This Week's Shameless Budgeteer Plug: The maritime museum (again and again), whodunits, 'VD Day,' James Moors, Sara Thomsen, Drew Danburry and more!

Forgive me Crosby, for I have sinned ... I gave press to an Aitkin native. (For shame!)

"Books Where Somebody Always Dies" -- Duluth (by way of Aitkin) mystery writer Kathleen Hills on her latest, "The Kingdom Where Nobody Dies," and why Scotland maybe isn’t the best place to write.

"Discover Duluth: Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center" -- Believe it or not, the dead of winter is actually a great time to visit the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. You stay classy, maritime museum. (This place was always a favorite of mine as a kid, and I finally got to honor* it with my photo essay series!)

"Some Enchanted Evening in February" -- As in years past, Valentine’s Day options abound in the Twin Ports. Some of the experiences noted in this what-to-do-what-to-do article: Glensheen, Fairlawn, Beaner's, Snoodle, Hell (rather, Hell's Kitchen), the Minnesota Ballet and Carmody Irish Pub with its -- this is classic -- Anti-Valentine's Day concert, featuring Taconite (which, excuse my language, kicked ass at last weekend's Diorama-rama 3), Tangier 57, Bill Meier and Erotic Poetry.

"New Albums from James Moors, Sara Thomsen and Drew Danburry" -- Reviewed this week: James Moors/The Artist Formerly Known as Sterling Waters' "Hush," Sara Thomsen's "Everything Changes" and Drew Danburry's "Mother."


ALSO: I took a photo for Chelsea Honebrink's Budgeteer debut, "Thom Holden: Captain of the Maritime Museum"; I took this weekend's cover whilst walking around the maritime museum grounds; I took last week's cover of a "marquee moon" hanging over the Sundew too (but neglected to share it with you back then); I also penned a story about quirky home products for the latest edition of Blueprint (which hasn't made it to the Web yet, unfortunately) and, last but not least, the latest installment of "Where in the Northland is Matt Perrine?" is ... really, really easy, so you don't need a bonus clue. (Just look at it, for [BEEP BEEP]'s sake!)

*The degree of which is probably debatable. ha ha ha

p.s. If you're reading this and there is a box (or tube) of POGs taking up space in your closet, we need to talk.

p.p.s. Seriously, I play with POGs!