Month: May 2018
Nature Always Bats Last
Blood and bone, rivers and stone, are all of a piece, you see. For millennia we knew this, knew we belonged to the Earth, until some tinhorn prophet came along boasting the Earth belonged to us, a gift from God, of course, of which we’d be good stewards, of course, then all things holy left us, last seen heading skyward, and magic absconded on angels’ wings, up, up and away.
So how’s that working out? Still waiting on the Second Coming, the Third Temple, the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse? Still telling old stories which buried stories older still? Tall tales of a bronze-age god who smote the competition. He himself quite recently smote by the Enlightenment and science. Yet, though we now know the Aurora Borealis is lit by particles, not spirits, mystery abides, and it carries us without needing us while we are needing stories.
Mystery abides. Our planet and the depths of space are but its outward face. Though bits of life itself have been patented for sale, we don’t understand what we’re messing with. As Cat Stevens sang, “The soul of nobody knows / how a flower grows.” We may know chlorophyll and hemoglobin molecules are within a few slim atoms of identical — all the green in nature so close in composition to our own ruddy animal blood, and we can manipulate both until Frankenstein’s monster seems like the boy next door, but mystery abides and it’s going nowhere, whichever new sherif’s in town. (more…)
Video: Lester River Race 2018
Video of last weekend’s Lester River whitewater kayak race by Blue Forest Films.
Selective Focus: Run Smelt Run
Sunday, May 13, is the annual Run Smelt Run Parade. If you’ve never witnessed or been a part of the parade, it’s a blend of art, absurdity, puppets, community, ecology, humor, music, dancing and things that sparkle.
The festivities begin at 3:30 p.m. near the Aerial Lift Bridge and north pier, on the lawn in front of the Maritime Museum. Look for the people on stilts. (more…)
Island Lake Inn back in business with original owner
After four months of locked doors, the Island Lake Inn is back open for business, under new management. The well-known bar and grill, located about 12 miles north of Duluth in the Gnesen Township, announced its return Monday on Facebook. (more…)
Irving Park renovation work starts next week
Construction is ready to begin at Irving Park in West Duluth. A news release from the city’s Parks and Recreation division specifies May 7 as the date KTM Paving, Inc. will launch the first phase of a $1.1-million revitalization plan. (more…)
Joint Ops: Why Minnesota has two pro-marijuana parties
Minnesota taxpayers might have wondered, while gazing at the State Election Campaign Fund portion of form M1, why there are two political parties dedicated to marijuana legalization. Is there some subset of beliefs that divide the parties to the point where they can’t work together? Does one party want cannabis legalized in a different way than the other?
The answer is neither. (more…)
The pizza-like item at Duluth’s airport
Ten year’s ago today, May 3, 2008, Duluth was featured on the “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks. “Megan saw this at Duluth Airport,” the post noted. “Given some of the bad food I’ve eaten in airports maybe it is a pizza-like item. Or maybe the menu isn’t actually printed ON a pizza.”
The post failed to mention one thing a commenter noticed. The person who wrote the sign also misspelled the name of the place.
The Afterburner Bar & Lounge at the Duluth International Airport closed several years ago and was replaced in 2014 by the Arrowhead Tap House.
What the heck is that thing?
Here’s something I always wonder about when I see it, but then immediately forget: Across from the cemetery on Highland Street there is a series of roofs built on the ground in a field, enclosed by a fence.
A cursory search on PDD and Google revealed no answers about its purpose. It’s probably capping something boring like an old dump or the sewer, but I remain curious.
So, does anyone know what it is?
Iron Mug closing May 25
Iron Mug Coffee and Ale House in Duluth’s Morgan Park neighborhood will close May 25 according to a post made on the business’ Facebook page today:
As most of you know we have decided to make the hard decision to close our wonderful restaurant. We have enjoyed getting to know the wonderful people in Morgan Park as well as all the people that drove out to check our place out. I’m so glad that I got to witness and be part of all the new friendships that developed here because that really was what this place was all about. Again thank you for all the support these last four years.
Chris Monroe’s 2008 Homegrown Highlights
A little cartoon retrospective on the 2008 Homegrown Music Festival, drawn by Chris Monroe in 2008. (more…)
Making it Up North: Homegrown
WDSE-TV‘s series Making it Up North takes a look back at 20 years of the Homegrown Music Festival.
Sound replaces executive chef, pares back music schedule
Chef Brian Udenberg
The new restaurant and music venue will also scale back its schedule of national musical acts to one or two per month, according to Cheryl Fosdick, Sound’s primary investor. Taking a cue from Minneapolis’ Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant, the focus will be on genres complementary to a fine dining experience, such as folk, acoustic blues and jazz.
“The vision Chef Patrick had for the music had become larger than could be sustained at this time,” said Dennis Kempton, who handles public relations and marketing for Sound. Kempton noted the restaurant’s management is stepping back to refocus on the food and create a better balance with music that more fully aligns with its brand.
Sound is housed on the main level of 132 E. Superior St. in Duluth’s Old City Hall building. The establishment launched on Jan. 9 with a performance by G. Love. Touring acts like Dessa and Red Molly have also performed there, along with a number of local bands. Upcoming shows for May and June will feature the Bill Frisell trio and John McCutcheon, respectively. (more…)
Postcard from Duluth Bethel
This postcard of the Duluth Bethel building was mailed 105 years ago today — May 1, 1913. It’s not easy to read, but the sender appears to be “Auntie Paul” and the recipient is Mrs. Mildred Wilkinson of Clare, Mich. (more…)