Recommendations
Guide to Duluth-related Blogs in 2018
As far as blogs go, obviously Perfect Duluth Day isn’t the only show in town. And it must be noted the line where a blog crosses over from one person’s musings into becoming an online magazine is a fuzzy one. In spite of the inherent problems associated with labeling anything, below is PDD’s updated list of Duluth-area community blogs — an every-couple-of-year salute/guide to the individuals and small groups who crank out content like it’s 2007 instead of (or in addition to) just Facebooking, Instagramming and whateverelseing. (more…)
PDD Gift Guide 2017
With an abundance of local craft fairs and new shops featuring local artists and products, supporting and buying local seems to be getting easier and easier in Duluth. With that in mind we bring you the annual PDD Gift Guide, a list of ideas with a local connection. As in previous years, we’ll kick it off with 15 suggestions. If you have your own ideas, or if you’re a local maker, feel free to add products and links in the comments.
(more…)Coffee, dessert and football in Duluth
Does anyone know of a quiet location to watch the Packers/Vikings game? Preferably one with good desserts and coffee?
The Duluth Hard Enduro
[arve url=”https://youtu.be/b_24xCNFyro”]
The Duluth Hard Enduro is coming up on Oct. 28. It is a big-mountain style all-day epic enduro race across the city of Duluth hitting all of the raddest trails from fast and flowing to rocky techy gnar! (more…)
PDD at Fall Fest
Despite a little drizzle, Fall Fest is happening today as scheduled, Saturday, Sept. 16, at Chester Bowl Park, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Join us in the PDD tent, located between the playground and the stage. You can hang with us in our photo booth and listen to Woodblind, Ingeborg von Agassiz and Mama’s Stolen Horses perform throughout the day. Keep up with happenings via #pddfallfest.
Guide to Duluth-area Podcasts in 2017
Duluth and its surrounding communities are not necessarily known for their famous podcasts, but in recent years about a dozen productions have been pushed out to the internet and smartphones with the notion that people across the planet might be interested in Duluth’s take on birds, professional wrestling or whatever. (more…)
Appreciating a Recent Movie at Zinema 2
I forget how lucky we are to have the locally operated Zinema, especially on its $5 days. Last night I saw Colossal, a movie starring and co-produced by Anne Hathaway. (Spoilers)
I’ve seen nearly every Godzilla movie, so the idea that every morning, when Gloria (Hathaway) is hung over, a Kaiju Monster attacks Seoul seemed interesting — a metaphor for the unintended consequences of alcoholism, I figured. Pretty straightforward, low-brain energy attempt to be deep, but with Kaiju!
The opening scene shows Gloria’s boyfriend throwing her out, telling her he can’t be with her when she’s out of control like this. It’s designed to communicate to the audience: Gloria’s addiction is the problem.
(more…)Duluth Rideshare Board?
Would Perfect Duluth Day be interested in hosting a rideshare board for trips that go beyond the bounds of Duluth (like to the Twin Cities and back, etc.)? It would sure be helpful for one-car or no-car families that have to travel regularly. The UMD Ride Share board is great and shows the concept works, but I’m not a university student and it feels kinda weird showing up for a ride as a middle-aged person when the driver expects a student. And then there’s the summer.
Happy 4/20
Help yourself to some carrot cake on the steps outside Duluth Family Sauna.
Scooters in Duluth
I’m considering a 49cc scooter for getting around town, primarily from Lakeside up to work at UMD, during the non-snow months. I’m wondering if one that small can haul me, or my husband, up the hill. I’ve Googled to not a ton of help. Has anyone over, say, 200 lbs. used one? I won’t require you to divulge your actual weight.
Egg rolls and Empanadas and More, Down a Long Highway
I went down a long highway with a friend to the Gnesen Convenience Store, 6049 Rice Lake Road in the Gnesen Township. It wasn’t much on the outside, and at first glance, the inside made me smile gently.
It’s the kind of store you see in a small town, with three times the square feet it needs but that is okay because the land is cheap, compared at least to shops in the city limits. There are five boxes of cereal, each box pushed right up to the edge of the shelf (inviting you to grab one), where in a city shop, they would be stacked five deep into the shelf. (more…)
Birth of a Blog: Back-to-Back Mornings at Duluth Coffee Spots
It was probably midwinter when I decided on starting a blog. But as with most things, I hadn’t felt enough motivational surge to pull the trigger and actually do it. With the coming of spring I finally found the well and pumped myself up for back-to-back mornings at two of my favorite hometown hangouts. On the hunt for good vibes, yummy breakfast food, the world wide web and a cup (or three) of coffee, my plan was to spend the majority of both days two-fold: putting together a website and taking photos in anticipation of somehow capturing the weekend in a blog to gain some much needed content. (more…)
Where to dump road salt and dirt in Duluth
The spring ritual of sweeping up excess road salt from sidewalks, curbs and boulevards leaves some Duluthians wondering what they are supposed to do with their bucket of grit.
