Look at any map, satellite photo, or child’s drawing of Southwest Minneapolis, and its most prominent geographical feature is obvious. Peering unblinkingly back up at you like a single, irregular Cyclops eye, the 335 acres of Lake Harriet dominate the northern half of Southwest in more ways than one. From the Bandshell to the Elf House and all the trails, parks, and beaches in between, the lake is an indispensable part of the area. Adjoining four separate Southwest neighborhoods and sharing its name with one of them, Southwest wouldn’t be Southwest without it. But be honest: don’t you get …

It hasn’t exactly been neighborhood stroll weather, to say the least, for what seems like a very long time. But on a recent day when the temperature called for sweatshirts and winter coats, Max and I ventured forth for a walk around the block. Winter changes the landscape around here like nothing else. Wide, tree-lined streets become crabbed mazes where two cars can barely pass at the same time. Once-straight sidewalks become treacherous minefields of ice, slush, and occasional animal waste that thread between waist-high snow banks. And there were entire weeks this past winter when Max …

So much of parenting is passing along knowledge to our children, and all too often, that involves teaching them how to fix something that’s broken around the house. Hence the traditional parent/child trip to the local hardware store. We’re not saying there’s anything wrong with going to one of the suburban big box stores—if you have a big job. But if you’re looking to support local businesses while patching up the homestead, there are plenty of neighborhood shops to visit. Most of these places have all the necessities, from a full paint department to key-making and tool-sharpening, and the …

When it comes to building snowmen and snow forts, there seems to be something about Southwest Minneapolis that seems to bring out greater levels of creativity and ambition. And that something isn’t just the yards of snow we’ve gotten the past couple of winters, although that’s certainly a factor. Those of us who grew up erecting snow “men” shaped like a stack of globes might do a double-take when driving past something a little trickier. Take one intersection near Lake Harriet Elementary School, where a Stonhenge-like arch was erected on each of the four corners, with smaller standing “stones…

With this year’s record snowfalls, it would be a shame to pass up some of the best sledding in the Cities. Southwest Minneapolis isn’t as flat as it seems at first glance, but you may need a little help finding the best spots for you and your child to risk life and limb hurtling uncontrollably down a frozen hill. So on a recent Saturday afternoon, my six-year-old son Max and I hit as many slopes as I could convince him to go down in his standard red plastic sled. Here they are, in ascending order of age-appropriateness:  Fuller Park48th and Grand; Park on Harriet, south of 48th Street Upon …

Becoming a parent doesn’t have to mean the end of going out for beer and pizza. You just need to find a place where the kids are welcome. And more importantly, where they can have just as much fun as you can.  Welcome to Chatterbox Pub (4501 France Avenue South, Linden Hills). Admittedly, the name evokes Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon, and the menu is far from that of a neighborhood dive. The pizzas and burgers are gourmet, not from a freezer in the back, and they’re joined by a similar range of soups, salads and sandwiches. There are also plenty of options for something a little stronger, …