Nom-Du-Luths

The other day, I heard somebody refer to Duluth in passing as “the back of beyond.” Nothing official, or even a phrase restricted to Duluth for that matter, but I really liked it. What are some other official and unofficial ways you use to describe the Duluth? Little turns of phrase, short descriptions, or casual nicknames are great. As far as I’m concerned, the more personal the better.

Also, the January in Duluth project is buzzing along, including a piece of mythological short fiction that links Prometheus and the unseasonably warm weather of the first couple January weeks.

RandomJanuary in Duluth

Save Ann’s Home! MLK Day march for housing rights

Background: Ann Lockwood is the owner of a modest East Hillside home. She walks with a prosthetic leg after a major medical crisis that also cost her a good-paying job. Ann is now at risk of losing her home to foreclosure by State Farm Bank, even though she is working again and able make consistent mortgage payments.

Please join us on Monday, MLK Day, at 10am to send this message from our community to State Farm: 1. cancel the sheriff’s sale of Ann’s home, and 2. provide Ann with a fixed-rate loan modification she can afford. Gather at 8th St and 7th Ave E, then march to the Washington Center to join the main MLK Day celebration.

This kind of people power is saving homes across the country, and we aim to do the same for our neighbors in Duluth.

What: Save Ann’s Home — March for housing rights

When: Monday, January 16, 10 to 11 a.m.

Where: Meet at the corner of 8th St & 7th Av E, march to the Washington Center

Who: Project Save Our Homes, Loaves & Fishes Community, Minnesotans for a Fair Economy, and hillside neighbors

More on Facebook, and check here for a complete listing of MLK weekend events.

EventsNews and Current Affairs
Fond-du-Luth Casino: Wednesday Top it Off
Bayfront Reggae and World Music Festival

Stadium plans

Dear Governor Dayton:

I say a) let the Vikings drop dead; or b) build the stadium in Duluth on the US Steel site and make it a stop on the Northern Lights bullet train.

Oh, wait–this was due yesterday, wasn’t it? Whoops. Still, you have to admit either of my ideas are way better than anyone else’s.

Yours truly,
The Big E

Random

Last weekend of Psychedelic Signatures at Tweed Museum

This is the last weekend to check out my collection of original concert posters from San Francisco featuring The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, and many more bands of the 1960s. The posters are all from 1966-1968 and most of the artist went on to create the album covers that everyone loves from the era. The show is free, and the original concert art is among the most rare ever produced and the most collectable.

ArtMusicTweed Museum of Art
Glensheen
Fond-du-Luth Casino: Wednesday Top it Off

Duluth computer/internet labs

The Duluth Public Library is working on updating its list of places (other than the library) where patrons can access computers for internet access, word processing, etc.

Even with expanded hours coming, it’s good to give folks options if they aren’t near a library, need access when the library is closed, or have used up their computer time for the day.

The library has a pretty good list going, but I thought we could crowd-source a bit and see if anyone out there can suggest additions. We know about local colleges (UMD, St. Scholastica, and Lake Superior College) that offer some level of access to non-students, as well as the UPS store, which offers computer time for a fee. What are we missing? Where else can we refer our patrons?

Thanks!
Jeremy Osgood
Duluth Public Library

Recommendations

Art is defined by the space it creates, not the space it occupies.

The Window of Prøve Gallery

The Window of Prøve Gallery

(more…)

Art
Vision Pro: Clear Vision
Glensheen

So, how windy was it last night in Duluth?

I parked my vehicle on Third Street, opened the door, and the wind ripped it right off. (more…)

RandomWeird

A decent auto mechanic in Duluth?

The other night my p.o.s. car took a poop. It seems to be something electrical. After a few attempted jumps nothing will power on, of course this happened on the first cold morning we’ve had all damn month.

I’m going to have to have it towed. Who should I take to? I live in the Hillside, but I’m a little leery of Hemlock because of a past experience, and my boyfriend recently had sub-par service from Murphy’s.

Open to any suggestions!

Recommendations
Barrel Room Smokehouse
Weis Eye Center

Going through the Change

I’ve been having hot flashes. No, not that kind of hot flash. And if it were, I sure wouldn’t be writing about it here. I am talking about something more insidious: a societal hot flash.

Is anyone else losing patience with media references to “unseasonably warm” temperatures? This is a record-busting winter on all counts.

Case in point, Little Angie’s: “Opulent Ice House Coming Soon: December 9 Until Thaw!” High-end cocktails to be offered in a lounge made of ice blocks. But today I noticed the piled shards of melting ice scattered around the enclosure. They just couldn’t get the thing built.

For more ranting about the Duluth climate-change experience, including a couple of photos, please see my latest Nature of Modern Life blog post.

(And, yes, it would seem that the joke is on me. Winter is here today. Gone tomorrow? We’ll see.)

News and Current AffairsOutdoorsRestaurants

Snowbird seeking hookup without commitment

My parents are taking a little vacation from Minnesota down to Apache Junction, AZ [they will hike more in the 6 weeks they are there than my wife and I will all year]. They have an iPad and very little technical moxy. The condo they are in does not have ISP; and they would like temporary internet service.
(more…)

Recommendations
Dubh Linn Irish Pub: Pro Comedy Tour
Pier B Resort: Courtside Concerts

Paul Broman and Danecdote – “Let’s Make Babies”

[This post originally contained an embedded audio file from Soundcloud that is no longer available at its source.]

