Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine March 2019 by MyNorth

WIN $2,050 IN TRAVERSE CITY DINING CERTIFICATES // MyNorth.com/TCRW19 40+ FOOD FINDS: BAKLAVA, CHICKEN & WAFFLES, MEAT PIES

INSIDE: INSPIRED LIFE FOLLOWING PAGE 40

CRAFT FOOD & DRINK ISSUE

life tastes delicious up north!

BUH-BYE CABIN FEVER Pancakes Your Way

buckwheat, blueberries + cinnamon quill syrup

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Contents march | features

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

26 | FOOD FINDS 2019 Forty-plus palate teasers from Ludington to Marquette that’ll make you want to eat our pages. Swear.

32 | THE ULTIMATE UP NORTH PANCAKE Around these parts, we treat our cakes with locally made respect—spell that with the finest honey, maple syrup, bacon and more yum that’ll rev your morning motor.

34 | THE ORIGINS OF GIN Meet the farmer, the forager, the distiller and the creative spirit behind Ethanology’s sensationally organoleptic gin.

38 | CRAFTING COMMUNITY A glass raised to Frankfort’s Stormcloud for brewing off-the-charts great beer and lifting the spirits of an entire town. PLUS | INSPIRED LIFE (FOLLOWING PAGE 40)

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

contents | departments Sought After West Side Location Sought After West Side Location Sought After West Side Location

This home offers gourmet This completely renovated home offers offersa aagourmet gourmet Thiscompletely completely renovated renovated home This completely renovated home recently offers a gourmet kitchen refinished kitchenwith witha movable island, island, recently kitchen with a amovable movable island, recentlyrefinished refinished kitchen with a movable island, recently refinished Cherrywood main floor master Cherrywoodfloors floorsand and a a spacious spacious main floor master Cherrywood mainfloor floor master Cherrywoodfloors floorsand and aa spacious spacious main master suite withdouble doublesinks sinks and and vanity area. The finished suite with vanity area. The finished suite with double vanityarea. area.The Thefinished finished suite with doublesinks sinks and and vanity walk out lower level offers loads of entertaining space walk out lower of entertaining space walk outout lower level offers loads ofentertaining entertaining space walk lowerlevel leveloffers offers loads loads of space completewith withbuilt builtin in buffet, buffet, office space that could complete office space that could complete withbuilt builtin in buffet, buffet, office could complete with officespace spacethat that could double as a guest suite (or 4th bedroom) and full bath. double as aa guest bedroom) and full bath. double a guestsuite suite(or (or 4th full bath. double as as guest suite (or 4th bedroom) bedroom)and and full bath. Large bedrooms and a bonus room on the upper level Large bedroomsand anda bonus room level Large bedrooms roomon on the upper level Large bedrooms aabonus bonus onthe theupper upper level complete this 3and bedroom 3.5 room bath home. Situated on complete this 3 bedroom 3.5 bath home. Situated on on complete this 3 bedroom 3.5 bath home. Situated complete this 3 bedroom 3.5 bath home. Situated almost 3 acres with professional landscaping, deckingon almost 3 acres with professional landscaping, decking almost 3 with decking almost 3 acres acresjust with professional landscaping, decking and patios, 10professional minutes fromlandscaping, downtown TC, you and patios, just 10 minutes from downtown TC, you and patios, just minutes from not want miss this amazing opportunity!TC, andwill patios, justto10 10 minutes from downtown downtown TC, you you will not want to miss this amazing opportunity! will not want to miss this amazing opportunity! will not want to miss this amazing opportunity! 5200 MLS 1853591. 1853591. $475,000! $475,000! 5200 Hidden Hidden Glen Glen | | MLS

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25 9 | EDITOR’S NOTE 13 | UP NORTH

Meet the lifelong Old Mission friends who make our Up North cuisine scene amazing.

17 | THIS IS MYNORTH Hang out with us online, on social and at MyNorthTickets.com.

19 | MARCH EVENTS If sap can get itself going, so can you! Check out our calendar of cabin fever relievers.

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25 | TRAVEL

48 | UP IN MICHIGAN

Send winter out with a … luge run? A beer in the snow? A glide and gorge? Ice ball scramble? So much fun stuff still left to do before we say bye to it.

In which essayist Ellen Airgood connects with the living stuff in sourdough to rise above her lethargy on a dreary, late-winter day.

41 | DINING

We’ve assembled an unforgettable cast of Northern superstars for your weekend pancakes.

When March madness meets creameries and cheese shops you can bet it’s a win.

45 | LOCAL TABLE Introducing Maple Moon Winery and Sugarbush, the first and only commercial maple wine maker in the country.

47 | DRINKS Traverse City’s barista’s barista tells us the why behind his BLK \ MRKT coffeeshop.

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MAR ’19

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editor’s note

TRUE TO CRAFT TEXT BY DEBORAH WYATT FELLOWS

LEFT: DAVE WEIDNER // MIDDLE: & RIGHT: JESSE GREEN

hose of you who were reading Traverse in the early 2000s will remember the work of then staff photographer Brian Confer. Brian was, and I’m sure still is, an amazing artist whose landscape work still stands out as among the best we’ve ever run. Brian lived in Elberta and was a fabulous resource for life, food, people and creativity in Benzie and Manistee, well beyond photography. But even given that, I was initially really surprised when in June 2013 Brian and his business partner, Rick Schmitt, launched Stormcloud Brewing Company just a couple blocks from Lake Michigan in Frankfort. Of course, I shouldn’t have been. As Stormcloud has evolved it has embodied everything Brian brings to his work: Passion for the art of producing, for the community that enjoys it and for the role that craft plays in the life and landscape of our region. Rick and Brian make great beer. They are dedicated to the art of their craft. But they are equally dedicated to their community, building a true downtown footprint and finding ways to invite people in year round. Stormcloud is a beacon and a destination in Benzie County. For unique brews, yes, but also because Brian and Rick weave a genuine celebration of Northern Michigan into the whole enterprise. From the intimacy found in winter months during game nights and an adult spelling bee, to a film and beer series and, not to be =

forgotten, curling. Yes, you can learn to curl at Stormcloud. The Traverse City Curling Club offers lessons on Fridays and Saturdays outside at the pub, and if you really love it, you can even join the Stormcloud Curling League. Stormcloud is one story in this annual issue dedicated to the craft of local food and drink. You will also meet the founders of Ethanology, an artisan distillery and spirit house located in Elk Rapids. You’ll learn about Ethanology’s passion for product and place through the creation of their Eros Summer Gin, starting with Sierra Bigham foraging for juniper in Northern Michigan, to John Boyer growing the red winter wheat, on through to Nick’s creative spirit and Geri, the distiller and cocktail maven. It is impossible to meet the people in and around Ethanology and not feel the power of craft rooted in place, and editor Emily Tyra’s way of telling the story from the earth up is a magnificent way of reflecting that passion. From American Spoon’s part in griddling up the perfect winter morning pancakes to the ingenuity behind Boss Mouse Cheese, we could have written literally hundreds more pages. Why? Because Northern Michigan attracts the kind of entrepreneurs who see opportunity to practice their craft while at the same time contributing to the preservation of our landscape and the health of our economy. There are many, in every facet: From Justin Rashid and Bob Sutherland who turned the harvest

into local food enterprises, from Bernie Rink and Ed O’Keefe who saw the incredible future of crafting wine from our rolling peninsulas, to “Happy Jack” Archiable who launched the Traverse Brewing Co. in Williamsburg in 1996. Jack’s was the seventh registered brewery in the state of Michigan at a time when the craft beer movement was just getting its footing around the country. And just like other pioneers, Jack hired and trained the next wave of brewers including Joe Short of Short’s Brewing Co., John Niedermaier of Brewery Terra Firma and Russell Springsteen of Right Brain Brewery, each of whom continues the commitment to craft and celebration of place. When Jack launched Traverse Brewing, the craft beer movement was still small and most beer drinkers were coming out of the 80s sipping light beer and buying for quantity. The largescale beer industry was consolidating so much that predictions were there would eventually be only a handful of brewing companies in the United States. But an amazing combination of a quest for flavor and the unique hands-on relationship with the brewer and the consumer actually took hold. From eight craft brewers in 1980 to 537 in 1994 to over 6,000 in 2018, craft beer alone now contributed $67.8 billion to the U.S. economy in 2016 and more than 456,000 jobs. That jobs piece is very real. We’ve always relied on entrepreneurs in4

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

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editor’s note

Northern Michigan to be our employers. The folks who took the risks, bore the challenges and weathered the rain in December and snow in May are the people who have made it possible for so many to live and work in Northern Michigan. All entrepreneurs whose work is rooted in the art of the craft have to balance the commitment to creativity, which is not naturally economically viable, and mass production, which may more readily generate revenue but can suck the life out of the product. It is not easy at all to find that balance. It is a daily exercise. In the face of that, there is something we can learn from our craft food and drink entrepreneurs: When you make decisions from a commitment to the mission, and combine that with a belief in community, and engaging even beyond the obvious confines of your craft, you can and you will thrive. Younger generations are seeking out authentic experiences and artisanal products and they are showing a genuine interest in not just consuming for consumption’s sake. They are looking for qualities that go beyond the basic purchase, including knowing the story behind the product and the one-on-one experience of purchasing from people passionate about what they do. Passion, commitment, community. It’s a recipe for success found in each dream that thrives in our region, and a blueprint for not just the dreamers but for all of us in our communities, as well. When we connect as real people supporting each other’s crafts and endeavors we get absolutely delicious outcomes in every imaginable way.

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

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

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Up North

On a Mission Best friends and business partners Jon Carlson and Greg Lobdell met as kindergarteners at Old Mission Peninsula School. Together with fellow entrepreneur Chet Czaplicka, they have built a fleet of vibrant and distinctive Michigan restaurants, including some pretty famous ones Up North. (Yep, we’re talking about Traverse City’s Blue Tractor in Old Town, North Peak Brewing Company on Front Street, and Mission Table and Jolly Pumpkin on scenic Peninsula Drive.)

COURTESY OF MISSION MANAGEMENT

Because of a shared love of architecture and soft spot for underutilized and historic venues— including special places from their own childhood—they’ve successfully transformed nearly two dozen venerable buildings into gathering places where the local food, handcrafted brews and happy vibes are authentically of-the-moment. Read on for how their deep Northern roots flavor the good they bring to the world.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

up north | what's up

You have a cool business model that really works for you. Tell us how 2Mission (your Ann Arbor design and development firm), Mission Restaurant Group and Mission Management intertwine? JC: We are partners in our restaurant projects. All the names have â&#x20AC;&#x153;missionâ&#x20AC;? in them, for so many reasons, but of course because Greg and I grew up together on Old Mission Peninsula. We work on the construction, building, and design. And we let those who have more expertise take the lead on the day-to-day kitchen operations and menus. GL: Our passion is for all aspects of the restaurant: the atmosphere, how it feels, incredible food and service. So we partner with people who are our friends and care on that same level about the overall experience.

What do you tell people about growing up on Old Mission Peninsula? GL: It starts with words like magical. Where we went to school and where we played, our classrooms with views of the bay and Power Island. It was a magical place to grow up. And still a magical place to call home. Both of our parents still live there.

How did your lifelong kinship begin? JC: In 1975 we became friends at Old Mission Peninsula School, where we were, inexplicably, the Panthers [laughs]. GL: Our first entrepreneur adventure was picking cherries. We spent a few days, and took a cooler to the Cherry Festival parades, and walked around selling cups of cherries with my older sister. What attracted us to the food industry was being surrounded by the agriculture and the bounty of that little ecosystem. Where did you guys eat in TC while growing up? JC: I have great memories of J&S Hamburg and their malts. GL: We would take our boat up the Boardman and dock there.

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BOT TOM LEF T: COURTESY OF MISSION TABLE \\ TOP LEF T: COURTESY OF 2MISSION \\ RIGHT: COURTESY OF JEFF ATKINS

what's up | up north

JC: And, as you know, Blue Tractor is in the former site of Dill’s Olde Towne Saloon. The Dill’s dancers—to us it was like Broadway in Northern Michigan.

GL: We wanted to preserve what no one else would touch. It was so much work, maybe we were the only ones crazy enough...

GL: We were always fortunate to have Bowers Harbor Inn on Old Mission Peninsula, an icon of Northern Michigan. When we had the opportunity to buy it and preserve it, I would walk around and think, this place is so beautiful, right here in the pines, I can’t believe that we are part of taking care of this place.

Longevity in the restaurant world: is that more about you being nimble, sticking to your guns, or great ideas?

North Peak was your first restaurant. What was it like stepping inside that building before you refurbished it? JC: It was an old candy factory, filled with pigeons—but we saw the beauty. We could look through that and see the old growth timber structure, the yellow-pink Chicago brick—a great site. That building started our passion for historic properties.

GL: And he is an incredible talent, especially with the fresh produce sourcing he does.

And last, what’s next, what’s new?

JC: Yes [laughs]. Really, it’s working with really great people. There are some companies that are extremely top-down, and Greg and I don’t function that way. It’s not about ego—we are wrong as often as we are right. But we work together, and we empower our partners and staff.

Any Northern Michigan partners you are especially proud of right now? JC: Chef Paul Olson at Mission Table, but not for what you think. He just won the Fat Chance Fat-Tire Bike Race at Crystal Mountain for Masters 45+.

JC: Nomad Cidery is expanding to a new location. GL: John Kroupa, who is our Nomad Cidery partner and sixth generation Old Mission farmer, is working with us to move Nomad to historic Hoxie Farms on M-72. One at a time, we will bring all of the barns and outbuildings back to life. JC: We were friends and classmates with John Kroupa growing up, and we are all inspired by one thing from our past: Underwood Farms. It was our Willie Wonka factory ... we’d bike there and fill up on cider out of a barrel, have fresh donuts. All of those things we will create at Nomad. —Emily Tyra

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

Celebrating 40 Years

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NEW CATEGORIES, MORE BRAGGING RIGHTS The 2019 Red Hot Best Awards are upon us. Vote for your favorites in 101 new and classic categories at MyNorth.com/Vote19 MARCH 1–10: VOTING FINALS Your votes decide the top 10 winners in each category.

For more information visit MyNorthTickets.com.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

Design and construction work best when Bay Area Contracting and BAC Design Group collaborate and forge their ideas together.

bac-tc.com | bacdesigntc.com

TIX Look for this symbol in our Events listings and get your tickets at MyNorthTickets.com.

March E D I T E D B Y L I B B Y S TA L L M A N

FRI

SAT

TUE

WED

6 FRI

Theater | Moon Over Buffalo is

a fast-paced, screwball comedy about two fading Broadway stars. Old Town Playhouse, Traverse City. MyNorthTickets.com

SUN

And More | Birds of

a Feather is a celebration of women in the Traverse City food industry, featuring an amazing 5-course dinner and special cocktail menu. The Little Fleet. MyNorthTickets.com

SAT

Music | A musician,

MON

And More | Make

SUN

And More | Be part of the

FRI

Festival | Everyone

And More | Suds & Snow

is the “Ultimate Party In The Woods.” Held at Timber Ridge Resort with over 24 local food and drink vendors, live music and DJs. Traverse City. MyNorthTickets.com

And More | The Golden

Dragon Acrobats return to Milliken Auditorium bringing their amazing artistry, beautiful costumes and props the entire family will enjoy. MyNorthTickets.com

Nature | Norte’s Winter Walk

Wednesdays continue though the month of March. Invite a classmate, co-worker, or neighbor to go for a walk with you. Easy peasy. elgruponorte.org

Theater | Traverse City West Senior High School presents Newsies, the real-life story of the Newsboys Strike of 1899 against Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. MyNorthTickets.com

reservations at The Cooks’ House for a delicious dinner with chefs Michael and Patrick Evans on March 11, or collaboration between the restaurant and Left Foot Charley Winery on March 12. MyNorthTickets.com is Irish at the Ramsdell's Irish Night Festival! Enjoy an excellent selection of music by AnDro and The Moxie Strings, along with a catered Irish meal and dancing by the Conservatory of Dance Manistee. MyNorthTickets.com

a storyteller, a narrator of the messy, unkempt American experience … songwriter Pokey LaFarge performs at Charlevoix Cinema. MyNorthTickets.com

quintessential whodunit thriller at the estate of Sir Warren Peace and get thrown into a night of mystery, intrigue, and murder you will never forget! Murder Mystery Dinner at the Country Club of Boyne Highlands Resort. MyNorthTickets.com

WED

20 SAT

SPRING EQUINOX

Sports | Dust off the neon,

ringer tees, gigantic jeans and vintage sweaters. Whatever your decade, it's time to bring it back for Retro Weekend at Crystal Mountain! crystalmountain.com

FIND MORE AT MYNORTH.COM > EVENTS

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

At the Old Schoolhouse in Maple City! Family Friendly Local Focus Fare. Grass-Fed Burgers, Pizza and Crave-Worthy Bacon. 20 taps, Wine & Full Bar. Curling Late Spring. Like Us On Facebook.com/Broomstack

172 W Burdickville Rd. Maple City, Michigan 49664

WWW.E ATDRINKCURL.COM

MyNorth.com

march | events Save yourself a trip. Call ahead to verify all times and dates. Find more events at MyNorth.com

Art

Please find more Art events at MyNorth.com.

Art In Ice: 8

The American Culinary Federation of Northwest Michigan has partnered with Shanty Creek Resorts and the Bellaire Chamber of Commerce to bring “Art in Ice, Sweet & Nice” to the streets of downtown Bellaire from 4–7pm. Watch 3,000 pounds of ice transformed into sculptures before your eyes. Carved by regional culinary artists and sponsored by Bellaire businesses. shantycreek.com Higher Art Gallery featuring painter Jesse Jason: 1-31

Jesse Jason’s latest collection of fantastical, imaginative and playful paintings are on display throughout the month of March, at Higher Art Gallery in Traverse City. higherartgallery.com

Fairs, Festivals and Holidays

Please find more Fairs, Festivals and Holidays at MyNorth.com.

