Duluth just happens to be the very nexus of the global accordian repair industry. Seriously, tho, get your ass out of Atlanta NOW!

In Duluth, you can breathe. (Hey, it's a motto!)

I grew up in Oklahoma and Louisiana moved to Minnesota when I was 14. And I'm not going to lie to you--the winters are shocking. I'd be worried about the cold temps (not the snow) if I were you. But you get used to it.

There's an accordian museum over in Superior, no?

I'm not a southerner per se'. I grew up in Texas, which as we know is a totally different planet from Atlanta, but I have managed to adjust and aclimate myself to Duluth's weather quite nicely, so I can attest to it being possible.

Snow, no probo...ya just gotta buck up and learn to love it. They're pretty good about keeping the streets clear during winter, even though it'll take a day or so after a big dumping of snow to clear out. I'd suggest culling together mukluks, Gore Tex, polypropelene, microfiber and any other lightweight warm stuff you can.

Definately consider it...I LOVE it up here. Besides, there is a profound lack of profficient accordian players up here. Blaize is the only one that comes to mind right now...right?

My dear in.dog, obviously you have never heard of the great Lorren Lindevig or totally rad Joe Czerniak... or the old folks' favorite: Florian Chemelewski... or my personal favorite (next to Lorren): Marv Niemi... all are local, all are over 65, and all have the local senior ladies' hearts a-twitter... there's some accordionistas for you! ;)

Back to the original post: the winters can be difficult, but if you dress warmly and follow the lead of the natives, you'll survive just fine up here... hope to meet you soon...

Yup. It's cold. But what can you do? If makes you appreciate the summer months all that much more. It's a very special time each spring as the temps rise above freezing, the sun comes out, and we all compete to see who has the whitest limbs.

Seriously, though, this time of year, when thoughts turn to t-shirts, there's a certain esoteric euphoria that overcomes the community. It's hard to find a long face when you've been waiting for months to air-dry your laundry.

Let's not forget the number one reason to live in Duluth: the incredible natural beauty. Reason enough.

Let me clarify something: I never said I was a GOOD accordionist. I was actually quite surprised, however, by the number of people I met in Duluth that played the accordion well, or admitted to having taken lessons. When I tell people in Atlanta that I like the accordion, the response I get is somewhere between puzzlement and horror. Yep, there is an accordion museum in Superior (that's where I took repair lessons -- but that's another story) and I saw Florian Chemelewski's "Funtime Band" perform there. People seemed to enjoy them but they were definitely the senior center set. One of my fellow repair students was in the Minneapolis duo "Dreamland Faces" -- I think they have a little bit more of a hip, postmodern take on the accordion.

I really appreciate everyone's input so far on the question of moving to Duluth. I grew up in Delaware so I have had SOME experience with cold weather, but not for a long time and not to the degree found in your part of the country. A follow-up question might be, how many months of the year should one count on staying inside? I read somewhere that it is warmer there in November than in April -- something to do with the lake.

Truth is, if the weather were mild I probably couldn't afford to live there, and the artistic nature of the residents might not exist. I mean, where else do you get people making films noting the overkill of security cameras at Whole Foods? In the end I can probably deal with snow more than I can deal with right-wing, bible-belt republicans.

with that kinda attitude, you're gonna fit right in here, my man.

the warmer/colder thing is due to our infamous 'lake effect.'

Staying indoors is again directly related to how much cold you can tolerate. I myself spend a bit of time outdoors in the cold, as there is a plethora of things to do out there even in winter. Couple that with the fact that you get to get outside when no one else is...

I moved up here a year ago, so I'm not quite sure of everything. I can tell you this, however: There are NO months of the year when 'lutihans stay 'inside'. When it's warm we hike, run, attend outdoor concerts, and observe street art. When it's cold we snowshoe, run, attend indoor concerts where you have to go outside if you want a smoko, and plan the next years' street art.

Don't expect to come to Duluth and be caged for the winter. That's just not allowed here.

Another Non-Duluthian lurker here... I'm in Portland, OR right now but am a former Michigander, have lived in Green Bay and Minneapolis and have spent time in Marquette in the winter, too, so I know about cold and snow and all of that... just to establish some background.

Portland can be lovely, but I am growing quite frustrated with it (for reasons I won't bore you with) and am considering other locales, as well.

So, a few questions... what are typical temperatures in Duluth month to month, particularly in the summer? And, what's the bug situation like? Is the mosquito/biting fly problem any better or worse than, say, being in the UP (just for comparison)?

