May 2020

RHUBARB RECIPES TO CELEBRATE SPRING // 6 MUST-READ BOOKS // GATTLE'S GRACIOUS LEGACY

MORELS! TIPS FOR THE HUNT • OH SO DELISH RECIPES! SET A SUMPTUOUS NORTHERN TABLE

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Take Heart, Michigan.

When “Financial security from generation to generation,” is your tagline, you tend to take a long-term view of market performance. You also tend to be optimistic, given that historical market data overwhelmingly favors that long-term mindset—even in the throes of a worrisome crisis like COVID-19.

A profound sense of gratitude helps. Gratitude to the many who are visibly fighting the virus day and night at great peril to their health. And gratitude to the equal number of good people who, behind the scenes, are providing products, services and aid to our nation. As author Mary Anne Radmacher once said, “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”

With you, and in every measure thanks to you, we will prevail.

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Contents

Discover more about Up North, people, places, food and events.

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may | features

24

38 24 | HOME SWEET HOME Flip through for trends and tips to find that dream dwelling on the water, a peaceful retreat in the woods or the very first home of your own.

50

30 | A SPLENDID FORAGED TABLE The gifts of the Northern woods find a place at our table as friends combine their talents for a foraged meal and nature-inspired setting.

38 | A GRAND OPENING It’s a tradition that happens every spring at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

Take a peek at the months of behind-the-scenes work that goes into a perfect opening day.

50 | BLOSSOMS! Immerse in the sweet scent of cherry blossoms and lush spring landscapes.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

3

contents | departments

66

EAST BAY WATERFRONT CONDOS 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom 260’ Shared Waterfront Expansive East Bay Views Great Personal Get-Away & Rental Completely Furnished 1995 US 31 N Traverse City Apt #105 | MLS 1871747 | $205,900 Apt #322 | MLS 1870732 | $205,000

68

402 E. Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49686

Ann Porter ASSOCIATE BROKER

231.944.4959 Ann@AnnPorterTC.com Visit AnnPorterTC.com for more information.

57 7 | EDITOR’S NOTE 11 | UP NORTH The Gattles family keeps a 100-year tradition alive in Harbor Springs.

Celebrate Mother’s Day and an iconic Michigan artist.

MyNorth.com

Morel season has arrived.

68 | LOVE OF THE LAND

Six books set in Northern Michigan that will inspire future trips.

ON THE COVER Foraged morels.

Photo by Josh Hartman.

A café at Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport will remind you of home.

Rhubarb pie signals spring is in full swing.

4

66 | OUTDOORS

A Lower Peninsula waterfall is accessible to all!

57 | DINING

128 River Street, Elk Rapids, MI 49629 - 231 264 6660 www.mullalys128.com hello ifnore is for FIND US ONthis FACEBOOK

Raise a toast to rhubarb.

21 | TRAVEL

23 | UP IN MICHIGAN Mark Rosenbaum

65 | DRINKS

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/mynorthmedia

62 | LOCAL TABLE

instagram.com/mynorthmedia

Fustini’s lemon shortbread is full of zip. And we’ve got the recipe.

pinterest.com/mynorthmedia

A MyNorth Media Publication VOLUME 39 • NUMBER 12

PRESIDENT/EDITOR IN CHIEF

Deborah Wyatt Fellows

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Michael Wnek

MANAGING EDITOR DIGITAL AND CONTENT EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR PROOFREADERS REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

ART DIRECTOR PRODUCTION DIRECTOR ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR, SPECIAL SECTIONS GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Elizabeth Edwards Carly Simpson Allison Jarrell Elizabeth Aseritis Caroline Dahlquist Andrew VanDrie Kandace Chapple Kim Schneider Tim Tebeau Gail Snable Theresa Burau-Baehr Rachel Watson Claire Houser

WEB DIRECTOR

Jen Berigan

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Julie Parker

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Darren Bergquist Ann Gatrell Jeff Genschaw Meg Lau Cyndi Ludka Lori Niemer

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Erin Lutke

MARKETING COORDINATOR MYNORTH TICKETS CUSTOMER SUCCESS SPECIALIST OFFICE MANAGER BOOKKEEPER

Kara Jarvis

Crystal Lake

Mid Century Modern Architecture

Emily Oakes Libby Stallman Kim Stewart

Suzy Voltz

(231) 651-9711 suzy.voltz@gmail.com

4 ive • mls 184663 Shorewood Dr

RealEstateOne.com

57 N. Michigan Ave • Beulah • 231-882-4449

Editorial & Advertising Offices 125 S Park Street, Suite 155 Traverse City, MI 49684 Phone: 231.941.8174 | Fax: 231.941.8391 Subscriber Services Visit MyNorth.com/Account to renew your subscription, change your address, or review your account.

Please email other subscription inquiries to info@mynorth.com or call 800-678-3416 between 8:30 am and 5 pm EST.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine, (ISSN10713719) is published monthly

by Prism Publications Inc., 125 S Park Street, Suite 155, Traverse City, MI 49684. Periodicals class postage paid at Traverse City, MI 49684 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine, 125 Park St, suite 155, Traverse City, MI 49684.

Advertising rates available upon request. Subscription rate: $24.95 for 12 issues.

Single issue price: $4.50. Manuscripts must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. All rights reserved. Copyright 2020, Prism Publications Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Bradley J. Butcher, AIA 989.705.8400 • sidockgroup.com Novi • Wyandotte • Lansing Muskegon • Gaylord • Sault Ste. Marie • Tampa

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

5

We’re all in this together While we have all been directed to stay at home, the medical professionals in our community have been asked to face this crisis head on. We are grateful for our brave and selfless neighbors. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

YOU ARE OUR HEROES.

wallykidd.com

231-838-2700 325 EAST LAKE STREET, PETOSKEY, MI 49770

editor’s note

IN THIS TOGETHER

BY DEBORAH WYATT FELLOWS

T

he lake opened up this morning. The ice rarely leaves in March but it was a mild winter. Still, as I’m sitting here writing my column for May’s deadline, I’m thinking maybe the natural world knows that seeing the lake’s landscape transformed, the flow of the water regained, gentle and never-ending, is a much-needed tonic in the time of the coronavirus. Not only do we need to know some things go on undaunted in the face of such a crisis, but we need to know that the world will open once again.

This is, in many ways, a very difficult column to write because for the first time in four decades, we are not printing Traverse. The uncertainty and dramatic economic impact of COVID19 means I needed to make decisions that I think will ensure we are back to printed issues as quickly as we possibly can be. To do otherwise would be to put the future, our future, in grave danger. I know you love holding our magazines as much as we do. Our staff has paper and ink in our blood and we know nothing replaces that moment when you pull Traverse out of the mailbox, getting to curl up and spend time leafing through pages filled with the beauty and soul of this incredible place we all love.

The good news? We were able to produce a bigger, more beautiful

May issue than we could have if we’d printed: Planned editorial was expanded and new editorial was added.

We can still share the peace, joy and exhilaration that Northern Michigan offers at a time when we all need that so desperately. Yes, it is a different medium. But turn the pages and you will find the same exceptional storytelling, the same stunning photography, the same never-ending quest to capture the soul of what makes this place so profoundly unique.

And please, take a moment to click on the links that are live in all the advertisements. You will arrive at the websites or Facebook pages of the region’s entrepreneurs who are facing unprecedented challenges. They put their dream out there, employ the lion’s share of our population and keep our small towns vibrant. As a small business owner, I know I have been preparing for disaster, day in and day out since I was 24 and printed the first issue. But there was no preparing for this.

Still, our pages tell you that our resilient small businesses—shops, restaurants, and more—are not quitting.

They are innovating, offering takeout, gift certificates, online shopping.

Take a moment to click through and imagine a Northern Michigan without these businesses in our small towns.

Imagine when this is over, and it will be over, returning to the places you

love only to find some valued businesses gone. It does not have to go in that direction. Our small businesses are fighting through this and we must stand alongside with them. Never before has there been such a critical moment when we must reach out to help our Northern Michigan businesses. And that’s why this digital issue of Traverse is so right for the moment—it makes it easy.

I’ve experienced a lot of crises, as a business owner for 40 years—crushing debt, small recessions, 9/11. I thought the Great Recession would be the worst I would ever see. We survived and came out stronger from that incredibly challenging time thanks to an extraordinary effort on the part of an extraordinary, generous and dedicated staff, small businesses continuing to advertise, and you, subscribers, kindred spirits who never flinched and who give meaning to all we do.

Well, it turns out the Great Recession wasn’t the hardest, but it taught us that we know how to adapt, create and imagine new ways to be sure there is no break in our mission to celebrate and protect Northern Michigan. And so, we are doing that every day now. If there are any promises that can be made in the face of this pandemic, it is that I am working day and night to keep our team intact, help our small businesses survive and make sure you can find whatever you need from Northern4

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

7

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MyNorth.com

editor’s note Michigan in some form, every month.

I hope whatever form that effort takes, it keeps you in our world.

I honestly don’t know what the future holds. But the lake opened up today. And, today, I know this to be true: spring will come. Those fairy-forest green leaves will pop, trillium will lace our forest floors, spring peepers’ songs will fill our nights. The land will soften and our feet will sink in ever so slightly, releasing the smell of the earth on the walks that at this moment we can still take, six feet apart.

This land and water we love so passionately doesn’t know of coronavirus. And if there were ever a moment to ensure that places like our beloved region continue to exist for generations to come, it is this one. In the face of good times and bad, there will forever be the need for us to look to the constants in the natural world, to know that the seasons will change, that the beach will continue to stretch like a ribbon along the shores of the greatest lakes in the world, that we can stand upon a ridge and simply breathe, that forests will still hold mysteries large and small where trees tower above us in canopies of green, and that meadows will forever beckon us to just lie down and watch the clouds.

We know no virus can defeat those things, and in the face of the unthinkable, we will continue to celebrate the unending gift of the natural world to heal, to help us connect with those we love and with ourselves, to allow us to find such joy. We celebrate just because of the sheer gift that is this place, and because we know people protect what they love.

Thank you for loving this place and allowing us to share it with you, every month, unending, no matter the form. Together, we celebrate. Together, we protect.

Be safe. Be well.

renderconstruction.com

Builders of Fine Homes & Cottages

Deborah Wyatt Fellows is founder and editor in chief of Traverse Magazine/MyNorth.com. debwf@traversemagazine.com.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

9

Spectacular VIEWS, Crystal Lake

Friends MyNorth.com is part of our mission to keep you connected to the beauty, people and places we all

LOVE in Northern Michigan.

We’ve delivered those stories for free online so that anyone who wants to engage with Up North, can.

Today we’re asking you to help us by making a donation so we can continue telling the stories that we all need now more than ever.

DONATE BY GOING TO MYNORTH.COM

Elizabeth Blair

FinePearls

WE’RE THINKING ABOUT YOU. We hope you’ve been cautious and are healthy. Please know that we will be here when you’re ready.

And…we’ll be glad to see you!

Ringing in spring!

115 W. Main Street ~ Harbor Springs, MI ~ 231.526.7500 WestMainPearls.com ~ ElizabethBlair.com Jewelers of America Cultured Pearl Association of America American Gem Society

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MyNorth.com

Up North

PEOPLE | NATURE | ARTS | NOSTALGIA | BUZZ | WISDOM | CURIOSITIES

FAMILY OWNED

Lace, Linen & Legacy TOM GATTLE JR., OTTO GATTLE, TOM GATTLE SR.

Henrietta Gattle and her son, Otto, opened their first brick-and-mortar store selling fine European lace and linens in 1919. More than 100 years later, Henrietta’s family continues the tradition at Gattle’s new location in Harbor Springs.

BY MADISON DELAERE | PHOTOS COURTESY OF GATTLE'S

The embrace of an old handkerchief can evoke a myriad of feelings. You remember your grandmother, her grandmother, a walk on the beach, an old family cottage, your father’s favorite cologne, your mother’s silky nightgown. At that moment, you’re transported to the past. Imagine the scenes Glenna (Gattle) Atkinson might have reminisced about as a child while holding on to a monogrammed handkerchief passed down from her great-grandmother, Henrietta—summers in Petoskey, a cottage with lace curtains in all the windows, hanging on a library ladder in her family’s shop and dreaming of working there one day …

Today, Glenna manages her family’s store with help from siblings, nieces, nephews and grandchildren, too. After dear family friends, the Cheney family, closed the original Gattle’s store in Petoskey and the beloved Tom Gattle Sr. passed away in 2016, there was a family consensus: let’s keep this going. As a result, the new Harbor Springs location opened in summer 2019. 4

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

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up north | people

Walking into the Gattle’s store today seems to feel like it would have 100 years ago, when the store first opened in Petoskey—the same smell, the same quality products, the same family behind the scenes. Behind the register hangs an old piece of iron Ingrained in Carlyon – Stoops Family Financial Planning is a tradition of strength and longevity. Like your family, we have spelling out “Gattle’s” in cursive letadapted to the changing environments and managed personal finances through some cracks along the way. That foundation has tering. The sign has traveled from that Ingrained in Carlyon – Stoops Family Financial Planning is a tradition of allowed us to grow through multiple generations with our clients, and serve the financialfirst needs of families, and one Petoskey storeindividuals to the new strength and longevity. Like your family,professional we have adapted athletesto forthe overchang40 years. in Harbor Springs. It signals the start ing environments and managed personal finances through some cracks of a new generation for Gattle’s and along way. Thatteam foundation has allowed grow and through multiple We are athe multi-advisor with a defined processusfortoadvice guidance through life’s another events, and our mission is focused on century to come. generations with our clients, and serve the financial needs of families, While crafting of the solving for quality of life and navigating the costs of living well. We advise clients as if they were a part of ourthe ownfeel family, andnew individuals and professional athletes for over 40 years.

