John Warren's Blog
Like an oasis! Man, I wish Duluth still had one of these around. Growing up in Minneapolis, we used to go for burgers in the wee hours. We called it "Dinner and a Show"...and usually for good reason! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. I believe there's a quick trip to Hinckley in my immediate future
I've noticed, in the last 3 or 4 years, that servers in restaurants have a new way of asking you if everything is okay. They'll swing by your table and inquire "How is everything tasting?" How is everything tasting? Who talks like that? It also usually happens at chain restaurants where the wait staff is trained and indoctrinated in strict corporate etiquette. The only thing I can think of is that it's a way to show attentiveness without having to do any extra running around. If the server were to say, for example, "How is everything?"...a general question, the customer might ask for something to be delivered to the table, like a new fork or ketchup or something else that requires sending the wait person on a mission. "How are things tasting?" usually is answered with "Fine" or "Great", whatever.
Remember, the goal of some of these places is to get you in and then OUT quickly. Gotta turn those tables over. The same reason some places are so loud with music and a conversation din that prohibits conversation or lingering a bit after dinner. Some places are actually acoustically engineered to keep the noise in, not mute it. Who wants to have a dinner conversation when your dining partner has to continually say "WHAT? WHAT?". You end up eating and looking around.
I find it refreshing to go to a diner or Mom & Pop joint where the waitress says things like "How're ya doin?", "You guys okay?", "What can I getcha?", or "Boy, it's busy..my dogs will be barkin' tonight".
Next time you go out to eat, make it a point to listen to how your server asks how you're doing.
How is everything tasting...gag.
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Now with all the talk about the the Norshor Theatre and auxilliary buildings perhaps becoming city property, the old Carlson Books and Records across the street have also been purchased by another concern. I have no clue what the plans are for the old Carlson's, but if one thing is missing Downtown it's a book and magazine store! There are coffee shops, places to buy CDs, but a good ol' magazine and periodical outlet are what every downtown area should have.
When I lived on the Range in the early 80s, a trip to Carlson's was always on the agenda. I really liked the old, used car and motorcycle mags I would load up on. Growing up in Minneapolis, we had Shinder's Newsstand downtown where you could find ANYTHING. While on the Range, I missed that alot. Carlson's filled that void.
I just think it would be cool to have a mag/newspaper/book place downtown again. This brings me to a question...what ever became of Carlson's inventory of old mags? Are there still any of those old car, hot rod and motorcycle magazines lying around somewhere? Please let me know.
An icon on Superior street for decades. A strip club for the last few years. Now that the the city of Duluth has purchased the aging venue (pending DEDA and city council approval), what's next? Mayor Ness believes it will be "the crown jewel" in the continued revitalization of downtown Duluth. I, for one, am optimistic that he's right. The picture above is, according to the marquee, from 1941. "Hold Back the Dawn" starred Charles Boyer, Olivia DeHavilland and Paulette Goddard. Wow. America was just entering WWll. What a different world the theatre occupied then. What a different world downtown Duluth must have been then.
As a denizen of downtown, I'm hoping for good things.
By the way, anyone know when that tall NorShor tower was removed?
When I was a kid, I loved ventriloquists, and they were mainstream entertainment. Of course there was Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. But that was before my time. I grew up with Paul Winchell and his pal Jerry Mahoney (in fact I had a JerryMahoney dummy as a kid), Jimmy Nelson with his puppets Danny O'Day and Farfel the dog, who for years did the Nestle's commercials: "N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestle's makes the very best CHAAW-CLAT". Farfel would snap his yap closed on that last syllable. Memorable stuff.
There were many others, and they would often be seen on The Ed Sullivan Show. I would sit through the guy spinning plates on sticks, the comedy stylings of Wayne and Shuster, bears on unicycles and a song by Kate Smith to see the vent that was on that particular week. It's been said that vetriloquism died when Ed Sullivan died. Not totally true, but to a degree it is. There are thousands of working vents in the world, but only a handful are what you would consider big-time.
I've still got two dummies, but they kind of freaked out my wife a bit and are now locked up in storage. There is something eerie about them, I'll admit. Horror movies, Twilight Zone and Hitchcock episodes have all featured evil puppets with minds of their own. I didn't help matters much, I guess, when I'd say to her "Wasn't Danny facing the other way just a couple of minutes ago?"
Anyway, I miss it and still sometimes practice saying "A bottle of Beer" without moving my lips. Like Bergen, I'd be a good radio ventriloquist.
A great start to a new Twins season and a new stadium. Yeah, there may be a few rain-outs, but watching the games the way they were meant to be enjoyed...outdoors, fresh air and mosquitos! And the fact that they won doesn't exactly hurt, either. Remember, if you can't make it to Target Field, sit out in your backyard, grill some brats (they'll be cheaper) and crank up 610 KDAL...the longest-running Twins affiliate in the state!
By the way, anyone remember the old joke: No beer sold at Twins games this year....they lost the opener! Let the suds flow!
Some shots from Opening Day ...Not a bad seat in the house!
