The Tweed Museum of Art, at the University of Minnesota Duluth, houses an outstanding collection of over 6,000 pieces of art from around the world. Prominent Duluth citizen George P. Tweed and his wife Alice collected art for over twenty years. It was thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Tweed, after the death of her husband, that the collection ultimately became the Tweed Museum of Art.

The Tweeds had a fondness for the work of French painter Jean-Francois Millet, and there are several Millets at the Tweed. His work is now considered to be some of the finest examples of the French Barbizon School, named for the small village outside Paris that inspired Millet and his peers.

Mark Twain also had a fondness for Jean-Francois Millet, and wrote a farce about him. Is He Dead? lay in obscurity until Berkeley professors rescued it and helped it find its way to Broadway in 2007.

This spring, enjoy the art of Millet and the entertaining Twain play about him at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. The art is already on display at the Tweed, and Is He Dead? will be at the Mainstage Theatre of the Marshall Performing Arts Center April 22 through May 1, 2010. It’s a good reason to head to our Duluth MN inn.

The Tweed Museum of Art is just a few miles from our Duluth bed and breakfast. If you are coming to town to see your student, check out the Tweed. Should be here at the end of April, you won’t want to miss Is He Dead?.

January to April can be one of the most beautiful times of year here at our Duluth b&b. It’s because of the ice. Lake Superior and the harbor freeze over with chunky icebergs. They shift as the temperatures rise and fall. Looking out the window is like looking on a great work of art.

Come watch the ice shift in front of our Duluth inn.

Indeed, winter is a contemplative time here on the shores of Lake Superior. It is a time to bundle up and pick your way along the shore. At night, when skies are clear, the clarity of the stars is amazing. We find ourselves appreciating small things, like a warm cup of tea between our hands, a hot fire in the hearth, and a good conversation.

It’s also a time to indulge in comfort foods. We have fun creating satisfying, hearty breakfasts at our bed and breakfast MN during the winter. The kitchen is cozy and sparks creativity. And it is so satisfying to bite into something warm and freshly baked.

Our guests enjoy eating their way through many Duluth restaurants during their stay. Some are drawn to the creamy, aromatic foods at India Palace, just a few blocks from our MN inn. Winter is the best time to drink buckets of Chai! Other guests love to unwind at nearby Fitger’s Brewery, where there is almost always live music.

So come stay at our inn and watch the ice shift on Lake Superior. It’s fun.

From April through December, there is interesting shipping traffic at our Duluth MN inn. It is amazing to be strolling the beach or sitting by a window and suddenly notice these fantastically large ships.

They are so very big. They are so very close.

It is a great reminder of how our goods travel about the globe. It is also great fun to witness. We reminisce about the ships during the January – April freeze, when the waters are impassable to shipping traffic.

See you in the spring, ships!

Quietly they slip by, then comes the crash of waves.

While snow might prevent us from gardening at our Duluth bed and breakfast any time soon, there is still a way for us to experience the joy of a garden’s rebirth and growth. The Duluth Playhouse is preparing a production of The Secret Garden, which will run from February 18 through March 7, 2010.

Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden tells the story of Mary Lennox, sent to live in the mysterious, austere, English country home of an uncle after the death of her parents. Little Mary has little happiness in her life until she discovers a long neglected garden, and sets to work bringing it back to life.

The Duluth Playhouse is close to our Duluth Inn

The production at the Duluth Playhouse is the Tony award-winning musical (1991), which seamlessly incorporates music by Lucy Simon and lyrics by Marsha Norman. The result is an entirely uplifting experience for all ages.

It is worth traveling to Duluth to see this show, and while you are here, why not stay at our Lake Superior inn? We are just over a mile from the Duluth Playhouse – an easy walk in any weather. On the way, enjoy dinner before the meal or drinks afterward at one of the establishments in Canal Park.