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Jim Jim JimStoops Stoops Stoops Susan Susan SusanCarlyon Carlyon Carlyon Keith Keith KeithCarlyon Carlyon Carlyon Vickie Vickie Vickie Hamilton Hamilton Hamilton Gattle’s fine linens have been Jim Stoops Susan Carlyon Keith Carlyon Vickie Hamilton Senior Senior Senior Senior Vice Vice Vice Vice President, President, President, President, Investments Investments Investments Investments Investment Investment Investment Investment Portfolio Portfolio Portfolio Portfolio Associate Associate Associate Associate AWMA©, AWMA©, AWMA©, AWMA©, CRPC© CRPC© CRPC© CRPC© WMS WMS WMS WMS AWMA©, CRPC© WMS Senior Vice President,Financial Investment Portfolio bought by Susan Hayward, Rose First First First First Vice Vice Vice Vice President, President, President, President, Investments Investments Investments Investments Senior Senior Senior Senior Vice Vice Vice Vice President, President, President, President, Investments Investments Investments Investments Financial Financial Financial Paraplanner Paraplanner Paraplanner Paraplanner Qualified Qualified Qualified Qualified Professional™ Professional™ Professional™ Professional™ Investments Associate Kennedy and Richard Nixon. It is First Vice President, Wealth Senior ViceSpecialist President, Accredited Accredited Accredited Accredited Wealth Wealth Wealth Wealth Wealth Wealth Wealth Management Management Management Management Specialist Specialist Specialist Management Management Management Management Advisor Advisor Advisor Advisor Investments Investments Financial Paraplanner also known that while visiting the Chartered Chartered Chartered Chartered Retirement Retirement Retirement Retirement Qualified Professional™ Jim Stoops Susan Carlyon Keith CarlyonUnited States,Vickie Hamilton Planning Planning Planning Planning Counselor Counselor Counselor Counselor both Pope John XXIII Accredited Wealth Wealth Management Senior Vice President, Investments Investment Portfolio Associate AWMA©, CRPC© WMS 13818 13818 13818 SOUTH SOUTH SOUTH SOUTH WEST WEST WEST WEST BAY BAY BAY BAY SHORE SHORE SHORE SHORE DRIVE, DRIVE, DRIVE, DRIVE, TRAVERSE TRAVERSE TRAVERSE TRAVERSE CITY, CITY, CITY, CITY, MI MI MI MI 49684 49684 49684 49684 Management Advisor 13818 Specialist and Queen Elizabeth II have slept on TT800.946.3650 T800.946.3650 T 800.946.3650 800.946.3650 | F| F|866.522.8745 | F866.522.8745 F 866.522.8745 866.522.8745 | CARLYONFAMILY.COM | CARLYONFAMILY.COM || CARLYONFAMILY.COM CARLYONFAMILY.COM Raymond Raymond Raymond Raymond James James James James &&Associates, & & Associates, Associates, Associates, Inc., Inc., Inc., Inc., member member member member New New New New York York York York Stock Stock Stock Stock Exchange/SIPC Exchange/SIPC Exchange/SIPC Exchange/SIPC First Vice President, Investments Senior Vice President, Investments Financial Paraplanner Gattle’s sheets.

Chartered Retirement CARLYON CARLYON CARLYON CARLYON --STOOPS --STOOPS STOOPS STOOPS Qualified Planning Counselor FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY FAMILY FINANCIAL FINANCIAL FINANCIAL FINANCIAL PLANNING PLANNING PLANNING PLANNING Throughout these Professional™ years, the family’s ofofof of Accredited Wealth Wealth Management Specialist philosophy has always been finding the Management Advisor 13818 SOUTH WEST BAY SHORE DRIVE, TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49864 highest quality products, never know1.800.522.8745 | CARLYONFAMILY.COM Chartered Retirement ing a stranger and adding a personal Raymond James & Associates, INC., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC Planning Counselor touch to each customer interaction. when you visit the store today, 13818 SOUTH WEST BAY SHORE DRIVE, TRAVERSE CITY, And MI 49684 might just Stock see one of Henrietta’s T 800.946.3650 | F 866.522.8745 | CARLYONFAMILY.COM Raymond James & Associates, Inc., you member New York Exchange/SIPC great-great-great grandchildren hanging on the library ladder. GATTLES.COM CARLYON - STOOPS

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MyNorth.com

Trusted Resource

curiosities | up north

A Michigan Icon In 1978, Michigan Governor William Milliken declared May 23 as Gwen Frostic Day. The renowned artist, naturalist and writer passed away in 2001, but her work continues to inspire today.

BY MOLLY KORROCH | PHOTO BY DAVE WEIDNER

Gwen Frostic spent her life observing and sharing the flora and fauna of Northwest Michigan. Her block prints truly capture the spirit of the region with their simple beauty, each crafted in her rural Benzonia studio, which is still in operation today. The original Heidelberg Platen printing presses continue to produce prints, greeting cards and other paper goods. This spring, visit Gwen’s studio to find a special piece of Michigan art. (Send a card to a loved one—Mother’s Day is May 10!) 5140 River Rd., Benzonia, 231.882.5505.

GWENFROSTIC.COM

NORTHWOODS QUICHE WITH MORELS Mom will love this Up North take on a brunch staple.

INGREDIENTS 2 2 to 4 ½ to 1 cup 9-inch 1 cup

3 2 cups

slices diced bacon diced leeks diced morels unbaked pie crust grated Colby cheese (or substitute a white cheese such as Swiss or provolone) eggs milk

DIRECTIONS Sauté the bacon and set aside. Sauté the cleaned and diced leeks and morels. Arrange the crust in the pie pan and line with cheese, then layer bacon, morels and leeks. In a bowl, lightly beat eggs and milk, then pour into pie shell. Bake at 375° for about 40 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Tip: place a strip of aluminum foil over the edge of the exposed crust to prevent it from burning.

Find foraging tips for morels in this month’s Outdoors department.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

13

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authors | up north

"WHEN TRUTH MATTERED" A Conversation with Traverse City Author Bob Giles

BY ALLISON JARRELL

Bob Giles was a young newspaper editor at the Akron Beacon Journal when the Kent State University shootings occurred on May 4, 1970, leaving four students dead and nine wounded. That fateful day still haunts the nation 50 years later.

Giles and his team of journalists quickly and carefully began working to uncover the facts behind the shooting— from the moment bullets were fired at a student demonstration, through years of in-depth investigative coverage. The newsroom’s pursuit of the truth surrounding the tragedy—an event that dramatically changed the Vietnam War debate—ultimately earned the Beacon Journal a Pulitzer Prize.

Following his work in Akron, Giles went on to editorships at The Detroit News, and the Times-Union and Democrat & Chronicle in Rochester, New York, before serving as the curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University from 2000 to 2011. Today, he lives with his wife, Nancy, in Traverse City and sits on the boards of the National Writers Series and International Affairs Forum, as well as the editorial board of the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

The veteran journalist recently released a memoir, When Truth Mattered, chronicling the Beacon Journal’s efforts and the important role he feels the newsroom played in disclosing the mistakes and decisions that led to Ohio National Guardsmen shooting 13 Kent State students.

Giles is often asked about the most important story he’s covered in his 40 years as a journalist, and without fail, Kent State comes to mind. He has always been proud to be associated with the paper, but he says it wasn’t until coming to TC and hearing from authors and friends who found his story captivating that the “legacy of citizen rights and misplaced trust became apparent.”

“I became excited about the possibility of telling this story of an American tragedy from the perspective of my newspaper,” Giles says. “My research quickly revealed that most of the journalists who worked with me were gone, and I developed a keen sense of wanting to honor them and their memories by telling readers what an important contribution they had made to the critical journalist value of truth-telling.”

With daily attacks on the freedom of the press, Giles’ reflections are especially relevant today. He leaves readers in the final chapter with some advice for becoming well-informed: be wary of rumors and misinformation, trust journalists who are asking hard questions, examine records and depend on sources that know the facts. Below is an excerpt from our full Q&A with Giles: What lessons do you hope readers take away from the accounts and insights you’ve shared in your book?

When I began writing When Truth Mattered, America was in the midst of another national crisis. 1970 was a time when truth mattered, when the public tended to trust local newspapers to find out what happened and report accurately every day.

But I was writing during a time when the common dialogue had changed. Attacks on the press were everyday events. Vitriol spread by political leaders was meant to undo the independence of the press and encourage disbelief in that precious institution protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Yes, the Kent State story could stand alone. But its point that truth mattered would be lost without effective links to help news consumers learn from the truth-telling lessons of 1970 and apply those lessons to their desires to be well informed in 2020.

In the final chapter, I attempt to define what Kent State means after a half century. Here are some of the guidelines I would offer to today’s news consumers: » Be wary of rumors, misinformation and disinformation.

Seek stories where reporters check the data, inspect papers of record, talk to people in a position to know. » Welcome scrutiny of elected officials and people in powerful positions. Honest practitioners welcome probing questions. Those with something to hide try to get away with a “no comment” or a claim that a truthful story is “fake news.” » Beware of journalists bearing opinions. Watch for journalists who attempt to merge fact-finding with opinion, especially their opinions of what is true. Avoid them. » Pay attention to journalists who are knowledgeable about the topics they cover and depend on reliable sources. » Trust journalists whose stories reflect the values of objectivity. Avoid reporters whose stories are based on subjective assumptions. » Look for evidence of deep reporting anchored in asking hard questions, examining records and depending on sources that know the facts. » Beware of false equivalencies. All sides should have an appropriate voice, but not necessarily an equal voice. » Don’t fall for conspiracy theories. They are typically based on misinformation. » Be skeptical of what you hear. Careful news consumers watch, listen and read with a degree of skepticism, especially those whose beliefs and ideas match your own.

To read our full Q&A with Giles, visit MyNorth.com/Giles.

You can find "When Truth Mattered" on Amazon or at Mission Point Press, mppdistribution.com.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

15

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Local Land Wins!

THE "BIG WILD" IS GETTING BIGGER Exciting news for outdoor enthusiasts—the Elk Forest at Black River, a stunning 597acre parcel in Montmorency County, has been added to the Pigeon River Country State Forest thanks to a recent $2 million DNR land deal.

The purchase provides public access to Walled Lake, a spring-fed, 44-acre double sinkhole lake, and a smaller lake and pond nearby. Adventurers will also be able to enjoy the addition of more than a mile of the Black River, a top-quality trout stream, and a half-mile of Hardwood Creek.

The Elk Forest at Black River will be accessible from Blue Lakes Road on its west side.

Motorized vehicle use at the Elk Forest property is limited until the DNR completes a road inventory and develops an access plan with public input. Structures on the property will remain in private ownership through the end of May, and the DNR urges everyone to respect the owner’s privacy until that time.

Explore Michigan’s largest connected block of natural land in the Lower Peninsula at michigan.gov/PigeonRiverCountry. For more information, visit michigan.gov/dnr.

LAND CONSERVANCY AWARDED FOR STEWARDSHIP The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) was recently honored

by Pure Michigan for their “Campaign for Generations,” a six-year, $71.4 million campaign encompassing 29 protection and parkland sites across five Northern Michigan counties.

The program aims to boost the conservancy’s ability to steward protected lands well into the future. To date, 22 of GTRLC's 29 slated projects have been funded by the $70 million raised thus far by the campaign.

After being nominated by Traverse City Tourism, GTRLC received the honor at the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism in February. The Pure Award recognizes Michigan tourism entities that demonstrate innovative and exemplary best practices in natural, cultural and/or heritage stewardship.

“The conservancy is an essential part of what makes the Grand Traverse region unique,” says Trevor Tkach, president/CEO of Traverse City Tourism. “Protecting the diversity of our land is important work for the region, and we’re thrilled to see GTRLC honored with this well-deserved award. Their sustainable land preservation efforts allow locals and travelers alike to explore the natural spaces of Northern Michigan.” For more information, visit gtrlc.org. —Allison Jarrell

PHOTO BY TAYLOR BROWN

PHOTO COURTESY OF DNR

nature | up north

HIGH WATER UPDATE In the April issue of Traverse, I jumped the gun in thinking that Michigan Senate Bill 714 allowing homeowners to build structures without a permit had passed into law. It has not. The bill went to the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation in the Michigan House of Representatives and has not moved out of committee. “Prior to the virus there were some concerns from the administration about what the bill would eventually allow,” says Phillip Eckert, Legislative Aide to Gary Howell, Chairman of the committee. “There was a move for a substitute prior to the virus, however with everything going on, those talks are currently on hold. Talks may resume.”

Seeking clarity on exactly what homeowners should understand today about high water permits, we asked Nick Assendelft with Michigan's EGLE to write “The Impact of High Water: Five Things You Should Know.”

The article contains straightforward, valuable information including who to contact with questions. Read it at MyNorth.com/ HighWater. —Deborah Wyatt Fellows

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

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curiosities | up north

BEULAH

What’s in a Name?

Have you ever wondered how your favorite Northern Michigan towns were named?

PHOTO BY GAIL SNABLE

LAKE LEELANAU

ELK RAPIDS

In 1867, Mr. A. DeBelloy sunk a well here in hopes of striking oil, but he hit an artesian water spring instead. Located at the narrows of Carp Lake, it was called LeNaro in the early days. In 1871, it was given a post office under the name Provement, said to be a derivative of improvement. The village and post office were renamed Lake Leelanau in 1924, after the Native American word meaning “delight of life.”

EMPIRE This lumber town is the namesake of a schooner called Empire, which was icebound in the town’s harbor during the winter of 1863. The vessel also had the unique distinction of being used as a schoolhouse for the area.

PETOSKEY The Presbyterian Indian mission founded here in 1852 was called Bear Creek by Reverend Andrew Porter. When the railroad established a station here in 1873, the name was changed to Petoskey after the Chippewa chief residing there. Petoskey is said to be a corrupted form of Petosega, meaning “rising sun.” The city was incorporated in 1896.

PHOTO BY TESS CROWLEY

BEULAH

MACKINAC ISLAND

Taken from a biblical passage, this town’s name was conferred upon it by Reverend Charles E. Bailey sometime around 1880. The passage, taken from Isaiah 62:4, reads, “You shall no more be termed Forsaken and your land shall be called my Delight is in Her, and your land Beulah, that is Married.” When the town was made a station of the Ann Arbor Railroad in 1893, it was platted Crystal City because of its location at the head of Crystal Lake. However, the new name was never really accepted and it continued to be familiarly known as Beulah even before the village was officially incorporated under that name in 1932.

ELK RAPIDS Elk Rapids was the home of Antrim County’s first white man. Abram S. Wadsworth platted the village of Stevens there in 1852 but renamed it Elk Rapids when he found a pair of elk horns in the sand at the mouth of the river.

PHOTO BY GAIL SNABLE

MACKINAC ISLAND One Native American legend has it that a group of warriors watched this island rise out of the waters and that it so resembled a large turtle that they called it Mishinimakinang, or “big turtle.” French explorers spelled the word Michilimackinac, and with that, the town was given the fourth post office in the state in 1819. Its name was shortened to Mackinac Island in 1884 and it was ceded to the state in 1885 for park purposes, becoming what is today Mackinac State Historic Parks.

Reprinted from Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities by Walter Romig with the permission of the publisher. Copyright 1986 Wayne State University Press.

Available for sale at wsupress.wayne.edu/books/detail/michigan-place-names.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

19

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what to do | travel

Armchair Travel Let these books, and their beautiful Northern Michigan settings, inspire future vacations.

