Month: February 2016
Updated concept plan for Lake Superior Zoo
Click the image to view a PDF of the full plan.
The latest concept plan for improvements to Fairmount Park and the Lake Superior Zoo was presented by a consultant last night at the Duluth Parks Commission meeting. The concept envisions a renewed zoo in a roughly 10-acre footprint that includes ADA accessible pathways, renewed and repurposed exhibits damaged by the 2012 flood, enhanced visitor services, and converts a portion of the existing zoo into public park space. The plan is estimated at $15 million and has $2.7 million of half-and-half funding allotted to it.
Comments can be submitted to Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Division until Feb. 15 to allow the consultants to analyze them for the upcoming Feb. 22 presentation and public hearing at 5:15 p.m. in the Duluth City Council Chambers, to be followed by a Parks Commission public hearing in room 303.
Red Cowboy Hat (featuring Jim Hall) – “Duluth Blues”
Jim Hall recently brought his Red Cowboy Hat trio to the KUMD studios for a Live from Studio A session. They performed this tune, perfect for a sub-zero windchill day in Duluth. Audio of the full session with Jim and company is available at kumd.org.
Northern Waters restaurant open on Woodland Avenue
Fans of all things cured and smoked will rejoice in knowing Northern Waters Smokehaus has opened its much-anticipated Woodland Avenue location in the Chester Park – UMD neighborhood. While the new restaurant offers some familiar lunch items from the Smokehaus, the menu is more expansive and includes alcoholic beverages. (more…)
Epicurean and Loll represent Duluth in The Atlantic
In the March issue of The Atlantic, James Fallows once more talks up Duluth while town-hopping across the country, this time as an example of “hopeless” places reinventing themselves (full article). Scroll down to the subheading “Despite the ‘Big Short,’ Talent Dispersal is Under Way,” where he uses Epicurean/Loll to illustrate the same kind of deliberate migration that Lucie Amundsen so elegantly described in her Saturday essay.
Perfect Indoor Concert Venue: Red Herring Lounge
When it comes to picking the best indoor concert venue, there are a lot of things to consider — seating, acoustics, general vibe, etc. There might be plenty of room for argument on just about any criteria, but in one facet Duluth has a clear winner. It would be tough to dispute that any local concert hall, club or coffee house has consistently brought more high-caliber talent to its stage in the past two years than the Red Herring Lounge. Among the top four in PDD’s poll, the Herring pulled out a clean win with 35 percent of the vote. (more…)
The Alan Sparhawk Project
Ten year’s ago, Duluth musician Alan Sparhawk had his name dropped in this little comic (specifically panel three):
Questionable Content is an internet comic strip by Jeph Jacques of Halifax, Nova Scotia. It started in August 2003 and is still in production. The publish date of the comic above is not known, but it was first posted to PDD on Feb. 9, 2006.
Job openings at Hartley Nature Preschool
Are you looking for a job teaching young children outdoors in all seasons? Hartley Nature Preschool, a program of Hartley Nature Center, is expanding and hiring lead and assistant preschool teachers for full- and half-day preschool classes. A background in early childhood education and/or environmental education is preferred. Applications are due March 15. More information at hartleynaturepreschool.weebly.com/employment.
This Week: chocolate, rockets, orgasms, Buckwheat and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
Sample some chocolate from local chefs at Arc Northland’s Chocolate After Dark fundraiser, the Zinema is showing The Magic Flute live from Austria, folks can make bowls for the Empty Bowl fundraiser at the Duluth Art Institute, the Head of the Lakes Spring Job and Internship Fair is at UWS, there’s an adult Valentine-making party at Studio 15, Burrito Union is doing Rock and Roll Bingo and Renegade Theater Company opens The Rocket Man at Teatro Zuccone.
Music legend Buckwheat Zydeco performs at the Red Herring, the Minnesota Ballet holds its 10th annual Celebrity Dance Challenge, UMD is the place to learn about the female orgasm, Superior Public Library loves local artists, Dubh Linn is pairing Valentine’s Day with dinner and comedy and the latest Zenith City Cabaret show is at the Zeitgeist.
PDD Quiz: Are you ready for some football?
Since next week is Valentine’s Day, our theme will be “Love, Duluthian Style,” whatever that means to you. Send your suggested quiz questions (and answers) to lawrence @ perfectduluthday.com by noon on Wednesday, Feb. 10.
