restaurant, I have many fond memories of eating at the Roseville location as a kid.
What other blogs do you enjoy reading and why? Who are your favorite local bloggers?
I subscribe to probably two hundred blogs, so it would be nearly impossible to name them all, but some of the local blogs I enjoy reading are:
Michelle Sauer Photography – beautiful portrait photography
Heavy Table – Lots of eye-candy and info for a Foodie to look at!
What other blogs/websites do you maintain?
I have kept a personal blog for five years now, called Mi Vida Ocupada, which means “My Busy Life” in Spanish. I am a girl who always has a million things going on and this blog is the place where I tell stories, post photos, book reviews, and all sorts of other fun stuff.
Another project that I started in April 2009 is a site called Photo Hunt Challenges. I am really into photography and love a good challenge so I started a site devoted to Photography Challenges! On the first day of every-other-month I post a list of 20 items/techniques (open to interpretation) and participants have the entire month to take photos for each item on the list. Anyone and everyone is welcome to play along. Participants represent all skill levels and all types of cameras. On the first day of the following month each participant uploads their photos into an online gallery like Flickr or Picasa, then I go through ALL Participant Entries and pick my favorites for each item on the list. Throughout the month I then post all the favorites for each item together (in a separate blog post for each item on the list) with a poll for people to vote for their favorite. Voters are encouraged to vote for favorite photo rather than a particular person. I do not have any prizes to give out but the photographer of each winning photograph is given recognition on the site. Participants come from all over the world and I encourage anyone interested in Photography to check it out!
Fresh MN
February 23, 2010 by Sara · 6 Comments
The Twin Cities blog fresh.mn was founded by local blogger extraordinaire, Erica Mauter, after several years of writing for the Minneapolis Metblog. Erica is a native of Detroit who actually grew up on 8 Mile. She moved here after she finished college and has lived in the Twin Cities since 1999. She currently lives in Eden Prairie and works at a pharmaceutical company. In her spare time, she likes to attend cultural events, sing with the Twin Cities Women’s Choir, follow Minnesota Lynx basketball, further her plans to move back to Minneapolis, and write the fresh.mn blog. That’s pronounced “fresh-minn” and it’s all about living in her adopted home, the Twin Cities.
There are as many reasons to blog as there are bloggers. What inspired you to create the first post for FreshMN?
There are two answers to that. I was lured to cityblogging because I was getting out and about more and discovering new and different things and people which I was terribly excited about but most readers of my personal blog, swirlspice.com, were not from the Twin Cities. I joined up with the Minneapolis Metblog to have a local audience with which to share those experiences. After 3+ years at Metblog, I decided I wanted to strike out on my own but also continue to keep my cityblogging content separate, and thus FreshMN was born.
Lack of time, lack of ideas, writer’s block: Blogging isn’t always easy. What’s your biggest blogging challenge? How do you choose to tackle it?
What I used to really struggle with was my perception of my audience’s expectations of what I produce. And then I finally realized the world wouldn’t end if I didn’t post for a week. I’ve learned to only post longer form stuff when I actually have something that I feel like talking about. I’ve also learned to both accept and refine a style for sharing shorter form stuff. In other words, I’ve developed a way of brain-dumping that works for me.
What other blogs do you enjoy reading and why? Who are your favorite local bloggers?
Twin Cities Daily Planet – Okay, it’s not a blog, but it is THE best local aggregator of community and ethnic media, and they do incorporate a number of blogs (including mine).
3-Minute Egg – Longtime Twin Cities arts journalist Matt Peiken’s daily video blog.
City of Lakes Urbanism, twin city sidewalks, and Uptown Urbanist – All focusing on urban planning and livability issues.
Eden Prairie City Hall Blog – City manager Scott Neal provides a fascinating take on common city issues from the city’s point of view which is probably representative of many suburbs.
Heavy Table and Simple, Good, and Tasty – I’m totally not a foodie but I love what these folks are doing around food system issues and awareness.
TheColu.mn – A new web magazine covering LGBT issues. I’ve enjoyed the work of Andy Birkey and James Sanna in other publications and I’m happy to see them bring it together here.
mediation – Just for the wide variety of random stuff Taylor Carik posts.
The Deets – Ed Kohler is really good at data analysis and he turns it towards interesting civic issues.
At the end of the day, what is it you hope your readers take away from FreshMN?
I hope my readers discover one new thing about the Twin Cities that they didn’t know about.
Sports teams, a great art scene, entertainment options galore, new transportation options: The Twin Cities are a great place to live. If you were to narrow it down to one answer, what’s your favorite reason to live here?
Accessibility. The Twin Cities area has all of the great things about living in a big metropolis, but on a scale that’s much more manageable to consume.
What is the best advice you can offer a beginner blogger just entering the blogosphere?
Just do what feels right for you and keep doing it until it’s not fun anymore.
