December 2017 Posts

PDD Video Lab: Ghost Ship Emerges

Dawn LaPointe and Gary Fiedler of Radiant Spirit Gallery captured the Joseph L. Block emerging through the sea smoke like a ghost. The morning temperature was -20°F with a -40°F windchill. The video was processed at an 8x speed.

As is usually the case with the PDD Video Lab, we’ve supplied a soundtrack to the silent video. Press play on the audio file below, then press play on the video file and enjoy the marriage. The track is “Cold” by Duluth band Woodblind.

PDD Quiz: 2017 in Review

As we bid goodbye (or good riddance) to 2017, let’s take a look back at what happened in the Northland this year. Test your knowledge of current affairs (and previous PDD Quizzes) with this end-of-the-year quiz!

The next PDD Quiz, on the history of the soon-to-reopen NorShor Theatre, will be published on Jan. 14. Please send question ideas to Alison Moffat at [email protected] by Jan. 11.

Saturday Essay: Select gems from 2017

Saturday Essay logo genericLast week we highlighted the five most-read pieces from the second year of Perfect Duluth Day’s “Saturday Essay” series. This week’s focus is on five essays of similar quality that might have been missed by readers who didn’t catch links in their social media feeds and/or were busy doing non-internet things.

In the past two years PDD has published 100 essays showcasing the work of 22 different writers; we hope to expand that roster in 2018. Anyone who has an original piece of literary excellence that seems to fit (or appropriately defy) the established format should email paul @ perfectduluthday.com to get involved.

And now, links to a few select gems from season two, in random order …

Vanilla Bean expanding to Duluth; will take over Northern Waters Restaurant space

WDIO Eyewitness News reports the Vanilla Bean restaurant will open a Duluth location in the Mount Royal Shopping Center on Feb. 1. The space has been occupied by Northern Waters Restaurant since February 2016; Northern Waters’ owners announced earlier this month they will close their eatery on Dec. 31.

The original Vanilla Bean, in Two Harbors, opened in 1998.

“The Duluth location will serve Vanilla Bean’s popular signature dishes including oven-baked omelets, Swedish pancakes with lingonberries, Norwegian crepes, pasties, soups, sandwiches, and burgers,” the Eyewitness News story notes. “It will also have full liquor, beer and wine service.”

Selective Focus: #duluth

A quick end-of the year view of other views of #duluth.

Flying over Duluth on my way back west.

A post shared by Michael E. Grass (@mike_grass) on

Video Archive: Snowboarding Duluth Backcountry

Ten years ago today — Dec. 29, 2007 — Henry and Sam took to the Duluth backcountry for this video. Henry is telemarking; Sam snowboarding.

Warmer, Weirder Days: Robot Rickshaw Canal Park 360°

In this video, shot back in August, Duluth artist Troy Rogers pushes his musical robot cart along the pier in Canal Park. A fully panoramic slice of life.

Video by Aaron Brossoit of Golden Shovel Agency.

Beauty in the Bitter Cold

Timothy Johnson of Whitespace Films was on Lake Superior’s North Shore over Christmas, when the temperature was around -20 °F. “This video shows just some of the beauty that can emerge from, and because of, the cold,” Johnson writes on the YouTube description.

Sea Smoke Sunrise over Lake Superior

Dawn LaPointe and Gary Fiedler of Radiant Spirit Gallery captured the Dec. 26 Duluth “sea smoke” sunrise in this video.

2017: The Year in Duluth Gig Posters

Another year over, another gallery of rock posters. As usual, by no means is this a comprehensive collection, nor is it a carefully curated archive of the best. It’s just a bunch of random 2017 concert posters.

Island Lake Inn closed, for sale

Island Lake Inn, a bar and grill about 12 miles north of Duluth in the Gnesen Township, has closed.

Video Archive: Honky Tonk Man and Butch Reed cut wrestling promos for 1987 Duluth show

The World Wrestling Federation — now known as World Wrestling Entertainment — brought four cards to the Duluth Arena in 1987. The fourth happened 30 years ago today — Dec. 27.

Rich Mattson and the Northstars – “Walk Among You”

New video for a track from Rich Mattson and the Northstars’ album Aeroplane Mode. The band performs Saturday at the Red Herring Lounge with Run Westy Run and the Little Black Books.

Duluth weather on CBS This Morning

Duluth appeared briefly on CBS This Morning‘s story “Heavy snow and winds wreak havoc for holiday travelers.” At the 1:46 mark in the video above, Duluth is shown as reporter DeMarco Morgan notes “Minnesota had windchills as cold as 35 degrees below zero.” (CBS forces a commercial at the front of the video; PDD apologizes for it.)

Emma Deaner: Trailblazer

Duluth’s Emma Deaner is featured in The Growler‘s list of “25 Trailblazers of 2017.” Deaner is associate events manager at Glensheen Mansion and drummer for the band Superior Siren.

Trailblazers 2017: Emma Deaner of Superior Siren

“It’s going to be a busy year for Deaner,” the article notes. “She’s involved with a TBA project at the soon-to-reopen NorShor Theatre, and Superior Siren are launching their new album with a series of shows in January. What’s more, Deaner’s joining the Minnesota Music Coalition board of directors with the hope to ‘help bridge the gap between the metro and the North Shore.'”

The Growler is a monthly craft-culture magazine published out of St. Paul.

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