Our New Neighborhood

Linden Hills is the name of our new neighborhood within the City of Minneapolis. Linden Hills can be described as a small city within the city, with its own characteristics and subculture.

Physically, Linden Hills is rather isolated from the madding crowd. There is no easy access to freeways, shopping malls, or gas station. To the east of our building is Lake Harriet, a magnet for walkers, bicyclists, perambulators, roller bladers, scooters, joggers, canoeists, etc. Somehow Linden Hills seems like a liveable place with a small town feel in the midst of the city.

Culturally, Linden Hills is a haven for the latest societal, environmental, and nutritional trends. The local grocery store (a co-op) doesn't even sell Coco Pops, Oscar Meyer Wieners, Tostita Corn Chips, or Purina Cat Chow. The only food you can buy is organic, range fed, or grown in the backyard of local Hmong immigrants. There is a butcher shop, bakery (whole grain only), and a Creative Kids Stuff store. Posters promote wellness, and longevity techniques. Dog walkers proudly carrying their plastic bags of scat. It is a world of REI, and LL Bean.

This is a good transitional place for us. There are the street sounds of cars, buses, people walking, and children playing. There is music coming from some distant apartment. There is no need to drive for a loaf of bread. There is an engagement here with people. We are the strangers, the new comers.