Just click the camera to see a list of our current movies!
From our archives
Priests caught up in Salem redux
If you haven't signed up for the free MyGuide service you are missing out on the following features:
- Monthly email when new
issue comes out
- Customized "Get MyGuys"
personals searching
- Comment posting on magazine
articles, comment and
reviews
Register now
|
 |
By
Jeff Balk
Minneapolis combines the Dakota word for water ("minne") with the Greek word for city ("polis") a fitting name for a city with 18 of Minnesota's 12,034 lakes. Minneapolis is renown for combining the best of urban
life with the neighborliness and quality-of-life found in smaller towns. Residents enjoy exciting cultural and recreational opportunities in beautiful natural surroundings. Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota and the
center of finance, industry, trade, and transportation for the Upper Midwest. Minneapolis is just west of St. Paul, its "Twin City". The City's area is 59 square miles (153 square kilometers), including five square miles (13
square kilometers) of inland water.
Both cities attract farm boys and girls from the rural areas that stretch for hundreds of miles in all directions, making the Twin Cities the Buckle of the Northern Farm Belt. As of much of the Midwest, you will feel
very welcome here among such friendly people.
Accommodations
Hotel Amsterdam (828 Hennepin Avenue) is a European-style gay hotel in downtown Minneapolis. They are located just minutes from the city's best clubs, nightlife, and restaurants. Hotel Amsterdam is a basic,
clean, and reasonably priced hotel. They offer complimentary coffee in their lounge, which includes satellite television, reading materials, vending services, and Internet access. They now also feature a weekend
continental breakfast. The hotel is open 24/7 and staff can help you with your travel needs around-the-clock. Rooms range from $33 for a one-person single, $38.50 for a full, $44 for a queen, and $48.50 for a suite with a phone.
Bars & clubs
Below the Hotel Amsterdam is The Saloon (830 Hennepin Avenue). A video and dance club complex that hosts the area's hottest parties and is open until 3am on many nights. The fun is seven days a week with a
video rewind party on Mondays, and karaoke on Tuesdays. Wednesdays feature a "Deca Dance" party, and Thursdays are one of the best Thursdays that I've ever seen in the US. It's "Boy's Night Out" when the 18-and-over
crowd can dance, dance, and dance. Fridays and Saturdays are filled with shirtless boys and they are wall-to-wall. "Resurrection Sundays" boast some of the best music in town.
Other clubs include the Gay Nineties (408 Hennepin),
Boom (401 E. Hennepin), Nineteen Bar (19 W. 15th), Ground Zero (15 NE 4th), Minneapolis Eagle (515 Washington Avenue S.), and the Brass Rail Lounge (422 Hennepin).
Just ten to fifteen minutes away from downtown Minneapolis area is St. Paul.
Club Metro (733 Pierce Butler) is soon to move to a new location. Other bars include Trikkx (490 N. Robert).
Shopping
If you're looking for anything gay-- a movie, magazine, jewelry, posters, or that special pair of underwear-- try either
Rainbow Road (109 West Grant) or Panorama Video (822 W. Lake Street). Both stores have all of the new releases, with most available on DVD as well as tape. You can choose from over 1000 gay and lesbian-themed films, as well as over 5000 gay erotic films.
Query Booksellers
(520 East Hennepin) sells gay and lesbian books and magazines.
And of course the Mall of America is located just minutes from the airport and is worth a visit.
More attractions
The Guthrie Theater (725 Vineland Place) was established in 1963 and continues to be one of the nation's most celebrated professional theaters. Sharing a common roof with the Guthrie is the Walker Art Center, where
a permanent collection of modern art and special exhibitions blend with music, dance, film, and educational materials. There's lots to see.
A good resource on the Internet for finding out about the gay Twin Cities can be found at www.gaympls.com.
| Author Profile: Jeff Balk |
|
Jeff Balk is publisher of EXP, a gay/les/bi/trans bar and
entertainment magazine serving
Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas. Jeff
hails from St. Louis, Missouri, where
he lives when not travelling for The
Guide.
|
| Email: |
expmag@aol.com |
| Website: |
www.expmagazine.com |
|
