Dave Hoops on Craft Conscious
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
Dave Hoops, master brewer at Duluth’s Fitger’s Brewhouse, was the interview subject today on Craft Conscious, a website that interviews craft beer experts, entrepreneurs and innovators.
Friend of Duluthian comes out of the woodwork
Duluth had another dateline in the Onion last week:
Long-silent Facebook friend comes out of woodwork with post asking about insulating windows (more…)
This Week: the mayor, mustaches, meals and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
Mayor Ness’ final State of the City Address is taking place, wooden cars are pitted against each other in the latest Pinewood Derby, Restaurant Week gets underway with meals aplenty and the Zinema’s 2sDays series kicks into gear.
Grab some new jewelry at St. Luke’s, acquire Mary Bue’s latest album at her release show, see the classic musical Oliver!, take in some of the best jazz the area has to offer at the Head of the Lakes Jazz Festival and celebrate Mustache March.
Lots to do, and then some.
Carved Stone Project Placement Experiment
Stoneworker Sean MacManus and I hatched a plan to use his Celtic stonework pieces to fashion an underwater stone garden, geocache, and/or orienteering course. This video is footage of my experiment to test the feasibility of lashing the stones around the base of a boulder. I had two of the stones, each identical with backing mounts affixed with mortar, and I had two ropes. I found this project much more difficult than I imagined, and it failed as a proof of concept as the mortar weakened and would not hold the ropes. This was in addition to simply being deucedly difficult to accomplish even in just a few feet of water. The shot of the stones towards the end by the green leaf is after the mortar failure when I decided to abandon the attempt. I was beat and so left one the stones overnight. The final shot is me retrieving it. After this, I experimented with trying to wedge the stones in place but that didn’t work either. The entire project (still evolving towards this summer) generated a lot of footage of me swimming around enigmatically with these stones, which has already been released here.
Fireworks in February
I’m in the cafe at Barnes and Noble, where I just bought the new issue of Charlie Hebdo. I wish that it didn’t feel so commercially crass to have bought this now. (more…)
Red Mountain – “Home” (Live at Twin Ports Bridge Festival)
Red Mountain performs “Home” at last summer’s Twin Port Bridge Festival, captured here as part of an epic 12-camera shoot by WDSE-TV‘s The PlayList for an episode that aired earlier this month. Upcoming gig: Red Mountain performs March 21 at Papa Charlie’s during the DuLutsen North of North Music & Ski Festival.
Big Wave Dave and the Ripples – “Real Thing”
New Big Wave Dave and the Ripples video by David Cowardin of Lola Visuals and Duluth Outdoors. Upcoming Big Wave gig: Art for Ed’s Sake on March 20.
Green update for Duluth water infrastructure?
Duluth definitely has some gravity-fed municipal water lines running down the hill. Perhaps as we repair/replace our aging water lines we could make upgrades that will generate electricity.
Portland now generates electricity from turbines installed in city water pipes
Economic effect of the arts in Minnesota is big
A couple weeks ago Creative Minnesota went on a road show to promote the findings of a major study. The data showed the arts have been having a major economic effect in Minnesota. The Arrowhead is the second-most vibrant region, though it is only the fourth largest in population. Here’s more information on what was presented.
They sprayed the state of Wisconsin with fire hoses of blood
The latest movie project up for crowdfunding includes a scene at the Anchor Bar in Superior.
House Harker: A bloody, action-comedy in a horror film shell
What happened to Dubrue?
I remember drinking Dubrue at local restaurants and bars around 2011-2012. I also vaguely remember a story of a fire in the building the brewery was located in. Since then, I haven’t seen the brew anywhere. I did some internet searching but I haven’t come up with much. Is Dubrue around anymore?
Vikre Distillery lands #4 spot in Details magazine taste test
The March issue of Details magazine ranks American-made gins in an article titled “The American Gin Renaissance.” Duluth’s Vikre Distillery took fourth place for its Boreal Cedar Gin.
4. Vikre Distillery Boreal Cedar Gin
Duluth, Minnesota
The Gin: Smoky, thanks to red cedar.
Fun Fact: “I developed the Cedar specifically to make my perfect Negroni,” says cofounder Emily Vikre.
The Appeal: For fermentation and proofing, Vikre uses purified Lake Superior water, which is soft and devoid of (taste-altering) minerals. $30
There’s an online version of the article with the more click-baitish title, “10 American-made gins that are too damn good to pass up.”
Another recent honor: Vikre’s Ovrevann Aquavit won a bronze medal in the DSS category at the American Craft Spirits Association’s Distillers Convention & Vender Trade Show in mid-February. (Through exhaustive research — you know, like ten minutes worth — PDD is now able to update this report to clarify that DSS stands for Distilled Spirits, Specialty.)
Mary Bue – “Cheribum” (Live on The PlayList)
Mary Bue performs “Cheribum” with members of American Rebels on WDSE-TV‘s The PlayList. The song is from her upcoming album Holy Bones, to be released March 6 with a party and performance at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon.
This Week: flyin’, tyin’ flies, tryin’ cases and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
A two-artist exhibit opens at the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe, The Vagina Monologues is at UMD, hip-hop violinists are at St. Scholastica, the nerds are back in action at Teatro Zuccone and the Rose Ensemble is at Sacred Heart.
Learn about the art of local food at the Depot, catch Bill Staines at Amazing Grace and see a Trial by Jury at The Underground.
Add to this some rock and roll, the latest by the Minnesota Ballet and even a flytying workshop, and it’s a mighty full week.
Photos from Duluth Polar Plunge 2015
Great costumes, great turnout of willing idiots to jump into a hole in the lake for a cause. Just awesome, everyone! (more…)
Crazy Pine Siskins
We have a gazillion pine siskins at our bird feeders right now. The feeders have to be filled twice a day to keep up with these ravenous little guys. Does anyone know what the story is? We have had siskins before but never so many at one time. Undoubtedly our seeds are tasty, but …
Slowing Down
Friday night, I celebrated my friend Scott’s birthday. When I asked him how old he was, he only said that he was 39 again. I know that feeling.
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Bobcat in the Snare
From my friends at Wildwoods, with a warning that some images are graphic:
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Selective Focus: Siblings
Sharon Mollerus, “Scuffle”
Our first friends, as goes the cliché; seldom mellifluous relationships, ever-vying for our parents’ beneficence, until one day we can’t. Others may love the personae we construct, but they can never supplant the primacy of our siblings who’ve known us longer, seen the rough drafts of our most essential selves, and if we’re fortunate, still care. (more…)
The Mitten
Another cold day today, more crazy cold coming this weekend. Be careful out there, dress appropriately.
Has a little of Uncle Harvey gone missing?
Mike Scholtz’s photos of the sand- and gravel-hopper ruins known as “Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum” suggest the round column near the shore collapsed at some point in recent days. The photo at left is from 2013. The photo at right is from today.
Free Fix-it Clinic
You may have heard the story on MPR about fix-it clinics last Friday. If it sounded like a good idea to you, you’re in luck. Duluth Technology Company is hosting a fix-it clinic this Saturday. The Duluth East Daredevils robotics team and the Duluth MakerSpace also partner to help provide fixing and tinkering talents. (more…)
Postcards from Duluth’s ore docks
Duluth’s first ore dock was built in 1893, just east of 34th Avenue West. The Duluth, Missabe and Northern Railway built several docks there for loading iron ore from the Iron Range for shipment to steel plants in the East. The first five docks were built of wood, which was gradually replaced by steel and concrete. (more…)