Vista Cruise - ride the waves!

See Duluth and its harbor from a completely different vantage point - the water! The Vista fleet has three different sightseeing cruises as well as brunch, pizza, and dinner cruises available. Choose one that fits your timeline and budget. The boats depart from just behind the DECC next to the little blue pedestrian lift bridge.

Click here for more information on their homepage: http://www.vistafleet.com/

Glensheen Historic Estate Evening Event

Thursday, September 29 • 6:00pm - 9:00pm


The Minnesota Multicounty Multitype Library Systems and the Kathryn A. Martin Library, University of Minnesota Duluth invite you to the Glensheen Mansion for fun, food, and networking. There will be guided tours of the mansion and grounds - including a rare peek into the family library at Glensheen led by Director Dan Hartman - chili buffet with Meat & Vegan options and Cash Bar with Local/Regional Beers (Wine, too.)

Just minutes from downtown on the shore of Lake Superior, Glensheen (glensheen.org) is a beautiful site for an evening of relaxation and conversation with old friends and new. Free to registered attendees.

Shuttles are available from Holiday Inn & Radisson. You will need to check with your hotel for scheduling. Shuttles will not be available from Canal Park Lodge.

Co-Sponsored by the Minnesota Multicounty Multitype Library Systems and the Kathryn A. Martin Library, University of Minnesota Duluth.

Eat, shop, sightsee...

Duluth's Canal Park is just steps away from the DECC, where the conference takes place. This charming waterfront district is packed with unique shops, restaurants and cafes, galleries, wonderful public art and much more. A favorite of locals and tourists alike.

The Happiest Hour(s) with ARLD

Come unwind at the ARLD Happy Hour where you can wet your whistle and/or satisfy your palate at Pizza Luce! No better place to be once you arrive in Duluth and the best way to start your MLA Conference.

Wednesday, September 28 from 8:00pm-10:00pm
Pizza Luce  located at 11 East Superior Street Duluth, MN 55802

Your hosts: Amanda Mills (ARLD Chair) and Jodi Grebinoski (ARLD Chair elect)

Food in the Downtown area

The Holiday Center at 207 West Superior Street (in the Skywalk) has several fast-food options available for lunch. If you like Indian food, there is India Palace at 319 West Superior Street, which has a lunch buffet as well as a full dinner menu with wine and beer. 7 West Taphouse is at 7 W. Superior Street. Pizza Luce is at 11 E. Superior St. Original Coney Island at 107 E. Superior St. is a beloved local institution. Toasty's Sandwich Shop is at 220 W. Superior St. A more complete list of downtown eating and drinking establishments can be found here.

Food in the Canal Park Area

Canal Park is full of restaurants and just steps away from the DECC. Along Lake Avenue (the street with the Aerial Lift Bridge) you will find Red Lobster The Green Mill, Old Chicago, Grandma's Saloon and Grill, Grandma's Sports Garden, Bellisio's, and Famous Daves.  On Canal Park Drive you will find Canal Park Brewing Company, Vitta Pizza  and Endion Station.  In the DeWitt Seitz building you will find Amazing Grace Bakery and Cafe, The Lake Avenue Cafe, Northern Waters Smokehaus and the Taste of Saigon and  next door is Little Angie's.

PLD Happy Hour

In town early? Join the Public Libraries Division (PLD) for a happy hour and low-key book-themed trivia at Grandma's Saloon & Grill, 522 Lake Avenue South on Canal Park. You'll find us upstairs in the bar area from 8:00pm-10:00pm. All are welcome!

Your Hosts:  Frances Veit, PLD Chair and Stacey Hendren, PLD Chair Elect

Vegan? Hungry? In Duluth?

Are you looking for restaurants with vegan entrees on the menu? Pizza Luce offers many vegan options with a choice of two vegan cheeses for their pizzas. (This vegan can’t get enough of their Pizza Athena with Rinotta.) The Burrito Union has a couple of vegan items on the menu, and so does At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Café. Over on the West Side the Duluth Grill is vegan friendly, and if you don’t want to venture far from Canal Park you can get a hummus-veggie sandwich at Amazing Grace. Duluth also has two Whole Foods Co-op stores (not the corporate chain Whole Foods Market – Duluth’s came first) and both have deli bars serving breakfast through dinner with vegan options.

Beer?

I think we know what the answer is! Try one of these fine drinking establishments for some local brew. There's the Dubh Linn Irish Pub and Carmody Irish Pub, both downtown on Superior Street. Further down the street (East) there is Sir Benedicts Tavern on the Lake which is right across from Fitger's Brewhouse. And we have already told you about the Thirsty Pagan over in Superior -- but don't forget your designated driver!

Food over the bridge

For those of you who are adventurous enough to cross the bridge to Superior, Wisconsin, be sure to stop at the Anchor Bar for one of their famous burgers. Thirsty Pagan Brewery is a local microbrewery that serves up great home-made pizzas to go with their brew. They often have live music, too. For  more traditional fare, try the Hammond Steakhouse or the Shack.

Coffee anyone?

Duluth has many coffee establishments walking distance from the DECC and conference hotels..here are some to get you started!

Caribou Coffee

307 Canal Park Dr # 1


Starbucks

331 West Superior Street

Amazing Grace

394 South Lake Avenue

Jitters Coffee and Tea House
102 West Superior Street

A little further away

Dunn's Brothers
2401 London Road

Beaner's Central
324 North Central Avenue


Peet's Coffee and Tea (Great Harvest Bread)
3 S 13th Ave E

MLA's Dinner with Colleagues

There is still time to register for Dinner with Colleagues!
Get together with with some of your colleagues and enjoy dinner out in one of Duluth's many restaurants. Groups are based on professional and personal interests, and discussions will be informal. Don't be shy -- make some new friends! Descriptions of the dinner topics and links to the restaurants can be found in the registration form. Everyone is responsible for paying for their own dinner. MLA's Dinner with Colleagues will be held Thursday, October 13th, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Registration is first come, first served.
Please register by Wednesday, October 5, 2011. 
See you there!

Looking for a dinner date?

This year we will be offering "Dinner with Colleagues," which will be groups of up to eight people who have some common interest, either professional or personal, getting together at local restaurants to have dinner and conversation. Local conference attendees will be the hosts. The dinners will be on Thursday, October 13th between 6:30 and 8:30 and the sign-up will be posted on July 15th.