Recommended by Kim Schneider, Traverse Magazine’s travel writer + author of 100 Things to Do in Traverse City Before You Die (a must-read for locals and visitors alike) KIMSCHNEIDER.NET

READ: WOLF BY JIM HARRISON

READ: SPIRITS & WINE BY SUSAN NEWHOF

This novel launched Jim Harrison's storied career. Written as a memoir, it tells the tale of a man who sets out to see a wolf in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Soon after moving into their first home, a newlywed couple discovers the house, located between the towns of Ludington and Manistee, is haunted. As they investigate who these spirits might be, they learn about the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918 and wonder if it’s related…

READ: THE RECIPE BOX BY VIOLA SHIPMAN Meet Sam, who couldn't wait to get away from the family's orchard and pie shop. If you've visited Suttons Bay and Leelanau County, you can guess what happens when Sam starts wandering the orchards "dusted in pink snow" in blossom time, sampling local wine and roaming Lake Michigan's shorelines …

Bonus: recipes with every chapter.

PLAN A TRIP: Go farm-stand hopping or take a blossom drive. Taste the Local Difference offers maps by county and bounty; or just head straight up the center of the Leelanau Peninsula and let yourself get lost on back roads. localdifference.org

READ: SECRETS OF THE ASYLUM

BY LINDA HUGHES Through this mystery set in 1921, you’ll experience The Village at Grand Traverse Commons in Traverse City like you've never imagined as you see it through the eyes of a woman wrongly sent to live in the one-time psychiatric hospital, now turned urban redevelopment beauty.

PLAN A TRIP: Add an asylum tour to your Michigan bucket list. The Twilight Tour includes firsthand experiences of former staffers as part of a walking tour of completed and original spaces and underground tunnels. For the full effect, rent a room in an on-site condo fashioned from a former asylum cell. thevillagetc.com/tour

PLAN A TRIP: Join a Moosewatch Expedition, which is not at all about just moose. Researchers have made this project on stunning Isle Royale the world’s longest predator-prey study as they've examined the delicate balance between the island's wolves and moose. isleroyalewolf.org Recommended by Tina Greene-Bevington, owner of Bay Books in Suttons Bay BAYBOOKSMI.COM

READ: THE MARSH KING’S DAUGHTER

BY KAREN DIONNE

PLAN A TRIP: Manistee’s SS City of Milwaukee was designed in the 1920s.

It sailed Lake Michigan for years transporting passengers and rail traffic.

Today, the steamship operates as a floating bed and breakfast. Most visits are peaceful, complete with sunsets and a continental breakfast. But come October, the bed and breakfast shuts down and it turns into a ghost ship. The haunted boat is open on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the month.

A young girl, Helena, is raised in the remote woods of the Upper Peninsula by her disturbed father, who teaches her survival skills. More than 20 years later, Helena has escaped her past and has a loving husband and children, but when her father escapes from prison, she knows she’s the only one who can help police capture him. Keep your eye out for how Traverse Magazine plays a pivotal role in the mystery!

READ: WONDEROUS WEST SHORE

BY TODD AND BRAD REED

PLAN A TRIP: One of the significant

counties—Mason, Manistee, Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa, Kent, Benzie, Leelanau and Grand Traverse—and each one deserves a visit. Let your favorite images from the book be a starting point.

A few of our favorites, “Point Betsie Reflections” and “Top of Little Sable,” have us thinking about a late-summer lighthouse tour, and National Lighthouse Day is fittingly on August 7.

scenes in the book is set at Tahquamenon Falls. Book a site at the Rivermouth campground—site #19 is the most popular—and spend a weekend exploring the area. Ideas: hike the River Trail, rent a rowboat and go to Lower Falls Island and attend a nature program at the state park. michigan.gov/dnr

This stunning photo book by the Ludington area photographers is so popular it sold out on their website.

However, you can view small versions of the images and read each caption at toddandbradreed.com, and all photos are available for purchase.

PLAN A TRIP: The book features nine

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

21

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essay | up in michigan

A Taste of Home

BY JOHN GIFFORD

I have a fascination with almost anything well made—things produced with pride and passion, regardless of whether or not I actually need or can afford them—a simple, hand-stitched felt sleeve for my laptop; small-batch Rhum agricole from Martinique; Winslow Homer paintings. After a recent visit to Northern Michigan, I realized that I could add a bowl of chili to this list, if it’s made in Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport.

The first time I sampled this chili at the Cherry Country Café, located within the airport, I immediately detected something different about it.

It wasn’t venison or turkey or any other ingredient. Nor did eating it set my mouth on fire. It was simply the quality of the chili itself. It tasted like chili from home, prepared on the stove, in a big stockpot with a few fresh and simple ingredients: beef, beans, onions, garlic and little more. Eating it reminded me of the chili I’d enjoyed as a child; of coming in for lunch on a cold winter day to the aroma of simmering beans and beef and garlic warming the kitchen and reconstituting my frozen spirit; of the bold, savory flavors that made the gray winter days a bit warmer and brighter.

I mentioned to the women running the place that their chili was something of a revelation, tasting completely different than what I had expected from an airport café, and seemed even to be made with love. I was told that it is, indeed, home-cooked and that a “nice lady” comes in early each morning to make it—at like, 2 a.m. And in addition to her chili, she makes homemade soups.

Who does something like this at an airport eatery?

Her name is Kathy Kmotorka (pronounced Ka-ma-tor-ka) of Traverse City, and she’s been making chili and soup at the Cherry Country Café for 10 years—especially soups. All kinds of soups. These include cheesy potato (a favorite of the airport’s staff ), corn chowder, clam chowder, chicken and

wild rice, beef barley with mushroom, chicken noodle, chicken dumpling and a Wisconsin cheddar-ale soup, among many others.

“I try to keep a variety,” Kathy tells me. “There are always different soups going, especially during the summer months. There’s a lot of demand for them. I have to make three or four soups a day to keep everyone happy.”

But what about that chili? Does she really come in at 2 a.m. to make it? “I start at 3 in the morning,” she says. “I work five days a week.”

As for the chili, Kathy says it’s really very simple. She doesn’t measure anything. She browns the beef and adds onions, peppers, tomatoes, beans and spices. Then she lets it simmer until it’s steamy-hot and thick. Because Kathy doesn’t use flour, to ensure the chili is gluten-free, a thickening agent is needed.

Tomatoes are the key. In this case, it’s the pureed tomatoes. They allow the chili to thicken on its own.

Kathy’s chili is a wonderful amalgamation of ingredients and a compelling interpretation of a dish whose history can be traced back 500 years to the chile stews Spanish conquistadors sampled in 16th-century Aztec markets. An early version of chili con carne, the dish most closely associated with modern chili, was described in the early 19th century when a visitor to San Antonio, Texas, observed poor Tejanos eating a “hash” of the cheapest beef and peppers. By the end of the century, however, chili had developed a “sexy reputation,” according to Robb Walsh, author of The Chili Cookbook. Walsh writes that this belief was stoked by the notion that “spicy foods incite illicit passions,” an allure personified by the chili queens of San Antonio in the 1880s. These saleswomen who ran the chili stands in that city were one reason why chili con carne became so popular across the country.

Another reason was the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Libby O’Connell explains in The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites, that it was

here where thousands sampled this dish for the first time. By the early 1900s, as chili parlors were becoming a common sight around the country, people were enjoying chili as a supplement to other foods. Nowhere is this better illustrated than with the Coney Island hot dog (a regional variation of the generic hot dog that includes a chili topping) developed in Michigan by Greek immigrants. According to Walsh, this humble food marked a milestone in the history of chili because its success in Coney Island restaurants in places like Detroit encouraged Greek immigrants to sell chili in other areas of the country.

Kathy Kmotorka’s chili might be considered an “Up North” variant. It is wholesome, hearty and unique, considering that it’s gluten-free. No hot dog is needed for this chili to work its magic.

And it’s crucial fuel for body and soul when the north winds begin to whip off Lake Michigan and the temperature falls below freezing, or when one happens to be airport hopping across the country.

Kathy told me Cherry Country Café strives to provide food with a homemade touch, which can be difficult to find when traveling. “It gives people a cozy, homey feeling,” she says. “I think they like it.”

This traveler certainly does, which is one reason why I always look forward to visiting Traverse City.

John Gifford is a writer and photographer from Oklahoma and a frequent visitor to Northern Michigan. johngifford.net

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

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R E A L E S T A T E // 2 0 2 0

RYAN & DANIELLE

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MyNorth.com

R E A L E S T A T E // 2 0 2 0

HOME SWEET (MILLENNIAL)

HOME

MILLENNIALS—THOSE BORN BETWEEN 1981 AND 1996—HAVE BECOME THE LARGEST GENERATION ALIVE. AND THIS GENERATION THAT MANY PREDICTED WOULDN’T FOLLOW A TRADITIONAL PATH, ACTUALLY ARE: THEY’RE BUYING HOMES. NATIONAL STATISTICS SHOW THAT MILLENNIALS REPRESENT 40 PERCENT OF TODAY’S HOMEBUYERS, AND, LOCALLY, MOST REAL ESTATE AGENTS PUT THAT NUMBER HERE AT CLOSER TO 50 PERCENT. HOWEVER, THEY’RE DOING IT THEIR WAY. WE TAKE A PEEK INTO THE BUYING HABITS (AND QUANDARIES) OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN MILLENNIALS.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

25

BEN & RACHEL

BEN, MEGAN & MOLLY

MILLENIALS MAKE SMART BUYING DECISIONS BASED ON RESEARCH AND MARKET DATA THAT IS READILY AVAILABLE VIA THE INTERNET.

BILLY, ANNA & FAMILY

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R E A L E S T A T E // 2 0 2 0

TODAY’S BUYERS Holly Hack, broker and owner of EXIT Realty Paramount in Traverse City, says half of her home buyers are Millennials, having surpassed Baby Boomers. “Millennials know what they want and when they want it,” she says. “They are savvy buyers. They make smart buying decisions based on research and market data that is readily available via the internet. They are great at making informed decisions.”

PICKING AN AGENT “Even with all the technology available, that’s not to say that Millennials don’t see the value in being represented by an agent, quite the contrary,” says Meg Zammit, Realtor with Century 21 Northland in Traverse City. “They study the process and the numbers, but more so than ever, they want to be represented. They appreciate the guidance and expertise an agent brings, but they don’t want to be treated as if it’s too complicated to understand.

They want a partnership.”

Kyle Smith, 31, and his wife, Kristen, 30, started their homebuying path in Harbor Springs with the apps Zillow and Realtor until eventually, they chose a Realtor who specialized in their price range.

“The ability to receive alerts as soon as a home hit the market was huge,” Kyle says. “Especially in a market where you need to look at something ASAP and make an offer that day to have a chance.”

With the arrival of their son, Walker, and their dog, Stanley the Puppy, it was time for more space and their own home. The couple looked for six weeks and moved in three months after closing.

They moved into a four-bedroom, two-bath home about halfway between each of their jobs.

TYPES OF HOMES So, what kinds of homes are Millennials interested in?

“In general, if they are single, they want to live in town,” says Mary McLain, a mortgage loan officer for Lake Michigan Credit Union in Traverse City, who has seen a steady uptick in Millennials seeking house financing this year. “Married and having children seems to send them out into the townships more. They are finding that once they have fur babies and human babies, they need yards and elbow room.”

She’s also noticed that most Millennials’ starter homes are smaller than those of previous generations. “Even the tiny homes are interesting to some of them,” Mary says.

Holly Hack sees Millennials leaning toward homes featuring the latest gadgets. “This generation appreciates ‘Smart Home’ features such as Google Home, Nest and Ring doorbells,” she says. On the flip side, though, Holly says, they also seem to search for areas that flow together where guests and friends can gather face to face.

FINANCIAL BARRIERS There are a few common barriers for Millennials in our area, according to Holly. “They may have a shorter work history, income limitations or want to live in downtown Traverse City where real estate prices are trending upward,” she says.

Meridith Lauzon, 34, of Traverse City, agrees that it’s tough to get a toehold in the housing market. “My parents and grandparents already owned a home before age 30,” Meridith says. “My husband and I are hard-pressed to think of at least five Millennial friends who own their own home.”

She and her husband, Richard, were able to buy their first home in 2011 because of a downturn in the economy. They bought a foreclosed three-bedroom, one-bath home near Chums Corner that had sat vacant for a year. Seven years later, they were able to sell it for twice what they paid, giving them the ability to invest in their current home near Mt. Holiday—a four-bedroom, two-bath with a walkout basement.

Kyle says his generation not only faces a tight housing market, but they are also saddled with student loan debt. “Our combined student loan payments are more than half of what our monthly mortgage payments are, and our student loan debt is ‘reasonable’ compared to some of our friends,” Kyle says, adding that they lived in a mobile home to save money for a down payment.

Another Millennial, Chelsea Bay Dennis, 38, purchased her first home in 2008: a one-bedroom (three-level) condo at Building 50 in Traverse City. “I was in my mid-20s, saw what they were doing with The Village at Grand Traverse Commons and was blown away by the reuse, the community and the other opportunities they were providing for conscious businesses like Higher Grounds, Left Foot Charley and Pleasanton Bakery,” she says.

Today, she has kept the condo as a rental property and lives in a three-bedroom home in Central Neighborhood, a move that came with the arrival of her daughter, Midori, now 4.

“The myth is that people think you have to be rich to have a house, but you don’t!” Chelsea says. “I’m not rich by any means!

I just choose to direct my money differently and took a risk, knowing that it would come back around and be a part of my financial future.”

THE FUTURE Overall, it seems Millennials are finding their own path to homeownership. “Regardless of anecdotal and cultural comments about this group, I see Millennials as very fiscally responsible,” Meg says. “As a generation plagued by stagnant wages and the highest of student loan debts, they are more cautious with their timing.”

And is Gen Z right behind them? “Actually,” says Meg, “it will be really fascinating to see how Gen Z approaches home ownership and finances in the future, given their disposition to independence and autonomy.”

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REAL ESTATE HIGHLIGHT

ON THE WATER

The number one thought that comes to mind when you imagine that dream summer home or retirement property? Water, of course!

Wally Kidd, owner of Kidd & Leavy Real Estate in Petoskey, is seeing a strong market for lakefront, but the demographics of those buyers are changing. “Baby Boomers are downsizing,” he says. “They’re selling the family lake home and moving closer to town. Generation X, those 40- to 55-year-olds, are now the mainstay of lakefront buyers. They’re in the prime of their careers and the height of their earning years. It’s time to start new traditions of their own.”

Wally says lakefront properties with a small, vintage cottage will start around $100,000 on Burt and Mullet lakes, with a harrowing climb in excess of $12 million on Lake Charlevoix. “I know,” he says.

“It’s shocking!”

Overall, he advises buyers to prioritize the water and location on their piece of land. “If you want a sunset, or flat walking to the lake or a hard-packed lake bottom for the kids to enjoy, that’s your focus,” he says. “You can always remodel a home, but you can’t change the land.”

