Month: February 2014
Trail for Absolute Beginner XC Skiers
I’m wondering what the best (least scary) trails are for newbies to the sport of XC skiing. I’ve been on XC skis once (and downhill skis once). People say Lester is beginner friendly, but I found it a bit frightening. I’d like to learn on a trail with some nice gentle slopes and curves. Suggestions??? Thanks!
Recreatin’
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXW_wkrRHqE
Chad Salmela’s Access Gold Medal
We had the clip here from Access Hollywood of Duluth’s Chad Salmela accepting a Gold Medal for his announcing of the 30k Skiathon as a cross-country skiing analyst for NBC. As you can see if you click on it now, NBC has put the copyright kibosh on it. Hopefully that means NBC has the clip available somewhere.
Duluth Photography Classes
I’m what you’d call an amateur photographer (along with everyone else) and I’m looking to improve my skills. Does anyone know of any photography workshops or classes around town that are free/cheap? Or are there any seasoned photography vets out there who wouldn’t mind showing me the ropes? Any help would be appreciated!
There is nothing left in anybody
Known to most of the world as “The Skiathlon Announcer” Duluth’s own Chad Salmela has gained notoriety as one of the stars of the Sochi Olympics. According to the web site Awful Announcing, “Chad Salmela is to the Winter Olympics what Rowdy Gaines is to the Summer Olympics.”
Orange and white kitty — stray? feral?
A medium-sized orange and white cat has been coming to eat on my deck for the past (at least) two weeks. It runs when it sees me — so no photo (yet). I will try to catch it and see if there is a collar or chip and what shape it’s in. Lakeside — near London Road and 54th Avenue East.
“Superior Dream” Kayaking Adventure Around Lake Superior
Superior Dream: A Circumnavigation of the world’s largest lake, Lake Superior. Footage from a kayaking expedition by two UMD alumni from Minnesota, Greg Petry and Luca Will, around Lake Superior in late 2010 was made into a movie Superior Dream. The 49-minute movie was released late in 2013 and started shipping in January 2014. We have not found any movie trailer besides the footage clip released back in 2012 and this Kickstarter video below.
This week: hiking, anime and boats, boats, boats!
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Sara Mowchan hiked the Appalachian Trail, if you know what I mean! No, she actually literally hiked it. You can hear all about it on Tuesday as part of Duluth Pack‘s Outdoor Adventure Series.
It’s midwinter, so why not stroll around the DECC and look at boats, motorcycles and recreational vehicles? You can do just that Wednesday through Sunday.
Private Eyes opens at The Underground on Thursday, a play with a fantastic cast, and afterwards you can head down to Pizza Lucé for the Transistor’s 10th Anniversary/Anti-Valentines celebration.
For Valentine’s Day proper, Friday, there are a wealth of activities to attend, including a fundraiser for LOON at the Northland Country Club, a spaghetti dinner at Amazing Grace, and dinner and comedy at Dubh Linn.
And on Friday at Teatro Zuccone Jonathan Manchester is remounting his one man show, Everything You’ve Done That Hurt Me, which was one of the most talked about shows of 2013. It’s a 20 page break up letter found in the street in front of his house.
Zinema 2‘s Saturday Morning Family Series continues with My Neighbor Totoro on Saturday morning.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Wolf=Flow
Rarely do I get to wear all three of my hats at the same time: faculty member, board member at a local wildlife non-profit, and board member with the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council. I got to wear two of three while I was with some folks at Zeitgeist yesterday. I was dropping off some brochures about Wildwoods and met with folks from the Wolf=Flow exhibit. (more…)
No trespassing!
What’s the deal with the fences and no trespassing signs that were put up and eventually taken down midway up the Glenwood Road hill in Lakeside on county land. Is this the over zealous property owner who’s trying to sell the chunk of land below it? Perhaps they need to learn the property boundaries.
Porcupine in Need
Via the founders of Wildwoods:
When we first got her yesterday morning, we thought she might die. She was found by the highway, likely hit by a car. Though she had no fractures, this porcupine looked just terrible.
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Skating Duluth’s Outer Harbor
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0ncNmEJ7hc
Duluth Mystery Photo #4: Mr. Dillner?