St. Patrick's Day in Downtown Ludington: 16

Start the festivities with a 5 or 10K "Irish Jog." A parade with green-themed entries marches through town at noon. A Pub Hub Starving Artist Pub Crawl kicks off at 1 p.m. at participating bars downtown. Shopping, food specials and music by the Steel City Rovers. visitludington.com

Kids

Please find more Kids events at mynorth.com and/or subscribe free to Kids Up North at MyNorth.com/kids.

Preston Feather welcomes Traverse City designer Scott Lankford as our new Director, Design Services

4th Annual Battle of the Books Championship: 17

A quiz-bowl showdown with fourth and fifth graders about the award-winning books they read. Newberry award-winning author Grace Lin is the headline author for the championship this year. Her book Where The Mountain Meets The Moon is one of ten books selected for this season’s battle. City Opera House, Traverse City. nationalwritersseries.org

Literary

Please find more Literary events at MyNorth.com.

National Writers Series Presents An Evening With Keith Gave: 8

Keith Gave spent six years in the United States Army as a Russian linguist working for the National Security Agency during the Cold War. As unlikely as it seems, nothing could have better prepared this intelligence officer for a career as a sports writer, covering hockey for the Detroit Free Press. The individual stories of the Russian Five read like pulse-pounding spy novels. Part thriller, part memoir, part Russian fairytale, the story that unfolds after they were brought together by the masterful Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman is authentic – and truly unforgettable. nationalwritersseries.org

Music

Please find more Music events at MyNorth.com.

Blackthorn at Crooked Tree Arts Center: 2

A Blackthorn show is a musical journey across Ireland, featuring traditional and contemporary songs, multiple instruments and the band’s tight blend of four-part harmony. CTAC in Petoskey. MyNorthTickets.com

An experienced and consummate designer, Scott is well known for his creative and artistic yet very workable kitchens. He will operate out of our Traverse City location. 456 Stadium Dr, 231-943-2866, 231-218-5924 slankford@prestonfeather.com.

BUILDING CENTERS & DESIGN SHOWROOMS PETOSKEY | HARBOR SPRINGS | GAYLORD | TRAVERSE CITY |

prestonfeather.com

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

Ready for toasts in the bride's room at Aurora Cellars. CONRADIE EVENT DESIGN

Gathering gown ideas at the One Oak Bride booth. ODEN + JANELLE PHOTOGRAPHERS

SAT URDAY AP RIL 27, 10AM- 5PM

Chatting to the background music of harpist Amber Joy Carpenter at Chateau Chantal.

Sip wine, meet with top vendors, and plan your dream wedding!

ODEN + JANELLE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Early Bird Tickets on Sale for a Limited Time! PARTICIPATING WINERIES 45 North Vineyard, Amoritas Vineyards, Aurora Cellars, Black Star Farms, Boathouse Vineyards, Ciccone Vineyard, Laurentide Winery, Leelanau Cellars, Rove Estate, and Two K Farms.

MYN ORTHT ICKETS.COM DÃ©cor accent by Amy Kate Designs and Conradie Event Design at Aurora Cellars. CONRADIE EVENT DESIGN

march | events Live Music with Peter Bergin: 5

Join pianist Peter Bergin for a FREE concert of turn-ofthe-century ragtime at 123 Speakeasy in Traverse City. MyNorthTickets.com Dennos Concert Series Lineup: 5, 9, 23

In addition to the popular Golden Dragon Acrobats performance on Mar. 5, Dennos hosts Dervish, a group that includes Ireland’s finest traditional musicians; and Albert Cummings writes, plays, and sings the blues like nobody else, Mar. 23. dennosmuseum.org The Little Fleet’s Live Music in the Yurt: 15, 21

Mar. 15 Jes Kramer; Mar. 21 Bill MacKay. This is a very intimate show. There is limited space in the yurt and tickets are required. $12/ticket. MyNorthTickets.com

Nature

Please find more Nature events at MyNorth.com.

Spring Break Camp at Grass River Natural Area: 26-28

Spending spring break in Northern Michigan? Treat your kids to tapping maple trees, building campfires and taking hikes on the awesome trails at Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Ages 7-12. grassriver.org

Sports

Please find more Sports events at MyNorth.com.

Events at Crystal Mountain: 2, 9, 16

Mar. 2 Mardi Gras on the Mountain. Mar. 9 Spring Carnival: Light-hearted events include building a cardboard sled using only cardboard and duct tape and racing it against others on one of the slopes, skiing or snowboarding through a giant pit of icy slush, DJ Dance Party & BBQ, concert and more! Mar. 16 Celts & Kayaks. Thompsonville. 231.378.2000, crystalmountain.com

World Famous Smoked Pork Loin, Bacon, Ham, Hot Dogs, Bratwurst, and Smoked Fish.

Nationwide Shipping Available at Plathsmeats.com 2200 East Mitchell Rd. at the corner of Mitchell & Division Roads PETOSKEY 231-348-8100 116 South 3rd Street ROGERS CITY 989-734-2232

Events at Shanty Creek: 9, 16

Mar. 9 Slush Cup by Bell’s Brewery: Watch skiers and riders attempt to cross an icy 60' pond. Other events include a frozen fish toss, snow shovel racing, a seal slide and a silly slalom. Mar. 16 Cardboard Classic by Short’s Brewing: Race down Schuss Mountain in a sled you make yourself—from cardboard, tape and glue only. Prizes for best design, best use of Shanty Creek brand and fastest sleds. Bellaire. 800.678.4111, shantycreek.com

Theater

Please find more Theater events at MyNorth.com.

Marjorie Prime: 29-31

What can technology replace? An elderly woman’s memory is fading but now she has a handsome young holographic image of her deceased husband to feed her life story back to her. Given the chance, what would we remember? What would we forget? How is our humanity shaped—and warped—by the ebbs and flows of memory? OTP Studio Theatre @ the Depot, Traverse City. MyNorthTickets.com

IN DINING CERTIFICATES FROM TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK!

And More

Bingo at Hop Lot Brewing Co.: 7, 14, 21

Visit Hop Lot Brewing Co. in Suttons Bay every Thursday night and play bingo for free; 8 rounds with 8 different prizes to give away! hoplotbrewing.com Sips, Chips & Dips: 23

Join the casual fun at 24 Leelanau county wineries and enjoy everyday snacks paired with a taste of Leelanau wine. Don’t want to drive? Take your food & wine tour via bus or limo. Transportation packages available. lpwines.com Libby Stallman is calendar editor of Traverse. Enter your event information at MyNorth.com/events two to three months prior to event date. Questions or more information email Libby@mynorth.com.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

WHEN YOUR BARBER KNOWS YOU BETTER THAN YOUR WIFE.

ROUND 2: MARCH 1-10 Vote the hottest of each category into the top! VOTING STARTS MARCH 1ST â&#x20AC;¢ MYNORTH.COM/VOTE19

MyNorth is the home of Traverse Magazine

what to do | travel

FUN & FROLICS Later winter snow and sunshine—and the occasional melt— inspire not-too-serious romping with large doses of laughter. TEXT BY KIM SCHNEIDER

SNOWSHOE AND SIP, TRAVERSE CITY The much anticipated Suds & Snow event combines a hike with a beer party in the woods. A reward of 20-plus microbrew stations (at Timber Ridge Resort, March 2, 1-6 p.m.) awaits, no matter how slushy the snow. Make it a weekend and book a Traverse City escape package and get lodging deals through June 15 as well as discounts on other area fun. SUDSANDSNOWTC.COM; TRAVERSECITY.COM

GOLF ON ICE, ST. IGNACE A whole golf course-worth of holes is carved in Moran Bay each year for the Ice Ball Scramble/Glow Ball Challenge (March 1-3), a lighthearted scramble open to locals and visitors alike. The frozen ridges and ice bumps level the playing field, offering the element of chance, whether you’re playing the ice ball in the day or glow-in-the-dark ball at night. Prizes are equally memorable: past scramblers have competed for the rare chance to travel to the top of the Mackinac Bridge. Extend the adventure and sign up to drive your own team of sled dogs in nearby McMillan, headquarters of Nature's Kennel. Opt for a partial day trip or book the overnight option that lets you choose from an upscale inn or camping in a yurt with the dogs hanging outside your door. STIGNACE.COM

MOUNTAIN MANIA, THOMPSONVILLE Sure, you can still traverse Crystal Mountain's slopes on skis and snowboards all month. But only in March can you go

down those hills in a cardboard sled fashioned with duct tape—or a kayak. Long-time events like the annual slush cup and Mardi Gras celebrations have been combined with other events into “March on the Mountain,” weekend fun that starts with Mardi Gras-style music and bead hunts and continues with Spring Carnival's cardboard classic sleds and slush cup; Celts and Kayaks; and a retro weekend that lets visitors pick their era of choice. Round out the fun by trying the new solar-lighted cross country ski trails, a fat-tire bike on a wooded trail or a skating rink in which a new chiller keeps ice melt at a minimum. CRYSTALMOUNTAIN.COM

GLIDE AND GORGE, HANCOCK We didn't make up the name of this event—just wish we had—because it's as descriptive as you can get for a $20 event that pairs cross-country skiing with food and drink stops at the Maasto Hiihto ski trails. Dessert and live music await at the finale of this March 2 fundraising event that supports the trails. Stick around and catch the Copper Dog 150, a sled dog race that features 350-plus dogs, free sled rides and the chance to meet mushers who come to compete from around the world. KEWEENAW.INFO

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 the recently-published book, 100 Things to Do in Traverse City Before You Die. kimschneider.net

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

MyNorth.com

FOOD FINDS 2019 TWO FLAVOR FIENDS HIT THE ROAD TO BRING YOU A NEW BATCH OF THE NORTH’S MOST DELECTABLE SIPS AND PERFECT BITES.

TEXT BY TIM TEBEAU & EMILY TYRA // PHOTOS BY ANDY WAKEMAN

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

MyNorth.com

BACON, GRUYÈRE & ONION CREPE That French Place / Charlevoix / thatfrenchplace.com

Smoky lardons, sweet caramelized onions and melty Gruyère stashed in origami folds of paper-thin buckwheat batter make for a magnifique morning mic drop. MAURICE SALAD Riverfront Pizza & Deli / Glen Arbor / riverfrontpizza.com

When the craving for this legendary Detroit salad hits, “Bad Sue” has your back. Ribbons of lettuce, ham, turkey, Jarlsberg cheese and sweet gherkins get kissed by a lemony, creamy dressing just like Hudson’s used to make. SHE-CRAB SOUP Table 14 / Ludington / table14restaurant.org

Rich with sherry, crab and history—it was one of Martha Washington’s faves— executive chef Howard Iles ladles up a Lowcountry bisque at its restorative, transformative finest. GINGER SCONE Red Rooster Coffee & Community / Ludington / redroostercoffee.org

These little cuties get a double dose of ginger—ground and finely chopped candied— for a kiss of delightful heat in every buttery bite. Ludington’s favorite coffeehouse sources them from the nearby Laughing Tree Brick Oven in Hart. OATMEAL CHOCOLATE WALNUT COOKIES L’Chayim / Beulah

FRIED CHICKEN Dam Site Inn / Pellston / damsiteinn.com

There’s a reason that any given weeknight between May and October you’ll find gobs of cars parked outside this retro supper club on the banks of the Maple River. That reason is expertly fried chicken with a full vintage family-style spread. Oh, and a swanky mod bar straight out of a Bond movie. CHICKEN BISCUIT SANDWICH The Local / Elk Rapids / thelocalelkrapids.com

The fried chicken is corn-chip cloaked and crispy. The biscuit feather-light with craggy edges. The sausage gravy, freshly whisked up with sage and black pepper. All three together ... unbelievable. CHICKEN & WAFFLES Birch & Maple / Frankfort / birchandmaplefrankfort.com Can’t decide between Team Sweet or Team Savory for breakfast? Chef Natalie Niederhofer makes it all okay with her loving and cozy take on a classic: A juicy buttermilk fried chicken breast over tender homemade waffles with a dab of just-sticky-enough bourbon maple toffee. ANNIVERSARY CHICKEN Trattoria Funistrada / Burdickville / trattoria-funistrada.com

Oh, how magically, meltingly wonderful they are ... and not a raisin in sight for those who worry about such things. If you pass through Beulah this summer, do not skip our (highly) honorable mention: the rugelach. Worth ALL the powdered sugar on yo’ face.

No milestone needed to celebrate the coming together of pan-sautéed chicken breasts, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, melty mozzarella and lemony white wine sauce. But, cheers Holly and Tom Reay, for 19 years strong as Leelanau’s off-the-beaten-path gathering place.

BLOODY MARY MIX Mix American Spoon / Various locations / spoon.com

THE GHOST Bee Well Meadery / Bellaire

Stock your fridge with this Sunday morning fun-maker, then wake up and smell the Michigan-grown horseradish, fresh garlic and vibrant dill.

This crisp cider’s heat grabs you close, kisses you, then lets you go. It’s magnificent.

CRESTE DI GALLO PASTA Raduno / Traverse City / radunotc.com

The ruffled mohawks and textured tubes on these fresh “rooster’s comb” shaped macaroni scoop up sauces like a dream. YOU’RE A PEACH Petoskey Cheese / Petoskey / petoskeycheese.com

Cheese Diva Katie Potts has engineered a near-perfect sammich with strata of soppressata, double-creme Affinois, peach preserves and greens in a twice-baked baguette. CHOCOLATE DEVILED EGGS Sweet Shop / Cadillac / sweetshop4u.com

Try not to smile when you open a box of these white chocolate eggs (yes, the same scrumptious white chocolate used for the candy emporium’s famed Snowbirds) filled with yellow-tinted chocolate yolks and showered with red sugar paprika. A treat for Easter, April Fool’s or a Monday at the office. They ship! PORK BELLY FRIED RICE Pour / Petoskey / pourpetoskey.com

P-Town’s hippest chow house offers a deliciously fusionistic fried rice with pork belly, pickled avocado, nori and cucumber kimchi. Pair with a glass of zippy off-dry riesling.

CARROT CAKE Small Batch / Harbor Springs / smallbatchrestaurant.com

Small Batch’s moist, multi-level vintage masterpiece is dense with carrot, raisins and baking spices and mortared just right with airy cream cheese frosting. SMOKED TURKEY BREAST Ebels / Falmouth / ebelsgeneralstore.com

Our sales director, Julie, steals away as often as she can to grab one of these bad boys. She says their onsite smokehouse has been seasoned to perfection, and nothing leaves that aged chamber or those glorious embers without being shrouded in the perfect blanket of smoke only Ebels can produce. DUCK FRENCH ONION SOUP Cafe Santé / Boyne City / magnumhospitality.com/cafesante

Long simmered roasted duck broth flush with shredded confit gets a lid of baguette crouton and Gruyère gratinée to drive away the residual winter chill. CAMP SPECIAL #1 Brutus Camp Deli / Alanson

The camo-clad hash slingers at Brutus’ booming breakfast joint fry up a mean lumberjack platter of farm eggs, Plath’s sausage and bacon, redskin home fries and pancakes bigger than most truck rims. Pace yourself.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

SPANISH-STYLE OCTOPUS Trattoria Stella / Traverse City offthemaphospitality.com

Only the best cephalopods get volunteered for Chef Myles’ Iberian appetizer of charred octopus and spicy house-made Calabrese sausage in a tomato broth with smoked shallots and rice beans. CURRY DUCK THAI Orchid Cuisine / Petoskey / thaiorchidpetoskey.com

Umami-packed morsels of roast duck are folded with bell pepper, onion, tomato and peas for a quick simmer in coconut milk laced with fiery red curry paste. MS. JAMIE’S HABANERO GOLD JELLY Market M88 / Bellaire

Have you ever tasted gold? One taste of this jelly’s sweet-hot glow with some Manchego cheese and you are good to go. Jars of this wonder-condiment are made locally by Jamie VanSice and stocked with pride at Bellaire’s Market M88. SWEET POTATO FALAFEL Edson Farms Market / edsonfarms.com

Some days the deli team can’t get these stocked fast enough. Omena Organics garbanzo beans get blended and pattied up with roasted sweet potatoes, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cardamom, baked then flash-fried to crisp and served up with a creamy cuke-cilantro sauce. CHITARRA CARBONARA The Marq / Marquette / marqrestaurant.com

My advice for The Marq, Marquette’s on-trend temple of contemporary eats, is to order everything. If you’re making hard choices then order the chitarra carbonara: hand cut ribbons of fresh pasta with crispy lamb belly, egg and Parmigiano. GAMAY 2017 Mari Vineyards / Traverse City / marivineyards.com

Jedi vineyard skills and Old Mission’s sandy soil supercharges winemaker Sean O’Keefe’s rare gamay with tellicherry pepper and red cherry that could put the better cru Beaujolais on their heels. BANANA FUDGE PIE SUNDAE Kilwin’s / Boyne City / kilwins.com/stores/ kilwins-boyne-city

If there’s a better way to expunge sorrow than a large scoop of banana fudge pie ice cream parked in a fresh waffle bowl and drowned in hot fudge, I haven’t found it. THE BUZZ ALDRIN Alliance / Traverse City / foodforalliance.com

Alliance’s artful improv cred is as deserved behind the bar as it is in the kitchen. See the Buzz Aldrin, a sexy citrus meditation of orange-infused Milagro, amaro, orgeat and lemon.