Ian Volchoff, broker with Trophy Class Real Estate covering Muskegon, Grand Haven and Cadillac, says this year’s lakefront buyers will have their eye on water. “The buying public is taking notes on how water can fluctuate throughout the decades,” Ian says. “We are set for record lake levels in 2020 again. This year’s hot buttons are going to be how did the shoreline handle the increased water levels?”

As for price ranges, Ian says small, non-all-sports lakes start around $50,000 with a small repairable cabin in more remote areas of upper Lower Michigan. Meanwhile, inland all-sports lakes run upward of $500,000 and, in very desirable areas, crest into the millions. “Lake Michigan will have its challenges this year,” he says. “Values are going to be tested with the current erosion issue.”

But in the end, he says, lake living will always be a top pick. “It’s one of the best backyards you could ever purchase,” he says.

So far, Mark Hagan, associate broker with Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors specializing in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, isn’t seeing any kind of slowdown in sales of waterfront property. Quite the opposite. “For the last several years, there was an abundance of waterfront in Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties on Lake Michigan,” Mark says. “In the last 12 months, we have sold most of what we thought was a several-years supply. The second home or vacation property market is on fire.”

And the stats back him up: From January 2019 through February 2020, the Traverse Area Association of Realtors sold 26 Lake Michigan waterfront parcels in Leelanau County, totaling $23 million. As of this writing, there are 13 Lake Michigan waterfront parcels for sale in Leelanau County, and one has an offer on it.

Likewise, from January 2019 through February 2020, the Traverse Area Association of Realtors sold 38 Lake Michigan waterfront parcels in Grand Traverse County, totaling $35 million. As of this writing, there are 22 for sale.

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YOU CAN ALWAYS REMODEL A HOME, BUT YOU CAN’T CHANGE THE LAND.

R E A L E S T A T E // 2 0 2 0

REAL ESTATE HIGHLIGHT

IN THE WOODS

For many people, Northern Michigan means fresh air, tall trees … and neighbors just out of sight. Here, we take a look at finding your perfect peace in the great outdoors. For those looking for a truly remote parcel, we start with a pro from—where else—above the bridge.

“More and more people are seeking peace and quiet, and they equate that with space, big spaces, 80 or more acres,” says Frida Waara, Realtor at RE/MAX 1st Realty in Marquette. “But what may suit most folks is not an entire section of the plat book as much as a wooded lot with distant neighbors, a year-round road, cell service and power.”

As of this writing, Frida says there are six properties currently for sale in the Upper Peninsula with 900 acres or more, but there’s an easier way to get the quiet you seek. “You can accomplish your goals, particularly when it comes to hunting and hiking, with five acres adjoining state or federal forest lands.”

Some parcels aren’t for the faint of heart. Frida once listed 40 acres that overlooked the Mulligan Plains in Marquette Country—a beautiful place but only accessible by a bridge wide enough for a four-wheeler to cross. All in a day’s work for Frida. “The bottom line is we really need to put on the skis or hiking boots and go for a walk to find that perfect parcel!” she says.

Privacy is at the heart of what Leelanau County Realtor Judy Levin hears from buyers looking for land, as well. “Living in the woods gives families privacy,” Judy says. “I hear all the time, ‘I don’t want to see my neighbor’s house.’

“Living in nature away from a big city is very appealing to city families,” Judy continues. “They like the safety and beauty of rural America, especially in our current environment. Important points are clean air, clean and fresh water, organic food and knowing your neighbors.”

Some price ranges for wooded parcels in Leelanau County include small wooded lots north of Northport for $16,000–$30,000. In Cedar, look for under $30,000, while in the Suttons Bay area, two acres can be found for $35,900, five acres starting at $50,000 and 10 acres starting at $89,900 with woods and meadows.

Ian is seeing a steady flow of buyers for acreage—but it’s not for what you might think. “I never assume only a hunter is buying big parcels,” Ian says. “More and more, we are seeing all kinds of nature lovers entering the market. Last year I sold 40 acres with a yurt and divine walking trails through the hills of Oceana County. The sellers and the new buyers were simply excited about nature.”

Many of these buyers are on the younger side. “There is a healthy trend for pre-retirement outdoor-types to get their land now, use it on the weekends and then plan their retirement build later,” he says.

Ian says areas in Lake and Manistee counties clock in at around $1,000 per acre, while areas near Traverse City, Petoskey, Charlevoix and the Lake Michigan shoreline, are up closer to $3,000–$4,000 per acre. He encourages buyers to look far and wide: “There are really nice spots that you may overlook if you get tunnel vision,” he says.

Kandace Chapple is the editor and publisher of Grand Traverse Woman Magazine. Her essays have been published in Writer’s Digest, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Literary Mama, Motherwell and more. She loves to mountain bike on Northern Michigan trails, hike with her dog, Cookie, and spend time with her husband and two sons. kandacechapple.com

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THE GIFTS OF THE NORTHERN WOODS FIND A PLACE AT OUR TABLE AS FRIENDS COMBINE THEIR TALENTS FOR A FORAGED MEAL AND NATURE-INSPIRED TABLE.

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hat happens when good friends walk a sylvan setting in the spring, learn to forage, then return to a secret garden and a table laden with freshly gathered food and flowers? You get “A Day of Foraging with Friends,” an event conceptualized and designed by Melissa Conradie, owner of Conradie Event Design, and Amy Hendrickson, owner of Amy Kate Designs.

Cottage Garden in Lake Ann was Melissa’s first and only choice for the event site. “My family has been friends with Dorina [Rudd, owner of Cottage Garden] and her family ever since I can remember,” she says. “When I was three, I thought of the property as a secret, enchanted garden, and all these years later, it still holds that same magic for me.”

The afternoon began with a foraging session led by Paul Salvatore, owner of Wild Mitten Mycology. Paul showed guests how to find morels and other edible plants native to the area, how to distinguish safe plants from poisonous ones, and how to keep warm in the woods. (See sidebar on page 35 for Paul’s tips.)

“It was unseasonably cool that day, even with the sunlight streaming through a canopy of fresh foliage,” says Kelly Newell with Serradella Vintage. “As we walked, our boots sank into a carpet of decomposing leaves left from the previous fall. Foraging baskets in hand, we left the beaten path on our search. Scanning the horizon for the right tree and just the right spot, we climbed over logs and through dead branches searching for what we knew and learning about what we did not.”

Bisson, owner of Smoke and Porter Public House, developed a dinner menu that included smoked trout toast and rabbit rillette, a bird’s nest Lyonnaise salad, herb ricotta gnocchi, smoked New York striploin topped with freshly picked morels and a spruce tip pots de crème for dessert.

Several of the courses featured ingredients foraged that day: morels, stinging nettles, cattail shoots, ramps and more.

The dining table, provided by Kelly, was dressed with cloche domes (see sidebar on page 34), fallen birch limbs, a variety of foraged mosses, a hand-woven bird’s nest, quail eggs and terrariums filled with lichen crust and British soldiers lichen. Each table setting was adorned with vintage dishes and plant-dyed napkins thoughtfully crafted by local forager Kristin Cassle. Kristin also concocted a violet simple syrup used in one the cocktails prepared by the boutique bartending company Tonic & Lime.

Amy Hendrickson and Abbey Cooper, also of Amy Kate Designs, showcased their floral designs with flowers and ferns placed in aged medicine and apothecary bottles. Wildflowers and plants picked in local woods—violets, Solomon’s seal, wild oats, bellwort and common mullein. Amy and Abbey supplemented this natural bounty with garden flowers like forget-me-nots, muscari and hellebores, along with fern and herb topiaries.

The natural light was supplemented by hand-dipped candles in heavy iron holders, oversized lanterns on wall hooks along the house and iron chandeliers hung from trees.

“Melissa and I are native to the area, and we appreciate and respect every beach, trail and backwoods that we so often visit,” Amy says. “It’s amazing to have all this beauty in our own backyards.”

Tim Cohan wrote his first article for the Lansing State Journal—for whom he’d once had a paper route—and he hasn’t stopped writing since. // Josh Hartman is an elopement and family photographer capturing authentic moments at the Sleeping Bear Dunes of Northern Michigan. JoshHartmanPhotography.com

ABOUT THE COTTAGE GARDEN GUESTHOUSE // THIS LOVELY COTTAGE IS SITUATED ON LAKEVIEW LAKE, JUST OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE OF LAKE ANN. THE PROPERTY EPITOMIZES QUAINT AND COZY. IT COMFORTABLY SLEEPS FOUR, OFFERS TWO BATHROOMS AND FEATURES AMENITIES SUCH AS AIR CONDITIONING, A FIREPLACE, CABLE TV, INTERNET AND LAUNDRY FACILITIES. FOR RATES AND AVAILABILITY INFO, CALL 231.275.6482 OR 866.460.1934 (TOLL FREE). LACOTTAGEGARDEN.COM

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BRING YOUR EVENT TO A CLOCHE Cloche domes were originally used to protect plants from cold temperatures, and eventually morphed into a home décor item. “You can put all kinds of interesting things in a cloche dome,” says Amy Hendrickson, owner of Amy Kate Designs. “You can start a seed or build a little terrarium inside. You can set one on a table or on the ground. They have a simple design that’s very flexible.”

The cloche domes Amy created for the foraging afternoon featured local mushrooms. “I used morels, oysters and other varieties that we foraged that day,” she says.

To fill out her design, Amy picked the mosses by hand, but notes they can also be purchased. “I also gathered different plant materials from the wild,” she adds, “like twigs, sticks and clumps of old wood from fallen trees. I made sure to keep the organic materials in the dome moist.”

For a burst of color, Amy chose greenhouse pansies, but of course you can use wildflowers instead; just be sure you’re not taking them from private property or picking any protected species. “There are many beautiful wildflowers in Northern Michigan, but a lot of them are endangered, and are protected by state law,” Amy explains. “Some of the most tempting are the Jack-in-the-pulpit, all native trilliums and all native orchids. You can look at them, but don’t disturb them in any way.”

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BOOKS, TREES AND TOXIC WANNABES: FIRST STEPS IN YOUR SEARCH FOR THE WILD MOREL Paul Salvatore, seasoned forager and owner of Wild Mitten Mycology, shares some pointers to get aspiring morel hunters started: •D o your research. Before heading out into the woods, take time to learn more about morels. Buy books, peruse websites. Salvatore recommends the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms as a good primer on the subject. “The taxonomy in the current edition is a little outdated,” he says, “but it has a lot of great information and beautiful color plates, and it’ll fit nicely in your pocket.” He also suggests reaching out to mushroom mavens: “Some can be secretive and proprietary, but most of us love to share our knowledge.”

• K now your trees. Morels, like many varieties of mushrooms, have a mycorrhizal relationship with certain trees: The root system of the trees shares water and nutrients with the fungi. “Most morels are found around poplars, such as the quaking aspen, and very old apple trees,” Paul says. “When you hunt morels, you should hunt those trees first.”

• L earn to spot impostors. Inexperienced foragers are fooled by false morels, a poisonous group of species that can be hard to distinguish from their safe and delicious cousins. “Always be 100 percent sure of a mushroom’s identity,” Paul stresses. “One way to tell them apart is true morels in this region are completely hollow when cut in half lengthwise, whereas the false ones have chambers.”

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NEST SALAD RECIPE! MyNorth.com/NestSalad

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Recipe GNOCCHI WITH MORELS, CATTAIL SHOOTS, ASPARAGUS, SMOKED TOMATOES AND CREAM INGREDIENTS 2 pints smoked grape tomatoes 1 cup bacon, diced 1 pound morels, cut in half and washed 8 ounces cattails, cut into 1-inch-long pieces 8 ounces asparagus, cut into 1-inch-long pieces 2 quarts gnocchi 8 ounces cream 2 tablespoons fresh herb mix (tarragon, parsley, chives) Parmesan METHOD Toss the grape tomatoes in olive oil then smoke the grape tomatoes for about one hour at 250 degrees in your smoker. If you do not have a smoker, feel free to roast under the same conditions. They will lack the smoky flavor but will still be delicious.

Render the bacon in a dab of butter at medium heat.

Once the fat has rendered out of the bacon, but before they become crispy, add the morels, cattails and asparagus. Sweat the vegetables for about three minutes, then add your cooked gnocchi and cream.

Cook until the cream has reduced to sauce consistency.

Mix in the smoked grape tomatoes and fresh herbs, toss around and plate as you wish. Grate fresh parmesan on top to finish.

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a grand opening TEXT BY GREG TASKER // PHOTOS BY GRANT PIERING

IT’S A BROADWAY HIT PRODUCTION THAT HAPPENS EVERY SPRING AT THIS VENERABLE LEGEND ON MACKINAC ISLAND, HONORING MONTHS OF BEHIND THE SCENES WORK AND ENSURING EVERY PERSON AND ITEM IS IN PLACE ON GRAND HOTEL’S OPENING DAY …

RIGHT DOWN TO THE FLOWERS.

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Grand Hotel opens this spring under new ownership.

KSL Capital Partners, LLC, a Colorado-based private equity firm that invests in travel and leisure businesses, purchased the hotel last fall from the Musser family, whose legacy with the Grand dates back more than 85 years. Dan Musser III, hotel president and the third generation of his family to run the Grand, will remain as chairman for three years, providing leadership and guidance to ensure a seamless transition and continuing to guard the hotel’s legacy. His great uncle bought the hotel in 1933; Musser’s father purchased the Grand in 1979. No changes have been announced, and the new owners have pledged to maintain the level of service and care that the Musser family has provided over the years. This article celebrates what will now become the Grand’s last opening day under the Musser family’s ownership in May 2019.

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It may be spring, but the May sky is delivering winter temperatures, as well as a constant drizzle and a blustery wind—unwelcoming elements that have stalled the completion of those famous porch accents. The white rocking chairs are in place, but the porch looks barren against the dreary landscape.

Inside, it’s a different story.

Every floor of the 332,500-squarefoot hotel is a flurry of activity. Workers touch up paint along stairways, in guest rooms and the main dining room. Supervisors test new employees on their knowledge of hotel amenities, while the cleaning staff makes beds, vacuums and ensures guests’ rooms are properly stocked.

Some 150,000 overnight guests will stay at the iconic hotel this season, its 133rd summer. Opening the massive hotel each year is a huge undertaking, involving the hiring and training of hundreds of new workers, transporting supplies, construction materials and new furniture by ferry from the mainland, completing a multitude of renovation and maintenance projects (and sometimes new construction), creating new menus and restocking the hotel’s impressive wine cellar, typically emptied at the end of every season.

About 800 guests are expected for the opening weekend. The hotel, which originally housed 200 guest rooms on two floors and employees on the third, now boasts 397 rooms and suites on four floors. Its ever-expanding operations include an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, gift shops, outdoor activities, bars, an ice cream shop, on- and offpremise restaurants and meeting spaces.

