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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • Dec 04 - Dec 10, 2017 • Vol. 27 No. 48

slopeside fun for downhill haters + nutcracker + carb-loading at common good + bahnhof + more

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2 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

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Synder’s Slick Oil Deal

Legislation Not Representative

The 2008 Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Hiller struck down a gun ban in Washington, D.C., as well as a requirement that mandated [lawfully owned rifles and shotguns be kept “unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock”].

Justice Anthony Scalia wrote, in part, that the government can regulate gun rights. It can prohibit owning a weapon if you’re a felon or mentally ill, and it can ban ownership of certain weapons not normally used for self-defense.

He further suggested that states regulating gun rights in public places is constitutional and would most likely be upheld.

Fast-forward to today. The Michigan Senate just passed Sen. Arlen Meekhof ’s sponsored gun legislation allowing concealed weapons into traditionally gun-free zones like bars, arenas, schools, stadiums, hospitals, casinos, and churches. Also pending in the Michigan House: legislation (HB-4970) sponsored by Rep. Michelle Hoitenga that even goes further in allowing some citizens to carry a concealed weapon without a permit.

Now here’s where this get a little dicey for me. The Oct. 2017 Gallup Poll shows 60 percent of U.S. citizens want more restrictions on guns, and the majority polled want background checks for private and gun-show sales, the banning of assault-style weapons, and a federal database tracking gun sales.

The last Michigan Epic/MRA gun opinion poll showed 70 percent opposed carrying a concealed weapon in schools, churches, hospitals, etc. We citizens elect people to serve our political and social interest in Lansing and D.C., but somewhere along the line the ones we elect seem to forget whose interest they were elected to represent!

Jay Richley, Cadillac

Open Your Eyes, Underwood

In response to Carole Underwood’s opinions in her Nov. 20 letter and her support of Bergman: So many lawmakers turn blind

eyes to the multi-faceted issues the majority of us face as they fulfil their self-serving agendas.

Three well-researched books come to mind as beneficial: Anne Wilson Schaef ’s “When Society Becomes and Addict,” Carol Dweck’s “Mindset,” and Bandy X. Lee’s “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump.”

President Trump has stepped up violence and aggression in areas of our world where he will personally financially benefit from vast mineral resources, like Syria, and in the case of Afghanistan, gaining control of 90 percent of our world’s opium production. The pharmaceutical industry is not solely responsible for the opioid catastrophe we are faced with.

I have lived in the line of poverty, being part of the working poor that Carole Underwood refers to as not eligible for societal benefits because “poor people do not pay taxes.” Not true! As a self-employed laborer, I had to pay a high percentage of my income even though some years I weighed in under the poverty level.

There are many facets to each issue and problem. My preferred thinking is in color, not in black and white. Ms. Underwood and others who are trapped in fixed mindsets within the narrow passageways of self-served thinking have little to do with humanity.

Charlene Verschaeve, Cedar

Underwood’s Utopia Doesn’t Exist

In response to Carol Underwood of Maple City’s Nov. 20 letter to the editor, your lily-white narrow-minded nirvana-esque statements were printed in the Northern Express a couple of years ago too. Yes, it would be a “White” Christmas in “La La Land” if the world were as perfect as you reason it should be.

I am wondering if you could step outside your fenced-in yard of moral high ground and volunteer at your local school, homeless shelter, or child and family services center.

You see, humanity is not so simple. We are messy and complicated at all levels of “growing up-ward.” You, who have apparently reached nirvana perfection, can join Congress and some neo-group to legislate how to corral and punish and tax and segregate until we the people have an epiphany and learn how to become just like you!

Lois Bedtelyon, Interlochen

If you have enough power and influence, evidently you can get away with just about anything. Support for decommissioning Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac has been overwhelming and unprecedented in these divisive times: Business owners, private citizens, organizations, local and tribal governments, faith-based communities, and multiple editorial boards across Michigan have made their views known publicly. Our communities understand what’s at stake. But the will of the people continues to be brushed aside.

Last week, Gov. Synder announced an agreement that was negotiated with Enbridge behind closed doors. It signals the decision on the fate of Line 5 has already been made on Enbridge’s terms: continued delays, continued risk, a tunnel under the Straits, and the indefinite operation of the pipeline, most likely at double the capacity. The way this was handled was undemocratic and is unacceptable.

Pressure for action had been mounting as new revelations on the condition of the pipelines made it clear that Enbridge has repeatedly lied and withheld information from the state and the public. After years of inaction, commissions, and reports, the governor appears to have undermined the process of his own Pipeline Safety Advisory Council during a public comment period on the final Alternatives Study. No stakeholders at the table besides government officials and Enbridge?

Local tribes were not consulted.

Enbridge has been “scolded” publicly by elected officials at all levels. But real leadership requires meaningful consequences for irresponsible and illegal behavior. Instead, Enbridge gets to broker the arrangement.

Protecting the Great Lakes for future generations is a legal and ethical responsibility and a sacred trust. Protecting our local economy is in our own best interest. Please speak out.

CONTENTS

features Crime and Rescue Map......................................7

From Prison to Pot..........................................10 2018 Ski Report............................................14 The Nutcracker turns 125..............................17 Northern Icon...............................................18 Best. Winter. Ever.........................................20 Slopeside Suggestions...................................24 No Women Left Inside....................................27 Hibernation Time...........................................29 Common Good..............................................33 Northern Seen...................................................35

dates...............................................36-39 music Hot Acts for Cold Nights..................................34 FourScore.......................................................41 Nightlife.........................................................44

columns & stuff Guest Opinion...................................................4

Top Five...........................................................5 Spectator/Stephen Tuttle....................................6 Weird...............................................................8 Modern Rock/Kristi Kates................................42 The Reel...........................................................43 Rev. Deb Hansen, Levering Advice Goddess.............................................45 Crossword...................................................45 Hopeless in Harbor Springs Freewill Astrology.........................................46 I was holding out hope that Gov. Snyder would do the right thing for Michigan and the Classifieds....................................................47 Great Lakes, but he proved me wrong as he reached an agreement with Enbridge and the future of Line 5, the 64-year old pipeline crossing the Straits of Mackinac. I also held out hope that Governor Snyder would do what he promised and include the Pipeline Safety Advisory Board (PSAB) in discussion and decision-making, but he proved me wrong again, acting only with Enbridge and government officials. I again held out hope that Governor Snyder was listening to the overwhelming support for decommissioning Line 5 by private citizens, business owners, organizations, and governments, and that he would act in the best interest of the citizens of Michigan, but he proved me wrong.

Governor Snyder speaks of transparency, yet this meeting was held behind closed doors with important people left out on the other side of the discussion — people like Chris Shepler of Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferries; Mike Shriberg, Great Lakes regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation; and Homer Mandoka, president of the United Tribes of Michigan.

Line 5 is a shortcut for delivering Canadian oil to Sarnia. The core provision in Monday’s deal commits Enbridge and Michigan to study three options to keep the oil flowing: a new pipeline, a tunnel, or a trench. A selection is anticipated by August 2018. Notice that shutting down Line 5 is not on this list.

Governor Snyder likes data, urging its use to support action. This is not a bad thing, but to allow Enbridge as the data collector when you broker an agreement? Unconscionable. Protect the Great Lakes for future generations. Do not rely on hope.

Marjorie Marks, Harbor Springs

Corrections: In the “5 Gifts for Foodies” story in the Nov. 20 issue, we omitted one of American Spoon Foods’ five Michigan locations: Charlevoix.

On the cover of the Nov. 27 “Giving Back” issue, we mistakenly named Silver Muzzle’s location as Elk Rapids. It is located in Rapid City.

Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase 129 E Front Traverse City, MI Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com Executive Editor: Lynda Twardowski Wheatley Finance & Distribution Manager: Brian Crouch Sales: Kathleen Johnson, Lisa Gillespie, Katy McCain, Mike Bright, Michele Young, Randy Sills, Todd Norris For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Matt Ritter, Randy Sills, Kathy Twardowski, Austin Lowe Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Contributing Editor: Kristi Kates Proofreader: Daniel Harrigan Reporter: Patrick Sullivan Contributors: Amy Alkon, Ross Boissoneau, Rob Brezsny, Janice Binkert, Jennifer Hodges, Anna Faller, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle Copyright 2017, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly. Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 3 Corrections: In the “5 Gifts for Foodies” story in the Nov. 20 issue, we omitted one of American Spoon Foods’ five

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Having been fortunate enough to have spent the majority of my life in northern Michigan, an area well known as both a summer, and winter tourist /resort destination, I have come to the conclusion that — wait for it — people, as a rule, from all cultures and corners of the world, have both a lust and absolute need for travel.

E’gre’gors (commonly refered to locally as “fudgies,” or my personal favorite, “cone lickers”), have long realized that our bodies and minds need to be in constant motion. We long to form fresh impressions.

And all of us need a regularly scheduled adjustment or chance for real perspective on our daily lives. It is as an important, integral, and beneficial part of our lives as actual physical motion itself.

one also has the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and topography that has made northern Michigan a premier vacation destination for nearly 150 years.

Staycations, or even short day trips right in one’s own backyard, can easily provide the mobility and change of scenery needed to feel the sense of freedom and adventure we seek in our lives. Implementing a “nophone rule” while hiking, experiencing new restaurants, or wandering through new towns can help to provide the maximum amount of disconnect possible.

Most importantly, it allows us to be reinvigorated to all the securities that sustain and nourish us upon returning.

Walking with a camera on my chest, (the surest telltale sign of being a “fudgie

Staycations, or even short day trips right in one’s own backyard, can easily provide the mobility and change of scenery needed to feel the sense of freedom and adventure we seek in our lives When leaving a vacation locale that has had a substantial positive impact, whether it be aesthetic, emotional, or some other aspect of one’s journey, the thought of, “I wonder what it would be like to live here,” seems ubiquitous.

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The fact is we are all constantly under the influence of our daily lives and the stresses on our energy systems, even when one is so fortunate as to live in an area that so many others envision as idyllic. The stresses can possess different qualities, both negative and positive, but the main thing is that they constantly influence us, and when we travel, we can at the very least partially disconnect from them. We begin to attract the positive. We feel noticed. We wear clothes we would not wear at home.

Basically, we become a better, truer version of ourselves. We also have a chance to realize the world “news” we are constantly inundated with, although current to the minute, lacks integrity and accuracy and falls more into the realm of propaganda.

In 1957 when Arthur Frommer wrote his famous book, “How to Enjoy Europe on $5 a day,” travel to Europe and other exotic destinations was a luxury reserved for only the rich and famous. Mr Frommer’s book changed the rules, inspiring countless people from all walks of life to make the trek to places they had previously only dreamed of ever visiting, and for average stays of months on end.

Today’s economic climate has once again presented limitations as to accessibility, affordability, and the extent of one’s stay, especially in far distant points of interest.

However, with new resources such as Airbnb and Love Home Swap, there are an always increasing number of options to help fulfill ones sense of wanderlust. And given the amazing area in which we reside,

abroad”) over the last few weeks in the Netherlands has served as a reminder of how blessed I am to live in an area that welcomes such numerous, diverse, and appreciative visitors yearly, despite the comparatively minor inconveniences that comes with the influx of all those tourists each season — and how great it is to come home to an area as beautiful and rich in history and culture as any other in the world.

I think it is not a secret for anyone that we consist not only of a physical shell, and we are influenced not only by the laws of the material world. You can be the most stubborn skeptic and not believe in spiritual life and energy laws, but the existence of psychological patterns/ regularities is proven and is not questioned.

After all, energy is not a mystical source of power that does not obey natural laws, it is completely scientifically explainable and is associated with the material world.

The vital energy of a person is the power that is being used in daily affairs. It is being spent on work, study etc. We receive and spend it constantly, and its level determines our overall tone, mood and physical condition.

One of the most resourceful things you can do to restore your energy is to travel, travel, and travel more. It applies not only to major and far distance trips but also short distance ones as well: a few or even one day trip outside your city for a countryside picnic will help you to renew your energy balance. Regular trips to other countries can become a powerful resource moving you forward towards your goals.

Christopher Struble is the president of The Michigan Hemingway Society, owner of a small local business, a historian, and avid outdoorsman residing in Petoskey. Special thanks to Alona Kelly, who contributed to this column.

this week’s

top five New Campus for Gaylord A community college satellite campus is coming to Gaylord.

Gaylord Community Schools and Petoskey-based North Central Michigan College are opening the NCMC Gaylord Center this winter.

The center — which will feature five classrooms, including a science lab and a student lounge — means more access to college credits for Otsego County high school students and adults who want to attend college.

“Our early college partnership with North Central has grown beyond original expectations,” said Brian Pearson, GCS superintendent. “The creation of the North Central Gaylord site will provide increased opportunities for our students and strengthen the higher education offerings for the community.”

The center’s opening will be celebrated at an open house from 5pm until 7pm Dec. 11. It’s located at 620 E. 5th St. in the former home of the Early Childhood Center, near Gaylord Middle School.

tastemakers Bistro FouFou’s Steak-Frites Picture a nattily dressed couple sitting in a fine European brasserie, enjoying a perfectly cooked steak with a side of …

French fries.

Considered to be one of the favored dinner choices of the French and the Belgians (both claim to have invented the dish), steak-frites might seem to wander too close to its common brethren on the other side of the tracks, the American hamburger and fries, but when done right, the dish is a truly decadent experience.

Bistro FouFou in Traverse City has mastered the task, serving up steak-frites that start with seared prime Bavette steak — a less-familiar cut of beef sirloin that’s sliced thin yet remains juicy and flavorful when cooked — and owner/chef Guillaume Hazael-Massieux’s signature pommes frites. (Think: crispy outer crust, delightfully tender center.) Add in your choice of caramelized shallot butter or Béarnaise sauce, and you’ve got yourself a meal fit for a European evening right here in northern Michigan.

Get it for $29 at Bistro FouFou, 118 Cass St. in Traverse City. (231) 421-6583 or bistrofoufou.com.

the cummings quartet The Cummings Quartet (pictured) will perform along with students from the Dorothy Gerber Strings Program at Charlevoix Circle of Arts on Weds., Dec. 6 at 6pm as part of the Charlevoix Cultural Corridor Holiday Fest. Running from 5 to 8pm, there will also be a Circle Market and artisan demonstration at Circle of Arts, along with exhibits at the Museum at Harsha House, a photography display featuring the works of LuAnn Griffin at the Charlevoix Public Library, followed by the Jazz at the Library Holiday Concert with Claudia Schmidt performing with Steve Stargardt and the JATL Band. 231-237-7340.

Wildflower Crusaders Recognized Showy lady slippers — the one-time signature blooms of northern Michigan forests — have grown increasingly rare in the last two decades.

Part of the reason is hungry deer, who treat the plants like snacks. Fluctuating rainfall is another. Some are lost because people illegally pick them.

Omena residents Chuck and Janet Dickerson have worked for almost a decade on behalf of the wildflowers, and for their efforts they’ve been named volunteers of the year for 2017 by the Leelanau Conservancy.

The Dickersons have worked for years with a plant biologist who has taught them to hand-pollinate and cultivate the flowers. This year, with help from the conservancy staff, they’ve transplanted 70 seedlings at the Soper Natural Area and saw the construction of barrier to keep deer away.

“Chuck and Janet Dickerson’s passion for our native wildflowers and their painstaking work over the last eight years to grow showy lady slipper seedlings is amazing,” said Tom Nelson, the conservancy’s executive director. “We are inspired by and grateful for their dedication to increasing the number of these beautiful and unique plants at our Soper Natural Area.”

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Remember when a good education for our children was the top priority of nearly every politician? Not so much these days.

Spending on public K-12 schools and universities has been in decline since the recession approached rock bottom in 2008. According to the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, states spent $5.7 billion less last year than they did in 2008, and that’s actually an improvement from more recent years. Thirty-two states have directly cut funding, and another 10 have reconfigured their allocation formulas to reduce funding.

Michigan has been among the cutters, having reduced per-pupil funding by 7.5 percent since 2008 according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

6 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

Though the recession is long over, we now have a different sort of axe being wielded at the federal level. Michigan’s own Betsy DeVos, now Secretary of Education, doesn’t appear to have ever met a public school she likes and has become part of a conservative bandwagon railing against our college and university system. She thinks more cutting is in order, and she has allies.

Michigan’s own Betsy DeVos, now Secretary of Education, doesn’t appear to have ever met a public school she likes ...

The argument here, of course, is that states simply did not have the money during the recession, and spending cuts had to be made.

Education, as one of the largest single budget items in every state, was a juicy target. Four states both increased revenues and cut their budget, but the rest of the nation only cut.

Once sacrosanct, public education suddenly had a bull’s-eye on its back.

Since 46 percent of public education money comes from the state, budget cuts at that level are felt disproportionately at the local level. Administrators are left with the task of choosing between building repairs or upgrading classroom materials.

It didn’t help that federal contributions to public education also decreased and often where it hurts the most. Title 1, the program for disadvantaged students, has been cut by 11 percent, and money for disabled students by 9 percent. Cash-strapped states have not been able to totally make up the difference.

Some states decided the best solution during the recession was the old supply-side economics canard: reduce taxes, and the revenues will flow. But they didn’t, and state revenues, a critical element of public education funding, decreased.

Five of those states that bought the supplyside myth and cut taxes — Oklahoma, Alabama, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Idaho — have reduced spending on public education the most. Arizona has reduced such funding a whopping 54 percent since 2008.

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(It should be noted Michigan’s funding allocation system, which is supposed to be fair to every district, is not. Rigged by politicians from population centers, the system pays as much as 40 percent more per pupil to some downstate schools than to those here in northern Michigan, nearly all of which receive less than the state average.)

Money doesn’t solve every public education problem, but lack of money solves none and creates many. Shrinking assistance from the state and feds confronted local districts at the same time of rising costs for everything from power to transportation to classroom material. Some were able to pass millages or float bonds to keep up; many weren’t so lucky.

They have decided our public university system is a good target. You know, the places with all those inane classes, constant protests, safe spaces, political correctness run amok, liberal indoctrination, radical professors, and the rest. And there is some truth in every accusation — just not much.

Our college and university system is, in fact, the envy of the rest of the world. There is no other country offering the sheer number and variety of advanced learning opportunities.

There’s a reason students from South Korea, Japan, China, India, and other countries, all with supposedly superior K-12 systems, clamor for student visas to attend college here.

It seems likely not all the 20 million students now attending our colleges and universities — a number expected to increase 5 percent next year — are radicals, leftists, or protesters. Some probably just attend classes and some parties, get their degrees, and lead productive lives.

And with good reason: There are reams of research on the enormous economic and social advantages of having a college degree.

There’s even evidence of increased longevity for college graduates.

Those universities are also where cuttingedge research on virtually everything — from medicine to the environment to physics — is given birth. Of the 892 Nobel Prizes awarded since 1901, nearly 600 have been won by those directly associated with American colleges and universities.

Yet we now have an administration in Washington that ignores or debases science and defames our public schools and college system.

The president doesn’t read because a book, he says, “takes too long.” We’re being led by people who don’t know where they’re going.

We’ve devalued public education financially, socially, and now we’re doing it politically.

That’s just dumb.

Crime & Rescue THREE BUSTED FOR WEED ROBBERY Three people face charges after a woman was choked to unconsciousness and robbed of a bag of weed.

State police were called to the home of a 43-year-old Houghton Lake woman who said that she’d been robbed by two men Nov. 25.

The woman told troopers she’d arranged to sell medical marijuana to 26-year-old Houghton Lake resident Timothy Breault. She said that Breault arrived with 27-year-old Ryan Norton and that, after she retrieved a bag of pot from the back of her house, Breault grabbed her from behind and choked her until she was unconscious, according to a press release.

Troopers tracked down the suspects at a home in Harrison, where they also arrested 27-year-old Danaka Seney for being an accessory to unarmed robbery.

PELLET GUN CAUSED COMMOTION Investigators determined that two teens who prompted police to descend upon the Grand Traverse Mall acted recklessly but didn’t intend to harm anyone when they displayed what appeared to be a handgun.

The 17- and 18-year old purchased a pellet gun at Dunham’s Sports and took it out of its package, Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s deputies said.

Three boys witnessed the incident and alerted security, who called police, which caused deputies to make a “high priority” response to the mall at 2pm Nov. 22.

DRIVER KILLED IN CRASH Freezing rain caused a driver to lose control, crash into an oncoming truck, and suffer fatal injuries.

