Duluth and the North Shore in Aug/Sept issue of National Geographic Traveler
“Road trips up the Minnesota shore of Lake Superior begin in Duluth, an industrial harbor town at the southern end of a wooded triangle called the Arrowhead and two-lane Highway 61. Also called North Shore Scenic Drive, the paved boundary between woods and waters delivers views of the ancient volcanic basalt cliffs that plunge into Lake Superior, so vast it merges with the sky on the horizon. At the turn of the 20th century, outbound ships loaded with northern Minnesota’s prized iron ore ranked Duluth among the U.S.’s busiest ports.”
Road Trip: Northern Minnesota
Hartley Trail Signage
I rode the mountain-bike trails at Hartley yesterday and could not help but notice the lack of directional signage. Is there a reason why? Is it to keep the area as natural as possible? Lack of funds? Or the locals know where to go and piss on the newbees?
Great time to start piano lessons
The start of the school year is coming up pretty quickly. It’s a great time to start taking piano lessons. I’ve been a piano teacher for 18 years, and moved here from Chicago, where I taught full time, about a year ago. I’m looking for students for my growing studio.
I’ve also recently moved to a house within the city of Duluth. I’m now in a great, easily accessible spot which I would love to disclose to anyone in a private email. I’m posting a link to my hastily thrown together website that has a bit more information about me and my methods. You can find personal contact information there. I’d love to talk to you personally to discuss details of lessons, so give me a call or shoot me an email — both of which you can find on my website!
emilymoepianostudio.wordpress.com
This week: penguins, snowmobiles and pride
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Do you like paintings of penguins? Do you like paintings of bicycles? Do you like paintings of penguins on bicycles? If you answered yes to any of these questions, hie thee to Adam Swanson’s opening at the Zeitgeist Arts Café today.
Wild Bill’s Run relates the story of Bill Cooper of Willow River, who planned a trip on snowmobiles from Minnesota to Moscow in the early ’70s. It’s the next offering on the Explorers Club at the Zinema 2 on Tuesday.
Get a head start on winter with free Open Ice Skating at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center on Wednesday.
And, of course, get your Pride on Saturday!
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know!`
I am Manitou and so are you
Manitou, referring to spirit beings in Algonquian groups of Native Americans, is also the name of a river along Minnesota’s north shore. The Manitou River runs through George Crosby Manitou State Park where I decided to camp alone Saturday night.
Who cares?
This Duluth campaign sign from 2001 is my all-time favorite. I think what Dan Williams might have intended to suggest was that he was the answer to the question — he cares. But no one took it that way.
Williams was running for the Fourth District City Council seat. He was knocked out in the primary by Roger Reinert and Neill Atkins. Atkins eventually won, topping Reinert by 18 votes.
Duluth Fitness Centers
Does anyone have recommendations for a fitness center in Duluth? What do you like / not like about a facility and why?
Anytime Fitness (Duluth/Superior/Hermantown)
Arrowhead Tennis & Athletic Center
Curves (Duluth/Superior/Hermantown)
Duluth Area Family YMCA
Duluth Snap Fitness
Essentia Health Fitness & Therapy Services
Jungle Boy Boxing Gym
Kinetic Fitness (Superior)
Lorenzi’s Boxing
Marcovich Wellness Center (Superior)
North Star Health & Fitness (Superior)
PhyEd Health Club (Superior)
Superior Kettlebell Gym
Why is there great food on Park Point?
Because of all the sand which is there!
Or the noodle bowl or the fried pretzels…
Every Wednesday night, the Chow Haul food truck sets up at the corner of Lake Avenue and 11th Street, to catch the sailors coming in from the races before they get their land legs back.
You can read more about the food truck and its other regular stops on my blog. Or go right to the source, the Chow Haul website.
The 3 Best Friends — “Hey Big Girl”
Watch this video from local Duluth rappers and love to hate it!
Crescent Moon Campground
By David Cowardin
Duluth Outdoors Editor
If you haven’t been to the mouth of the Lester River since the flood hit in June, it’s worth checking out: Rocks and debris have formed an island resembling a crescent moon about 50 feet from shore.
