Month: February 2014
Ideology and Ambivalent Ethics and More
I was lucky enough this week to attend the Pervert’s Guide to Ideology at the Zinema2 on Tuesday. It was a frustratingly joyous experience.
Fly Fishing Movie – Rivers of a Lost Coast extended trailer
If any of you are like me and love the art of fly fishing, this new movie (Rivers of a Lost Coast) may interest you. There is something about grabbing your fly rod and box of flies in search of the illusive North Shore steelhead or casting dries for that beautiful trout on your favorite stream or lake. Fly fishing truly does have a unique way of connecting us to nature as evident in this new film. Tight lines!
At the turn of the 20th Century, a handful of pioneers carried their fly rods into California’s remote north coast and gave birth to a culture that would revolutionize their sport. For a select few, steelhead fly fishing became an obsessive pursuit without compromise.
Rivers of a Lost Coast is a new documentary that looks at our relationship to nature through the eyes of the most fabled angling community in American history. This surprisingly touching film was recently labeled a must see by the San Francisco Chronicle and Seattle Times.
Fish fry Fridays???
I see Tycoons has a new Friday Fish Fry. What are the other Fish Fry Fridays in the Duluth / Superior / South Shore / North Shore area? I’m willing to drive a while if the fish is good … any suggestions?
Ice Dam Cam
The shovel cam has been repurposed into the ice dam cam. It’s not nearly as fun as the shovel cam, it’s frustratingly hard to use, depressing and doesn’t get much done.
Poll: Best Play or Musical of 2013
This poll is now closed. The three plays advancing to the final ballot are:
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson – Renegade Theater Co.
Cats – Duluth Playhouse Children’s Theatre
The Pillowman – Renegade Theater Co.
The other nominees were:
Almost, Maine – Duluth Playhouse
Burnt Part Boys – Renegade Theater Co.
Collected Stories – Duluth Playhouse at the Underground
Everything You’ve Done That Hurt Me – one-man performance by Jonathan Manchester
Frozen – Duluth Playhouse at the Underground
God of Carnage – Duluth Playhouse
Godspell – Duluth Playhouse
How the Grinch Shut Down Christmas, or, I Saw Rudolph Twerking Santa Claus – Rubber Chicken Theater
Last Summer at Bluefish Cove – UMD Theater
Merry Wives of Windsor – Wise Fool Shakespeare
Metamophoses – Duluth Playhouse
The Princess Bride (live read) – Rubber Chicken Theater
Seussical the Musical – St. Scholastica Theatre
Tuesdays With Morrie – Duluth Playhouse at the Play Ground
Getting to the Bottom of the Proposed Polymet Mine Part 2, Winona LaDuke
After much, much hand wringing and editing and processing and sweating and arguing with myself, here is a passable video of the lecture by Winona LaDuke that was delivered on Feb. 8 at the College of St. Scholastica. I think that the message she is sharing is important to hear and try to understand, whether or not you agree with her conclusions. One of her central theses seems is that people have been living and thriving in this region for thousands of years and in the past 100 or 200 years there have been significant and undesirable, even toxic, changes to the land, the waters, and the creatures and people who populate this region.
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T-Bird Tom
I wanted to share this video showcasing Duluthian Tom Maruska, who restores cars for the national Barrett Jackson auction. As a fellow car guy it is amazing to see the level of quality work that this man puts into restoring American classics.
People’s Free Duluth Skate Rink Now Open (Updated)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLBEqTKyCac
I wasn’t going to let a few inches of snow stop me from skating. I knew there was nothing but smooth ice under there. If you’ve got skates and feel like you missed your chance to skate the Big lake this year, here’s the only skate-able ice right now, expanded more since this video was taken. Bring your shovel and add an addition. I’ll keep the rink maintained as long as these conditions last. (Although it’s 20 inches thick, high winds are predicted for Thursday-Friday so we’ll see, use at own risk haha.) Location is off the Lakewalk just shy of the Vietnam Memorial.
UPDATE: Closed for the season, obliterated by snowpacalypse.
Lake Superior Ice Cover
Satellite imagery of the big lake from Jan. 4 to Feb. 16. Video by Paul Schonfeld. Music by Chilly Gonzalez. Sure to remind many of you of the hand jive.
Best Play or Musical of 2013 Nominations
Returning to our periodic infatuation with polls, the next item up on the PDD Awards list is determining Duluth’s Best Play or Musical from 2013.
Before we do that, we rely on you to supply the nominees in the comments. Ready. Set. Go.
Easter Wedding
We are looking to do a very small family only wedding on Easter Sunday and are wondering if anyone knows a non-religious officiant who might be able to do it. We are also wondering about a free or very cheap venue — outside would be wonderful but probably not smart at the end of April. Any suggestions would be welcome, thanks! We are not having a reception, just going out to dinner as a family at the Golden Inn where we got engaged!