The crash occurred at 5:53am Nov. 30 on M-68 near Walker Road in Koehler Township, Cheboygan County Sheriff’s deputies said.

The driver who died was a 17-year-old girl from Onaway and the sole occupant of the vehicle. The box truck was driven by a Prudenville man.

Deputies said that it was raining at the time of the crash, and the rain was freezing on the road after it fell.

TWO CHARGED IN HEROIN DEATH Two people were arrested after a heroin overdose death in Suttons Bay. Leelanau County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a home on South West Bay Shore Drive at 4pm Nov. 22 where they found an unconscious 31-year-old Kevin Daniel Yannett.

Deputies attempted to revive Yannett with an opioid overdose reversal drug, but they were unsuccessful.

Yannett was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies tracked down two suspects who they believe sold the man heroin, a 20-year-old Suttons Bay woman and a 21-year-old Wisconsin man. Erin Grant and Preston Weaver faces charges of delivery of a controlled substance causing death.

WOMEN ARRESTED FOR DRUGS Cadillac Police arrested two women after someone called police about a suspicious vehicle parked near a “known drug house.”

Officers were dispatched Nov. 21 at 9:30pm to the area of Selma and Elmer streets. They talked to two occupants of the car and arrested a 25-year-old Cadillac woman on unrelated warrants.

Officers saw what was believed to be drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, searched the car, and arrested the driver, a 43-year-old Cadillac woman.

Police said they found two baggies that contained suspected methamphetamine in the vehicle. The women were taken to jail, where the younger woman was caught allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs into the facility.

POLICE: MAN TRIED TO LURE TEEN A state police detective who posed as a 15-year-old girl on Facebook got the

by patrick sullivan psullivan@northernexpress.com

attention of a homeless 45-year-old sex offender.

Guy Emery Raymond faces charges of using a computer to commit a crime, attempted criminal sexual conduct, and accosting a child for immoral purposes.

Between May and September, he sent the Facebook account lewd pictures of himself and attempted to convince the girl to meet him to have sex at his tent in the Grand Traverse Commons, according to the charges.

Raymond was ordered held on a $250,000 bond at his arraignment Nov. 29. He was convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in 1999.

TWO CHARGED IN KALKASKA MURDER The shooting death of a downstate man in a rental home near Fife Lake was drug related, Kalkaska County Sheriff’s deputies said.

Two men were charged in the death of 42-yearold Inkster resident Brodrick Ward, who was found dead Nov. 21 with a single gunshot to his chest.

Investigators allege that Terrance Jordan and Jason Morgan are responsible for Ward’s death, whom they believe was shot two or three days earlier. Jordan and Morgan were charged with open murder and armed robbery and held in lieu of $10 million bond.

Investigators believe 36-year-old Jordan, of Traverse City, and 35-year-old Morgan, of Kingsley, were acquaintances of Ward.

PAROLEE JAILED OVER THREAT A 59-year-old Traverse City man recently paroled from prison left an apparently threatening voicemail for the detective who had investigated him, saying he was going to come after the officer.

John Thomas Steiner faces as many as 20 more years in prison after he made the alleged threat against a Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s detective on Nov. 17, according to the charges.

The detective investigated Steiner in 2014, leading to a conviction for embezzlement from a vulnerable adult.

In the voicemail, Steiner told the detective that his investigation put him “in prison for three years over some bullshit. … So now I’m comin.’ I’m comin,’” according to the witness retaliation charges.

Steiner is charged as an habitual offender. He was convicted of malicious destruction of police property in 1989, third-offense drunk driving in 1998, and assault with a dangerous weapon in 2009.

BREAK-IN SUSPECT BUSTED Traverse City Police arrested 29-yearold man who was found lying under a picnic table stored inside a garage, following a break-in at a Slabtown home.

A homeowner on the 600 block of Monroe woke up Nov. 25 at 5am and found a bathroom light on, a toilet seat uncharacteristically down, and snacks spilled around his kitchen. He also discovered prescription medicine was missing from his bathroom, TCPD Chief Jeffrey O’Brien said.

The man called police, then checked outside his home and saw the suspect walking into his garage.

When police arrived soon after, they found the Traverse City man and arrested him on suspicion of breaking and entering. O’Brien said investigators believe the suspect entered through an unlocked door.

When the deputies arrived, the suspects fled; two were captured right away, and the third was tracked down with a police dog nearby, hiding in tall grass.

Deputies suspect that trees were struck in at least four locations around the county and that the damage could total thousands of dollars. The boughs, or evergreen branches, are used to make Christmas wreaths.

DEPUTIES SEARCH LAKE FOR MAN Police searched Lake Skegemog after a 45-year-old Traverse City man was reported missing, and his pickup truck was found parked at a boat launch.

John Murray White’s family reported him missing Nov. 28, and Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s deputies launched a search with numerous other agencies, zeroing in on the lake after the discovery of White’s pickup and, later, his kayak. Friends and family told deputies that White liked to kayak on the lake and that he’d been missing since Saturday.

TREE TRIMMERS BUSTED Police arrested three people caught trimming boughs from evergreen trees in Cheboygan County.

Deputies were called to Beaugrand Township Monday at 4pm where three people were seen illegally cutting branches from trees on public and private land.

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News That Sounds Like a Joke White people living in Lawrenceville, Smoked Pork Loin Roasts • Hams Georgia, had the chance of a lifetime on Nov. 16 to attend a “Come Meet a Black Person” Smoked Turkey or Turkey Breasts event sponsored by Urban MediaMakers, a 2 Hours inPORK the oven - Good go SMOKED LOIN • to HAMS for filmmakers and content creators.

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Unclear on the Concept The Detroit Police Department got a little carried away on Nov. 9 while trying to address a persistent drug problem on the city’s east side. Two undercover special ops officers from the 12th Precinct were posing as drug dealers on a street corner when undercover officers from the 11th Precinct arrived and, not recognizing their colleagues, ordered the 12th Precinct officers to the ground. Shortly, more 12th Precinct officers showed up and the action moved to a house where, as Fox 2 News described it, a turf war broke out as officers from the two precincts engaged in fistfights with each other. An internal investigation is underway, and the police department has declined comment.

Rude Awakening A family in Vero Beach, Florida, were rudely awakened early on Nov. 11 when Jacob Johnson Futch, 31, climbed onto their roof to, as he later told authorities, carry out a meeting with an agent of the Drug Enforcement Agency. WPTV reported the family didn’t know Futch and called Indian River Sheriff ’s deputies to say that someone was stomping on their roof, yelling and howling. When asked, Futch admitted injecting methamphetamines earlier that morning. He was charged with trespassing and held in the Indian River County jail.

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The Continuing Crisis An unnamed man in Frankfurt, Germany, called police 20 years ago to report his Volkswagen Passat missing, believing it had been stolen. In November, the car was found just where the driver had left it, according to Metro News -- in a parking garage that is now scheduled to be demolished. Police drove the 76-year-old to the garage to be reunited with his car, which is unfit to drive, before sending it off to the scrap heap.

Flying Solo Office workers at Cambridge Research Park in Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, England, feared the worst as they rushed outside on Nov. 13 after watching a hot air balloon crash into a fence in their parking lot. Strangely, no one was in the basket of the balloon, although the gas canister was still running. Eyewitness Jack Langley told Metro News: “Either they had bailed out and jumped out before crashing or the balloon escaped from its mooring lines.” Cambridgeshire Police later discovered the balloon had taken off when the pilot got out of the basket to secure it to the ground.

Bright Ideas -- Dunedin, New Zealand, police Sgt. Bryce Johnson told Stuff.nz that he’s seen people reading newspapers, putting on makeup and using their mobile phones while driving, but pulling over a driver who was playing bagpipes while driving, as he did on Nov. 15, was a first for him. “His fingers were going a million miles an hour,” Johnson said.

The driver, who admitted to being a bagpipe player, said he was only doing “air bagpipe,” and a search of the car did not turn up the instrument. He was released with a warning, but Johnson urged other drivers to keep both hands on the wheel at all times.

-- The Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Police Department cited an unnamed driver of a Buick Century on Nov. 12 for making their own license plate out of a pizza box and markers. The plate, which reads “MASS” at the top and sports a sloppily rendered six-digit number, prompted police to post some helpful warnings to creative citizens on its Facebook page and resulted in charges including operating an uninsured and unregistered vehicle and attaching “fake homemade” plates.

Crime Report In the wee hours of Nov. 5, before the McDonald’s in Columbia, Maryland, had opened, a woman reached through the drive-thru window and tried to pour herself a soda, but she couldn’t reach the dispenser.

The Associated Press reports that, rather than driving down the road to a 24-hour restaurant, she can be seen on surveillance video squeezing herself through the drivethru window, pouring herself a soda and collecting a box full of unidentified items before taking off. The thief remains at large.

Oh, Canada Montreal police may win the Funsuckers of the Year award after pulling over 38-yearold Taoufik Moalla on Sept. 27 as he drove to buy a bottle of water in Saint-Laurent.

Moalla was enthusiastically singing along to C+C Music Factory’s song “Gonna Make You Sweat” when a patrol car pulled behind him with lights and sirens blaring. Officers directed him to pull over, and four officers surrounded Moalla’s car. “They asked me if I screamed,” Moalla told CTV News. “I said, ‘No, I was just singing.’” Then he was issued a $149 ticket for screaming in public, a violation of “peace and tranquility.” “I understand if they are doing their job, they are allowed to check if everything’s OK,” said a “very shocked” Moalla, “but I would never expect they would give me a ticket for that.”

His wife, however, said she wasn’t surprised and would have given him a ticket for $300.

Awesome!

Indian computer coder Suyash Dixit braved perilous terrorist-infested territory and drove six hours in early November to plant his flag and declare himself king in the last remaining unclaimed habitable place on Earth -- Bir Tawil, a border area between Sudan and Egypt. “I am the king! This is no joke, I own a country now! Time to write an email to U.N.,” he told The Telegraph. King Dixit has also created a website for his new nation, where he is encouraging people to apply for citizenship. However, Anthony Arend, an international law and politics scholar, scolds that “under international law, only states can assert sovereignty over territory.”

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Traverse City • Central Lake MammothDistilling.com Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 9

FROM PRISON TO POT

In the wake of the closure of Pugsley Correctional Facility, Kingsley is trading prison jobs for pot jobs.

One township over, where the prison was actually located, officials in Fife Lake aren’t ready to make that move.

10 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

By Patrick Sullivan Kingsley, it seems, is destined to be home to marijuana growers.

As the address for Pugsley Correctional Facility (originally named Camp Pugsley when it opened as a prison camp in 1956), it was one of the places where the state sent many low-level offenders, like those convicted of manufacturing marijuana.

Since the prison closed 15 months ago, the Village of Kingsley signed off on permitting marijuana production facilities at its industrial park, a move that officials say wasn’t a direct response to the closure of the prison but should offset some of the job losses.

The irony isn’t lost on some in Kingsley.

“You almost can’t write this story until it actually happens,” said Marc McKeller, a Kingsley Downtown Development Authority board member.

LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON Pugsley closed in September 2016 amid a declining state prison population and concern over security at the Level One facility — the kind of prison that houses the supposed least dangerous prisoners in the state.

The Michigan Department of Corrections announced the closure four months earlier, stating it was a means to cut costs amid a declining inmate population. The department said closing Pugsley would save $22 million per year.

The prison employed 230 people, including 133 corrections officers, many of whom lived in and around Kingsley. Pugsley housed 1,344 prisoners.

At the time Pugsley closed, the state’s prison population was under 42,000, down from 51,500 in 2007.

Fifteen months later, the fate of the stateowned real estate where the prison was located is not known.

Chris Gautz, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Corrections, said the state wants to sell the Pugsley property.

“We are seeking to sell the property, but there are no firm plans in place,” Gautz said.

“People have shown interest, but we don’t have anything firm at this point.”

Kingsley Village President Rodney Bogart said nothing’s happened at the property since MDOC pulled out.

“They finally turned the lights off after three or four months,” Bogart said. “They had yard lights on in the prison, and they left them on, which seemed stupid.”

There was a rumor going around that the state was going to make Pugsley a women’s prison, but Bogart said he’s got no reason to believe that’s going to happen.

Bogart said the biggest effect the closure has had on Kingsley is the loss of the people who used to work there. Many of them have moved away, and it’s a loss that’s been felt in the local economy.

AN ECONOMIC EVOLUTION The DDA’s McKellar said the closure of Pugsley isn’t what caused officials to consider and then approve permitting medical marijuana production in the village’s industrial park. That probably would have happened anyway, he said. But he said it’s fortunate that the medical marijuana jobs might come along in the wake of the loss of Pugsley.

“Kingsley did not survive or die on Pugsley,” he said. “I think it had a lot more impact on Fife Lake.”

That’s not to say that Kingsley didn’t benefit from Pugsley. While the prison wasn’t located in Kingsley or in surrounding Paradise Township (it was located in adjacent Fife Lake Township, though the prison had a Kingsley address), the prison did impact Kingsley’s economy.

“I’m sure if you talk to the grocery stores and the gas stations and the small businesses in the area, they can feel it,” McKeller said.

Kingsley wasn’t as well positioned as Fife Lake to accommodate friends and family who were visiting inmates at Pusgley. The village

only had a motel and a Subway restaurant, and the township had just one motel to accommodate visitors, he said.

“We certainly didn’t have the ability to service them the way that we would have liked in Kingsley,” he said.

The jobs in medical marijuana production are likely to have a bigger economic impact in Kingsley than prison jobs, however, even if there are fewer of them. That’s because whatever facilities go into the industrial park will pay property taxes. Pugsley didn’t pay property taxes because it was a state government agency.

Bogart agreed that medical marijuana production will have a bigger impact on Kingsley’s economy than the prison.

“It will be a lot more relevant, because the village got no tax benefit from Camp Pugsley, nor did anybody else, so the taxes should help a lot,” Bogart said.

For Kingsley, the medical marijuana facility is a sign of a diversifying economy.

There’s already a new restaurant opening to go along with the revitalization of the village’s downtown center that’s unfolded over the past several years and included a new library and community center.

“We’ve got a lot of good growth happening in Kingsley, aside from the medical marijuana facility,” McKeller said.

MEANWHILE, IN FIFE LAKE The effects of Pugsley’s closure have been felt more acutely a few miles to the east in Fife Lake.

Fife Lake, because it was closer to the prison, received state grants and other contracts to provide services for the facility.

Fife Lake Township Supervisor Linda Forwerck said people are concerned about what the loss of Pugsley will mean. Already, the township lost income because it used to collect fees for ambulance runs to the prison. The loss has thrown off off how emergency services are funded in the township.

Officials are expecting the economic impact to become even bigger when the next U.S. Census is conducted in 2020 because that will reflect the loss of the prison population, meaning that the township will lose revenue -sharing dollars.

The extent of the fallout is still not understood.

“It impacted our township and the surrounding areas, because a lot of people worked there,” Forwerck said. “It impacts all of our businesses.”

Medical marijuana producers have also been eyeing the Pugsley site as a potential home for a production facility, but so far officials in Fife Lake have balked at that prospect.

Forwerck and township clerk Terry Street

said they hope to find out soon what plans the state has for the site. They hope that it can be a prison again; otherwise, they hope the state can find some use for the property that bolsters the local economy.

“What would be great is if the prison became a prison again,” she said. “We had hoped that there would be a strong push to market that, actually. We don’t know what has happened, so we have a meeting set up with Sen. Wayne Schmidt to talk about this very thing.”

The property might seem out of the way, but it’s actually pretty accessible to the outside world. It’s less than a half mile from M-113 and only a few miles from where US-131 becomes a freeway, south of the Manistee River.

Forwerck said she knows there is interest from potential marijuana producers to locate a production facility at the Pugsley site, but she said the township is not ready to approve that.

“Fife Lake Township has not opted in,” she said. “We have had calls from people wanting to operate a grow facility at Pugsley.

We’ve decided to see what happens in our neighboring communities such as Kalkaska and Kingsley.”

The township sent out a survey with the latest tax bill to find out what residents would think of the marijuana industry locating in the township.

“It would be nice to have some options other than just medical marijuana,” Street said. “I’m a retired educator, and this medical marijuana thing is pretty foreign to me.”

INMATES GO AND GUARDS RETRAIN If Kingsley and Fife Lake move on without a prison at the Pugsley site, the change won’t really effect the identity of either place.

Even though Pugsley had a Kingsley address and many of its employees lived in and around the village, Bogart said Kingsley never had the identity of a prison town. It’s not like Newberry, in the Upper Peninsula, where a drive through the heart of town offers glimpses of inmates milling around in the yard behind razor wire.

“I don’t think anybody ever thought of us being a prison town,” Bogart said. “Camp Pugsley is six miles from Kingsley.”

While those 1,344 prisoners were dispersed to other Level One units in prisons throughout Michigan, state officials got busy retraining many of Pugsley’s employees.

Terry Vandercook, Northwest Michigan Works! director of operations, said his office successfully implemented a $420,000 state grant to retrain workers who lost their jobs when Pugsley closed.

Out of roughly 200 who needed services, 155 received help writing resumes, attending

workshops, getting retrained, and finding jobs.

When the grant was closed, 132 had exited the program and re-entered the workforce. Some of them got new jobs in the area, and some of them left to find work elsewhere.

“It was definitely a success,” Vandercook said. “It certainly had a positive impact on the community because these individuals went basically from one job to the next.”

Anita Lloyd, spokeswoman for the Michigan Corrections Organization, the labor union that represents corrections officers, said the MCO also helped corrections officers either transfer or find other options.

“I think this closure went as smoothly as a closer can possibly go — that’s not to say it isn’t terrible for the staff involved,” Lloyd said.

THE STATE OF MARIJUANA IN KINGSLEY Under the new medical marijuana law, a locality can allow five types of marijuanarelated businesses: It can decide to permit the growing of marijuana, the processing of marijuana plants, laboratory testing, secured transportation of the drug, and/or the sale of marijuana through provisioning centers.

Kingsley approved licenses for the first four and rejected allowing provisioning centers, which means that while the village will allow the production of medical marijuana, you will not be able to buy it there.

The village has yet to approve a license for any particular business to operate a medical marijuana production facility in its industrial park, but it’s expected to soon receive an application from the Canadian company TheraCann that could call for the construction of a $20 million facility that would employ 100 people.

“I fully expect that they will submit an application and start the process,” said Marc McKeller of the Kingsley DDA. “I think there are probably other people looking.”

It’s unclear whether Kingsley could or would allow more than one medical marijuana facility to be sited in the village.

It’s also unclear what further change in state law would mean for Kingsley. Kingsley’s local law permits production of medical marijuana, not recreational marijuana, which is expected to be the subject of a ballot measure for legalization in 2018.

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 11

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Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 13

the 2018 ski report: START SHREDDING

By Ross Boissoneau The early blast of winter gave heart to winter enthusiasts across the region. With cool ocean temperatures in the Pacific, indications are that this will be a La Nina year, with more storms in the Midwest and Great Lakes; Accuweather suggests the Great Lakes region will have cold temperatures and above-average snowfall totals.

That’s music to the ears at the region’s ski hills and resorts. From Harbor Springs to Gaylord, Glen Arbor to Traverse City, skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers have much to look forward to. Here’s a summary of what is new and/or exciting at the region’s winter hotest — err, cold spots.

Otsego Club, Gaylord The big news here is that for the first time ever, the slopes will be open to anyone.

While the golf course has been public, its storied ski club remained private until this year. Mike Bedells, the general manager, said the dwindling numbers of members made it impractical to continue down the same path.

“One thousand members can’t support the resort,” he said — particularly when there is a total of some 200,000 skiers in Michigan.

“Now is the time to follow the trends.”

So the resort is advertising on radio and TV, putting up billboards on I-75 and using

social media to spread the word. Bedells said the goal is to let both those coming up from downstate and those from nearby know about the new policy.

“We’re an hour closer [than other resorts] to metro Detroit, and now locally people can use the club too. There are a lot of local people who have wanted to ski here,” he said.

The Otsego Club continues to enhance its snow as well, with 25 new guns and new groomers. It will even offer groomer rides for kids to the river cabin. Asked if such rides would only be open to youngsters or whether adults might be able to get a ride, Bedells replied, “Anybody skiing is a kid at heart.”