Preparing for the official opening in May begins months before and reaches

a crescendo as the day approaches. “It’s always a hive of busy activity,” explains Dan Musser III, president of Grand Hotel, whose family has been running the hotel for three generations. “We have lots of returning staff members and new staff coming in every day. We have salespeople of all types coming to talk about the food and supplies we buy. There’s a general excitement about getting ready to open for the season. It feels a bit like Christmas, and the biggest present of the year is when we open.”

WINTER’S WORK

As soon as the hotel closes down for the season in late October, preparation for the next spring begins. The hotel, like much of the island, is shuttered for the winter: The heat and water are turned off and sheets are draped over furniture in public areas. But then, a new season of work begins. Musser and his team operate off a punch list of things that need to be completed before next spring; painting, wallpapering, carpeting, installing contemporary showers in a number of guest bathrooms and replacing outdated bathtubs/showers.

Rooms targeted for painting and renovations are cleared and the furniture stored. About 60 workers frequent the Grand every day, working on these projects, which this winter, included a new elevator and four new suites.

Construction on the suites began immediately after the hotel closed last fall. The suites are the final phase of a multi-year project to transform the hotel’s fourth floor, formerly attic space and employee housing. The one- and two-bedroom suites, called Cupola Suites, were decorated by the hotel’s

famous longtime interior designer, Carleton Varney of Dorothy Draper & Co. in New York. “They were a dream of mine and my dad’s for years,” Musser says proudly. “They make a wonderful addition to the hotel.”

With the now-finished Cupola Suites, the hotel’s original 1887 roofline has been restored with a row of dormers lining the entire length of the roof.

Another in a long line of expansions over the years is completed. Built in just 93 days, the Grand opened for two months that first year, renting rooms for $3 to $5 a night. The hotel cost $250,000 to build and $300,000 to furnish. The interior was elegant but simple, furnished with modest Shaker furniture, void of the bright colors that are the hotel’s trademark today.

Now the winter’s work is almost done as opening day approaches. In a guest room across from one of the new suites, Tom Boburka spackles a small hole in the ceiling, created because of redirecting pipes for the new accommodations. Boburka figures he’s been logging 12 hours a day for the past two weeks, but he has no complaints. “I love taking care of the old girl,” says Boburka, who has been working for Grand Hotel for six years. “It’s an honor.”

More workers began returning in March only to find massive amounts of snow covering the roofs of resort buildings after one of the snowiest winters in recent memory. Workers spent about two weeks removing snow from roofs and hauling it down the hill, near the swimming pool. Two days before the official opening, snow piles were still visible.

AT LEFT, CLOCKWISE: INSTALLING THE TRADITIONAL RED CARPET / DAN MUSSER III, CHAIRMAN / CUPOLA SUITES, DECORATED BY THE HOTEL’S FAMOUS LONGTIME INTERIOR DESIGNER, CARLETON VARNEY OF DOROTHY DRAPER & CO / TOM BOBURKA’S SIXTH YEAR CARING FOR THE GRAND / PLANTING THE SIGNATURE RED GERANIUMS

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TAKE A LOOK BACK at the inaugural dinner held at Grand Hotel more than a century ago.

MyNorth.com/AGrandDinner

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MEET THE LEGENDARY INTERIOR DESIGNER, CARLETON VARNEY who is responsible for Grand Hotel’s extraordinary look. MyNorth.com/Varney

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“Winter made this year’s opening more stressful,” says Ken Hayward, executive vice president and managing director of the hotel. “We have a lot of flat roofs. We needed to get the weight load off the hotel. It really diverted the attention of our crew.”

Winter’s lingering grip is often a concern. A few years ago, ice covered the Straits of Mackinac as opening day neared, preventing ferries from transporting employees and supplies from the mainland. Typically, supplies arrive by ferry and are hauled by horsedrawn drays to the hotel. That year, the hotel was forced to fly employees and supplies to the island, an expensive endeavor. Musser was on the phone with the governor every day that year, lobbying for the state to send a cutter to break the ice so ferry service could resume. One of his concerns was to make sure his paying guests had access to the island.

“Our guests are paying to come here, and some are just not comfortable flying,” Musser says, noting a cutter passed through the Straits just in time. “Every year it’s something different. That’s the challenge and the thrill of it.”

RETURN IN APRIL

By early April, veteran and new employees begin returning to the island, settling into employee housing and starting to train.

The Grand Hotel chef has a mostly new kitchen crew; they’ve been busy preparing sauces and staples like mushroom ravioli, freezing them in advance of the hundreds of guests who will enjoy five-course dinners and other meals in the picturesque dining room overlooking the front porch. As the season unfolds, the culinary staff will number as many as 100 workers, preparing up to 4,000 meals a day. Much of

the prep work and baking will occur overnight, with the kitchen running 24 hours a day.

Master Sommelier and wine director Elizabeth Schweitzer has returned from wintering in California, and her global travels to restock the wine cellar and create a new wine list, with some 500 wines from around the world, including Michigan.

Among the newcomers at the hotel this season is Mitchell Robinson, dressed in khaki pants, a blue blazer and a yellow tie and stationed by the new concierge desk. He is eager to assist guests during the hotel’s soft opening, which begins the Monday before the official Friday opening.

“There’s a lot of training to understand how things work and what everybody, from the front desk to the bellhops to the concierge does,” he says, admitting he’s made a few mistakes and learned from them. “I love every bit of being here,” Robinson says. “I love this place.”

An employee-wide meeting is held before the official opening. The hotel has about 700 employees this season, many of them working at the Grand for the first time. They come from more than two dozen countries.

Musser and Hayward reiterate the importance of customer service. “No one is expected to be perfect on day one,” Hayward says. “But they need to be friendly and welcoming. It’s a lot about attitude. Our philosophy is to treat guests like you’re welcoming them into your home.”

says Nehemiah “Neo” Brown, who has been hired as a bellhop for the 2019 season: It’s his first job. “It’s definitely exciting to be here.”

Guests will arrive by ferry the next day, check in, enjoy high tea in the parlor, as always, and dine and drink at the hotel’s restaurants and bars. With the weather expecting to clear and warm up by the weekend, the front nine of the golf course will be open as well as the four tennis courts.

“We sell a summer experience here, not just room and board,” says Bob Tagatz, the hotel’s long-time historian.

“But everything has to be in place and ready to go. It’s a little bit like putting on a play and the hotel is the stage.

It’s not just a play but a Broadway production.”

A production nearly ready to go, waiting for the last props to be put in place, namely the 1,375 geraniums along the 660-foot-long front porch and the red carpet at the main entrance.

“We’ve never not opened,” says a confident Musser about the 2019 season. He began his career here in high school by raking sand traps on the golf course and later advancing to become a bellhop, bartender and front desk clerk before assuming managerial roles.

“We change the carpet every year.

It’s typically the last thing we do,” he adds. “We’ll be ready to go.”

THE FINAL STAGE

Greg Tasker is a Traverse City-based freelance writer and works part time at a winery on the Leelanau Peninsula. // Grant Piering is a Traverse City-based adventure-lifestyle photographer and videographer showcasing organic experiences and memories. grantpiering.com

By late morning on that final day before the official opening, the anticipation about the new season is palpable everywhere in the building. “I’m a little bit nervous but I think I’m prepared,”

At the time of publication, Grand Hotel is delaying the start of its 134th season due to COVID-19, moving its opening day from May 1 to May 22, 2020.

AT LEFT, CLOCKWISE: THE HEART OF THE WOODFILL CONFERENCE CENTER, THE THEATER IS GRAND HOTEL’S LARGEST AND MOST FLEXIBLE MEETING ROOM / PREP WORK BEGINS IN THE GRAND HOTEL KITCHEN / PAINTING THE STAIRWELL / BELLMAN, NEHEMIAH “NEO” BROWN / MASTER SOMMELIER AND WINE DIRECTOR ELIZABETH SCHWEITZER

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Lake Superior MACKINAC ISLAND

Lak eM

Lak eH ur

on

an g i ich

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DAVE WEIDNER

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ROUTE 1: OLD MISSION PENINSULA

Reverend Peter Dougherty planted the area's first cherry tree on Old Mission Peninsula in 1852, and one of the state's most bountiful blossom drives—a straight shot on M-37 to the peninsula's end—can fittingly include an audio tour of the house he built in 1842 and a nearby log church.

Between blossom sniffs and photos, stop and see Mission Point Lighthouse and hit up the Old Mission General Store for funky antiques and reproductions, pie and aged cheddar. Then make a few stops along the peninsula's noteworthy wine trail. Hilltop beauty Chateau Chantal offers views of bays and blossoms, or drink in the view from Bonobo's wide patio.

ROUTE 2: LEELANAU COUNTY

The county's heart is agriculture, but this farm- and field-focused route, which starts and ends in the village of Lake Leelanau, has bright blue lake views, too. Pedaling Beans offers coffee and treats to go, or pick up Indian food at NJ’s Grocery for a picnic with lake-gazing at Township Park,

located next to the Lake Leelanau DNR boat ramp when you head north on Eagle Highway. The route meanders near Blustone Vineyards and Aurora Cellars—both notable for wine and blossom views—and when you intersect M-22 and head south, you can mix it up with a hike. You'll find wildflowers in bouquet-style quantity at Houdek Dunes Natural Area.

ROUTE 3: ELK RAPIDS

This 14-mile route along Elk Lake and the region's back roads leads to blossoms by the thousands. You’ll start and end in Elk Rapids, home to some of the area's best dining at Siren Hall and Pearl's New Orleans Kitchen (get gourmet takeout for the road at Cellar 152). Follow the backroad twists and turns for maximum orchard viewing, and stop to stretch at Petobego Creek Natural Area along Angell Road and Twisted Fish Gallery on US-31. Back in town, swing by Ethanology for a bottle of spirits to-go. The local distillery sources all of its ingredients from a 33-mile radius.

ROUTE 4: EASTPORT, CENTRAL LAKE AND TORCH

Barnes Park, your start and endpoint, is where to head for both sunsets and Petoskey stone hunting. But do follow the route heading north and east for stops at the Forest Home Township Family Park at the north end of stunning Torch Lake and M-88’s Providence Farm, where the housemade chai is locally famous and you can pick up organic vegetables while watching cute farm animals play. King Orchards is a must-stop, and plan to spend extra time in Central Lake. Mammoth Distillery opened here in 2016, but shoppers also love the Adams Madams boutique and Bachmann's Store, where you'll find old-fashioned candy, Slinky's and Magic 8-Balls.

Kim Schneider is a long-time travel writer specializing in Michigan adventures, food and wine. The Midwest Travel Journalist Association has named her Mark Twain Travel Writer of the Year, and she’s the author of 100 Things to Do in Traverse City Before You Die. kimschneider.net

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NORTHERN MICHIGAN DELIVERED,

WHEREVER YOU ARE!

Subscribe to a Digital Edition of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine for just $9.95 and read about life Up North from around the world, on any device.

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Dining

RESTAURANT GUIDE | LOCAL TABLE | DRINKS

TEXT BY CARLY SIMPSON

An Ode to Rhubarb

May and June are the months to revel in rhubarb!

May and June bring bright stalks of tart rhubarb to our gardens, signaling the start of a short but beloved baking season filled with pies, crisps, bars, sauces and jams. The celery-like stalks are prized for their mouth-puckering, tangy flavor, which becomes more delicate when cooked and complements sweet breads and desserts.

Because rhubarb is often used as fruit, it earned the nickname “pie plant,” but it’s actually a member of the buckwheat family and so, a vegetable. The herbaceous perennial thrives in cool, damp, Northern climates like ours.

Read on this month as we savor each pink stalk.

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VIRTUALEVENTS Visit these local organizations’ websites for virtual events: THE STATE & BIJOU THEATRE

www.stateandbijou.org/news-items/home-cinema-how-faq

BOOMERS BOOTCAMP

www.boomersbootcamptc.com

M. WELLNESS FITNESS & NUTRITION - STAY TWISTED www.facebook.com/getwellmwellness

GRAND TRAVERSE CONSERVATION DISTRICT www.natureiscalling.org

GREAT LAKES CHILDREN’S MUSEUM www.greatlakeskids.org

HANDZ ON ART

www.facebook.com/TCHandzOnArt

MYNORTHTICKETS.COM // 800.836.0717 // 125 PARK STREET // TRAVERSE CITY MyNorth is home of MyNorthTickets and Traverse Magazine

ode to rhubarb | dining

RECIPE BY MEAGAN ALVARADO YIELDS TWO SINGLE CRUSTS OR ONE DOUBLE CRUST INGREDIENTS

Pie Crust

2

cups flour

K teaspoon salt O cup Crisco K cup ice-cold water

METHOD Cut flour, salt and shortening with pastry wire until crumbly. Slowly sprinkle ice-cold water over flour mixture, pausing to mix until dough forms. Gently form into a ball. Split dough in half to yield two crusts. *For single crust (used for cream pies or fresh berry pie): place crust in pie dish and pinch edges. Place pie weights (or dry beans) on crust and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

Rhubarb Custard Pie

RECIPE BY MEAGAN ALVARADO

PHOTO BY TODD ZAWISTOWSKI

INGREDIENTS 3

eggs

2

cups sugar

4

tablespoons flour

6

tablespoons milk

8

ounce can crushed pineapple (not drained)

4

cups rhubarb (chopped into ¾-inch pieces)

1

tablespoon butter

METHOD Mix eggs, sugar, flour, 3 tablespoons of milk and pineapple. Add rhubarb to mixture. Pour into one unbaked pie crust (recipe above). Use additional pie crust to cut strips and weave lattice carefully over the top of the pie. Crimp edges. Melt the butter into the remaining 3 tablespoons of milk and brush over the lattice crust. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

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dining | restaurant guide

Find Northern Michigan Restaurants Offering Takeout During COVID-19 Pandemic at MyNorth.com/Takeout | WATER VIEW

Mitchell Street Pub and Café Classic pub with fresh peanuts, fantastic nachos, Maurice salad, patty melts. LD • BAR • $-$$ 426 E. MITCHELL ST., PETOSKEY, 231. 347.1801

New York Restaurant Looks like the East Coast, tastes like heaven. D • BAR • $$-$$$ CORNER OF STATE AND BAY, HARBOR SPRINGS, 231. 526.1904

Palette Bistro Little Traverse Bay views with casual upscale dining, outdoor seating and an evolving seasonal menu. Wine bar, weekend brunch and popular happy hour. LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 321 BAY ST., PETOSKEY, 231.348.3321 Pour Public House Charcuterie, gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups, bruschetta. LD • BAR • $-$$ 422 E MITCHELL ST., PETOSKEY,

BLD | BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER

231.881.9800

BAR | ALCOHOL SERVED

Roast & Toast Hip coffeehouse with daily house-made soups, bread, bakery items and salads. On-site coffee roasting.

