Even in NYC, they live in the shadow of Twin Cities

Here's a fun tale supporting my theory that the world is so big -- and so small.

There are more than 8 million people in New York City, and, by coincidence, Grace and Molly live across the street from each other. That would be Grace Rybak, daughter of Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, and Molly Coleman, daughter of St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman.

"How do you not crack up?" Molly, 19, says. "In this giant city and, of all people, the mayor of Minneapolis' daughter."

"I told Molly I lived right by Riverside Park off Broadway, [on the Upper West Side]," Grace, 19, recalls. "She said, 'Wait, I live right by Riverside Park off Broadway.' I can see her apartment from my window."

Molly, a fluent Spanish-speaker, works for City Year, a yearlong service program where she tutors elementary and middle-school students in Spanish Harlem and teaches community service. Grace, also fluent in Spanish (and Chinese), volunteers in a similar after-school program, and packs in a full load as a sophomore at Columbia University. Her major? Political science.

"I'm more focused on international relations than my dad," Grace said, laughing. "But there is definitely some inspiration there."

The young women knew each other growing up in political families on opposite sides of the river. But they didn't become fast friends until Molly accepted the City Year job and texted Grace to get together for a cup of coffee in New York. Turns out, that wasn't such a difficult thing to pull off.

New Yorkers also ask them: "Did you know you have an accent?"

And, "Where is Minnesota, again?"

"Being from Minnesota, Molly understands a lot about growing up there that other people don't understand," Grace said. Grace and Molly signed each other's absentee ballots and watched the nail-biter Minnesota governor's race together.

New Yorkers? Not that interested.

The young women also are grateful to have a friend who understands intimately what it's like to be the daughter of a high-profile political parent.

"It's a wonderful thing [to be the mayor's daughter]," added Grace, whose father was first elected when she was 10, "but it's nice to have my own space for now to be my own person."

Grace, the daughter of R.T. and Megan O'Hara, graduated from Breck High School in Golden Valley in 2009. One visit to New York, and Columbia University's grassy, urban, "academically enriching" setting, not to mention the nearby bagels and Korean food, and she was hooked. "New York is the most exciting city in the country. Excuse me," she said with not an iota of prodding.

"The second most exciting city."

Molly grew up in St. Paul, the daughter of Chris and Connie, a Realtor. She was drawn to English and history at Central High School, founded the first public school girls' lacrosse team, was a member of the Young Democrats and Habitat for Humanity, and ran the multicultural festival for the National Honor Society.

"People assumed I always knew what was going on," Molly said. And she usually did. She graduated in 2010.

"The idea is that we're near-peer role models," Molly said. "They kinda want to be like us, but we have more knowledge and we want to help them out." Her school, failing 10 years ago, now gets an A rating. "It's a complete success story," Molly said.

Molly will return to the Midwest this fall to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she, too, will study politics and again live in a state capital. She'll pack the teaching experience into her bag. "I don't know how you could do a year like this and not bring it forward," she said. "It changes everything."

Grace plans to come home at some point, too. But she's nowhere near tiring of her adopted city. "I definitely like having my independent life for now," Grace said.

"Then again, my dad came here and spoke to my public policy club. That was really fun."