Thankful in Duluth — 2013 Edition
It’s an annual tradition at PDD to take a moment and reflect on what we are thankful for. How unique, right?
For starters, we’re thankful for the new old Nordic ski trails at Spirit Mountain, Sax-Zim Bog, wicked North Shore icicles, artisan bread at the Red Mug, lift-accessed mountain biking at Spirit Mountain, animated music videos, Boreal owl irruptions, Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe and a lot of other things I’m thankful I don’t have time to link to because it’s time to make the Thanksgiving glogg.
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Could Duluth lose Christmas City status?
This story is four days old, but I just heard about it and it’s pretty much the biggest controversy in the history of Duluth, so it needs some space on PDD.
Apparently the commentators of the Christmas City of the North Parade telecast — Michelle Lee, Kevin Jacobsen and Barbara Reyelts — did their announcing in front of a green screen inside the Northland’s NewsCenter studio. And they still wore jackets.
This revelation, of course, has me fearing that Santa Claus might strip Duluth of its Christmas City of the North status and perhaps bestow it on Superior or Thunder Bay.
Motorcycle Trials at Spirit Mountain
August 23-25 of 2013 marked the weekend of the American Motorcyclist Association NATC Motorcycle Trials Rounds 9 and 10, which were held at Spirit Mountain. This is a short video recap of some of the riding that took place that weekend. The event was quite amazing to watch. These riders have unbelievable skill and balance and have definitely honed their craft. If you ever have the chance to see this type of competition in person I highly recommend it!
PDD Gift Guide 2013
Get your commerce on. Here is PDD’s annual reminder that the real purpose of Christmas is to obtain material things … as long as they are locally made.
This being the fifth year of the PDD Gift Guide, most of you know the drill by now, but for uninitiated newbies the concept is simple: The folks behind the curtain at PDD select 15 locally-based holiday gift ideas. The community at large is free to add other suggestions and links in the comment section below, with some effort to not be too redundant and repeat items from the Gift Guides of Christmases Past. (more…)
This week: motorized snow sports, turkey and the Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Want to make the old Nettleton School into a paintball course? A Buddhist temple? A cereal museum? Let the Duluth City Planning Commission know at the public meeting tonight at Old Central High.
The UMD Women’s Hockey Team takes on the Russian National Team at Amsoil Arena on Tuesday.
Thursday is Thanksgiving with free dinners being served at the DECC and at Faith UMC in Superior.
The Duluth National Snocross starts Friday and runs through Sunday at Spirit Mountain.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Call for Vendors
Hardworking craftspersons and working artists looking to share their creations and make some extra cash during the holidays are invited to participate in Washington Studio Artist Co-op‘s upcoming Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival.
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Paved Trails at Hartley
I was out at Hartley Park this morning and saw that someone had posted signs letting visitors know that the city is considering paving a bunch of trails there. I looked up the mini master plan for Hartley that SRF Consulting Group prepared, and it does indeed call for paved trails running through the park to provide access for bikers, wheelchairs, and parents with strollers. I’m curious about what other PDDers think of this proposal.
… and now for the jury of public opinion
Duluth police officer Jouppi found not guilty of assault
[poll id=”59″]
This poll is now closed. The results are:
This is total bullshit — 90.6 percent
Jouppi was defending himself and the jury’s decision was wise — 9.4 percent
Good activities for visiting relatives
I have three coming over for Thanksgiving, including a conservative brother in law. Here’s what I have so far: comedy at Dubh Linn, Karpeles Manuscript Museum, Duluth Art Institute and Bentleyville. Hockey game? For the girls: pedicures, possible drag show? I have lots of fun eating places lined up; may need more other stuff. I know — we can sit around and play cards and board games, too.
Help-Portrait donations/volunteers needed
Duluth’s Help-Portrait Committee is organizing the second annual Help-Portrait event to take place on Dec. 7. Donations are needed to help provide free portraits this holiday season to those who may have never had the opportunity to have a professional photograph. We also need volunteers in the form of photographers, hair and make-up artist and people with big hearts.
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This fall at Lake Voice
This fall, Lake Voice News has been going stronger than ever. With each writer pursuing different interests and publishing at least one story a week, we have gathered a lot of different content. A few highlights from this past issue include:
Photo credit: Kim Hyatt
1. On Veteran’s Day, two ROTC cadets stood at attention watching the flag outside UMD, undeterred by freezing weather. Kim Hyatt covers the full story behind their watch, as well as a following up with more information about the 24 hour watch that occurred. Click here for the ROTC cadets, and click here for the follow up.
