Tips for newbie from outstate
Hello!
I'm moving to the Como park area off Hamline from Bemidji, MN 6/1 and was hoping for some insight/guidance from locals, as I haven't lived in a major city for 15 years now.
Parking: the apartment has a paid garage, but I'm not sure if it's necessary. How's on street parking by Como park? Is there a lot of restrictions? How does the city handle snow emergencies? Is there a lot of car shopping/ theft in this area... it seems so quiet to me. How's the public transportation in this area? I'm hoping to use my car minimally.
Neighborhood: On that note, it seems like the area I'm moving to is densely residential and I didn't see much in the way of businesses or grocery stores. Are there any major retailers/ mom and pop grocery stores nearby you all could recommend? What's the vibe in this area? It seems relatively close to UofM campus so I'm wondering if there's good coffee shops/ restaurants etc.
Nightlife/3rd spaces/ community: This will be my first time without a yard in a long time. I'm pretty stoked to be right by Como Park, but I'm wondering about community gardens in the area, as I'd like to help invest in this. I've been involved with food support/ mutual aid in the Northwoods and would like to continue this efforts in St Paul. Regarding community, I'm a drag performer and queer, so I'm wondering about both safety and ways to connect with my peeps down there. Is there any queer bars/ drag venues/ community centers in the Como Park area? Karaoke?
Miscellaneous: Any tips for a country mouse moving to the big city? Common mistakes to be mindful of? Is there curbside pickup for recycling? Any veterinarians you recommend?
Thanks for responding! I'm filled with equal parts excitement and anxiety rn and would appreciate any insights.