A consistent MyNorth Red Hot Best winner. BLD • $ 309 E. LAKE

$ | ENTRÉES INDER $10 $$ | $10-20 $$$ | ABOVE $20

PETOSKEY & MACKINAC STRAITS ALANSON/BAY HARBOR/INDIAN RIVER Dutch Oven Café and Deli French toast and farmers omelet stratas, sandwiches on famous homemade bread. BL • $ 7611 U.S. 31, ALANSON, 231.548.2231

Knot Just a Bar Contemporary sports and oyster bar perched on the Bay Harbor marina. B • $ 4165 MAIN STREET, BAY HARBOR, 231.439.9989

Original Pancake House Crepes, waffles, pancakes, omelettes, egg specialties. LD • BAR • $-$$ 840 FRONT ST., BAY HARBOR, 231.439.2770

NEW The Queens Head Wine pub serving wine, spirits and

draft beer along with delectable pub fare. LD • BAR • $ 250 N. HURON ST., CHEBOYGAN, 231.445.7101

Vintage Chophouse/ Wine Bar All-American steakhouse flavored with retro sophistication. LD • BAR • $-$$$

INN AT BAY HARBOR AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION, 3600 VILLAGE HARBOR DR., BAY HARBOR, 231.439.4051

Vivio’s Northwood Inn Locals love this cozy, rustic, wildlifedecorated log cabin with Italian cuisine and specialty pizzas.

LD • BAR • $-$$ 4531 S. STRAITS HWY., INDIAN RIVER, 231.238.9471

CROSS VILLAGE/HARBOR SPRINGS/ PELLSTON/PETOSKEY Barrel Back Smoked pork tacos, chopped salads, gourmet pizza and pasta, grilled beef tenderloin and more. Over 20 craft beers on tap and signature cocktails. LD • BAR $-$$$ 04069 M75, WALLOON LAKE, 231.535.6000

Beards Brewery Pizza, burgers, salads, wings and culinary surprises including pho. LD • BAR $$ 215 E LAKE ST. PETOSKEY, 231.753.2221

The Bistro Local favorite for saucer-sized homemade pancakes, home-cooked comfort food and soups like carrot bisque and chicken ’n’ dumpling. BL • $ 423 MICHIGAN ST., PETOSKEY, 231.347.5583

Boyne Highlands Main Dining Room—Casual American with Scottish influences. Focus on fresh, seasonal, local ingredients.

Seminole Pub. BLD • BAR • $–$$ 600 HIGHLANDS DR., HARBOR SPRINGS, 231.526.3000

Chandler’s Brick-walled and -floored dining inside or on the patio offers two ways to savor this art-filled eatery’s upscale menu. LD • BAR • $-$$$ 215 HOWARD ST., PETOSKEY, BELOW SYMONS GENERAL STORE, 231.347.2981

City Park Grill Hemingway drank at the massive mahogany bar in this casual spot. Scratch cuisine, wood grill, hand-cut steaks, pastas, fresh whitefish, and live entertainment. LD • BAR • $$ 432 E. LAKE, PETOSKEY, 231.347.0101

Jose’s Authentic taqueria with made-to-order Mex. LD • $ 309 PETOSKEY ST., PETOSKEY, 231.348.3299

Julienne Tomatoes Fresh sandwiches, comfort food, and homemade pastries like lemon raspberry bars, banana caramel flan. BL • $ 421 HOWARD ST., PETOSKEY, 231.439.9250

STREET, PETOSKEY, 231.347.7767

Sam’s Graces Café & Bakery Artisanal bakery and brick oven pizzeria. BL • $ 3393 STATE ST., HARBOR SPRINGS, 231.242.1230 Side Door Saloon Excellent sandwiches, quesadillas, steak, whitefish and pastas. LD • BAR • $ 1200 N. U.S. 31, PETOSKEY, 231. 347.9291

MyNorth.com

the glass and bottle, classic cocktails, Michigan craft beer and small plates. LD • BAR • $$ 123 WATER ST., BOYNE CITY, 231.582.2151 Red Mesa Grill Colorful decor and creative Latin American cuisine with Costa Rican and Argentinean influences punctuate this lively spot. LD • BAR • $$ 117 WATER ST., BOYNE CITY, 231.582.0049

Stiggs Brewery Hand-crafted brews, from-scratch food like whitefish cakes, bourbon chicken sandwich, top sirloin wagyu steak. LD • BAR $-$$ 112 S. PARK ST., BOYNE CITY, 231.497.6100 Shanty Creek Resort Lakeview—Innovative regional cuisine at Shanty Creek Resort with a view of Lake Bellaire. Breakfast, lunch & dinner. The River Bistro—Breakfast buffet, sandwiches, pizzas and 45 regional beers on tap; Arnie’s at the Summit—Breakfast, Lunch, (spring-fall) Ivan’s Mountainside Gril—Schuss Village-Pub food. BLD • BAR 1 SHANTY CREEK RD. (M-88), BELLAIRE, 800.678.4111

Short’s Brewing Co. Sip Joe Short’s fabulous brew, and dine from the deli menu in a renovated hardware store. LD • BAR • $ 121 N. BRIDGE ST., BELLAIRE, 231.533.6622

Terrain Restaurant Honest yet ambitious contemporary American food with a focus on local ingredients. D • BAR • $$ 213 N BRIDGE ST., BELLAIRE, 231.350.7301

Stafford’s Bay View Inn Gracious 1886 inn with a big veranda, glorious gardens and bay view, American fare. Sun. brunch. BLD • $$-$$$ 2011 WOODLAND, PETOSKEY, 231347.2771 Stafford’s Perry Hotel Circa-1899 hotel with a wraparound front porch and killer views of Little Traverse Bay. LD

Torch Riviera Pasta, seafood, steaks, ribs, pizza. D • BAR • $$

Stafford’s Pier Regional cuisine. Pointer Room—fresh seafood. LD • BAR • $$ Dudley’s Deck—LD • BAR • $$ Chart Room—D • BAR • $$ 102 BAY ST., HARBOR SPRINGS, 231.526.6201 Tap30 Pourhouse Inventive sliders, award-winning chili, Frito pie and more along with 30 beers on tap. LD • BAR • $

CENTRAL LAKE/CHARLEVOIX/ EAST JORDAN/ELLSWORTH

• BAR • $$–$$$ CORNER OF BAY & LEWIS, PETOSKEY, 231.347.4000

422 E MITCHELL ST., PETOSKEY, 231.881.9572

Terrace Inn Planked whitefish and housemade desserts in a Victorian setting. D • BAR • $$ 1549 GLENDALE, PETOSKEY, 231.347.2410

Thai Orchid Cuisine Outstandingly fresh and authentic noodles, curries and salads. LD • $-$$ 433 E. MITCHELL ST., PETOSKEY, 231.487.9900

Villa Ristorante Italiano Chianti bottles hang from stucco walls and authentic handmade pasta, osso bucco and handrolled cannoli star. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 887 SPRING ST., PETOSKEY, 231.347.1440

Willow Inspired farm-to-table modern American cuisine with global wine and craft cocktail bar. D • BAR • $$ 129 EAST BAY ST., HARBOR SPRINGS, 231.412.6032

CHARLEVOIX & CHAIN OF LAKES BELLAIRE/BOYNE COUNTRY/WALLOON Boyne City Taproom Craft beer, wood-fired pizzas, wraps, burgers. LD • BAR • $-$$ 220 S. LAKE ST., BOYNE CITY, 231.459.4487 Boyne Mountain Resort Everett’s Restaurant & Lounge—Elegantly prepared fish and game dishes. BLD • BAR • $-$$$; Eriksen’s—Stunning view of the slopes and menu with Austrian and German touches. BLD • BAR • $-$$; Forty Acre Tavern— American pub fare with an extensive beer list. LD • BAR • $-$$ ONE BOYNE MOUNTAIN RD., BOYNE FALLS. 844.732.6875

Café Santé Beside Lake Charlevoix featuring bistro classics. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 1 WATER ST., BOYNE CITY, 231.582.8800 Corner Bistro French-inspired small plates, classic cocktails, wine, beer, Sunday brunch. LD • BAR • $-$$ 102 N. BRIDGE ST., BELLAIRE, 231.350.7344

Friske Orchards Cafe Cheerful roadside restaurant features farm-fresh breakfasts, homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, and a bakery. BL • $ 10743 U.S. 31 S., ATWOOD, 231.599.2604 Lake Street Pub American pub with outdoor patio and firepit, BYO mac ‘n’ cheese, cocktails, 26 beers on tap. LD • $ 202 S. LAKE ST., BOYNE CITY, 231.497.6031

Pelican's Nest Gourmet burgers, smoked ribs, sandwiches, salads and homemade desserts. D • BAR $-$$ 5085 SHANTY CREEK RD, BELLAIRE, 231.533.9000

60

NEW Provisions Wine Lounge Sommelier curated wines by

12899 CHERRY AVE., RAPID CITY, 231.322.4100

Walloon Lake Inn Exceptional culinary skills play out in a newly renovated, century-old pine-paneled lakeside lodge. D

• BAR • $$-$$$ 4178 WEST ST., WALLOON LAKE VILLAGE, 231.535.2999

Bridge Street Taproom Michigan craft brews, beerfriendly small plates, local charcuterie and bird’s-eye views of the yacht traffic on Round Lake. D L • BAR • $-$$ 202 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.437.3466

The Cantina Tacos and tequila with indoor and outdoor seating. Live entertainment. LD • BAR • $-$$ 101 VAN PELT PLACE, CHARLEVOIX, 231.437.3612

Charlevoix Pizza Company Scratch-made dough, fresh ingredients, golden crust, prepared daily. Plus, cheesy bread and wings. LD • $-$$ 311 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.437.6300 East Park Tavern French-influenced American cuisine featuring prime rib, John Cross Whitefish and specialty cocktails at the Quay Restaurant and Terrace Bar in Charlevoix. LD • BAR • $$–$$$ 307 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.547.7450

Esperance Gourmets will adore dishes prepared with dazzling technique in this specialty food and wine shop. D • $-$$$ 12853 U.S. 31 N., CHARLEVOIX, 231.237.9300

That French Place Authentic French creperie and ice cream shop. BLD • $ 212 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.437.6037 Grey Gables Inn Graceful, intimate, Victorian atmosphere across from the harbor. D • BAR • $–$$$ 308 BELVEDERE, CHARLEVOIX, 231.547.9261

Lake Charlevoix Brewing Co. Craft brewery with good eats—grilled cheese sammies, tacos, quesadillas and beef jerky. LD • BAR • $-$$ 111 BRIDGE PARK DR., CHARLEVOIX, 231.437.3220

Pigs Eatin’ Ribs Real smokehouse with mouthwatering BBQ. Weekend breakfast. BLD • $-$$ 1418 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.547.7447

Rowe Inn A unique fresh and from-scratch dining experience that has stood the test of time. D • BAR •$$$ 6303 E. JORDAN RD., ELLSWORTH, 231.588.7351

Scovie’s Gourmet Fresh salads, sandwiches, soups and baked goods star here. Dinner is bistro-style comfort food. LD • $-$$ 111 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.237.7827

Stafford’s Weathervane Local fish, seafood and regional cuisine in a Hobbit-style Earl Young stone structure with a massive fireplace overlooking the Pine River Channel. LD • BAR • $$ 106 PINE RIVER LN., CHARLEVOIX, 231.547.4311

Terry’s Place Small white-tablecloth eatery with a high tin ceiling. Try the perch or filet mignon. Mouthwatering. D • BAR

• $$ 112 ANTRIM ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.547.2799

restaurant guide | dining Torch Lake Cafe Inventive, ultra-fresh cuisine with sharable options like the seafood platter with black garlic butter. Or devour an elevated fried bologna sandwich with pickled green tomato and house Dijon all on your own... BLD • BAR • $-$$$ 4990 US31 N, CENTRAL LAKE, 231.599.1111

Villager Pub ’50s atmosphere, whitefish, Mexican, ribs, sandwiches and pizza. LD • BAR • $-$$ 427 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.547.6925

ELK RAPIDS/GAYLORD/GRAYLING/MANCELONA Chef Charles’ Culinary Institute of America-trained Chef Charles Egeler makes gourmet pizzas, Ligurian-style takeout pesto, salads and sandwiches in a classic pizzeria. LD • $ 147 RIVER ST., ELK RAPIDS, 231.264.8901

Cellar 152 Gourmet meals to take out or eat in a wine bar on the Elk River. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 152 RIVER ST., ELK RAPIDS, 231.264.9000

The Local All-American breakfast and lunch done better. BL • $$ 145 AMES ST., ELK RAPIDS, 231.498.2190

Boone Dock’s Log lodge with roomy deck, shrimp, burgers, steaks. LD • BAR • $$ 5858 MANITOU, GLEN ARBOR, 231.334.6444 Boone’s Prime Time Pub Seafood, steaks and burgers in a cozy cabin with a fireplace and a lively, friendly wait staff. LD •

GRAND TRAVERSE AREA

Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse Great burgers, hand-cut fries, Sicilian-style pizza. Curling in the winter. LD • BAR • $ 172

231.275.6401

Dick’s Pour House Homemade soups and pies, sandwiches, pizza. LD • BAR • $-$$ 103 W. PHILIP ST., LAKE LEELANAU,

LOCHEN, 231.275.3005

BAR • $$ 102 ST. JOSEPH, SUTTONS BAY, 231.271.6688

W BURDICKVILLE RD., MAPLE CITY, 231.228.8869

231.256.9912

Fig's Sandwiches, breakfasts, salads homemade with local ingredients. Great selection of vegetarian dishes. BL • $$ 202 WEST MAIN STREET, LAKE LEELANAU, 231.256.7720

Fischer’s Happy Hour Tavern Rustic family-style roadhouse known for burgers, soups and raspberry pie in season.

Paddle Hard Brewing A fun-loving community hangout with artisan tacos, pizzas and brews. LD • BAR 227 E MICHIGAN AVE., GRAYLING, 989.745.6388

Spike’s Keg O’ Nails An Up North classic for burgers since 1933. LD • BAR $ 301 N. JAMES ST., GRAYLING, 989.348.7113 Tap Room 32 Twenty handles of Michigan craft beers and a menu of modern brew-friendly vittles like truffle fries and Korean beef tacos. D • $$ 141 NORTH COURT AVE., GAYLORD, 989.748.8552

The Old Depot 1900s train depot features homestyle burgers, steaks, chops, prime rib, seafood, pies and pastries. BLD • $$ 10826 M-32 E., JOHANNESBURG, 989.732.3115

Sugar Bowl Restaurant This vintage 1919 eatery serves whitefish, prime rib and Greek specialties. BLD • BAR • $$-$$$ 216 W. MAIN ST., GAYLORD, 989.732.5524

Treetops Sylvan Resort Hunters Grille, & Sports Bar. Steak, burgers, ribs, pasta, signature pizza, chicken, fish and glutenfree selections. Featuring a selection of 100 Michigan craft beer, wines, fabulous martinis. BLD • BAR • $-$$$ WILKINSON RD., GAYLORD, 800.444.6711

Shirley’s Café An ultra-friendly, all-homemade oasis. BLD • $ 528 S. WILLIAMS ST., MANCELONA, 231.587.1210

LEELANAU COUNTY 45th Parallel Cafe Artsy spot with creative breakfast and lunch. BL • $-$$ 102 S. BROADWAY, SUTTONS BAY, 231.271.2233 Art’s Tavern Burgers, whitefish, steaks, Mexican and pizza.

