Skip to Content
Opinion

Friday Open Thread: Better Knowing Our Twin Cities

TGIF. Let's chat.

Did you know there’s a massive Hindu temple in Sisqó’s hometown of Maple Grove? Did I just type history’s most interesting sentence?

|Woolennium via Flickr

Howdy, Racket subscribers! Jay here, filling in for Friday Open Thread prompt duties since Keith selfishly took a vacation.

So we have a certified hit on our hands with Ian Ringgenberg's loving travelogue from St. Paul. The story has amassed 15,000+ views and counting, which, based on my napkin arithmetic, amounts to roughly 5% of the capital city's population. We love to see it, folks.

In the spirit of discovering new pockets of our backyard, I'll ask you: What are some other parts of the greater Twin Cities metro that summon your curiosity?

Personally, I may have become White Bear Lake-pilled last weekend! I found WBL's old downtown quite charming, and immediately dialed up Zillow to browse the (very limited) selection of pre-war houses. (It's important for readers to know I've never lived outside of Minneapolis proper; the farthest I've lived from my childhood home is eight miles—aka the Eminem special.)

Share your questions, observations, and/or neato factoids about other under-discussed places in the country's 16th largest constellation of cities.

Or don't!

It's Friday Open Thread, meaning you can gab about whatever the hell you'd like. Even the very fun new song from Olivia Rodrigo:

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Racket

Critics Respond to George Floyd Square Proposal with Skepticism, Annoyance, Outrage

Plus Uptown AI slop, a chance to buy awesome lawn sculptures at auction, and feeling philosophical about the Wolves in today's Flyover news roundup.

Meet the Minneapolis Artist Who Paints All Those Timberwolves Yard Signs

Adam Johnson says they're 'almost like flags' to wordlessly unite Wolves fans.

May 15, 2026

Howsabout a ‘What Are You Reading?’ Open Thread

As we do every Friday, we're turning Racket over to you, the readers.

A Guide to the Kingfield Farmers Market From its Biggest Fan

Hop in the pool, get your knives sharpened, and eat the country's best goat cheese on Sundays through October.

RacketCast, Ep. 52: Girl Gone HOW Wild? Feat. Author/Comic/Actor Courtney Kocak

The multihyphenate entertainer from rural Minnesota talks about her coming-of-age memoir.

See all posts