Local political maven Sarah Janacek (of the Politics in Minnesota Newsletter) writes in to confirm that there's only one degree of separation between everyone in Minneapolis. At least those who attended the University of Minnesota:
Regarding James Lileks, I've never really met him, although I did have an apartment at the U that he had before me. It was an efficiency apartment on the 19th floor of the E building in that multi-colored monstrosity on the West Bank. I don't even know what they call that complex anymore.
I remember getting all this mail for a guy named James Lileks. The New Republic, The Atlantic Monthly, and tapes from a club, which I always returned to sender. The mags were different, though. As a broke college student, they were a gift, and I figured this Lileks guy must be rich not to change the addresses on them. After reading months of The New Republic, I also thought this Lileks guy must be a classic mushie little liberal college puke. Of course, that spring semester, I was writing a major paper on Cesare Borgia, the model for Machiavelli's "The Prince." I should thank Lileks sometime. Reading all those New Republics helped solidify my conservative thinking.
That multi-colored monstrous apartment building on the West Bank is called Riverside Plaza. Formerly known as Cedar Square West. Lileks discussed his days there in this Bleat from April 1, 2001. Key quote:
I hated living there. It smelled, and the walls were thin, and my building had bugs.
That's all true. How do I know so much about it? I am an alumnus of the Riverside Plaza as well. The 19th floor no less, but I was in one bedroom in the D building. Worst thing about it was the roaches. And in the early 90's nobody there got the New Republic. At least not the English language version.
For all of you others pining away for your days at old Ski-U-Mah, Lileks has a great review of the neighborhoods in his old stomping grounds.
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