How I get around Minneapolis

Why are you blogging about that? Isn't the answer obvious? Even if it's not obvious, how could it be interesting? 

Transportation can be a big part of your day, so I think it's interesting to hear how people get from point A to point B on a day-to-day basis. There's a lot that can go in to someone's commute. Maybe you're the type who blasts music, listens to podcasts, chats with strangers around you, finishes your breakfast, etc. etc. I think it's all fascinating.

Can I just share my New York commute real quick? Commuting in NYC was so funnn.
My summer commute: 6:40 am- walk out the door and head to the 1 train on 86th and Broadway. If I was feeling tired or extra special, I would stop at Joe coffee and order an iced coffee during my 12 minute walk to the train.  Right before I went down to the subway station, I would usually buy some fruit at the greencart and grab the AM New York newspaper. These moments were sometimes hectic, especially when I heard a train entering the station. One time I dropped my phone during this process. It cracked. bummer. Next I hop on the train (duh) and ride it allll the way to the end of the line. It was a 40 minute ride. My activities during that time varied, and I'm sure you can imagine things I did.

Alright, that's good enough. This post is supposed to be about Minneapolis anyways.

Bike: I do bike, just not now. For one, my tire is flat and two, it's winter. During the fall I biked and I loved it. I can ride the greenway to school, which is basically a biking freeway with no traffic ever. I can park my bike for free too. Is that surprising? ;) My bike has a milk crate attached to the back of it so I can haul things around. I use a U-lock, although I'm not too concerned about bike theft.

Drive: I live less than a mile from my family, so almost anytime I need a vehicle for an extended period of time I can borrow from them, which is great. Now that it's cold I joined Car2go. It's been really fun and usually really convenient. It's also perfect for downtown driving because these cars are everywhere in downtown and parking is free when you drive these. The car cost 0.41 cents per minute and that includes gas, insurance, and parking. I feel like this car has the potential to save people lots of money and headache. Owning a car is just so expensive when you factor in insurance, car washes, gas, parking, taxes, towing, and accidents. It would be interesting to compare and break it down.

Bus: I ride the city bus. That's my least favorite form of transportation. The bus is unpredictable, it takes a long time, and it usually doesn't get me where I need to be. The one exception to this is taking the bus to church. That's fast, about 10 minutes. I have a student go-card so I can ride the bus unlimited times for the semester. I'm not sure if I'll get a bus card next semester...we'll see.

Alright, that's how I get around. Walking plays a part in all of these modes. Walking is a favorite.

Oh! Usually I listen to music when I'm driving. When I bike, I bike. I don't do anything else. When I ride the bus, I usually scroll through my phone.

And now the mandatory blogger question: How do you get around your city?

Minneapolis Flavor: September

Minneapolis is a cool place guys. I've met a lot of new friends, discovered fun shops and pockets in the city, and am adjusting to this new rhythm of life after leaving New York City. Here are some photos I've gathered with short descriptions.

Sipping on coffee

A backyard bash in Powederhorn park and open mic night with a group of friends from church. Music, music, music! 

Fall

Enjoying my brother's football game and my cousin's soccer game. Fall sports are the best. Matt and Ariana are both seniors in high school and are stellar athletes!

Studying at Urban Bean coffee house.

Nannying these kids. 

Pictures: iphone only. 

The hardest part {transitions}

I've been back in Minnesota for a week and a half now and the transition has been relatively smooth. However, I'm currently feeling pretty sick. I'm assuming it's allergies or a sinus infection. I can still function as normal, I just have a sick voice, slightly inflamed eyes, and searing pain when I try to do push-ups (which I drop down and do all the time! kidding).

Back to being "back." The thing that has been throwing me off is the emptiness, quiet, and lack of activity. I hear crickets instead of car horns at night. I can walk around and not pass ANYONE. I don't even live in the suburbs. I live in South Minneapolis, minutes away from downtown. Now this isn't devastating by any means, but it's a bit of a shock to my system and I don't love it.  

Powderhorn park at Midday:

Do you see people? I sure don't.

 Central Park at Midday:

People. Lots of them.

Maybe I'll start to appreciate the quiet. My college campus has a lot of people, which has been good, but the day-to-day quietness of Minneapolis (compared to NYC) is weird. 

I guess I no longer have to put up with long lines for simple things like french fries, crowded subway stations at all hours, Timesquare, and NYC tour buses. 

Ohh, but all those things make NYC so special! I miss it.

One more comparison:

Minneapolis vs. (Wham!) New York City.... they don't even compare.

But! I'm here in Minneapolis and I'm going to choose to find joy in it. I'm supposed to be here and there are many good things about it. And so far, I've enjoyed many things including: the state fair, gardens, and Minneapolis sunsets.

Here's to a great semester!

