Duluth Trivia Deck Sampler #20

Duluth Trivia cards, from a board game from Savers, below. (more…)

Duluth sees its first ‘virtual restaurant’ with Bowls to Go

Restaurant developer Rick Lampton shows off the 310 Pub kitchen in Duluth where Bowls to Go menu items are prepared. Lampton and his partners own the 310 Pub, 7 West Taphouse and Grizzly’s Wood-Fired Grill.

A new Duluth restaurant is going without wait staff, tables, even walls because its fresh, hot food is delivered wherever hungry customers want to eat. (more…)

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Frog in Jay Cooke tidepool

PDD Quiz: Duluth in Literature

This edition of the PDD Quiz tests your knowledge of references to Duluth in literature. The 10-year-old PDD post “References to Duluth in Popular Literature” might prove useful should you want to cheat study.

The next PDD quiz will focus on September 2019 headlines; it will be published on Sept. 29. Submit question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Sept. 25. (more…)

I Made You Say Underwear

I still own all the underwear I’ve ever bought, probably. Like, 85 percent of it. But why? you might legitimately ask yourself. The answer is simple. Underwear is inexplicably expensive. And it takes a long time to wear out, since I don’t do very many things that would cause excessive wear-and-tear, like, say, a lot of butt-scooting on the carpet or skivvy-only horseback riding. I know I’m not alone in this, because over the years I’ve shared this fact and discovered that pretty much everyone is stockpiling ancient underwear.

As a result, I own underwear that is so old that it’s vintage — essentially archaeological artifacts. I’ve got garden-variety skivvies, of course, but I also have floppy and faded high-cut bikinis from 9th grade, lady boxers whose elastic waistbands announce their brand affiliation, and transparent lacy stretch briefs that make my ass look like a low-rent bank-robber. What I don’t have is g-strings. Not anymore.

Ahhh, the g-string. The g-string came to popularity in the late 1990s, first on strippers, then on twenty-somethings, and then, finally, on Donna, the 60-year-old cashier at ShopKo who is suprisingly racy and not interested in what you think about her undergarment selection, thank you very much and have yourself a lovely day minding your own fucking business. (more…)

Looking ahead to winter: Snow-Fort City

Looking ahead to winter

It was a good summer. The lake was warm enough to swim for a span of several weeks. I took full advantage of the aqua-recreational opportunities, which I chronicled here. I have no natural love of fall, but this year I am looking at it as what it is: the long, slow, beginning of winter. And since I feel fortified against the coming colder weather, snowfall, and ice conditions, I am making plans. (more…)

Beyondbliss – “Rhyme Alaskan”

Duluth’s David Kittelson, aka Beyondbliss, raps while kayaking in Alaska.

Third KD’s restaurant open in Superior

KD's family opens restaurant in Superior - Superior Telegram | News, weather, sports from Superior Wisconsin Third KD's location in former Breakwater building in Itasca superiortelegram.com
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Penny for your thoughts, $25 for your political endorsement

Pay to sway: more Minnesota newspapers charging to publish political endorsement letters

Lester River Fish Hatchery circa 1900

The state fish hatchery at 6008 London Road, near the mouth of Lester River in Duluth, was constructed in 1888 and operated until 1946. The photo above, from Detroit Publishing Company, is dated by the Library of Congress as “between 1900 and 1910.” (more…)

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Hamlet could be Wise Fool Theater’s last show

Is Wise Fool Theater to be or not to be? - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota The struggling company with a Shakespearean niche is likely to shut down after upcoming production of 'Hamlet.' duluthnewstribune.com

Postcards from the Sunrise Motel

The undated postcard above, published by Elton H. Gujer Company of Duluth, depicts the Sunrise Motel in Hermantown. (more…)

The Slice: Creative Crosswalks in Duluth

In this edition of The Slice, Mackenzie and friends discover the intention behind Creative Crosswalks in Duluth. Artist Moira Villiard coordinates the neighborhood project through Zeitgeist Community, painting murals at intersections to attract attention and promote pedestrian and bicycle safety by slowing traffic.

In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.

Duluth Trivia Deck Sampler #19

Here’s another card from the Duluth Trivia game. (more…)

Adas Israel Congregation synagogue destroyed by fire

Page not found - WDIO.com wdio.com

The Duluth Fire Department responded at 2:23 a.m. to a report of a structure fire at Adas Israel Congregation, a Jewish synagogue at 302 E. Third St. (more…)

Peter, Paul & Mary – “Love City (Postcards to Duluth)”

The famed folk trio of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Noel Paul Stookey and contralto Mary Travers parenthetically referenced Duluth with the 1968 single “Love City.” (more…)

Mystery Photos: Howorth Photography

These two cabinet cards presumably feature two different women, although they look a touch similar. The mystery isn’t just who they are, but also what the deal was with Howorth. (more…)

Selective Focus: Duluth Then & Now

Instagram instagram.com

Even if you’re not a history nerd, you’ve got to admire the effort put into finding and recreating these photos and the point of view. The images are from John McLoughlin’s @duluth_then_and_now account on Instagram. (more…)

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Video: Pinkbike in Duluth and Lebanon Hills

The cycling website Pinkbike recently visited Duluth (first half of the video) and Lebanon Falls (about 170 miles south of Duluth; second half of video).

The Exchange to close at end of September

After over 30 years, downtown Duluth’s lunchtime, bakery staple — The Exchange — to close - Duluth News Tribune | News, weather, and sports from Duluth, Minnesota The Exchange, which offers restaurant food, cakes and catering, will close to the public at the end of September. duluthnewstribune.com
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There is no Poop Fairy PSA

You may have seen signs and literature around town encouraging pet owners to pick up after their pooches. Here’s a PSA for the campaign. Sponsored by Duluth Park and Recreation Department, along with the Regional Stormwater Protection Team.

With Jenna Kelly and Jody Kujawa, video by Danger Bird Productions

Seven historic Duluth photos, digitally restored

View of Duluth on the Shore of Lake Superior (1870)

The Minnesota Reflections database contains a large number of high-quality historic photographs of Duluth. Most of these are scans of old prints in excellent condition. Some of the photos in the collection, however, come from torn, faded, scratched, taped or otherwise damaged prints. Many of these damaged prints belong to the collection of photographs taken by Paul B. Gaylord, a photographer from Ohio who moved to Duluth in 1869 and published some of the earliest images of the area. (more…)

Summer Surf on Stoney Point

This video by ‎Erik Wilkie‎ documents a Sept. 3 surf outing at Stoney Point on Lake Superior, just south of Knife River.

The Slice: Stickball at Grand Portage

Watch historical reenactors play stickball as they would have 200 years ago at Grand Portage National Monument.

In its series The Slice, WDSE-TV presents short “slices of life” that capture the events and experiences that bring people together and speak to what it means to live up north.

Monthly Grovel: September 2019 Edition

(Enter the amount of your choice.)

In the past year — from September 2018 through August 2019 — the PDD Calendar published 7,917 Duluth-area events. Each one was edited by a human being before the “publish” button was pushed.

It’s a tremendous amount of work to keep up with all the submissions from the more than 1,000 organizations that have sent us info about their concerts, plays, bake sales and bunco tournaments. That’s why once a month we set our dignity aside and remind readers how much we appreciate their financial support. (more…)