Nub’s Nob, Harbor Springs Let it snow? More like make it snow. Like many other resorts, Nub’s has invested in more snowmaking equipment, with 10 new guns, a new 250-horspower snowmaking pump, and upgraded piping and distribution changes. Now in its 60th season, Nub’s also has a new Pisten Bully Groomer, its second in two years. General Manager Ben Doornbos said the investment of time and money in the snowmaking system will benefit all of those using the slopes.

“We added about a mile of larger diameter piping to get more pressure to the top of the slopes. The guns up top were not performing as well; now, with better pressure ,we make more (snow) faster,” he said.

Keeping up the appearance extends to other areas besides snow. The purple and red chairlifts received a fresh coat of paint, and the rental building was also recarpeted. Doornbos said there’s eye candy indoors as well.

14 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

“There’s more art around the lodge.

There’s a 25-foot long art installation of 60 years of Nub’s Nob,” Doornbos said. There’s also a large mural courtesy of artist Mary Bea McWatters.

Doornbos said the resort does a ton of business in rentals, and with that in mind, Nub’s invested in 1,000 new pairs of Nordic ski boots. Spending a day in an uncomfortable pair of boots isn’t good business. “We take time to measure their feet. You’d be amazed at the technology and the fit,” said Doornbos.

Shanty Creek Resorts, Bellaire Shanty Creek wants to keep the snow coming and make sure it’s where it will benefit customers the most. So the resort has added a handful of new snow guns with new pumps and enhanced plumbing, according to Chris Hale, vice president of sales and marketing at the resort. Also new is a Prinoth Snowcat groomer. Hale said the improvements will be felt across the 80 acres of skiable terrain the resort offers.

That includes areas previously unavailable, or at least off-limits. “Sally’s Alley is an area we previously called out of bounds,” Hale said. That didn’t stop some skiers, so this year the area will now be open and accessible. “People poached it, so we thought to make it safe and give people what they wanted.”

There will also be events to celebrate a special birthday: Schuss Mountain turns 50 years old this year. “We’ll do things throughout the year” to celebrate, said Hale.

Among the events will be the Tanenbaum Blitzen, taking place Dec. 23 at Ivan’s, the restaurant at Schuss. It will include a torchlight parade, a high school choir leading carols, a tree-lighting ceremony, even a visit from Santa. There will also be

a display highlighting the ski area’s past, “a nostalgia tour” according to Hale, with vintage ads, rack cards, etc. The resort will also be giving away a pair of skis from local handmade Shaggy Skis.

It will also host the King of the Hill, a Nordic race circumnavigating Schuss Mountain. The King of the Hill trail will be open to the public all season, as will the 5K dedicated trail for fat biking and snowshoeing.

Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls/Boyne Highlands, Harbor Springs More snow and more powder equals more skiers and snowboarders — and more fun. The Boyne twins are enhancing their proprietary Low-E fan guns with new nozzles they tout as the most energyefficient marginal temperature snowmaking system in the world. Erin Ernst, Boyne’s communication director, says they cut energy usage by over five percent. “We help Mother Nature out,” said Ernst. “It expands the terrain and gets more slopes open.

“We rolled out this snow-making technology in 2015/16, one at Boyne Highlands and one at Boyne Mountain. Now these nozzles are on all our 460 snowguns.”

Ernst said making snow is particularly important in the early part of the year: “They’re crucial to getting our season started.”

Boyne Mountain also has a new Pisten Bully 400 Park Pro, the better to groom the hills. Also new are lights in the Ramshead Park, while eight lift houses have received an Alpine motif makeover, and the tubing park has a new lane, bringing the total to five.

For those who like to be outdoors but may prefer a little less work, six new electric fattire bikes give them that option. Effortlessly traverse most any terrain on the resort’s five

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kilometers of trails. Of course, if you prefer pedal power, the resort has human-powered fat tire bikes available as well.

At Boyne Highlands, the newness includes culinary and beverage options. The cafeteria will offer cinnamon rolls, donuts and cookies, while Southern favorites and the Ramen Station will also be new. Sunday brunch at the Country Club of Boyne will welcome those who want to start their Sunday in a more leisurely manner.

The Homestead, Glen Arbor At the Homestead, the first thing people will notice this year is what’s there — and what’s not. The building housing Camp Tamarack has been moved, lock, stock, floors and doors. “It hasn’t been used for child care for over a year, and we wanted to put it to good use,” said Tom Bartholomew, the senior manager of outdoor recreation at the Homestead.

It will be revamped as a rental space; the resort is working with an architectural design firm to determine how to best renovate it.

Other spaces that will be reopened this winter are the resort’s famed restaurant, Nonna’s, which was closed this summer, and its downstairs companion, Beppi’s pizzeria, which has been closed for a couple years.

Bartholomew said the menus at both will be revamped and expanded.

On the slopes themselves, visitors will notice new uniforms for the instructors, equipped with what Bartholomew called all the bells and whistles. One thing they may not notice is that many of the holes and divots on the hills have been filled with earth, which means the resort will not have to resort to filling them with more snow than the surrounding vicinity. That gives the resort more snow to spread elsewhere. “That means a shorter time from when we make snow to when we open. To fill those with snow took a long time,” said Bartholomew.

Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville The Benzie County resort began an extensive renovation two years ago, and now with the opening of the new lodge, it is finished. It features 25 rooms, the Mountain Market, lobby bar and rooftop bar. Brian Lawson, the resort’s public relations director, said the lattermost will be open to host revelers on New Year’s Eve, with a view of

the torchlight downhill parade.

Lawson said the resort has also made some changes to its outdoors as well.

They include opening up Tuck’s Trail and switching up the terrain park. The resort also swapped out its rental fleet of skis and is now using all Burton snowboards.

Last and maybe least — but maybe not — is the fact that a Waffle Cabin is now open next to Crystal’s ski school. The franchise produces what Lawson calls “phenomenal waffles” with a host of toppings. The only other Waffle Cabin franchise in Michigan is at Boyne Mountain.

Caberfae Peaks, Cadillac The early snow meant good news at Caberfae, where GM Pete Meyer said the low temperatures have already enabled the resort to add to Mother Nature’s bounty. That’s due in part to its upgraded snow-making equipment.

“We’ve added a lot more firepower, both guns and water supply,” Meyer said.

The other changes will be apparent to the eyes as soon as patrons near the facility, as both the roads and the exterior of the hotel have received makeovers. “We changed a lot on the interior last year. This year we did the balconies and added extra trusses,” said Meyer. The result is a look that fits nicely into the high-end northwoods feel so many resorts favor. “It’s a really nice upgrade to the lodge.”

He also noted the cooperative effort between Caberfae Peaks, Haring Township and the Wexford County Road Commission, which has resulted in a smooth, widened roadway. “It was really broken down, not great going through the potholes,” said Meyer.

And though it opened last year, Meyer said the triple chair lift provides great service to skiers and snowboarders. “It was very well received, and cleaned up a lot of congestion,” he said.

Mt. Holiday, Traverse City Traverse City’s “hometown” slopes will also be home to more snowfall this year.

“We’re very excited for the season. We did fundraising to purchase snow guns,” said Ann Pettyjohn, the facility’s director. And with new snow comes a new snow groomer.

“We’re excited to expand the terrain park and offer new features,” she said, such as new rails, a new lift and expanding the tubing hill.

Pettyjohn sees the week between Christmas and New Year’s as even more important to Mt. Holiday than to the other ski areas. “It’s especially critical for small places like us. You see young people on the hill with their new presents.”

The communal aspect is something she and the staff enjoy. “What drew me here is the sense of community, kids and families,” she said, noting it’s not uncommon for people who used to ski at Mt. Holiday to now see their grandchildren schussing down the slopes.

“We’re here in the middle of a neighborhood.

You see the same families in the restaurant.

Because we’re small, you find a misplaced jacket, and you know who it belongs to.”

Hickory Hills, Traverse City The city-owned park is known for helping young skiers learn the sport and find joy in the outdoors. What started in 1951 with 12 acres has now become 125 acres with eight runs. New last year was the introduction of rental equipment. It was so successful that this year the rentals are being greatly expanded. Manager Barry Smith said the park ran out of rental equipment on several weekends, and found they were serving more adults than they ever anticipated.

“When we started rentals we thought mainly of junior skiers,” said Smith. “We tapped into a market we didn’t know existed. We had people asking for size 13 boots.”

Laura Ness is the president of the non-profit Preserve Hickory, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and continued use of the park. She says what’s new this year will be dwarfed by what will be new next year, including a new lodge, new slopes, new parking and expanded Nordic trails and hiking trails. “We’ll break ground this spring,” she said. The improvements will be paid for with the $2 million Preserve Hickory raised and another $1.5 million from the city. The funds will also provide for more four-season use at the park, which is already well-known for its disc golf.

Smith said it also purchased two snowmobiles for use by ski patrol and staff, and new snow guns being used this year are demos for more purchases next year. “We’ll improve our snow-making,” he said. He said Hickory Hills will also look for additional funding to add more snow and lights to the cross-country trails.

The Accidentals Jan. 27

The Accidentals return to their alma mater to play a not-to-bemissed concert on Sat., Jan. 27!

Multi-instrumentalists Sav Buist (IAA 12-13) and Katie Larson (IAC 05, 08-12/IAA 12-14), joined by drummer Michael Dause, will blow the roof off of Corson Auditorium with their powerful and infectious songs. Come see the dynamic and nationally-popular band named among Yahoo Music’s “Top 10 Bands to Watch in 2017”.

tickets.interlochen.org 800.681.5920

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 15

Free Gift with Purchase of a Stormy Kromer Hat WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

diversionshats.com 16 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

“The Nutcracker” turns 125 Interlochen celebrates

By Ross Boissoneau The dancers whirl around the floor, before coming together to toast one another, then spin away again. The director watches closely, holding off for several minutes as the action continues, before stopping things and then starting it over. In the corner, the rehearsal pianist flips back the pages to his score and starts again.

The constant motion on the floor contrasts with the other members of the cast at the side. Some are resting, others stretching out or practicing their own steps. They all watch intently, waiting for their turn on the floor.

The director gives the dancers a break while he works with one of the youngsters on his moves across the floor.

Though clad in T-shirts, stretch pants, sweatshirts or other comfy gear, and on a stage with a minimum of props, it soon becomes clear to anyone watching that this is rehearsal for “The Nutcracker.” The miniature nutcracker at the center of the floor is pretty much a giveaway, as is the dancing swordfight. “The Nutcracker “mask finally donned by one of the dancers is confirmation.

Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” has become a staple of the season, turning 125 years old this year. Major American ballet companies generate around 40 percent of their annual ticket revenues from performances of “The Nutcracker.” At Interlochen Center for the Arts, it is a holiday favorite, bringing yearly or bi-yearly performances.

Any of those who were around in 1892, when it debuted in St. Petersburg, Russia, would probably be astounded at its staying power and continued popularity. If not an outright failure, its initial reception was, at best, mixed. Criticism included everything from the dancers’ performance to the choreography to the libretto based on a story by Alexandre Dumas pere, itself derived from a darker tale

by E.T.A. Hoffman.

In Hoffman’s original version, young Clara (who became Marie in the Dumas version, leading to some confusion as the girl’s name

morphed back and forth through the years) eventually was whisked away by the Nutcracker to a magical kingdom populated by dolls. In the ballet, by contrast, her vision, from the Nutcracker coming to life to the fight with the Mouse King, is all part of a dream.

The ballet’s popularity really began to take off after it was choreographed by George Balanchine in 1954 for performance by the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. The New York Ballet’s performance was televised in 1957 and again in 1958. Thus began an inexorable climb to the point it is now a holiday tradition for ballet companies and audiences across the country and globe. It eventually begat variations with Hawaiians, who added hula dancing, and Canadians, who added hockey (why not?).

Choreographers Mark Morris set it in the swinging ’60s, and Donald Byrd placed it in Harlem.

Whatever the setting or choreography, it has proven to have staying power. Interlochen’s Director of Dance Joseph Morrissey, who is at the helm of this year’s production of “The Nutcracker,” attributes its continuing popularity to one thing: the music. “I really believe it’s Tchaikovsky’s score. When it premiered, it was deemed a failure. It was too symphonic. We all do our own take,” on the choreography, he said. “What always remains is the score.”

The combination of music, dance, and the surrealistic story has made “The Nutcracker” immortal. Still, for Morrissey, it’s the music that is front and center. “I’m not a musician, but I love the music. The music is first,” he added.

And at Interlochen, the Tchaikovsky’s score will receive a complete symphonic showcase, with the student orchestra accompanying the dancers.

Morrissey said the production provides something for everyone. “From the visual aspect, there’s the new sleigh and the new backdrop (for the Palace of Sweets). It will really bring out the color of the dancers. I’ve worked with the set design to make sure there is a piece of each dancer in it.”

And given the occasion, it’s only

appropriate the title character receive a gift as well. “We have a new Nutcracker costume for his birthday,” said Morrissey.

The ballet’s yearly holiday run gives it a reach that cannot be overstated. That’s true at Interlochen as well as elsewhere across the country. “It’s the most popular ballet. For many kids, it’s their entry into ballet,” Morrissey said.

Nutcracker North

This year’s performances take place Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Dec. 7–9, at 7:30pm, with an additional performance Saturday at 2pm.

The show will also be presented at the Cheboygan Opera House on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 7:30. For more information, go to Interlochen.org.

Ballet comes to life in Harbor Springs

By Ross Boissoneau “The Nutcracker” is being staged not only at Interlochen but also at the Harbor Springs Performing Arts Center by the dancers of the Crooked Tree Arts Center. Heather Raue, the artistic director of the CTAC School of Ballet, said its appeal is universal. “It’s a tradition with families,” she said. A five-year-old will think it’s magical, while an adult will appreciate the dance and the story. “The story is appealing to all ages — little kids, boys, girls, parents and grandparents, whether the battle scene, or the mystique, or the Sugar Plum Fairy.”

Raue said Crooked Tree has performed the ballet several times previously. The performance takes on a different tone from year to year, as dancers come and go, and Raue makes subtle changes in the choreography. “We make changes based on who is in the cast or if something needs to be tweaked.

Every year it’s a relatively new experience.”

There are over 80 people in the cast, which she said enables her to include students of all ages and members of the community as well, which also broadens its appeal.

The production will be presented Saturday, Dec. 19 at 3pm and 7pm, and Sunday, Dec. 20 at 3pm. For ticket information, go to MyNorthTickets.org.

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 17

Petoskey’s historic Bahnhof Sport makes a major change

By Al Parker

CELEBRATING THE PERSONALITIES

OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN NORTHERN

NORTHERN

northernexpress.com

northernexpress.com

20 FASCINATING PEOPLE Brittany Brubaker Matt Cassidy Owen Chesnut JB Collings

See the Stars at Northern Michigan’s Dark Sky Park The Voice of Little Beaver Island Bike Share North Controversy on Old Mission Peninsula Shrine of the Pines

Jane Fortune Samantha Harris Erika Hayden

express

NORTHERN

express

express

northernexpress.com

SALUTING our VETERANS

Elise Hayes

One of the nation’s most notable pediatricians and authors opens up about parenting teens in an oversexualized society, her Donald Trump accolades, and why she does it all from northern Michigan

David Johnson Marty Lagina Cheri Leach Elnora Milliken Therese Renis Tom Renkes Jake Slater Billy Strings Tommy Tropic Craig Webb

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO

Tanya Whitley Mike Winters

NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • aug 22 - aug 28, 2016 Vol. 26 No. 34

NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • SEPT 12 - SEPT 18, 2016 Vol. 26 No. 37

NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • NOV 7 - NOV 13, 2016 Vol. 26 No. 45

Michael Poehlman Photography

MEEKER NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • april 3 - april 9, 2017 • Vol. 27 No. 14

231-947-8787 northernexpress.com 18 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

For more than 50 years, Bahnhof Sport has been satisfying the desires of those winter sports lovers who like a little chill with their thrills.

And that won’t change despite the fact that the landmark ski shop is now under new ownership. In November, owners Lindy and Greg Smith announced the sale of the shop to longtime family friend and ski industry veteran Don Marzalec.

“I’m truly humbled,” said Marzalec, who worked for The Bahnhof for 16 years. “The Bahnhof is a very special place because of its service to the community and dedication to our customers. I’m excited to continue such a legacy. We’re gonna continue to focus on the customer.”

The Bahnhof was founded in 1967

by Lionel and Virginia Hayes — Lindy Smith’s parents — in the old train station in Pennsylvania Park in Petoskey. It quickly became a go-to stop for skiers and winter sports fans from across northern Michigan.

“If you needed repairs or new gear or just wanted to talk skiing, it was the place to go,” recalled Marzalec.

In 1972, the Hayes relocated the business to its current location on Bay View Road.

Then four years later, the Smiths bought the business. A period of growth followed, and the Bahnhof name expanded over the ensuing years. With the growing popularity of snowboarding and other activities, winter sports boomed and so did the Bahnhof. At one time, the family owned 19 Bahnhof stores across the country, including shops in Wisconsin, Colorado, Utah, and in several cities in Michigan. During that period of growth, the Petoskey shop always remained the flagship store.

But then the economy slumped, hitting the winter sports industry hard.

The original Bahnhof stuck to its proverbial snow guns, hanging on through the worst of the recession. Today, with a staff of about 12, Bahnhof Sport is a bustling full-service ski shop, repair, and rental operation. Need to upgrade your board or

repair a binding? They can help. The store offers an impressive selection of both Alpine and Nordic ski gear for sale or rent. Need apparel? They have a great selection of latest styles and colors.

“One of our bestsellers so far this winter have been the heated socks,” said Marzalec.

“They’ve been really strong.”

In addition, the shop rents bikes, kayaks, and stand-up paddle boards in season.

“The new family has extensive experience in the snow sports industry and a deep understanding of the culture of service that has allowed us to serve multiple generations of skiers in northern Michigan,” said Lindy Smith. “I have known Don for over 30 years and could not have hand-picked a better person to carry the legacy forward.”

For 22 years, Marzalec worked for Boyne Resorts, before retiring as the director of retail operations at the Big Sky Resort in Big Sky Montana. He returned to northern Michigan in the spring of 2017.

“I have a passion for the mountains and for snow and skiing,” said Marzalec. “I liked Montana, but it was time to come home. And when this opportunity arose, I had to take advantage of it.”

Loyal Bahnhof regulars won’t see any major changes in the immediate future, according to Marzalec.

“We’re not here to change anything and will be stewards of the trust the Smith family has built with customers over the years,” he said. “We will work hard to be the go-to shop for all things related to skiing, outdoor snow gear and summer outdoor activities.”

In November, the shop hosted a “winter welcome” open house and throngs of Bahnhof friends and family turned out to congratulate Marzalec and Lindy Smith. It was a gathering full of warm feelings and nostalgia as they shared stories about winter sports and the history of the Petoskey landmark.

Marzalec insists that one of the Bahnhof ’s most popular traditions — the annual ski swaps — will continue.

“Those are good for the parents and good for us,” he said. “We’re always supportive of the local ski teams too.”

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Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 19

Best. Winter. Ever.

Sleigh ride through Bay View.

21 outdoor adventures to make the North’s nastiest season sensational

By Kristi Kates Want to have your best winter ever in northern Michigan’s great snowy outdoors?

Here are 21 adventurous suggestions to keep you busy until spring.

1. RIVER DRIFTING

Big Bear Adventures, 4271 S. Straits Hwy., Indian River Float in a comfortable, dry raft underneath fragrant cedar and pine branches along banks covered with a thick blanket of snow on the icy-clear Sturgeon River. The Big Bear guided winter rafting trip includes paddling, following safety procedures, and most of all, enjoying the beautiful winter scenery on this unique, easypaced winter waterway jaunt.

Tip: Be sure to bring a camera for scenic shots and wildlife spotting.

More Info: bigbearadventures.com or (231) 238-8181.

2. HORSING AROUND

Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls There are private stables across the region, but if you’re looking to soothe your sore butt after some horseback trail riding, head up to Boyne Mountain Resort. You’ll start at the Boyne Mountain Stable off of Deer Lake Road, meet your guide for the day, saddle up, and enjoy an equine adventure through remote backwoods terrain, with a variety of trees and trails. Afterward rejuvenate your own hindquarters with a massage and a soak in the Spa at Boyne Mountain’s super-sized whirlpool.

Tip: Dress warmly — the horses mostly walk, so you’ll be sitting mostly still in what

can be very cold weather.

More Info: boyne.com or (231) 549-7256.