(just like that, I'm jolly again. Blogging can boost my attitude)

March Feature | Seasons

March gets me thinking about seasons. We all have this idea in our heads that March is the beginning of Spring, but in reality it's just a balmy continuation of winter. I know that Spring is a favorite season to most, but Fall is my favorite. I'll explain why. Good news for those who love Spring, a blogging friend of mine is here to share a little bit about it. 

Meet Jessinia! 

(I know if we knew each other in person, we would be friends.) She's a Minnesota girl taking a gap year in the Dominican Republic. (I LOVE the DR, and that's only place I've been to for an overseas mission trip!) She studied art at Bethel University for a year. Yes! yes! And she loves the Lord. She also blogs (obviously): "My blog reflects on my time in the Dominican Republic. I would love if you visited and read along on my journey." She will attend Seattle Pacific University next year.

Jessinia Images

Here's what she has to say about spring: My favorite season is spring. I grew up in Minnesota so in  the spring the snow starts to melt, the flowers start to bloom. It's a beautiful picture of new beginnings, anticipation and of promises. We are promised that after winter comes spring. The earth gets a new beginning, an uncovering. This year, I've been living in the Dominican Republic. I haven't seen this drastic change of the melting snow, but I am experiencing anticipation of a new beginning. I have learned so much over this past fall and winter and anticipate my coming home to start anew.

Jessinia Images

Check out Jessinia's Blog: A River of Joy / twitter

My turn!

I love fall. Spring is a season that I want to like, but I just don't. I don't like all the rain. I hate longing for warmer weather, and not having it come 'til at least half way through April. Growing up in Minnesota, spring usually doesn't start til May anyways. Aside from the weather, my mental state is much better in the fall than the Spring. The Fall has always felt like a fresh start in my life. This seems counter-intuitive to the season's patterns, but new things are always happening in the Fall for me. Plus, I always go into fall with great energy after having a "break" in the summer. I start a new year of school and sometimes a new job. Church usually ramps up in the fall. Everything just feels fresh. I'm definitely a better starter than finisher. 

Central Park in the Fall

Once fall comes, I don't mind the cold at all. I actually kind of like it. I get to bundle up in cute sweaters and wear earthy colors. I know that the holidays are approaching and everything just feels right. Fall just fits my personality. 

Central Park in the Fall

On Twitter or Bloglovin' ?  I would love a follow! 

Are you a fall or spring person? If you took a gap year, would you go to New York or the Dominican Republic? :) 

My Happy Place

I love the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. I was so happy to go back there today and visit with my old boss. This is the place I had my first job and I learned to APPRECIATE art. I started working there because I really wanted to work with kids, but I experienced much more. The MIA is in a season of change right now which is exciting. They are slowly becoming more than just a traditional museum. They are bringing in new restaurants, they revamped the museum shop, they started a teen night, and they are changing the way they inform people about the artwork in the museum. Check it out!

There are some pretty sweet museums in New York, but the MIA will always be my favorite. It's a welcoming and colorful place to be. It feels like home. 

Check out the MIA site for more information!

Shelby date @ MOA

Living in New York has taken me away from all the sweet kids here in Minneapolis. Shelby is a cousin of mine and she has been special to me since her birth. I was excited to plan a little outing with her because I haven't seen miss Shel since the summer! Too long. We went to a New Year's Eve party for toddlers at the the mall of America. Every Tuesday is Toddler Tuesday, and each week has a new theme to keep the kids entertained! The rides at Nickelodeon Universe are also discounted so I couldn't resist letting Shelby go on a few. Ringing in the New Year!

Here are some pictures from our time: 

Christmas

Everything green and red. 

Warm and bright. 

Love and family. 

Joy and delight. 

Merry Christmas, Christ is here!

Love,

Abby

Cold.

It was in the negatives today (temperature). My siblings and I started a tradition last year of hanging out together on Christmas Eve with just the four of us. Our time together has three requirements: outdoors, food, and Matthew doing something stupid. Last year he jumped out of the car, and this year he was stuck in Apple Valley, causing us to pick him up two hours after we were supposed to start. What would we do without him? We were planning to go sledding today, but the weather was not permitting. Instead we ventured off to Minnehaha falls. We walked around and did a little exploring. I've been to the falls many times, but it never gets old. After that, we stopped at Smashburger for a late lunch, and finally we went to Barnes & Noble for last minute Christmas gifts.

Frozen

Izzy. Matthew. Ben. Abby

The steps were a challenge to walk down. 

A tasty relief from the cold, courtesy of SmashBurger.

Streets // Minneapolis

I took a walk this morning and I wanted to take a second to capture my neighborhood. In 5 days this will no longer be my neighborhood, but it will always be my home.

Hosmer Library: my fave!

The alley. It sure looks like an alley.

Local Coffee Shop! yes

I call this the duck pond. I love taking kids here to feed the ducks. It's the simple things.

Decked out! Love the art work.

What a pretty house!

Community murals are taking Minneapolis by storm

The skyline. A somewhat wimpy view, but we are a mini city.

Minneapolis is a unique place.