The Keep Aways at Tom’s Burned Down Café
.. and then the woman with the green hair appears.
Water
This video by Mickie Keuning celebrates the emotions of water in Duluth. The song is “Lakehouse” by Of Monsters and Men.
Over the Edge for the Duluth Y
Have you ever thought that your love of the community and desire to send someone off a building would ever come together in a socially acceptable way? It finally has!
For the third year people will be going “over the edge” for a great cause, rappelling over the side of the nine-story Sellwood Building in Downtown Duluth on July 8 and 9. This exhilarating and completely safe experience is open to everyone with a sense of adventure and the desire to raise support for an incredible cause: the Y!
Help Cheryl Skafte and others reach their fundraising goal.
If you would like to participate, the ticket to your “Over the Edge” adventure is raising $1,000 for the Duluth Area Family YMCA. You don’t need to be an experienced rappeller, just at least 14 years old and between 100 and 300 pounds.
Special VIP day on July 9 available for those who are in Don Ness’ book … or know they should be.
This Week: marathonery and non
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
Lots going on, this week, with Grandma’s Marathon taking the prize for the biggest event. In addition to the main race, there’s also the Garry Bjorklund half-marathon, the William A. Irvin 5k, two nights of non-local music in a big tent and two nights of mostly-local music in a big tent.
Events not directly related to running people (or people who are running) include guitarist Billy Barnard, a big kids’ games day at the Duluth Library, a chess grand master at the Superior Library, a meeting meant to keep locals informed about the Grand Avenue rehab project, the Duluth Farmers Market, the interactive comedic play Game Show goes up and local comic artists show their stuff.
Free Dental Care
My friend Noland is awesome at using social media to make social services visible. I thought I might boost his signal here.
If anyone is in need of free dental services, there’s a free dental clinic at the DECC on July 17-18. Doors open at 5:30 a.m.; first come, first served. Parking is free.
If you can’t wait for the middle of July, here are some lists of low-cost dental providers throughout Minnesota.
Lake Superior masons, past Portorama leader and more in the Look at Lakeside newsletter
The Look at Lakeside newsletter turned three years old with its 18th issue, published a few weeks ago (six issues per year). The newsletter is online at lookatlakeside.com. It was interesting to get a tour of the masonic lodge in Lakeside. How many buildings do we drive by often but haven’t been in? Maybe I’m a curious person but it’s interesting to me to think about all the people who have been in a place over the years.
Art Aplenty in Minneapolis and Duluth
On Friday night I saw Cheng-Khee Chee demonstrate his painting at the Tweed Museum — OMG what an honor and a treasure to watch someone create a painting of Koi before your eyes. Thanks to Tweed Director Ken Bloom for making this possible. (more…)
Selective Focus: Idyll/Idle
Tina Luanna Fox, untitled
It might be the nascent Quaker in me, or the latent Buddhist, but I’m coming to appreciate matters that are lovely because of their impermanence. Artists, maybe photographers in particular, are susceptible to an alternative notion that we can keep moments, thoughts, and experiences — as though the marking were the substantive thing when the effects may be more so. That said, sharing our markings can produce grand effects. (more…)
The Hoot Owls – “Flippin’ Bird”
Duluth band the Hoot Owls released this song in 2007 on the album Alien Scrapyard. Now a delightful video has emerged.
DirecTV service/signal in Duluth?
I had DirecTV when I lived in Minneapolis and was very happy with it. When we moved up here we rented for starters and I just went with Charter because the rental was wired for cable.
I really don’t like very much about Charter, other than the Internet, which my company pays for anyway. I am considering going back to DirecTV when my promotional rate with Charter is up.
My question is, with the frequent fog, heavy snow, etc. is signal strength an issue? I’d love some feedback from people who have used or are using DirecTV in Duluth. Thanks!
Adam Swanson’s Spirit Mountain Mural
Local filmmaker Nicholas Sunsdahl has put out his second film in the past year: “Adam Swanson’s Spirit Mountain Mural.”
It’s about the mural now on display at the Spirit Mountain Grand Avenue Chalet. The mural was produced as part of the city of Duluth’s One Percent for the Arts program, and it’s subtitled in French, because, you know, Quebec isn’t far away.
Dead tree or stunted bloomer?
A recent news release from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that “foresters are seeing many silver maples and some elms with stunted or no leaves and an abundance of seeds this spring. These trees are not dead and will rebound over the next couple of years.”
The image above is of a tree I planted last fall that hasn’t produced leaves this spring. I can’t remember what kind of tree it is, but I think it’s a northern pin oak. The DNR lists elms, maples, ashes and oaks as potential stunted bloomers. (more…)
Canal Park parking has been … um … streamlined
The Duluth News Tribune reported on Monday that rates have changed at three parking lots in Canal Park. Two examples are the Northwest Iron lot (between Grandma’s Saloon and the DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace) and the Lighthouse lot (near the lighthouse pier). The minimum rate is now $3 for three hours, up from last year’s $2 for two hours.