When I first saw it, many thoughts came to mind:
(more…)
Dining Vegan in the Duluth Area
Being vegan, not vegetarian, has its challenges when dining out. I’m looking for suggestions of the best vegan eats in Duluth/Superior and the North Shore.
Edward Moody back in Minnesota
Former Northland’s NewsCenter reporter Edward Moody will make his debut with WCCO-TV in the Twin Cities on Friday. He has been hired as a weekend anchor/ reporter. He had been working at the Fox affiliate in Indianapolis, but Duluthians will remember him from his KBJR stint from 2002 to 2007.
Barrels, Duluth
I’m looking for a few 55 gallon, plastic drums. Does anyone happen to work at, or know of a business in the area that gives away or sells the ones they’ve used? I don’t mind cleaning them out, if it comes to it.
Hey, leave Duluth out of it, punk.
Minnesota Republican Senator Dan Hall of Burnsville decided to become the next social-media idiot today with this Tweet. We’d typically ignore something like this on PDD, but … isn’t that Duluth’s Inner Pier Lighthouse in the photo?
Oktoberfest 2012 not at Bayfront Park?
Does anyone know why Fitger’s is not having its Oktoberfest at Bayfront Park this year? It doesn’t really seem like an Oktoberfest if it’s going to be indoors. Here’s a link to some of the new details.
Porch repair recommendations
We have a shaker porch that is deteriorating. We want to repair it so that it continues to look original to the house (built in 1927). It looks to be a bigger project than the handymen we use can tackle. Any recommendations?
AutismWalk Northland needs help!
I am a volunteer for AutismWalkNorthland. It’s a local grassroots program, dedicated to raising funds for local schools and their ASD programs. Due to some serious health issues for one of the founders, the walk is dangerously short on silent auction items. Since the silent auction traditionally generates a good portion of the walk’s revenue, this is a scary time for them.
The Walk donates 100 percent of its proceeds to the participating schools every year, and is seeking donations. Pretty much everything is accepted — gift cards, crafts, baskets, etc. If you or anyone you know would be interested in donating, please e-mail info @ autismwalknorthland.org. You can also find AutismWalk Northland on Facebook, or at autismwalknorthland.org.
This week: dragon boats, stilts and chicken hats
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Perfect week for learning to walk on stilts, don’t you think? The members of the Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe think so. They are giving free stilt walking classes Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the Central Hillside Community Center.
The Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival runs Friday and Saturday at Barker’s Island in Superior. On the other side of the bay you can see cover bands galore at The Tribute Fest with tributes to Tom Petty, AC/DC, Ted Nugent and more this Friday and Saturday at Bayfront.
This Saturday you can see eight brand new short plays written and produced over a 24 hour period. Raw and often hilarious, see the Chicken Hat Plays at the Harbor City International School Theater.
This Sunday celebrate the Hillside neighborhood at HillFest with outdoor music, a climbing wall and a tofu toss! Because when I think Central Hillside, I think flying tofu.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know!`
Flood Video: Calling Extras to the Set
LoLa Visuals is putting together a video for the city of Duluth to bring to the state legislature in attempts to attain state assistance for flood victims. We are filming the closing shot Aug. 19 at 5 p.m. in Canal Park by the pier and need as many people as possible to come join. The final shot will include Sarah Krueger singing “High Tide or Low Tide” with an expanse of Duluthians surrounding her swaying to the music; a final plea for the state to stand by us in both high times and low times.
Grocery Shopping
For some time I’ve been saying my grocery costs are high and seem to keep going higher. We’ve got two bottomless pits growing school-aged girls and two adults to feed. Recently I decided to comparison shop for prices. So hey, if you saw me wandering around the grocery store this week with my pad of paper, writing down prices, I really wasn’t crazy. I was on a mission. I blogged about it and I’m sharing because I thought you too might be intrigued at the results.
Also raising a question for you: are the prices at all of the Super One stores the same? I claim yes, my neighbor claims no and thinks that the Lakeside one is more $$ than others.