MyNorth.com

SHAVED ASPARAGUS SALAD The Tribune / Northport / northporttribune.com

Sure, it competes with that shiny pickle-brined fried chicken sandwich nearby on the menu. But when you let local asparagus dance with shaved fennel, dusky and deep Egyptian dukkah, creamy burrata and Champagne vinaigrette, a star is born. Find it in season (and if not, there’s always that chicken sandwich!). SPICY HABANERO PICKLED ASPARAGUS Natural Northern Foods / Traverse City / naturalnorthernfoods.com

Launch your Bloody Mary game to new heights with these little javelins of pickled-crisp perfection. ASPARAGUS SOUP Hansen Foods / Suttons Bay / hansenfoodssuttonsbay.com

A simply divine family-recipe soup is served and sold to-go in the grocer’s deli and only made during those precious weeks of asparagus season. Get it while it’s hot. BEEF & ASPARAGUS ROLLS Harrington’s / Traverse City / harringtonsbythebay.com

Zero in on this steakhouse’s happy hour snack of verdant spears cloaked in filet mignon with Béarnaise for dipping. WHITE CHEDDAR ALE North Peak Brewing Company / Traverse City / northpeak.net

No surprise that this beloved beer cheese soup now has copycat recipes popping up on Pinterest. It speaks the very language of comfort, with a velvety texture, a backbone of ale and a blanket of onion-mustard pretzels for good measure. STARMAN PALE ALE Black Rocks Brewery / Marquette / blackrocksbrewery.com

With a manifold hop profile sans bitterness, this Yooper brewhaus delivers the Platonic beverage for beach fires and lazy afternoon paddles. Bring more than you think you’ll need. SUPER GRAIN BREAD Daily Bakeshop / Manistee

He’s the bread whisperer, a mad scientist, the village baker. We asked the mastermind behind this amazing loaf to reveal his alchemy: A 16-hour pre-ferment builds into a final dough, with the addition of honey, sea salt, yeast, a blend of flours, boiled bulgur wheat and a soaker comprised of millet, flax, oat groat and wheat berry. It’s hearth-baked in an imported Italian steam tube deck oven. And the super grain is born. MICHIGAN BEER BATTERED WHITEFISH SANDWICH Barrel Back / Walloon Lake / barrel-back.com

Less a sandwich and more a crispy fish flying saucer, Barrel Back’s eye-catching environs are made even better with this vertiginous presentation of crunchy fish, slaw and lemon-garlic aioli. POUR OVER COFFEE & ALMOND CHAI CROISSANT Dripworks / Petoskey / dripworkscoffee.com

Hot water poured slowly over just-ground Madcap coffee beans is made better only by the addition of a buttery croissant dosed with almonds and chai spices. Emily Tyra is editor of Traverse. emily@traversemagazine.com // Traverse food and drinks editor Tim Tebeau writes from Petoskey. dining@traversemagazine.com // Andy Wakeman is a commercial and editorial photographer based in Traverse City. andywakemanphoto.com

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

O SE Y O O CH TE X

T BY

MyNorth.com

WN UR O

B RE

UR ENT V D A AST AK F

O BY HOT P / / YR A LY T EMI

AK E YW AN D

My ideal day up north is to… Walk in the woods.

Pick Michigan fruit.

Are you a Sasquatch?

la z

Blueberries, cherries or apples?

Hard cider

Carry on, furry friend. yes

Relax with a local beverage.

whiskey?

cid e

appl es

ie rr

e lu

win te r

so, oh, eet!

summer

Just sweet

sweet + savory?

sw ee t+

Syrup: purist or spice is nice?

sa vo r

Savory! purist

spice! Score Harwood Gold’s Cinnamon Quill Infused Maple Syrup, downtown Charlevoix or online.

Go for a jug of Currey Farm’s syrup, labeled “dark color with robust flavor.” curreyfarms.com

harwoodgold.com

Grind your own grain?

yes!

American Spoon has you covered. Prepare Buckwheat Pancake Mix. Top with U-Pick blueberries and syrup of choice. buchansblueberryhill.com spoon.com

You deserve a break! Come over for pancakes?

pa u l l Pu ir!

cha

Booze ok? no

yes

whiskey

Put those apples to good use in a Puffed Apple Pancake drizzled with Friske’s Farm Market Honeycrisp Syrup

Do you prefer winter or summer?

just sweet

cherries

Get to a U-Pick! Snuggle 1 pound pitted sweet cherries in a 1-quart mason jar. Make simple syrup by simmering ½ cup water, ½ cup honey and a dash of vanilla. Cool and stir in 1 cup bourbon. Pour over cherries; secure lid, let steep in the fridge for 3 days. Can’t wait? TC Whiskey Co. makes Premium Cocktail Cherries, too.

bacon?

MyNorth.com/puffedpancake friske.com

Pick ’em, pit ’em and proceed.

MyNorth.com/upick tcwhiskey.com

at ! e s ’ t Le

Prepare a tall stack with Meijer Malted Pancake & Waffle Mix. Plunk on a few juicy cherries (bourbon-soaked or plain-Jane) and ... meijer.com

Snag some Plath’s bacon strips, fry crisp. Add 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese to johnnycake batter made with American Spoon Cornmeal Pancake Mix. Top ’cakes with Sleeping Bear Farm’s Star Thistle Honey or Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup sourced at Iron Fish Distillery, more cheddar and bacon.

Feel like playing bartender? Or just feeling lazy?

Cherries

bartender

cherries bacon

Sundfauynday!

Cidermosa time! Add a nip of Northern Roots Ginger Liqueur + a splash o’ fresh OJ to Tandem Cider’s Sunny Day. northernlatitudesdistillery.com tandemciders.com

Give Coconut Ricotta Pancakes a try for your Sunday funday. Pour on Ginger Root Maple Syrup from the 5th generation maple-makers at Harwood Gold.

es moroed vibway!

MyNorth.com/coconutcakes harwoodgold.com

Do you eat chocolate for breakfast?

this

mmm…

nope uh, duh

Please reconsider.

Dollop your pancakes and cherries with Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate Sunbutter. grocersdaughter.com

plathsmeats.com, spoon.com, sleepingbearfarms.com, ironfishdistillery.com

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

MyNorth.com

THE CHIEF ETHANOL¿IST There were no words in the English language that delineated our ideology and approach to distillation. So we created one— Ethanolo¿y—and our vertically integrated approach to everything we do was solidified. Our gin was no different... Our dream to craft the world’s finest spirits was based on, and dependent upon, having access to high quality raw materials, and the best water on the planet. Water from our glacially formed aquifer provided the spirit with soul, and a silky mouthfeel. Red winter wheat harvested at the Boyer family farm in East Jordan delivered a base distillate with regional character and a polished finish. Our commitment to authenticity does not end with our base substrate. The goal was to source every ingredient as close to the distillery as humanly possible. Not a simple task. Building relationships with local farmers like the Boyers was challenging; however, finding a certified wild-forager was something entirely different. Serendipitously, we met Sierra Bigham at a farmers market years before we opened the doors, and introduced the idea of a seasonal, wild-foraged gin. A true Northern Michigan gin. Think about your fondest memory—chances are it is deeply rooted in smell. The nose had to be delicate, floral and seasonally representative. The palate had to be approachable, soft and sophisticatedly balanced. The finish had to have a touch of spice, and a silky-smooth, yet complex mouthfeel. From here, we went to work reverse engineering our Eros Summer Gin. Geri and I spent a couple weeks steeping different botanicals that Sierra had provided. We combined them, evaluating how their flavors and aromas interacted. Unfortunately, we did not have much luck. Eventually, we got to know Sierra and as a result, invited her over for cocktails to discuss the botanical profile we wanted to capture. With her vast knowledge of wild plants and their interactive properties, delivered in her quiet, yet assertive demeanor, she suggested four unique and native botanicals. After a few martinis, we had our gin. Gin, by law, has a predominate juniper flavor and aroma. Michigan Juniper has a completely different terpene profile than most eastern European juniper, which is used in the majority of gin on the market today. The sub-type we utilize in our gin is sweet, and has subtle conifer and lemon notes. The sumac berry is very high in vitamin C and adds bright citrus and berry notes to the gin. Yarrow flowers provide the delicate floral notes and burdock root contributes the spice on the palate we desired. We had our summer botanical blend, now the only thing Geri had to do was craft an exemplary gin. An Ethanolo¿y quality gin. —Nick Lefebre is co-founder + pioneering spirit behind Ethanolo¿y

THE DISTILLER If you want to know if a distiller is worth his salt, judge him (or her) by his gin. Unlike barrel-aged spirits, which can clean up flavors over time, you can’t hide anything in a clear spirit. Finding the right combination of ingredients can be as frustrating as it is rewarding, with a lot of failed attempts along the way. Working with botanicals can be a real (insert expletive of choice). The most difficult thing to wrap my brain around: the fact that

most cannot be scaled in a linear manner; i.e., you cannot simply double the botanicals to double a batch. Couple this with the fact that botanicals can change in flavor expression based on season of harvest, location, and a multitude of other factors, and product consistency becomes even more challenging. Luckily, my professional approach from the beginning has been to accept the naturally occurring things I can’t control, and instead, celebrate them. The wine industry has done a wonderful job since its inception doing this, even going so far as to name it “terroir.” I have learned to love the subtle differences that this brings to the table, and feel that it makes the product even more special, even if it does make managing flavor-drift a challenge for me. The overall vision for this gin was simple. It is at its very core, Northern Michigan summer in a bottle. Picture this: it’s sunny and 75° on a July afternoon, you can smell the subtle scent of earth in the humid air—an impending storm coming. You find yourself in the middle of a wildflower field in Northern Michigan bordered by pines. Open your mouth, take a breath. Boom, that’s the magic I’ve tried to bottle up, and thanks to the knowledge of a really stellar wild–forager, I think we’ve done it. I was adamant about this first offering from us being an approachable contemporary-style gin. I know that a lot of folks have had some negative history with this type of spirit and my goal was to change this by offering something that was big on flavor and aroma, but soft on the palate and low on astringency. It took many attempts. At first, I think I was trying to pack in too many botanicals. The whole thing became a muddy mess, like Grandma’s mystery casserole. Since producing this gin, my whole philosophy for flavor, from cooking to distilling, has changed in the form of simplification. The focus is on quality, not quantity. Blend in in a few really excellent ingredients and let them speak for themselves. As the distiller, I’m just a facilitator. This gin is made by Northern Michigan—I just make sure all the right ingredients meet. —Geri Lefebre is co-founder + distiller at Ethanolo¿y

THE FORAGER I was raised in Northern Michigan—I grew up east of Kalkaska on Bear Lake—and I spent most of my time in nature. We had state forest close by, and I would pick wild blueberries, and pick plants. I would go out and collect one of everything I could find that was different. I’d crush them and smell them, take notes... At age 7 I was determined to move into the forest full time. As an herbalist, I’ve discovered the best way to learn is simple: to spend time with the plants and to listen to the stories of elders in the community. I started Bear Earth Herbals, a tea and salve company dedicated to using local, fresh, sustainably grown and wild-harvested herbs from Northern Michigan. To supplement my income I ran my own eco-friendly cleaning business and worked full time cleaning houses while still pursuing my true passion. Boy, it has been such a journey; I feel really blessed to be a part of the community doing groundbreaking work. Events like the Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference [the largest gathering of small farmers in the state] reinforce that this is a good time for us to be doing this. Farmers have asked me to come to teach on their land,

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

RECIPES: Sip these gin cocktails at home. MyNorth.com/GinDrinks 36

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Get in the Spirit FOR A CHANCE TO SIP ETHANOLO¿Y’S DELIGHTS AND TO MEET THE MAKERS, VISIT THE ELK RAPIDS DISTILLERY & SPIRIT HOUSE AT 127 AMES ST., 231.498.2800, ETHANOLOGYDISTILLATION.COM

and to share the plants’ historic uses, how to easily incorporate them into daily life with things like tinctures and vinegars. I was vending at a summer fair in Alden, and Geri and Nick walked up. They were excited that my herbs were wild-harvested... I was really excited to meet them, too. Partnering with me was the next step, with me wild-harvesting the botanicals for their gin. October is the prime time to harvest the juniper, and that is one reason why this partnership with Ethanolo¿y works so beautifully— we are past most of our other harvesting and I can dedicate the time needed to forage the juniper. I will be out there wild-harvesting for hours. People say, “We’d love to come out with you.” I laugh because I think people imagine skipping through the field with a basket. In reality I’m in full-on clothing to avoid mosquitos and poison ivy. I love it. Last time I went out, I was just six feet from a fox. And I bring my son—he really enjoys it, for the most part. Juniper grows on a low shrub—an evergreen bush which, if I showed it to you, you would immediately recognize. Harvesting juniper is tricky—it’s a modified cone that takes three years to ripen. It’s the only fruit that I know of that takes three years to fully form. Sometimes I find some and have to remember where it is and come back the next year. In addition to the juniper, I harvest burdock, sumac and yarrow for the gin. All grow in the wild and are common plants. It is my goal for every person to be able to walk into their yard and identify the plants that surround them and know how to use them. I was at Ethanolo¿y recently and tasted the gin. I admit it surpassed all my expectations. I knew Geri would do it right. But I was surprised by the subtlety of it. Being a gin lover, there can be so many different botanicals used, it becomes difficult to pick out the individual flavors. Similarly to how we blend our teas, there is just enough of each botanical to really have an experience with it. It’s a subtle gin. And I think the beauty of Northern Michigan is rather subtle. —Sierra Bigham is a certified herbalist who is passionate about spreading the word to everyone and anyone willing to learn about the incredible benefits of herbs. bearearthherbals.com

THE FARMER In the 1960s, my father was a third generation farmer and my mom was a teacher in Ohio. They got into downhill skiing, came up here and fell in love with the area. So they took a leap of faith, bought land along the Jordan River Valley and started a dairy farm. I watched my parents struggle with the dairy farm. I saw the work ethic and the value of hard work. I was the baby of the family—my brother, Jim, is 22 years older than I am—and my

siblings sheltered me, to a degree. But when I was growing up Dad was always working, so to be with him, I learned to love working. I graduated from Alma College and the opportunity presented itself for me to buy the family farm. I didn’t have the heart to see it sold. In hindsight it was the right move. I’m glad to see my daughter raised on the farm, and for her to see the hard work, patience and determination that comes with that. I own the farm but I could not do it without my brother Jim, his son Andrew, and my bother-in-law Tom. Since I teach (as a full-time 7th grade math teacher at Petoskey Middle School), I work the farm in the afternoon and evening. In the spring I’m also the Petoskey High School girls assistant varsity tennis coach, so after practice, I read stories with my daughter then get out on the tractor until one in the morning, planting crops. My brother Jim works third shift at East Jordan Iron Works so he’s heading home from work as I’m heading to work. We share farm duties accordingly. The hardest part for me was learning to do it without Dad. For those first years without him, I asked myself a lot, “What would Dad do?” Since I teach, there is no time for livestock, so we transitioned completely to growing red winter wheat, hay, oats, malt and barley. Most of our grain was for a broker downstate—a semi would pull up and load up but many times its final destination was not known. Jim’s son Andrew was the one who introduced us to the idea of a grain-to-glass model. He met Geri and Nick who said they wanted to source all the grain for their spirits locally. I didn’t know if they were serious, but, as sure as the world, they came out for the visit, and we began growing the base grain for their gin and other spirits, red winter wheat. When people say they want to make a local product, I am always a little leery. What’s cool about Nick and Geri is that they are 100 percent committed—they find all of the ingredients instead of buying wholesale and having it shipped. That takes a lot of communication, a lot more time and sometimes a little more money. And they give credit where credit is due. Every bottle made with our grain has “Valley View Farm” on it—I gave them as Christmas presents. This will tell you something. When they come to the farm they are always so excited about it—not that many people get that into it—they jump right up on the combine. —John Boyer is the owner of Valley View Farm in East Jordan. The Boyers now provide wheat and barley for breweries all around the mitten state and they have converted the farm’s old milking parlor into a malting house. Emily Tyra is editor of Traverse. emily@traversemagazine.com // Photographer Jesse Green shoots commercial, wedding and lifestyle photography from Detroit and Leelanau County. jessedavidgreen.com

