Monday, July 25, 2016

Minneapolis Fling: So Much to Write About...

2016 Minneapolis Garden Bloggers Fling group at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in St. Paul.
The 2016 Garden Bloggers Fling is over, and the tired but exhilirated bloggers have gone home to sort through hundreds (thousands?) of images and digest all that they have seen and learned about northern gardens. We'll be sharing their posts here. For real-time information about the Fling, check out our Garden Bloggers Fling Facebook page or look on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #gbFling2016. (The photos will blow you away!)

The Fling was organized by Amy Andrychowicz, Kathleen Hennessey and Mary Lahr Schier. You can check out our itinerary, our terrific sponsors, and more information about gardening in the North on this blog. Now, on to the posts!

MINNEAPOLIS -- THE CITY AND ITS GARDENS

FRIDAY, July 15

Springwood Gardens Daylily Farm was a favorite stop.
SATURDAY, July 16


What a pretty vegetable garden!
SUNDAY, July 17



 


Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Planning Your Trip To Minneapolis

I know we've thrown a lot of Fling info at you over the past few months, and it can be hard to find all the information you're looking for. So I thought I'd put together a list of important links and information you'll need for making the final arrangements for your trip to Minnesota next week.

Minneapolis skyline

Communication

#hashtag

Our hashtag for the 2016 Garden Bloggers Fling is #gbFling2016. Please be sure to use that every time you post something about the Fling on your favorite social media site. It's a great way for sponsors, garden owners, and fellow Flingers to follow along on our adventures.

Facebook Group

Also it's important to note that all of our communication during the busy days of the Fling is done through our Facebook group. If you're coming to the Fling, but you're not a member of that group yet, please click here and request to join. Then turn on the FB notifications, and keep your eyes peeled for important announcements from now all the way through the Fling (and afterward as people start posting pictures and blog links about the Fling!)

Important Links

Hotel

Transportation

  • If you are flying in, there is light rail service from both Twin Cities terminals (Terminal 1 (Lindbergh) and Terminal 2 (Humphrey)) to downtown. You'll take the train to downtown Minneapolis, and then get off at the Warehouse District/Hennepin Ave Station. This station is on 5th Street N, between Hennepin Ave and 1st Ave N. Once you get off the train, you'll go northwest on 5th St toward 1st Ave and turn left onto 1st Ave N. The hotel is 1.5 blocks from the Transit Station between 6th St and 7th St, on the left side of the street (right across the street from the Target Center). Taking the Light Rail is super easy!
  • A cab ride will cost about $35, or you can take an Uber.
  • Driving directions to the hotel are here.  
Minneapolis Central Library (location for our Thurs eve Welcome Event)

Food

Some of your food will be provided, but not all of it. Below is a list so you know what to expect (the meals in bold/italic font are the ones where you'll be on your own).

Thursday:
  • Appetizers and beverages at our welcome event
  • You're on your own for dinner (if you're still hungry after the welcome event)
Friday:
  • You're on your own for breakfast 
  • Lunch
  • Snacks on the bus
  • Appetizers and beverages at happy hour
  • You're on your own for dinner
Saturday:
  • You're on your own for breakfast 
  • Lunch  
  • Snacks on the bus
  • Banquet Dinner
Sunday:
  • You're on your own for breakfast 
  • Lunch 
  • Snacks on the bus
  • You're on your own for dinner

 

Your hosts for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Garden Bloggers Fling: 

Please remember that each Fling is planned, coordinated and run by volunteers - this is not our full time job. So please, please be patient if you experience any glitches during the Fling. We'll do our best to make sure everything goes as planned - but with every BIG event, there's always something, right? So, patience and understanding are always appreciated!
Thank you!


Saturday, July 2, 2016

Thursday Night Welcome Event!!


Our Thursday night Welcome event for the Minneapolis Garden Bloggers Fling will be at the Minneapolis Central Library. One of the reasons we chose this location for our welcome event is because it's a short 7 minute walk (3 blocks) from our hotel (or a 5 minute walk from the train station).


But the main reason we chose it is because the Minneapolis Central Library is a beautiful building (and we wanted to show it off)! Built in 2006, the Minneapolis Central Library is a fairly new addition to our beautiful city. Because of it's gorgeous, award winning architecture, the Minneapolis Central Library has been named one of the 50 most beautiful libraries in the world. (The library also has a green roof, but unfortunately it's not open for tours. Super bummed about that!!)


I would share a link to their website, but it's totally unimpressive!! Instead, you'll have to wait and see it for yourself. :-)


Thursday Evening Welcome Event

Location: Minneapolis Central Library - 300 Nicollet Mall, downtown Minneapolis
Time: 5:30-8pm
Refreshments: Appetizers, beer, wine and other refreshments will be served
Attire: Anywhere from casual to dressy

The room is located on the 2nd floor on the north side of the building. They will post directional signage in the elevators and at the bottom of the escalator to make it easier for us to find the room.

We will plan to meet in the hotel lobby for those of you who are walking from the hotel. If you want to walk with the group, meet in the lobby between 5-5:15.

Or you can just meet us at the library. Since it's so close to our hotel, you can come and go whenever you want - so there's no rush to get there exactly at 5:30. Of course, you can leave the event early if you want to grab an earlier dinner (but you have to eat your fill before we let you leave, so that might spoil your appetite! LOL!).

For those of you who are driving... there are two levels of parking located beneath the Library. The parking ramp entrance is on 4th Street (across the bus and bike lanes) between Hennepin and Nicollet. The ramp is directly below the library.

Will we see you there?