3. ICY IMAGES

Mackinaw City/Straits of Mackinac Winter photography is a completely different experience than summer shooting, and one of the most interesting places to shoot in the depths of winter is along the Straits of Mackinac, where ice caves and snow pile-ups reveal layer upon layer of color, from sharp, blinding whites to neon turquoise. Bring your camera (and a warming bag), bundle up, and take a trek along the shoreline anywhere from Mackinaw City to Sturgeon Bay to capture the cold in chilly, abstract photos.

Tip: Use extreme caution when exploring ice along the shore; what might look solid isn’t necessarily so.

More Info: Enter Mackinaw City’s zip code (49701) at wunderground.com to get wind, wave, and ice conditions.

4. ECSTA-SKI

Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort, 4050 Hammond Rd. East, Traverse City Immerse yourself in the quiet of winter by cross-country skiing your way through it; you’ll be amazed at how hushed northern Michigan’s woodsy trails are in the wintertime, when everything is muffled by a coating of thick snow. There are dozens of XC ski trails across our region but if you’ve never tried the sport, start at Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort in Traverse City, where you’ll find great rental gear, lessons, and groomed trails for skiers of every level.

20 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

Tip: Don’t worry if you fall; hot cocoa and a giant indoor fireplace and outdoor firepit await at the lodge.

More Info: timberridgeresort.net or (231) 947-2770.

5. PEDAL POWER

North Country Cycle Sport, 126 Water St., Boyne City Fat tire bikes are a real revelation for those who bemoan having to put their beloved bicycles away for the winter months. With grippy, low psi tires and rigid frames, they offer both a comfortable, cushioned ride plus great traction and control on typically cycleunfriendly surfaces like snow and ice. Try one out for yourself at North Country for 24 hours for just $45 bucks.

Tip: You’ll do some sweating on a fat-tire bike ride so avoid cotton shirts and jeans — even if you’re wearing a Gortex shell. The sweat won’t evaporate, and you’ll get chilled.

More Info: northcountrycyclesport.com or (231) 582-4632.

6. SILENT SNOWSHOEING

Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire Another quiet (and underrated) winter sport is snowshoeing, a completely different way to transport yourself along the snow. The Empire Bluff trail and Sleeping Bear Dunes are great places to snowshoe, with expansive views, wildlife (herds of wild deer are common sights among the bare trees and dunes), and trails for every ability, including short jaunts of a mile or so to day treks of over 20 miles. In January and February, you can take a guided hike with

a park ranger (on specific days; call ahead).

Tip: If you’re fairly new to snowshoeing, using ski poles can make the experience more stable and enjoyable.

More Info: Sleeping Bear Dunes Visitor Center, (231) 326-5134.

7. BECAUSE THE NIGHT…

Various locations … belongs to night skiers! Get a different perspective on one of northern Michigan’s favorite sports by trying night skiing under the lights. It’s a unique, surreal world of reflective white runs and darkened forest glades as you schuss down the hill under a starry sky. Most major ski resorts in the region offer night skiing, most often during the holidays; call ahead before you go.

Tip: Don’t eschew goggles at night — you still need to protect your eyes from flying snow or other debris — but choose a lighter lens for better visibility.

Contact: Your ski resort of choice.

8. SKATE AWAY

Various locations Tie on a pair of ice skates, and that feeling of childhood returns as you glide across the ice dreaming of Olympic gold.

Most northern Michigan cities have their own rink, including Petoskey’s Winter Sports Park, Mt. McSauba’s Recreation Area in Charlevoix, and The Homestead in Glen Arbor. If you’re feeling wimpy, indoor rinks include Howe Arena in Traverse City and Griffin Arena in Harbor Springs.

Tip: Buy your own pair of skates, and you’ll

Snowshoes, Wines and Vines at Black Star Farms.

Michigan Ice Fest.

Big Bear Adventure’s cozy winter rafting.

not only save on skate rentals, you’ll also skate better in the long run as the skates “break in” to your feet.

More Info: Your local chamber of commerce can help you find the rink(s) in your area.

9. GO GO SNOW-MO

Snowblitz at Ranch Rudolf, 6841 Brown Bridge Rd., Traverse City The tracks grip the snow, the padded seat and windshield keeps you comfy, and the speed adds to the fun when you rent a snowmobile for a day.

Rent a Ski Doo snowmobile at Ranch Rudolf and get out into the wilderness; the Snowblitz team at the resort even offers guided tours to get you and your newly rented sled started.

Tip: Wear your helmet! The snow might be soft, but trees and snow-covered rocks aren’t.

Contact: Snowblitz at Ranch Rudolf, snowblitz.com or (231) 944-8500.

10. CHILLY CAMPING

Various locations Did you already pack your tent or RV away for the winter? Better dust everything off again, because winter camping is alive and well in northern Michigan. Over a dozen campsites in the state are open to winter campers, including Ludington State Park, William Mitchell State Park in Cadillac, and Keith J. Charters Park in Traverse City.

Tip: Double-check the weather before you go; a rainstorm in the summer might dampen your spirits, but a bad winter storm while you’re camping can be downright dangerous.

More Info: For a complete list of winter camping parks, visit michigan.gov/dnr and search “winter camping.”

11. SIPS AND SNOWSHOES

Black Star Farms, 10844 Revold Rd., Suttons Bay A different way to experience snowshoeing is as part of a combo adventure like the one offered at Black Star Farms. The pretty trail system on the winery’s estate is a great excursion in the winter months, when you can combine a trek around the grounds with a post-stomp bowl of chili and a wine tasting.

No reservations are needed for the Snowshoes Vines and Wines experience, but check the website for available dates and times.

Tip: Bring the whole family if you’d like; in addition to wines and ciders, hot chocolate is available for the younger set, as are snowshoe rentals.

More Info: blackstarfarms.com or (877) 466-9463.

12. GO TAKE A HIKE

Various locations With nature preserves and hiking trails in abundance across northern Michigan (the

Little Traverse Nature Conservancy alone offers over 170 preserves), you’ll have plenty of options for a quiet winter hike. Whether you choose a groomed trail or a more rugged one, the leaf-free trees will afford great viewing of wide vistas and close encounters with wildlife and winter foliage.

Tip: You’ll need extra energy to power through the cold temperatures, so make sure you’ve got some water and snacks like trail mix or jerky in your backpack.

More Info: Try landtrust.org or northernmichigantrails.org for some great starter ideas for hiking destinations across our region.

13. MUSH!

Team Evergreen Kennel, Marquette Team Evergreen Kennel’s dogs are in training in a quest for the Iditarod, the landmark dogsledding race that’s a pinnacle of achievement for the sport. Support their effort with a visit with the dogs and enjoy a dogsledding trek, either as a rider on the sled (with a driver doing all the mushing work), or as a driver (a guide will teach you how to drive your own dogsled team). Alaska, ho!

Tip: Bundle up, especially around the face!

Those dogs are speedy, and you’ll be heading directly into the wind without a windshield.

More Info: teamevergreenkennel.com or (920) 621-9433.

14. BONFIRE BONANZA

Antler Ridge Farm, 6259 M-72 East, Williamsburg What’s the best way to get to a winter bonfire? On a horse-drawn sled, of course!

Out at Antler Ridge Farm in Traverse City, you’ll get the full experience. Start at the warming house, and then meet the farm’s two Percheron Draft horses, Dixie and Danny, who will pull your red-framed sled out into the forest, where you’ll be welcomed with a huge bonfire and complimentary marshmallows to roast.

Tip: Like dogs? Bonus! You’ll also meet the farm’s friendly black lab, Bella, who will warm up to you even more if you bring along a dog biscuit.

More Info: sleighridestc.com or (231) 645-3647

15. HOCKEY HEADQUARTERS

Straits of Mackinac/St. Ignace You’ve never seen hockey played like this.

The Labatt Blue U.P. Pond Hockey Tournament brings together over 200 hockey teams to take over the ice right on Lake Michigan’s Moran Bay at St. Ignace (Feb. 15¬–¬18), with the games themselves vying for attention right next to celebs from the Detroit Red Wings alumni team. Spend the entire weekend outdoors, on the ice, immersing yourself in as much hockey as you can handle.

Tip: Of course hockey is the main event,

but don’t miss the entertaining side pursuits, from the Best Beard Contest to the Yooper Ice Tennis Doubles Tournament.

More Info: www.stignace.com/content/ labatt-blue-up-pond-hockey-championship.

16. TUBE-O-RAMA

Timberlee Hills/Mt. Holiday, Traverse City Two great locations in the Traverse City area offer top-notch tubing experiences for those dedicated to this bouncy and fun winter pursuit. At Timberlee Hills, they offer a tow rope so you don’t have to drag your tube back up to the top of the hill. At Mt. Holiday, their dedicated tubing park also has an express lift back up and offers surprisingly steep runs; it’s billed as the area’s fastest tubing hill.

Tip: Remember those padded snow pants you used to wear as a kid? Yup, you’re going to want a pair of those for this activity.

More Info: Timberlee Hills, 10484 S. Timberlee Dr., Traverse City, timberleehills.com or (231) 941-4142 Mt. Holiday, 3100 Holiday Road, Traverse City, mt-holiday.com or (231) 938-2500.

17. LAKE OF THRONES

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Munising If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones, take a trek to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the winter to truly capture that feeling of being out in the remote wilds, with majestic rocks towering above you, and the winter winds churning up the waves below. Visit during the Michigan Ice Festival (Feb. 14–18), and watch the ambitious ice climbers attempt to scale tough vertical challenges like the Midnight Rambler and The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

Tip: If you decide to try ice climbing for yourself, check out Down Wind Sports’ bevy of clinics for beginning and advanced ice climbers. An intro to ice climbing, womenonly classes, and an adaptive climbing course are all on the agenda during the festival.

More Info: algercountychamber.com, michiganicefest.com, downwindsports.com.

18. SKIABLE FEAST

Treetops Resort, 3862 Wilkinson Road, Gaylord Combining sports and dining in a unique way, Treetops’ Culinary Adventure Series is bringing back their Skiable Feast for 2018. This gourmet trek takes you on a 3.8-mile intermediate cross-country ski excursion, with five food and beverage stations along the way, which will serve up treats like seafood creole, white chicken chili, cod sliders, and assorted confections to perfectly highlight this five-hour experience.

Tip: Don’t have your own cross-country skis? No problem. You can rent ’em for the day for just $19 at Treetops.

More Info: treetops.com or (866) 348-5249.

19. FROZEN FISH

Various locations Whether you’re seeking bluegills, walleyes, or panfish, you’ll find a fishing hole to suit your style here in northern Michigan. Wexford County’s Lakes Mitchell and Cadillac are great destinations, as are Lake Leelanau, Lake Missaukee, and Michigan’s largest inland lake, Houghton Lake. Licensed ice-anglers can just drill a hole out in the open, or enjoy a traditional ice-fishing experience in an ice shanty, a small shack placed directly on the ice to protect you from the elements.

Tip: Double-check with the locals before venturing out onto the ice; those who fish frequently will offer the most reliable advice on current conditions.

More Info: For a great starter guide to ice fishing locations, visit www.michigan.org/ice fishing.

20. VICTORIAN WINTER

Bay View (next to Petoskey) Experience one facet of winter the Victorian way, with a quaint horse-drawn sleigh ride through the historic and unique community of Bay View, just north of Petoskey.

The half-hour ride winds through the unusual neighborhoods of vintage cottage homes that range in style from Eastlake and Stick to Queen Anne and Shingle, dating back to the late 1800s.

Tip: If you like architecture, you’ll want to bring a camera along to get some shots of these distinctive structures without the usual hustlebustle of summer tourist activity.

More Info: The sleigh rides are offered for a fee through Stafford’s Bay View Inn; staffords. com or (231) 347-2771.

21. ROSEBUD!

Various locations Even if your sled isn’t named Rosebud, you’ll likely still recollect a little of your childhood when you point that sled down one of northern Michigan’s sledding hills, whether it’s a casual neighborhood slope or a bigger park. The Dune Climb, the only place in Sleeping Bear Dunes where sledding is allowed, is a great pick, as are Mount McSauba in Charlevoix, Avalanche Mountain in Boyne City, and Grace McDonald Park in Traverse City.

Tip: Each type or shape of sled offers a different ride, from deluxe wooden toboggans to zippy plastic torpedo sleds. But if you have no qualms about control, try a saucer. Just wear a helmet.

More Info: Call your local park for hours of operation.

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 21

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Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 23

2.

1.

4.

3.

5.

Don’t Ski? Don’t Worry!

Slopeside Suggestions

1. BOYNE HIGHLANDS

Harbor Springs (boyne.com) Relaxing: Outdoor swimming in winter is a longtime tradition at the Highlands. Have you ever floated in a heated pool while gusts of cold wind swirl outside? It’s a unique experience you won’t soon forget. Another very northern Michigan ski lodge experience is the bonfire and S’mores, which takes place every night from 6pm to 9pm right by the ski valet. Throw in an afternoon of snowshoeing on dedicated trails through spruce and pine trees, and you’re living the luxe non-ski life.

Revitalizing: Want to pick up the energy of the ski hill without actually having to ski? The Highlands has two great options.

First, rise early and join one of Boyne’s snow grooming operators — you get to ride along while they transform the slopes into skiable perfection. Then, get even lower to the ground and pick up some speed at the Highland’s Tubing Park, where you can snag a tube and zip down the 800-foot-long tubing run.

2. BOYNE MOUNTAIN

Boyne Falls (boyne.com) Relaxing: A wide range of calming, rejuvenating services is offered at The Spa at Boyne Mountain, several perfectly suited to the winter months, including the Mountain Melt and the Alpine Bliss. One particular highlight is the Mountain’s Hot Toddy for the Body, which starts with a Kentucky bourbon-infused brown sugar scrub for your skin and adds a honey mask.

Revitalizing: Boyne Mountain’s Adventure Center has many of the same outdoor options as the Highlands. But one of highlights of the Mountain is a can’t-miss if you’re spending your time off the slopes: the Zipline Adventure Tour.

On it, you’ll traverse a series of nine lines that travel up to 4,300 feet, up to 50 feet in the air, at 20–25 mph. The tours let you enjoy the snowy views and speed for at least 1.5 hours, and you can even race a pal!

24 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

3. CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN

Thompsonville (crystalmountain.com) Relaxing: Complimentary activities for guests abound at Crystal Mountain, from board games and family campfires to an indoor pool with dedicated lap lanes. Surrey rides behind the resort’s peaceful and friendly Belgian horses take you through pretty winter landscapes, complete with a cup of hot cocoa in hand as you coast along. And another unusual and fun activity are Crystal’s scavenger hunts, one seeking objects and the other instructing you to take specific photos; visit Crystal’s Park at Water’s Edge to get started, then find the answers needed to win a prize, every day from 9am to 10am.

Revitalizing: Grab a Winter Fun 10-punch card, and treat yourself and your family to a host of energetic off-slope activities, including fat tire bicycle, snowshoe, or ice skate rentals; an archery session; or a raucous game of outdoor laser tag in the snow on the resort’s own laser tag course, with lots of obstacles to hide behind, and hidden routes for sneaking up on your foes.

By Kristi Kates With so much of northern Michigan’s winter culture revolving around skiing, it’s tough for those who never took to the sport. But that doesn’t mean you can’t join friends or family at the lodge! Cheer them on as they head to the ski lift, or enjoy an on-site meal and some live music, together and then head out on your own to try some of these fun things you can do when everyone’s out on the ski slopes, and you’re just not into it.

4. SHANTY CREEK

Bellaire (shantycreek.com) Relaxing: Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you have to abandon your workout. The resort’s Lakeview Fitness Center (free for guests) lets you exercise at a more leisurely pace with some great bonuses; enjoy the cardio equipment and Nautilus weights, and then recharge in the steam room or whirlpool, brighten up in one of the tanning beds (additional fee), and take a few refreshing laps in the pool.

Revitalizing: If you enjoy a little pedal power and you haven’t heard about fat biking yet, you’re missing out! These special bicycles, equipped with squashy, knobby fat tires, let you pedal across all kinds of terrain, most notably our piles of northern Michigan snow. This is a great alternative to skiing that still gets you a thrill as you careen over the hills of Shanty Creek’s groomed multipurpose 5K trail. For the younger set, Mike King brings his Siberian Husky dogs to the resort on Saturdays and holidays for the special treat of a real sled dog ride (riders must be 100 pounds or under).

5. TREETOPS RESORT

Gaylord (treetops.com) Relaxing: Get out into the wild forests of mid-Michigan in the most relaxing way possible with Treetops’ wilderness sleigh ride dinners. A shuttle from the main lodge will take you to Treetops’ Project Nature property, where you’ll embark on a 25-minute sleigh ride through the woods to the Wilderness Cabin, where you’ll enjoy a four-course meal and beverages with a host of new friends. Ice skating and groomer rides are also available on Treetops’ grounds.

Revitalizing: Team Evergreen brings its Iditarod-training dogs to Treetops for a special dogsledding experience that both adults and kids can enjoy. Each exhilarating ride will take you through the trails on the Jones Masterpiece golf course and its beautiful scenery.

(You can sled alone or with a child.) Later, you can meet the dogs and their handlers up close and personal, to find out more about how dogsledding works.

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Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 25

Holiday Open House Saturday, December 9 5:00-8:00pm

You are invited to an evening of Holiday Fun on River Street in Downtown Elk Rapids...

• Tree Lighting 5:30 • Pictures with Santa (bring a non-perishable item for the Community Cupboard)

• Local musicians performing throughout the evening • Caroling 7:00 • Live reindeer, elves, frosty and more...

• Visit Neighborhood Stores and Eateries

RANDY’S DINER IS THE PLACE FOR OUTSTANDING BURGERS! Open 6am-9pm Monday-Saturday

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Special Thanks to our Golfers, who were all winners this year.

On behalf of our beneficiaries, Thank you so much. Hope to see you in June 2018.

Visit Randy’s Diner and try one of our top five burgers:

Where there is a need, there’s a Lion. It’s Easy to be a Lion, Join your Lion’s Club Today!

Special Thanks to our Golfers, who were all winners this year.

On behalf of our beneficiaries, youtosobe much.

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Today!

Special Thanks to our Golfers, who were all winners this year.

Where there is a need, there’s a Lion. It’s Easy to be a Lio On behalf of our beneficiaries, Thank you soSpecial much. Hope to to seeour you in Junewho 2018.

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26 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

On behalf of our beneficiaries, Thank you so much.

Hope to see you in June 2018.

Women participating in the BOW program get a head start on becoming seasoned outdoorswomen by learning sports and activities like fishing, dogsledding, and self-defense.

“These are hands-on workshops, with wonderful instructors, so that the women can learn in a safe and supportive environment,” said Zellar.

NO WOMAN LEFT INSIDE The BOW Program

on, Join your Lion’s Club Today! l winners this Kates year.

By Kristi Hope to see you in June 2018.

BOW, or Becoming an Outdoors Woman, is a three-day weekend program the Michigan Department of Natural Resources designed to get more women outside.

Michelle Zellar is the program coordinator for the BOW project, and she explained the history behind BOW. The idea was founded in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, by a doctor named Christine Thomas who had an interest in helping break down barriers for women in regards to outdoor activities.

The BOW programs are currently active in about 40 U.S. states and several Canadian provinces, and celebrated their 20-year anniversary this past year.

SEASONAL SPORTS “In 1997, our first program was in Sagola, Michigan. In 1998, we were at Clear

Lake Education Center, south of Shingleton, in the Upper Peninsula. After the first year of 66 women, we moved it to Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay, Michigan, [in the Upper Peninsulal] and we have been at Bay Cliff since,” Zellar said.

BOW works by immersing participating women in a full weekend of mixed outdoor activities and skills, guided by expert instructors.

The main programs, which take place twice a year, are primarily focused on novices.

In the winter months, BOW participants will learn sports like ice fishing, crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding, and building a winter shelter; in the summer, they’ll enjoy opportunities to try things like lake fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding. Crossing over through both seasons are activities like backpacking, photography, self-defense, and wilderness first aid.

GENERATIONAL GROWTH The women stay at Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay. No special equipment is required to attend, and participants arrive from all over the United States.

“We’ve even had generations all in one weekend — grandmothers, mothers, daughters, and granddaughters,” Zellar said.

“You have to be at least 18 to participate, and we’ve had guests up to 90 years old. The women also enjoy making connections with each other. We almost can’t keep up with the interest, plus we get a lot of returning people because we have so many different classes.”

The growth and achievement levels are different for everyone, as Zellar explained.

