September 2011 Posts

This Week: Bellydancers, singers, nerds, rosemalers and movies in a barn

Since the PDD Calendar editor has come down with a nasty case of computer virus, allow me to take a shot at highlighting a few hot events this week.

The Aerial Lift Bridge

Hey Duluthers. I’m in college in Idaho and I lived in Wisconsin, but I’ve spent many good times at my grandparents’ on Jefferson Street in Duluth (when will the city repave it?). So I thought I’d share this poem with y’all. It was for a class last year. (c) Moses Bratrud 2011, mos_bratrud @ yahoo.com.

The Aerial Lift Bridge

At the terminus of plains and lakes,
Where the Rust Belt is buckled,
There is a bridge that shinnies up to let ships under.
Linking twisty sandbars
In this zephyr city of the unsalted seas.

Dialects

Map of American English Dialects

Minnesota Pronunciation Samples — Mayor Don Ness and “miner’s wife” Mildred Opacich represent Duluth. (By “represent” I mean that they are used as examples, not as the whole of the study by any means.)

[via/via]

Harbor City Rollerdames Blast Minneapolis

I have but one concession to my St. Paul Life (1995-2005) as I live in Duluth for my sixth year: I love Green Mill. Happy Hour apps are $5.99, instead of $5, and the Alamo Nachos is off the list, again, but Green Mill remains a Happy Hour First Choice for me … which explains why, despite that Minneapolis/St. Paul nostalgia, I had a great time tonight rooting for the Harbor City Rollerdames.

Chester Bowl Snowboarding

Looking for Duluth Insight

I’m a new student at UMD and I have been in Duluth for almost a month now. I have been to Canal Park, downtown, Enger Tower, and other well-known places, but that’s kind of it. Other than what I’ve observed from points of interests and basic knowledge from Wikipedia, I really don’t know much about the city. So I was wondering if there was a person(s) out there that I could just chat with to learn about Duluth’s politics, culture, accomplishments, struggles, people, places, history, future, or whatever I should know. Ultimately I am just trying to get an insider’s perspective of Duluth beyond UMD. If you would want to chat sometime or could refer me to somebody just send me an email, so we can hopefully set something up.([email protected]) Thanks!

Bob Carlson: Businessman, Crusader or Smut-Peddler?

By Dave Hill | Sun Magazine July 15-16, 1970

Will the real Bob Carlson please stand up and identify himself? So far, there are conflicting reports about just who the real Bob Carlson is:

An enterprising St. Paul hustler who has made an opportune bundle as a publicity-wise smut-peddler;

A crusading champion of freedom who has been victimized by the harassment of St. Paul’s self-appointed guardians of public and private morality;

A modest, even earnest small businessman who runs a group of bookstores, putting in long hours of hard work, trying to make an honest dollar just like thousands of other men in the hardware, furniture or used car lines.

When the real Bob Carlson does stand up, the situation gets a little muddled. You see, to one degree or another, all three of those confusing caricatures seem to fit him, at least a little bit.

Duluth Handyman/woman?

Instead of exclusively perusing Craigslist, I thought I’d put a question to the friendly community of PDDers.

Can anyone please recommend a handyman and/or woman who could help me with my inability to properly execute seemingly simple home repair tasks?

Last Place on Earth raided

JimCarlsonAt 1:02 p.m. today Duluth Police executed a search warrant at the Last Place On Earth, a head shop at 120 E. Superior St.

According to police, the search warrant is part of an ongoing investigation into the sale of “illegal synthetic marijuana,” and Last Place will remain closed until investigators have cleared the scene.

No arrests have been made, so whether illegal products were being sold along with legal ones is yet to be determined.

Designer drugs were the subject of cover stories in the Duluth News Tribune and Star Tribune on Sunday.

DNT: Synthetic drugs bring new rush hour to downtown Duluth
Strib: Bath salts hit U.S. ‘like a freight train’

Pochahontas performance stirs controversy

There appears to be some controversy about Pohahontas, an original opera to be performed this Thursday evening at 7:30 pm Marshall School Fregeau Auditorium.

The Duluth News Tribune wrote a front page (above the fold) story on Monday about one woman’s complaint concerning the opera and today’s newspaper shows a guest column and two letters to the editor in support of the opera and it’s authenticity. While the woman who is the focus of Monday’s front page DNT story purports that efforts were not supportive of the local Native American culture, others from the local Native American community claim otherwise.

The opera performance is sponsored by the local Duluth Festival Opera and is an original music drama written by a regional woman about the true story of a Native American woman caught between two worlds. It is a very moving music drama that has been successfully debuted in the state of Virginia. Thursday’s performance will be Minnesota’s debut of the music drama. A discussion will be held following the opera performance.

Help keep the arts alive and come and see this unique and lovely new music drama and judge for yourself … and weigh in on the discussion.

Duluth Dinkytown?

Anybody have thoughts on this?

Duluth School Board authorizes sale of Woodland site; developer envisions mini ‘Dinkytown’

I know the family that lives on the east end of the wooded area. They have been trying for over a year to purchase some of that land to leave as green-space and a buffer. They were assured that the developer would take the neighborhood “into consideration.” Can anybody fire up their crystal ball and see how this plays out? Or should I invest in vinyl siding as it takes a lot of plastic to wrap buildings over 21 acres.

Anyone familiar with this?

I saw a poster today for an old (25 years!) Roland electric upright piano for sale. Full-size keyboard, model HP 5500/5600. I tried to research online, but of course, these things just ain’t around anymore. Anyone familiar?

I’d love a real piano, but just don’t have the space right now, though I bet for just a bit more money I could get something much better sounding? Advise, fair Duluthians. Thanks!

Good Duluth dry cleaners?

My husband needs his good winter coat cleaned, but I don’t know anything about the dry cleaners in Duluth. Which ones are recommended? Which ones (if any) should we avoid?

Harbor City Art Fair seeking vendors

Harbor City International School is looking for artists and crafters of handmade items to exhibit and sell their works in the “movement studio,” which is adjacent to the school’s beautiful theater and lobby.

The Harbor City Art Fair is a fun-filled event with art, music, food, activities, and more! It will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Please contact Emma Rustan at 218-428-1189 for more information or email erustan @ harborcityschool.org to receive an application.

Missing Dog in Lakeside

Our dog escaped this morning in the area of 43rd and Superior St.  He has a red collar with no tags (yeah, yeah, I know) and his name is Buddy.  He’s very friendly and very sweet.  Short and fat like a basset.

If you see him, please call us at 5two5-three9three0. Thanks.

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!