The New Year is upon us, and with that comes New Year’s Resolutions. Usually we top our lists with things like “lose weight” and “organize garage”; necessary, perhaps, but hardly exciting. To help keep on track with these resolutions, throw in one that’s truly enjoyable: romantic weekend with sweetie at Duluth inn.

Let’s face it, many of us are not motivated to do much at all when the days are short and the nights are long. But what if we were at a Lake Superior bed and breakfast? We’d don sweaters, hats and gortex and walk for miles and miles on the beach, hearing nothing but the wind, water and intrepid gulls.

After dark, we’d curl up in front of the fire and read a book from cover to cover. Or we’d get gussied up and head out for a great meal at one of the Duluth restaurants near the inn. In the morning, we’d either sleep late or head out to the beach again to stimulate the appetite before a tasty breakfast made by someone else (when was the last time that happened?).

So before you get too deeply into that garage project, take a moment to look at your calendar and book a couple of nights at our Duluth bed and breakfast. Start the New Year with your priorities in order.

As the temperature drops and the snow starts falling in earnest, we tend to look for ways to occupy our time indoors. One of my favorite activities during the winter is movie watching, and while I am not averse to plopping down in front of a good DVD with a frighteningly big bowl of popcorn, I prefer to head to the theater.

Walk to DECC from our Canal Park BB

One of the finest theaters in Duluth is walking distance from our Canal Park lodging. I am referring to the OMNIMAX at Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. There is no better way to forget the windchill than to surround yourself with sounds and images of something else. It’s just plain fun. (more…)

It’s getting down to the wire. Christmas and Hanukkah are around the corner, and you don’t yet have gifts for everyone. You feel a bit overwhelmed. What do you do?

This may not seem the right moment to head to a Duluth bed and breakfast, but it is. Let us worry about providing a nourishing, tasty breakfast, with buckets of delicious locally brewed coffee to keep you going throughout the day. Let us make your bed, and take care of you while you worry about others. (more…)

One of the great advantages of our Lake Superior Bed and Breakfast is the location. We sit on a narrow strip of land that juts out into Lake Superior Bay, with miles of beach at our door. It can be easy to forget that we are actually steps away from the heart of downtown Duluth.

Cheerful holiday decorations at our Duluth b&b

At this time of year, a couple of fun events remind us that civilization is close at hand. One is Bentleyville. Another is the Christmas City of the North Parade, which passed right by our Canal Park lodging a few weeks ago. Glensheen Manor, not far up the coast, is all decorated for the holidays, making tours more festive. The manor is also presenting O’Henry’s classic “The Gift of the Magi” on Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19 (7 PM). A tour and refreshments are included. (more…)

November 27, 2009, marks the start of the Polar Express, leaving from Duluth. Plan to hop aboard while you are in town staying at our Canal Park lodging. It will help put you in a cheerful holiday frame of mind.

One of the Christmas trees at our Duluth bed and breakfast.

Ride along Lake Superior from Fitger’s Brewery Complex to the Lake Superior Railroad museum, where you will discover a charming antique model railroad. While you marvel over it, enjoy songs from carolers.

Okay, you won’t actually make it to the North Pole. But you will experience a live reading of the Polar Express by actors in costume, and you may visit with Santa if you like.

The 2009 Polar Express runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays the weeks of Nov. 27, Dec. 5, 12, & 19. It makes a nice expedition for guests of our Duluth bed and breakfast. When you return to the inn, settle into a comfy sofa in front of one of our Christmas trees and reminisce about your own childhoods and the magic of Christmas.

Rainbow on the Lake

Originally uploaded by sol_glimt

One of the joys of living on the shores of Lake Superior is moments like this. Everything stops, and we are filled with serenity. This is something we enjoy being able to offer our guests. Although we certainly can’t guarantee rainbows, we can promise that this great lake can work a little magic on you if you let it while you stay at our Lake Superior bed and breakfast. Whether you walk along its shores or gaze at it from our deck or from the window of your room, we hope you will find it relaxing and rejuvenating.