I saved this photo graphic at some point in the past and titled the file “Dillner.” Call it sloppy archiving on my part, but I’m guessing that might be his last name and on the front of the photo is the photographer’s name, which looks like it’s maybe S. F. Dahlquist. The address is 19 E. Superior St., Duluth. So that’s what we’ve got to go on. (more…)
Toby Thomas Churchill’s second solo album trapped in future
Duluth’s Toby Thomas Churchill plans to record his next album with Ben Durrant at Crazy Beast studio in Minneapolis. You can help fund it by contributing to the Kickstarter campaign. His first solo album, Death, came out in 2011. (more…)
Martin Pattison
Historical sketch from the Dec. 31, 1913, Duluth News Tribune.
The three-time mayor of Superior was the original owner of the Fairlawn Mansion, which was completed in 1891. Read about rumors of paranormal activity in the mansion at unexplainedresearch.com.
Martin Pattison is also the namesake of Pattison State Park, which was established in 1920. Read about that on zenithcity.com.
Duluth Grill on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
Duluth Grill was featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives program on Nov. 26, 2010. The segment can be viewed at foodnetwork.com. Host Guy Fieri samples the grass-fed bison pot roast that made the West End famous.
‘Splorin
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en5iP6lDD8U
Although they don’t exhibit the profusion of life of ocean reefs, Lake Superior’s basaltic rock formations naturally evoke a sense of sunken, megalithic cities. That is why I wear the raiment of the King of Atlantis.
Homegrown 300
Thank you to all of the performers who registered for the 2014 Homegrown Music Festival. Even with the earlier registration window, it was a banner year, reaching 317 total submissions. Band selection starts this weekend, and scheduling begins next week (and will take 20+ versions and the entire month of February). Hold tight. More details when we have ’em. Happy Homegrown!
Duluth Album Releases in 2014
Charlie Parr
Hollandale
Chaperone Records (Jan. 25)
Dave Simonett
Razor Pony
(Jan. 29)
Available on Bandcamp
Dirty Knobs
I Want to Live Inside the Sun
Xero Music (Jan. 29)
Available on Bandcamp
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Dylan Super Bowl Commercial
I was probably one of the few who enjoyed seeing Dylan in the Super Bowl commercial last weekend. That being said, I was a little confused about the song choice, “Things Have Changed.” For an advertisement that was supposed to spark renewed faith in the American auto industry, Chrysler picked a song that is clearly about not giving a sh*t anymore. Also, last night the Northland’s NewsCenter mis-reported that this commercial was set to “I Want You,” which was actually featured in a yogurt commercial in 1996, not the Super Bowl commercial.
Winter Wasp Woes
I have wasp problems. At least, I think they’re wasps … could be hornets, I hope not. Anyway I know I have nests in the porch ceiling pretty bad, but it’s possible they are also in the walls too. How bad? I’m afraid to know, but the real problem started last year on New Year’s Day, a couple hours into 2013.
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This week: Why do we live here?
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
I’ve heard a lot of people asking this past week, “Why, again, do we live here?” Today you can hear Joanne Sher give an historical explanation as to why people immigrated to this area at the library presented by the Twin Ports Genealogical Society.
You can, then, figure out how to get people here at the Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday at the DECC.
Feel like winter never ends? I recently read speculation that in Groundhog’s Day Bill Murray relives the same day 12,395 times (almost 34 years). See if you agree with that count at Zinema 2 on Wednesday for their monthly date night.
The Odd Couple opens on Thursday at the Duluth Playhouse with the actors playing Felix and Oscar switching roles every night, which means I’m going to have to go and see it twice because, frankly, Jason Scorich and Jody Kujawa are amazing actors.
Sara Thomsen releases her 5th solo album, Somewhere to Begin, at Sacred Heart on Saturday.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
DSSO’s Bright Approach: First Minnesota orchestra to use interest-based bargaining process
As a kid, I took it for granted that my tiny hometown high school had an orchestra program and lots of community support. So it is not hard to agree with Duluth Mayor Don Ness when he says that “the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra continues to brighten the arts landscape of the Twin Ports.” A healthy community orchestra is a great thing!
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R.I.P. Philip Seymour Hoffman
He was, by far, our best actor working. I am so saddened by the loss.