The city of Duluth’s communications office recommends four dump sites. (more…)
Burger blogger takes northland burger tour
I joined Burger Radio‘s visit to Big Daddy’s Burgers in Duluth as part of the podcast’s Northland Burger Tour. Tastefully astute, yet by no means snobbish, Bruce’s latest installment describes his burger dining experiences at Gordy’s Hi-Hat, the Anchor Bar and Big Daddy’s Burgers. Bruce covers the Minneapolis-St. Paul burger scene but enjoys tasting and reviewing burgers nationwide. (more…)
Outdoor Duluth/North Shore Wedding
My fiancé and I are getting married Aug. 11, 2018. We already have our reception venue booked for our Duluth wedding, but we need help finding a unique, outdoor space for our ceremony. I have seen the post from 7 years ago about different spaces like the parks Duluth has to offer, but we are looking for more of a wooded location and we don’t want a lot of traffic going in and out. We are willing to go within 30 miles of Duluth to find it. Any ideas would be great!!
Price Check: Duluth-area Gym Membership
If you are anything like me, you may have fallen behind on your New Year’s resolutions (or maybe you haven’t even started.) Whether you decided to give up soda or sweets or to get a gym membership, those are big commitments to follow through with.
As April quickly approaches, it is easy to feel depressed about not achieving those resolutions. It is never too late to start though.
You may want to add some weightlifting into your routine a few days a week so your co-worker stops calling you “chicken legs.” Or, you may want to jump-start your weight loss so you feel comfortable in something other than a sweatshirt this summer.
The reason for getting a gym membership does not matter; what matters is that you start.
Here lies the 14th feature for the Price Check series where we compare prices of products and services in Duluth. The prices below reflect the monthly rate the establishment charges, with tax included, for those who sign on for a one-year membership. Various caveats are noted. (more…)
Price Check: Ice Melt
Are the freezing and thawing temperature shifts keeping you down? Literally, keeping you down on the ground because it’s so slippery outside?
Do not fear; ice melt price check is here.
It can be hard to decide what kind of ice melt to purchase. Do you really need a 50 lb. bag to get you through the winter? Do you have dogs so you need to be conscious of pet-safe ice melt? Are you grabbing a quick 10 lb. bag to get your car tires unstuck down the block?
Because everyone’s needs vary, we compared four different kinds of ice melt: Road Runner, Morton Safe-T-Salt, Safe Step Pet Friendly and Safe Step Dual Blend. Whether you are snagging a bag at the closest convenience store or stocking up for the winter at a big chain retailer, these price comparisons can will keep you informed. (more…)
The Lifespan of the Herring on My Sandwich
I had guests in from Ontario, from the part of Canada that is south by a long drive from Duluth. We talk often about that oddity, about how strange it feels to drive north to the United States from Waterloo. (more…)
The Most Read Saturday Essays of 2016
Perfect Duluth Day launched its “Saturday Essay” series at the beginning of 2016 and it quickly became the most popular recurring feature on the website. With the first set of 50 essays now complete, it’s time to take a look back at which pieces have been the most read of the bunch so far, according to the folks at Google Analytics.
Before we get all Casey Kasem, a few notes about how the “Saturday Essay” feature works: Yours truly, Paul Lundgren, is the editor. A small group of writers are featured somewhat regularly, but anyone is welcome and encouraged to submit a piece for consideration. Shoot an email to paul @ perfectduluthday.com to inquire.
And now, the countdown … (more…)
Price Check: Poinsettia
While some may still be recovering from food comatose, the rest of us must prepare for rounds two and three: food on Christmas Eve and presents on Christmas Day.
What if you cannot think of what to bring for Grandma’s Christmas Dinner? Bring her a poinsettia. It is the appropriate response to both a table decoration near the ham and a gift to warm her heart.
As I explained this price check to a coworker and she said, “my grandma puts like 20 of those around her house for Christmas.” I laughed because it happened to be my exact memory of poinsettias.
The red and green foliage is perfect for Christmas display. These plants can be found in all types of sizes, but for the purposes of this price check, the prices below reflect 6-inch or 6.5-inch poinsettias. (more…)
PDD Gift Guide 2016
Sleigh bells and cash registers are ringing. The season of religious ceremony and competitive consumerism is upon us. As usual, Perfect Duluth Day has compiled a list of gift ideas with a Twin Ports connection, so we can put those North Pole elves out of work and keep our local businesses and crafters fat and jolly. Featured here are 15 items produced by the hands and brains of your neighbors. If you have more ideas or are a business with a local offering, please add it in the comments and expand our virtual catalog.
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Price Check: Thanksgiving Turkey
Shopping for the annual thankfulness feast can involve a whole gamut of traditional offerings — mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce — but the age-old staple is turkey. What will that bird cost ya? Well, we’ve chased down prices at a variety of Duluth-area grocery stores for this report. (more…)
DTA Passenger Entrance Music
While riding a Duluth Transit Authority bus last night and listening to my head phones, I came up with a very simple way of amusing myself. Whenever the bus stopped to pick up a new passenger, I clicked my mp3 player forward to the next random track and imagined it was the chosen entrance music or “theme song” for that person. Try it out sometime. It’s my gift to you.
Latin Dance in Duluth
My girlfriend is new to Duluth and loves to dance. Are there any places that offer Latin Dance lessons or Latin Dance nights? Your suggestions are appreciated!
Twin Ports Best Kept Dining Secret
One of the best kept secrets of the Twin Ports is Sclavi’s Italian Restaurant at 1106 Tower Ave. in Superior. I am amazed that more people do not know about it. We live in Minneapolis and it is better Italian food than anything we can think of in the Twin Cities. But as the best things in Suptown are, it is quirky. (more…)