“A few of the women experience major growth, but some grow and learn more slowly. Neither is bad or good, it’s just an individual thing. A lot of people come just to try something new.”

Many women also get drawn into expanding their outdoorswoman skills even further after they go through one of the weekend programs.

“For instance, a person might go fly fishing, and enjoy it so much that they then want to come back and try every type of fishing,” said Zellar.

BOW BEYOND But it doesn’t end there. BOW also offers “beyond” programs, where guests can put the basic skill sets that they learned into more advanced use, by joining BOW instructors for additional trips.

“For those, we’re there more as guides,” Zellar said.

The next winter event for BOW will run February 23–25 2018, with the summer program to follow the first weekend in June.

An entire weekend, including lodging at Bay Cliff Health Camp, meals, and all classes, equipment, and instruction, ranges from $175 to $200.

“It’s so great to see these women participate in something that makes them feel so good about themselves,” said Zellar.

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Find out more at michigan.gov/bow, or on BOW’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ becominganoutdoorswomanmichigan.

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 27

Hibernation Time 11 Essential Winter Reads

If your idea of winter fun is curling up in a soft chair with a fuzzy blanket and open book on your knees until spring, then here’s the list to see you through the season, courtesy of some of the best bookstores in the North.

By Anna Faller Brilliant Books, Traverse City recommends: “Marlena,” by Julie Buntin Genre: Adult Fiction Plot: Fifteen-year-old Cat can find few redeeming qualities about her new hometown in rural northern Michigan — until she meets Marlena, the addict neighbor girl who is as gorgeous as she is reckless. Captivated by Marlena, Cat indulges in the “firsts” that come with adolescence, while “Marlena” only sinks further into a black hole of opioids.

Within the year, Marlena is dead, and Cat is left alone and numb. Past and present blur together as Cat, now a burgeoning 30-something in Brooklyn, must find a way to forgive herself and move forward without being pulled back by the memories — and the people — she’s long since buried.

Why It’s Great: A vibrant, edge-ofyour-seat sort of read from a local author, set in the familiar confines of a northern Michigan town, Marlena takes the ubiquitous cold of a winter in Petoskey and sets it ablaze with the irrevocably human condition of learning from one’s past. Hot chocolate and fuzzy socks not included.

YA Bonus Book Pick “Girls Made of Snow and Glass” by Melissa Bashardoust Competition, girl-fights, and a prophecy that rivals that of the Harry Potter series: “Girls Made of Snow and Glass” has it all. A modern-day retelling of the classic “Snow White,” this young adult novel packs all the punch of a gritty historical drama held together in the frame of a fairy tale.

McLean and Eakin Bookstore, Petoskey recommends: “The Marsh King’s Daughter” by Karen Dionne Genre: Fiction Plot: On the surface, Helena Petellier has it all: two beautiful daughters, a doting husband, and a successful career. But, she immediately fears for her family’s safety when she learns that an infamous child abductor, known as The Marsh King, has escaped the confines of a maximum security prison. No one — not even Helena’s husband — knows that she was raised in captivity. Born two years after her mother’s kidnapping as a teenager, Helena loved her upbringing in rural Marquette, Michigan.

She loved the nature that surrounded her home, and she loved her father, despite his sometimes ruthless behavior. But now, he’s killed two police officers and disappeared into the wilderness, and Helena knows that his search party doesn’t stand a chance.

Only one other person in the world has the survival skills necessary to find the Marsh King, because he only trained one other person: his daughter.

Why It’s Great: Stephen King fans, rejoice — this is precisely the psychological thriller to warm your tootsies in the dead of December. Time to cozy up by the fire, pop a bottle of red — oh, and don’t forget to lock your windows.

28 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord recommends: “What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism”

by Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner Genre: Nonfiction/Essay Plot: In this series of original essays, celebrated television journalist Dan Rather weaves the common thread of our country’s shared value systems, offering commentary on the institutions that sustain us, and the international events that have forced us to reshape our thinking, in order to demonstrate the true practice of patriotism.

Why it’s Great: Following his career as a reporter and anchor for CBS Evening News, Dan Rather’s decades of experience offer his readers an unwavering sense of hope, and even a way forward through our country’s current identity crisis. Deemed “a good conversation starter” by the staff at Saturn Booksellers, What Unites Us inspires its readers to listen openly and con-structively, and ultimately reminds us that we are all bound by the same human spine.

Between the Covers, Harbor Springs recommends: “Leonardo Da Vinci,” by Walter Isaacson Genre: Non-fiction/Biography Plot: The acclaimed author of Steve Jobs and Einstein biography fame, Walter Isaacson brings the renowned painter and scientist to life in his latest installment, “Leonardo Da Vinci.”

Why It’s Great: According to Between the Covers’ staff, facts mingle with fiction in this exciting new biography. Though Isaacson maintains his commitment to “impeccable research” — “Leonardo Da Vinci” is based on the thousands of pages that comprised Da Vinci’s notebooks, as well as additional discoveries about his life and works — Isaacson’s stylistic prowess allows the text itself to “read like a fascinating novel.” Accurate and entertaining. If only we could say the same for the weather forecast.

YA Bonus Book Pick “Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls, Volume 2” by Francesca Cavallo and Elena Favili The budding feminist’s guide to real-world navigation. The eagerly anticipated second installment of “Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls” is a powerful compilation of short stories about the world’s famous females. Sweet dreams, guys.

YA Bonus Book Pick “La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust # 1)” by Philip Pullman In the first installment of a threebook prequel to Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, The Book of Dust #1 begins immediately prior to The Golden Compass. Readers follow 11-year-old Mal-colm Polstead and his daemon, Asta, as they navigate the River Thames in Malcolm’s treasured canoe — the aptly named, La Belle Sauvage — to the Godstow Priory across the way, where, they discover that the nuns have been housing a new guest, a baby named Lyra Belacqua...

Purple Tree Books, Cheboygan recommends: “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir”

by Sherman Alexie Genre: Adult NonFiction/Memoir Plot: In order to cope with the death of his mother, Lillian, at age 78, prolific author Sherman Alexie reacted in the best way he knew how: he wrote. “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” is a stunning compilation of 78 poems, 78 essays, and a litany of original family photographs depict-ing Alexie’s harrowed upbringing in the slums of the Spokane Indian Reservation, a pair of often-alcoholic parents, and the mother he characterizes at once as protective, pathological, and to some extent, a reflection of himself.

Why it’s Great: Published amidst the tenth anniversary hype of Alexie’s “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” is a raw and powerful homage the woman who raised him and an honest exploration of a parent’s impact on a child.

Happy Owl Books, Manistee recommends: “Winter’s Bloom” by John Wemlinger Genre: Adult Fiction Plot: Rock Graham has spent more than three decades trying to conceal the physical and emotional scars he’s carried since his tour in Vietnam. Though he is a decorated war hero, he is plagued by guilt leftover from the atrocities he experienced in the southeast Asian jungle. Seeking solace and solitude alike, Graham retreats to the hush of a Lake Michigan cottage for the winter in an attempt to finally heal.

An encounter with his widowed neighbor, however, interrupts his iso-lation, but provides the very path to salvation Graham has been seeking.

Why it’s Great: “Winter’s Bloom” is a consuming page-turner that celebrates the talents of a Michigan-based author.

Set against the nostalgia of the ubiquitous Lake Michigan cottage, Wemlinger’s novel could grow even the smallest of hearts by three sizes.

Cottage Book Shop, Glen Arbor recommends: “The Future Home of the Living God,” by Louise Erdrich Genre: Science-Fiction/ Dystopia Plot: The world as we know it has ended.

Evolution has reversed itself and human development begins to regress as women worldwide deliver babies that belong to an unknown species of pre-humanoids.

Thirty-two-year-old Minneapolis resident, Cedar Hawk Songmaker, is just as confused and apprehensive as the rest of the country, but for her, the revelation is especially personal: she is already four months pregnant.

As society around her begins to deteriorate, and the government’s efforts to confine pregnant women become increasingly severe, Cedar must do everything in her power to avoid detection and protect the safety of her unborn child.

Why it’s Great: A chilling combination of science-fiction and dystopia, “The Future Home of the Living God” hits all the spine-tingling high notes. In her newest publication, acclaimed novelist and bestseller Louise Erdrich contrasts a futuristic apocalypse scenario with an exploration of indi-vidual fortitude, girl power, and the changes our species may eventually face.

George Orwell, eat your heart out.

Dog Ear Books, Northport recommends: “Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard” by Chip and Dan Heath Genre: Non-fiction/ Short-story Plot: In their follow-up to the critically acclaimed best-seller, “Made to Stick,” Chip and Dan Heath introduce the concept of change — changing our habits, changing our workplace, changing our lives.

Throughout Switch, the Heath brothers investigate why it is so hard to make the changes we want, and how to successfully overcome that resistance. This accessible series of short-stories chronicles situations where people enact — and subsequently maintain — significant changes in their lives, and the steps they take to achieve it.

Why it’s Great: Switch explores how to recognize and then tame the tension that exists be-tween our naturally competitive emotional and logical tendencies — so that when you’re finished, you can have your sleeve of double-stuffed Oreo cookies and (literally) eat it, too.

Fair Trade Fleece

Supporting the people behind the product

For Traverse City area news and events, visit TraverseTicker.com

BAHLE’S

210 St. Joseph’s Street • Suttons Bay 231-271-3841 • www.Bahles.net Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 29

SeaSon SponSor

Sunday · December 10 · 2pm

Christmas Concert Featuring Northport Community Band and The Village Voices

Recess & Business After Hours team up for a very special evening of giving!

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• $10 or new unwrapped toy to enter.

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Catering provided by Incredible Mo’s and beverages by H Cox and Co

PRIZES INCLUDE 3 day test drive of a 2017 Lincoln of your choice, free professional detailing and full service oil change

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30 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

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Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 31

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December 8-10 December 8th 6pm-8pm Adult Night Out; Snacks and Beverages Music in the Halls Stocking Stuffer Items under $20 Complimentary Gift Wrapping Commemorative Glass at High Five Threads (while supplies last) Unsilent Night at Left Foot Charley at 6pm Tree Lighting at 7pm

32 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

December 9th 12pm-7pm Indoor Farmers Market 10am-2pm Carriage Rides 12pm-6pm Meet Santa 3pm-6pm Music in the Halls Cookie Decorating from 3pm-5pm at Underground Cheesecake Co. Stocking Stuffer Items under $20 Complimentary Gift Wrapping

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COMMON GOOD The “new kid on the block” bakes and cooks his way to uncommon goals.

By Janice Binkert It’s mid-afternoon on a Thursday in early November, and business is brisk at the Common Good Bakery in Traverse City. Customers arrive singly, in pairs, or with children in tow; by car, by bike, and on foot. Many are from the surrounding neighborhoods, delighted to have this new business in their midst.

Chances are, aside from natural curiosity about any new food venture, it wasn’t the building’s exterior — just one more storefront in a small strip mall south of the main shopping district — that drew in these people. And it probably wasn’t the interior, either, as appealing and welcoming as it is, with its warm woods, retro light fixtures, vintage flour sacks as wall art, and a backdrop of gleaming stainless steel fixtures and appliances.

No, it doesn’t take much to figure out what initially lured and continues to lure customers here: the promise — and fulfillment — of a bountiful array of golden-crusted artisan breads and flaky sweet and savory pastries beckoning seductively from the glass-walled bakery case.

Common Good owner-chef Jason Gollan is in the open kitchen in back, where everyone who comes in can watch as he works. He hoists a large white plastic tub of freshly risen dough onto the main bench, and starts pulling off hefty pieces, rolling them around and pinching the edges together between his hands with practiced movements, shaping them deftly into football-like ovals. Then he places each one on a scale, adding or subtracting dough to make sure they are uniform in size and weight. Baskets lined with well-floured swaths of linen baking cloth stand by to receive the loaves for the final stage of proofing.

“Hey,” he calls out to a customer by name, “Great to see you. How are you doing today?”

Sometimes he quickly rubs the excess flour and dough off his hands and comes forward to greet people face to face.

“The best part of this venture is being part of an intentional community, getting to know

your neighbors,” he said. “We wanted to be in a neighborhood. In just the short time we’ve been here (since Aug. 4), we’ve already started making friends with people who live nearby.

Bakeries are unique in retail food service in that they have the potential to become neighborhood hubs.” In that spirit, Golan and his wife designed Common Good to go beyond a bakery and include unique breakfast and lunch menus (both of which are available all day) and a full-service coffee bar. “Our focus is on real food made with real ingredients by professionally trained cooks, bakers, and retail staff — and, of course, on genuine hospitality,” Gollan emphasized. “That’s kind of a dying art.”

Morning buns (croissant dough made into a cinnamon roll and then tossed in cinnamon sugar while still warm) are quickly becoming the bakery’s signature item, Gollan noted, although the generously sized, classic Frenchstyle croissants and the chocolate croissants are also perennial bestsellers, along with pastry “tiles” sporting various savory toppings.

Recent incarnations were a sweet Gorgonzola and ham tile, and a garlic, artichoke, spinach, and cheese tile.

The food menus will change every few months, but always keep a few tried and true favorites, one of which is the breakfast sandwich.

“We sell a ton of those every day,” said Gollan.

“It’s very simple — an egg custard on focaccia bread and your choice of bacon or sausage, topped with aged cheddar cheese.” Or try the yogurt-granola parfait or a savory muffin. “Our sous chef, Kate, actually developed that one,” said Gollan. “She soft cooks eggs and then puts them into individual muffin cups with a special batter — the first one she made had sausage and a little bit of Thai chili paste in it. She’s amazing and super talented.”

In the lunch category, Gollan said an ongoing favorite is the roasted wild mushroom sandwich. “That one is interesting, because when you roast the mushrooms, they almost get a meaty texture. I’ve sold that to several

meat eaters, and they were impressed.” Other sandwiches with growing legions of fans are the chicken basil pesto and the “killer griller” (incorporating four different types of cheese).

Two different soups, at least one of them vegetarian or vegan, are offered every day at Common Good — by the bowl or by the quart.

Recently the menu featured a curried cauliflower soup, and a ham broth with shredded meat from the bone, collard greens and black-eyed peas.

“That was more of a stew-like consistency,” said Gollan. “And now that we’re into the colder months, we’ll doing more of those one-pot meals.”

He emphasized that what he and his staff are always looking for are quality and flavor. “That’s what we care about. We buy all of our proteins from local sources, and when we can find the vegetables we need at the farmers’ market, we of course use them. We want the best flavor so that we can prepare those ingredients minimally and offer that to our customers. And that’s really the trick of good food: Simple is better. Our bread, for example, has just four ingredients — flour, water, salt and yeast. It’s the quality of ingredients and technique that matter most.”

Gollan began his culinary career cooking and baking his way through his undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado to support himself. After several years’ experience in the food industry, he enrolled at the San Francisco Baking Institute.

“It was the beginning of me taking a profession that I was falling in love with and actually learning the ‘why’ behind it all,” he said.

“And that really sets you free to be very creative and work within the technique.”

Later, after having created and run Crescent Bakery in Frankfort for five years, Gollan earned a masters degree in food service management from Michigan State University.

“The driver behind what I’m doing now is to try to establish more of these businesses in neighborhoods, not in commercial corridors.

There are conversations I’d like to see people have in Traverse City around our land use planning.

Why couldn’t we have neighborhood cafés and bakeries and bars and restaurants? They used to be there, but at some point we changed our mind about the composition of our neighborhoods.

We talk a lot in Traverse City about walkability, and wanting to improve our infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, but you have to have somewhere to go. That’s what gets me jumping out of bed every morning. Common Good is an expression of that, of showing what’s possible.”

BREAD CLUB GOOD LOAVES, GOOD TIMES

Common Good’s bread club is kind of like a CSA, only instead of produce, it’s a subscription for a weekly loaf of bread, which saves customers almost 30 percent off the retail price. “Often times, that’s where we’re putting some of our more creative, or new ideas, and bread club members give us their feedback,” said Gollan. “One of the fun things I’m working on is a second baguette formula, because I would to send people home with two baguettes made with two different processes and get their feedback on that. We’re also planning some social activities for members throughout the year, like dinner and appetizer parties. We want to incorporate an active social experience as part of this — to have it be a real club.” The cost? Just $5 weekly with a six or 12 month commitment.

HANDCRAFTED. ON PURPOSE. LOFTY GOALS

“With our tagline, we’re trying to encapsulate both our philosophy and our higher purpose.

So ‘handcrafted’ is just a way of saying we make everything ourselves, and ‘on purpose’ means we have a plan, a higher purpose. We want to make the world a better place. Part of that is, we need to have tasty, amazing food.

And part of it is, you have to genuinely care, not only when you’re making the food, but also when you’re serving the customer and you’re interacting with your vendors or anybody else.

It also includes giving back to the community, doing things like using compostable products and reducing our environmental footprint. It costs a little extra, but we think it’s worth it to do right by everybody else, and it makes us feel good.”

Common Good is located at 537 West 14th St. in Traverse City. Open 6am–3pm Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Monday. Eat in, carry out, online ordering, delivery and catering available. For more information, call (231) 933-8002, visit commongoodbakery.com, or check them out on Facebook.

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 33

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HOT ACTS FOR

COLD NIGHTS

By Kristi Kates Sure, there’s something super special about listening to live music on the dunes and under the trees in the summertime. But when the winter winds blow, you’ve got to admit there’s something about crowding elbow to elbow as your favorite artist lights up the stage inside a dark bar or concert hall. Whether you choose to venture downstate or stick close to northern Michigan, here are some must-hear shows guaranteed to warm your music lovin’ soul and the long winter ahead.

1. The Crane Wives, Dec. 29 Short’s Brewing Company, Bellaire The Grand Rapids-based outfit heads up north for a big show at Short’s, bringing their Americana-folk-rock blend with them. The CWs have been slowly and steadily gaining in popularity, last year even snagging some large honors in the form of a well-received music video (for their tune “High Horse”) in NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert contest, and the top honor in JBL Professional’s Best American Band contest, which garnered the band $5,000 and a trip to Las Vegas for a live show at JBL Fest. Catch ’em locally while you still can.

2. The Killers, Jan. 15 Masonic Temple Theater, Detroit Las Vegas hometown boys The Killers have, like their native city, polished their live shows to a high sheen. And while it seems a little crazy to realize it’s been over a dozen years since the guys first surfaced with their massive album Hot Fuss, they’ve been cranking out plenty of hits since then, including their latest, “The Man,” from their new album, Wonderful Wonderful.

The sonics of this band are nothing less than impressive, as are their visuals, stuffed with streamers, pyro, and a full assault of sequenced lights. Whether or not you know their tunes, you’ll have fun.

3. Squirrel Nut Zippers, Jan. 19 City Opera House, Traverse City Named for an obscure candy and in large part responsible for the temporary resurgence of hot jazz and ballroom dancing in the late ’90s, Squirrel Nut Zippers hasn’t lost a bit of its boundless energy. The group has been out of the scene for several years — dealing with lineup changes and some challenging record company paperwork — but its appropriately zippy songs have never let the band down, and you can bet its wacky breakthrough single, “Hell,” and other obscure tunes won’t either.

4. Toronzo Cannon, Jan.27 Milliken Auditorium, The Dennos Museum Center, Traverse City Get down ’n’ bluesy at the Dennos this winter with the Chicago-born electric blues musician who grew up on the sounds of Junior Wells and Buddy Guy. He mixes up his own blues sound with demonstrative soul, acoustic asides, and chunky rock numbers while allowing his guitar to take the lead on pretty much everything — those are just a few of the reasons that his latest album, The Chicago Way, was nominated 2017 Album of the Year for the Blues Music Awards.

5. Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Feb. 2 The Fillmore, Detroit If you didn’t get enough of Bradlee and crew’s eclectic, impertinently ambitious sound when they rocked the house at

34 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

Interlochen last summer and the City Opera House in Traverse City this fall, then this is your chance to catch the group again. For those of you who missed them entirely, this is why you’ll want to see them: They take songs of one genre and turn them completely upside down and into another opposing genre, crafting such kicky, often completely surprising soundscapes like a doo-wop cover of a Miley Cyrus pop tune, or a ragtime version of the ’80s hit “Tainted Love.”

6. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Feb. 3 20 Monroe Live, Grand Rapids Who can resist seeing one of the best known (and dare we say, funkiest?) innovators in funk music? Rock and Roll Hall of Famer George and Funkadelic always generate a wild time for their audience, and their current Mardi Gras Madness tour will serve as a launching pad for a new Clinton album, set to be released on the Brainfeeder label, so you can expect the audio screening of some new material, as well as plenty of old Funkadelic favorites.

7. Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, Feb. 10 City Opera House, Traverse City Pair up two expert Celtic fiddle players, make ’em a married couple, and you’ve got a sharp musical union that just can’t be beat.

Together, they’ve released 25 albums, so there’s a lot of music to draw from for their live performances. They command the stage well on their own, but in their newest show, “Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond,” they also bring in their performing children for a set that showcases music, their Celtic heritage, and the bonds of family.

8. They Might Be Giants, Feb. 10 St. Andrews Hall, Detroit Call them Giants, call them TMBG, call them John and John (yes, both frontmen really are named John), but you can’t deny the quirky appeal of these alt-rockers who have made a longstanding career out of witty, nerdy wordplay. The abstract and bouncy “Don’t Let’s Start” was one of their biggest early tracks, followed by such unforgettable singles as “Boss of Me,” “Istanbul,” and “I Am a Paleontologist.”

You’ll dance, you’ll laugh, and you definitely won’t forget this show.

9. Blake Shelton, Feb. 22 Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids The reigning king of country music, boyfriend to Gwen Stefani, The Voice coach, and People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive — Shelton wears a lot of hats these days, but the one he wears the best is that of live performer. His twangy voice only carries a hint of gravel, all the better to croon his way through appealing pop-country numbers like “Honey Bee,” “Sure Be Cool If You Did,” “Go Ahead and Break My Heart,” and “I’ll Name the Dogs.” His latest album, Texoma Shore, is already spawning more hits, and much of it is said to have been inspired by Stefani herself, so you might just spot an additional celeb in the crowd. Brett Eldredge and Carly Pearce are also on tour with Shelton and will open the show.

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NORTHERN SEEN 1. Charles Comber (front) and friends take a selfie before attending a transgender remembrance event at Traverse City’s State Theatre.

4. Eric and Ericka Mitchell show off their winnings after a go in the cash machine at the Charlevoix Business After Hours at the Villager Pub.

2. Jenna and Kathy escaped bad weather for a fantastic dinner at French Quarter Bistro during Charlevoix Restaurant Week.

5. Nathan and Caitlyn hang after work for a happy hour drink at Traverse City’s Monkey Fist Brewing.

3. Heather Roesstorff and Lindsey Jordan having just a terrible time at the Traverse City Shop & Sip held at the Grand Traverse Resort.

6. The Emmet Democrats again donated Thanksgiving baskets to charity, this year to the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan in Petoskey.

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 35

dec 02

saturday

29TH ANNUAL VICTORIAN SLEIGHBELL PARADE & OLD CHRISTMAS WEEKEND: Manistee. Today includes

the Jingle Bell Jog 5K Run/Walk, Sleighbell Bazaar & Craft Show, Vogue Theatre tours & free movies, Parents & Paint, Scandinavian Christmas, Sleighbell Bash, Meet The Grinch, & much more. manisteesleighbellparade.com/event-schedule

-------------------HOLIDAY HOBBY CRAFT SHOW: 9am-3pm,

Boyne City High School. Featuring 150 arts & crafts vendors. $2 adults; free for students.

-------------------17TH HOLIDAY HOME TOUR: 10am, Cadil-

lac. Tour four homes. Experience sights, sounds & tastes of Christmas. Cadillac Garden Club supplements the homeowner’s own decorations.

Purchase tickets at Brinks Art & Framing in Cadillac, UpNorthTickets, or by calling 231-510-9047. $15 advance, $20 day of.

--------------------

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA: 10am-noon, GT Resort & Spa, Michigan Ballroom, Acme. Enjoy a buffet, visiting with Santa, face painting, balloon artists & more. Adults: $19.95; 11-14: $14.95; 6-10: $9.95; 5 & under: free. 231-534-NOEL.

poetry readings & songs from the Elk Rapids High School Choir. Mingle with artists & browse art.

Free. twistedfishgallery.com/blog

plex. Enjoy tree trimming, a visit from Santa & more.

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STORY TIME WITH SANTA: Castle Farms, Charlevoix. Enjoy a story read by Santa, craft activity, cocoa & cookies, plus a special gift & photo with Santa. 11am or 2pm. $20; each ticket includes 2 adults to accompany child. castlefarms.com/santas-train-wonderland

--------------------------------------FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE RACE: Noon, Lew Rasho Farm, TC. TC’s win-ter

weather running & biking event held in the spirit of European style cross country, taking place on a dedicated cross-country course on private farmland.

Featuring knee high barriers including straw bales, fallen logs, wood fence & stone fence. Supports Norte & Groundworks’ Taste the Local Difference program. Find out more: www.farmlandtc.com $35.

in Downtown Gaylord. Featuring a candy making demo from 6:30-8:30pm, evening strolling carolers, register to win priz-es & more.

Jeffery Schatzer will sign his book “The Elves in Santa’s Workshop: Together at the North Pole.”

2-4pm: Reading & talk with Michael Perry, author of “Montaigne in Barn Boots.” 4-6pm: Laura Lee will sign her book “Oscar’s Ghost: The Battle for Oscar Wilde.” horizonbooks.com

CHRISTMAS IN ATWOOD: 10am-3pm, Atwood. Work n’ Play Shop, Atwood Hardware, Royal Farm Market & Friske’s Farm Market all have a free activity.

-------------------HOLIDAY ART SHOW: 10am-4pm, Almira Twp.

Hall, Lake Ann. Featuring 14 local art-ists; lunch & bake sale available; & a youth holiday card class by donation. Free.

-------------------HOLIDAY IN SUTTONS BAY: Today is Family

HORIZON BOOKS, TC EVENTS: 12-2pm:

-------------------LIGHT UP THE NIGHT & SOUP COOK-OFF:

12-7pm, Downtown Bellaire. Today in-cludes a free kids movie, ornament making, Soup CookOff, Parade of Lights, a visit with Santa, tree lighting, caroling & more. bellairechamber.com

-------------------“ELF JR. THE MUSICAL”: 2pm & 7pm, Cadil-

lac High School Auditorium. Based on the holiday film with Buddy the Elf. Presented by the Cadillac Footli-ters. cadillacfootliters.com

Day. Help the friends of the Suttons Bay Bingham District Library decorate for the holidays from 10amnoon. Also enjoy cook-ies, crafts & write a letter to Santa. Free movie (“Polar Express”) at 3pm at the Bay Theatre. Santa Arrives by firetruck for tree lighting at 5pm on the corner of Jefferson with caroling & a visit with Santa at the VI Grill afterwards. Free.

“TUCK EVERLASTING” SOLD OUT: 2pm & 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Harvey Theatre. Presented by Arts Academy Theatre Co. $18 full, $16 senior, $11 youth. tickets.interlochen.org

MANISTEE JINGLE BELL JOG: 10am, Ken-

HOLIDAY MERCHANT OPEN HOUSE: All

-------------------nedy Elementary, Manistee. 5K run/walk.

-------------------MERRY MARKETPLACE: 10am-4pm, Old Art

Building, Leland. Artists share their art-work for holiday gifts & holiday decor. Featuring 19 local artisans. Sponsored by the Leelanau Community Cultural Center. oldartbuilding.com

-------------------TRAIN WONDERLAND: 10am-3pm, Castle

Farms, Charlevoix. Includes model & in-teractive train displays, riding trains, holiday games, a craft, snacks, tram rides, the Lit-tle Traverse Youth Choir singing carols & more. $5. castlefarms.com/santas-train-wonderland

-------------------JINGLE & ART: 11am-5pm, Twisted Fish

Gallery, Elk Rapids. Featuring holiday-themed

send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

CHRISTMAS IN MACKINAW: Mackinaw City.

1-3pm: Santa at McGulpin Point Light-house.

2-2:45pm: Children’s crafts at Freedom School.

12-2pm: Sleigh or hay rides at Heritage Village.

3pm: Christmas program at Heritage Chapel.

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02-10

SECOND ANNUAL VILLAGE TREE DECORATING: 11am, Mackinaw City Recreation Com-

--------------------

CHRISTMAS WALK: All day until 9pm. Specials

december

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day, Downtown Charlevoix. 2pm: Free movie at Charlevoix Cinema III. Bring a canned good to benefit the Charlevoix Food Pan-try. Noon-5pm: Hot Cocoa Contest. Area restaurants invite you to sample & vote on your favorite hot cocoa. Cocoa stations will be set up at participating downtown stores & restaurants. visitcharlevoix.com/CharlevoixMerchant-Open-House

-------------------ENCORE WINDS PRESENTS “THE GIFT OF MUSIC”: 3pm, First Congregational Church, TC.

2pm: Tuba Christmas. $15 adults; $10 seniors & students; free for 12 & under. encorewinds.org

-------------------GROOVIN’ FOR GIFTS, A TOYS FOR TOTS EVENT: 5pm, Platte River Inn, Honor. See Santa & Mrs. Claus. Live music by The Rare Beats,

We are a Delta Dental PPO Provider for Lower or No Copays!

Enjoy a weekend long celebration filled with carriage rides, music, including “Mix and Mingle to Some Holiday Jingles” with the TC West Senior High School Choirs, Santa, Unsilent Night, shopping specials and much more at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, TC, Dec. 8-10. For a schedule of events, visit: thevillagetc.com/christmas-in-the-village-2/ Tyler Hewitt, and more. Bring a new, unwrapped toy.

231-227-1200.

-------------------“THE CHRISTMAS JOURNEY”: 5:30-8:30pm,

New Hope Community Church, Williamsburg. A 45 minute guided tour outdoors through fire lit woods with 150 actors & 30 live animals that features a story from the Bible. Tours every 10 minutes. Free. newhope.cc/christmasjourney

-------------------BIGGEST LITTLE HOLIDAY PARTY: GT Resort & Spa, Acme. Pre-party reception: 5:30pm. Dinner buffet: 7pm. Includes entertainment by Sound Productions with come-dians Ben Wilke & Mike Armstrong. $32. grandtraverseresort.com/biggestlittle

-------------------HARBOR SPRINGS MERCHANTS OPEN HOUSE: 6-9pm, Harbor Springs. Enjoy food, music & fun.

--------------------

15TH ANNUAL JINGLE BELL JAM: 7-11pm, American Legion Post #10, Manistee. Presented by Holiday Hope Team. Benefits Toys for Tots/Gifts for Teens for Manistee County children. Bring a new unwrapped toy, cash or check to: Toys for Tots/Gifts for Teens. Featuring live music by Cheryl Wolfram & Friends, Junk Monkey & Sufferin Succotash.

-------------------KIM CASEY’S FOREVER YOURS PATSY CLINE TRIBUTE SHOW: 7pm, City Opera

House, TC. Featuring documentary style film footage & live music that will take you back to the

1950’s. A fundraiser for the Cherryland Humane Society. Tickets: $30, $25. $5 discount for military. cityoperahouse.org/patsy-cline-tribute-show “ANNIE”: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, MainStage, TC. $15-$28. mynorthtickets.com/events/annie0afbf781-f001-4008-b3b4-b2462bc4c804

-------------------“MERRILY WE SING NOEL”: 7:30pm, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Leland. Enjoy a holiday season concert presented by the Leelanau Community Choir. 231-271-6091. Free.

-------------------“THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER” & COMMUNITY SING-A-LONG: 7:30pm, Man-

istee High School Auditorium. Presented by the Manistee Civic Players. A couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids - probably the most inventively awful kids in history. $5-$12. mynorthtickets. com/events/the-best-christmas-pageant-ever

-------------------BLISSFEST SATURDAY NIGHT COMMUNITY DANCE: 7:30pm, Red Sky Stage, Pe-toskey.

Featuring caller Larry Dyer & band Harbor Hoedown. All dances taught, no partner necessary. $3/person, $5/couple, $7/family. redskystage.com

-------------------DON WHITE: 7:30pm, Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall. Enjoy this storyteller-comedian-authortroubadour-folk singer-songwriter. Benefits the Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall. $20 advance; $25 door. brownpapertickets.com

BROKEN TOOTH EXPERTS Dr. Dennis Spillane • Dr. Shawn Spillane • Dr. Trevor Kay

Over 30 Years Experience 638 Willow Drive Bellaire, MI 49615 • 231-533-5001 Rd., Ste. A, Williamsburg • 231-486-6878 Additional Location Now Open - 4480 Mt. Hope (Just off M72, near US HWY 31 N) 36 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

WINTER JAZZ ENSEMBLE SHOWCASE:

7:30pm, Milliken Auditorium, Dennos Muse-um Center, NMC, TC. Presented by NMC Jazz Bands & Vocal Jazz Ensemble. $12 adults; $7 students & seniors. mynorthtickets.com

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WINTER SONGS & CAROLS: 7:30pm, Grace Episcopal Church, TC. Presented by Manitou Winds. Featuring guest vocalists Christy Burich & Emily Curtin Cull-er. Free. manitouwinds.com

dec 03

sunday

BLUEBERRY PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 8am-noon, Rainbow of Hope Farm, Kings-ley. rainbowofhopefarm.weebly.com

------------

29TH ANNUAL VICTORIAN SLEIGHBELL PARADE & OLD CHRISTMAS WEEKEND: Manistee. Today includes the Fes-

tival of Trees, Tour of the James Dempsey Mansion, “A Tuneful Christmas Carol,” & much more. manisteesleighbellparade.com/event-schedule

--------------------

THE CHRISTMAS SHOP VENDOR & CRAFT SHOW: 10am-3pm, Ellison Place (for-merly Jay’s Sporting Goods), Gaylord. Visit with Santa from noon-2pm. Free.

-------------------TRAIN WONDERLAND: (See Sat., Dec. 2) -------------------ST. FRANCIS CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL & CHICKEN DINNER: 10:30am-2:30pm, St.

Francis High School, gymnasium, TC. Purchase tickets for the $10,000 grand prize, the Chicken Dinner, wreaths, the Christmas quilt, & Christmas basket raffles. Adults, $12; children, $6.

NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE CIRCLE: 4:456pm, Higher Self Bookstore, TC. Free. higherselfbookstore.com/monthly-calendar

-------------------“THE CHRISTMAS JOURNEY”: (See Sat., Dec. 2)

-------------------FULL MOON FEAST: FROSTY MOON: 6pm,

Martha Wagbo Farm & Education Center, East Jordan. Bring a dish to pass to this potluck, & something to share at “open mic.” facebook.com/ marthawagbofarm

-------------------MADRIGALS DINNER & PERFORMANCE:

6pm, Stafford’s Perry Hotel, Petoskey.

Enjoy a four course dinner & Petoskey High School’s Madrigals Show. 231-347-4000. $45.

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“MERRILY WE SING NOEL”: 7pm, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Glen Arbor. Enjoy a holiday season concert presented by the Leelanau Community Choir. 231-271-6091.

COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: 5pm, amical, TC.

“Simply Delicious” by Paul Bocuse. Widely regarded as the father of modern French cuisine, Bocuse offers a collection of uncomplicated, traditional fares. amical. com/cookbookdinnerseries

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Fleet, TC. Presented by Life and Whim. Featuring children’s books written &/or illustrated in TC. Jay & Heather Harrington of Life and Whim will be reading & signing copies of their new book, “The Magical Tale of the Fairy Trails.” There will be a free craft activity for kids, cocoa, s’mores & more. Brianne Farley will do a drawing demonstration at 1pm.

Free. lifeandwhim.com/pop-up-events

zonia Public Library, lower level, Benzonia. Wear your PJs, listen to stories, & make a yummy “Gift in a Jar.” Register: 231-882-4111. Free. benzonialibrary.org

-------------------STORY TIME WITH SANTA: (See Sat., Dec. 2) -------------------THE DOWNTOWN COCOA CRAWL: 11am-

3pm, Downtown TC. Hot chocolate compe-tition. downtowntc.com

-------------------HOLIDAY IN SUTTONS BAY: Today features

Antlers & Elves - Brain Storm! & Ener-dyne, noon-3pm. There will also be a Cookie Extravaganza from noon-3pm at the Friendship Center.

A Community Choral Concert will be held at Congregational Church at 3pm.

-------------------SUGAR PLUM FAIRY TEA: 1-3pm, Stafford’s

Perry Hotel, Petoskey. Enjoy tea service with principal performers of Crooked Tree Arts Center School of Ballet’s “The Nut-cracker”; two tickets to “The Nutcracker” performance of your choice; a picture with the Sugar Plum Fairy; a strings quintet performance & a take-home treat. Tea for two: $75. crookedtree.org

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PJ STORYTIME & GIFT MAKING: 6pm, Ben-

-------------------FAMILY FAVORITES POTLUCK MEAL:

6:30pm, Peninsula Community Library, Old Mission Peninsula School, TC. Bring a 6-8 person serving of your recipe to share with guests.

Write out your recipe on a recipe card. Share the story behind your favorite rec-ipe. RSVP: 231.223.7700. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org

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HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS: 6:30pm, Elk Rapids Public Library. Learn how to prepare for & survive the holiday blues, for those grieving the loss of a loved one. Hosted by Heartland Hospice. Free.

-------------------AUDITIONS FOR “ALMOST MAINE”: 7-9pm,

Cooley School Annex, Cadillac. Ages 14+. Presented by the Cadillac Footliters. cadillacfootliters.com

dec 05

“ANNIE”: 2pm, Old Town Playhouse, Main-

Stage, TC. Enjoy this classic musical. $15-$28. mynorthtickets.com

-------------------“THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER” & COMMUNITY SING-A-LONG: 2pm, Manistee

High School Auditorium. Presented by the Manistee Civic Players. A couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids - probably the most inventively awful kids in history. $5-$12. mynorthtickets.com

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“MERRILY WE SING NOEL”: 3pm, Suttons Bay Congregational Church. Enjoy a holi-day season concert presented by the Leelanau Community Choir. 231-271-6091

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“MUSIC FOR THE SEASON”: 4pm, Bellaire High School Auditorium. Presented by the Antrim County Community Choir. A visit by members of the “Peanuts Gang.” 231-331-6587. Freewill offering.

-------------------ANDRE VILLOCH: 4pm, Sleder’s Family Tavern,

TC. Enjoy a festive show with this singer/songwriter/ guitarist. 947-9213. $20 advance; $25 door.

tuesday

GET CRAFTY: Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Create a popsicle snowflake or-nament at 11am or 2pm. greatlakeskids.org

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COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: (See Mon.,

Dec. 4)

-------------------AAUW HOLIDAY PARTY: 6-8pm, Bethlehem

Lutheran Church, TC. Annual Jingle Mingle Holiday party with a silent auction, food & friendship, & shopping. $10 donation. aauwtc.org

-------------------PARKINSON’S NETWORK NORTH EVENING GROUP: 6pm, MCHC, rooms A&B,

TC. Christmas potluck with white elephant gift exchange. 947-7389.

-------------------TCNEWTECH MEETUP: BAR NAPKIN PITCH NIGHT: 6-8pm, City Opera House, TC. You get one

slide & one-minute to pitch your idea to a group of people. Afterwards there will be time for one-on-one questions. tcnewtech.org

-------------------CHERRY CAPITAL MEN’S CHORUS: 6:30-

8pm, Samaritas Senior Living of TC, Wil-liamsburg.

Enjoy holiday music by these barbershoppers.

RSVP: 231-408-3385. Free.

Marsh Ford, Gaylord. Chili chefs will com-pete with their favorite recipes. Benefits Bikes for Tikes. Freewill dona-tion. billmarshbikes.com

--------------------

BENEFITS OF YOGA: 12:30pm, Golden Fellowship Hall, Interlochen. Learn the basic concepts of yoga poses & the benefits at this free presentation by Dawn Edgley & Mark Handler.

BOOK YOUR Register: 922-4911.

- Happy Hour: Wink decFri Dec 8wednesday then: Max Allen Band 06 Buckets of Beer starting at $7 from 2-8pm

- -HOLIDAY - - - - - - PARTY - - - - - -TODAY! ------

PARKINSON’S NETWORK NORTH CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION: 11am, Elks

Gift Certificates available all season HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS: 2pm, Feastlong of Victory Lutheran Church, Acme. Learn how to prepare for & survive the holiday blues, for those (231) 642-5020 grieving the loss of a loved one. Hosted by Heartland1752 Hospice.

Free.

US-31 TRAVERSE CITY HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: 3-6pm, Kingsley Smokeandporter.com Branch of the Traverse Area District Li-brary, Kingsley. Enjoy music, crafts, food & Santa. tadl. org/kingsley

Lodge, TC. Catered lunch & entertainment. Reservations: 947-7389.

