I grew up in Rochester, and my mother still lives there in my family home. When I return for visits, I can attest that the most fun thing to do is go to Chris Blum’s house for dinner. Great cook, his wife Jules is a bubbly pastry chef, and no corkage! The wine list sucks, so I always bring my own.
The house is part the Plummer estate, one of the early doctors at Mayo. It was originally the caretaker’s house and the carriage/pump house for the Rapunzel-like castle tower (actually a water tower) you can see on the hill above. You can also see the main Plummer house to the left of the water tower. The main house is gorgeous, now I think part of the city park system, and you can rent it out, which my family did for my parent’s 65th wedding anniversary.
The tunnels (which started out as caves and were later turned into tunnels) were used to run water pipes into the hillside and then pumped to the water tower way above them on the hill. Part of history in this town. Yes, the original caves were used to store beer, which was sold at a nearby tavern of some sort. I am fuzzy on those details.
Yes, in the Twin Cities. Out side of the Mayo, Rochester is no different that any other 100K size metro areas in rural America, but residents instead do make the 75 minute drive to the Twin Cities for the lights. There just isn’t the clientele to support a number of upscale establishments due to the nearby option. I wouldn’t put La Crosse out there as a mecca, but a) it is a college town, and b) it’s out there on it’s own and there are no other options/competition.
I interviewed at Mayo Clinic for residency (was my first interview) and as amazing as the clinic is and the perks, Rochester just isn’t a place you really want to live. Maybe if we were actually having children during training.
I am sure grateful for Jules and Chris living there. I cannot imagine how we would have made it through our time there without them.
They showed us many of the fun things and places in and around Rochester.
Former NY sports star purchased this gem while active for himself. Comes with a pretty huge wine cellar (has a dinning room and a tasting room in the center with cellars on all sides. Not to mention a FAA recognized helicopter pad on property.
I hike the woods behind it and used to host wine tastings in the dog park for my canine owning wine loving friends located in said woods.
Little more $$$ than OP however.