Paul Lundgren, Author at Perfect Duluth Day

Explore Duluth/Superior LocalWiki

Jul 06, 2015 No Comments

Chris Handsone and Esther Derby have launched a LocalWiki for Duluth and Superior. Similar to Wikipedia in general, the LocalWiki effort is intended to “collect, share and open the world’s local knowledge” by allowing anyone to create and edit information about where they live — “their local government, the history of their neighborhoods, streets, social movements, noteworthy local figures, social services, schools — every facet of life in their community.” Check out the Explore Duluth/Superior LocalWiki at localwiki.org/duluth/_explore.

News and Current Affairs

Sclavi’s is on the ropes again

Jul 02, 2015 7 Comments

Sclavi’s Italian Restaurant in Superior is threatening to close for what would be the third time.

“We are in need of your patronage, immediately,” the restaurant’s Facebook page noted yesterday. “We are close to closing our doors permanently. This is rock bottom.”

Restaurants Sclavi’s Italian Restaurant

Jefferson People’s House closing July 12

Jul 01, 2015 No Comments

Jefferson People’s House will close July 12, according to an announcement on the Facebook page of the worker-owned cafe, bookstore and social-justice community spot that specialized in coffee and toast.

It’s the fourth piece of coffee-shop related news in recent weeks. Jitter’s has changed ownership and become Lake Superior Bakehouse, Vietnamese Lotus Inn has reopened as VN Coffee House and Cookie Temptations has opened a coffee shop in the Fitger’s Brewery Complex.

Jefferson People’s House is located in a storefront just below Anytime Fitness on the corner of 15th Avenue East and Jefferson Street in Duluth’s Endion neighborhood.

Below is the Facebook message to customers:

Dear Cherished Community,

June 1st, 2014, we started a venture that has involved love, affection, fierce dedication, and cooperative exuberance. Jefferson People’s House has seen a year of delicious toasts and community growth. We rode this train until the tracks ran out. Our team has simultaneously discovered new opportunities and have decided as a collective to dissolve Jefferson People’s House to put our energies into new, exciting projects. We have loved our time together, and it is bittersweet that we leave this adventure. Our official closing date is July 12. In the meantime, we will be open regular hours (barring July 3-5.) Keep an eye out for our closing weekend events, July 10th and 11th. Our Flowers and Coffee CSA will continue as planned through October.

Much love and solidarity, Jefferson People’s House

R.I.P., Restaurants Coffee Shops, Jefferson People's House

Baseball at Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

Jul 01, 2015 No Comments

On display at Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Duluth through Aug. 31 is a stunning array of baseball history. At left: A 1866 baseball card featuring “The Old Man,” Dave Birdsall — considered to be the very first baseball card. At right: Babe Ruth’s 1922 contract with the New York Yankees.

Happy dozenth birthday to us

Jun 29, 2015 1 Comment

Perfect Duluth Day is twelve years old today – Monday, June 29, 2015. The official celebration is at the Red Herring Lounge tonight at 8 p.m. Because it’s our dozenth birthday, there will be complimentary doughnuts from A Dozen Excuses Donuts. Serving as video DJ will be Lake Superior Aquaman. And there will be prizes and merriment as usual.

PDDXII Facebook invite (consider yourself invited)

Thanks to all of you for helping to keep Perfect Duluth Day perfect!

News and Current Affairs, Photos PDD Shop Talk

Vote Chocolate Ants

Jun 27, 2015 4 Comments

Perhaps someone can explain.

Photos Queries, West Duluth

Mystery Photos #22 – #32: UMD

Jun 25, 2015 No Comments

The University of Minnesota Duluth’s Alumni Association sent out an email featuring eleven old photos. The organization is collecting UMD memories for the upcoming Bridge magazine and is requesting help identifying memories and people from these heritage photographs.

History, Photos Mystery Photos, UMD

Low song “No Comprende” from upcoming album Ones and Sixes

Jun 24, 2015 No Comments

Ones and Sixes, the new album by Duluth band Low, is scheduled for worldwide release on Sept. 11.

