Random
Gilmore Girls Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge Cake Ornament
The Netflix revival of the TV comedy/drama Gilmore Girls features a brief and strange nod to the Zenith City. The last of the four new episodes includes a pre-wedding scene with Sookie St. James (played by Melissa McCarthy) showing a cake to Lorelai Gilmore (played by Lauren Graham) that has a miniature Aerial Lift Bridge on it labeled “Duluth.” (more…)
Duluth Liquor Stores vs. Tattoo Parlors
In recent years I’ve noticed a number of Duluth liquor stores have gone out of business while a number of tattoo parlors have opened. I like to joke that the latter business model depends on the former, but lately I’ve had the perception that at some point in recent history the number of tattoo parlors grew to exceed the number of liquor stores.
An ongoing count, however, suggests otherwise. The lists in this post show 16 liquor stores within Duluth city limits, but only five tattoo parlors. Of course, I tend to keep better tabs on where beer can be procured than on places to have my flesh artistically carved. So help me out. What liquor stores or tattoo parlors are missing from these lists? (more…)
Stolen Bike
A white, black and red Lightspeed Mira has been stolen from me. It has a Thompson seat post and a mostly Durace group set. It has egg-beater pedals, a red seat and red bar tape. This bike is seriously my life and my car. Please notify me if you see anything about it at 954-486-2136.
The Bluestone Co. Canal Park – Adopt a Highway
Great store too early for it’s time, but the signs are still on Central Entrance many years later. I’ve wondered why. Then, a week or so ago there he was, Erik Nelson (yes, that Erik) founder of the long gone-enterprise, reflective vest and trash bag in hand doing the duty of Adopters, but unlike so many, alone … I like to imagine in contemplation or the joy of being alone.
You are not a robot
Perfect Duluth Day blog administrators have noticed an increase recently in the number of users changing their passwords, and we’ve also had a few people write to us indicating their login process is being thwarted with the phrase: “Error: You have entered an incorrect reCAPTCHA value.”
So heads up if you are having trouble logging in: As annoying as it is, you have to remember to check the box that reads “I am not a robot.”
This extra step was implemented a month or so ago to keep out the robots that create accounts on PDD, log in, and attempt to post spam. Until we create good robots to kill the evil robots, the reCAPTCHA box will be necessary. You don’t have to enter any words or pass any picture box test in most cases, unless maybe you log in from a place you don’t usually log in. But you must check the box.
Beer finally flowing in Duluth Lakeside at Amity Coffee
Prohibition has finally ended. Amity Coffee became the Lakeside neighborhood’s first seller of over-the-counter alcohol today. In June the Duluth City Council repealed a more than 125-year-old neighborhood liquor ban.
At left, barista Nate Pykkonen pours a Bent Hop Golden IPA, one of two Paddle Paddle Brewing tap beers at Amity. Bottled and canned beers are also available, as well as wine.
Curling and Possibility (A Reflection from Duluth Curling Club)
I went to the “learn to curl” night at Duluth Curling Club. The club has a storied history:
The Duluth Curling Club was organized in 1891… [The facility] can be expanded to provide up to 13 curling sheets for major events, and is the largest facility in the United States. With this facility, we have grown to the second largest club in the US; only the St Paul (MN) Curling Club, has more members.
We have hosted two World Championships, the US Olympic Trials, and numerous National events. Two DCC members have been inducted into the Curling Hall of Fame, for service to the sport. Numerous members have participated in and won State and National Championships over the years, and even a few World and Olympic Championships.
There are at least three curling clubs in the region, including one in Two Harbors and one in Superior, and I am thinking I will curl in Superior, if my friends out there will have me as I develop my skills.
Learning to curl taught me a lot. (more…)
Trail construction around Enger Golf Course?
I live near the Enger Golf Course and this summer I noticed what appeared to be construction of a trail or small road on the edge of parts of the golf course. Since I couldn’t find anything about this online I figured this was probably some kind of service road for the golf course but I thought I would make this post and see if anyone out there has any info about the purpose of the recent road/trail created on the parameter of the Enger Golf Course.
Job opening: Save the PDD Calendar editor from going batty
Are you ready to make slightly above minimum wage with no benefits while working in your pajamas at home? Then Perfect Duluth Day needs you. Running the PDD Calendar is sucking the life out of the editor and his previous assistant has too much collegiate stuff to deal with at the moment. So here’s a rare opportunity to get inside the PDD media empire. Read the full job description on the PDD employment page.
Why can’t 21st Avenue East, Woodland and Arrowhead be a highway like Piedmont?
There was a study I cannot find now where some bigwigs came to Duluth back in about 2006 and decided that access to the mall area from the east side of town is one of the largest problems we have here. Every single road has many traffic lights and the speed limits are all 30 mph. Even Howard Gnesen rolls along at 30 mph in the middle of nowhere. The stretch from Kenwood Avenue on Arrowhead Road to Rice Lake Road is just a basic speed trap before it finally opens up to a whole 45 mph.
Why not make from the freeway exit at 21st Avenue East, Woodland Avenue and Arrowhead Road more like what was done on the west side of town near 21st Avenue West?
I know many people live on the stretch, but we have two major colleges and the city keeps “calming traffic” everywhere it can. That was the actual term that I heard at meeting when they decided — against the wishes of everyone in attendance — to make London Road go from four lanes of traffic to two. Then they said the city would plant all kinds of trees and beautify the area. Still waiting on that one.