This week: winter break, winter sports and a winter dance party
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
For Duluth Public Schools it’s winter break. Looking for stuff to do with the young people in your lives this week? Duluth Parks and Rec is opening Pioneer Hall in the DECC Wednesday and Thursday for Turf Time, where kids can play on indoor turf, and there’s open ice skating at the Heritage Sports Center Monday through Friday.
February’s not a great time to go to the Boundary Waters, but it’s a great time to drink beer and learn about the history of the Boundary Waters. You can do both at Bent Paddle Brewery this Wednesday.
February is a great time for the Birkebeiner, however, and related events for that run Thursday through Sunday.
Next Fall, a play produced by the all new Son of Peter Company, opens at the Teatro Zuccone this Thursday and runs two weekends.
Winter Dance Party is a fundraiser for the Armory at Greysolon Plaza that harkens back to a concert back in 1959 where a young Robert Zimmerman heard Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. You can get all nostalgic and support the Armory on Friday.
On Saturday you can get all raucous and rowdy with the Dropkick Murphys at Black Bear Casino as part of Twin Ports Brewfest or you can get all mellow and bluesy with Greg Brown at Sacred Heart. Your call.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
For those in a summer mood …
“Duluth Sketches: Park Point After The Flood” video by Shawn Donovan.
In a strange, unfamiliar world …
Footage of the Duluth Festival Center … in Duluth … Georgia.
Duluth Mystery Photo #5: Baby Marge
This photo is for sale on eBay under the heading “Vintage Snapshot Photo Babies Family on Rocks 1920s Duluth Minnesota #250.” The description reads: “Offered is a great vintage picture of a darling baby girl sitting on a pile of rocks with another child and a group of adults. Photo is from the 1920s. I bought these photos from a living estate, and baby’s name is Marge and lives in Duluth Minnesota. This picture was taken down by Lake Superior probably.”
There’s not much to go on here for pinpointing a location, but apparently we do have a baby name. So, who is this Marge?
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Ice Skating Around the Polar Bear Plunge
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri4zxoMMrF8
Skated to the Duluth Polar Bear Plunge. Asked a nice gentleman from the Fire Department if the ice of the outer harbor was safe to skate and he said, “It’s 20 inches thick, that’s strong enough to hold a train. Have fun.”
UMD Bulldogs Hockey 101
The 12th episode of this series about the National Collegiate Hockey Conference profiles the University of Minnesota Duluth and its hockey history, NHL success, the campus and the school itself.
Art, Gender, Duluth
I spent part of the last night at Prøve Collective. It was a packed room, as packed as any opening I have attended in a long time, and the walls were dense with a variety of art from a diversity of artists. The photography exploring Barbie iconography reopens cultural wounds that we still have yet to close. Some of the textile work repositions arts and crafts — in this case, pushing those boundaries a little further by leaving needles and thread available to gallery-goers to create.
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Getting to the Bottom of the Proposed Polymet Mine, Part 1
httpv://youtu.be/xjOYImaGgbE?t=3m12s
I’m hoping that this video, featuring Paula Maccabee of Water Legacy, will be the first of several that I will be able to share over the next few weeks.
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Duluth cross-country ski instructor recommendations?
Following up on cork1’s comment regarding taking a couple of lessons on the post about cross-country ski trails for absolute beginners … I just moved here from a flatter, warmer state and I would love to have some ski lessons. I want to learn from someone who will be patient with my ignorance and help me build my confidence with hills. Where do I find a good teacher?
Is Duluth unfriendly to posters?
I’m old school and used posters to promote an event. I’ve noticed a numerous amount of posters for my upcoming Minerva Zine Party have gone missing or were stolen from sites like Pizza Luce, Carmody, Sir Ben’s. I used multiple tacts and tape to secure them. More Duluth locations require you have the managers approval and are not posted timely. It’s extremely frustrating and expensive for a DIY zine publisher. Any tips, ideas to take out poster thefts, or solutions are appreciated!
Duluth Indoor Climbing: Boulder Problem
I wanted to share a video that I made about a climber, Rob, who faces his fears daily climbing at Vertical Endeavors in Duluth. Check out the video and let me know what you think!
World’s Top Public Intellectual at Zinema
… Sarah LaChance Adams, that is, with Noam Chomsky and Michel Gondry doing backup at the Zinema 2.
About 60 people, I would guess, maybe more, attended the Explorer’s Club showing of Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? on Tuesday night.
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Floridian
Peterson Anderson Flowers “had a little visitor come in with an antherium plant … all the way from Florida. We think it may be a Cuban Tree Frog. Thanks to the wonderful people at Wildwoods Rehab Center for taking on a Floridian!” FYI, an odd Duluth moment with Wildlife.