The Phenomenal Mr. Claus
This video by Max Fierek depicts how Mr. Claus delivers all those mountain bikes for Christmas.
This video by Max Fierek depicts how Mr. Claus delivers all those mountain bikes for Christmas.
Thanks to everyone over at St. Luke’s who helped me through my heart attack this past weekend. I came to the ER on Sunday morning and within minutes I was hooked up to a EKG and within hours had an emergency angioplasty with a stent. I was discharged the very next day! It was a close call, and I’m glad I went in as soon as I felt something was wrong. To the guys and gals at St. Luke’s: You guys rock! Have a happy holiday, you can bet I will!
Duluth Mayor Don Ness held his “Final Mayoral Address and Concert Celebration” at the DECC’s Symphony Hall on Dec. 16. Senator Al Franken was not able to attend, but sent this video in order to, “once and for all tell Don what I really think about him.”
We’re looking for the only album from Duluth-area band Grassfire from the late 1960s/early ’70s. It has the tracks “Smell of Incense” and “Aunt Morley’s Wheatcakes” and is from the label Steamboat. The only info on the internet is on the Opulent Conceptions website.
We’re trying to get it as a gift for one of the band members so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
The weather has finally been cooperating and the two snow guns have been running since last Thursday, so Chester Bowl is planning to open this Saturday, Dec. 26. That will also be the first day of Ski Camp. Chester will also be open New Year’s Eve from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but closed New Year’s Day. The first race is Jan. 3.
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:
Spend Monday with Mayor Don Ness while you still can, Classic Christmas specials make it to the big screen, get a look at Fairlawn Mansion’s holiday decorations, the Red Herring throws a holiday bash and Yoga North is offering candlelight yoga.
Park downtown for free on Christmas Day proper, Ellipsis marks two years in operation with a three-band bill co-hosted by Don Ness, there’s stand-up comedy at Dubh Linn, Glensheen Mansion offers its Christmas tour even after Christmas, folkies ring out the holiday and the DECC holds a skating party.
[The video originally embedded in this post is no longer embeddable and can only be viewed directly on YouTube.]
Duluth Pack was featured on Minnesota Bound last week in their Minnesota Bound Classic segment at the end of the show. Check it out.
Poster of MN Bookstores
So today, I stopped by the Amazing Alonzo used bookshop. It was my second used bookstore adventure in two weeks, and it makes me think about book culture in the Twin Ports.
For all the urban chicken ranchers out there, chlorophyll is the secret to getting through the long winter. Lots and lots of it.
For a heavier dose of chlorophyll, head over to Ed’s Big Adventure.
Interested in connecting the Lakewalk with the Munger Trail? Now is the time to give your thoughts on which route or combination of routes you like for the West Duluth segment. The city has four routes for you to comment on. Visit the Cross City Trail website and take the survey.
The Trails/Parks Committee of the River Corridor Coalition has videos of the entire river route broken into seven segments, along with an interactive map to help identify where the segments are. Visit crosscitytrailduluth.com to check it out. This is the lesser known route that is harder to find and understand, so be sure to check it out.
The city wants your input, so go to the survey and participate. This is a regionally significant trail connection, connecting two great state trails, the Munger Trail and Gitchi-Gami Trail. When all is complete you can go from Hinckley to the Canadian border.
Marie Zhuikov, “Buddy, Winter 2012”
Should I infer from the lack of submissions this week that there is a lack of empathy in our world at the moment, or merely accept that the concept is a difficult one to represent? Being prone to hyperbole, I’m going with the former assumption, while hoping that a more general theme next week will boost contributions. Let’s go with “holidays.”
In promotion of his recently released book, Hillsider, Duluth Mayor Don Ness has repeatedly shared his story of “a gift not given.” It’s from pages 155-156, under the title “Clooney & Zellweger.” The abridged version of the story goes like this:
George Clooney and Renee Zellweger made a trip to Duluth in 2008 to promote the movie Leatherheads, the plot of which is loosely based on the Duluth Eskimos football team. Ness was in his first month as mayor, and obviously wanted to impress the celebrities and do Duluth proud in front of the national media. He assigned his staff to put together an appropriate welcome gift for Clooney and Zellweger. The process of hunting down an old leatherhead helmet for an impressive plaque turned daunting, however, and on the morning of the visit the mayor discovered the gift ended up being a rather pathetic-looking miniature leatherhead resting on a small wooden pedestal. Ness made the executive decision to present the customary mayoral proclamation instead. He concludes his story with the punchline: “Over the years I’ve reconsidered a lot of choices. This isn’t one of ’em.”
Ness told the story last night at the DECC, which reminded me that after he told the story a few weeks ago at the Red Herring Lounge I asked him what happened to the silly little leatherhead-on-a-stick. He said he had no idea. It’s not in his office, and he hasn’t really asked around about it.
Did it land in the trash? Is it on a city employee’s mantle? Inquiring minds want to know.
