Here it is, the annual gallery of local goods, submitted for your holiday shopping approval. If you’re going to get all material this Christmas, it might as well be local material, right?
In most cases you can acquire these items in retail stores or shop online. Click on the images for more information and links.
Does anyone have any recommendations of where to get a simple professional head shot taken? I am just looking for a photographer perhaps in downtown Duluth that would do a good job for a fair price.
Some pals are visiting from Seattle next week. Their kids are 3 and 6, I think. We don’t have kids, so we’re not sure what amuses them. What are some cool Duluth things we could do that would be interesting to both kids and grownups? I’m thinking Hartley Nature Center, throwing rocks into the lake, maybe the harbor tour. What else might delight them?
Is there any Argentinian tango in Duluth? Any classes, clubs or other interested dancers?
I’m curious if anyone has dates of estimated chair-lift openings at area [and by that I mean “day trip”] alpine hills? Lutsen was rumored to open on the 19th of November and Big Powderhorn is scheduled to open the 10th of December.
Any advice on where to look for early-season runs?
I know this is super early (as it’s only the beginning of November), but does anyone know of any Christmas tree farms in the area where you can cut your own tree? I somehow ran out of time last year and had to get a pre-cut one. So I’m getting started early trying to find a cut-your-own farm.
Also, could you include addresses and times/dates open if you know them?
I love this site. I love how inquisitive everyone is. I love the willingness to share.
But I hate the “Advice” and “Recommendations” posts.
Our last few attempts at using a dog/house sitter had some unintended consequences. Some of the more interesting: various porn-related scenarios [purchased and delivered]; a Mountain Dew “ash tray” was left in front of our basement toilet [we don’t smoke]; one of our cars apparently was used and the backseat mistaken for a dumpster; and a “three bears ‘bed scenario'” which resulted in a lot of laundry. Without addressing the vetting process I used in staffing, or commenting on my solicitation process, I’d like some recommendations on area kennels for boarding two dogs: one an old lab and the other an old terrier. We’re heading up to the Lutsen area for the holiday and would love to find help up that way; but assume most facilities are in this area.
I’m looking for a strong, business accountant in Duluth for a business start up … Any suggestions?
(Click the menu to see it in a larger, more readable format.)
Jalapeno Express has finally opened downtown in the space where Maya Mexican (and Grapevine Cafe, and Taj India, and Mr. Nick’s) used to be. My husband and I caught them in the middle of their “soft” opening and partook of a couple of burritos. Due to some confusion while we were ordering, we ended up with some extra food. I’m pleased to say that Duluth now officially has a legitimate answer to Chipotle. The chicken was good, the carnitas was good, and the al Pastor was terrific as well. We added some awesome cheese dip, chips and a rice drink called “horchata” (which was suggested by the staff). I work nearby, and I think I’ll be hitting them up for quick Mexican at least once or twice per week!
I usually feel a little guilty eating factory farmed meat shaped into mass-produced meals, but when they have Simpsons toys as the kid’s meal (or mid-thirty-year-old-man’s meal) toy, I am there.
It looks like I need to replace the lateral sewer line connecting my house to the city system. I qualify for the “up to 3K” reimbursement; but the job is estimated at “around 6K.”
In lamenting to my friends on this issue, multiple responses have been “Schultsy can run a ‘mini’ [excavator]; why don’t you have him dig out the old line? Putting in a new one is pretty straight forward – like roofin’ – you’re just paying for labor.”
Does anybody have any experience with this? Is it simply digging out the old line, removing the old house trap and connecting into the waste out from the house and then hooking up to where it feeds into the city system? What part of this would need a “licensed plumber”? I don’t have “replace sewer line” on my bucket list, and I’d rather take that 3K [which I don’t have] and recreate with it.
Like with parenting and other stuff I write about, I understand just enough about social media, search engine optimization and search engine analytics to be dangerous. But I think I might understand more than the marketing “gurus” at Visit Duluth.
Marty Weintraub is a nationally (internationally?) sought out speaker and consultant on every kind of web marketing that you can imagine – Social Media, Keyword Search, Ad Placement, and so on. He also, apparently, loves Duluth. So he did some research on how the community is being marketed online and produced a study for free to give us all some food for thought on how Visit Duluth is spending its (tax generated) budget and if it couldn’t be optimized to deliver better results in the digital age.
Did $10 Million In Destination Marketing Make Duluth Famous?
According to the Duluth News Tribune, and pretty much every other website I’ve seen, it’s gonna be a cold one this winter. My question is… How do I get out and enjoy it without spending any cash? I’ve thought about buying snowshoes or ice skates, but even a good pair of those would set me back. Does anybody know of any nooks or crannies in this area that would make for some enjoyable winter exploring?
I went to the Zinema 2 last night to watch the Walking Dead.
Zombie Theology, July 2011
This event was sparked by the Comic Book Guy at DragonPort Games and Comics last year. As I understand it, he contacted the Zinema and co-promoted the event. The house was stuffed to the gills, SRO.
