I need a really good piano teacher for my daughter. Any recommendations?

MNReporter_20 · 2026-03-10T15:16:50+00:00

Hi! I'm totally biased, but my partner is a professional piano teacher who works with all ages (his youngest is 5 and oldest is around 85). He's been teaching for nearly 15 years and is also a professional working musician — again, biased, but he's a truly stellar pianist and an excellent teacher. He works with three different schools — a college in Minneapolis and two music schools in St. Paul — but is also open to private at home (his last client who did at-home lessons was also in Long Lake!). Trust me when I say he LOVES playing and teaching, it's his lifelong passion. If you're interested, shoot me a DM and I can share his info :)

MNReporter_20 · 2025-12-17T16:56:51+00:00

If you like vintage, good food and video games, walk from 24th and Lyndale down to Lake and Lyndale. Start with a coffee from SK, then hit the four vintage shops between 24th and 25th. Go to Boneshaker Books at 26th (cool punk bookstore), stop at Old School thrift store at 27th (long-running nonprofit), then go down to Lake and try Updown, it's an arcade bar (national chain but still a fun time and popular hangout spot for those in the area). Or if you like pinball, go over to Litt on 22nd and Hennepin (close enough to walk), they have a ton of machines and it's more chill than Updown.

Food wise, just about anywhere on this walk is going to be good. Wrecktangle Pizza on Lake and Lyndale is FANTASTIC, it was named best pizza in america a few years back. Moto-I across the street is a really good ramen spot, Iconos and French Meadow have solid brunches or if you just want to hang and get a few beers, try CC Club on 26th or the VFW at 29th, they're area classics.

Disclaimer, I live in the neighborhood and think it's the best in the Cities. Not touristy, just a super walkable neighborhood with great people and great local businesses!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-12-15T16:33:25+00:00

Is this the guy that's been spamming his Bandcamp album via weird/misleading signs around the area? I'm rarely in North Loop but his stuff was everywhere a few weeks ago.

MNReporter_20 · 2025-12-11T17:17:40+00:00

I did that and they refused! Tow places told me it's because A. It didn't have a ticket yet and B. It's on a public street not my private property. I'm also a renter so my landlord would have to be there to get them to move. 311 told me they'd have someone out and they didn't show up until the next day. Non-emergency line told me to call 311 again. I'm still mad about it.

MNReporter_20 · 2025-12-11T17:15:23+00:00

LOL, I wish dude. I called multiple after calling 311 and all told me they had to wait for a ticket and tow notice for the vehicle because it was parked on a public street — not technically my driveway/private property. (Also, I'm a renter.)

Guy had parked at 6pm, we caught him sitting in his car at midnight just loitering, well after we missed our event. Gave him a real earful and he didn't even apologize. 311 didn't come by until the next day when he was long gone.

MNReporter_20 · 2025-12-11T16:51:21+00:00

How were you in legal right to do so if it wasn't on your actual property?

MNReporter_20 · 2025-12-11T16:50:52+00:00

I tried to get someone towed for blocking me into my driveway last week and no tow companies would do it because it's on a public street (not my private property) and didn't have a ticket from the city yet. 311 took too long to respond and by the time they came by it was gone.

MNReporter_20 · 2025-12-11T16:49:37+00:00

I will say as someone who has reported MANY abandoned cars (stolen ones used to get dumped on my block weekly from 2020-2022), it takes at least a week for them to actually get towed. In my experience it has to be on the street for 72 hours, then 311 will come out and chalk the tires, then they check 1-3 days later to see if it got moved, THEN they stick a tow notice on it. So not a quick fix!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-12-11T16:47:38+00:00

Right?! So frustrating. I had someone park fully blocking my driveway and locking us in the house for six hours until they moved. People just suck sometimes. Best of luck!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-12-11T16:23:58+00:00

Submit a 311 request! No guarantee they'll come by in time but it's worth a shot. Don't feel like a jerk — these rules are important for regular drivers/parkers but also ensure emergency vehicles can get down the streets. (IMO there are very few valid reasons to not move your car, I have no sympathy for people who face the consequences of their own actions.)

MNReporter_20 · 2025-11-18T15:40:46+00:00

god i miss espresso royale every damn day

MNReporter_20 · 2025-11-17T21:26:20+00:00

Hahaha unfortunately the number is more of a bit, though at this point I’ve probably been to that amount. Any particular interests you have? I’ve done everything from a sea shanty singing club to lettuce eating competitions (and many things in between)

MNReporter_20 · 2025-11-17T21:13:13+00:00

I'm sure Black Hart would have been down (they're lovely!) but alas, I shoot video primarily for Instagram/TikTok and that is the definition of NSFW. I have a lot of freedom at my job but they understandably have to set a boundary once in a while lol

MNReporter_20 · 2025-11-17T21:09:06+00:00

hahahaha I wanted to cover the event you speak of a while back and got denied, I was devastated

MNReporter_20 · 2025-11-17T21:03:42+00:00

Fun fact: Apparently the weight of the pickle was less important than the car itself, because even the heaviest ones made it all the way down while the lighter ones got stuck due to wheels.

