There's plenty of landmarks and institutions that we drive by or walk past often, but have you ever been inside? Here's some famous Minneapolis and St. Paul buildings which offer free guided or self guided tours.

The Minnesota State Capitol has daily free tours, beginning on the hour every hour until one hour before closing. See the art collections, and weather permitting, go outside on the roof for a close-up view of the four golden horses that adorn the front of the Capitol.

Interested in local television? TPT, Twin Cities Public Television, offers tours once a month from November through April on the first Saturday of the month. Tours start at 10, 10.30, 11 and 11.30 a.m.

Downtown Minneapolis' most beautiful building, the Minneapolis Central Library, has several innovative design features, and an art collection, which are usually off-limits to the public. Register online or by phone for a tour of the Minneapolis Central Library. Would you have thought that above the silver wing, that the building has a green, grass covered roof? No, me either. Tours begin on December 1 until February 25, and reservations are required.

Museums and art galleries traditionally offer tours, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts has some of the best. Tours are offered daily at the MIA, no reservations are required, and you can choose between a tour of the museums' highlights, or one of the tours that focus on just one part of the vast collections.

The Guthrie Theater offers several tours, which are not free, but the best value is the free audio tour - download the Guthrie Theater's tour podcast for free from their website, put it on your iPod and explore at your own pace.

If your only experience with City Hall is paying parking tickets, you might not be aware of the history of Minneapolis' and St. Paul's city halls. St. Paul Court House, an art deco extravaganza dating from St. Paul's gangster days, with a 60 feet tall onyx statue of Native Americans with peace pipes offers a free self-guided tour, and guided tours can be requested via the city website. Minneapolis' City Hall and Court House is less dramatic inside, but the history of the building is just as interesting. Guided tours of Minneapolis' courthouse start at noon on the third Wednesday of every month.

_{Minneapolis Central Library. You'll need to go on a tour to see the top of that silver wing. Photo Clara James}

Where: Interstate State Park, just by the town of Taylors Falls When: Sunday, November 15. The weather: so warm in the beautiful sunshine that coats were left in cars, hikers were walking in t-shirts and some intrepid rock climbers were - gasp! - shirtless. Sorry, isn't it November? In Minnesota?

The high temperature on Sunday was 49 degrees but it certainly felt warmer in the sun. And there's been several glorious days so far this November, a rarity when the average maximum temperature for the middle of November is only 40 degrees, and November averages 7.9 inches of snow fall. We've barely had an inch or two so far this month.

But, on the other side of town to the shirtless mountaineers, Wild Mountain Ski and Snowboard area opened on Sunday. It's been cold enough overnight for Wild Mountain to make snow, and they opened with one run and one lift operating, with appropriately discounted lift tickets for the day. Wild Mountain says that they will continue to make snow every time the weather is cold enough and hope to have more runs open soon.

So when does winter begin in Minneapolis and St. Paul? When does it start to snow in Minneapolis? That's the real kind, not make by the snow guns at ski resorts. It does seem like it's late this year, and so far the forecast for the coming week does indicate more higher-than-average temperatures, and doesn't contain any snow. But the unseasonal weather can't last much longer... can it? Surely we'll be due snow and ice and all the traditional cold weather in another next week? Or will we be celebrating Thanksgiving in our shirtsleeves? What do you think?

Yesterday I blogged about toy store Creative Kidstuff enticing adults with mimosas, and today I heard of an event at Wild Rumpus childrens' bookstore in Minneapolis that's even more tempting for grown ups than kids.

One-time St. Paul resident, indie/folk musician Haley Bonar will be in store on Monday, November 16 for a special musical performance for the release of her children's EP, Sing With Me. Haley's music is regularly played on the Current so hip mamas and papas will likely enjoy this show as much as the kids will. The event is during Wild Rumpus' weekly Tail Time story time at 10.30 a.m., and it's free. Tail Time is very popular even without music stars, so get there early.

This Friday, November 13, local toy store Creative Kidstuff will be opening their newest location in St. Louis Park. The store, in the new Shops at West End development, is Creative Kidstuff's seventh store in the Twin Cities, and their largest.

Creative Kidstuff has been a favorite destination for holiday toy shopping and birthday gifts for over twenty years. The local-grown chain has six other locations, in Edina, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, St. Paul, and Woodbury, and the original store in Minneapolis' Linden Hills.

Tots are bound to love the giant cat that welcomes shoppers into the St. Louis Park store, but the store knows how to temp the grown ups too.

On November 21, early birds or night owls can shop kid-free at each of Creative Kidstuff's seven stores, enjoy mimosas in the morning or wine and dessert in the evening, and revive free gift wrap on every purchase. Reservations are required by calling the store you'd like to shop at, and it's for adult only, before and after the stores's regular opening hours.