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A few images from the Woodland Middle School auction
Amid the chaos of the auction, I managed to snap a few shots for posterity. I was only there for an hour, but I wouldn’t be surprised to hear this auction went on from 4 p.m. to midnight. There was a lot of stuff, a lot of bidders, and things weren’t going cheaply. Wanna buy an auditorium? A pool?
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Duluth, you’re on the air with Vic Damone
As further illustration of PDD’s ridiculous fascination with any reference to Duluth in popular American culture, here’s a clip from last night’s David Letterman monologue on The Late Show.
Haley Bonar — “Last War”
New music video, directed by Dan Huiting, featuring former Duluthian Haley Bonar. “Last War” is the title track from her next album, coming out in spring 2014.
Perfect Pizza Restaurant: Thirsty Pagan
For half a century, Sammy’s Pizza dominated the local Italian pie scene with its trademark thin crust and tasty sauce. Pizza Lucé came along in 2001 and shook things up with unusual toppings and a funky vibe. These days, however, Thirsty Pagan Brewing has won over pizza connoisseurs in the Twin Ports with its deep-dish pies, loaded with Wisconsin cheese. The TPB was the clear winner in PDD’s best pizza restaurant poll.
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Gift Guide?
Is there a gift guide out there for (very) small businesses to advertise in?
I don’t have much of a budget so I can’t buy into big fancy ones, but there must be something out there for the little guys. Help?
(This is not a ploy to get free advertising. It’s a real question.)
Bob Dylan – “Like a Rolling Stone” (2013 Interactive Video)
It can’t be embedded on PDD, because it’s a crazy interactive weirdo thing. Go to bobdylan.com to check it out. If you have slow internet, don’t bother.
As you watch the video, you can use the up-and-down arrows on your keyboard to switch between 16 different “channels” to see 16 different versions. None of the versions are particularly great, but collectively … well … it’s something different anyway.
Duluth reference in The Goodbye Girl
It’s probably been dealt with here before, but Richard Dreyfus (as Elliot Garfield) and Quinn Cummings (as Lucy McFadden) have a conversation at the supper table in the 1977 film The Goodbye Girl and have this exchange:
I taught drama at Duluth Junior College.
You taught drama? Far out!
Very far out. It’s up near Canada.
Audio Archive: The Replacements at Saints Roller Rink in 1982
This recording popped up in the comments to an old PDD post — “Treatment Bound” — but it seems as if it warrants its own post.
Red Mountain — “Put Me Through”
Here’s the new video featuring Duluth band Red Mountain. The group’s album Scowl Lightly, will be released by Chaperone Records on Dec. 6.
The dancers are Erin Tope, Maeggie Licht and Grace Holden. The video was produced by Lakefront Films.
This week: break up letters, prepubescent boy singers and mixed martial arts
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
What’s that high pitched sound coming from Sacred Heart tonight? That would be the Vienna Boys Choir.
What would you do if you found a spiral notebook containing a harsh, vindictive and poorly spelled 20 page break up letter? Turn it into a one act play with original music by Brian Ring? That’s what Jonathan Manchester did and Everything You’ve Done That Hurt Me opens this Thursday at the Teatro Zuccone and runs for two weekends.
All the people are going to be “nice-sicle” on Friday for the annual Christmas City of the North Parade and that means, yep, you can start tracking Christmas events on the calendar, including Pepperkakebyen, the Festival of Trees and the opening of Bentleyville, all this week. Leave all the grinchy comments you desire below.
To work off that rage, you can go to Shine Mixed Martial Arts at Clyde Iron on Saturday or go across the bridge and shoot something. Don’t you feel better now?
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Interview with John Heino on Photgraphy
My interview with John appeared in this week’s Reader, but you can see more of his photography in conjunction with part one of the story at Ennyman’s Territory.
Woodland School Song
While wondering the halls of Woodland Middle School, I came upon the school song.
The school is slated for destruction in the very near future. I can hardly wait for the Chipotle or other chains that they will force upon us.
Local owl lands in national bird magazine
The new issue of Birds & Blooms (cover date: Dec/Jan) features this image of a blue moon boreal owl shot by Duluth’s Ken Greshowak.