Real Estate Snippets

Legoland at the Mall of America

Legoland at the Mall of America isn't in Saint Paul, but it's worth the trip across the river just to see the variety of things that can be made from these fabulous building blocks. Grandmas and Grandpas can  especially enjoy taking their grandchildren to this wonderland as there are lots of hands on places to build and play, and there's NO ENTRANCE FEE!  A word of warning to the novice Mall of America visitor.  It's big!  Taking note of the parking location and entrance is wise.  If one loses one's car at the Mall, it may never be found!

Diggin Dinos for Schools

Finals are done and the students have trekked off for home or places between. 

Macasaurus spent last summer guarding the student union grounds at Macalester College at Grand and Snelling.  Proud as can be, he was created by Carly Schmitt for Macalester College.

Unlike "Mac", Scholasticasaurus spent last summer gracing Rice Park in downtown St. Paul.  Despite the fact that school was out, Scholasticasaurus was ever prepared for learning complete with books, binoculars, safari hat, and compass.  Scholaticasaurus was created by Toni Dachis for The College of Saint Scholastica.

 

Stradivariasaurus

Stradivariasaurus, the Diggin' Dino created by Megan Popowski for Fein Violins, spent the summer of 2008 at 1850 Grand Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota.  Stradivariasaurus proudly displayed violin parts on its body.  The shop itself was new to me since I never had the privilege of playing a stringed instrument.  Carefully crafted wooden instruments were hung about waiting for repair or purchase.  Much like a shoemaker's shop, this shop also had its unique smells.  More information about the shop can be obtained from the Fein Violins website.

Rozieasaurus

Rozieasaurus, the Diggin' Dino created for the Rozie Angell Parish family by Jennifer Englin-Gillings, spent the summer of 2007 at the Children's Hospital St. Paul Garden.  If Rozieasaurus was anything like the real Rozie, I think I would have liked her.  Dare I say the dinosaur shows a woman who loved life, flowers, bugs, and was maybe, just a bit eccentric?  I think it's the hat that made me think that.  The real Rozie Parish, a native east sider, was St. Paul's first Miss Grand Avenue and graduated from Johnson High School in 1964.  Rozieasaurus still stands by the parking lot of St. Paul's Children Hospital.

Click on the picture for larger detail.

Hopeasaurus

This Diggin' Dino spent the summer of 2007 at the Saint Paul YWCA at 375 Selby Avenue.  Hopeasaurus, created for the YWCA by friends of the "Y", carries "the hopes of women, children and families" in the spots on her back.   The YWCA is more than a health and fitness center but is also a human services organization dedicated to developing women, girls and their families.

Considering the spring blizzard we've experienced the last couple day in St. Paul, we might need to add to the other hopes, the hope for spring to come!

Stribasaurus

I write a blog.  They say blogs are the nemesis of newspapers.  Will I, and my fellow bloggers, be responsible for the extinction of Stribasaurus?  Oh, my, I hope not.  Such a stately creature to be put by the wayside.  Plus, if newspapers become extinct,  remodelers of the future will no longer find old newspapers as insulation in the walls of their homes!  The world will never  be the same again!

Stribasaurus, created by Max Haynes for the Star Tribune, spent the summer of 2007 at the Minnesota Science Museum plaza.

Tax Day Is Coming

It's getting close to tax day and if you haven't been to your accountant yet, this Diggin' Dino would be more than happy to help.  Accountantasaurus was created for LarsonAllen, a St. Paul professional service firm, by Kim Cope and Joel Dirnberger and spent the summer of 2007 at the St. Paul Science Museum Plaza.

 

If you've done your taxes and come up short, you might want to visit Associated Bankasaurus for a loan.  But then again, if my banker looked like this I probably wouldn't want to visit him for a loan.  Get a load of those shark's teeth!  Associated Bankasaurus was created by Troy Olin for Associated Bank and spent the summer of 2007 at the former St. Paul Liberty Bank (now Associated) at Snelling and Selby.

State of Hockeyasaurus

Hockey is quickly wrapping up for the year and this poor Diggin' Dino almost got left in the folder.  The Minnesota Wild has only 6 games left so the dino State of Hockeyasaurus is cheering them on.  State of Hockeyasaurus was created by Team Manke for The Minnesota Wild and spent the summer of 2007 by the Xcel Center in downtown St. Paul.

Radiolosaur

Radiolosaur had one of the prettier display areas this summer just outside the Lake Harriet bandshell in Minneapolis.  Radiolosaur was created by Mark and Brittany Brown for Minnesota Radiology.  The new home for Dr. C. T. Rex Ray is at 4000 West 76th St., Edina, in front of the Minnesota Radiology clinic.

Baseball Dinosaurs

Baseball season is fast approaching despite the fact that snow covers the St. Paul landscape.  The Minnesota Twins home opener is March 31.  The Diggin' Dino on the left is Joe Mauerasaurus created in honor of St. Paul's Joe Mauer by Brandon Kuehn and Stacy Azlein for the Minnesota Twins.  Joe, the Dino, is still in front of the Xcel Energy Center awaiting the snowmelt and the official opening of the season.

Not to be outdone, the Saint Paul Saints, St. Paul's minor league team, has its season opener on May 8.  Fun Is Goodasaurus spent the summer of 2007 at Midway Stadium on Energy Park Drive west of Snelling Ave.  If you have not been to a Saints game, give it a whirl.  Tailgaters throw great parties in the parking lot, hot dogs come with the works, the fans actually cheer and do the wave.  In a nutshell, the Saints games are like baseball used to be!  You can even take the whole family without spending your retirement check!  Fun Is Goodasaurus was created by Andy Nelson and The Saints.