Milk Prices
First of all, it’s a little ridiculous that milk costs different prices at different fat contents. This is not standard throughout the rest of the state (I do, however, find it quite humorous that most of us are willing to pay more for better tasting beer, but not better tasting milk). Does anyone know why 2% has been so much cheaper than other kinds of milk lately? Usually milk here gets progressively more expensive at higher fat contents, but the past few times I have gone grocery shopping 2% has been almost a dollar cheaper per gallon than even skim milk.
Wood rings?
Does anyone know of a local jeweler/craftsperson who makes wood engagement rings? A friend has a loose diamond that he’d like made into a ring for his sweetie, preferably in wood.
Miss Dorothy Crawford’s Duluth Adventure
There’s a fun piece on the Glensheen Blog called “No Outdoor Sports Until it Warms Up to Zero.” It’s a 101-year-old letter from a Vassar College student named Dorothy Crawford, who traveled to Duluth to visit her classmate, Helen Congdon, and stayed at the Congdon mansion. She writes about the comforts of Glensheen, going to the bonspiel, going to a show at the Orpheum (now the NorShor), eating caviar sandwiches at the Hotel Spaulding, skating on the lake, etc., and concludes with a tobogganing party at Chester Bowl.
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Chipotle and Qdoba coming to Duluth
Chipotle Mexican Grill | Qdoba Mexican Grill
Apparently it’s really happening.
- Chipotle will open at Miller Hill Mall.
- Qdoba has announced it’s coming, but not when or where.
Big Burrito will be locating in the BlueStone Lofts area by UMD, according to the Statesman.
Update: The UMD Statesman report seems to have been in error. Numerous other sources have reported it is Qdoba that is locating in Bluestone Commons. Both Qdoba and Chipolte are expected to open in summer 2014.
So here’s one more post where folks can comment about how having chain burrito joints come to Duluth either completely fulfills us as people and as a city, or how everyone who gets excited about it is some kind of rube. Get it all out of your system now, if you haven’t already on Facebook.
Duluth News Tribune: Chipotle, Qdoba restaurant chains plan to open locations in Duluth
Fox 21 News: Qdoba and Chipotle both coming to Duluth
Eyewitness News: “Two burrito chains coming to Duluth”
Northland’s NewsCenter: Chipotle to open at Miller Hill Mall in March of 2014
Perfect Asian Restaurant: Hanabi Japanese Cuisine
Duluth was a late adopter to sushi. Although sumptuous vinegared rice rolls showed up as a special menu item at a few places around town in prior decades, it wasn’t until 2006 that Zen House opened on the city’s border, technically in Hermantown, and became the first consistent, daily sushi source. Zen House added a second location in Downtown Duluth in 2009, but Hanabi Japanese Cuisine opened at the start of 2010, immediately becoming Duluth’s sushi king. It’s also the best Asian restaurant in town, having garnered 36.6 percent of the vote in Perfect Duluth Day’s poll.
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Duluth Woodworking Club
There is a small woodworking club here in town that started last fall. It had a good amount of interest and we had a handful of meetings and demos over the winter. There was a hiatus over the summer and now it’s time to get things going again.
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The Never-ending Duluth ISP Problem
Charter is getting nastier. I’m getting frustrated. In the vain hope that something has changed in the world of ISPs in Duluth, I did a web search from a link in a previous PDD post from a few years ago.
Surprise Surprise. Something has changed.
Does anybody have any experience dealing with Air Fiber? From their website they don’t seem to be as big of jerks as the other guys. And that they might actually give me what they say they will.
Thoughts?
The Louie Show
Minnesota-born comedian Louie Anderson starred in a CBS sitcom in 1996 that was set in Duluth. It didn’t last long. Six episodes were produced; five were aired. None of the episodes were shot in Duluth, but the opening theme featured Louie in a sweatshirt with “Duluth” across the chest and some transition footage was shot in Duluth. The show is not available on DVD or streaming on Netflix, but thanks to old VHS copies floating around town we’ve been able to pull together excerpts from four episodes (see below).
Perfect Vegetarian Menu: Duluth Grill
Duluth doesn’t have an exclusively vegetarian restaurant, but there are a number of places that go out of their way to cater to the non-carniverous. Among them, At Sara’s Table / Chester Creek Café and Duluth Grill stood out in Perfect Duluth Day’s polling, and in the head-to-head matchup Duluth Grill came out on top with 64.2 percent of the vote. It is Duluth’s best restaurant among vegetarians. (more…)
Recommendations for Duluth moving companies?
I’ll be leaving Duluth later this month, moving to Minneapolis, and next week will begin to get quotes from local companies. My plan is to have the movers pack and move everything from my small apartment. Can anyone recommend any particular company for me to look into?
Duluth-Superior Harbor Circa 1975
This postcard image was published by Gallagher’s Studio of Photography. My great aunt Jennie mailed it to me in 1975, noting she had a “wonderful ride on a boat called the Vista Queen.” She specified that “there were 147 people on the boat” and “the trip took two hours.”
