Media Night Owls, Early Birds, and Loners
I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, and so at late hours, I hop online. The vexing part of Facebook is the way that it tells you who else is online. But are they really online, or did they fall asleep with Facebook open? (more…)
R.I.P. Mike, Mike and Tom graffiti on Central Avenue
I’m not sure when this changed but I just noticed it today. I met the new owner of the Italian Village a month or so ago and he seems to be doing a lot to expand and spruce up the storefront. So today I was only a little surprised when the graffiti that was painted on the side of the building years decades ago had been covered up by what looks like will eventually be a new mural.
Here is a post by Paul Lundgren from a few years ago with some fun history and comments about the two Mikes and the Tom who had their names painted on the building. According to the comments, it has also been painted over before, so perhaps it’s not gone forever.
Video Archive: Meet the Bulldogs
In case you were wondering about the 1987 basketball team roster.
This week: live music recorded live and drunk nerds with (fake) swords, lightsabers, shuriken and sonic screwdrivers
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
One Week Live at Beaner’s, a celebration of live music being recorded, runs today through Saturday.
Mayor Don Ness invites you to meet with him one on one during Mayor’s Night at City Hall on Tuesday.
There are two events for the chattering classes this week. Nerd Nite returns to the Underground on Wednesday with presentations about martial arts, Santa Claus, and computer games. Chester Chats, modeled on TED Talks, opens at Glensheen Mansion on Thursday with presentations on public service.
Moliere’s hilarious farce, The Miser, gets the Wise Fool treatment and opens in the Harbor City Theater on Friday and runs two weekends.
The annual Pirate Ninja Jedi Trekkie Browncoat Whovian Reddwarvian Pub Crawl (otherwise known as “Pub Crawl for Indecisive Nerds”) starts at R. T. Quinlan’s on Saturday. The organizers urge you, as always, please, do not bring a real sword.
Ottertoberfest is Sunday at the Great Lakes Aquarium with accordion music and root beer! Because apparently that’s how you celebrate Ottertoberfest.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Native Duluthian Don LaFontaine was inspiration for the movie, In a World…
In a world where the greatest freshwater lake on the planet laps up on the shore of the Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas, there is now showing a movie that was inspired by the career of a native son – and nobody around here seems to notice. The movie is now showing at the downtown Zinema Theater. Check out Jim Heffernan’s Blog to get a run down about the movie, some good links to learn more about La Fontaine and to hear “the Voice of God.” And by the way … it’s a perfect movie.
Rainbow over Park Point
From this afternoon.
PDD’s Best Restaurant Poll
Through the highly scientific method of asking people what they think, we developed a list of 38 nominees for Best Restaurant in the Duluth area. This poll whittles the list down to manageable list of finalists.
[poll id=”44″]
This poll is now closed. The four top restaurants in alphabetical order, are:
Duluth Grill
Lake Avenue Restaurant and Bar
New Scenic Café
Zeitgeist Arts Café
Lake Superior Aquaman Patrols Undersea Landscape
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwcX7kg_i_0
Missing cat alert in Hunters Park / Morely Heights area
My friends cat has gotten out. It’s been gone for 48 hours now, in the area of Sussex and Leicester.
Daycare recommendations Chester Park
Does anyone have any recommendations for daycare providers in the Chester Park neighborhood?
What is the best restaurant in the Duluth area? We’re working our way up to a poll.
Next in PDD’s series of restaurant awards is probably the one we should have started with — the grand champion: the best restaurant of them all. We’ll begin this process by taking nominations in the comments to this post.
The criteria is somewhat up to you. In our previous polls there were a limited number of restaurants that could be considered “new” or “breakfast” restaurants, but virtually any restaurant in the territory is eligible to be considered “best.” And whatever makes it “best” is certainly subjective.
We expect people will lean toward fancier operations and consider money no object on this one, but if you truly feel the best restaurant in town is a cheap pancake house or burger joint, we’ll respect that. However, if you nominate a fast-food chain we’ll tell you right now it won’t be on the ballot. So here it is right up front we so can all get a good laugh: “I nominate the West Duluth KFC.” Oh, ha ha ha. Very funny.
Also, we know some of you snobs are dying to rant about how Duluth doesn’t really have any good restaurants because your advanced taste buds can barely survive outside of New York or Marrakech. Shut up.
And, of course, we must define our territory: Any restaurant in Duluth or 10 miles of its border is eligible. So establishments in Superior, Hermantown, Proctor and the various bordering townships all qualify; Two Harbors and Cloquet are out of bounds.
With all that out of the way, let’s begin. Once the nomination list reaches a satisfactory conclusion, a poll will be posted.
