08-18-2008, 01:03 PM
08-18-2008, 01:53 PM
The Nook is in the Highland area of St. Paul. I guess it depends on what you're looking for. It's a little neighborhood place with good burgers. The beer selection is likely limited to a half-dozen light beers on tap. You'll probably find a few people from the local neighborhood there. If I were to refer out-of-town guests to a bar, that wouldn't even make my top 25 in the Twin Cities. Tell me what kind of bar you like and I'll give you some suggestions.
08-18-2008, 02:00 PM
Be careful where you go around the Dome and especially the campus as both areas are extremely high in crime.
08-18-2008, 02:08 PM
the nook was previewed on the Food Network.
08-18-2008, 02:19 PM
If you haven't already noticed, PantherHawk has problems.
The Dome is an okay place (we don't like it much), but nobody should be concerned about safety.
I hope that all NIU fans have a good time in the Twin Cities.
There aren't really any great bars near the dome, but campus is about 6 blocks east of the dome and the main part of downtown is about 6 blocks west of the dome. Here are a few suggestions:
Downtown: Keegan's Irish Pub, The Local, Brits, Glueks.
Campus: Sally's, Stub and Herbs, the Library.
The Dome is an okay place (we don't like it much), but nobody should be concerned about safety.
I hope that all NIU fans have a good time in the Twin Cities.
There aren't really any great bars near the dome, but campus is about 6 blocks east of the dome and the main part of downtown is about 6 blocks west of the dome. Here are a few suggestions:
Downtown: Keegan's Irish Pub, The Local, Brits, Glueks.
Campus: Sally's, Stub and Herbs, the Library.
08-18-2008, 02:36 PM
Go Gophers Rah Wrote:If you haven't already noticed, PantherHawk has problems.
The Dome is an okay place (we don't like it much), but nobody should be concerned about safety.
I hope that all NIU fans have a good time in the Twin Cities.
There aren't really any great bars near the dome, but campus is about 6 blocks east of the dome and the main part of downtown is about 6 blocks west of the dome. Here are a few suggestions:
Downtown: Keegan's Irish Pub, The Local, Brits, Glueks.
Campus: Sally's, Stub and Herbs, the Library.
I'm hoping the NCAAbbs NIU fans can meet at Sally's on Friday night, if they are in town. Easy to find, lots of room, plus is on campus so the out of towners can see the campus.
One thing I need a little local input on - as an MN based NIU fan, where is the best place to tailgate?
Dear NIU fans - do not make your plans around the dome. It would be like searching for a bar and things to do by Soldier Field.
08-18-2008, 02:44 PM
Hope this helps, its from a local restaurant review guide:
http://www.thriftyhipster.com/minneapoli...comments=1
"A Small Place with BIG Burgers"
This old and historic corner bar was one of the originals of St. Paul, established in 1938. Made famous by its hamburgers (Home of the Juicy Lucy) and fresh-cut fries, The Nook has taken on the laid-back "where everybody knows your name" feeling. Regulars and newbies come to relax in the big patios and enjoy the food and beer.
Originally, The Nook served 3.2 beer, but is now serving strong beer and wines. The crowd is a very mixed group of college students and neighborhood regulars and chill music is always playing in the background. The Nook is never out of control, but is always packed and a great stop for those of you looking to relax with your friends, have some beers, and great conversation.
http://www.thriftyhipster.com/minneapoli...comments=1
"A Small Place with BIG Burgers"
This old and historic corner bar was one of the originals of St. Paul, established in 1938. Made famous by its hamburgers (Home of the Juicy Lucy) and fresh-cut fries, The Nook has taken on the laid-back "where everybody knows your name" feeling. Regulars and newbies come to relax in the big patios and enjoy the food and beer.
Originally, The Nook served 3.2 beer, but is now serving strong beer and wines. The crowd is a very mixed group of college students and neighborhood regulars and chill music is always playing in the background. The Nook is never out of control, but is always packed and a great stop for those of you looking to relax with your friends, have some beers, and great conversation.
08-18-2008, 02:45 PM
Lord Stanley Wrote:I'm hoping the NCAAbbs NIU fans can meet at Sally's on Friday night, if they are in town. Easy to find, lots of room, plus is on campus so the out of towners can see the campus.If we can leave early enough with the Huskie Bus I would love to meet somewhere.
08-18-2008, 02:57 PM
Lord Stanley Wrote:Go Gophers Rah Wrote:If you haven't already noticed, PantherHawk has problems.
The Dome is an okay place (we don't like it much), but nobody should be concerned about safety.
I hope that all NIU fans have a good time in the Twin Cities.
There aren't really any great bars near the dome, but campus is about 6 blocks east of the dome and the main part of downtown is about 6 blocks west of the dome. Here are a few suggestions:
Downtown: Keegan's Irish Pub, The Local, Brits, Glueks.
Campus: Sally's, Stub and Herbs, the Library.
I'm hoping the NCAAbbs NIU fans can meet at Sally's on Friday night, if they are in town. Easy to find, lots of room, plus is on campus so the out of towners can see the campus.
One thing I need a little local input on - as an MN based NIU fan, where is the best place to tailgate?
Dear NIU fans - do not make your plans around the dome. It would be like searching for a bar and things to do by Soldier Field.
Of all the people going, how many people are going to be in Minneapolis on Friday and Saturday nights? With it only being roughly a 5 to 6 hour drive from DeKalb, I'd assume most will be coming sometime Saturday during the day. I could be wrong though.
