Canal Theft Park
It always sucks to have something stolen from you. Recently (within the past 3-4 days) I was sitting down on the north side of the pier right by the bridge with some friends, when I walked away to go back to my car, realizing: Oh wow, I forgot my backpack! So, not even 5 minutes had passed, and when I went back to get it, it was gone. I thought, “Oh, someone just picked it up and will read my contact info on the inside and call me later.” That never happened. It was a black Duluth Pack that was given to me from my girlfriend, and then inside was my favorite pea green sweater ever, my iPod Classic, and then my headphones. In the front pocket was a whole lot of fun stuff too. So, I’m just saying, if anyone has it, please return it. I’d be so thankful and probably give you a few bucks for being an awesome person and returning it. If I find you wearing it, I’m going to have to punch you.
My Morning Rhymes
In the morning at the crack of dawn down in Canal Park, I watch the sun breaking through the grim dead of dark. I stand behind a counter to make sure people get their smokes, and watch the kids run around with their different folks. The hillside is coming down so they all can get their toaks, no drinks so they all got their different strokes. Yes, sometimes I choose to be under influence: of my brothers, my sister, or just my common sense. Hence, I make my own decisions seeing life with my own vision, and with great precision I thee wed this great division. So to all of you today, I say, test a water that’s uncharted, cause this is my day, and I’m just getting started.
Art Exhibit and Show at the Encounter
There is a fantastic showing of arts on Saturday, July 10, at the Encounter, being put on by Nate Adelson.
Art from Duluthians will be displayed starting at 3pm in a gallery upstairs at the Encounter for free. There is a wide array of fine arts as well as photography being shown. There is also a show happening in the red room starting at 6pm that will be $3, featuring 6 bands.
Ashton George
Preston Gunderson and the Crew
Loup-Garou
Polis (from Mankato)
Amauros
Lions&Creators
Come out and support some fantastic local art and enjoy a cheap show with incredible bands. It should be a fun and interesting event, hope to see many of you there.
Northwoods Music Fest – July 17
10am Aurora Baer
11:15am Kristy Marie
12:30pm Mad About Jane
1:45pm James Moors
3:15pm The Fractals
4:30pm Uprising
5:45pm Arcadia
7pm Natalie Gelman
Lakewalk extension
Anybody who lives in Lakeside has presumably figured this out by now, but others may be interested to learn that construction on the latest phase of the Lakewalk extension–from 47th to the highway– appears to be rolling along. It looks like the section nearest to 47th may take a little more preparation than the rest due to the slope, but the part farther east might be pretty close to ready for pavement. Based on the work the past couple summers, it doesn’t seem too farfetched to think they’ll be done before fall.
Lack of Duluth Summit Cheeseburger Attempts
What is a Summit Cheeseburger you ask? Well, the mission of the Summit Cheeseburger Project is…
“To encourage, enable, and document the consumption of a Cheeseburger on every summit on earth.”
Granted most people are completely and totally unaware of the sport of Summit Cheeseburger-ing and perhaps that is why there is a lack of said activity in St. Louis and Douglas Counties so I will forgive you, good people of said counties. But, now that you are being educated on this activity I see no reason for easy targets like Ely, Bardon’s, Moose, Sugarloaf, Pike, and Sugar Camp Hill to be conquered with zest, vigor, and zeal!
Do you like to hike, bicycle, drive, or just generally get off your couch and go do something but are looking for an excuse? Then attaining a Summit Cheeseburger just may very well be for you!
1. Grab a cheeseburger and your camera
2. Visit the Summit Cheeseburger website and find a summit.
3. Hike (bike, drive, fly, whatever) to the summit.
4. Photograph yourself nomming down a cheeseburger.
5. Post it to the S.P. site.
6. Repeat!
I’ve tagged summits in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana but Minnesota, and particularly Duluth is full of virgin first ascents just waiting for some PDD’ers to start tagging. Bon Voyage, Happy Trails, and Bottom’s Up!
Quack Quack
Sitting in my office on the Lakewalk. I heard a tap, tap, tap and looked up to see a mallard sitting on the window ledge saying, “good morning.” I tried to feed him Soy Chips.
No Summer Music at Bayfront?
There’s Reggae Fest and Blues Fest … and that’s it this year?
After doing a bit of searching, I don’t see ANY other music coming to Bayfront this year. If I am remembering right, there was some problems with starting/ending times of the (very) few concerts held there over the past couple years. Has Secret Service Entertainment totally given up on music there? I have to admit, the few times I have been able to see a show there … kicking back in the grass with a drink or two, and nice breeze off the lake … heavenly.
I’m a longtime lurker, and I trust y’all to know what’s going on in Duluth. So tell me, where did my summer music go? 🙁
Duluth’s Northern Waters Smokehaus on Food Network
Is the episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives involving local joints posted anywhere on YouTube or foodnetwork.com?
I missed the episode and want to see it.
Live Music at Bowery Bros. Thursday
Live music with Andy Hauswirth and Paul Newberg going on July 8 from 9-close at Bowery Bros. Radisson, Superior Street level.
Emergency Vehicles on the Lakewalk
What’s up? Daily, ambulances, police cars, and now today fire trucks, rescue vehicles, even the water boat were all present on the Lakewalk. Training perhaps? Seagull attacks? We’re just not sure.