Fresh Hops For Sale
Hello, kind Duluthians. I have for sale three varieties of fresh hops, all picked today (Tuesday) and yesterday. Hand picked, by me, no branches, no leaves, no pesticides applied ever.
3.5# Cascades
1.2# Centennial (these smell amazing, by the way)
4 oz. nearly dry Mt. Hood
$30 for the cascades, $15 for the Centennials, $8 Mt. Hood. I will also trade for beer. E-mail me, my PDD username at gmail
Christine Hoberg — “All This Hate”
Superior native Christine Hoberg has just released this video for “All That Hate” from her new album World Within. The video was produced by Duluth-based Lakefront Films.
This week: balloons, hawks and antiques
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
There’s a panel discussion on issues surrounding ethics of voter ID laws at UMD on Tuesday.
Suspect that painting of dogs playing poker hanging in your den may be a priceless antique? Bring it to the Depot on Wednesday for a free appraisal.
Renegade Theater Company opens The Pillowman at the Teatro Zuccone on Thursday. It runs for three weekends.
Not sure who you want to elect to the school board? There’s a candidate forum at Valentini’s on Thursday.
Get ready for bad French accents and hot air balloons this weekend with the first ever Le Festival des Montgolfières à Duluth at Bayfront. Elsewhere in Duluth airspace, there’s the annual Hawk Weekend Festival with hawk watching at Hawk’s Ridge. Both festivals run Friday through Sunday.
And, if that isn’t festy enough for you, the Chester Bowl Fall Fest is Saturday.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know.
Jim Carlson vs. United States of America: How will court rule?
Last Place on Earth store owner Jim Carlson’s trial is scheduled to begin today. He’s accused of 54 55 counts of violating federal drug and regulatory laws. How many of them will stick? Perhaps you’d like to take a lucky guess. There’s a prize involved, so concentrate and read on.
More explanation below, poll question now:
[poll id=”43″]
This poll is now closed.
Following the ruling on the case, everyone who has chosen the correct number will be entered into a drawing for the prize. What is the prize? It’s a little vague, but PDD will buy you something nice at any shop located near the Last Place on Earth. Maybe you’d like a nice lunch at the Chinese Dragon, some copies at Shel-don, some tokens at Fond-du-Luth Casino or a couple Starfire Ales at Tycoons? We’ll figure it out.
Normally we turn off the commenting feature on polls, but this time we are leaving it on, because it could be interesting to get into some discussion about strategy.
It should be noted that there are three other defendants in this case, charged along with Carlson on some of the counts. For the purposes of this poll, we are considering them irrelevant.
Any changes to the ruling on appeal do not apply to this poll/contest.
Also, because this poll was recklessly hatched overnight, we reserve the right to change the rules at any point, should there be something stupid we overlooked.
Below is a copy of the indictment, courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio. Click here to read it bigger.
Free Jim Carlson
Welcome to Duluth.
(Image courtesy of Tyler Scouton.)
Transplants
Last night was another night of hipness for me.
I joined Kate VTB and Katie B for dinner at the “last Thai restaurant standing,”Sala Thai in Woodland (remember, Thai Krathong closes this week). Yummy.
Then, off to Prøve Collective. The “Transplants” show featured amazing work by Rob Adams, Ray Allard, Rodrigo Bello, Zach Gorr, Marcus Meldahl, and Aphtin Rapp. Bello did the amazing image posted at the top, and his work was worth a thousand times the price of admission. (Have I mentioned how lucky we are that events like this, with music by the Crunchy Bunch, are free?)
Prøve has an Indiegogo Campaign working to help bring it to the next level. It deserves your support. My life in Duluth would be less without its efforts.
MSAB Grants III
Grants with Duluth Connections (more…)
Crystal Cerulean Lake Superior vs. Duluth Aquaman
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2dfgu-KhDw
Pollution Prevention
It’s National Pollution Prevention Week starting Sept 15. How we dispose of things and what we purchase to use all matter. The city of Superior will be hosting a speaker night on Sept 17 starting at 6 p.m. at the Superior Public Library. Speakers on e-waste, pharmaceutical disposal, lead and children, household hazardous waste, and more will be there. Also, check out the billboard up on Belknap on the left side as you go over the viaduct. It has a stormwater message and photos. Keep storm drains clear for a clean Lake Superior.
Low covers Rihanna’s “Stay”
iTunes proceeds go to Rock for Kids.
John Mark Nelson – “The Moon and Stars”
httpv://youtu.be/YbnXm7_3nMY
John Mark Nelson’s video, “The Moon and Stars,” shot in Duluth aboard the William A. Irvin, is getting some MTV love.