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

MyNorth.com

I worked the first shift the day the pub opened—merely one of many employees fortunate to be part of the Stormcloud team since the now legendary brewery opened in the coastal town of Frankfort in June 2013. I worked alongside an outstanding staff and Stormcloud co-founders Rick Schmitt and Brian Confer that summer, doing everything from cleaning bathrooms and bussing tables to taking orders and pouring pints. I learned a lot from both Rick and Brian’s approach to leadership, business ownership and creativity. Since its opening six years ago, Stormcloud Brewing Company has become a staple on Frankfort’s Main Street; a watering hole and gathering place serving up Belgian-inspired ales. The brewery feels like it’s always been there, a part of the story of Northern Michigan. I rang in 2015 with my dad, mom and sister at Stormcloud, sharing pizzas, drinking beers—well, wine for my dad—and playing Euchre. Stormcloud was my last stop before I moved to Argentina. Every time I’m home, Stormcloud is one of my first and favorite stops in Frankfort. In this regard, I know I’m not alone. Cultivating that feeling of belonging, year-round, even played a role in how the brewery got its name. As Rick tells it: “When Brian talked about the name of Stormcloud, it was important to him that there was this winter message.” “I just wanted to name it something that wasn’t all about summer,” Brian explains, “Something that would have a life and a depth of meaning to the people who live here year-round.” So when Rick and Brian created their brewing company, a commitment to community—as well as staff, sustainable growth and top-flight Belgian-inspired beers—was non-negotiable. Today, regardless of season, the pub has become a gathering place for locals and visitors to share stories, sorrows, successes. Each season carries its own communal feeling. “Breweries have hundreds of years of tradition of being the place where people gather,” Rick says. “Revolutions were hatched in breweries. We’re proud and humbled to be part of that tradition and understand that we have a responsibility to carry that on. “We hoped the pub would become a place where people would gather and treat it as their own, and that’s happened. But you don’t get that sense in the peak of the summer. Those that live year-round will say that they miss that when it comes time for the summer season. There’s a group of people that call it their ‘clubhouse.’ Another group calls it their ‘treehouse.’ ” Indeed, summer is hopping at Stormcloud. People make pilgrimages to sip (at the pub, located two blocks from Lake Michigan). Or sip and see (Stormcloud recently expanded its footprint in Frankfort with the opening of a 12,759-square-foot production facility and tasting room, a mile east of its Main Street pub). In the summer, the pub hosts live music, open mic nights, and Wednesday evening bike rides. But the shoulder-season months bring a more intimate feel and their own series of events: Frankfort Beer Week. Trivia. Game nights. Curling. An amateur talent contest. A film and beer series. A writing contest. And yes, even an adult spelling bee. In addition to these events, Rick and Brian say Stormcloud strives to play an active role in making the community a better place. “When you’re a relatively small community, the results of

your efforts are tangible. You really can see that you’re making a difference,” Rick says. “That’s one of the fun things about living in the size of community that we have here. If you want to have a beach cleanup and you do it, you can see the results. You know the people that are being impacted by that.” Throughout the year, the brewery hosts fundraisers in the pub as part of its Stormcloud Builds Community program. During a two-hour time period, Stormcloud directs 50 percent of total sales to local community initiatives and organizations, including Benzie Area Christian Neighbors, Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail and Grow Benzie, among others. Stormcloud also gets employees and customers on the volunteer train, by donating their time and talents. Rick says, “With Frankfort Beer Week, part of the proceeds from our beer dinner go to fight hunger in Benzie County. Those proceeds go to the Meals on Wheels program, and then we have staff who volunteer to deliver the food, which is often an eyeopening experience.” As the brewing company’s customer base has grown, so has the number and the camaraderie of the employees. “Our community has grown so much,” Rick says, “So, our employee community has evolved too and taken on an additional direction. We’re in two different buildings now. Last week [in July 2018], we issued 84 paychecks. The summer we first opened, I think there were 28.” Stormcloud continues to foster that employee community. One night in August, the pub closes early to have a party for the employees, as many return to school at the end of the summer. The Tuesday after Labor Day, the pub is closed all day—even though it’s still busy in Northern Michigan—to give the entire team a break. During the winter, Stormcloud closes for a day. The owners and their spouses invite all employees and their families to come to the pub, where they cook and serve dinner for them. Rick and Brian say they’re pleasantly surprised by the staff they’ve worked with over the years and how many, upon returning to Frankfort, have been excited to return to Stormcloud and see what’s new.

“I guess that’s just an affirmation that we’re hopefully headed in the right direction and treating people with respect,” Rick says, “That we’re attracting a certain type of employee and becoming the workplace of choice.” From the owners to the employees to the customers and more, the thread of community is alive and well and strong and warm at Stormcloud. Emily Hopcian is an Argentina-based writer with a focus on outdoor adventure and social and environmental impact storytelling. emilyhopcian.com // Photographer Jesse Green shoots commercial, wedding and lifestyle photography from Detroit and Leelanau County. jessedavidgreen.com

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR ’19

Drink like a local. Much to downstatersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; delight, these Up North breweries also offer six packs. MyNorth.com/LocalCans

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SPRING | 2019

LIVING BETTER AFTER 55 IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN

LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE UP NORTH! WALK YOUR WAY TO HEALTH HEAL WITH MUSIC INVEST FOR THE KIDS...& THEIR KIDS START THE BEST BOOK CLUB EVER ADOPT THE RIGHT DOG FOR YOU VOLUNTEER LIKE A PRO

PLUS CAREGIVER CONFIDENTIAL REAL LIFE ADVICE FOR RIGHT NOW

A supplement to

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S IN YOUR BUCKET? A HANDY RETIREMENT CHECKLIST FROM THE EXPERTS PREDIABETES SILENT SIGNS AND SOLUTIONS

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INSPIRED LIFE

WELCOME TO INSPIRED LIFE. At the heart of this magazine: the idea that at every age, we share a common love of this place we call home. Meet new neighbors embracing adventures—both big and small. Find real advice for taking good care of the assets and places we hold dear. Tap into a true joy for the outdoors that keeps our inner lives vibrant and our bodies well. Connect. Join in. Find smart and new ways to inspire your life Up North. —the Editors

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Active Brace and Limb....................................................................................................16 Addiction Treatment Services......................................................................................28 Autumnwood of McBain................................................................................................28 Boardman Lake Glens.....................................................................................................20 BrightStar Care.................................................................................................................28 Covell Funeral Homes.....................................................................................................28 Culver Meadows.............................................................................................................. 24 Edward Jones.....................................................................................................................12

CONTENTS

KEEPING YOU MOBILE

HAVE THE BEST BOOK CLUB ON THE BLOCK

SECOND CAREERS SPARK GROWTH

THE WISDOM OF BUYING & EATING LOCAL

FOR Investment Partners................................................................................................ 6 FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers..........................................................................16 Gauthier's Shoes and Repair ......................................................................................... 8 Great Lakes Orthopaedic Center.................................................................................20

BENZIE SENIOR RESOURCES WINS AWARD

MUSIC & ALZHEIMER’S

Grand Traverse Pavilions - Wellness Center..............................................................16 Grand Traverse Resort and Spa...................................................................................... 4 Greenleaf Trust.................................................................................... Inside Back Cover Harbor Care Associates, LLC.........................................................................................36 Hemming & Wealth Management..............................................................................30 Hospice of Michigan......................................................................................................... 8 Kalkaska Memorial Health Center...............................................................Back Cover Monarch Home Health Services..................................................................................20 Munson Healthcare ........................................................................................................18 NMC Extended Education............................................................................................... 8 Northern Michigan Diabetes Initiative......................................................................... 8 Perry Farm Village........................................................................................................... 24 Pineview Cottage............................................................................................................36 Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home................................................................................ 24 Swensen Memorials........................................................................................................20 The Village At Bay Ridge..................................................................Inside Front Cover Traverse Vision................................................................................................................. 24

HOW TO VOLUNTEER LIKE A PRO

WHAT IS PREDIABETES?

COMPANION DOGS

A PUBLIC GARDEN COMES ALIVE

CAREGIVER’S CONFIDENTIAL

HOW TO MAKE WALKING A HABIT

INVEST FOR THE KIDS ... AND THEIR KIDS

5 EASY TO-DOS TO CHECK OFF YOUR RETIREMENT PLAN LIST

MyNorth Inspired Life is produced by MyNorthMedia. Advertising and editorial offices at: 125 Park St., Suite 155, Traverse City, MI 49684. 231.941.8174, MyNorth.com. All rights reserved. Copyright 2019, Prism Publications Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

Second Careers Spark Growth Former high-level executives hang up their suit jackets and head to Northern Michigan in their retirement—only they don’t retire. Not quite yet anyway. BY COURTNEY JEROME

Armed with skills they’ve tailored in their 30+ years in the corporate world, Ted Gedra and Jeff White are now giving their new enterprises all they’ve got. And the perfect place to put their passions into business? Ludington. Find out how these two are bringing vibrant energy and big opportunities to this Northern town. TED GEDRA’S DNA

He was introduced to the Up North lifestyle by his grandfather in 1957. By the time Ted was a teen, his love for the Ludington area “permeated his DNA.” Throughout his over 30-year career at Grand Rapids-based shoe company, Wolverine Worldwide, he took his family North, too. So when he retired at 60 years old, and knew he needed to keep busy, it was a natural fit for Ted to take his skill set and start a business in Ludington. “During my travels, especially early on in my career, I’d travel to the west coast,” explains Ted, now owner of Ludington Bay Brewing Co. “That’s where the craft beer industry was starting to take hold. I found that one of my passions, one of the things I really enjoyed as I moved up the ladder, was spotting trends in the marketplace and conceptualizing products in those emerging markets.” Seeing a hole in microbrew distribution, Ted decided to take the plunge and jump in after he retired. He opened Ludington Bay Brewing Co. in 2017. “I went into another industry but I took my skill set that I learned in the shoe business and I feel like it applied. You need to have good branding instincts, good positioning instincts, spot trends,” Ted explains. “Most of all you need to have really good people. And that’s the other thing I really enjoyed—building a team and creating a culture behind that team that we were building. I've been very blessed by having a fantastic team in Ludington. “The beer industry I can’t say enough about—it’s so collaborative. I never had an awkward moment about the whole decision,” says Ted. “You can’t ever do anything in this world unless you have a passion for it. And I had a passion for craft beer and the

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industry,” he continues. “I had a lot of people who looked at me and said, ‘Are you crazy? You just got done traveling! Why?’ But to me it's just so much fun. I don’t see it as work at all,” he says. “I am having a blast!” JEFF & JEAN WHITE’S “RETIREMENT”

Why not a traditional retirement for the Whites? In their mid and late 50s, “It was time to do something on our own and not report to anyone but each other,” explains The Lake House waterfront event venue owner, Jeff White, of his and his wife Jean’s new venture. “We just felt it’d be fun and worthwhile to do something on our own and do something in the area we love, which is Ludington.” So that's what they did. They left Indiana—where they both had extensive marketing careers—and moved back to Jeff ’s hometown of Ludington. Before the big move back, they had continued to visit the area regularly as their careers continued, noticing one particular piece of Ludington land. “We’ve always looked at this land with great value because of its view,” says Jeff. “My wife was the one who said this would be a great event venue.” They purchased the land in late winter 2018, and by August ground was broken for an event venue site boasting beautiful harbor views and sunsets. “Growing up in the sales side of the business from account managers to running a TV station, researching customers’ needs is just as important,” explains Jeff. Their background of developing a brand and its message while marketing to the right platforms has been a beneficial skill in the White’s industry transition, he says. “I think people need to know they don’t need to be caught up in their current job if they don’t enjoy it,” advises Jeff. “It can be scary to take that jump but if you see an opportunity, take it. As you balance life and career and kids, you try to keep it as balanced as you can. Take the leap for your family’s well being,” he recommends. Then he adds with a laugh: “It probably takes a little bit of age to figure that out.”

INSPIRED LIFE

Ludington Bay Brewing Co. Fast Facts • Supporters of Michigan-made and locally sourced products • Canned beer distribution throughout West Michigan • Huge outdoor patio open all four seasons • Live entertainment on Fridays • Event room on second floor of brewery for private parties • Stop by for a beer tour!

The Lake House’s Fast Facts TED GEDRA

PHOTO BY ALICIA MAGNUSON PHOTOGRAPHY

• Venue available for weddings, business meetings, community events, and for nonprofit organizations’ needs • First vows will be exchanged June 2019 • Views of lighthouse and lakeshore (yes, that means sunsets!) • 6200 square foot indoor space and 2000 square foot outdoor patio • Partnered with Ludington’s Table 14 as exclusive in-house caterers

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA

TENNIS GOLF FITNESS SPA DINE SHOP SOCIAL

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Enjoy seven ways to play as a member at Traverse Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most inclusive health and fitness club. Several packages are available for a variety of budgets and interests, including our Bear Membership which provides VIP privileges and discounts throughout our property. Join as a new Bear Member and receive a Resort welcome package valued at over $200.

231-534-6586 | grandtraverseresort.com Owned and Operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians

INSPIRED LIFE

THE WISDOM OF BUYING & EATING LOCAL Get insights from Tricia Phelps, local food ambassador and CEO of Taste the Local Difference, Michigan’s local food marketing agency. BY COURTNEY JEROME

TRICIA PHELPS

Tell us what brought you to Traverse City, and ultimately, to your role at Taste the Local Difference. Local food systems were just beginning to pique my interest when I graduated college so when I received a job offer from SEEDS to help manage the Sara Hardy Farmers Market in the summer of 2011, I jumped at the chance. Soon after, I accepted a full-time position at the Minervini Group helping with the Village at Grand Traverse Commons events and communications. I would weave in local food where I could by managing the year-round farmers market and writing content for my own food blog. In 2014, I was offered a full-time position at Taste the Local Difference, which quickly transformed from sales and coordination in Northwest Michigan to statewide operations management and finally CEO in October 2017. How do you incorporate the Taste the Local Difference mission into your lifestyle? I belong to a year-round CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), which means I pick up a box of fresh fruits and vegetables on a weekly basis from the farm down the road. At first, I was intimidated by CSAs because I wasn’t an experienced cook and would often waste some of the produce. But now I love it because I try new recipes all the time based on what’s in my box that week or what’s on its last leg. And the convenience of less shopping is a blessing for me. I try to incorporate as much local as possible outside of the CSA share and when we eat out, too; frequenting places like Raduno, Harvest and a new favorite: Fustini’s Fresh Take. Planning a few meals ahead each week is the best advice I can give. That can mean prepping on Sunday or just gathering quick recipes and ingredients to have on hand. This time of year, I use the slow cooker at least twice a week.

PHOTO BY JOSH HARTMAN

What are the health benefits of eating locally sourced foods? My favorite health benefit to eating locally is that produce is most nutrient dense when it’s ripe and harvested just before eating. The more hours it takes to get food from the farm to your plate, the more nutrients it loses in the process. Additionally, because our food usually travels so far to get to us (an average of 1,500 miles!) non-local produce is often picked before it’s actually ripe. Buying local produce means it travels fewer miles and is picked at its peak, which is better for our health and tastes a lot better, too. There are many economic benefits as well. Spending more of your money with local farms makes farming in this area a sustainable career choice for young people. Without that market for local food and more young people becoming farmers, the beautiful farmland that helps define our natural landscape will be lost and developed.

Shape Up North is a community collaboration dedicated to helping Northern Michigan residents benefit from healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle. shapeupnorth.com

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

ASK AWAY! We want to know whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on your mind. When formulating a financial plan, all questions are fair game.

LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BREAK IT DOWN...

TELL US WHAT YOU CARE ABOUT.

We care about providing clear, easily understood explanations of financial products and services. The personalized program that we provide is a roadmap to working toward a more secure financial future.

We have been helping clients invest with intention for over 30 years. Our goal is to help align your financial resources according to your values, and plant seeds for financial returns.

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ADVERTORIAL

INSPIRED LIFE

LET’S MEET Traverse City-based Mecky Kessler-Howell and Kristi L. Avery of FOR Investment Partners are dedicated to developing lasting relationships with all of their clients. “Setting up a financial plan is really a partnership between us and the client. Our goal is to help investors be an advocate for themselves, and to show them how to be active in the process,” says Avery. “When considering life after work, I like clients to ask, ‘Where do I want to be? Who do I want to be?’ Once I have a clear idea of your values and goals, FOR Investment Partners will help you look at how to balance work and leisure, and how to make smart choices for the future.” FOR Investment Partners takes a modern, fresh, intentional approach to investing and retirement planning. It all starts with meaningful conversation.

It’s easy to reach out...

2226 South Airport Road West, Traverse City 231.933.4396 | forinvestmentpartners.com kavery@wisdirect.com | mhowell@wisdirect.com FOR Investment Partners is an independent firm of Accredited Investment Fiduciaries - AIF® Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Western International Securities Inc. Member FINRA/ SIPC . FOR Investment Partners and Western International Securities, INC are unaffiliated Entities.

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The market is as unpredictable as the weather. We’d love to help you prepare, and we weather all conditions with you.

Our advice and plans are tailored to your needs and goals. We work FOR you. We use smart management to get more of what you want and to help you free up assets to invest.

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MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

You Can Live With Diabetes • Know your risk. Take the test on nmdi.org. • Talk to your health care provider or diabetes educator. You can live life to the fullest. To learn how, call 231-935-9227 or visit nmdi.org.

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The sooner you call, the more we can help.

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10850 E Traverse Hwy #1155 A member of the

Care Community

INSPIRED LIFE BRIAN PARK

KEEPING YOU MOBILE What to know if your feet need a little extra TLC.