Thanx! BTW, PDD is one of my regular web stops... a nice place to be a lurker.

st v

Interestingly, ATL isn't that far from Duluth..which brings up the whole...WHY THE HELL IS A SUBURB OF ATLANTA NAMED DULUTH??? thing. I guess it has to do with some rail baron thing...anyway, move here and buy a cheap house that used to be college rental..really..it's cheap and there's some NICE PLACES. Lots of webbys like it here, the insane whipcrack cold smack in winter gives us justification to hover over the keybds and

St. Vincent: Summer temps usually run in the 70s, with some 80s here and there and a hellish week or so in the 90s (yes, we Duluthians think 90 degrees is "hellish" we're used to a cool lake breeze). Summer is about 3-4 months long, depending on how cold it gets in June and September. It usally rains a lot in June but September is always beautiful, cold nor not.

All in all, I think it's probably pretty similar to the UP, and definitely so when it comes to bugs. In the city itself, bugs aren't so bad, though. Just protect yourself at dusk and dawn.

In.dog: "profound lack of proficient accordian players"? Obviously you've never heard of the Oulu Hotshots.

Ugh, 90s week. I HATE that week...

Duluth... how I love thee so. The cold winter nights that make you cuddle by the fire. The cool foggy autumns playing sports without getting overheated. The summer days of tropical beaches with artic waters. The gently falling snow that makes you want to kiss someone, or nail them with a snowball. Your friends tip their hats, and your enemies do too. Alcohol tastes sweeter. Hangovers hit harder. Your job becomes less important, your hobbies become worthy. Artist's find their art. And the crazies get crazier.

You don't choose Duluth, Duluth chooses you.

apologies Barrett...Tamara has been giving me the run-down on all the accordian musicians...

What I SHOULD have said was...you can never have TOO MANY accordian players.

Duluth loves people who are excited about Duluth.

The whole "It is unsurvivably cold up here" is just a myth we've created to keep the riff-raff out. You're not riff-raff are you?

Riff-raff is not a term I would use to describe myself. I prefer "eccentric misfit."

And yup, I get a warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I think about Duluth. I'm trying to enjoy the warm part while I can.

Hey, can anybody recommend a cool hotel in Duluth for when I pass through?

Hope everyone has a happy Geek Prom next weekend -- wish I could be there.

i'm pretty sure it's not "cool", but it is centrally located and not horribly expensive: the Voyageur Inn on Superior St. i wouldn't stay in Canal Park if you paid me. and hey, by the time you get here i'm sure Carmody's will be open to someone other than woodworkers and their cronies, and it's right across the street.

also, i would just like to report that the talented Lefty was an Accordionaire as a young'un. i've never seen him play though.

i have been in Atlanta in the spring. someone said walking in the night there at that time feels like velvet... walking in Duluth in the winter night feels like a bear slapping your face. but in a good way.

and to everyone else: there's a great spring peeper concert starting at dusk at the pond way in the back of Park Hill Cemetery. i thought my ears were gonna explode. amaaaazing. you can park on the gravel road btwn the cemeteries on Vermillion, and cross where the fence ends. you can hear 'em from the road, so no worries finding it.

lefty plays at carmody's every day at happy hour. someone once bandied about the term "cronie" here before. they are real popular now i assure you.

kisses!

There is also always the Chalet on London Road - cheap rooms ($36/night) and the last time I stayed there I only saw one bug. ;)

Have to concur with hbh - the Voyageur is the place to stay... but I'm not placing my money on Carmody's...

Let us know when you get into town... I bet I can get the Accordinaires together to give you a real nice welcome... ;)

Don't forget the Fabulous Susie Ludwig of the defunct Father Hennepin. She is an award winning accordianist.

1. This whole "Carmody's" thing is just a myth, a joke, a tease.
2. There is only one motel in Duluth - the Voyageur.
3. That's all.

etokolotsineechee

i personally l-o-v-e the willard munger inn in west duluth .. west duluth may not be everyone's first stop in this port town, but there are some really great people over there

and the folks at the munger inn couldn't been nicer .. say hi to Cheri for me and pet the local dog sunny while you're there.

Hi Fighting Chance!

(I googled my band name and came upon this, hee hee). Cool that you are thinking about Duluth. Last summer at the accordion center was one of my favorite summers ever! mostly because of riding around Duluth and Superior and being blown away by how beautiful it it!