Moving North
I left a good life in the City.
My husband and I had established careers and moved our young family out of our Minneapolis duplex and into our forever house in a first-ring suburb. An Atomic rambler with thick plaster walls, on a corner lot in an award-winning school district, it was lovely. Add in large, southern-exposed windows, a fireplace and a finished basement large enough to raise Shetland ponies, well, it was the “Beige Rambler of my Dreams.” Jason and I planned to watch our children grow up in their award-winning school district, as we grew old in the safety of one-floor living.
And though my husband had truly wanted this house and all its middle-class trappings, our suburban lifestyle had Jason on the verge of a boredom aneurysm.
That’s when a Duluth headhunter found him; a vulnerable adult constricted by a place where lawn maintenance was competitive sport. Given we lived on the boulevard (a term invoked with a disturbing reverence) there was pressure to perform to Olympic levels with chemical sprays, lawn services and street-long coordinated Christmas light displays. In contrast, curb appeal in the Northland is scarcely an intramural. (more…)
Selective Focus: Clean
Sharon Mollerus , “Crown Fountain, Chicago”
Clean is a construct; an aspiration more than an actuality, demanding as much scrutiny as that which we deem dirty. Each term requires criticality, and attempting to understand the world from broader contexts. Likewise, while we could use more rituals like the Roman’s annual Februa purification festival (from which I drew our theme) we could well abandon their plutocratic, militaristic ways. (more…)
John Mark Nelson & Kara Laudon – “That’s What You Do”
John Mark Nelson and Kara Laudon perform “That’s What You Do” for a Lutsen Mountains Gondola Session during the Gndwire Records’ Ski Party last weekend. Video by Brian Wegner.
Two Harbors: “Everything is so interesting.”
It looks like the postmark on this card to Emily Jackson of Albert Lea might be from the year 1909. The day is clearly July 26. (more…)
God Bless Young Love
Strange-but-cute little video by Shawn Donovan.
Blacklist brewery expanding to downtown Duluth
Jon Loss, Brian Schanzenbach and TJ Estabrook, the partners behind Blacklist Artisan Ales
One of the smaller Twin Ports breweries, Blacklist Artisan Ales, is earning big media attention this week after its announced expansion into the building that previously housed the infamous Last Place on Earth head shop. (more…)
Kraig James – “Teardrops and Elephants”
Kraig James & the Campfire Stars are releasing a new song each month in 2016 for a project called Campfire Americana: Volume 1.
Poll: What is the Duluth area’s best indoor concert venue?
Last summer a PDD poll determined Bayfront Festival Park is the region’s best outdoor concert venue. Now, in the dead of winter, it’s time to determine the best indoor concert venue. From large arenas to tiny little barrooms and coffee joints — what is the best place for live music in the Twin Ports?
This poll is now closed. The results were:
Red Herring Lounge – 35 percent
Sacred Heart Music Center – 26 percent
Clyde Iron Works – 21 percent
R.T. Quinlan’s – 18 percent
A visit with Gaelynn Lea
While meeting Gaelynn Lea I was challenged in many ways. For two weeks now I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around it! She is an amazing musician, and a remarkable human being. My piece here barely scratches a tremendously fascinating surface, but trundle on over to Ed’s Big Adventure to learn more of her story, struggles, and music. This is the story of a great big soul in a tiny package. She isn’t trapped or helpless, either, but is a tremendously enriching member within our community. A model for all, frankly.
This Week: The Bad Plus, Cloud Cult, Hippo Campus and other things that aren’t bands
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
There’s a community forum on racism at the Superior Public Library, newbies to clay can make bowls for Empty Bowl 2016, Harbor City International School becomes a German village, the DAI is teaching the fundamentals of watercolor, folks can make their own wine goblets at Lake Superior Art Glass and Twin Cities-spawned jazz masters The Bad Plus land at the Red Herring.
The Duluth Transportation Center has its grand opening, Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well opens at Marshall Performing Arts Center, Minnesota buzz band Hippo Campus plays Clyde Iron, Cloud Cult travels to Papa Charlie’s for a gig, it’s Hockey Day in Minnesota and local band Space Carpet hooks up with the DSSO for some Amore! at the DECC