January 2018 Posts

Video Archive: Emil’s 70th Birthday Polka Party in 1987

Here it is, another epic production from the collection of the late Emil Praslowicz, digitized by his grandson, Kip Praslowicz. The scene is Chet & Emil’s in Birnamwood, Wis., 250 miles southeast of Duluth.

The Heroin-Ivy Itch, Revisited

I have no heroes. I’m not mad at people who do. I’ve just always, since I was a little kid, considered the concept silly. Maybe by elementary school I’d already known too many athletes whose mistreatment of fellow human beings seems more significant than any cool thing they can do in a cute sports outfit. Maybe I really am more insightful and honest than folks who fawn over politicians. Maybe I’m not smart enough to understand why writers and artists and academics deserve worship.

Don’t misunderstand: I’ve been at least as hero-silly as I claim to have distaste for being. I sometimes clumsily try to connect with musicians and other artists whose work moves me enough to believe I get it more accurately than anyone else possibly can. I’ve sent awkward messages to folks whose ways of going about life I admire and feel connection with. I generally struggle to feel like I connect with people, and that gets pretty lonesome. Then I mostly withdraw from interactions I assume will feel superficial or frustrating or embarrassing. There are folks I really like and know fairly well and dread spending time with because of how inadequate I feel around them and how hung up I get on my self-perceived inability to be exactly who and how I want to be in their presence. Then sometimes, when it seems like a connection might be possible or present, I lumber and barge beyond reticence with great gushes of wordy emotiveness in attempts to share vulnerable parts of myself. I always regret those overtures. I’m blushing right now thinking about a few. They probably come across as really weird and maybe kind of sad to the folks who have to endure them. It might also be true that a lot of what experience tells me is true about any of that exists only inside my own head.

Kid’s Stuff: Bulldogs Take it Outside

In keeping with a holiday-break tradition, the UMD men’s hockey team practiced outside at Duluth’s Piedmont rink on Tuesday despite frigid temperature readings.

Selective Focus: Krista Pascoe

Portrait photographer Krista Pascoe talks about how she stumbled into photography at Denfeld and has turned a long-time hobby into a career.

KP: I am a local professional photographer specializing in portrait work. My main focus is weddings, seniors, families and sports. I came into photography by accident a long time ago. When I was attending Duluth Denfeld, I was accidently put into the yearbook class due to a scheduling error. They tossed me on the photography team. Back then, we used chemicals and dark rooms to develop our work, and I was immediately intrigued with the process. As digital has come along, I view the advancements in photography technology a nice complement to the artistic side of my work. I enjoy all aspects of photography from the people, the creativity, the editing and post-processing. I even do some graphic design at the end stages.

Dubz – “Throw it on My Tab”

Duluth rapper Bryan Wick, aka Dubz, enlists the services of Arizona-based Priceless Video Productions for the video to the title track of his second album.

New Downtown Duluth restaurant Sound opens Jan. 9

Chef Patrick Scot Moore intends to challenge the taste buds of Twin Ports residents with his new eatery, Sound, which will hold an official grand opening Tuesday, Jan. 9. The chef-driven restaurant is housed on the main level of Duluth’s Old City Hall building at 132 E. Superior St.

Postcard from Bethany Lutheran Church of Duluth

The postcard image above shows Bethany Lutheran Church at 2302-2308 W. Third St. in Duluth’s friendly West End. The image appears to be circa the 1970s, maybe ’60s.

Chris Monroe art on Rain Taxi cover

The Winter 2017 issue of Rain Taxi, a Minneapolis-based book review and literary magazine, features artwork by Duluth’s Chris Monroe.

Superior Siren – “Tomorrow”

From the debut Superior Siren album due out Jan. 12.

Video by Kyle Hanson, dancing by Emily Neale. Shot in the Minnesota Ballet’s space in the Grain Exchange floor of the Duluth Board of Trade building.

Duluth Trivia Deck Sampler #4

From the Duluth Trivia deck I found in a game at Savers.

  1. How long has Duluth had a Symphony Orchestra?
  2. The DSSO produced opera annually for 26 years. Which conductor began this tradition and in what year?
  3. Where does the “concertmaster” of the DSSO sit?
  4. What year did “Fitger’s on the Lake” open?
  5. What year did the Fitger’s Brewery close?
  6. How many years was the old brewery in continuous operation?
  7. Who was Margaret Culkin Banning?
  8. Who said that “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in Duluth”?
  9. Where in Duluth is the important collection of Eastman Johnson paintings housed?
  10. What was the Hjemkomst?

Perfect Duluth Day’s Best Videos of 2017

From music videos and outdoor adventure stunts to epic wildlife battles and sexy scenery, here’s Perfect Duluth Day’s annual look back at the year’s finest productions in the realm of moving visual images.

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