The List of Lists '09
Here at Vita.mn, we've got a strategy for identifying the best of life and culture in the Twin Cities: We ask you. Specifically, we ask you to make lists. Tons of 'em. Listmaking is one of the basic social applications on www.vita.mn. Users can write their top-10s on a vast array of topics (1,770 and counting), or start lists of their own. Then Vita.mn's list fairies do the math and spit back scientifically calibrated master lists of the top-10 Best Things Ever for each category. In June alone, a self-selected committee of nearly 200 voters entered 2,885 responses to the 120 lists for this issue.
As our third annual List of Lists issue reveals, some things never change: First Avenue (Best Live Rock Venue) and Pizza Luce (Great Places to Eat) are still tops in their categories. (It's particularly ridiculous to us that Luce wins every year, but we have to admit it's got the right mix of cheap grub, fun vibe and 2 a.m. reliability.) At the same time, the punk/bacon haven Triple Rock Social Club makes a notable debut at No. 1 on the prestigious Best Bar. Period. list, and buzz band Solid Gold debuts in the top 10 on the Must-See Local Bands list. But most of the lists this year are new for 2009. If you haven't done all 10 of our Favorite Sex Positions yet, now you've got the list to work from!
In the well-worn "Best Of" genre, we think lists are superior to plain old winner-take-all voting. After all, our lists rank 10 of the best, not just one or two. If you don't think the Bulldog has the best appetizers, we also recommend options No. 2 through 9. And if you disagree with anything you read here (and who doesn't?), our lists are constantly changing and evolving at www.vita.mn/lists. Can't hate if you won't participate, right?
The List of Lists '09
Intro || Bars & drinking || Dining || Music
Movies || Media || Fashion
Romance & dating || Office || Minnesota || Local
About our "List of Lists" issue
The lists in this issue are an official snapshot of how they appeared on www.vita.mn July 3 through 6. Because the lists are forever living and breathing online, many rankings may have changed since then and will continue to change. For "legacy" lists, such as "Great Places to Eat," we have generally published the results of votes from just the past 12 months.
The numbers in parentheses represent the number of Vita.mn users who selected a particular answer. Tiebreakers are determined based on users' individual rankings. These lists are all 100 percent nonbinding, unscientific and inherently subjective. You can contribute to any lists yourself or create new lists of your own at www.vita.mn/lists.