PHOTO BY DAVE WEIDNER

BY COURTNEY JEROME

While Gauthier’s Shoes and Repair in Traverse City is well known for their shoe repair, it is also famous for fantastic footwear advice and helping people find the best shoe to fit their lifestyle. On the team at Gauthier’s: owner Tina Martin and shoe/orthopedic technician Brian Park. “We have a vast knowledge of what happens to the human body as a person ages and what we can do to make the pain more manageable or reverse the process altogether,” says Brian. “A few examples of the more common issues we run into with our aging customers are plantar fasciitis, swelling of the feet and/or ankles, bunions and arthritis,” he explains. And what type of footwear does the team tend to recommend as the easiest to get into as we age? “Velcro-closure

and slip-on shoes,” says Brian. “It is important to us to carry a large variety of shoes to accommodate the needs of all our customers and keep them mobile.” Another example: if you’re the type of person who prefers to be barefoot, and you’ve gone shoeless for most of your life, your feet will age differently than most. “A lot of times, people will tend to go barefoot on hard surfaces for years of their life and as a result will lose the thin layer of fat on the bottom of their feet that provides valuable cushion. With this, the customer will tend to need a softer shoe that will give them the proper cushion for their feet,” Brian says. “In a more opposite direction, a number of customers spend most of their lives wearing a shoe that was far too soft, which causes balance issues

and problems with their gait later on in life,” he continues. “And some customers are in need of more than just a pair of shoes. When dealing with plantar fasciitis, a pair of shoes isn't the only answer to alleviate the pain. Most of the time a supportive pair of insoles or orthotics can really make all the difference. We carry a great variety of tested and true insoles and orthotics that will take the stress off the plantar fascia areas of the foot so the foot can heal correctly. The combination of a great pair of shoes and an insert can quickly relieve the pain caused by a variety of foot problems.” For more from Brian and to see him in action (how do you repair a shoe, anyway?) at MyNorth.com/shoestore

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

Volunteers are more than just inexpensive (eh-hem, free) help for organizations. They’re ambassadors. #1 fans. And coworkers with their sights on similar missions. That’s how Brad Kik of Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology describes them. With their nonprofit mission to make our region stronger and more self-sustainable, they know a thing or two about the importance of volunteering. Volunteers are essential elements for many organizations’ survival. And perhaps you’re ready to dive on in and help. But what does it take to be the best volunteer you can be? How do you find the right fit for you in an organization—let alone the right organization to be part of ? Here are Brad Kik’s (and fellow Crosshatch staffer Daniel Marbury’s) top tips on how to make the most out of your gift of time. If someone has interest in volunteering, what do you recommend they consider before starting so they can find the perfect role? “As a potential volunteer, especially a first timer, first think about the work you want to do. It might be worth writing down some answers on paper to help sort out your vision for how to spend your time—and then save a lot of hassle for you and for the nonprofits you work with, which comes from a bad fit or a misunderstanding around expectations. “Here are some questions you want to ask yourself: How much time do I want to spend volunteering? Do I want to 10

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spread it around or focus it all on one organization or project? Do I want to go all in on one particular project, or give a set number of hours to the organization as a whole? (For example, do I want to put in a single 40 hour week to help build a new bike trail, or do I want to put in a half day every month to maintain a trail?) “Indoor work or outdoor? How physically strenuous? What skills can you offer? Often we get stuck thinking of volunteers in low-skill tasks like data entry, poster hanging, or physical labor, and forget about the many needs we have like marketing or fundraising support, graphic design, or a host of skills like construction, landscaping, etc. “Also, do you want to meet folks and work in groups? Do you want to travel to a site to volunteer, or do you want to offer solitary work from your home office? “It helps to be clear and honest about your hopes and expectations for volunteering. Are you hoping to learn something in particular? Hoping to get some quality time with someone who works for that organization? Hoping to leverage a future employment opportunity? Often folks just want to advance the mission of the organization and have time to offer, but sometimes there's a further piece that's worth exploring. “As a final thought, look for a good fit with the volunteer coordinator as much as with the mission of the organization. Look for someone who will take the time to communicate with you about your role and your future with the

PHOTOS BY MELISA MCKOLAY

BY COURTNEY JEROME

INSPIRED LIFE

PHOTOS BY MELISA MCKOLAY

Once you’ve started volunteering, how do you become amazing at it? “Stay engaged. Our different projects and events at Crosshatch require many aspects of working together and many different skill sets to succeed. “The best gift you give yourself and the organization you are supporting is to offer a consistent willingness to take on a variety of tasks—this is especially true as you are just starting to get involved. Remember that even by taking on a very simple-process task as part of a larger project, you will get a fuller sense of all of the parts that work together to make community change possible. “It’s really inspiring to me as volunteer coordinator and to our volunteers when someone finds their niche and really excels in a role. This kind of synergy really puts wind in the sails of Crosshatch's efforts to keep doing the work of our mission.” —Daniel Marbury Can you tell us about the relationships Crosshatch has with volunteers? “The relationship Crosshatch has with our volunteers is a partnership built on passions! Many of our volunteers come to our organization as participants in our programming for art, agriculture and ecology. After connecting at a learning workshop, networking event, performance or demonstration, people who are inspired to learn and engage to a greater extent often choose to follow up by volunteering for a future event. “Volunteering with Crosshatch often gives you a ‘backstage pass’ to experience a program or event in a fuller way, such as meeting our performing artists or farm instructors. We are believers that the best way to learn is by rolling your sleeves up and doing something, and Crosshatch volunteers truly engage in the essential parts of making our programs happen. “By staying engaged and continuing to share their joy and talent with us, some volunteers even become our educators and performers for future events and programs.” —Daniel Marbury

THE GIFT OF YOU...

organization, and not just slot you into a time and place as an afterthought. Know that really small or young organizations may not have a well developed program and so might require more initiative on your part, or might frustrate you with their inability to provide the structure you need. Really large organizations (especially local implementations of national nonprofits) will probably have very rigid structures that you might find a good home in but might not be the right fit for you, and they probably won't have a huge capacity to flex or tailor an experience. Spend the time to get to know your own needs and then make sure an organization is willing to have that conversation with you.” — Brad Kik

Why reach out to volunteer? Often supporting local causes introduces you to the community you’ve always wanted to know. And when we put our collective effort into something, the ripple effects of good are endless. Here are just a few of the Northern Michigan nonprofits to which you might consider lending your skills and talents. CROSSHATCH CENTER FOR ARTS & ECOLOGY CROSSHATCH.ORG FATHER FRED FOUNDATION FATHERFRED.ORG FISHTOWN PRESERVATION FISHTOWNMI.ORG HEADWATERS LAND CONSERVANCY HEADWATERSCONSERVANCY.ORG GROW BENZIE GROWBENZIE.ORG NORTHWEST MICHIGAN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY NORTHWESTMIHABITAT.ORG SAVING BIRDS THRU HABITAT SAVINGBIRDS.ORG

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

INSPIRED LIFE

WHAT IS PREDIABETES? We talk signs, solutions and strategies with Frankfort’s Melissa Krajnik, RDN MELISSA KRAJNIK, RDN

PHOTO BY JOSH HARTMAN

BY COURTNEY JEROME

More than one in three Americans have prediabetes. But the majority of these people don’t even know they have it. What’s even scarier is that many prediabetes symptoms are silent, and if they’re not treated within five years, can lead to type 2 diabetes and other serious health issues such as stroke and heart disease. But what exactly is prediabetes? “It’s a condition where blood sugars are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes,” explains Melissa Krajnik, RDN, at Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital in Frankfort. How do you know if you have it? Doctors will normally run a panel of labs at your annual checkup where you can see if your blood sugar ranges within 100-125, and A1C between 5.7-6.4%, says Melissa. You’ll also feel weaker and thirstier than normal as it’s progressing to diabetes. Some also notice changes in their vision, which tends to be self-misdiagnosed due to aging. While there are unchangeable risk factors involved in being diagnosed with prediabetes such as family history, ethnic backgrounds, and a personal history of gestational diabetes, there are changes people can make in their lifestyles to help prevent diabetes. “We want to make healthy food choices, increase our activity, maybe be put on diabetes medication, and have friends,

family and community support. With all those four things put together, we can improve their blood sugar,” shares Melissa. “We can change being overweight, having high blood pressure and an inactive lifestyle.” As for help making healthy food choices, Melissa recommends paying attention to portion sizes at our meals, and benefiting from sources such as choosemyplate.gov and diabetesandmindfuleating.com. Melissa explains, “Mindful eating is going to be a great way for people to look at overeating. Why are we eating? Are we hungry? Bored? Upset? People overeat because of that.” Another recommendation she has is losing weight to avoid needing medication, or to help get off it. “Losing 7% of your body weight, or 15 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds, should keep diabetes at bay,” she says for those who are overweight. At Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital, monthly Lunch and Learns are hosted about diabetes and nutrition, plus monthly pre diabetes community education classes on the fourth Tuesday of the month, which Melissa instructs. These classes are free and a prediabetes diagnosis isn’t required to join. Learn more by calling 231.352.2273 or visiting munsonhealthcare. org/pomh.

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

Companion Dogs We’re not just talking an excuse to get out for a walk or a furry friend to sit next to. While great reasons for retirement age to be a great time to adopt, having a pet can also bring stress reduction and health benefits, too. BY COURTNEY JEROME

Something special happens when you’re greeted by a four-legged friend. Tail wagging. Tongue out. Pure joy as he awaits your pat on the head. Pure joy for him, and for you. Retirees are reminiscing about their childhood with canines and embracing that joy once again in their retirement years by adopting a dog. Cherryland Humane Society in Traverse City has seen a steady number of retirement adoptions over the past few years. Why? For the numerous benefits adopting a pet can bring. For example, Cherryland Humane Society Executive Director, Heidi Yates, shares that five to 15 minutes of animal therapy a day can help lower blood pressure. Whether it’s through adoption or bringing dogs to different assisted living locations across Northern Michigan such as MediLodge and Cherry Hill Haven, the Cherryland Humane team regularly sees the joy dogs give to retirees. “It’s a win-win. The dogs get the love they deserve and the residents get the benefit of having the dogs there.” For those looking to bring a dog back to their own homes, Cherryland Humane has a full-time behaviorist on staff who is specially trained to match the right dog for you, and keep your furry friend’s life enriched until you get there. “We really try to provide enrichment and behavior modification so when retirees come in we can try to match up with the appropriate animal. Sometimes people don’t know where to start,” Heidi says. “We have a behaviorist on staff who is here to match. Do you have an active lifestyle? Or sedentary? Do you like dog parks, etc.? We listen and try

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to match that up. It takes a village. It’s not just taking in animals and turning them around. We want to make sure it’s a forever home.” Plus if you need a little help preparing for a new pet at home, Cherryland Humane Society and Traverse Outdoor Landscaping and Irrigation have teamed up for a scholarship program, so that every dog gets a five-week training course for free, providing tips, tricks, and socialization—both for the dogs and the retirees. Not ready to commit full time but want to share the love? Join Cherryland’s dog walking program. “You’ll go through our volunteer program (the 2nd Saturday of every month), and join retiree Sue Schwartz,” explains Heidi. “She’s done this for 10 years and is in charge of the dog walkers. First you shadow someone, as you take dogs off site, and then you’ll join a dedicated group of people. “If you can’t have a pet, you can come here and get your animal fix!” HEIDI’S TIPS FOR ADOPTING:

• Do your research. Discover what breed will fit your lifestyle. Recognize any size/weight restrictions for your residence. • Visit. Stop by the shelter to see some dogs looking for a home like yours. • Have a plan. If something happens to you, make sure you have a plan for the animal. If you’re looking for a puppy who’s going to live for 15 years, that’s great! Just make sure you have a plan for him. Learn more at cherrylandhumane.org.

INSPIRED INSPIRED LIFE LIFE

More Ways to Share the Love

SILVER MUZZLE COTTAGE RESCUE & HOSPICE Many canines late in their years find themselves area shelters. The Silver Muzzle Cottage Rescue & Hospice is a Michigan-based rescue and hospice on a mission to provide senior, disabled and hospice dogs the chance to live out their remaining lives with love and dignity. Volunteers are the heart and soul of this rescue. Their goal? Shed light on the value, beauty and grace of these dogs and the ways they enrich the lives of those who foster or adopt them.Â Here are two meaningful ways to get involved: COTTAGE FRIENDS PROGRAM Enrich the lives of these senior dog rescues by taking them for hikes in the woods, strolls on the beach and the occasional swim. Or for those dogs too limited to enjoy a more active lifestyle, quiet companionship is all that is needed. SENIORS FOR SENIORS PROGRAM SMC volunteers take senior dogs to visit area nursing care facilities. This meaningful activity brings joy not only to the facility residents but also to the dogs who participate. Go to silvermuzzlecottage.com to find out more about how you can get involved and help. MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

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A PUBLIC GARDEN COMES ALIVE The Botanic Garden on the grounds of Historic Barns Park Traverse City is bursting with growth and life. We checked in with The Garden’s Karen Schmidt about how planting and prep across the garden’s 25 acres is coming to fruition. BY EMILY TYRA

What should those craving color and life expect to see in bloom this spring? This spring will be a truly beautiful one at the Garden. We have over 50,000 bulbs in the various gardens, including 40,000 daffodils, hyacinths and Glory of the Snow bulbs in the long Sugar Maple Allee. There will be lots of tulips in the Koeze Stable Garden and the adjoining Secret Garden. Those are the only places where we can grow tulips because the deer are not able to get into these gated walled gardens. What’s new at The Botanic Garden? We begin work this spring on the Pollinator Garden, which will feature lots of bright flowers that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators. Work on the Judith Groleau Healing Gardens begins this spring, too. Tell us more about the Healing Gardens... The first project will be the installation of a 60-foot-wide stone labyrinth, which will be wheelchair accessible. It is a copy of the famous Chartres Cathedral labyrinth in France and will take 12 weeks to construct over the summer. But just as exciting is the arrival garden, which will feature a Native

American Medicine Wheel. We are working with members of the Ottawa and Chippewa Band of Grand Traverse for their assistance in the design. The Healing Gardens will also include a Medicinal Plant Garden and small pocket Meditation Gardens. And there is a close-knit team behind the scenes at the gardens, correct? Each team has a captain and once a week the captains walk their gardens with our horticulturist who advises them on what they need to do that week. We also have a team of trained docents who give free daily tours from April 1 through October 31. A third team of volunteers is our Grounds and Maintenance Team (we call them the Possums) who do the heavy lifting. In total we have 325 volunteers and are always looking for more. We are almost all volunteers, including our 20-member board.—Karen Schmidt is Botanic Garden Board Chair DIG IN! For more info on becoming a docent or volunteer caretaker at the Botanic Garden, thebotanicgarden.org/volunteer

MARCH EVENTS AT THE BOTANIC GARDEN FERNTASTIC! | Sunday, March 10th, 3-4:30 p.m. Angie Lucas, Senior Land Steward at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, will present an overview of native fern species found in our region, identification tips to use while exploring the woods or wetland trails, and other fun fern facts.

PHOTO BY DAVE WEIDNER

LANDSCAPING FOR THE BIRDS, BEES AND BUTTERFLIES | Wednesday, March 13th, 7-9 p.m. Local experts Brian Zimmerman and Tom Ford will discuss how to create a garden landscape to attract bees, butterflies and birds, beginning with native plants. Guidance on plant selection, nesting boxes, mason bee houses, and providing water for wildlife will be shared. SQUARE FOOT GARDENING FOR ALL | Thursday, March 21st, 7-9 p.m. Sandi Clark, MSU Advanced Master Gardener, will discuss the history of square foot gardening and share her wisdom on building, utilizing and reaping the benefits of a square foot garden. Take home Sandi’s presentation and a copy of Mel Bartholomew’s book. $30 Register for all classes at thebotanicgarden.org/events. Proceeds from paid Botanic Garden events benefit the Garden. For free event registration, you’re able to make a donation online through MyNorth Tickets when you check out.

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

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D O RI S LO L L

BENZIE SENIOR RESOURCES WINS AWARD The Benzie County Chamber of Commerce awarded the organization its Community Impact Award. BY GREG TASKER

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEANNE LOLL

Every Monday Doris Loll plays cards at The Gathering Place, the senior center run by Benzie Senior Resources, in downtown Honor. On Wednesdays, she’s there stretching, bending and doing her best to maintain agility at age 90. Other days of the week, Loll receives home-delivered meals from Benzie Senior Resources, and also help in other areas, including lawn care, snow removal, window washing and house cleaning. “It’s a wonderful resource,” says Loll, a retired nurse who once led the Wednesday morning exercise class that still bears her name, Stretch with Doris. “You should see the amount of people who come in for meals. I’ll be there playing cards and they just pour in. There’s really something there for everyone.” Loll is one of hundreds of Benzie County seniors taking advantage of the services offered by Benzie Senior Resources. Nearly one-third of Benzie’s senior population—or 1,763 residents—tapped the organization for some sort of assistance in fiscal 2018. Thirty-three percent of the county’s population is 60 and older. “We’re serving people from 60 to 100 plus—that’s a 40year stretch. We’re trying to tailor to the needs of that large demographic,” says Doug Durand, the organization’s executive director. “We’re an aging society, and the needs in each age group (each decade of aging) are so different. People tend to need additional services as they get older.”

Benzie Senior Resources is the result of the marriage of the Benzie Council on Aging and Benzie Home Health Care in 2016. That merger created one umbrella group offering seniors a multitude of services under one roof. The services offered by Benzie Senior Resources run the gamut and fall under five main categories: home services, health and safety, meals and food, social connections, and support services. In a nutshell, the organization offers almost everything under the sun, from home-delivered meals and home health care to medication management and medical equipment loans to social activities. Since the merger, the organization has seen a spike in demand for services. In the last three years, most programs have experienced 50 to 75 percent growth, Durand says. “The publicity from the merger created more awareness in the community, even though we’ve been around one way or another for 40 years or more,” he says. Helping the center serve the senior community are 30 employees, 17 contractors (those hired to plow snow, mow, provide light home duties) and an army of 151 volunteers. “The volunteers are mainly seniors,” Durand notes. “The senior group brings phenomenal resources of their own to the community. They’re active and they want to stay active. They’re a very vibrant group that brings a lot of economic activity to the community.”