The DNT notes:
Parking Operations Specialist Mark Bauer said the city decided to make the changes to streamline the parking process.
“Instead of trying to interpret and guess how much time you’re going to be there, we thought it would be easier to just simply pay for this three-hour block of time,” Bauer said. “It simply covers you up to that three-hour limit.”
There has been no word yet on whether hotels in the area will be streamlining their processes by invoking a three-night minimum stay or whether bars will enforce a three-drink minimum for customer convenience. (more…)
Canadian wildfire haze over Duluth
Forest fires burning across Saskatchewan are making for a rather psychedelic afternoon.
Beginner’s Guide to Backpacking on the Superior Hiking Trail
Greg Poulton and Logan Faulkingham, experiential education students at Minnesota State University, Mankato, provide advice for people new to backpacking who would like to take a trip on the Superior Hiking Trail. It features tips and tricks for menu planning, equipment selection, packing and cooking, plus footage of the fall colors, waterfalls, Lake Superior and a little wildlife.
This Week: books, Bridges, buses and more
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
The Friends of the Library Used Book Sale is underway June 8 to 11, the Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank perform in Chester Bowl, the Three Bridges International Chamber Music Festival gets underway, there’s a bus tour that aims to depict Duluth as a work of art and the Renegade play Title of Show opens.
Master watercolorist Cheng Khee-Chee does a live painting demonstration at the Tweed, the Albert Maysles documentary Iris opens at the Zinema, the big Park Point Rummage Sale is happening, there’s a rap festival in Sturgeon Lake (yeah, you read that right), the North Coast Creative Alliance Community Fair is at Greysolon Plaza and there’s a live-read of the movie Clue at the Underground.
Tischer Creek Whirlpool Revisited
Went back the next day when the sun was higher in the sky and got this additional footage, which I set to music.
Perfect Duluth Day Outdoor Summer Concert Primer 2015
Summer will soon be upon us, and with summer comes live music galore. Venues like Bayfront Festival Park and Big Top Chautauqua host major touring acts throughout summer, along with a number of smaller summer concert series put on by Lucius Woods Performing Arts Center, Bayside Sounds, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and Chester Creek Concert Series. There are also a handful of weekend festivals around the region, from Sturgeon Lake on over to Rhinelander and Cadotte. Here’s a look at some of the summer 2015 highlights.
June 9
The Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
Chester Bowl Park
The Chester Creek Concert Series continues with brothers Ian and Teague Alexy playing songs from their new album American Shuffle.
June 12
Hip Hop Fest SJ1
Embassy Bar
A weekend long hip-hop festival will take place in Sturgeon Lake, with artists such as Prof, Rittz, Twista and Mystikal performing throughout the weekend. On-site camping is available.
June 13
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Big Top Chautauqua
Michael Franti & Spearhead hits the stage under the Big Top with hits such as “The Sound of Sunshine” and “Say Hey (I Love You).”
June 19
Grandma’s Marathon Big Top Opening Night
Canal Park
County band Gloriana comes to Duluth to kick-off opening night of Grandma’s Marathon weekend. Fellow country act Hitchville is also on the bill.
Selective Focus: Bloom
Aaron Reichow, “Trees in Bloom, East Hillside”
Though this past Winter wasn’t meteorologically devastating, it was personally; so I needed a keen reminder that “there is a time to every purpose,” as the homily goes. This Spring in my new home has been that sermon, as greige gives way to hues of lilac, cherry, and peach, and all becomes fructive, damp, and pliant again. We grow, we ready, we labor in hope of Summer rest, and a coming harvest. (more…)
Our very own “odd couple” produces food and art organically
Annie Dugan and Janaki Fisher-Merritt are two of the most fascinating individuals I’ve ever met. When considering that they are forged together in the partnership of marriage, farming, and as catalysts of unique art, the combined effect is like lightning captured in a bottle. Duluth is beyond fortunate to have them influencing our lives in unique and whimsical ways. Learn about the masterminds behind the Food Farm, Free Range Film Festival, the Duluth Art Institute, and more, here.
Select Images from the 1930 Denfeld Oracle
With graduation ceremonies taking place this week, we look back 85 years ago to see what the Denfeld class of 1930 looked like. That year the school’s Oracle strove to inspire students “with a steadfast purpose to build well upon the foundations of the past,” and was dedicated to “the spirit of industry and progress which has existed in the hearts and minds of the citizens of Western Duluth.” The inside folds of the book feature a “Decorative Map of Western Duluth, with which we begin this post.
The senior class held two successful paper sales, a Christmas card sale and a class play to fund the yearbook in 1930. The organizations that typically funded the Oracle instead gave money to the pipe organ fund; Denfeld’s pipe organ had been purchased in 1926 for $25,000.
Rich Mattson and the Northstars album out
Youa Vang has the story for City Pages: Rich Mattson & the Northstars channel Iron Range on new LP
Here is the iTunes link and the CD Baby link for the album.
Duluth release party is Friday, June 5, at the Red Herring.
Here is the link to PDD’s list of local albums released in 2015.