The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

Minnesota. We live in this state at the risk of our own demographic peril. While we can split hairs, we have few sizable minority middle classes to speak of. We remain a socially siloed state. We're heavy on Germans and Swedes and light on salsa.

And I don't need a Margaret Mead to prove me wrong.

Just look at our roads around here.

I recall sitting in a long, dull editorial meeting one Monday afternoon. It was around 4:30; a dozen writerly types, all disengaged. Our eyes were darting between our watches and the door. Then, the editor gave us the topic for our annual food issue: Best Pizza. Suddenly, everyone in the room perked up and had something to say.

What is it about pizza? Not only is it a strikingly perfect meal: if you assemble it correctly, all five food groups are represented in more or less the right ratio. But it seems to strike an emotional chord with just about everyone in the free world.

Tim Alevizos is a man who lives his art.

Show up at his posh Uptown condo on a Saturday morning around 10. He will open the front door and take your coat. Then, if you’re someone he likes (and believe me, if you weren’t, you wouldn’t be here) he’ll usher you into the “owner’s suite” of his 8-foot Italian couch and bring you a cup of coffee so strong it’ll make your nasal hairs sing.

About a year ago, after Minneapolis Mayor R. T. Rybak had celebrated his rout of Peter McLaughlin by diving off the stage into the arms of his supporters, I noticed John Blackshaw wandering through the crowd of well-wishers, a slight smirk on his lips and a look of satisfied exhaustion in his eyes.

He is responsible for getting Paul and Jesse elected. Minnesota's premier political ad consultant is the very best in the business. So why’s Bill Hillsman sitting this one out?

Photos by John Noltner