Watch Mark Ryan's 'Landing Lights'!

Another terrific video from Mark Ryan (aka "Lester Park's Golden Boy"). This early '80s masterpiece is ideal for helping you forget a bad day -- or just fresh snow when you were pretty sure winter was finally [EXPLETIVE DELETED]-ing over!

This Week's (Belated) Shameless Budgeteer Plug

Online anonymity is great, isn't it?

"'I'm a Lot Bigger in Minnesota than in L.A.'" :: The always-entertaining Eddie Money prepares for his April 6 tour stop in Hinckley. I, Matthew R. Perrine, don't care what they're saying on hateful sites like Perfect Duluth Day; it was an honor and a thrill to talk to the man whose music I grew up listening to!

"One-Woman Cabaret Comes to Play Ground" :: “It’s kind of an experiment in storytelling — through stories and songs both — movement and music, and putting it all into one package,” says Two Harbors resident Rachel Nelson, explaining her latest project, “Living the Questions.” (A reworked version of the story I posted on DuluthBudgeteer.com last week.)

"'Leatherheads' a Throwback to Classic Cinema" :: There is no link because, unfortunately, you won't be able to read my movie review until Friday (when the movie opens). It's a long story....

I (Heart) Samantha Brown

As far as geek crushes go, she's the new Tina Fey (or Jenna Fischer). In case you were wondering....

Although I have to give props to Minnesotan Andrew Zimmern, Samantha is definitely my favorite Travel Channel personality. (OK, OK; I watch her show religiously....)

~Image courtesy of Travel Channel

This Week's (Midweek) Shameless Budgeteer Plug: The New Roots Duo, Depot madness, Rachel Nelson, White Light Riot and ... Merle Haggard?

I know this probably seems excessive, but I don't care -- I have a lot of bonus DuluthBudgeteer.com work to share with y'all:

"Also Released: Random Records from Random Folks" :: In this online exclusive "event" -- which I hope to turn into a semi-regular series -- I review, in brief, records from Merle Haggard, Pachyderm Studio (it's a compilation, featuring the likes of favorites White Light Riot and Chris Koza) and Twin Cities act the New Roots Duo, which will be making the drive up to Duluth for an April 4 show at Beaner's Central.

"One-Woman Cabaret Comes to UWS, Play Ground" :: Rachel Nelson will perform “Living the Questions,” a one-woman cabaret of original music, storytelling, dramatic performance and spoken word, April 5 at the Play Ground.

"Discover Duluth: Leatherheads Day" :: To drum up publicity for their new film “Leatherheads,” Hollywood heavy hitters George Clooney and Renee Zellwegger made a stop in Duluth Monday. (I know I teased this yesterday, but it was so popular I thought I'd try to milk it for another 24 hours....)

Starstruck, or: The REAL Reason Everyone was at the Depot Monday

I know what you're thinking: "If I read one more account of George Clooney and Renee Zellwegger's visit to Duluth, I'm going to vomit." Rest easy, disgruntled Fly High, Duluth! reader, for today's post will probably catch you a little off guard (but it really shouldn't, because ... it's me). See, while everyone was going gaga over the Hollywood stars, I was much more excited about getting my picture taken with the Pine Journal's editor, Lisa Baumann. She's really coming into her own as a photographer*, and it's always nice to meet fellow enthusiasts -- especially when they're such great company!

*Need proof? Check out two of her current P.J. pieces, "Winter's Last Stand" -- which I love, love, love -- and this one, which nicely frames up a truck-train collision.

(Thanks for the pic, Lisa; apparently we are all made of stars!)

UMD student in Playboy contest!

I received an unexpected (to say the least) e-mail from Playboy today:

LOCAL DULUTH BEAUTY WANTS YOUR TEXT:

TOP-10 FINALIST SELECTED TO COMPETE

FOR “MISS PLAYBOY MOBILE 2008” CROWN

-- Miss Playboy Mobile Winner to Receive Crown, Sexy Photo-shoot

at World-famous Playboy Mansion, $5,000 Cash-prize --

Last month, Playboy launched a nationwide search for Miss Playboy Mobile 2008, and now Alexandra Fowler wants your text. America’s sexiest beauties had the opportunity to submit their prettiest non-nude pin-ups via MSPBM.com. After the first round of voting, 19 year-old Duluth stunner Alexandra Fowler received an overwhelming amount of texted votes, ultimately naming the petite 5’ bombshell as 1 of 10 finalists from almost 1,000 submissions nationwide. Now, Alexandra -- along with 9 other finalists -- will compete in a second round of text-based voting from March 16 through March 31; the winner will be crowned Miss Playboy Mobile 2008 during an exclusive VIP event at the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas on April 2, 2008. The prize will include the inaugural Miss Playboy Mobile crown, a professional photo-shoot at the world-renowned Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, and $5,000 cash-prize. To vote for Alexandra Fowler, text "PBF182" to 67000. There is no fee for voting, but normal text-messaging rates may apply. For official rules, please visit www.mspbm.com.

Clooney and Zellwegger visit Duluth!

To celebrate this monumentous occasion, I put together a special, Web-exclusive photo gallery (dubbed "Discover Duluth: Leatherheads Day") for the Budgeteer's Web site. Check it out!

~Renee Zellwegger portrait by yours truly, Matthew R. Perrine