Smelt year-round at this legendary watering hole. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 6487 W. WESTERN AVE., GLEN ARBOR, 231.334.3754

Blu Exquisite regional cuisine from chef Randy Chamberlain in an intimate setting on Sleeping Bear Bay. D • BAR • $$$$ LAKE ST., GLEN ARBOR, 231.334.2530

The Bluebird A mainstay for locals and boaters since 1927. Specialties: cinnamon rolls, whitefish, seafood, steak, pasta, creative ethnic feasts during the off-season. Sun. brunch. LD • BAR $$ 102 E. RIVER ST., LELAND, 231.256.9081 Big Cat Brewing Company Casual brewery serving comfort food classics including pot roast, French toast and Grandma Ackley’s Carrot Cake. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 8699 S. GOOD HARBOR TR., CEDAR, 231.228.2282

CHEN, 231.276.6979

Judson Market and Restaurant Newly re-branded market and restaurant offering house-made and local items. Glutenfree, vegetarian, full bar. BLD • BAR • $$ 211 E. MAIN ST., KINGSLEY,

OLD MISSION PENINSULA

Hearth & Vine Café at Black Star Farms Farm-to-table menu that pairs with Black Star Farm’s wine, cider and craft cocktails. LD • BAR • $-$$ 10844 E REVOLD RD., SUTTONS BAY,

PENINSULA DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.223.4333

231.944.1297

27, GAYLORD, 989.732.9288

Hofbrau Lively cedar-paneled former general store serves locals and Interlochen performers. Steak, seafood, bluegill and barbecue. Sun. brunch. LD • BAR • $-$$ 2784 M-137, INTERLO-

Funistrada Casual trattoria features Italian specialties such as veal saltimbocca and lasagna. D • BAR • $$ 4566 MCFAR-

Siren Hall Sup on classics such as short ribs, steak frites, fresh-off-the-plane fruits de mer and homey sides like risotto “tots” and bleu cheese green beans. LD • BAR • $-$$$ 151 RIVER Bennethum’s Northern Inn Fresh eclectic cuisine and updated regional favorites in a cozy Northwoods setting. Creative kids menu, Sun. brunch. LD • BAR • $-$$$ 3917 SOUTH OLD

Dilbert’s Soups, sandwiches, omelets and other home cooking served in a homey atmosphere. BLD • $ 11303 U.S. 31, INTER-

231.263.8120

LANE, MAPLE CITY/BURDICKVILLE, 231.334.3900

ST., ELK RAPIDS, 231. 264.6062

Bradley’s Pub & Grille Burgers, ribs, bluegill, brisket, trout and so much more. LD BAR • $-$$ 10586 US31, INTERLOCHEN,

LD • BAR • $ 7144 N. M-22, BETWEEN NORTHPORT AND LELAND, 231.386.9923

Pearl’s New Orleans Kitchen Every day’s Mardi Gras at this festive spot, where Cajun, Creole, seafood, sandwiches and big brunches accompany lively zydeco, jazz and blues. LD • BAR • $-$$ 617 AMES, ELK RAPIDS, 231.264.0530

INTERLOCHEN/KINGLSEY

The Homestead Nonna’s Restaurant—Classically inspired, contemporary Italian cuisine. D • BAR $$-$$$ Beppi’s Sports Bar—Hand-tossed pizzas, paninis and salads. D • BAR • $-$$ 1 WOODRIDGE RD. (OFF M-22), GLEN ARBOR, 231.334.5000

Jolly Pumpkin Wood-fired steaks, fresh fish, and artisan pizzas along with fresh ales crafted on site. LD • BAR • $$ 13512 OLD Mission Table Farm-to-table restaurant serving seasonal, locally sourced fare and craft cocktails. D THURSDAY,

FRIDAY & SATURDAY 5PM–9PM • BAR • $-$$ 13512 PENINSULA DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.223.4222

Old Mission Tavern Prime rib, fresh fish, pastas and ethnic specials. LD • BAR • $$ 17015 CENTER RD., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.223.7280

Hop Lot Brewing Co. Family-friendly microbrewery with four-season patio and games serving ribs, tacos, wings and a s’more kit to top it all off. LD • BAR • $-$$ 658 S WEST-BAY SHORE DR., SUTTONS BAY, 231.866.4445

Joe’s Friendly Tavern A rustic, comfy spot with bar food: whitefish, burgers, sandwiches, chili and soup. BLD • BAR • $$ 11015 FRONT ST., EMPIRE, 231.326.5506

Knot Just a Bar Fish and burgers in a modern, beachy pub perched over pretty Omena Bay. LD • BAR • $-$$ 5019 BAY

DOWNTOWN TRAVERSE CITY Alliance James Beard-nominee Pete Peterson teams with upand-coming chef James Bloomfield at this Warehouse District bistro. LD • BAR • $-$$ 144 HALL ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.642.5545 Amical Friendly French bistro with a bay view, fireplace and street patio. Prix fixe menu from 4–5:30pm. Sun. brunch.

LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 229 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.941.8888

SHORE DR. (M-22), OMENA, 231.386.7393

NEW Benedict A family-friendly restaurant offering breakfast

La Bécasse Part the heavy velvet curtains and find a Provençal paradise. D • BAR • $$-$$$ C-675 & C-616, BURDICKVILLE,

405 S. UNION ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.421.1000

231.334.3944

Market 22 Deli, pizza, bakery. Eat in or take out. BLD • BAR • $ 497 E HARBOR HWY., MAPLE CITY, 231.228.6422

Martha’s Leelanau Table A European-style cafe with an emphasis on regional cuisine made from scratch, including some gluten free dishes and pastries. BLD • BAR • $-$$$ 413 N. ST. JOSEPH ST., SUTTONS BAY, 231.271.2344

North Country Grill & Pub The Boone family keeps the classics (whitefish, prime rib, and yellow belly perch) while flirting with fondue, fried pickles, Phillys and Cubans. LD • BAR • $$

and lunch sandwiches, pastries, salads, soups and more. BL • $

Blue Tractor Cook Shop An Old Town favorite with fromscratch farmer food. and Michigan-crafted beers. LD • BAR • $-$$ 423 UNION ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 922.9515

Bubba’s Happening Front Street spot with battered mahi and chips, burgers, chimis, salads and tacos. BLD • BAR • $ 428 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.995.0570

The Cooks’ House A sweet little dollhouse of a spot, home to sustainable local cuisine with a French sensibility. LD • $$-$$$ 115 WELLINGTON ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.8700

Cousin Jenny’s Cornish Pasties Homemade pasties. BLD • $

420 ST. JOSEPH ST., SUTTONS BAY, 231.271.5000

129 S. UNION ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.941.7821

Pegtown Station Pizza, subs, burgers, sandwiches, salads and breakfast—all done well. BL • $ 8654 S MAPLE CITY RD.,

The Dish Cafe Eclectic menu with creative salads, quesadillas, enormous wraps, sandwiches and smoothies. LD • BAR • $

MAPLE CITY, 231.228.6692

108 S. UNION, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.932.2233

Streetside Grille Seafood, burgers, pasta, flatbread pizzas, great beer list and more. LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 111 N. ST. JOSEPH ST.,

Firefly A dazzling small-plate menu, sushi, steaks and burgs at a sophisticated hotspot on the river. BL • $-$$ 310 S. CASS ST.,

SUTTONS BAY, 231.866.4199

TRAVERSE CITY, 231.932.1310

The Tribune Ice Cream and Eatery House-cured lox, breakfast burritos, meatloaf sammies and burgers share the menu.

The Franklin Hip downtown eatery featuring flatbread, salads, lamb and beef burgers, bistro dinners. Fabulous wine, craft beer, hard cider and perry. LD • BAR • $-$$ 160 E. FRONT ST.,

BLD • $ 110 E. NAGONABA ST., NORTHPORT, 231.386.1055

Tucker’s of Northport Casual bistro dining with exceptional apps, Great Lakes fish, house-smoked wings, plus Beyond burgers and brats. LD • BAR • $-$$ 116 WAUKAZOO, NORTHPORT, 231.386.1061

Western Avenue Grill Birch-bark-rustic motif with canoes hung from the rafters. Pasta, seafood, whitefish and burgers. LD • BAR • $$ 6680 WESTERN AVE. (M-109), GLEN ARBOR, 231.

334.3362

Georgina’s Asian and Latin taqueria. LD • $ 236 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.943.1555

The Good Bowl Fresh, authentic Vietnamese eatery. Donates $1 for every bowl to the charity of your choice. LD • BAR $-$$ 328 E FRONT ST.,TRAVERSE CITY, 231.252.2662

The Green House Café Sandwiches, soups and salads. BL • $ 115 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.929.7687

Wren Contemporary comfort food and a constantly changing menu to feature locally sourced ingredients. D • BAR • $$ 303 N. ST. JOSEPH ST., SUTTONS BAY, 231.271.1175

TRAVERSE CITY, 231.943.2727

Grand Traverse Pie Co. Exceptional cream and fruit pies, coffee, baked goods, pot pies, chicken salad and quiche. BL • $ 525 W. FRONT ST. AND 101 N. PARK ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.922.7437

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY '20

61

FUSTINI’S

dining | local table

Meyer Lemon Shortbread

PHOTOS BY DAVE WEIDNER

Light and bright, this zesty shortbread gets its zippy flavors from Fustini’s lemon and rosemary olive oils. And these are not just any oils: Fustini’s, with locations in Traverse City, Petoskey, Holland and Ann Arbor, carries oils and vinegars from select artisans and small-batch growers from around the world. FUSTINIS.COM —C.S.

62

MyNorth.com

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

APR '20

62

local table | dining

Fustini's Meyer Lemon Shortbread INGREDIENTS

METHOD

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

Combine flour, powdered sugar, 5 tablespoons demerara sugar and salt in a bowl. Add in all three oils and mix until just combined.

Pack into 9x13 pan and sprinkle with lemon zest and remaining demerara sugar. Bake at 300 degrees for 23 minutes. Remove from oven, and carefully remove the shortbread from the pan. Cut while still warm, but do not separate the bars until cooled.

1 L

cups powdered sugar

5

tablespoons demerara sugar + 2 ½ teaspoons for topping

1 N teaspoons salt 5

ounces Fustini’s Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 O ounces Fustini’s Meyer Lemon Olive Oil 1 N ounces Fustini’s Rosemary Olive Oil Zest of two lemons

PHOTO BY DAVE WEIDNER

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY MAY '20 '20

63

dining | restaurant guide Mackinaw Brewing Co. Nautical-themed brewpub offers great house-smoked meats, several styles of beers, tasty burgers, fish and ribs. LD • BAR • $$ 161 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE

Reflect Bistro and Lounge at Cambria Suites Hotel Breakfast, dinner and Happy Hour 4-7 p.m. daily. BD • BAR • $-$$$

Mama Lu’s Modern Day Taco Shop Fresh tortillas with a mix of traditional and modern ingredients at this hip, fun taqueria and bar. LD • BAR • $$ 149 E FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY,

Smoke and Porter Public House An American smokehouse where farm-to-table and whole beast butchery meet the fire pits. LD • BAR • $-$$$ 1752 US31, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.642.5020 Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel Bourbons 72—Seafood, prime rib and more. D • BAR • $-$$$ 7741 M-72, WILLIAMSBURG,

CITY, 933.1100

231.943.2793

Minerva’s In the historic Park Place Hotel. Italian-American menu, elaborate Sun. brunch. BLD • BAR • $$ 300 E. STATE ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.5093

Mode’s Bum Steer Classic steakhouse serves tender, wellaged charbroiled Black Angus steaks, seafood, ribs, soup, sandwiches. LD • BAR • $$ 125 E. STATE ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.947.9832

North Peak Brewing Co. Wood-fired pizzas, seafood, sandwiches, microbrewed beer and a jam-packed bar scene. LD • BAR • $$ 400 W. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.941.7325

Omelette Shoppe Vast array of omelets, homemade breads and pastries, soup and sandwiches. BLD • $ 124 CASS,

255 MUNSON AVE., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.778.9000

231.534.8888

TRAVERSE CITY–SOUTH Boone’s Long Lake Inn Steaks, prime rib, seafood, daily specials. D • BAR • $$ 7208 SECOR RD., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.3991 Centre Street Café Fine and flavorful sammies. Saturday brunch 10:30am-6pm. Mon.-Fri. Open 10am-3pm. Closed Sunday. BL • $ 1125 CENTRE ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.5872 The Filling Station Microbrewery Thin-crusted wood-fired flatbreads and flavorful house brews revitalize the Depot. LD • BAR • $-$$ 642 RAILROAD PLACE, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.8168

The Roadhouse Fresh Mex with a cool cantina atmosphere.

LD • BAR • $-$$ 1058 MICHIGAN AVE., (US 31), BENZONIA, 231.882.9631

Ursa Major Bistro Breakfast, burgers sandwiches. BLD • $-$$ 245 S BENZIE BLVD., BEULAH, 231.383.4250

CADILLAC Blue Heron Cafe Dazzling upscale sandwiches, soups and salads as well as from-scratch pastries. BL • $ 304 N. MITCHELL, CADILLAC, 231.775.5461

Hermann’s European Cafe Austrian-born master pastry chef Hermann Suhs creates international cuisine, seasonal specialties and divine desserts in an alpenhaus-style dining room. LD • BAR • $$ 214 N. MITCHELL, CADILLAC, 231.775.9563

Herraduras Mexican Bar & Grill Authentic dishes like flautas, enchiladas and carnitas, plus shrimp chimis and steaks. LD • BAR • $ 1700 S. MITCHELL ST., CADILLAC, 231.775.4575

Lakeside Charlie’s A fine deck on Lake Mitchell. The hunt club–style restaurant features burgers, aged beef, fish and wild game. LD • BAR • $$ 301 S. LAKE MITCHELL, CADILLAC, 231.775.5332

Pangea’s Pizza Pub Craft pies, creative toppings. LD • BAR

Right Brain Brewery Traverse City’s beloved brew pub now at a new location. BAR • $ 225 E. 16 ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.944.1239

Patisserie Amie French bakery and bistro. BAR • LD • $-$$$

TRAVERSE CITY–WEST

BAR • $ 523 N. MITCHELL, CADILLAC, 231.775.1810

Apache Trout Grill Rough-hewn eatery affords a great bay view along with ribs, steak, pasta and salad. LD • BAR • $$

FRANKFORT/ELBERTA/ONEKAMA/ MANISTEE/ARCADIA

231.946.0912, AND 1209 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.0590 $-$$ 135 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.9800 237 LAKE AVE., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.922.9645

Poppycock’s Fresh seafood, pasta, unique sandwiches and salads, including vegetarian specialties and award-winning desserts. LD • BAR • $-$$ 128. E. FRONT ST. TRAVERSE CITY, 231.941.7632

Rare Bird Brewery The likes of pork belly sliders, oysters on the half shell and great burgers served up alongside great beer.