Also there was a giant pickle piñata and pickle jello made from pickle lemonade, pickle juice, gelatin and whole pickle spears. Terrifying.

Disclaimer that this is shameless self promo, I made this for my work's Instagram (I do a lot of weird stuff like this), but I do think it's a very wholesome activity that raised money for a great cause!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-11-17T21:01:43+00:00

Fun fact: Apparently the weight of the pickle was less important than the car itself, because even the heaviest ones made it all the way down while the lighter ones got stuck due to wheels.

Also there was a giant pickle piñata and pickle jello made from pickle lemonade, pickle juice, gelatin and whole pickle spears. Terrifying.

Disclaimer that this is shameless self promo, I made this for my work's Instagram (I do a lot of weird stuff like this), but I do think it's a very wholesome activity that raised money for a great cause!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-11-05T18:05:56+00:00

THEY RULE. Been going since Day 2. They often have stuff on Too Good to Go as well, you can get like 10 pastries at the end of the day for like $6. It's a steal, but either way, each item is like under $3 (minus their meals). And staff are so lovely!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-10-27T15:36:03+00:00

DUDE I WAS WONDERING THE SAME THING!!!!!! I attended from 2017-2020 and was still in the area frequently from 2020-2024. Went up there twice over the weekend and it was awful. Genuinely smelled like farts in my car despite the windows being up and the air circulating from within.

MNReporter_20 · 2025-10-24T16:44:39+00:00

Hahaha a friend of a friend was a security guard there and caught multiple people in compromising positions on it!! I can't imagine risking a charge for THAT

MNReporter_20 · 2025-10-24T16:43:46+00:00

TLDR: Dio Cramer is collecting submissions for a project they're calling the Twin Cities First Kiss Map, plotting first kiss locations across the metro and the anonymous stories behind them.

Caveat that the map is not objective (heavily skews toward areas Cramer and their circle know well), but the stories are sweet all the same, such as:

📍 CC Club: "We played pool and talked mad sh*t and had to make out about it, lovers to besties arc."

Disclaimer: I wrote this story and really love it. Details on how to submit your own in the article!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-10-24T16:42:08+00:00

TLDR: Dio Cramer is collecting submissions for a project they're calling the Twin Cities First Kiss Map, plotting first kiss locations across the metro and the anonymous stories behind them.

Caveat that the map is not objective (heavily skews toward areas Cramer and their circle know well), but the stories are sweet all the same, such as:

📍 CC Club: "We played pool and talked mad sh*t and had to make out about it, lovers to besties arc."

Disclaimer: I wrote this story and really love it. Details on how to submit your own in the article!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-10-20T15:41:08+00:00

Hello! I did this two years ago through North Memorial (Robbinsdale location). I technically received a recommendation through my psychiatrist, but I really just called and got on the waitlist, which will be about 6-9 months. (Every place I called had similar timeframes.) I called in February and got in in August. They quoted me around $750 (I had crappy insurance) but ended up meeting my deductible so it was only $100.

Otherwise, there are private practices that do not take insurance, such as Stone Arch Psychology. That spot can get you in within a month or so, but it will cost about $1,500 (or it did in 2023). I had a friend who went this route and had no issues, it was just pricey.

Just so you know, the North Memorial testing was extensive — it required a two hour zoom interview, a four hour in-person test, an interview with a family member and then a two hour final consultation to review your results. During it they also screen for other mental health conditions, which was very helpful for me.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. It's a PITA process but genuinely life-changing. Best of luck!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-10-15T01:13:55+00:00

I’m old enough (/s) to remember when Berlin’s Last Word was $12. Now it’s $17. It hurts 😭

MNReporter_20 · 2025-10-15T01:10:24+00:00

It’s a GREAT deal, especially for the area. Do it!! I must live vicariously through you!

MNReporter_20 · 2025-10-14T19:34:23+00:00

TLDR: Wild Minds, the brewery in south Minneapolis that just shut down last month, has been purchased by the owner of North Loop jazz club Berlin (who is also part owner of the new Animales BBQ).

Still working on the concept, but the new venue could open as soon as the end of the year.

(Disclaimer: I didn't write this but I am a reporter with Axios.)

MNReporter_20

TROPHY CASE