Family Adventure on the North Shore
A Minneapolis family takes on the shores of Lake Superior in early in November during a weekend trip. Music: “Let’s Be Still” by the Head and the Heart.
Home?
I’m quite enjoying this blog! I’m not from Duluth, not even Minnesota, actually, rather I’m from Iowa but my family and I have visited Duluth through out the years for vacation. My father has recently moved further north to Silver Bay and in the next few months, I will have the chance to relocate my family. Every time I think of “home” and moving back home, I think of Duluth and it just makes my heart happy.
Just looking for some recommendations on areas to live (I’m only familiar with touristy and hiking areas, parks, canoeing, fishing areas further north, etc.) Also in consideration of schools as this is where we’ll raise our daughter.
Or even just a friendly “hello” or premature “welcome” would be awesome. We’re relocating from a not so friendly, larger town in a southern state and I just miss the Midwestern friendliness!
Black River Revue – “Spare Change”
Duluth band Black River Revue performs for The White Wall Sessions in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Duluth shout out on Alaska Public Radio
I’ve been talking to a buddy up in Sitka, Alaska, about the Jazz scene in Duluth – as well as across the state. He does a weekly radio show on KCAW and yesterday featured artists that have played at a number of venues throughout Minnesota: The Club Saratoga, Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant, The Riverview, Bayport BBQ and Nashville Hot Wing, and Healdsburg Jazz Festival.
I haven’t listened to the whole show yet, but Duluth gets a nice shout-out about 15 minutes into the program. I think it’s a pretty neat tribute and I wanted to share:
Selective Focus: Randomness
Kip Praslowicz, untitled
This is the debut of a new weekly feature on Perfect Duluth Day in which we showcase a collection of submitted pictures on a chosen theme. The first theme is “Randomness,” which is sort of the opposite of a theme, but provides some sense of the range of photos we’re looking for. The featured image is above; more images on this theme are below. (more…)
College football’s coaching nun in New York Times
The story of Sister Lisa Maurer, who serves as a football coach at the College of St. Scholastica, is featured today in the New York Times. Maurer is a Benedictine nun with St. Scholastica Monastery in Duluth, which shares a campus with the College of St. Scholastica. She joined the ranks of the coaching crew this fall, after spending years as one of the Saints’ biggest fans. Maurer will be on the sidelines Saturday as the Saints take on Saint John’s University in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs in Collegeville.
PDD Gift Guide 2014
Ho ho ho, it’s time once again for the Perfect Duluth Day Gift Guide. A holiday hootenanny of gift ideas with a local connection. With the new-ish PDD design, the appearance is a little different this year. Click the thumbnail photo for more details on products. The titles link to e-commerce sites or info about where to find the products. We’ve gathered 15 ideas to kick things off, and invite you to add your suggestions in the comments. (more…)
Punkin’ Chunkin’
One of our holiday traditions the past few years has been to watch Punkin’ Chunkin’ on the Discovery Channel. I just read that it was cancelled for this year, which is sad and means we’ll have to find some other boob tube diversion that night.
Got me thinking, though: does anyone do this in the area?
Jesse Ventura – “The Body Rules”
Jesse premieres his music video for “The Body Rules” in 1984. Obnoxious autoplay on the embedded video, so click the Read More button to see the video. (more…)
Music rehearsal space for rent in Duluth?
I play in a five-person garage-rock(ish) band, and unfortunately all of the garages that we know of are not good winter practice spaces. Does anyone know of places actively renting out rehearsal space? We’re courteous, young professionals with rental references, but not quite clean-cut enough to practice, in say, a church basement. This has been a pebble in my shoe for months, so thanks you for any advice!
Sunday DNT Article — Duluth Life 2.0
On the whole I think the Duluth News Tribune does a great job of covering Duluth. And maybe I am too sensitive but I struggle with the overall message of the article Minneapolis couple drops corporate jobs and makes living a priority with move to Duluth (at least how I perceive it). As my friend pointed out it seems like “the unspoken angle is that sacrifice has to be made to live in Duluth.”
(more…)
Tin Can Gin — “Coming Home”
Tin Can Gin has been playing around the Duluth area for 3 years. They’re heading back to Sacred Heart Music Center this weekend to record their second album, Coming Home. The band could use support in funding the album and has set up a Kickstarter page. There are some great incentives, so follow the link and see how you can help.
“Tin Can Gin is happy, heart warming, fun, and playful with a steady bass beat to anchor the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar in their fast paced melodies. Their unique North Shore flavor permeates every song, just like their lightheartedness.” — Destination Duluth
1984-85 UMD Bulldog Basketball Card Set
The 2014-’15 UMD Bulldog basketball team plays its first home game tonight against UW-Superior. In recognition of that, we roll out this nostalgia from 30 years ago. (more…)
This Week: trains, brains, automobiles and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
On Monday, MnDOT is holding a public meeting on the Minnesota State Rail Plan. Get all the trains your brains can take.
Tuesday brings performances from the Brasil Guitar Duo, a little bit of magic at the West Duluth branch library, and the latest installment of Take it with You (which features the fresh-off-Prairie Home Companion Sarah Krueger, who also plays at the Red Herring, this week).
Charlie Parr’s a busy boy — in addition to appearing on the above Take it with You bill, he’s also doing this, this and this.
But perhaps the biggest event of the week is the revamped Christmas City of the North Parade, which will hit parts of Superior Street it hasn’t hit for the first time in over a decade. Add to this the Lake Superior Magazine 35th anniversary open house, the Northern Explorers gear swap and a long list of other events, and you’ve got plenty to tuck into.
Duluth Brewery Tours
I’ll be in town next weekend Friday and Saturday, and I’m wondering if anyone has any recommendations of breweries or brewpubs to check out. We will be doing the Bent Paddle brewery tour … but any additional suggestions/recommendations is greatly appreciated.
Snow Removal Advice
A friend in Lakeside needs advice on snow removal. (more…)
Perfect New Restaurant: The Spirit Room
Sometimes less is more.
The Spirit Room, a 1,000-square-foot drinking establishment with a tapas menu featuring just a dozen items, came out on top in Perfect Duluth Day’s poll to name the area’s best new restaurant. Tavern on the Hill, a full-menu eatery with literally 10 times the square footage of the Spirit Room, placed a distant second.
Video: Charlie Parr Live at the Paramount Theatre in Austin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6kFgXnT4ew
KSMQ, the public television station for southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, captured Duluth musician Charlie Parr performing a concert in his hometown of Austin, Minn. last month. Next Thursday Parr performs in Duluth with Alan Sparhawk at Sacred Heart Music Center.