LD • BAR • $$ 229 LAKE AVE., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.943.2053

Red Ginger Wrap yourself in fresh, sleek surroundings and the spicy-exotic flavors of Asia. D • BAR • $-$$$ 237 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.944.1733

Scalawags Whitefish and Chips Ultra-fresh Great Lakes fish fry. LD • $ 303 E. STATE ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.933.8700 Seven Monks Taproom Pair any of 46 beers on tap (including European Trappist ales) with your burger and lively sides like sweet potato frites and Scotch egg. LD • BAR • $-$$ 128 S.

13671 S. WEST BAY SHORE DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.947.7079

Harrington’s By the Bay Sunday brunch, seafood, steaks, burgers, sandwiches—with a bay view. BLD • BAR

• $-$$$ 13890 SOUTH WEST BAY SHORE DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.421.9393

Nada’s Gourmet Deli & Mediterranean Cuisine Authentic hummus, tabbouleh, chicken shawarma, falafel, the best baklava in Traverse City. LD • $ 542 W FRONT ST, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.947.6779

PepeNero From-scratch southern Italian cuisine. LD • BAR • $$ 700 COTTAGEVIEW DR., STE. 30, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.929.1960

Red Spire Brunch House Classic American fare: breakfast and lunch all day. BL • $$ 800 COTTAGEVIEW DR., ST. 30, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.252.4648

Slate Prime cuts of beef and the freshest seafood with inspired toppings and sides. D • BAR • $$$ 250 E. FRONT ST., TRA-

Sleder’s Family Tavern Bar fare and entertainment under the original tin ceiling in one of Michigan’s oldest saloons. Kiss Randolph the moose before you leave. LD • BAR • $-$$ 717

Sorellina Authentic Italian pasta, zuppa and insalate. LD • BAR

The Silver Swan Ethnic fare and killer desserts. LD • $ 13692

Sugar 2 Salt Traverse City's hot brunch spot serves up what is in season. B • $-$$ 1371 GRAY DR., SUITE 300, TRAVERSE CITY,

Spanglish Authentic, homemade Mexican fare with occasional American accents. BLD • $ 1333 YELLOW DR.,

Taproot Cider House Brick oven pizza, great salads, inventive entrees paired with hard cider, microbrews, wine and spirits. LD • BAR • $-$$ 300 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.943.2500 The Towne Plaza Eclectic American cuisine focusing on local ingredients. BLD • BAR • $-$$$ 202 E. CASS ST., TRAVERSE CITY,

Trattoria Stella Hip locally sourced fare with an Italian accent. LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 1200 W. ELEVENTH, TRAVERSE CITY,

UNION ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.929.4807

VERSE CITY, 231.421.5912

• $$-$$$ 250 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.421.5912

231.409.8382

231.929.090

Thirsty Fish Sports Grille Family-friendly sports bar with seafood, burgers, steaks, pasta and a 600-gallon fish tank.

Live music on the patio. LD • BAR • $-$$ 221 E. STATE ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.421.1165

TRAVERSE CITY–EAST Don’s Drive In A ’50s-style diner and drive-in with booths, burgers, fries, shakes, nostalgic jukebox. LD • $ 2030 U.S. 31 N., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.938.1860

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa Aerie—16th-floor panorama of East Bay and regional fine dining. Music on weekends.

D • BAR • $$-$$$ Sweetwater American Bistro—BLD • $$ U.S. 31 N., ACME, 231.534.6000

Randy’s Diner Soups, salads, sandwiches, all-you-can-eat cod. BLD • $ 1103 S. GARFIELD, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.0789 Red Mesa Grill Colorful spot with a fireplace, flights of tequila and Latin American cuisine. LD • BAR • $-$$ 1544 US31, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.938.2773

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RANDOLPH ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.947.9213

S. WEST BAY SHORE DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.932.0203

TRAVERSE CITY. 231.943.1453

231.929.8989

West End Tavern Craft cocktails, wood-roasted chicken and more elevated pub fare served up beside West Bay. LD • BAR • $$ 12719 SOUTH WEST BAYSHORE DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.943.2922

Maggie’s Tavern Chili, burgers, steaks, wet burritos and kid selections are served up in a lively 19th-century setting. LD •

Birch & Maple Scratch cuisine prepared with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. Friendly folks and fab craft cocktails. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 727 MAIN ST., FRANKFORT, 231.399.0399 Bungalow Inn This former rustic cabin offers steak, ribs and fish-fry specials, perch. LD • BAR • $-$$ 1100 28TH ST., MANISTEE, 231.723.8000

The Cabbage Shed Suds, and superb eats like seared scallops, rack of lamb and Ritz-crusted walleye. D • $-$$ 198 FRANKFORT AVE., ELBERTA, 231.352.9843

Dinghy’s Local favorite for 25 years with house-smoked meats including famous ribs, half-pound burger, Big BLT, award-winning Friday fish fry. LD • BAR • $$ 415 MAIN ST., FRANKFORT, 231.352.4702

The Fillmore House-crafted burgers, salads and wood-fired pizzas (p.m. only), all rich with Michigan ingredients. LD• BAR • $-$$ 318 RIVER ST, MANISTEE, 231.887.4121

The Fusion Asian delights like fiery curries and lettuce wraps (plus creative cocktails) served in a serene atmosphere on Frankfort’s main drag. BLD • $–$$ 300 MAIN ST., FRANKFORT, 231.352.4114

Hotel Frankfort Fine dining served up at this in-town inn. BLD • $-$$$ 231 MAIN ST., FRANKFORT, 231.352.8090

L’chayim Delicatessen NY-style deli with sandwiches and bagels. BL • $-$$ 325 MAIN STREET, FRANKFORT, 231.352.5220 Mayfair Tavern Burgers, steaks, fish. LD • BAR $-$$ 515 FRANKFORT AVE., ELBERTA, 231.352.9136

North Channel Brewing Co. Watch the action at the drawbridge in a refined industrial atmosphere with meats smoked daily and excellent craft beers on tap. LD • BAR $-$$ 86 WASHINGTON ST, MANISTEE, 231.299.1020

BENZIE, MANISTEE, CADILLAC BENZONIA/BEULAH/HONOR/THOMPSONVILLE Crystal Mountain Resort Thistle Pub & Grille—Wood-paneled eatery, continental and Scottish specialties. LD • BAR • $-$$$ Wild Tomato Restaurant & Bar—Family Favorites. BLD • BAR • $-$$ M-115, THOMPSONVILLE, 231.946.3585 OR 231.378.2000

Geno’s Sports Bar and Grill Burgers, broasted chicken, pizza, soups, salads. LD • BAR • $ 14848 THOMPSON AVE., THOMPSONVILLE, 231.378.2554

Lucky Dog Bar and Grille Burgers, smoked wings, brats, sandwiches, craft beer, cocktails. LD • BAR • $-$$ 223 S. BENZIE BLVD., BEULAH, 231.383.4499

Platte River Inn Classic dining in a casual atmosphere.

Steaks, Italian, Mexican. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 10921 MAIN ST., HONOR, 231.227.1200

Rock's Landing Eclectic menu combines local ingredients with ethnic influences. Intimate dining, feet from Crystal Lake. D • BAR $$ 1157 CRYSTAL DR., FRANKFORT, 231.399.0158 Stormcloud Brewing Brewing Belgian-inspired ales to pair with inventive, smart bistro fare. LD • BAR • $-$$ 303 MAIN ST., FRANKFORT, 231.352.0118

Taco 'Bout It Mexican Fusion Tavo and Tarrah Hernandez turned their food truck into a restaurant dream-come-true with ultra-fresh tacos on hand-pressed corn tortillas. LD • BAR • $-$$ 344 RIVER ST, MANISTEE, 231.887.4441

Timbers Restaurant Family-owned restaurant with steaks, prime-rib pasta , whitefish, craft beer, regional wines. LD • BAR • $-$$ 5535 M-115, CADILLAC, 231.775.6751

T.J.’s Pub Take a step down from the sloped sidewalk for panini, mex and pizza below the stately Ramsdell Inn. LD • BAR • $ 99 RIVER ST., MANISTEE, 231.398.9174

ode to rhubarb | drinks

Rhubarb Refreshers PHOTO BY TODD ZAWISTOWSKI

These sparkly tonics are perfect for sipping on the back porch. We've got one for the kids and one that's been adult approved.

STRAWBERRY–RHUBARB SPARKLING WINE COCKTAILS RHUBARB LEMONADE

INGREDIENTS L cup sugar (or up to ½ cup, depending on desired sweetness) L cup water

INGREDIENTS 3

cups fresh or frozen rhubarb chopped

O cup sugar 1

6-ounce can frozen pink lemonade

3

cups water

1

16-ounce diet lemon-lime soda

METHOD Place rhubarb, sugar, pink lemonade and water in medium saucepan. Cook 10 minutes or until rhubarb is soft. Mash rhubarb and strain to get all the juice out. Refrigerate the syrup. Mix syrup and a bottle of lemon-lime soda and serve.

1

pound rhubarb stalks, cleaned and diced

1

quart strawberries, cleaned, hulled and halved

½ tablespoon lemon juice 1–2 bottles sparkling wine

METHOD In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add rhubarb and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Add strawberries and lemon juice and simmer for 10 minutes more. Allow mixture to chill. Press juices through a sieve. Pour two tablespoons strawberry-rhubarb juice into a glass, and top with sparkling wine.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY '20

65

outdoors | morels

FORAGING TIPS Begin your mushroom search in late spring, often following a good rainfall and warm overnight temperatures.

Rule of thumb: Nighttime temps should consistently be around 50 degrees.

Early on, investigate south-facing open slopes and as spring progresses, move inward to the woodlands on north-facing edges.

Morels tend to buddy up to ash, elm and oak trees. Dead trees/stumps, field edges, abandoned apple orchards and well-drained, sandy creek bottoms are also favored spots.

Morels are defined by a cone-shaped cap with a peach pit-like structure.

Always consult a guidebook (or better yet, a seasoned seeker) before consuming any wild mushroom.

If you do find a morel, stop in your tracks. This fungus produces in groups so it is very likely more mushrooms are nearby.

When you pluck a morel, take care to snip it off through the stem (morels are soft and this can be achieved with your fingernails) rather than yanking up the bulb. Always carry picked morels in a loose mesh bag (orange sacks work great) to allow the spores to disperse as you walk.

COOKING TIPS Slice the morels lengthwise in half and soak them in a bowl of water for a few hours to remove grit and bugs.

Get the cast iron skillet hot and put in 3–4 tablespoons of butter. Sauté each side for a minute or two, season with a little salt and pepper (and I like to add a dash of Lawry’s seasoning salt) and serve them up warm.

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morels | outdoors

Morel Magic

It would happen seemingly overnight. The silent intrusion of wrinkle-faced invaders standing sentry upon the gentle sandy slope in our neighbor’s yard.

Morel season had arrived.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ANDREW VANDRIE

Dozens of morel mushrooms dotted the hill, clustered around fallen stumps. We plucked as many as our small hands could hold and flew to the house, nearly tearing the screen door off in our excitement. With high-pitched voices, we relayed our discovery to our mother, the proof mashed in our palms. She handed us each a bag and ushered us out the door, requesting we return with whole specimens rather than pulp.

The second go-around, we gleaned the hillock with gentle hands and keen eyes. We entered the house in an orderly fashion, left the screen door on its hinges and deposited our bounty on the counter. We returned to our outdoor cavorting while mom sliced, rinsed and soaked the morels. Later in the afternoon, dad came home from work. We ambushed him at the door and launched into our matinee performance of the Great Fungi Find. After shaking us loose, dad took out the cast iron skillet, got it good and hot and dropped in half a stick of butter. The morels were tossed in and seasoned with pepper, a pinch of salt and a shake of Lawry’s seasoning. The kitchen swirled with the savory aroma and we circled about like a frenzy of sharks.

Dad set the sautéed delicacies on a pad of paper towel and once they cooled, we devoured. The once heaping plate of morels had vanished as mysteriously as they'd first appeared.

Andrew VanDrie writes from Traverse City. vandrieand@gmail.com

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAY ’20

67

love of the land

Access for All Yes, this waterfall is accessible to all!

BY CARLY SIMPSON

Any time is a great time to visit a waterfall in Northern Michigan, but May is especially rewarding as rivers are rushing from spring rain and snowmelt. Ocqueoc Falls, the only publicly accessible waterfall in the Lower Peninsula, also became the first universally accessible waterfall in the nation in 2012. Located 12.5 miles west of Rogers City, the waterfall has several universally accessible areas, including picnic tables as well as river access. Unlike many waterfalls that you just photograph and gaze at, people actually get in the water here. With four small rapids and a pool of cool water perfect for splashing in during the summer months, Ocqueoc Falls invites people in. A series of tiered flat rocks allow people to transfer from a wheelchair, down the rocks to the water’s edge and into the water. michigan.gov/dnr

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Don’t Worry, They’re Coming!

The beloved MyNorth Vacation Guides that are normally included with the May issue are currently delayed due to the unprecedented health crisis that our country is facing.

We are in communication with businesses in our Northern Michigan community and are working to develop guides that will be delivered when these wonderful businesses are back open so you can plan the ultimate “Up North” vacation.

We love the Vacation Guides just as much as you do and as a team we will be working around the clock to make sure they are delivered to you as quickly as possible.

As always, we will keep you updated on what you can expect.

Thank you for being subscribers and readers.

- The MyNorth Team

UP NORTH STRONG

How to Support Northern Michigan Businesses During Covid-19 If you’re reading Traverse, you are probably someone who knows and loves the Northern Michigan area. Our region is made up of small businesses, nonprofits, and event organizations who are most vulnerable to economic challenges presented by the current health crisis.

MyNorth has made it our mission during these trying times to work around-the-clock to publish the resources, updates, and news from the businesses around Northern Michigan. We update our resources page daily and we invite you to lend your support.

MyNorth.com/SupportNorth