Sat Dec 9 : Max Allen Band

--------------------

- - - - - - - Sun - - -Dec - -10-: - - - - - - -

--------------------

monday

GREAT CHILI BIKE-OFF: 11am-1:30pm, Bill

Thurs - $1 off all drinks w/DJ PRIM

$10 advance; $15 door. $8 students, $5 12 & under. redskystage.com

Dec 04

--------------------

Tues -

-------------------PETOSKEY IMPROV TROUPE COMEDY SHOW: 7pm, Red Sky Stage, Petoskey. Tickets:

disposable razors are being collected for Central UMC’s Outreach.

Support parent group will meet investigate withtoJukebox what NMC has to offer for supportive ser-vices.

Parents can bring their grown children As$2 well drinkswith & shots perger’s. The exact TC location is provided when open mic w/host Chris Sterr the neurotypical family member joins the NW Michigan NT Support pri-vate Meetup group at: Wed - Get it in the can for $1 w/ DJ DomiNate www.meetup.com/NW-Michigan-NT-Support/

INTERLOCHEN WOMAN’S CLUB ANNUAL Noon, Golden Fel-lowCHRISTMAS PARTY: (10PM-2AM) us outYourself at unionstreetstationtc.net ship Hall, Interlochen.

A Sparkly 941-1930 downtown TC checkHave

-------------------A LITTLE BOOK PARTY: 11am-3pm, The Little

Mon

“ASPERGER’S INTO ADULTHOOD: - Ladies Night EDU- $1 off CATION”: 6:30pm, TC. The drinksNW & $5Michigan martinis NT

KARAOKE

Christmas. Wear your favorite sparkly Christmas sweater. Please bring hors d’oeuvres or desserts.

231-642-1767.

-------------------MAKER AFTERNOONS: 3D PRINTING WORKSHOP: 3:30pm, Leland Township Li-

MUNSON HOSPICE GLIMMERS OF HOPE, FIFE LAKE: 12:30pm, Fife Lake Library. Coping

brary. Each Thursday from 3:30-4:30pm, kids ages 9+ are invited to drop by & explore a different S.T.E.A.M.-based activity. A healthy snack will be provided. Free. lelandlibrary.org

with Grief Through the Holidays. Join the Munson Hospice Bereavement team at this community presentation to learn ways to cope with loss & find your way. 800-252-2065 or hospicebereavement@mhc. net. Free. musonhomehealth.org

--------------------

THURSDAY

AUTHOR SIGNING: 5-8pm, Horizon Books, TC. Bill O. Smith will sign his book “4 AM.” horizonbooks.com

- - - - -Trivia - - - -nite - - -• -7-9pm -------

--------------------

STAYING HEALTHY THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS: 1:30pm, Leland Township Library. Featur-

FRIDAY FISH FRY

BUBBLES AND BRIDES: 5-9pm, One Oak

All you can eat perch $10.99

ing chef, teacher & coach Linda Szarkowski who is passionate about showing people that healthy food can also be the best tasting. Learn about healthy plant-based recipes. Free. lelandlibrary.org

FOOD & DRINK SPECIALS

- - - - -for - - all - - Home - - - - Team ------CHARLEVOIX CULTURAL CORRIDOR HOLSporting Events.

Bride, TC. Browse the latest wedding gown trends. Hosting a flash fashion show every 30 minutes. There will also be a raffle in honor of the one year anniversary. Free. oneoakbride.com

-------------------COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: (See Mon.,

Dec. 4)

IDAY FEST: Begins at Circle of Arts from 5-7pm.

- - - - - -231-922-7742 --------------

231-941-2276 121 S. Union St. • TC. www.dillingerspubtc.com

Featuring the Circle Market full of hand crafted gifts. Live music by The Cummings Quartet & students from the Dorothy Gerber Strings Program.

The Museum at Harsha House will be open from 5-7pm where you can enjoy exhibits & more.

End the evening at the Charlevoix Public Library with a photography display featuring the works of LuAnn Griffin. Then enjoy the Jazz @ the Library Holiday Concert at 7pm. 231-237-7340.

HOLIDAY COMMUNITY NIGHT: 5pm, Down-

121 S. Union St. • TC. www.dillingerspubtc.com

town East Jordan. Featuring a soup cook-off, take & make craft for kids, Lighted Parade, community tree lighting & caroling, San-ta visit & cookies & much more.

-------------------LADIES’ SHOPPING NIGHT: 5-9pm, Down-

town TC. Enjoy food, refreshments & shop-ping specials. downtowntc.com

-------------------COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: (See Mon.,

--------------------

HOLIDAY BUSINESS AFTER HOURS:

Legion Hall, Old Mission. Enjoy a potluck dinner & program of music by students of the Old Mission Elementary School. omphistoricalsociety.org

OMPHS DEC. MEETING: 5:30pm, American

Dec. 4)

-------------------5-8pm, Treetops Resort, Convention Center, Gaylord. Presented by Black Diamond Broadcasting. Bring a toy for Toys for Tots.

--------------------

POLAR EXPRESS SPAGHETTI DINNER :

of Traverse City, 701 Westminster Rd. Featuring music, entertainment, & a beef prime rib feast.

Tickets are $20/person or $140 for a round table of 8. Call 946.5680 to reserve your spot.

50TH GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY MADRIGAL DINNER THEATRE: 6pm, Presbyterian Church

-------------------5-7pm, After 26 Depot, Cadillac. Santa & Mrs. Claus will arrive by fire truck. Dinner: $4.99 kids; $7.99 adults. 231-468-3526.

-------------------“ANNIE”: (See Sat., Dec. 2) --------------------

-------------------RECESS OF GIVING: 5-7pm, Fox Grand Tra-

verse showroom, TC. Join The Ticker & TC Area “THE NUTCRACKER”: 7:30pm, Interlochen Chamber of Commerce for a combined Recess & Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. A favorite Business After Hours holi-day event to support NW pm pm ballet, Director of Dance Joseph Morholiday Michigan Marine Toys For Tots. Includes food carissey puts his own spin on this tale of fantasy & tered by In-credible Mo’s with beverages provided $ including .95 a three-day wonder. $29 full, $26 senior & $11 youth. tickets.

by H Cox and Sons, & prizes all you can eat interlochen.org/arts-festival test drive in a Fox Motors 2017 Lincoln vehicle of your choice; complete auto de-tail; & oil change & filter. $10 entry or a new, unwrapped toy. All pro“CHRISTMAS SCHOONER”: 8pm, Crooked ceeds benefit Toys for Tots. Presented by Remax Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. Presented by Little Bayshore Properties. Find on Facebook.

Traverse Civic Theatre. A musical based on the historic Great Lakes voyages of Christmas tree ships during the late 1800s & early 1900s. $15-$20.

THE BOARDMAN REVIEW PRESENTS mynorthtickets.com/events/the-christmas-schooner “THE INTERNATIONAL OCEAN FILM TOUR”: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. $18/person. Info: oceanfilmtour.com

14

|

4

-9

--------------------

--------------------

dec 07

thursday

4

pm

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM:

12oz 16

$ Method.95 11am, Central United ist Church, TC. Presented by the Church Women United of Grand Traverse Area. A presentation of the Readers Theater - “Three Women of Bethlehem.” A potluck lunch will follow. Bring a dish to share & your own table service. Women’s hygiene products &

dec friday -9 08 $ .95 pm

GOOD MORNING GAYLORD: 8am, Otsego Grand Event Center, Gaylord.

Featuring Lisa McComb from | 16oz 20 the Otsego County Economic Alliance on SCORE. Tickets: $10, in-cludes breakfast buffet.

-------------------HORIZON BOOKS, TC EVENTS: 10-11am:

Story Hour: Vehicles. Hear some stories & do activities & a craft. 6-8pm: Richard Smith will sign

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 37

oc 31

WINTER JAZZ ENSEMBLE SHOWCASE:

NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE CIRCLE: 4:456pm, Higher Self Bookstore, TC. Free. higherselfbookstore.com/monthly-calendar

Boring holiday gift exchange?

7:30pm, Milliken Auditorium, Dennos Muse-um Center, NMC, TC. Presented by NMC Jazz Bands & Vocal Jazz Ensemble. $12 adults; $7 students & seniors. mynorthtickets.com

--------------------

WINTER SONGS & CAROLS: 7:30pm, Grace Episcopal Church, TC. Presented by Manitou Winds. Featuring guest vocalists Christy Burich & Emily Curtin Cull-er. Free. manitouwinds.com

dec 03

sunday

BLUEBERRY PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 8am-noon, Rainbow of Hope Farm, Kings-ley. rainbowofhopefarm.weebly.com

------------

29TH ANNUAL VICTORIAN SLEIGHBELL PARADE & OLD CHRISTMAS WEEKEND: Manistee. Today includes the Fes-

able! il a v A s e t ica

tival of Trees, Tour of the James Dempsey Mansion, “A Tuneful Christmas Carol,” & much more. manisteesleighbellparade.com/event-schedule

if Gift Cert

-------------------- - - - - -Not -------------“THE CHRISTMAS JOURNEY”: (See Sat., Dec. 2)

a n ym ore !

FULL MOON FEAST: FROSTY MOON: 6pm,

Martha Wagbo Farm & Education Center, East Jordan. Bring a dish to pass to this potluck, & something to share at “open mic.” facebook.com/ marthawagbofarm

-------------------MADRIGALS DINNER & PERFORMANCE:

6pm, Stafford’s Perry Hotel, Petoskey.

Enjoy a four course dinner & Petoskey High School’s Madrigals Show. 231-347-4000. $45.

--------------------

“MERRILY WE SING NOEL”: 7pm, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Glen Arbor. Enjoy a holiday season concert presented by the Leelanau Community Choir. 231-271-6091.

- - - - - -OPEN - - DAILY - - - at - -7 AM. ------PETOSKEY IMPROV TROUPE COMEDY SHOW: 7pm, Red Sky Stage, Petoskey. Tickets:

artsglenarbor.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -AR-,- - - $10 advance; $15 door. $8 students, $5 12 & E W under. redskystage.com THE CHRISTMAS SHOPAVENDOR & CRAFT ’S T R E M Place (for-merly 231.334.3754 !

SHOW: 10am-3pm, SJay’s GIVE SOEllison IC ATEfrom FSanta I T R E Sporting Goods), Gaylord.

Visit with C T F noon-2pm.OFree.

ODS & GI - - - -G- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -BURGERS . LOCAL WHITEFISH . GOBS OF CHARACTER TRAIN WONDERLAND: (See Sat., Dec. 2)

-------------------ST. FRANCIS CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL & CHICKEN DINNER: 10:30am-2:30pm, St.

Dec 04

monday

COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: 5pm, amical, TC.

“Simply Delicious” by Paul Bocuse. Widely regarded as the father of modern French cuisine, Bocuse offers a collection of uncomplicated, traditional fares. amical. com/cookbookdinnerseries

THE BEST IN DOWNHILL, Francis High School, gymnasium, TC. Purchase tickets for the $10,000 grand prize, the Chicken CROSS COUNTRY GEAR, Dinner, wreaths, the Christmas quilt, & Christmas basket raffles. Adults, $12; children, $6.

- -ACCESSORIES - - - - - - - - - - - -AND ------ -------------------PJ STORYTIME & GIFT MAKING: 6pm, BenA LITTLE BOOK PARTY: 11am-3pm, The Little WINTER APPAREL. zonia Public Library, lower level, Benzonia. Wear Fleet, TC. Presented by Life and Whim. Featuring your PJs, listen to stories, & make a yummy “Gift children’s books written &/or illustrated in TC. Jay & in a Jar.” Register: Free. benzoHeather Harrington ofFischer, Life and Whim willLange, be reading INCLUDING: Volkl, The North Face, Head,231-882-4111.

Nordica, Blizzard, nialibrary.org & signing copies of their new book, “The Magical Scott, Marker, Tecnica, Spyder, and Burton.

Cross Country Ski, and Snowshoe Tale of the Fairy Trails.” There will be a free craft Rentals. your needsFAMILY for funFAVORITES in NorthernPOTLUCK Michigan.

Come MEAL: activity for kids,We’re cocoa,stocked s’mores &with more.all Brianne 6:30pm, Peninsula Community Library, Old MisFarley will do ain drawing demonstration at 1pm. and see why we’ve been a local favorite for over 60 years! sion Peninsula School, TC. Bring a 6-8 person Free. lifeandwhim.com/pop-up-events serving of your recipe to share G with guests.

IFT CShare ARDS Write out your recipe on a recipe card.

STORY TIME WITH SANTA: (See Sat., Dec. 2) M AKERSVP: the story behind your favorite rec-ipe.

PERFECT THE 231.223.7700. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org THE DOWNTOWN COCOA CRAWL: 11amGIFTS! 3pm, Downtown TC. Hot chocolate compe-tition.

HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS: 6:30pm, Elk downtowntc.com Rapids Public Library. Learn how to prepare for & survive the holiday blues, for those grieving HOLIDAY IN SUTTONS BAY: Today features the loss of a loved one. Hosted by Heartland Antlers & Elves - Brain Storm! & Ener-dyne, Hospice. Free. noon-3pm. There will also be a Cookie Extravaganza from noon-3pm at the Friendship Center.

AUDITIONS FOR “ALMOST MAINE”: 7-9pm, A Community Choral Concert will be held at School Annex, Ages 14+. PresentN.3pm. near 3 Mile RoadCooley • Traverse CityCadillac.

• 49686 CongregationalUS31 Church at ed by the Cadillac Footliters. cadillacfootliters.com www.donorrskihaus.com SUGAR PLUM FAIRY TEA: 1-3pm, Stafford’s Perry Hotel, Petoskey. Enjoy tea service with principal performers of Crooked Tree Arts Center School of Ballet’s “The Nut-cracker”; two tickets to “The Nutcracker” performance of your choice; GET CRAFTY: Great Lakes a picture with the Sugar Plum Fairy; a strings Children’s Museum, TC. quintet performance & a take-home treat. Tea for Create a popsicle snowflake two: $75. crookedtree.org or-nament at 11am or 2pm. greatlakeskids.org “ANNIE”: 2pm, Old Town Playhouse, MainStage, TC. Enjoy this classic musical. $15-$28.

COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: (See Mon., mynorthtickets.com Dec. 4)

--------------------

----------------------------------------------------------

--------------------

-------------------946-8810 • 800-346-5788

--------------------

--------------------------------------“THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER” & COMMUNITY SING-A-LONG: 2pm, Manistee

High School Auditorium. Presented by the Manistee Civic Players. A couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids - probably the most inventively awful kids in history. $5-$12. mynorthtickets.com

-------------------“MERRILY WE SING NOEL”: 3pm, Suttons

dec 05

tuesday

------------

-------------------AAUW HOLIDAY PARTY: 6-8pm, Bethlehem

Lutheran Church, TC. Annual Jingle Mingle Holiday party with a silent auction, food & friendship, & shopping. $10 donation. aauwtc.org

-------------------PARKINSON’S NETWORK NORTH EVENING GROUP: 6pm, MCHC, rooms A&B,

TC. Christmas potluck with white elephant gift exchange. 947-7389.

Bay Congregational Church. Enjoy a holi-day season concert presented by the Leelanau Community Choir. 231-271-6091

--------------------

“MUSIC FOR THE SEASON”: 4pm, Bellaire High

slide & one-minute to pitch your idea to a group of people. Afterwards there will be time for one-on-one questions. tcnewtech.org

-------------------School Auditorium. Presented by the Antrim County Community Choir. A visit by members of the “Peanuts Gang.” 231-331-6587. Freewill offering.

-------------------ANDRE VILLOCH: 4pm, Sleder’s Family Tavern,

TC. Enjoy a festive show with this singer/songwriter/ guitarist. 947-9213. $20 advance; $25 door.

TCNEWTECH MEETUP: BAR NAPKIN PITCH NIGHT: 6-8pm, City Opera House, TC. You get one

-------------------CHERRY CAPITAL MEN’S CHORUS: 6:30-

8pm, Samaritas Senior Living of TC, Wil-liamsburg.

Enjoy holiday music by these barbershoppers.

RSVP: 231-408-3385. Free.

38 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

“ASPERGER’S INTO ADULTHOOD: EDUCATION”: 6:30pm, TC. The NW Michigan NT

Support parent group will meet to investigate what NMC has to offer for supportive ser-vices.

Parents can bring their grown children with Asperger’s. The exact TC location is provided when the neurotypical family member joins the NW Michigan NT Support pri-vate Meetup group at: www.meetup.com/NW-Michigan-NT-Support/

dec 06

disposable razors are being collected for Central UMC’s Outreach.

-------------------GREAT CHILI BIKE-OFF: 11am-1:30pm, Bill Marsh Ford, Gaylord. Chili chefs will com-pete with their favorite recipes. Benefits Bikes for Tikes. Freewill dona-tion. billmarshbikes.com

--------------------

wednesday

BENEFITS OF YOGA: 12:30pm, Golden Fellowship Hall, Interlochen. Learn the basic concepts of yoga poses & the benefits at this free presentation by Dawn Edgley & Mark Handler.

Register: 922-4911.

Lodge, TC. Catered lunch & entertainment. Reservations: 947-7389.

HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS: 2pm, Feast of Victory Lutheran Church, Acme. Learn how to prepare for & survive the holiday blues, for those grieving the loss of a loved one. Hosted by Heartland Hospice. Free.

PARKINSON’S NETWORK NORTH CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION: 11am, Elks

-------------------INTERLOCHEN WOMAN’S CLUB ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY: Noon, Golden Fel-low-

ship Hall, Interlochen. Have Yourself A Sparkly Christmas. Wear your favorite sparkly Christmas sweater. Please bring hors d’oeuvres or desserts.

231-642-1767.

-------------------MUNSON HOSPICE GLIMMERS OF HOPE, FIFE LAKE: 12:30pm, Fife Lake Library. Coping

with Grief Through the Holidays. Join the Munson Hospice Bereavement team at this community presentation to learn ways to cope with loss & find your way. 800-252-2065 or hospicebereavement@mhc. net. Free. musonhomehealth.org

-------------------STAYING HEALTHY THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS: 1:30pm, Leland Township Library. Featur-

ing chef, teacher & coach Linda Szarkowski who is passionate about showing people that healthy food can also be the best tasting. Learn about healthy plant-based recipes. Free. lelandlibrary.org

-------------------CHARLEVOIX CULTURAL CORRIDOR HOLIDAY FEST: Begins at Circle of Arts from 5-7pm.

Featuring the Circle Market full of hand crafted gifts. Live music by The Cummings Quartet & students from the Dorothy Gerber Strings Program.

The Museum at Harsha House will be open from 5-7pm where you can enjoy exhibits & more.

End the evening at the Charlevoix Public Library with a photography display featuring the works of LuAnn Griffin. Then enjoy the Jazz @ the Library Holiday Concert at 7pm. 231-237-7340.

--------------------

---------------------------------------

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: 3-6pm, Kingsley Branch of the Traverse Area District Li-brary, Kingsley. Enjoy music, crafts, food & Santa. tadl. org/kingsley

-------------------MAKER AFTERNOONS: 3D PRINTING WORKSHOP: 3:30pm, Leland Township Li-

brary. Each Thursday from 3:30-4:30pm, kids ages 9+ are invited to drop by & explore a different S.T.E.A.M.-based activity. A healthy snack will be provided. Free. lelandlibrary.org

--------------------

AUTHOR SIGNING: 5-8pm, Horizon Books, TC. Bill O. Smith will sign his book “4 AM.” horizonbooks.com

-------------------BUBBLES AND BRIDES: 5-9pm, One Oak

Bride, TC. Browse the latest wedding gown trends. Hosting a flash fashion show every 30 minutes. There will also be a raffle in honor of the one year anniversary. Free. oneoakbride.com

-------------------COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: (See Mon.,

Dec. 4)

-------------------HOLIDAY COMMUNITY NIGHT: 5pm, Down-

town East Jordan. Featuring a soup cook-off, take & make craft for kids, Lighted Parade, community tree lighting & caroling, San-ta visit & cookies & much more.