Selective Focus: Ryan Tischer
This week in Selective Focus, we feature photographer Ryan Tischer. Tomorrow (Saturday, September 3) Lakeside Gallery will host an opening of Ryan’s work, and he will be the featured artist there through September.
R.T.: I do landscape and nature photography of North America, with a concentration in our Lake Superior region. My goal as an artist is to capture the emotional essence of a scene. Like many, I feel a strong spiritual connection to nature. I use this connection to guide my artistic choices when considering a scene behind the lens. Composition, exposure, filters, and so forth are all essential considerations, but the one variable in outdoor photography that cannot be forced or overtly manipulated is the light. For this reason I find myself waiting for hours at a given location and often returning time and time again until I find something magical in the light that finally makes the image. As in life and photography, light is everything. Without light from our sun we would not have life on this planet and I would certainly not be around to take pictures! I try to keep that in mind when making images and hope it comes through in my work. (more…)
Busy Week
I returned from a trip to Manitoulin Island to a busy week in Duluth. I visited the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation, where I learned about traditional and contemporary first nations art. (more…)
Selling promotional squares for financial remuneration
As a constantly growing media giant, Perfect Duluth Day is once again looking to expand its crew of people who sell those advertisements that are so handsomely stacked on the right column of the pages of this website (or in between the content if you are looking at PDD on a smartphone).
If you are an outgoing and enterprising person who enjoys rubbing elbows with decision makers at local businesses, click here to read the job description.
If you are a reader of PDD who hates advertising and gets nervous when reading something like this, rest assured that although PDD strives to sell more advertising to support its vast infrastructure, ads on the site will continue to be confined to appropriate space and never come in the form of a pop-up or auto-play video. We respect you too much for that.
Duluth Broadcast Television Station Guide for 2016
Below is an updated look at what’s on the television dial in Duluth after the reorganizing at KBJR/KDLH. Don’t let the big “3” fool you on the new KDLH logo (which doesn’t have the letters KDLH on it, but does have the CBS eye); the CBS affiliate is now on broadcast channel 6.2. If you are watching with a satellite dish or cable, then the KDLH/CBS station is channel 3. (more…)
Who in Duluth is doing the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen?
I have a few friends doing G.I.S.H.W.H.E.S., hosted by Misha Collins of I think the TV show “Supernatural.” From gishwhes.com:
We’re proud to have broken several Guinness World Records including: the most global hugs, 108,121; most pledges to commit charitable Acts of Kindness, 93,376, which we did in partnership with our friends at the non-profit Random Acts (www.therandomact.org); and of course, let’s not forget the prestigious Longest Safety Pin Chain – over a mile long! We’ve also: delivered thousands of items to the homeless; raised the money to completely furnish every room of a home for a wounded veteran and his family (we’ll be posting videos for this soon!); had a Mars rock named after us by NASA; made Christmas trees fly; and have been reported on by news organizations around the world, including Al Jazeera.
Who in Duluth is in? There is still time to join, I think.
Not So Cool
On Saturday, July 16, our custom-made Cool Stuff Sale signs were stolen from Woodland Avenue and Oxford Street as our nearby garage sale was ending. We would like them back. They are cool signs and do not belong in the possession of un-cool people.
If you see them, please post the location. Beware of doing business with anyone else who is using them … they are dishonest! Thanks.
Found pink Next bike in Cloquet
Found a Next Pretty in Pink girls bike by Aspen Arms Assisted Living. It has to be missed by the kid who lost it or had it stolen. If anyone knows of a child in Cloquet who this bike belongs to please spread the word. I moved the bike onto my property and it will be here safe to be claimed.
Kids Rolling Things Down a Hill
Hillside
Blacklist’s Brian Schanzenbach profiled in The Growler
Minnesota craft-culture magazine The Growler features Brian Schanzenbach of Duluth’s Blacklist Artisan Ales in its latest brewer profile. The article outlines Schanzenbach’s days floating a raft down the Mississippi River, studying biology and microbiology at UMD, interning at Lake Superior Brewing Company, brewing at Fitger’s Brewhouse and launching Blacklist in 2013.
Brewer Profile: Brian Schanzenbach of Blacklist Artisan Ales
The Last Singles Night (for now)
I attended the final Singles Night … for June. I promised I would not write about it (because when I am thinking about writing I am no longer “present”) and there was disappointment among some folks. So a final post about the final Singles Night (for June). It will go on, in August, if there is desire and support. (more…)
PDD Quiz: Happy Birthday to Us!
[This post originally contained an embedded quiz created on the platform Qzzr. It is no longer available at its source.]
June 29 will be PDD’s 13th birthday. How much do you know about our 13 glorious years of being Duluth’s Duluthiest website? Take the quiz to find out.
And join us at Vikre Distillery on June 29 for PDDXIII: Perfect Duluth Day’s 13th Birthday Party. Here’s a link to the Facebook invite.
Slow TV: Moving Chickens at the Food Farm
Slow TV documents ordinary events over long periods of time in delightful detail. This particular example features live animals, an on-camera introduction and a few seconds of fast-motion!
But don’t get used to these exciting innovations. Our next video could just as easily be 12 straight hours of grass growing.
