It's a long meander: Grand Avenue spans 30 blocks from the Mississippi River to downtown Saint Paul, passing the halls of academia, old homes burnished more beautiful by time, service storefronts that make a neighborhood hum, and shops - lots of original shops - all with decidedly unmall-like appeal.

And, oh the food! From tablecloth institutions to come-as-you-are little nooks, ethnic restaurants to bar and grills, high-octane coffeehouses to one-scoop-or-two ice cream parlors, Grand Avenue has a table waiting.