Call for Art: My Funny Valentine
Washington Gallery is looking for funny, silly, sappy, quirky, corny, odd, goofy and peculiar musings on love and romance in the form of visual, written or fine art for a show opening Feb. 14 entitled “My Funny Valentine.” The deadline is Feb. 7.
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Where to donate for homeless
Cold weather has many people wondering what they can do to help the growing number of Duluthians experiencing homelessness. Obviously we need systems change and more housing. In the meantime, the Duluth Street Outreach Team is making sure people are accounted for, connected to housing resources and as warm as possible. If you are homeless or have tips on people who may be homeless, please call our 24-hour hotline at 218-461-8505.
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Video Archive: Christopher Halverson – “Brave Captain”
“Brave Captain” is an old Firehose song.
The Halverson version was recorded by UWS Studio II at R.T. Quinlan’s Saloon on Sept. 16, 1995. Produced by Brandon Leno. Edited by Brandon Leno and Margo Abramson. Audio engineering by Eric Swanson. Production assistance by Renee Hudacek, Melissa Long, Paul Lundgren, Dinelli Seneviratne and Nathan Steigman.
Water Film Fest at UWS – send in an entry
We will be having a Water Film Fest – films about water, life in water, importance of water, etc. Any season (winter through summer topics) would be fine. There will be local films, national, and international. We’d like the films to be under 10 minutes. The event will run from 6-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 at Swenson Hall Room 1012 (next to Yellowjacket Union). It’s free. If you’d like to submit an entry email grethenw @ ci.superior.wi.us. The film fest is sponsored by the City of Superior Environmental Services and the Lake Superior Research Institute. We love clean and healthy water.
This thread’s for you, Mr. Black Lab
After skiing the Lester, I was pretty cold and a little wet, but decided to go down and check the ice structures at Brighton Beach anyway. The few people there sat in their cars but I walked out and gave them something to look at — a guy walking around looking at the lake. Then I witnessed an improperly dressed dude walking his Labrador turn back abruptly to the safety of his car. Black Lab you ask? Hell no! The cold didn’t bother him one god damned second. He was living in the moment. Happy as can be.
This thread buds for you, Mr. Black Lab.
Battery of a police officer or excessive force arrest? Here we go again.
Natasha Lancour was arrested in the parking lot of the Keyport Lounge on Jan. 5 for allegedly striking Superior Police Officer George Gothner. Above is the unedited dashboard-cam video; below is a report from WDIO-TV.
Duluth reference in The Cutting Edge
Yes, the 1992 movie The Cutting Edge is utterly cheesy, but we’re nothing if not thorough at PDD, so we must include it with the other references to Duluth in the realm of major motion pictures.
D. B. Sweeney plays the part of Doug Dorsey, a hockey player from the fictional town of Mayhorn, Minn., which is apparently supposed to be near Duluth. When Sweeney’s career is cut short, he goes back to Minnesota. It is unclear whether he is in Mayhorn or Duluth, but the radio station he listens to broadcasts out of Duluth.
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Duluth Superior Film Festival
I was able to attend a recent Duluth-Superior Film Festival party. At the risk of turning PDD into a celebrity gossip sheet — can you spot the local arts personalities?
Created Equal at the Zinema
Yesterday, I spent five hours at the Created Equal event at Zinema 2. Below, I have links to the videos, if you want to watch from home.
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Vacant city council seat up for grabs
The Duluth City Council is accepting applications for the recently vacated Second District council seat previously held by Patrick Boyle, who recently was elected to the St. Louis County Board.
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Set lists for Low @ Brewhouse
While I’d be very happy to get to the Brewhouse every Thursday for Low’s play-it-all sessions, I just can’t do it … but it would be great to know what they played so far. Any fans out there who happened to record the set list from 1.16.14? If you’d care to share it (maybe even each week?), I’d guess that there is more than one fan in PDD-Land who would appreciate your effort. Thanks!
This week: sled dogs, mermaids and divas
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, so it’s likely you aren’t at work. There’s a march that starts at Washington center and ends at the DECC where there’s a rally. Later this afternoon there are films and discussion at Zeitgeist.
Sen. Franken and Rep. Nolan will be at the Radisson on Tuesday for a little chat moderated by Mayor Ness.
On the theater scene there are all sorts of people. Renegade‘s All New People opens at the Teatro Zuccone on Thursday while Good People continues at The Underground. Meanwhile, there are mer-people when the Playhouse Children’s Theater presents Disney’s Little Mermaid at Marshall.
On Saturday the DSSO continues its season with a DECC concert featuring Wicked Divas while Charlie Parr releases his new album, Hollandale, at Sacred Heart with a concert.
The on again, off again John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon is set to start on Sunday at East High School. Looks like there’s enough snow and apparently they’ve raised enough money.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Call Me Mental
Tomorrow I will be embarking on a story-telling campaign to break the stigma of mental illness. The project, ‘Call Me Mental,’ is a partnership between the Human Development Center and Lola Visuals. Stories will be released in episodes online along the trip and a feature length documentary will follow later this year.
We are also asking people to submit their stories, in any format, to our website. If you choose to remain anonymous, that is absolutely okay. You can also check out our Kickstarter if you would like to help support this project.
Mystery Photo #1: Chester Bowl
This photo was purportedly shot at Chester Bowl in 1936. Who are these gals? What were they doing that day? Who shot the photo?
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McKnight Exhibit of the work of Duluth Artist Catherine Meier
Congrats to Duluth artist Catherine Meier. I drove 160 miles to see her opening at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design — and it was worth it.
(Catherine Meier, “I could hear voices on the wind, Sage Creek Rim Road” (right panel), Graphite on paper)
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Chinese Lantern Restaurant Fire of 1994
(Duluth News Tribune photo of Jan. 16, 1994, Chinese Lantern fire)
Back in the 1980s we lived in Silver Bay, and my parents used to make special trips down to Duluth just to go to this place. Now they drive up from the cities to visit and we’ll take them out to eat at many of the fine restaurants we have, and they’ll always comment about how great the Chinese Lantern was and how there’s nothing else like it. Even when my wife worked at the Duluth Athletic Club, before the flooding closed it, she would always hear comments like, “This place is great, but it’s no Chinese Lantern.”
So what was it about that place that people still lament its passing 20 years later?
Photography
I was in the Duluth Photography Institute last night. The current exhibit was a little spicy (about bondage) — but that’s what art institutions give us — something spicy to challenge the mind, right?
Duluth Spotify
I made a Spotify list with Duluth bands. Check it out if you want and let me know of any bands that I may have missed. Hope you enjoy!
What to do when it’s really cold outside
Just when you thought you’d seen enough of those cold videos, Henry Reich of Hayward puts all of the activities together in one.
Recommendations for residential plumber?
Does anyone have a recommendation for a fair and cost-effective plumber? I live in Lakeside and need the pipe connections to my gas hot water heater tightened and resealed. Project estimate of 1 to 2 hours.
More thoughts on Duluth neighborhoods
All of the recent postings have reignited my interest in our city’s neighborhoods. Their unique aspects are really interesting. And there are so many things I still don’t know, even after living here for 20+ years.
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Duluth-area Literary Vibe: Zines, journals and other lit publications from the region
I was at the Prøve Gallery last week and was happy to see a blossoming collection of literary magazines beside the small press books from Holy Cow! and the fine art. I thought it might be fun to catch folks up on the literary publications in our community.
District 2 St. Louis County Commissioner Special Election Result
With 11 of 11 precincts reporting:
Patrick Boyle — 2,783 (65.5 percent)
Jim Stauber — 1,465 (34.5 percent)