May 2012 Posts

DuSu Film Festival is a stellar event

I don’t think I can put enough likes on the page to do it justice. Just a note to check out some of the films that Richard Hansen and the Duluth Superior Film Festival folks have brought to us this year. Very much in line with our North Country interests and at reasonable price for all access passes — $20. Great films, great music, great art and good times. A longer version of my opinion here.

Stationary Kayaking on Chester Creek

The first four seconds of this video is the gonzo adventure part, but the next three minutes and 26 seconds of trying to get out of the water is pretty good comedy.

Day of Caring still open for volunteers

United Way of Greater Duluth’s 17th annual Day of Caring is June 21. Hundreds of community-minded Duluthians will get outside and paint fences, landscape, lay bricks, clean warehouses and more at 31 local nonprofits. Every year the volunteer teams enjoy giving back and the nonprofits really appreciate the help.

If you’re looking to participate this year, there are projects still available. You can visit volunteerduluth.org and click on the Day of Caring logo to see what needs to be done and adopt a project. You can volunteer individually or with your friends, family, coworkers or classmates. Every volunteer will receive a free Day of Caring t-shirt.

Call George at the United Way of Greater Duluth Volunteer Center with any questions at 218.726.4780.

Truck crashing into Gordie’s Place

Gordie’s Place is in Little Canada, a suburb of the Twin Cities. This happened last night; the driver wasn’t drunk, but apparently had a “diabetic reaction” and lost control of his truck. Two patrons were injured.

Which trails are usable right now?

Can anyone give me some tips on which trails are usable after our recent monsoons?  I tried to run in Bagley Nature Area early last week and even after one day of heavy rain it was pretty soaked. I’m looking for somewhere on the east side of the city to take a run tonight.  Hawk Ridge is my favorite, but I’m guessing it will be a complete mud pit for a while.

Cello needs friends!

I recently got custody of a cello. And happily, I’m not nearly as rusty as I thought I’d be. Seventeen years of piano teaching has helped quite a lot!

Now I want to find other people to play with! I’m at about an intermediate level. Would love to put together a quartet, but if anyone knew of some sort of orchestral option, that would thrill me beyond belief. But quartet I think could happen. Or trio. Violas are always sort of hard to find.

Which reminds me. I am also looking for a violist to play Rebecca Clarke’s viola sonata with me on the piano. It’s been something I’ve wanted to play for years but have never started because finding a violist isn’t exactly easy!

Any ideas? Anyone want to come over and play?

Park Point among USA Today’s “51 great American beaches”

USA Today took recommendations from “local experts” across the country to select one great beach in each state and the District of Columbia. Greg Breining, author of Paddle North: Canoeing the Boundary Waters-Quetico Wilderness, was Minnesota’s expert. He recommended Park Point.

Minnesota’s best beach lies on 6-mile-long Park Point, which shields Duluth’s harbor from the furious storms of Lake Superior. Though the water is rarely warm enough for swimming without a wetsuit, the beach is a great spot to watch incoming waves, giant saltwater freighters and Great Lakes ore carriers passing under Duluth’s signature Aerial Lift Bridge, and to spot birds that rest on the point during spring and fall migrations. The Park Point Nature Trail follows the beach and occasionally passes old-growth pine and tamarack.

Just for summer: 51 great American beaches

Car Camping

We’ve been pretty avid car campers the past few years with our daughter. We’ve always used camping pads under our bags. Last year I essentially inherited my dad’s air mattress (insta-bed) because he never used it. It worked well as an on-the-carpet spare bed. Recently, I’ve repaired a couple holes, but this new one’s a bit too big to patch. Time for a new mattress. I really like that this one had a built-in battery-powered inflation system, but I’m really looking for something that’s heavy duty and will hold up to camping trips. I’m looking to hear from avid car campers that use an air mattress. Sooner the better, too, we’ve got a trip this weekend!

Music marketing rep needed in Duluth

Olympia Media Group is hiring three promotional representatives in the Duluth area to promote the nationwide Battle of the Bands contest.

Brainerd on Film

May I please direct your attention to two quite excellent films playing this weekend at the  Duluth-Superior Film Festival (previously known as Sound Unseen International Duluth) — Marvin Seth Stanley and The Hole Story. Both were filmed in the Brainerd area and both are quite funny. You’d be hard pressed to find a better regional double feature.

Parks and Rec flag football registration

Flag football is one of the fastest growing sports throughout the country and this season will mark the 11th year of Duluth’s league. Flag football is a non-contact sport, which teaches both boys and girls in grades 2 through 5 the fundamentals of football. But more importantly, it teaches kids sportsmanship and how to participate in sports while still having fun. Games will be played mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The cost is $60 per player which includes a team jersey. All games held at the Wheeler Athletic Complex at 35th Ave. W. and Grand Ave. Registration deadline is June 7; games beginning in September. Go to duluthmn.gov/parks for a registration form or for more info: Jeff Anderson 218-730-4302 or jcanderson @ duluthmn.gov.

Duluth Album Releases in 2005

Low - The Great DestroyerLow
The Great Destroyer
Sub Pop Records (Jan. 24)
Available at Sub Pop’s Mega Mart

Boy Girl Boy Girl - Sugar Skull MakerBoy Girl Boy Girl
Sugar Skull Maker
(March 28)
Available on Amazon

Trampled by Turtles - Blue Sky and the DevilTrampled by Turtles
Blue Sky and the Devil
(April 20)
Available on Amazon

The Hobo Nephews of Uncle FrankThe Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
Self titled
Consider it Correspondence (July 1)
Available on Amazon

“It’s going to be a great year for swimming”

Jay Austin, a lake researcher at the University of Minnesota Duluth, says Lake Superior is running warm this spring after a warm winter and lack of ice cover. The lake’s summer “turnover,” in which the warm water from below replaces cooler surface water, may occur in early June instead of the customary early July.

Star Tribune: “Warmup could bring Superior swimming

National Trails Day

National Trails Day is this upcoming Saturday, June 2. Projects are happening all over town. Disc golfers (Zenith City Flyers) are planning work at Miller Creek Disc Golf Course. Mountain bikers (COGGS) are planning work in Hartley Park. Skiers (Duluth Cross Country Ski Club), are planning work at Spirit Mountain. The Wheels on Trails folks advocating for Universal Accessibility will be at Hartley Nature Center. The Duluth Area Horse Trail Alliance will be at the top of Gogebic Street and the DWP, brushing trails. For more info, contact Judy at 218-269-4712 or jgibbs @ duluthmn.gov.

This week: parades, polka, belly dancers, baseball and Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

  

Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.

Today is Memorial Day and that means cookouts and a big, old fashioned parade.

The Huskies have their home opener at the Wade on Wednesday! And if you can’t make that, they play the St. Could Rox again on Thursday.

The Duluth Superior Film Festival opens on Wednesday as well and runs until Sunday playing at various venues.

The Royal Family opens at the Duluth Playhouse on Thursday and runs for two weekends.

And you can polka until you can’t polka no more at the Chmielewski International Polka Fest running Friday through Sunday at Black Bear Casino.

To round out the week on Saturday Rubber Chicken Theater is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan with a live reading of the script at the Fitger’s theater featuring such luminaries as Mayor Don Ness, George Kessler, John Munson, Lawrance Bernabo and Brian Matuszak as James Tiberius Kirk himself.

Or, if you prefer, belly dancing. Desert Journeys is a showcase of belly dancing this Saturday at the Harbor City International School Theater.

So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know!