Down here in Minneapolis, the winter was incredibly mild. Even on cold days, the sun still shines brightly. Duluth might get more clouds from the lake, though.

There is a very cool old hotel in Superior right on the main street. I tried to stay there once, but it was absolutely packed. Uh, anyone remember what it is called? The really old one with a telegraph machine in the lobby?

IMHO: liking the weather in Duluth depends on two things - what types of climates you like/can stand, and where/how you are living in Duluth.
Personally, I LOATHE hot humid weather, so living in Duluth (which has maybe 3-4 suck-ass-hot days a year) is great! I figure you can alway put on more clothes, but you can't strip off your skin to get away from the heat. If you live up here and have a good quality coat, boots, gloves, etc, even the coldest winter days won't be that bad. Winter can get cold and windy, but there's usually only one or two a severe mommahomma cold snaps that last about a week or so. Like everyone else, stay home and read in front of the fire that week.
That said, how/where you live determines how much "Duluth winter" you can tolerate. If you live in an apartment with heated parking, you won't have to shovel or sit in freezing cars that won't start. Just a quick skip through the -80 weather and you're in warmth - no biggie. However, if you take the bus, walk, or bike(!) during the winter, expect to have your ass frozen off. If you live somewhere in the open, the winter winds will build strength and blow you to the ground and cover you with huge snow drifts. I lived on Park Point, and cold winds that were building since Ontario would blow me down the stairs. One bad storm buried my car in about seven feet of snow and I said "fuck it" and stayed home a week rather than dig it out.

bennyhaha - you're thinking of the Androy. I won't comment on it. :P

Hey Bennyhaha -- fancy meeting you here! BTW, isn't the Androy the hooker hotel where Audrey got the fried chicken? I had fun last summer too, despite cranky curators and random dog poo. Remember our morning ritual of playing the Happy Hippo song as we crossed the bridge to Superior?

Baci: I always have to be sure to type in MN or I get info on Duluth, Georgia, a place I have no intention of going. But hey, you guys have a Virginia, Minnesota so that's wierd too.

Budb: huh?

Jadin & Tomasz: I like the way you write.

hbh: Atlanta in the spring IS nice but it only lasts a few weeks and then it doesn't feel like velvet as much as it's like wrapping yourself in a wet towel you just pulled out of the oven.

Traceydee: I stayed in West Duluth when I was there. People kept telling me it was a rough neighborhood but it seemed okay to me. In my 'hood in Atlanta we count ourselves lucky because we don't hear as much gunfire as we used to. Seriously. The only criticism I had of W Duluth was that I occasionally smelled something like a waste treatment plant over there. I like Lincoln Park too -- it has a certain Tom Waits charm.

What's the scoop on Two Harbors? Is it considered part of Duluth?

Thanks for all the input, noble northlanders.

Two Harbors is not part of Duluth - it's about 30 miles up the shore from Duluth. It's got a large cement chicken statue.

And more than likely the answer to your Androy question is yes ... if you do stay there, ask for the Moose Room.

can a pose another Q for U [guys]? Duluth is super fab .. but what do the new kids do for employment? [sigh] good jobs are lacking, any suggestions?

cleaning hotels is our main source of employment

one thing we should tell you is sometimes there is no sunshine for over two weeks. This past Dec. and January I think it went 24 days. that can be hard on the psyche. Usually when the sun does come back, you don't want it to.

if you stay at the androy, don't bring in one of those black light thingys that shows bodily fluids left behind.

c-freak - I generally wear a hazmat suit when I go to the Androy. :P

Thats where I left those fluids...BTW we better not forget our favorite family sauna...er..twin peaks episode

Yeah, okay, what the heck is the deal with the family sauna? Is it a cult?

All due respect, I think I'll skip the Androy. We have a place like that in Atlanta called the Clairmont Motor Inn (& Lounge). The "lounge" has been host to some interesting underground music events and the reknowned exotic dancer Blondie, who is famous for her trick of crushing beer cans between her breasts. A local reporter stayed for a week in the hotel to get the inside story but had to check out early because of a mysterious bacterial infection/rash on his cheek. Eww.

It's a scary building downtown. It has a sign that says "Family Sauna", but I have the feeling you're more likely to find handjobs than families in there...

Fightingchance: Skipping the Androy is the biggest mistake you could ever make in the Twin Ports.

Okay, but I'm taking my own sheets.