New song from a pair of Duluthians.

Music

Mont du Lac Snowboarding

SportsVideosSkiing and Snowboarding
Barrel Room Smokehouse
Downtown Duluth: Movies in the Park

Duluth Hangouts

Where do people go for fun or to hang out on a regular basis? I am trying to find a fun place to hang out other than on Friday or Saturday. I am 28 and don’t like to sit at home all the time.

Recommendations

Cravaack New Hampshire Dodgeball

Of all the obvious jabs at Minnesota 8th District Congressman Raymond “Chip” Cravaack for moving to New Hampshire — which reached a fever pitch today for the New Hampshire primary — this is definitely the funniest. (Note to moderators, it’s blatantly partisan, certain to test the new commenting policy).

Not sure if the movie clips are fair-use or not so I suppose it could get yanked at any time.

News and Current AffairsPoliticsMedia
Pizza Luce: The Bulgogi

Where in Duluth? Watercolor edition.

The Skyway, Brian Stewart from https://www.stew-art.com/pleinair.htm

I came across this water color image from Brian Stewart while engaging in my newest time trap, curating the “Duluth-o-Philia” board on Pinterest. This does evoke a location for me, but for the life of me, I can’t remember the place. Bonus question, is it still there even?

ArtWhere in Duluth?

“Isn’t today just the perfect Duluth day?”

Ain’t they all, Mr. Mayor?

PDD Shop Talk
Fond-du-Luth Casino: Wednesday Top it Off
Barrel Room Smokehouse

Perfect Duluth Date?

If Duluth could go on dates (the city being embodied as a person), how would you answer any or all of the following questions:

(1) If Duluth were after an eligible date prospect, where would Duluth look? (more…)

RandomJanuary in DuluthWeird

Web series about a blogger and assassin based in Duluth!

[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]

Hey everyone, I recently moved back to Duluth from Hollywood and I’ve begun work on this web-series. Check out episode 1 and subscribe if you like it! Enjoy!

Videos
Pizza Luce: The Bulgogi

PDD Background Color Change

As most of you have probably noticed, Perfect Duluth Day has changed its background colors. The changeover started several days ago, and there have been some issues with the old colors popping up in a few spots …

… but we think we’ve taken care of all of those issues now. Please let us know if you see the old colors popping up anywhere.

Also, let us know if you love or hate the change. If you love the change it will make us feel good. If you hate the change we will get all defensive and accuse you of having poor taste.

GeekyPDD Shop Talk

This week: Spamalot, Charlie Parr, bridal show and more

Tuesday, Jan. 10
Monty Python’s hit musical Spamalot comes to the DECC.

Friday, Jan. 13
The 4onthefloor, Dirty Horse and Hattie Peterson play at Tycoon’s. The Duluth Playhouse brings The Neverending Story to the stage. Charlie Parr is back in Duluth and ready to release a new CD at Sacred Heart. Four Mile Portage opens with special guests guaranteed to share the stage with Parr.

Saturday, Jan. 14
Get ready for your big day at the 24th Annual Duluth Bridal Show at the DECC. Comedians Tommy Thompson and Linda Aarons lay down some face-melting humor at Dubh Linn’s.

Keep checking the PDD Calendar for more events.

Events
Downtown Duluth: Movies in the Park
Vision Pro: Clear Vision

Days when we owned media are numbered

The Blockbuster store on Central Entrance is closing; what video shops remain? See DNT.

How long until I won’t be able to own my media any more?

News and Current Affairs

A man/woman/city is known by the company he/she/it keeps.

Finding 101 things to do in Duluth through anonymous means is not hard — of my ninety-nine problems, Google running out of suggestions isn’t one. So, the generous feedback on PDD has been wonderful (thank you so much, by the way), if not a touch overwhelming. Forget January — all these personal recommendations could fuel an entire lifetime in Duluth. For the rest of the month, I’ll continue to chase after as many Duluth experiences as I can, but on PDD I’d like to pivot my questions slightly. (more…)

RandomJanuary in DuluthWeird
Vision Pro: Clear Vision
Barrel Room Smokehouse

Bentleyville looks good in black and white!

[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]

This winter, I went out with my in-laws to Bentleyville, which I had never had the pleasure of enjoying. Being a videographer, I decided to shoot something while we were there. Enjoy!

VideosBentleyvilleChristmas

How much longer will these records stand?

Uncle Loui's Pancake and French toast eating records

It seems like it’s high time somebody broke the pancake and french toast records at Uncle Loui’s. But who could manage such a feat … without blowing a hole in his or her innards, I mean? Will they stand forever and have to be “retired” as I believe the previous, pre-fire, records were?

RestaurantsWeird
Fond-du-Luth Casino: Wednesday Top it Off
Downtown Duluth: Movies in the Park

Another interesting Denfeld image

IMG_1093

Just a little something I happened across on the job today.

HistoryDenfeld High School