David Beard Posts

Busy week …

I enjoyed Fourth Fest a lot — the carnival was a treat, and the local food vendors make the fireworks a filling, as well as visually appealing, spectacle.

Ahead, for me, this week:

Downtown Duluth hosts a street festival.
Teatro Zuccone hosts a burlesque.
And there is Taste of Greece.
Two Harbors also hosts a festival, I think.

What would you do? Have I missed the real gem?

Eagle recovers at Wildlife Rehab Center

Eagle, injured

Bill and Fran found this beautiful but emaciated mature eagle in the bushes. It had blood in its mouth. The eagle was brought to the Wildwoods rehab location for help with what appears to be lead poisoning.

7th Annual CHUM Rhubarb Festival

Is this going to be fun?

Rhubarb Logo

7th Annual CHUM Rhubarb Festival

June 25, 9 AM to 4:30 PM
11th Ave East and London Road, Duluth
Admission is free!

The best breakfast downtown …

… I might have had this morning. At least, best per-dollar, with the awesomest staff: the Coney Island.

On April 10, 1921 Gus Saites, a Greek immigrant, had a few hundred dollars and an idea. He would head to Duluth from St. Paul and open a restaurant on East Superior Street in the bustling town of Duluth Minnesota. Nearly 90 years later this idea continues uninterrupted in the same location and under the same tin ceiling as on that spring day in ’21.

Art Fair

Isn’t there some kind of Art Fair this weekend?

I’ve never been; advice?

First Street Renaissance

Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Vietnamese Iced Coffee

My heart broke when the European Bakery closed (though I admit only shopping there once a month wasn’t much help in keeping it open). It relit today.

I had an awesome lunch at Saigon Cafe (114 W First St., Duluth, MN 55802). At $6.99 for all you can eat, the $2.99 for the Vietnamese coffee was an easy treat.

(Vietnamese Coffee is the reason I keep condensed milk at home: also known as ca phe sua da or cà phê sữa dá), it is made with dark roast coffee individually brewed with a small metal French drip filter into a cup containing sweetened condensed milk, stirred and poured over ice.)

Planetarium

File name: Summer Solstice Celebration 2011

Join us at the planetarium to say farewell to the old planetarium.

Stonehenge will be on display
Free ice cream
Summer solstice shows on the half hour.

Stand in Line Tonight; Sale Opens Tomorrow

The DPL Friends sale starts in just 24 hours; stand in line now if you want to be first. Or, maybe, just get their early tomorrow.

Video of 2009 Friends Sale

From the Friends: The 2011 Book Sale will be held June 14-17

The Friends of the Duluth Public Library annual used book sale is held this year in June. The first day of the sale is for Friends members only; anyone may join the Friends on that day by paying the membership dues ($10 annually for an individual) at the table in the Michigan Street Lobby.

Build your own home library and contribute to a good cause at the same time. The 2010 sale raised more than $30,000! These funds are given back to the Library to purchase special materials and to support specific programs.

The Book Sale is the Friends’ major fundraising activity. All proceeds from the sale are returned to the Library and are used to purchase new materials and to support programs and special activities.

Make Way for Ducklings: Vintage Duluth to Forest Hill Cemetery

Yesterday, Wildwoods volunteer Kate VTB was shopping with Clare and Katherine at Vintage Duluth downtown.

The owner was stroking her shoulder oddly. It seems a duckling had wandered in, found nothing in its size, and had lost track of its mom.

Kate leapt into action, calling the licensed rehabber for advice. She needs to be released into a pond, Kate was told. A hat-box was prepared with holes for air, tender goodbyes made, and we were off.

Ashland Advice

I’m looking to spend a weekend in Ashland. This is what I know to do so far:

1. Stare at the beautiful bay.

The Chronicle Premiere

Image from: Pioneer Productions

I was at the same opening that Ennyman (from whose blog I took these images last night) attended, for Chronicle, a multi-media show based on a comic book being produced by Eric Horn, Ben Fisher-Merritt and others.

Squirrel begins life of hard labor … via Wildwoods Rehab

Squirrel

This is Delilah, our developmentally delayed grey squirrel. We normally don’t pet the animals in our care; we need to keep them as wild as possible. Delilah is a bit “special,” so we love her up.

University of Wisconsin-Superior and Labor

Academic staff at the University of Wisconsin-Superior voted today 89-5 to affiliate with the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin. The election turnout was 54 percent.

More at defendwisconsin.org: In a First for Wisconsin: UW-Superior Academic Staff Vote “Union Yes”

Tall Ships Return to Duluth

DNT: Three tall ships to visit Duluth for festival this summer, July 15-18

Duluth is an amazing place to be in the summer.

For last year’s events, see PDD here and here.

Tall Ships
Image by Northern Images Photography – Dennis O’Hara

Wright Around Ya Leads Harbor City Rollerdames to Victory!

Harbor City Rollerdames

“Wright Around Ya,” the always smiling Jammer for the Harbor City Rollerdames,, led the team to a big victory tonight over Fargo. Part ballerina, part .44 caliber bullet as she rockets around the track in Pioneer Hall, “Wright Around Ya” worked her way through the crowds to score — a lot, as did Killer Cleta and Gypsy. All the team deserves a nod, but I’d love to see “Wright Around Ya” featured in an article in the DNT or on Fox 21.

[I missed Mic Wicked, who set the circle on fire the last time I watched the Dames. But the Norwegian Squirrel is doing alright.]

I have a question, though. The games seemed a much slower pace tonight — I realized that the pack was circling the track a lot slower, sometimes almost stopped. What is up with that kind of play? I’d love to hear from an expert. And I’d love an actual score — I forgot to write it down.