RESOURCES NEAR YOU Each county in Northwest Lower Michigan has either a Council or a Commission on Aging that provides services directly to seniors. Subsidized by local millage funds and/or state and federal dollars, these agencies help eligible seniors with yard work, house cleaning, personal care, transportation, and much more. Some services may have waiting lists or limitations on the number of hours provided. Payment is usually required, typically on a sliding scale. Services and terms vary widely from county to county—important to remember for seniors who plan to relocate. Most communities also have senior centers that provide recreational and social activities. To connect with senior services available in your area, contact the Area Agency on Aging at 800.442.171, AAANM.org

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

Music & Alzheimer's BY COURTNEY JEROME

“Music felt like home for my father,” shares Mary Ellen Geist, award-winning journalist, author, filmmaker and singer who divides her time between Detroit and Walloon Lake. Mary Ellen left her 20‑plus year journalism career and returned home to Michigan, helping her mother care for her father who suffered from Alzheimer’s. She reflected on her time spent at home by writing Measure of the Heart, and received local and national press for it. Since then, Mary Ellen has continued to share her first-hand perspective of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's, and the power of healing through music. What led you to the transition from your book, Measure of the Heart, to giving lectures about Alzheimer's and the healing power of music? It was a natural progression that grew organically from the way caregivers suddenly find themselves part of a common tribe of what’s believed to be millions of spouses, children, relatives and friends all across the U.S. who are taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s or some form of dementia. And all of us need help. As I began to connect with the caregiving community when I came home to take care of my father, I was shocked by how many people did not use music in their caregiving routines and had never even thought of it until I introduced them to it. My father was a jazz singer and so am I. We communicated with our music and I incorporated it into our caregiving routine. After my book came out and I started giving lectures about it, the response was overwhelming. One woman wrote me a very emotional letter telling me about sitting sadly (and quietly) in a nursing home next to her mother who because of Alzheimer’s could hardly speak. Because of what I had shared 22

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with her about using music, she played her mother’s favorite CDs and they began to communicate again—singing together, or just holding each other’s hands as they looked into each other’s eyes listening to music. She told me it made the last few months of her mother’s life peaceful, and an event that she felt she could fully share with her mother. Can you tell us more about these lectures? I give several types of lectures about music and caregiving. I have given workshops at nursing homes and hospitals and the response has been amazing. I take caregivers through the exercise of using music as part of the caregiving routine and I explain how I work with Alzheimer’s patients. One facility in Northern Michigan started taking CD players with them to visits with Alzheimer’s patients in povertystricken rural areas. The response was so positive, they wrote and received a grant to purchase dozens of CD players and CDs which they now give out to caregivers and patients as part of their Alzheimer’s treatment. That’s what I so often want to emphasize: music is medicine. Music can heal, sometimes even better than a drug. What kind of emotional insights do you give others on how to encourage interaction with a loved one they’re caring for? And how about interaction via music specifically? One thing I preach: don’t try to make the Alzheimer’s patient come in to your world. Go in to THEIR world. It can become almost like a game. Let THEM take charge rather than you leading the way whenever possible. You don’t need to correct them. Listen as much as possible. When I work with people I don’t know, I hold their hands and look into their eyes while playing music. Sometimes, especially if they are having trouble speaking, this alone is a way

INSPIRED LIFE

of communicating that brings them back into the world. It creates a shared human experience that can bring them “back to life,” as some music therapists refer to it. I know it seems hard to believe, but I can give you countless examples where an Alzheimer’s patient who was thought to be unable to speak started speaking again with the addition of music into their caregiving routines. Can you share with us a time music helped you care for your father? When I came home to help my mother take care of my father, I asked her what the worst time of her entire day was with my father. She said it was in the morning, when he woke up, and he began to have a look of terror in his eyes. She says she was convinced he didn’t really know where he was, he didn’t know who SHE was, and she said she was afraid he didn’t know who HE was, either. She would hold him tight, and tell him: “You are Woody Geist. And I am your wife Rosemary. And you are in your home.” It broke my heart. I asked her if she would mind if I snuck into the bedroom before he woke up (he almost always woke up at about 10 a.m.) and played one of his favorite CDs as he started waking up. He loved Frank Sinatra’s “Wee Small Hours of the Morning.” I played that quietly as he stirred awake, sometimes singing along, and then he opened his eyes, actually smiling! He started singing along with the song. He looked at me and he knew exactly who I was. And he knew who my mother was, too. It actually started off my father’s—and our—day with a kind of joy instead of the sorrow and terror of not knowing where he was. (Sometimes we danced, too, in our pajamas. I tell all caregivers to dance whenever possible!) Eventually I incorporated music into almost all of our caregiving routines: Cole Porter’s “Night and Day” worked well in the shower. Anything by the jazz singer Diana Krall helped with sundowning (when people with Alzheimer’s get agitated in the late afternoon.) And if my father was very depressed, sometimes almost catatonic, if I played the University of Michigan fight song “Hail to the Victors” he almost always sprang back to life and started singing along! Do you have recommendations for people who would like to learn more about Alzheimers and the healing power of music? I created a list of resources on my website at maryellengeist.com and you can also find lots of resources at musicandmemory.org and aliveinsideus.org.

AN OLD MISSION MUSIC DUO Jerry Wares spent months studying how to make harps when his wife Marilyn developed an interest in playing 15 years ago. Nowadays, people travel from all over the country to purchase one of his handmade Gabrielle Harps that he makes from their home on Old Mission Peninsula. And Marilyn travels across Northern Michigan to play these harps for others, healing with her music. “Music is magical,” says Marilyn. “I have found that my harp music can make the difference between withdrawal and awareness, between isolation and interaction, between despair and comfort, and most of all between demoralization and dignity.” Marilyn plays music for both friends and strangers at different walks of life and in different situations. However every time she plays, she senses a healing connection. “It really speaks to their soul. It is therapy.” From playing at funerals and nursing homes, to homes of blind children and those on hospice care, Marilyn feels her music makes a difference. “Music brings dramatic results to patients who have Alzheimer's, dementia, and other memory disorders, too. Patients who sit slumped in their wheelchairs become animated and start moving,” she shares, smiling. “I feel blessed to carry my harp into these settings.”

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

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INSPIRED LIFE

HAVE THE BEST BOOK CLUB ON THE BLOCK

LEELANAU BOOKS’ TOP 6 READING LIST

A Leland book club shares the secret to going strong for over two decades. BY COURTNEY JEROME

THE INVENTION OF NATURE, ANDREA WULF

Here are a handful of reads that recently sparked lively discussions.

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE, ANTHONY DOERR A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW, AMOR TOWLES THE DEATH AND LIFE OF THE GREAT LAKES, DAN EGAN MOZART'S STARLING LYANDA LYNN HAUPT UNNECESSARY WOMAN, RABIH ALAMEDDINE

Since 1996, Leelanau Books has hosted a local book club. The format has evolved over the years, but members now meet monthly from September through June in Leland to discuss both fiction and non-fiction stories. “There is something quite energizing to have a really good discussion—we come away with a refreshed mind,” says Leelanau Books owner, Paula Alflen. “Reading and reflecting about a book is a kind of therapy, and this group has melded in such a way that we all feel a positive energy when we finish reading and then discussing, and sharing, a stimulating book.” Here, Paula and her book club share their top five reasons why having a book club is the “best thing in the world” and why theirs works so well in their Northern Michigan community. 1. THEY’RE AN OPEN CLUB “Anyone is welcome, which means we get a wonderful diversity of people and opinions,” says Paula. Leelanau Books’ club members are welcomed from not only locally in Leland, but from surrounding towns such as Northport, Glen Arbor, Cedar, Maple City, and Suttons Bay, too. 2. THEY MEET IN THE MORNINGS “We meet in the late morning, finishing around noon, a time that seems to be workable for our members. We prefer to not be going out at night. We do however often meet for lunch after the discussion session at a local restaurant, which is great for getting to know each other personally,” explains Paula. Plus, at the end of the season they host a social celebration, where they brown-bag lunch at a member’s house in Leland.

3. THE BOOKSTORE HOSTS AND MODERATES “Because we have the fortunate venue of the book store, no one has to prepare their home,” says Paula. Leelanau Books provides hot beverages for attendees and a moderator who steers conversations away from politics and religion. “We have a very respectful and tolerant membership, so members feel safe expressing their opinions—it’s an easily flowing conversation.” 4. ATTENDANCE IS FLEXIBLE “If you’re out of town, no problem,” Paula says. “We don’t meet in July or August which is typically too busy for everyone (including the bookstore!).” While some members join only in the spring, others join in the fall, allowing for flexible attendance. Plus, Leelanau Books encourages members to attend even if they haven’t read that month’s book. “They often find themselves adding to the discussion, and actually appreciating the book—which they now want to read for sure—in a different way, but doing it sort of backward,” says Paula. 5. ANONYMOUS BOOK SUGGESTIONS & VOTING SELECTION “We select our books by submitting suggestions at the end of the season, and then we vote for ten (the number of months we meet),” explains Paula. “We do not know who has suggested any of the books, so we can feel more open about expressing our opinions and not causing offense.”

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

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PHOTO BY JOSH HARTMAN

MARY (MIMI) TURAK AND ELIZABETH (LISSA) EDWARDS

INSPIRED INSPIRED LIFE LIFE

Caregiver’s Confidential It’s one of the most important roles we can play in another’s life. Here’s some candid, first-hand advice for new caregivers. BY ELIZABETH EDWARDS

So, yep, it’s me. Daughter-turned-caregiver for her mom. You hear stories about people like me. But until you’ve taken care of an aging parent, you really don’t get the hugeness of this responsibility. Some days I feel so blessed to get to spend time with my mom in this intimate way—as if I am the one honored to walk this wonderful woman to the door after a fabulous party ... Other days? Well, yes, I have them. Every person ages differently and has varied physical, financial and emotional needs. My mom seems pretty typical. At 87 years old she is darling, beautiful, has some short-term memory loss, macular degeneration, hearing problems and has lost a lot of strength and balance. So, the right solution for us is for her to live with me. And between my full-time career as managing editor of Traverse Magazine (and its sibling publications including this one), a small side-business and finishing raising my last child-just-turned-adult, I make sure that she is safe, warm, comfortable and has as much intellectual and social stimulus as possible. Sandwich generation you say? Make that a panini! By trial and error I’ve found some things to make my caregiving work a little easier. Here are my Top Ten Tips for Caregivers: 1. HAYSTACKS CLOTHING

A morning doesn’t go by that my mom and I don’t thank Northern Michigan’s Lizzy Lambert for founding Haystacks, her line of colorful, stylish, comfortable, easy-to-put-on (no zippers or buttons), easy-care clothes. I’ve bought Mom at least a dozen interchangeable Haystacks outfits over the past two years. She looks fabulous in them (there’s never an age a girl stops wanting to look pretty, right?) and gets compliments everywhere she goes. Bonus: Lizzy and her team hand-cut and sew the clothing here in Northern Michigan. Check out haystacks.net.

Finding a warm coat my mom could fasten herself has been another huge problem I solved recently with the purchase of a wool toggle-fastening coat. 2. GET TO KNOW YOUR LOCAL SENIOR SERVICES CENTER

These local governmental organizations go by various names but if you Google the words “senior services” and the name of your city or county you will find the one closest to you. Mine is Leelanau County Senior Services—and the folks who run it are very helpful. While my mom’s financial status disqualifies her for many of their services, there are plenty that she does qualify for, including the loan of a free wheelchair for as long as she needed it. They’ve also arranged a ride to an eye doctor appointment I couldn’t make, and put me in touch with the Michigan Bureau of Services for Blind Persons based in Lansing. The organization does home visits to assess the needs of people with sight disabilities, macular degeneration included. 3. MEALS ON WHEELS

I can’t say enough about this federally subsidized program. Being half Ukrainian, my DNA believes I should be able to cook for at least half the world. But the reality is, I am often late getting home from work and running late in the morning—and then there’s lunch. Mom, who once was a stupendous cook herself, mostly just makes toast now. After she took a bad fall last spring and I was really scrambling, my daughter talked me into signing her up for Meals on Wheels. At first Mom wasn’t sure at all about this service, and I envisioned mounds of wasted food. But who can resist a piping hot meal delivered by a small fleet of men (most of them seem to be in her case, at least) who are maybe just 10 years or so younger than one’s self ? She loves it. I love it.

Continued on page 29

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

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INSPIRED LIFE

Continued from page 27 4. GATHER TIPS FROM A PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVER

8. EMERGENCY CALL/MEDICAL ALERTS

I didn’t do this but wish I had thought to hire a professional even for just for a few days to train me in the easiest way to help mom get showered and dressed. Eventually I’ve figured out where the grab bars should go, how to arrange her towels, what products work best for the best price and gizmos like that little thing that helps you put your socks on. But I would have saved time and trouble if I’d asked a pro in the first place.

The new era of these use GPS (so that your charge is covered wherever he or she goes), fall detection systems and operators that stay on the line until help arrives. Your local senior services office and online research can help determine the right features and monthly price for your loved one. Of course, the variable is whether your charge will actually wear it or remember—or is even able—to use it if they need it. If you do get one, I suggest reminding your charge about it and how to use it every morning.

5. HEARING AIDS

Say what?! Say, yes! Your loved needs to wear these if they have hearing loss. Insist on it. It might take a bit of holding your ground but after awhile the person in your care won’t want to be without them. It actually took my mom an entire year for her to realize how much better life was with her hearing aids in. The science behind the relationship to hearing loss and cognitive deterioration and emotional isolation is very real. My mom’s cost plenty, and need the cursed pea-sized batteries and flea-sized filters—that obviously she can’t do herself. But more affordable, chargeable hearing aids are finally available and it would be well worth the extra research to find the best type for your loved one. 6. ALEXA!

The hilarious video of seniors trying to use Alexa on Facebook is pretty real. But once they get the hang of how easy Alexa actually is, she is the best thing ever to happen to our aging demographic. After my mom learned that shouting at Alexa doesn’t compensate for calling her the wrong name, she got the hang of it. That opened up the whole world of audio books to her—since she can no longer read print. After she could no longer operate our microwave I purchased the new AmazonBasics Microwave that connects to Amazon’s Echo Dot. A re-heated Meal on Wheels goes a long way on a cold winter’s day. 7. PHYSICAL THERAPY

With all of the other medical appointments seniors need to get to, it’s easy to overlook physical therapy. But even a day or two a week can maintain your charge’s ability to handle steps and dress themselves. The good news is that they don’t need to fall or suffer some other accident to qualify for Medicare coverage. Doctors can prescribe physical therapy on the basis of balance and strength issues.

9. WHAT HELP CAN YOU AFFORD?

While we can’t afford a constant companion for my mom, or even someone to come in and help her get dressed, I have budgeted for house cleaning help and that feels huge. I use shipt.com so I can shop Meijer online and have the groceries delivered. I never turn down help either, even if it is someone who offers to help her in from the car for me. I appreciate every saved chore and helping hand. 10. CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER

One of the toughest things is take time for you, and trusting it is the right thing to do. Personally, watching my mother’s struggle with strength and balance I have doubled my Pilates schedule (thanks, Jen at Pure Pilates!). After a year of trying to control my blood pressure/hypertension naturally I gave in to my doctor and went on meds. Should have done it a couple of years ago! And sometimes the caregiver just needs a break. This New Year’s Eve I took a mini vacay for the night, 20 miles away. It was the first time in several years I had left my mom with anyone but my brother (who travels from the East Coast to spell me) or my aunt who is 12 years younger than my mom and lives downstate. I was confident my mom could put herself to bed and dress herself in the morning (thanks to physical therapy)—as long as everything was organized to a T. Nevertheless, she needed to be checked on. My wonderful son was home from college and he and his equally wonderful friends promised they would poke their heads into her room in the evening and morning. In the end, they wound up staying in, to be close to her. When my mom woke up in the morning she was greeted by eight sleeping 20-somethings sprawled all over the living room. She felt like a queen. Sometimes that panini brims over with unexpected blessings, doesn’t it?

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

THE LIFE YOU WANT Here at Hemming& we live by three principles that make us a cut above. Every day starts with new opportunities; together we will embrace each one of them. Everyone in our offices takes great care to educate each of our clients and truly meet them where they are. It is an honor and a privilege to empower every individual and family we work with. EMBRACE

EDUCATE

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Every plan begins with the discovery of what has brought you here and where you want to go. We take the time to evaluate your financial picture and understand your values.

We understand the value of explaining your options in a way that is clear to you. We help you gain a better understanding of the financial concepts of investing, retirement, and wealth preservation.

Our mission is to guide you to implement smart solutions and unique opportunities.

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INSPIRED LIFE

DO YOU PLAN TO WORK IN RETIREMENT? The 2018 Retirement Confidence Survey found that more than two-thirds of all workers surveyed expect that paid work will play a role as a source of retirement income. If you believe that working for pay will supplement at least some of your retirement income, consider the following facts.

MORE PEOPLE ARE WORKING BEYOND AGE 65 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 37% of men and 28% of women between the ages of 65 and 69 were still in the workforce in 2017. In addition, 17% of men and 10% of women age 70 and older were still working.

SOCIAL SECURITY IMPOSES AN "EARNINGS LIMIT" If you plan to work and claim Social Security benefits before reaching your full retirement age (66 to 67, depending on year and month of birth), you will be subject to an earnings limit ($17,640 in 2019). Above that limit, $1 will be withheld from your benefit for every $2 earned. In the year you reach full retirement age, you will lose $1 for every $3 earned above a higher limit ($46,920 in 2019). Once you reach full retirement age, there is no reduction in benefits.

INCOME FOR OLDER WORKERS IS ON THE RISE According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average earnings for workers age 65 and older increased by 47.6% between 2000 and 2015, a far greater increase than that of any other age group.

Let's continue the conversation.

600 E. Front St. Traverse City, MI 49686 231.922.2900 | info@hemmingwm.com

DAWN HEMMING, MBA & AUTUMN C. SOLTYSIAK, CFPÂ®

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MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

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INSPIRED LIFE

HOW TO MAKE WALKING A HABIT Walking is a fantastic way to stay fit, healthy and active. But staying accountable to a constantly moving lifestyle can be tricky. Here are 10 tips to help make walking a habit, rain or shine. BY COURTNEY JEROME

1. GET INVOLVED IN A COMMUNITY GROUP “There is always strength in numbers and having your friends or the community group hold you accountable will keep pushing you,” says Stephanie Carpenter, Wellness Director at Grand Traverse Bay YMCA. 2. TACKLE YOUR VISTA-AND-VIEWS BUCKET LIST You’ve seen pictures of Northern Michigan sights and have been hoping to see them in person. And most are probably accessible only via trail. Jot down these picture-perfect places, grab a friend, and start crossing them off the list. 3. ADOPT A FOUR-LEGGED FRIEND Join your pooch on daily walks outdoors.