Stereogum previews the album:
A Low Profile: Alan Sparhawk & Mimi Parker on their new album Ones And Sixes

Music Album Releases, Low

Photos of Last Night’s Northern Lights in Duluth

Jun 23, 2015 5 Comments

By Brian Barber

It’s fairly rare that the aurora borealis is this visible in Duluth. Solar eruptions triggered a severe geomagnetic storm over the weekend, causing brilliant colors last night that kept photographers and sky gazers up into the morning. Gathered here are a few images from the PDD Facebook page and other social media.

Outdoors, Photos Northern Lights

Goodbye Jitters, hello Bakehouse

Jun 22, 2015 1 Comment

Jitters Lake Superior Coffee & Tea House is no more. New sister-brother owners Katina and Pauly Petsoulis took over in February and launched a name change last weekend. The new Lake Superior Bakehouse at 102 W. Superior St. promises “small-batch baked goods all from scratch and small-batch house-roasted coffees.”

Although the look of the space is changing and the variety of baked goods and other foods expanding, Katina notes one thing will stay the same.

“A lot of Jitters regulars were loyal to the coffee,” she said. “We have the same roaster, Jesse Bamford.”

St. Paul gets all up in Duluth’s craft-beer capital-proclaiming face

Jun 21, 2015 11 Comments

A new billboard has popped up on Grand Avenue in West Duluth with fighting words issued from St. Paul. Duluth, many will recall, claimed the title of “Craft Beer Capital of Minnesota” back in February 2013.

Looking down Fifth Avenue West in Duluth

Jun 20, 2015 6 Comments

The image above is from two weeks ago; the image below is from about 100 years ago.

History, Photos Then and Now

The Keep Aways at Tom’s Burned Down Café

Jun 16, 2015 No Comments

.. and then the woman with the green hair appears.

Music, Videos The Keep Aways, Tom's Burned Down Café

Dead tree or stunted bloomer?

Jun 10, 2015 1 Comment

A recent news release from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that “foresters are seeing many silver maples and some elms with stunted or no leaves and an abundance of seeds this spring. These trees are not dead and will rebound over the next couple of years.”

The image above is of a tree I planted last fall that hasn’t produced leaves this spring. I can’t remember what kind of tree it is, but I think it’s a northern pin oak. The DNR lists elms, maples, ashes and oaks as potential stunted bloomers.

Canal Park parking has been … um … streamlined

Jun 09, 2015 13 Comments

The Duluth News Tribune reported on Monday that rates have changed at three parking lots in Canal Park. Two examples are the Northwest Iron lot (between Grandma’s Saloon and the DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace) and the Lighthouse lot (near the lighthouse pier). The minimum rate is now $3 for three hours, up from last year’s $2 for two hours.

The DNT notes:

Parking Operations Specialist Mark Bauer said the city decided to make the changes to streamline the parking process.

“Instead of trying to interpret and guess how much time you’re going to be there, we thought it would be easier to just simply pay for this three-hour block of time,” Bauer said. “It simply covers you up to that three-hour limit.”

There has been no word yet on whether hotels in the area will be streamlining their processes by invoking a three-night minimum stay or whether bars will enforce a three-drink minimum for customer convenience.

Paul Lundgren Posts

Explore Duluth/Superior LocalWiki

Sclavi’s is on the ropes again

Jefferson People’s House closing July 12

Baseball at Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

Happy dozenth birthday to us

Vote Chocolate Ants

Mystery Photos #22 – #32: UMD

Low song “No Comprende” from upcoming album Ones and Sixes

Photos of Last Night’s Northern Lights in Duluth

Goodbye Jitters, hello Bakehouse

St. Paul gets all up in Duluth’s craft-beer capital-proclaiming face

Looking down Fifth Avenue West in Duluth

The Keep Aways at Tom’s Burned Down Café

Dead tree or stunted bloomer?

Canal Park parking has been … um … streamlined

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