My wife and I had the pleasure of staying at Emily’s home for 5 weeks in June and July, while visiting our kids who live in town. The first thing to know is that the AirBNB listing ad describes the home perfectly, “Cozy Artist's Hideaway” – it’s true.
There is art everywhere – prints, originals (including Emily’s), paintings, carvings, pottery, mixed media, etc. And “written” art, as well – stacks and Stacks and STACKS of books in every nook and cranny of the house. Seriously, we could have stayed and just read books 16 hours a day. Great ones too on many topics: the arts (obviously), cooking, gardening, home improvement, self-discovery, memoirs, biographies, action, adventure, romance, technology, the future. We felt right at home.
We stayed downstairs for our visit, which enters from a side entrance in the yard. There is an upstairs apartment available to stay, as well. However, we didn’t see it so can’t comment, except to say that the entrance is from the front, going straight into a private landing and stairs. So, you never have to worry about bumping into the “neighbors” trying to enter/exit at the same time.
Since we were there so long, not surprisingly, there were a number of guests of your more typical 1-3 night stays who stayed upstairs. But, we didn’t hear them, except for a little bit of muffled ceiling creaking (their floor), as they walked around.
About half the guests had pets, which are allowed. All were quiet – we never hear any barking (or loud meowing!) upstairs, as were the guests – everyone was super-respectful of each other’s space. That was great for us, as we worked during the day, while visiting our kids at night and on weekends.
Speaking of work, the internet service is reliable, but not highest bandwidth. Met most of our needs but would struggle with the dual video/audio requirements of Zoom and other web conferencing apps – especially when we were both using them…not to mention if our neighbors upstairs were trying to do the same. That said, it only had one hiccup during the 5 weeks we were there, using it day-and-night. We texted Emily and she was on it ASAP. Fixed within a few hours, which is as good as you could expect.
So, let’s talk about the rest of the accommodations:
-	Bed: super-comfy, memory mattress full-size…snuggling required, if there’s two of you – we both like a soft bed, so we loved it!
-	Bathroom: for many, this may be the biggest challenge…pretty standards 1960s/70s style -- in other words tiny. No room for two. But, there was plenty of space to store and stack things, the shower was strong, toilet and sink worked well. Just be prepared to take turns.
-	The kitchen is a mix of new and old-school. Loved the big sink and modern faucet, fridge, etc. The oven/stove were throwbacks to early electric, but worked great. Tons and tons of bowls, plates, utensils, glasses and cups, etc. Seating at the table for 3 only, so if you have a bigger group, you’ll need to go outside – or eat out!
-	The living room and front sun room were our main hangouts. Comfy couch and day beds for seating. Lots of natural light from windows. Plus plenty of cute lighting fixture (overhead, side tables, floor-mounted) who were great for early morning and late night hours.
If you are lucky enough to be there in the spring/summer, Emily keeps the main and side yards vibrant with all manner of plants, flowers, with a lush garden and veggies in the back; lawn well-kept/mowed. We only lingered a couple of times, but could see how this would be a favorite spot for some people to hang out for extended periods.
When not at the house, if you explore the immediate neighborhood, it’s fantastic. You are in the heart of the NorthEast quarter of Minneapolis, which in our opinion the best place to be. Far enough away to get some distance from the hurly-burly of downtown and uptown, but close enough to drive there or the U of M in minutes. NE is cool!
Many great restaurants on Central and Johnson streets. Try the Mill, if you are up for a stylish alt-music bar and grill with terrific food and the friendliest, tatted servers ever. Or Listo, like a Chipotle, but fresher food, bigger portions, and local-family owned. Store-wise, there is a great little co-op grocery store nearby, but also Target, Cub, and Home Depot mega store within easy walking distance.
If you walk around the neighborhood, you are at the southern tip of an incorporate community (basically a little city) called St. Anthony, which is very nice. The houses and yards are a little more upscale, but the lot sizes are about the same. So, fits right in with all of the surrounding community which is very diverse, ethnically, racially, etc. Many parks, with quiet, low traffic streets -- we never once came across an area within a 1 1/2 mile radius of walking that we didn’t feel safe in.
Well, that’s about it. We couldn’t recommend it more highly. Emily is – indeed – a “Super-host.” And, we are so grateful for her hospitality.