5. GET HOOKED ON A NEW PODCAST

9. NETWORK WHILE MOVING

You’d be surprised how a couple of earbuds and an inspiring audio series can take you to a whole new world. Who knows, the topics may inspire you to start your own fitness podcast, or make you forget you’re even exercising.

Skip having business over coffee, and invite your colleagues to accompany you on a walk instead. Since exercise increases your heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to the brain, you’re more likely to have good ideas and clear vision. “Exercise will also release many hormones, all of which help provide nourishment to the brain cells,” Carpenter says.

6. REGISTER FOR A HEALTHY EVENT AND AREA 3K OR 5K RACE AND TRAIN WITH A BUDDY “Meeting others who have the same passion as you will motivate you to keep going or pushing yourself harder,” Stephanie Carpenter says. 7. SPICE UP YOUR SHOES Neon laces. Motivational buttons. Or a new pair of kicks. Whatever it takes to put a smile on your face while strolling—do it!

10. LEARN TO RACE WALK Ready to take walking to the next level? The Traverse City Track Club (+tctrackclub.com+) hosts race walking clinics to fulfill your competitive urges! All levels of walkers are welcome.

PHOTO BY DAVE WEIDNER

4. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Using a pedometer or Fitbit is a great way to set goals, track your steps, and keep yourself accountable. Bonus: Reward yourself when you accomplish your target!

8. DOWNLOAD AN APP Several applications for your smartphone are available to help you make walking a habit: with built-in GPS to review your route, social networking sites to share your successes, and encouraging audio pep talks.

Shape Up North is a community collaboration dedicated to helping Northern Michigan residents benefit from healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle. shapeupnorth.com

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

JILL AND DENNIS PROUT WITH THEIR GRANDCHILDREN

INVEST FOR THE KIDS...AND THEIR KIDS Sit down with Dennis Prout of Traverse City’s Prout Financial Design to find out how to pass along funds—and financial wisdom—to the next generation. BY SHEA PETAJA

How many grandkids do you have? Four. What do they call you? Papa. Are the rumors true? Is grandparenting really better than parenting? It’s categorically insane because we don’t have the responsibility of parenting and this gives both of us more freedom to express ourselves. Also, we don’t have to discipline them which frees up the relationship. What did you teach your own children about money? Not nearly enough. I tried to teach them the importance of earning a dollar and saving. When they got older it was about mutual funds and saving for their own educational uses. Lindsay, my daughter, called it the “Washington thing” referring to the name of a mutual fund (ha!). Again, we tried. Now, we have more influence because they are in their working years and our advice means more. What has changed in the financial industry since you started saving for your own kids? It used to be about the educational IRA and UGMA (Uniform Gift to Minors Act) accounts but now it’s about the 529 Plans and the Roth IRA. The Roth IRA has been a huge boon for 34

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saving for grandkids because it’s not counted against them in the FASFA. Even the 529 Plan has loosened up to be more inclusive of different learning opportunities (not just college). Are there new strategies parents and grandparents should think about? Several, but here are a few … • You can convert your IRA to a Roth IRA (which grows tax free) so that they can use it for college funding. You will be able to draw money out in 18 years to help that grandchild. At the same time, you can put limitations on that through a trust such as, “They must maintain a B average to receive funds.” • If a child has earned income, you can set up a Roth IRA in their name. • Within certain limitations, a grandparent could liquidate a savings bond, use the proceeds for higher education and not pay any tax on the gain. Is it wise to leave a grandchild as a beneficiary? My first question would be, “How old are they?” and second, “Are they good with money?” It also depends on what kind of account. You must determine if they have full access or if the court will have to oversee transactions. If the account is sizeable then you’ll want to consider a trust to control the disbursement. Consider that most beneficiary IRA’s are spent in a year. Think in terms of family relationships and how

to foster family unity. Relationships are more important than money and I think we’ve all witnessed that. Besides money, what values do you plan to pass on to your grandkids? I want them to understand the importance of faith and how to gift money. For example, we have already chosen nonprofits as contingent beneficiaries after we pass away. We are leading by example. Last words? The biggest thing any grandparent can do is to nurture their grandchild with love and acceptance. The dream for me is to encourage them in their talents. Also, giving to their parents both emotionally and financially, that’s important to us.

Dennis Prout is a Certified Financial Planner® and Master Elite Advisor with Ed Slott’s IRA Advisor Group. He has been leading the retirement planning conversation for over 25 years in Northern Michigan. He is also the host of NEW Retirement Radio on NewsTalk 580 am. Investment Advisory Services offered through Capital Asset Advisory Services, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Capital Asset Advisory Services, LLC, does not offer tax or legal advice.

INSPIRED LIFE

5 EASY TO-DOS TO CHECK OFF YOUR RETIREMENT PLAN LIST Everyone loves a simple checklist to feel like they’ve accomplished something meaningful! Here is an easy-to-follow checklist for you on your way toward a sustainable retirement. BY JASON P. TANK, CFA

JUST DO IT; COMMIT TO AT LEAST A 10% SAVINGS RATE. If you are enrolled in a company-sponsored retirement plan, like a 401(k), be sure to voluntarily save at least as much as your employer has agreed to match. That’s just free money. Counting any matching funds, work to set aside enough to at least squirrel away 10% to 15% of your income. While you might need to tweak this, based on your particular needs and goals, a minimum target of 10% is a nice, round figure. The longer you wait, the more sacrifice that’ll be required later. It’s really as simple as that. LIKE YOU, YOUR PORTFOLIO SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK ITS AGE. The highest level review you can do focuses on what’s known as your asset allocation. Studies have shown that about 90% of your portfolio risk is defined simply by your chosen asset allocation. Naturally, the proper mix of stocks and bonds depends directly on how much time you have left until retirement. Setting a glidepath to an increasingly balanced portfolio is just plain prudent. And, no glidepath can be created, let alone followed, if you don’t know where you are today. Here’s an overly simplistic rule-of-thumb for you. Your portfolio’s allocation to stocks should be no higher than your current age subtracted from 100. It’s really not a silly place for you to start the conversation. PAYING HIGH INVESTMENT COSTS IS LIKE TRYING TO WALK THE WRONG WAY ON THE ESCALATOR. Outside of your asset allocation, the second most important thing to consider are your investment costs. The sad fact is most investors have little idea how much their chosen investments and investment advice costs. Here’s another rule of thumb. Make sure the average “mutual fund expense ratio” in your portfolio is no more than 0.5% per year. And, if you

enlist an advisor, don’t pay them much more than 1% per year. Clearly, a combined total investment cost of 1.5% per year is a lot. Now, I’ve seen worse, so I’ve created an easy box for you to check off! (Tip: You can get sound investments and strong advice for lower.) IMAGINE AND RE-IMAGINE YOUR FUTURE RETIREMENT. When it comes to hitting your retirement goal, you really need to get a rough handle on how much your retirement lifestyle will actually cost. Think of this as figuring out your “cash flow hurdle.” Let’s be honest, nobody likes the word, budget! Within your rough guess, be sure to keep in mind that your mortgage, other debt costs and all those expenses for the kids that currently occupy a portion of your life costs will likely disappear in retirement. THE BEST LAID PLANS OFTEN GO AWRY. It’s always important to recognize that things are bound to change. It’s a rarity that a plan will unfold as planned. For this reason, it is my firm belief that no retirement plan should ever be viewed as chiseled in stone. It’s much more like you’re thoughtfully doodling on a whiteboard. Embrace flexibility by setting your goal and don’t be afraid to erase as needed.

Jason P. Tank, CFA is the owner of Front Street Wealth Management, a purely fee-only advisory firm in Traverse City, and the founder of the Money Series, a program committed to providing open-access to financial education, for all. Find him at Jason@FrontStreet.com, 231-947-3775 and www.FrontStreet.com Front Street Wealth Management is the independent, fee-only, fully-discretionary wealth advisory firm for individuals, families and trusts who value proactive management of their investments and a deeper confidence in their wealth.

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | SPRING 2019

SPRING | 2019

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Dining RESTAURANT GUIDE | LOCAL TABLE | DRINKS

More Cheese | 43 Local Table: Maple Moon Sugarbush & Winery | 45 A Fresh Cup | 47

TEXT BY TIM TEBEAU | PHOTOS BY DAVE WEIDNER

Nibble & Squeak: Get Boss Mouse’s 5 rules (made to be broken) to craft the perfect cheese plate. MyNorth.com/CheesePlate

BOSS MOUSE CHEESE The North’s high priestess of cheese, Sue Kurta, is all smiles as she cuts through a flotilla of silky fresh curds at Boss Mouse Cheese, her gleaming fromage factory housed in an 1860s corncrib in Kingsley. Crafting a relatively miniscule 10,000 pounds of cheese each year sourced from 15 pasture-raised cows at Moomers Dairy, Kurta’s power center is aged cheddars, alpine-style Swiss and montasio accented with fresh seasonal offerings like mozzarella, feta and fresh curds. The marriage of her mad skills with Moomers milk is packaged and direct shipped to her Cheese Club members or sold through local farmers markets and retailers like Burritt’s Fresh Markets. Read on this month as we raid aging caves and display cases to profile the North’s all-female cast of cheese makers and mongers that we’ve dubbed “Les Femmes du Fromage.”

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR '19

3/8-9 THE INCREDIBLE TOY STORY ON ICE 3/15-17 MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch Classics

3/16 SCENES FROM A PARK

unquely prepared with elegant simplicity Closed Tuesdays February â&#x20AC;&#x201D; April Week Days 7 am - 4 pm Saturday - Sunday 9 am - 3 pm Located in the Mercato in The Village of The Grand Traverse Commons Reservations Accepted 231.252.4648

MyNorth.com

RedSpireBrunchHouse.com

800.836.0717 // MYNORTHTICKETS.COM // TRAVERSE CITY

boss mouse cheese | dining

FOODIE FILE

Sue Kurta OWNER/CHEESEMAKER | BOSS MOSS CHEESE, KINGSLEY

Cheesemaking is the third pivot in Sue Kurta’s manifold career path that includes a decade in the music industry and a stint in global banking. Speaking from her hundred and fifty year-old farmstead in Kingsley, Sue dishes on cheese’s democratic nature, local terroir and a delectable late winter DIY. If there’s one thing we need to know about Boss Mouse, it’s… That my cheese is not a fancy food for fancy people. It’s an ancient country art for preserving perishable food before there was refrigeration. I’m a new school cheesemaker and I approach my cheesemaking with joy and a bit of whimsy that’s rooted in classic technique but not hemmed in by protocol. Do you think Boss Mouse Cheese has a regional personality? For sure. Anything made anywhere in small batches by people who love what they’re doing will communicate terroir. Here, I think the healthy, happy life of the Moomers herd, the clean water and the beautiful air manifest in the deliciousness of the milk. Give us a cheesemaker’s best kitchen hack for late winter. Fromage fort. It’s a simple French recipe. Take whatever bits of cheese are kicking around your drawer: fresh cheese, blue cheese, dried out cheese, it doesn’t matter. Put them all in a food processor with a clove or two of fresh garlic and just enough white wine to blend it. You can use it as a dip as is, freeze it for later or, better yet, spread it on baguette and stick it under the broiler. Traverse food and drinks editor Tim Tebeau writes from Petoskey. dining@traversemagazine.com. Dave Weidner is a freelance photographer based in Traverse City. dweidnerphoto@gmail.com.

les femmes du fromage Together with Boss Mouse’s Sue Kurta, these women make up the North’s pentad of artisan cheese pros. KATIE POTTS PETOSKEY CHEESE, PETOSKEY

Crafting exquisite soft-ripened goat cheeses from the herd grazing Idyll’s idyllic Northport pastures, Hiles has a slew of American Cheese Society awards to back up her fromagiste bona fides.

ANNE HOYT LEELANAU CHEESE, SUTTONS BAY The North’s first artisan cheesemaker, Anne Hoyt harnesses the sweet nuances of Leelanau County cow’s milk to craft sublime raclette and creamy fromage blanc.

the mongers

the makers

DAVE WEIDNER

MELISSA HILES IDYLL FARMS, NORTHPORT

The soul and smile of P-Town’s urbanely appointed cheese palace, Potts curates a gleaming bank of cases stocked with artisan wheels rolled in from all corners of the cheese world.

TINA ZINN THE CHEESE LADY, TRAVERSE CITY TC’s infectiously chipper Cheese Lady and her daughter, Kim, hustle truffle-studded pecorino, fragrant fontina and more than fifty other iterations of bon fromage at their Front Street emporium.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR '19

Restaurant Guide

TEN

BLE TA

MART

’S LEELANA HA

OF EXCE

BLD: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner BAR: Alcohol served. $: Entrées under $10 $$: $10–20 $$$: Above $20 Water view

European Style Cafe

Featuring breakfast, lunch, prix fixe, dinner, espresso bar, and serving beer, wine and cocktails. Dinner Prix Fixe Special 3 Courses • 5:00-6:00 pm • $22 Open Every Day Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. The Red House in Downtown Suttons Bay 231.271.2344 • marthasleelanautable.com

PETOSKEY/HARBOR SPRINGS/ CROSS VILLAGE/PELLSTON/ BAY HARBOR/MACKINAC ISLAND

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

The Bistro Saucer-sized homemade pancakes, comfort food.

ADD SOME SPICE TO YOUR LIFE

BL • $ 1900 US 31., PETOSKEY, 231.347.5583

Chandler’s Art-filled eatery’s upscale menu. LD • BAR • $-$$$

www.9beanrows.com BAKERY Artisan bakery, farm market, and deli 9000 E Duck Lake Rd (M204) Suttons Bay, MI 49682

231.271.6658

FARMSTEAD Year-round CSA located in Leelanau County farm@9beanrows.com

9beanrows.com/csa-shares

Native American

215 HOWARD ST., PETOSKEY, BELOW SYMONS GENERAL STORE, 231.347.2981

City Park Grill Scratch cuisine, wood grill, hand-cut steaks, pastas, fresh whitefish. LD • BAR • $$ 432 E. LAKE, PETOSKEY, 231.347.0101

Cormack’s Deli Fabulous sandwiches, soups and bbq, open Mon.-Fri. 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. BL • $ 2569 CHARLEVOIX AVE., PETOSKEY, 231.347.7570

Duffy’s Garage and Grille Pasta, burgers, inventive pizzas. LD • BAR • $$ 317 E LAKE ST., PETOSKEY, 231.348.3663 new

Huron Street Pub & Grill Classic pub food. LD BAR $-$$ 7304 MAIN ST, MACKINAC ISLAND, 906.847.8255

Smokey Jose’s Water-side restaurant where BBQ and bourbon meet tacos & tequila. LD BAR $-$$ 7263 MAIN STREET MACKINAC ISLAND, 906.847.0466

Julienne Tomatoes Fresh sandwiches, comfort food, and homemade pastries. BL • $ 421 HOWARD ST., PETOSKEY, 231.439.9250

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

Star Charts Books: • Sky Stories • Traditional Teachings

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

Odawa Casino Resort Sage—Sumptuous fine dining with curried grilled lamb loin, salmon saltimbocca, seared scallops and an extensive wine list. D, SUN. BRUNCH • BAR • $$-$$$ 1760 LEARS RD., PETOSKEY, 877.442.6464

Palette Bistro Little Traverse Bay views with casual upscale dining, outdoor seating and evolving seasonal menu. Wine bar, weekend brunch and popular happy hour. LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 321 BAY ST., PETOSKEY, 231.348.3321

The Paper Station Fresh, relaxed and inventive foods. BLD • $ 145 E. MAIN ST., HARBOR SPRINGS, 231.242.4546

Pierson's Grille & Spirits Ribs, whitefish, pizza, burgers and other staples of life. BLD • BAR • $-$$$ 130 STATE ST., HARBOR SPRINGS, 231.526.2967

Locally Made Artisanal Cheese

bossmousecheese.com 44

MyNorth.com

new Pour Public House

Charcuterie, gourmet sandwiches, salads, soups, bruschetta. LD • BAR $-$$ 422 E MITCHELL ST., PETOSKEY, 231.881.9800 223 St. Joseph

(231) 271-6033

(M22) Suttons Bay, MI

Stafford’s Bay View Inn Gracious 1886 inn with big veranda, glorious gardens and bay view, American fare. Sun. brunch. BLD • $$-$$$ 2011 WOODLAND, PETOSKEY, 231347.2771

restaurant guide | dining

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

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,

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

Kelsey B’s Lakeside Food & Spirits Dine on burgers, steaks and fish and soak up the Lake Charlevoix views.

231.526.6201

LD • BAR • $-$$ 230 FERRY AVE., CHARLEVOIX, 231.547.2960

Tap30 Pourhouse Inventive sliders, award-winning chili, Frito pie and more along with 30 beers on tap. LD • BAR • $

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

422 E MITCHELL ST., PETOSKEY, 231.881.9572

RD., ELLSWORTH, 231.588.7351

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

Scovie’s Gourmet Deli & Bake Shop Fresh salads, sandwiches, soups and baked goods star here. Dinner is bistrostyle comfort food. LD • $-$$ 111 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX,

ST., PETOSKEY, 231.487.9900

Vernales Restaurant Chop house, sports bar and wine bar with patio dining. LD • BAR • $-$$$ 3018 M119, HARBOR SPRINGS, 231.242.4777

Villa Ristorante Italiano Authentic handmade pasta, osso bucco and hand-rolled cannoli star. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 887 SPRING ST., PETOSKEY, 231.347.1440

Vintage Chophouse/Wine Bar All-American steakhouse flavored with retro sophistication. LD • BAR • $-$$$ INN AT BAY HARBOR RENAISSANCE LAKE MICHIGAN GOLF RESORT, 3600 VILLAGE HARBOR DR., BAY HARBOR, 231.439.4051

BELLAIRE/BOYNE/WALLOON

Barrel Back Smoked pork tacos, chopped salads, gourmet pizza and pasta, grilled beef tenderloin and more. LD • BAR $-$$$ 04069 M75, WALLOON LAKE, 231.535.6000

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

231.237.7827

Stafford’s Weathervane Local fish, seafood and regional cuisine in a Hobbit-style Earl Young stone structure with 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

ELK RAPIDS

Pearl’s New Orleans Kitchen Every day’s Mardi Gras at this festive spot, where Cajun, Creole, seafood, sandwiches and big brunches accompany lively sounds of Zydeco, jazz and blues. LD • BAR • $-$$ 617 AMES, ELK RAPIDS, 231.264.0530 Siren Hall Sup on classics such as short ribs, steak frites, fresh-off-the-plane fruits de mer and homey sides like risotto “tots” and bleu cheese green beans. LD • BAR • $-$$$ 151 RIVER ST., ELK RAPIDS, 231. 264.6062

LEELANAU COUNTY

Art’s Tavern Burgers, whitefish, steaks, Mexican and pizza. Smelt year-round at this legendary watering hole.