I was 3 years old at the time, and my family was living in Albuquerque, N.M., with plans to move back to Duluth. Jennie ended her message with, “Little Paul, can you count all the boats in the picture on this card?”
Well, I’m 40 years old now and I got the answer wrong. I counted 12 boats. How many do you see, little readers?
The printed info on the postcard reads: “Duluth-Superior Harbor: Foreign vessels are shown at the Arthur M. Clure Public Marine Terminal. The Duluth-Superior Harbor is the westerly terminus of the St. Lawrence Seaway.”
And that concludes today’s Show and Tell.
Duluth 2013 General Election Results
39 of 39 precincts reporting
Duluth At-large City Councilor
Top two candidates are elected
Zack Filipovich – 9,658 | 33%
Barb Russ – 9,364 | 32%
Ryan Stauber – 7,884 | 27%
Ray (Skip) Sandman – 2,490 | 8%
Write in – 115 | 0%
Duluth Second District City Councilor
Patrick Boyle – 2,195 | 97%
Write in – 61 | 3%
Duluth Fourth District City Councilor
Howie Hanson – 1,853 | 61%
Garry Krause – 1,153 | 38%
Write in – 44 | 1%
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Perfect Mexican Restaurant: Mexico Lindo
Duluthians complain about their Mexican restaurants almost as much as they complain about the weather. The cuisinal affective disorder is prevalent enough that Perfect Duluth Day was compelled to include a “none are worthy” option in its poll to determine the best Mexican restaurant. When the voting was complete, however, one enterprise was worthy: Mexico Lindo. (more…)
Voter’s Cheese
For years, I’ve noticed this sign when I go to vote at Pilgrim Congregational Church.
I assumed Voter’s Cheese was some sort of event, like an ice cream social, only with cheese, so I always just turned left and went to vote. Today I turned right and found a small room with tables displaying nuts, rosette cookies, felted hats, houseplants, frozen meatloaves, and several kinds of cheese.
The story I got from the nice church lady who was presiding was that the church holds its annual bazaar the weekend before Election Day and then sells whatever’s left over to voters. She said they sell more cheese on Election Day than they do at the bazaar.
Superior Skydivers Crash footage
Hey, I can see my house from here.
Duluth 2013 General Election Sample Ballot
Click to see it larger. Keep in mind some races will not appear on your ballot, depending on which part of town you reside in.
Perfect Italian Restaurant: Va Bene Caffé
Mary Kay and Jim Berarducci run a tiny Italian restaurant overlooking a massive lake. The combination of cozy atmosphere, magnificent view and delicious cuisine is no accident; “va bene” is Italian for “it goes well.” Readers of Perfect Duluth Day agree it does, indeed, go well. In a poll they chose Va Bene Caffé as Duluth’s best Italian restaurant.
The menu includes antipasta appetizers, pizza, panini, gnocchi, pasta, fish, steak, soups and salads. Many items, such as the sauces, dressings and breads, are made from scratch with imported Italian products.
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This week: ballots, bullets and (nearly) naked runners
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
Tuesday is Election Day with four City Council seats and four Duluth School Board seats up for grabs as well as two School District Questions. Find out where your poll is and, if you aren’t registered already, you can register at the poll.
Winter is coming! Get ready for cross country skiing with dryland training at Chester Bowl this Wednesday.
Lots of theater going on this week with Frozen opening at The Underground and Last Summer at Bluefish Cove opening at UMD this Thursday. Continuing their runs, An Ideal Husband is at CSS and Renegade‘s Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson is at the Teatro Zuccone.
Feeling a need to run around without hardly any clothes on in a socially sanctioned event? Donate your clothes to Goodwill and then run around in your skivvies in the Nearly Naked Mile at UWS on Friday.
Starting next Saturday you can start asking people in blaze orange, “Got your deer yet?”
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Stone-Arch Bridge and Haines Road open
The Stewart Creek Stone-Arch Bridge at Magney-Snively Natural Area (State Bridge Number L6007; built circa 1925) has been repaired from damage sustained during the Hideous Solstice Flood Calamity of 2012. The bridge had sustained significant flood damage and deterioration to the abutment walls, stone-arch underside, headwalls, wing walls, railing and guard stones. (We’re not sure when that sign was damaged or when it will be pulled upright.) (more…)
Pascal Dupuis pulls out two teeth
Former Minnesota Wild forward Pascal Dupuis, now with the Pittsburgh Penguins, catches a high stick from his teammate Kris Letang, then pulls out two teeth on the bench without missing a shift.
Where to buy We Accept the Challenge?
Does anybody know where I can buy a copy of “We Accept the Challenge” either new or used?
Walking Down a Steep Hill in Slippery Boots
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0712sq0DwQ
Three new Solomon Witherspoon videos
Former Duluthian Solomon Witherspoon has released three videos in the past three months. He has a show coming up at Clyde Iron Works on Nov. 8 in support of his new album Starlight.
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