My roommate and I were looking for another person or 2 to come with us to split the hotel and gas costs, but we're not sure what's going on. The longer we wait, the more screwed we're going to be trying to find a hotel room.
08-18-2008, 08:26 PM
i'll be up there on saturday, probably around two or three PM. i bought six tickets and i think five or six are going for sure. we planned on driving up saturday and staying somewhere outside minny/wisconsin on the way back.
if i had a big enough vehicle, i would ask you to come with us. i'm always up for more people to split the gas. let me know if you have any ideas.
if i had a big enough vehicle, i would ask you to come with us. i'm always up for more people to split the gas. let me know if you have any ideas.
08-20-2008, 10:23 PM
Planning to leave for MN Friday @ 11am & returning by 2pm Monday.
08-20-2008, 11:04 PM
Leaving after my last class friday, and coming back sunday.
08-20-2008, 11:13 PM
7 Wrote:Leaving after my last class friday, and coming back sunday.
How is school going for you? Best advice is to work your ass off the next two years at Kishwaukee and take a rigorous course load. Put yourself into the best possible position two years down the road to transfer to the 4 year college of YOUR choice, not be limited to inferior schools or God forbid the 2010-11 class at Big Earl's Truck Driving and Taxidermy School.
08-20-2008, 11:26 PM
Gopher fans - how does an off-campus arena effect student turnout?
08-21-2008, 10:55 AM
It affects it in a negative way though they expect 10,000 plus students for all games when school is in session. It's never been a "Gopher Stadium", they've had as little as 3,000 students there during the 90's. It's a Vikings stadium period and they let they Gophers play there. The Vikings get all the Suite Revenue for Gophers and Twins games. The Gophers get no parking money and a small part of concessions (30%?) and a smaller slice of Advertising money. The Gophers were included in the Metrodome bill to make it easier for Leglislators to vote for it.
None of that makes for much of a "it's OUR college" team feel at the Dome.
All that being said when the Gophers have been winning they've put 60,000 plus in there. They had 62,000 there for a Friday night game against Michigan a few years back. That's the game when the Gophers blew a 21 point lead. They got 40 some thousand for the next game against the Spartans. When they've had bad teams it only gets over 60,000 when Iowa or Wisconsin play there. There's tens of thousands of them within an hours drive of the Dome anyway.
Anything over 40,000 actually in the Dome on the 30th will be a very good crowd. If they announce 50,000 sold it should make for great attendance the rest of the season unless injuries expose the lack of depth again.
Enjoy your season starting in September.
None of that makes for much of a "it's OUR college" team feel at the Dome.
All that being said when the Gophers have been winning they've put 60,000 plus in there. They had 62,000 there for a Friday night game against Michigan a few years back. That's the game when the Gophers blew a 21 point lead. They got 40 some thousand for the next game against the Spartans. When they've had bad teams it only gets over 60,000 when Iowa or Wisconsin play there. There's tens of thousands of them within an hours drive of the Dome anyway.
Anything over 40,000 actually in the Dome on the 30th will be a very good crowd. If they announce 50,000 sold it should make for great attendance the rest of the season unless injuries expose the lack of depth again.
Enjoy your season starting in September.
08-21-2008, 11:03 AM
Answer regarding the off-campus stadium.
For one of the 3 largest universities in America (52,000 +/- students) we have a relatively small student section. On occasion - for a big opponent in a night game, we might have 8,000 students there (a pure guess), but when we play a nonconference game before the school year has even starteed (such is the case on 8/30), I would only expect about 3,000 students. Here are some reasons for the low student turnout:
* the stadium is about 3/4 mile from the heart of campus.
* the metrodome is probably the very worst BCS conference staium there is.
* We're in the middle of a metro area - all metro schools have hard times drawing big crowds (especially those with a pro team) - we average higher than Miami, Georgia Tech and Pitt though.
* the U of M has an unusually high percentage of grad/professional students - they don't seem as into sports and activities as the undergrads.
* we used to be more of a commuter campus (that has changed quite a bit over the past 8 years with a bunch of student housing constructed)
* we haven't finished higher than 3rd in the conference since 1967.
The new stadium will solve many of these issues and we are hoping to have at least l0,000 students on average at the new stadium.
Attendence in the Metrodome over the past 3 years (respectively) has averaged: 49,024, 52,206 and 51,791.
Hope that gives a little bit of insight.
For one of the 3 largest universities in America (52,000 +/- students) we have a relatively small student section. On occasion - for a big opponent in a night game, we might have 8,000 students there (a pure guess), but when we play a nonconference game before the school year has even starteed (such is the case on 8/30), I would only expect about 3,000 students. Here are some reasons for the low student turnout:
* the stadium is about 3/4 mile from the heart of campus.
* the metrodome is probably the very worst BCS conference staium there is.
* We're in the middle of a metro area - all metro schools have hard times drawing big crowds (especially those with a pro team) - we average higher than Miami, Georgia Tech and Pitt though.
* the U of M has an unusually high percentage of grad/professional students - they don't seem as into sports and activities as the undergrads.
* we used to be more of a commuter campus (that has changed quite a bit over the past 8 years with a bunch of student housing constructed)
* we haven't finished higher than 3rd in the conference since 1967.
The new stadium will solve many of these issues and we are hoping to have at least l0,000 students on average at the new stadium.
Attendence in the Metrodome over the past 3 years (respectively) has averaged: 49,024, 52,206 and 51,791.
Hope that gives a little bit of insight.