Café Santé Beside Lake Charlevoix featuring bistro classics. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 1 WATER ST., BOYNE CITY, 231.582.8800 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.

BLD • BAR • $-$$ 6487 W. WESTERN AVE., GLEN ARBOR, 231.334.3754

(M-88), BELLAIRE, 800.678.4111

Boone’s Prime Time Pub Seafood, steaks and burgers.

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

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

Boone Dock’s Shrimp, burgers, steaks. LD • BAR • $$ 5858 MANITOU, GLEN ARBOR, 231.334.6444

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

Big Cat Brewing Company Great comfort food including pot roast, perch and Southern-fried chicken, but now with house-brewed beer. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 8699 S. GOOD HARBOR TR., CEDAR, 231.228.2282

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

LD • BAR • $ 121 N. BRIDGE ST., BELLAIRE, 231.533.6622

S WAUKAZOO ST., NORTHPORT, 231.386. 5511

CHARLEVOIX/CENTRAL LAKE/ ELLSWORTH/EAST JORDAN

The Cantina Authentic Mexican in Van Pelt Alley behind Bridge Street. LD • BAR • $-$$ 101 VAN PELT PLACE, CHARLEVOIX, 231.437.3612

That French Place Authentic French creperie and ice cream shop. BLD • $ 212 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.437.6037 Bridge Street Taproom Michigan craft brews, beerfriendly small plates, local charcuterie and bird’s-eye views of the yacht traffic on Round Lake. LD • BAR • $-$$ 202 BRIDGE ST., CHARLEVOIX, 231.437.3466

Maple syrup aficionados and lovers of wine, find your next obsession at Maple Moon Sugarbush & Winery, the first and only commercial maple winery in the country, tucked into a working sugarbush just outside of Petoskey. Owners and founders Todd and Christi Petersen say their endeavor was divine inspiration. Hear the rest of the story over a glass of one of their wines—wines that run the gamut from semi-dry to sweet (but not cloying, trust us). Expect a hint of maple and a smooth finish in all 11 varieties ... and to raise a glass to a business that celebrates winter’s ease into spring all through the year. mmsyrup.com —E.E.

231.256.9081

MAPLE CITY/BURDICKVILLE, 231.334.3900

231.535.2999

MAPLE MOON SUGARBUSH & WINERY

The Bluebird Specialties: cinnamon rolls, whitefish, seafood, steak, pasta, creative ethnic feasts during the offseason. Sun. brunch. LD • BAR $$ 102 E. RIVER ST., LELAND,

Short’s Brewing Co. Sip Joe Short’s fabulous brew, and dine from the deli menu in a renovated hardware store. 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,

LOCAL TABLE

Garage Bar & Grill BBQ & bar eats. LD • BAR • $-$$ 108 Joe’s Friendly Tavern Whitefish, burgers, sandwiches, chili and soup. BLD • BAR • $$ 11015 FRONT ST., EMPIRE, 231.326.5506

Knot Just a Bar

Fish and burgers. LD • BAR • $-$$ 5019

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

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

231.334.3944

Leland Lodge Bogeys— BLD • BAR • $-$$ 565 PEARL ST., LELAND, 231.256.9848

Little Traverse Inn Old World gastro pub highlights the food and beer of the British Isles. LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 149 E. HARBOR HWY., MAPLE CITY. 231. 228.2560

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

DAVE WEIDNER

Stafford’s Perry Hotel Circa-1899 hotel with wraparound front porch and killer views of Little Traverse Bay. LD

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR '19

dining | restaurant guide Martha’s Leelanau Table A European-style cafe with an emphasis on scratch regional cuisine. BLD • BAR • $-$$$ 413 N. ST. JOSEPH ST., SUTTONS BAY, 231.271.2344

North Country Grill & Pub (Whitefish, prime rib, and yellow belly perch) , fried pickles, Phillys and Cubans. LD • BAR • $$ 420 ST. JOSEPH ST., SUTTONS BAY, 231.271.5000

Pegtown Station Pizza, subs, burgers, sandwiches, salads and breakfast. BL • $ 8654 S MAPLE CITY RD., MAPLE CITY, 231.228.6692

Mackinaw Brewing Co. House-smoked meats, several styles of beers, tasty char-burgers, fish and ribs. LD • BAR •

TRAVERSE CITY–SOUTH

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,

231.946.3991

$$ 161 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE 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.,

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

TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.5093

SUTTONS BAY, 231.866.4199

BAR • $$ 125 E. STATE ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.947.9832

Tucker’s of Northport Bistro-style casual fine dining. Meet. Dine. Bowl. LD • BAR • $-$$ 116 WAUKAZOO, NORTHPORT, 231.386.1061

OLD MISSION PENINSULA

Boathouse Restaurant Casually elegant spot with great steaks, seafood, large local wine selection. Sunday brunch. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 14039 PENINSULA DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.223.4030

Jolly Pumpkin Wood-fired steaks, fresh fish, and artisan pizzas along with fresh ales crafted on site. LD • BAR • $$ 13512 PENINSULA DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.223.4333

TRAVERSE CITY—DOWNTOWN

Alliance James Beard-nominee Pete Peterson teams with up-and-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

Bay Bread Company Artisan breads, sandwiches, salads, soups. BLD • $ 601 RANDOLPH ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.922.8022 Bistro Fou Fou Chef Guillaume Hazaël-Massieux also of La Bécasse in Maple City brings his country French cooking downtown. LD • $$-$$$ 118 CASS ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.421.6583

Blue Heron 2 Local ingredients used in homemade bread and soup and other scratch dishes like roasted vegetable breakfast bowl. BL • $ 408 UNION ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.778.2583

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

Bubba’s Burgers, chimis, salads, tacos. BLD • BAR • $ 428 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.995.0570

The Cooks’ House Sustainable local cuisine with a French sensibility. LD • $$-$$$ 115 WELLINGTON ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.8700

Firefly Sushi, steaks and burgers. BL • $-$$ 310 S. CASS ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.932.1310

The Franklin Flatbread, salads, lamb and beef burgers, bistro dinners. LD • BAR • $-$$ 160 E. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.943.2727

Frenchies Famous Three tables and carryout, offers superb hot sandwiches and espresso drinks. BL • $ 619 RANDOLPH ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.944.1228

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

Grand Traverse Pie Co. Exceptional cream and fruit pies, soups, salads and quiche. BL • $ 525 W. FRONT ST. AND 101 N. PARK ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.922.7437

Harvest Hip Asian and Latin influenced menu. LD • BAR • $ 127 UNION ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.486.6037

Little Bohemia Famous Olive Burger featured on Food Network. Full menu. LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 540 W. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.6925

MyNorth.com

Mode’s Bum Steer Classic steak and burger house. LD •

Boone’s Long Lake Inn Steaks, prime rib, seafood, daily specials. D • BAR • $$ 7208 SECOR RD., TRAVERSE CITY, 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 Common Good Bakery Handmade pastries, bread, croissants, breakfasts, soups, sandwiches.. BL • $ 537 W 14TH new

ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.933.8002

The Filling Station Microbrewery Thin-crusted woodfired flatbreads and flavorful house brews. LD • BAR • $-$$

North Peak Brewing Co. Wood-fired pizzas, seafood, sandwiches. LD • BAR • $$ 400 W. FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY,

642 RAILROAD PLACE, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.946.8168

231.941.7325

sausages, charcuterie and salads. LD • $-$$ 545 E EIGHTH ST.,

new Raduno Neighborhood deli featuring homemade pasta,

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

TRAVERSE CITY 231.421.118

237 LAKE AVE., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.922.9645

Sauce at Incredible Mo’s Artisan pizza, pasta, salad in a kid-friendly atmosphere. LD • BAR • $-$$ 1355 SILVER LAKE

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

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

CROSSINGS BLVD, GRAWN, 231.944.1355

TRAVERSE CITY–WEST

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

ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.944.1733

LD • BAR • $$ 13671 S. WEST BAY SHORE DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.947.7079

Scalawags Whitefish and Chips A new location for ultrafresh Great Lakes fish fry. LD • $ 303 E. STATE ST., TRAVERSE

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

CITY, 231.933.8700

Slate Prime cuts of beef and the freshest seafood with inspired toppings and sides. D • BAR • $$$ 250 E. FRONT STREET, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.421.5912

Sorellina Authentic Italian pasta, zuppa and insalate. D • BAR • $$-$$$ 250 E. FRONT STREET, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.421.5912

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, 231.929.0900

Warehouse Kitchen & Cork Seasonally inspired farmto-fork restaurant inside Hotel Indigo. BLD • BAR • $-$$$ 263 WEST GRANDVIEW PARKWAY, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.932.0500

TRAVERSE CITY–EAST

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa Aerie—16th-floor panorama of East Bay and regional fine dining. D • BAR • $$$$$ Sweetwater American Bistro—BLD • $$ U.S. 31 N., ACME, 231.534.6000

McGee’s No. 72 Gourmet burgers, fries, pizza and other sophisticated bar food. D • BAR • $$ 4341 M72 E., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.421.8800

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

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., STE. 30, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.252.4648

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 RANDOLPH ST., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.947.9213

Trattoria Stella Hip locally sourced fare with an Italian accent. LD • BAR • $$-$$$ 1200 W. ELEVENTH, TRAVERSE CITY, 231.929.8989

Tuscan Bistro Great patio, marina delivery and Mickey Cannon’s fresh bistro eats with Cajun and Italian influences. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 12930 S. WEST BAY SHORE DR., TRAVERSE CITY, 231.922.7795

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 new

CITY, 231.943.2922

FRANKFORT/ELBERTA/ ONEKAMA/BEULAH

TRAVERSE CITY, 231.938.2773

Birch & Maple Scratch cuisine prepared with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. Friendly folks and fab craft cocktails. BLD • BAR • $-$$ 727 MAIN ST., FRANKFORT,

Smoke and Porter Public House A new American smokehouse where farm-to-table and whole beast butchery meet the fire pits. LD • BAR • $-$$$ 1752 US31, TRAVERSE CITY,

The Fusion Asian delights like fiery curries and lettuce wraps (plus creative cocktails). BLD • $–$$ 300 MAIN ST.,

Red Mesa Grill Colorful spot with a fireplace, flights of tequila and Latin American cuisine. LD • BAR • $-$$ 1544 US31,

231.399.0399

231.642.5020

FRANKFORT, 231.352.4114

Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel Bourbons 72—Seafood, prime rib and more. D • BAR • $-$$$ 7741 M-72, WILLIAMS-

Lucky Dog Bar & Grill Fire-grilled brats, tacos, burgers, smoked wings, craft beer, wine, liquor. LD • BAR • $-$$ 223 S.

BURG, 231.534.8888

BENZIE BLVD., BEULAH, 231.383.4499

Thai Café Eat in or take out authentic Thai cuisine in a cafe atmosphere. LD • $-$$ 1219 E FRONT ST., TRAVERSE CITY,

Stormcloud Brewing Brewing Belgian-inspired ales to pair with inventive, smart bistro fare. LD • BAR • $-$$ 303 MAIN ST.,

231.929.1303

FRANKFORT, 231.352.0118

The Soup Cup, a MicroSouperie Homemade soups, grilled cheese, Belgian fries. L • $ 718 MUNSON AVE., TRAVERSE

Yellow Dog Café Fabulous coffee, sandwiches, baked goods. LD $ 4850 MAIN ST, ONEKAMA, 231.508.5008

CITY, 231.932.7687

coffee | drinks

a fresh cup TEXT BY TIM TEBEAU

From pulled shots to pour overs, these independent cafés/roasters sling quality brew and beans to get you through the day. THE FILLMORE 318 River Street, Manistee | 231.887.4121 NORTH PERK 308 Howard Street, Petoskey | 231.753.2053 HIGHER GROUNDS 808 Red Drive, Traverse City | 231.922.9009 ROASTER JACK 867 South East Silver Lake Road, Traverse City | 231.943.3917

BREW FILE

Chuck Korson OWNER | BLK \ MRKT, TRAVERSE CITY

Northport native and award-winning barista Chuck Korson came up in the restaurant biz and completed the first stage of sommelier training before settling on coffee as his medium of choice. Korson launched BLK \ MRKT, TC’s hippest coffee house, in 2015, and we sit down with him over a deftly brewed cuppa to talk coffee virtuosity. How to know if we’ve stepped into a legit coffee shop? Order a cup of brewed black coffee. It doesn’t require any special equipment but really great filter coffee means they’re using fresh, high quality beans and good water. Coffee is essentially water so purity is important.

DAVE WEIDNER

Let’s talk beans. Are there any regions that we coffee addicts should be paying attention to? Our program tries to highlight coffees that don’t get a lot of representation elsewhere and we work with importers who can give us an intimate picture of the people and places behind them. Right now we’re loving a biodynamic coffee from Brazil. Also look to Burundi and Rwanda for really interesting coffees right now. Espresso, what’s the difference between good and great? Good espresso is balanced and inoffensive. Great espresso is as complex and mind-blowing as a great glass of wine. Traverse food and drinks editor Tim Tebeau writes from Petoskey. dining@traversemagazine.com. Dave Weidner is a freelance photographer based in Traverse City. dweidnerphoto@gmail.com.

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine |

MAR '19

up in michigan | essay

A Fresh Start I really do it as much for the company of the sourdough starter—a very low maintenance pet—tending it and trying to turn it into something... TEXT BY ELLEN AIRGOOD

I stare out my window at drizzling sleet. The world appears in monochrome: sky and snow-covered ground seep into each other, oaks and maples sketch lines that convey no message. I have a faint headache and the youngish day feels interminable, like the last 20 miles of a long journey. A chickadee arrives at the suet and I lean forward, willing myself to be interested, but the faint tck-tck of its beak on the frozen fat is overfamiliar. It soon flits away and my shoulders slump. I’m bored and boring, as dull as a bargain-bin knife. “How wonderful!” people say when they hear where I live, on an inland lake near Superior. “So peaceful. It must be a great way to write—inspirational.” “Mmmm,” I tend to say. “Yes. It is. Or, it can be.” Today it’s just lonesome and dreary. My husband is gone for a long visit to his mother downstate and the dog has gone with him. Time and the wet air weigh heavy, and every task I can think of seems either pointless in its fussiness—picture frames to dust and drawers to organize—or too difficult to tackle. Writing is beyond me. I turn away from the window, wander to the opposite side of the house, but there’s nothing to occupy me there either. I finally jam my boots on and

MyNorth.com

shuffle down the drive to the mailbox, which is empty. I’d like to take a walk but the road—the whole world, probably—is covered in ice from the drizzle, like the spray ice that sinks ships. I trudge back up the drive. Back inside I open a book and soon close it with a sigh. I switch the television on and quickly off again. Hoist my knitting and then drop it. The blank feeling, that sinking ice, builds and builds. At last I stalk to the kitchen and stare into the fridge. There’s a half gallon of milk and a pound of butter. Two dozen eggs and a pan of vegetable soup that’s irritating in its bland healthfulness. A bottle of ketchup, annoyingly numerous jars of hot sauces and mustards, and a tub of yogurt. I shut the door. Then at a spark of memory, open it again. There in the back is the sourdough starter I began late in the fall. I coax it to the front, sling it onto the counter like a lifebuoy cast from one of those ships sunk by spray ice. The contents look cold and dead but maybe not. Maybe the creatures that live in this blob—wild yeasts and friendly bacteria I lured out of the cabin’s air back in October with a trap made of flour and water—are only hibernating, like a turtle gone slow in winter mud. I lean down and sniff. The blob smells of bread and apples and—wine?—

a little. I carry the jar close to the wood stove and build it a cushion to perch on, hoping its inhabitant will soon sit up and take nourishment. I bustle back to the kitchen to rustle up some flour and warm water to tempt it with. I stir them in gently, then settle close by on the couch to keep watch. The fire crackles red-orange behind the mica and the sleet pelting against the window seems now like a bracing challenge rather than a deadening curtain. I pick up my knitting. Hours swift past, winding in and out of the sourdough’s progress, which I check frequently, like loops of yarn. I think I see a bubble late in the evening. By bedtime I’m sure. By morning there’s froth, and by the next morning there is so much to do. Leaven to mix, dough to knead and rise and knead again, “waste” to use up in brownies, pans to grease and dust with corn meal, ovens to heat, loaves to bake until golden brown and crusty, for indeed, the miracle I had hoped for in my vigil has come to pass. The inert dough has come to life, pulling me along with it.

Ellen Airgood writes from Grand Marais, where she owns West Bay Diner & Delicatessen with her husband. She is the author of South of Superior, The Education of Ivy Blake and Prairie Evers. ellenairgood.com

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