Hey nlp, here's my take.. and considering I can see the bloddy thing from my apartment window..

Nicollet mall is great during the spring/summer months because everyone's outside, hot dog vendors, farmer's markets, fresh fish, yadda yadda yadda. I go there on lunch break and do my produce shopping a lot because it's a) cheap and b) good.

The happening part of it is from 5th street south to about 14th or 15th. Zelo is a great restaurant at the corner of 9th, and they have a terrace during warm sunny days. (Only drawback being the stupid $65million Target construction across the street. Try waking up to that every day )

Orchestra Hall is at 13th, with a bar across from it called Brits (English pub). Good places both. You might also check out the IDS tower at 6th, the lobby of which has some interesting events going on sometimes.

And don't forget to do the skyways! If it rains or whatever, just hang out and go shopping in the skyway.. it's a shopping mall that connects all the buildings downtown. They're manly there for us Minneapolis-ites who don't want to walk outside when it's -20.

The Mall of America is a zoo! I go there when I need to unwind, or watch football. But other than that, yikes!

Good luck and have fun!

Jeff

ps. Dude.. anyone else need info about Minneapolis? I'm all over that!