We didn’t know what to expect, as we’d never been to Minneapolis before, and staying anywhere unknown, with three other people, has the potential to miss the mark on several levels. Fortunately, it could not have been a more pleasant stay.

The house is as presented -- charming, well-maintained, nestled on a beautiful residential street, and within walking distance of a spectacular lake and park. Restaurants are not walking distance, but if they were, it would not have been a residential neighborhood.

The kitchen is modern and fully functional. The bathrooms are clean and the plumbing works fine. The master bedroom has a great shower, and even an air-jet bathtub. Though I could not, for the life of me, get the jets to work. After a stressful day at the show, they would have been welcomed. As it was, just soaking helped a lot.

As with any older wood floors, the stairs creak, so no sneaking in or out. All in all, a modest inconvenience, and only to those members of my party who, unlike me, do sleep through the night.

The “no shoes inside” policy can drive you a bit nuts if you are someone who forgets to bring everything along the first time. But it keeps the floors clean and extends the life of the flooring -- and after all, we’re only visiting. Don't plan on watching TV, the show is outside, and the sets don't work well anyway.

None of us would hesitate to stay here again, or to recommend it to anyone considering a stay in the twin cities. I never got to meet Katie, and only met her husband for a brief moment. Surprising as they live downstairs, but the instructions were clear and present, so there wasn’t anything we needed to disturb them for.

The city itself is clean to the point that we all considered sharing some of our hometowns' trash, just to make it look more metropolitan. The locals are polite, as they are in Dallas, but it isn't because they’re armed.

Finally, here’s a foodie tip: if you go downtown and want the most amazing meal ever, go to “Saffron Restaurant & Lounge”, at 123 N 3rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Your mouth won’t believe your eyes.

Well Aunt Katie, was that review okay?