Lunch at JJ Astor rocks
Our office ate lunch today at JJ Astor. I tried the walleye with harrisa and basil slaw. So Yummy! And with a perfect Duluth day like today, the view was, of course, amazing! Check them out in the former Top of the Harbor space at the Radisson.
Exhibit by writer/photographer Brenda Paro opens Friday
Duluth writer and photographer Brenda Paro is presenting new work at the Washington Gallery beginning Friday, July 9. Subtle Cargoes is an exhibit of complex photographic collages paired with poetry, presented using a variety of printing techniques and materials.
The opening reception takes place Friday, July 9 from 6 to 8 pm at Washington Gallery; the exhibit will also be open every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm (or by appointment) through July 25. Washington Gallery is located at 315 N. Lake Ave. in Duluth. For more information visit brendaparo.com, or call Paro at (402) 740-5122.
Double Whammy In-store Thursday!
We’ll be having two live performances at the Duluth Electric Fetus today! Our July MinnEconomy feature is Duluth’s rising songstress Sarah Krueger! She will be playing a solo acoustic set at 5pm.
At 7pm Duluth band Remote Viewfinder will be playing as well. Come on down and enjoy some live, free music.
Love Lake Superior Artisan and Info Fair – Sunday, July 18
Over 25 local artists and info booths celebrating Lake Superior Day -3rd Sunday in July. Come shop. Come learn about the Lake. Come share your love of the lake via Open Mic- poetry, music, etc. Visit Tonya Borgeson’s WaterWorks exhibit at this event, too.
All-Water Film Weekend at the Zinema – July 16-18
Cinematic All-Water Weekend.
The films are free and open to the public.
Fri, 7/16 – 7 pm OCEANS (Disney)
Sat, 7/17 – 5 pm The END of the LINE (documentary; great cinematography)
Sun, 7/18 – 5 pm FLOW (For the Love of Water) The – documentary on world waster crisis.
MN Sea Grant
Bemidji Beaver Returned

The Bemidji City Council voted on Tuesday to return the beaver sculpture which had been removed from display over concern that decorations on it resembled a pudendum. DNT story here
Tornado Warning in Duluth?
Today is the first Wednesday of the month, and that’s when the emergency sirens are routinely tested, but today’s drill was a little unusual. The siren went off three times, and the middle siren was followed by a “tornado warning” and instructions to “take cover.”
I guess the snafu two weeks ago wasn’t an isolated incident.
Bayfront Reggae Festival – Win Tickets
A free pair of tickets to the Bayfront Reggae Festival go to the first person to reply in the comments with the correct answer to this question:
Guess who’s coming to dinner?
Here’s who’s coming to the Bayfront Reggae Festival stage on Saturday, July 10 at Bayfront Festival Park:
11am DJ Sound of Fujun
noon Max Dakota and Modern Life
1pm Uprising
2:45pm Zili Misik
4pm Queen Omega
6pm Dub Tonic Kru
7pm Tosh 1
8:30pm Michael Rose
“The North Shore” car window sticker
A few weeks ago, a car passed me that had a window sticker that looked like the North Face logo, except it said “The North Shore.” I’d never seen it before, and it’s one of the first stickers I feel is worthy of putting on my car.
Anyone know where I can find it?
An Evening of Music to Support Choice Unlimited’s Arts Program with Lookdown Moon and the Alrights
Choice Unlimited is a day program dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities and persons who are experiencing barriers to employment and community inclusion. Choice Unlimited’s Arts Program is having an evening of celebration and music to help raise funds to support its programming. It is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments Choice Unlimited’s artists are helping to make in the community. Please come support this wonderful cause and listen to fabulous music from accomplished local musicians. Bands performing include the Alrights and Lookdown Moon.
The show is July 17, 7:30 p.m. at Beaner’s Central in West Duluth. The price at the door will be $5. We will see you there!
For more information call the Choice Unlimited office at 218-725-5869.
Scottish Gaelic Lessons
Learn Scottish Gaelic! Come to Gaelic Happy Hour at Carmody Irish Pub and learn conversational Scottish Gaelic over a glass of whisky. $35/month, Mondays, 6 p.m.
London Road Area PDDers
My cat is missing. His name is Cuthbert Burbage and if you see him please contact me, Lawrence, at ironic1@ ironic1.com. He was last seen near the corner of London Road and 52nd Avenue East around 9:15 this morning. Thanks.
Update: He’s back! My neighbor saw him and let him back into my house while I was out! Thanks for all who kept their eyes open!
Duluth Air Quality Survey
Did any of you get surveyed in the past couple weeks about air quality in our area? I was wondering if anyone could confirm that this was legit. I got a weird feeling about it and when asked for personal info I declined. The survey seemed very weak on content and I was handed a very unprofessionally printed raffle ticket ($500 shopping spree or something like that) after answering a few questions.
This may not be really appropriate for PDD, but I didn’t know where else to ask. Does anyone have any information regarding this survey? The recent home break-ins mentioned in the DNT article “Duluth police: Watch neighbors’ homes,” seem well targeted and a door to door survey would be a great way to get a look inside peoples’ homes.
This is probably just paranoia (I recently had some stuff stolen from a car), but I thought it was worth asking.
Duluth Transmission Shop?
My clutch pedal started binding on the way to work today (lame). I haven’t had to have any transmission/clutch work done so I’m at a loss as to where to go. PDD, recommend me a shop!















