Everything comes to LA—Leonard Cohen, Prince, the Lakers—and for heaven's sakes Barbra Streisand lives there. I watched the Tibetan monks create a mandala, ate pupusas and platanos fritos, saw two plays, dined at the food trucks on Wilshire, and learned to cut another car off with the best of them. So excuse me if I assumed that the Great Lakes region would suffer in comparison.

But wait—there's a real here here: Eddie Vedder is opening for The Meat Puppets , Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas  will Christmas in Fargo; Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will play the Black Bear Casino; Bob Dylan will lead a snowshoe hike in Hibbings; the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs won the NCAA Division II football title; Bret Favre (what's up with the pronunciation of his name—shouldn't it be Fahv re, not Far ve?) was seen at a local Penny's selling Wrangler jeans; an outdoors ice bar opened on the North shore of Lake Superior serving drinks in ice glasses, Bentleyville's Bayfront Festival Park  features a mammoth cone-shaped tree, singing reindeer, fifteen fire pits, and 3 million lights, not to mention lighted ice tunnels, hot chocolate, and lights synchronized to the official Bentleyville theme song. So back off, Angelinos.

Today I slipped around on Duluth's icey streets and sidewalks to get an original "Coney Island " at the Delux. The young woman at the computer store told me emphatically to go to the "Greeks" on 1st Ave, not the "Original" on 1st Street. I am no novice when it comes to Coney Islands—Sioux City, Iowa still serves the ultimate at the Coney Island Weiner House, although at the days of the $.15 weiner are gone.

I spent the rest of the day glued to the outdoor TV watching the Lake freeze. I'm not kidding, you could see the surface turn into a light glaze then into solid floating islands. Brings to mind Holden Caufield's question, "Where do the ducks go ?"

You may have noticed that all the events occuring in the metropolitan Duluth area may not be, in fact, true. Just wondering if you're paying attention.

The "Greeks" on 1st Ave., Duluth




The $1.59 gut bomb.




Floating islands




"Serene Skating", picture taken by Clint Austin, Duluth News Tribune, at the Bayfront Festival Park





Greek Coney Island Sauce

• 1 1/2 pound ground round

• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/3 cup chili powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon basil, dried
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Brown beef, onion and shortening. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 2 hours.

You may have to add some water. This freezes well