-------------------LADIES’ SHOPPING NIGHT: 5-9pm, Down-

town TC. Enjoy food, refreshments & shop-ping specials. downtowntc.com

COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: (See Mon.,

--------------------

HOLIDAY BUSINESS AFTER HOURS:

Legion Hall, Old Mission. Enjoy a potluck dinner & program of music by students of the Old Mission Elementary School. omphistoricalsociety.org

Dec. 4)

--------------------

OMPHS DEC. MEETING: 5:30pm, American

5-8pm, Treetops Resort, Convention Center, Gaylord. Presented by Black Diamond Broadcasting. Bring a toy for Toys for Tots.

--------------------

POLAR EXPRESS SPAGHETTI DINNER :

of Traverse City, 701 Westminster Rd. Featuring music, entertainment, & a beef prime rib feast.

Tickets are $20/person or $140 for a round table of 8. Call 946.5680 to reserve your spot.

-------------------5-7pm, After 26 Depot, Cadillac. Santa & Mrs. Claus will arrive by fire truck. Dinner: $4.99 kids; $7.99 adults. 231-468-3526.

-------------------RECESS OF GIVING: 5-7pm, Fox Grand Tra-

verse showroom, TC. Join The Ticker & TC Area Chamber of Commerce for a combined Recess & Business After Hours holi-day event to support NW Michigan Marine Toys For Tots. Includes food catered by In-credible Mo’s with beverages provided

by H Cox and Sons, & prizes including a three-day test drive in a Fox Motors 2017 Lincoln vehicle of your choice; complete auto de-tail; & oil change & filter. $10 entry or a new, unwrapped toy. All proceeds benefit Toys for Tots. Presented by Remax Bayshore Properties. Find on Facebook.

-------------------THE BOARDMAN REVIEW PRESENTS “THE INTERNATIONAL OCEAN FILM TOUR”: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. $18/person. Info: oceanfilmtour.com

dec 07

thursday

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM:

11am, Central United Methodist Church, TC. Presented by the Church Women United of Grand Traverse Area. A presentation of the Readers Theater - “Three Women of Bethlehem.” A potluck lunch will follow. Bring a dish to share & your own table service. Women’s hygiene products &

50TH GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY MADRIGAL DINNER THEATRE: 6pm, Presbyterian Church

-------------------“ANNIE”: (See Sat., Dec. 2) --------------------

“THE NUTCRACKER”: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. A favorite holiday ballet, Director of Dance Joseph Morrissey puts his own spin on this tale of fantasy & wonder. $29 full, $26 senior & $11 youth. tickets. interlochen.org/arts-festival

-------------------“CHRISTMAS SCHOONER”: 8pm, Crooked

Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. Presented by Little Traverse Civic Theatre. A musical based on the historic Great Lakes voyages of Christmas tree ships during the late 1800s & early 1900s. $15-$20. mynorthtickets.com/events/the-christmas-schooner

dec 08

friday

GOOD MORNING GAYLORD: 8am, Otsego Grand

Event Center, Gaylord.

Featuring Lisa McComb from the Otsego County Economic Alliance on SCORE. Tickets: $10, in-cludes breakfast buffet.

-------------------HORIZON BOOKS, TC EVENTS: 10-11am:

Story Hour: Vehicles. Hear some stories & do activities & a craft. 6-8pm: Richard Smith will sign

oc 31

his book “Tracking Wounded Deer, 3rd Edition.” horizonbooks.com/

-------------------STORYTIME AT LELAND TOWNSHIP LIBRARY: 10:30am. Stories & play designed to

HOLIDAY CHEER CRAFT SESSION: 9am,

Peninsula Community Library, Old Mission Peninsula School, TC. Craft a puffy wreath for your favorite winter holiday. Kids can craft a mini wreath & leave a letter for Santa. RSVP: 231.223.7700.

Free. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org

CLAUDIA SCHMIDT: 6:30pm, Charlevoix Senior Center. Claudia will be sharing from her collection of favorite songs, as well as songs of the season, including selections from her new release, “Hark the Dark.” A circle jam will follow. 231-622-2944. Suggested donation: $10.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 9-11am, Banks Town-

SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS: 6:30pm, Bayview

promote joy & growth in literacy. Children ages 0-6 & their caregivers welcomed. Free. lelandlibrary.org

--------------------

ALANSON CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE:

ship Hall, Ellsworth. Enjoy breakfast & choose a stuffed toy & take a photo with Santa & Mrs. Claus, compliments of Charle-voix State Bank.

-------------------5-8pm, Downtown Alanson. Santa will arrive, escorted by the Alanson Fire Department. He will be in the Alanson Village Hall to greet you. The Petoskey Steel Drum Band will perform at 6:30pm on River St. Free.

-------------------COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES: (See Mon.,

Dec. 4)

-------------------MAKE-A-GIFT SERIES: HOW TO ETCH A WINE GLASS: 10am-noon, Golden Fellow-ship Hall, Interlochen Public Library. For adults. Free. tadl.org/event/make-a-gift-series-how-to-etch-awine-glass

--------------------

--------------------

Frankfort. Holiday shopping & dining. Find on Facebook.

11am-1pm, Benzonia Public Library, Ben-zonia.

Stories, crafts, puppet show & more. 231-8824111. Free. benzonialibrary.org

MISTLETOE MAGIC: 5-8pm, Downtown

--------------------

WARREN MILLER MOVIE & PIZZA NIGHT FUNDRAISER: 5-9pm, Boyne Highlands Resort, Day Lodge, Harbor Springs. Warren Miller’s ski & snowboard film, “Line of De-scent,” will be shown, along with a pizza dinner & silent & live auction.

Benefits the Harbor Springs high school & middle school ski teams. $10. hsskiteam.com

-------------------“THE CHRISTMAS JOURNEY”: (See Sat.,

HOLIDAY PARTY & CRAFT WORKSHOP:

-------------------STORY TIME WITH SANTA: Castle Farms,

Charlevoix. 11am or 1pm. Includes a story read by Santa, a craft activity, cocoa & cookies, plus a gift & photo with Santa. Must purchase tickets in advance. $20. castlefarms.com/santas-train-wonderland

-------------------AUTHORS SIGNINGS: Horizon Books, TC.

--------------------

12-2pm: Bill Rapai will sign his book “Brewed in Michigan: The New Golden Age of Brewing in the Great Beer State.” 2-4pm: Dave Hendrix will sign his book “The Fifth Finger.” horizonbooks.com

--------------------

CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE: 12-7pm, The

Dec. 2)

50TH GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY MADRIGAL DINNER THEATRE: (See Thurs., Dec. 7) CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE: 6-8pm, The

Village at GT Commons, TC. Tonight is Adult Night Out with snacks & beverages, Music in the Halls, Unsilent Night at Left Foot Charley, tree lighting & more. Find on Facebook.

-------------------SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS: 6:30pm, Bayview

Wesleyan Church, TC. Bayview Dinner Theater. $15 adults, $10 children 12 & under. bayviewchurch.net

-------------------BLISSFEST FOLK & ROOTS MINI-CONCERT SERIES: 7pm, Red Sky Stage, Petos-key. “Folk for

Food” with singer/songwriter Dennis Palmer. Benefit for Manna Food Project. Tickets: $10 advance; $15 door. Students, $8; 12 & under, $5. redskystage.com

-------------------“ANNIE”: (See Thurs., Dec. 7) --------------------

-------------------Village at GT Commons, TC. Today in-cludes carriage rides, meet Santa, “Mix & Mingle to some Holiday Jingles” by the TC West Senior High School Choirs, & more. Find on Facebook.

-------------------HAPPY HOWLIDAYS PET PHOTOSHOOT:

Noon-4pm, Charlevoix Public Library, Community Room. With professional photographer Nate Abramowski. Reserve your time: 231-237-7340. charlevoixlibrary.org

-------------------KIDS “CRAFT -IT” HOLIDAY PARTY: 1-3pm, The Lighthouse, Elk Rapids. Storytelling with an elf & Seasonal Singalong with Melanie Crafts.

For ages 5-12. Sponsored by Friends of the Elk Rapids District Library. elkrapidslibrary.org

-------------------TLC HANDBELL CHOIR: 1:30pm, Kingsley

“REMEMBER THE NIGHT”: 7:30pm, Glen Lake Community Reformed Church, Bur-dickville. Presented by the Glen Arbor Art Association Readers’ Theater, this is a tale of petty larceny, redemption & Cupid doing his job in time for the holidays. Reserve your spot: gaaareaderstheater@gmail.com. 231334-6112. Free. glenarborart.org.

Branch of the Traverse Area District Li-brary, Kingsley. tadl.org/kingsley

“THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER” & COMMUNITY SING-A-LONG: 7:30pm, Manistee

lochen Center for the Arts, Corson Audito-rium. A favorite holiday ballet, Director of Dance Joseph Morrissey puts his own spin on this tale of fantasy & wonder. $29 full, $26 senior & $11 youth. tickets. interlochen.org/arts-festival

--------------------

High School Auditorium. Presented by the Manistee Civic Players. A couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids - probably the most inventively awful kids in history. $5-$12. mynorthtickets.com

-------------------“THE NUTCRACKER”: (See Thurs., Dec. 7) -------------------BENZIE COUNTY COMMUNITY CHORUS CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCE: 7:30pm, St.

Andrews Presbyterian Church, Beulah. Freewill offering. benziechorus.org

-------------------WINTER SONGS & CAROLS: 7:30pm, The

Leelanau School, Glen Arbor. Presented by Manitou Winds. Featuring guest vocalists Christy Burich & Emily Curtin Culler. Free. manitouwinds.com

-------------------“CHRISTMAS SCHOONER”: (See Thurs.,

Dec. 7)

dec 09

saturday

OLD MISSION WOMEN’S CLUB FANCY COOKIE SALE: 8am-noon, Peninsula

Town-ship Fire Station, TC. All proceeds benefit charity.

------------

CHRISTMAS MAGIC: 9am-6pm, Downtown

Beulah. Featuring a parade, Santa, kids activities & more. clcba.org/event/christmas-magic

--------------------

--------------------

--------------------

Wesleyan Church, TC. Bayview Dinner Theater. $15 adults, $10 children 12 & under. bayviewchurch.net/#s_2

TC. First 500 people to donate a new, unwrapped toy, new personal or baby items, or a new or like new coat get a free Jet’s Pizza. Benefits the Toys for Tots Drive, the Father Fred Personal & Baby Items Drive, & the Salvation Army Coat Drive. 932-4526.

-------------------“REMEMBER THE NIGHT”: (See Fri., Dec. 8) -------------------“THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER” & COMMUNITY SING-A-LONG: (See Fri., Dec. 8)

-------------------TSO’S HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: 7:30pm, Lars Hockstad Auditorium, TC. Guest conductor Lonnie Klein takes the podium as the NMC Children’s Choir returns for the Symphony’s annual holiday celebration. $25.50-$62. traversesymphony.org/concert/home-for-the-holidays

-------------------“CHRISTMAS SCHOONER”: (See Thurs.,

Dec. 7)

dec 10

sunday

BREAKFAST WITH ST. NICK: 9:30am-12:30pm, Knights of Columbus Hall, Gaylord.

------------

CHRISTMAS IN THE VILLAGE: 11am-4pm, The Village

at GT Commons, TC. Today includes Music in the Halls, meet Santa & more. Find on Facebook.

Andrews Presbyterian Church, Beulah. Freewill offering. benziechorus.org

-------------------COOKBOOK DINNER: (See Mon., Dec. 4) --------------------

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: 5-8pm, Downtown Elk Rapids. Featuring Santa & his rein-deer, tree lighting (5:30pm), local musicians, Christmas caroling & more.

-------------------SUPPER WITH SANTA: 5-8pm, VFW, Veterans

--------------------

“THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER” & COMMUNITY SING-A-LONG: 2pm, Manistee High School Auditorium. Presented by the Manistee Civic Players. A couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids - probably the most inventively awful kids in history. $5-$12. mynorthtickets.com

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE: 2-4pm, Oliver Art

-------------------TSO’S HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: 3pm, Lars

Hockstad Auditorium, TC. Guest con-ductor Lonnie Klein takes the podium as the NMC Children’s Choir returns for the Symphony’s annual holiday celebration. $25.50-$62. traversesymphony.org/concert/ home-for-the-holidays

-------------------COOKBOOK DINNER: (See Mon., Dec. 4) -------------------“THE CHRISTMAS JOURNEY”: (See Sat., Dec. 2) -------------------SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS: 5:30pm, Bayview

Wesleyan Church, TC. Bayview Dinner Theater. $15 adults, $10 children 12 & under. bayviewchurch.net

--------------------

Dr., TC. Spaghetti dinner with raffle baskets, free vaccine clinic by Cherry Capital Mobile Hosp., photos with Santa, adop-tions & bake sale. $8 per person; $24 family of 4.

MADRIGALS DINNER & PERFORMANCE:

“THE CHRISTMAS JOURNEY”: (See Sat.,

--------------------

-------------------Dec. 2)

-------------------“MIX AND MINGLE WITH SOME HOLIDAY JINGLE”: 6pm, Kirkbride Hall, GT Com-mons,

TC. Presented by the Traverse City West Choirs.

Featuring music sung by the TC West High School Choral-Aires, Westmen, Bella Voce, and West Middle School Madrigals. Tickets include all you can eat hors d’oeuvres & a dessert bar. $25/$45/$75. mynorthtickets.com

scarves & hats to Interlochen Public Library through Dec. 30. tadl.org/venue/Interlochen/

--------------------

LEELANAU CHRISTIAN NEIGHBORS FOOD PANTRY KICK-OFF: Through Dec. 10. Drop off

non-perishable food at any Leland shop.

--------------------

NW MI MARINE TOYS FOR TOTS: Fox Motors, TC. Incredible Mo’s certificates will be given for toys that are brought into the dealership. For various drop off locations & info, visit toysfortots. org. Runs through Dec. 22.

--------------------

SOCKS FOR TROOPS: Petoskey Shoe Sensation, 910 Spring St., Petoskey is collect-ing socks for active duty military or local veterans around the community. Customers receive a 20% off coupon to use on the socks donated. You can also bring in new socks to be donated. Runs through Dec. 24.

--------------------

SAFE HOME HARVEST FOOD & SUPPLY DRIVE: Help support survivors of domestic abuse

NMC FOOD PANTRY: This operates out of the

Center, Frankfort. Featuring a hot chocolate bar, various treats, ornament decorating, coloring pages, Christmas music, shopping & more. Oliver Art Center will also be accepting donations of unopened socks for all ages for their neighbors at Benzie Area Christian Neighbors, as well as youth pajamas & more through Dec. 15. Free. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org

BENZIE COUNTY COMMUNITY CHORUS CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCE: 3pm, St.

HOLIDAY MITTEN TREE: Donate new mittens,

Arts Center, Petoskey. Presented by Little Traverse Civic Theatre. A musical based on the historic Great Lakes voyages of Christmas tree ships during the late 1800s & early 1900s. $15-$20. mynorthtickets. com/events/the-christmas-schooner

“CHRISTMAS SCHOONER”: 2pm, Crooked Tree

--------------------

--------------------

--------------------

& their children utilizing Safe Home services by bringing non-perishable foods, household supplies, paper products, personal care items & financial contributions to the Women’s Resource Center of Northern MI offices in Cheboygan, Gaylord & Mancelona. wrcnm.org

--------------------

“THE NUTCRACKER”: 2pm & 7:30pm, Inter-

GLCM: Visit the Great Lakes Children’s Museum,

-------------------STORY TIME WITH SANTA: (See Sat., Dec. 9) -------------------“ANNIE”: (See Sun., Dec. 3) --------------------

“ANNIE”: 2pm & 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, MainStage, TC. Enjoy this classic mu-sical. $15$28. mynorthtickets.com

children, as well as socks that are new & in package through Dec. 6. Drop off during normal business hours to: The Hotel Frankfort; West Shore Bank, Frankfort; State Savings Bank, Frankfort; Mayfair Tavern, Elberta; Northern Auto & Tire, Honor; & Webber Insurance Agency, Benzonia.

6pm, Stafford’s Perry Hotel, Petoskey. En-joy a four course dinner & Petoskey High School’s Madrigals Show. 231-347-4000. $45.

BENZIE COUNTY COMMUNITY CHORUS CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCE: 7:30pm, Frankfort United Methodist Church, Frankfort. Freewill offering. benziechorus.org

helping hands

WINTER WARMTH COAT COLLECTION:

Donate gently used or new coats, jackets, hats, scarves, gloves & sweaters for men, women &

-------------------base-ment of the Osterlin Building, NMC, TC, but students don’t have to physically access the shelves.

Instead, they’ll fill out an online form stating their household size & needs. nmc.edu

art

“GIVE THE GIFT OF ART HOLIDAY EXHIBIT”: Higher Art Gallery, TC. Runs through Jan. 2. higherartgallery.com “INSPIRED: ARTISTIC IMPRESSIONS OF THE GRAND TRAVERSE COMMONS”: The Village at GT Commons, Sanctuary, TC. Runs through Jan. 20. thevillagetc.com “JUST GREAT ART”: City Opera House, TC. Eight artists from the Plein Air Painters of Northwest Michigan exhibit their oil, pastel, watercolor & acrylic paintings. Runs through Jan. 2. cityoperahouse.org “THE LYRICS OF BOB DYLAN”: Three Pines Studio, Cross Village. Nobel Laureate 2016. This all media exhibition runs through March. threepinesstudio.com CIRCLE MARKET: Charlevoix Circle of Arts, Charlevoix. Over 40 artists represented. Runs through Dec. 23. 231-547-3554.

JORDAN RIVER ARTS COUNCIL GIFT MARKET: Jordan River Arts Council, East Jor-dan. Featuring paintings, collages, jewelry, scarves, baskets, cards & many Christmas decorations. Will run every Tues. through Sun. from 1-4pm through Dec. 22. It will also be open on Dec. 7 from 5-8pm for Community Night. jordanriverarts.com 2017 WINTER MEMBER EXHIBITION: Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. An opening recep-tion will be held on Fri., Dec. 1 from 5-7pm. Runs through Jan. 5. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org HOLIDAY ART MARKET SHOW & SALE: Gaylord Area Council for the Arts, Gaylord. Runs through Dec. 23. A Holiday Celebration will be held on Weds., Dec. 6 from 12-5pm. Featuring music, prizes & more. Hours: Tues.-Fri.: 11am-3pm; Sat.: 11am-1pm. gacaevents.weebly.com Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC: Mon. - Sat., 10am5pm. Sun., 1-5pm.: - “LINES OF LIGHT: CRAIG TANDY - MONOFILAMENT SCULPTURE”: Dec. 3 - April 29, Zimmerman Sculpture Court. Canadian artist Craig Tandy constructs complex sculptures with monofilament nylon that illustrate the properties of projected light, with an interest in creating a space through which the viewer can move.

- CORY TRÉPANIER’S “INTO THE ARCTIC”: The Canadian North on Canvas and Film. Runs through Dec. - WILLIAM ADOLPHE BOUGEUREAU AND EDOUARD MANET: Visitors to the Sea - Masterpieces from the Detroit Institute of Arts. Runs through Dec. - “MYTHS, LEGENDS AND STORIES: SCULPTURE BY ABRAHAM ANGHIK RUBEN”: Through Dec. dennosmuseum.org

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 39

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40 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

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FOURSCORE by kristi kates

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Holiday dinner & movie special...

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill – The Rest of Our Life – Sony Nashville

Not that it’s anything new for McGraw and Hill to get personal in their tunes, but this album pretty much presents their entire relationship in music for everyone to hear. It’s their first fully realized duet album, although on some tracks, one or the other takes more of the lead, most notably on “Cowboy Lullaby” (McGraw) and “Love Me to Lie” (Hill).

Elsewhere, this pop-country collection features standouts like “Roll the Dice” and the title track, which was co-written by pop troubadour Ed Sheeran.

Movie/Dinner Package $21 per person (tax included). available at

Petoskey, Mt. Pleasant and two locations in Traverse City.

Blake Shelton – Texoma Shore – Warner Nashville

Is anyone in country music more popular right now than Blake Shelton? People magazine’s 2017 Sexiest Man Alive has more than just that up his sleeve though. Shelton sticks to his roots, and he is what he is: a proud Oklahoman and a straightforward guy. On this set he taps into his own experiences and shares them in story form. Most of the tracks are about relationships (“I’ll Name the Dogs,” “The Wave”), but several are more pensive musings about graciousness (“Money”) and childhood memories (“I Lived It”), all presented with Shelton’s smooth, calm vocals.

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Various Artists – A Tribute to Dan Fogelberg – BMG

The late, great Dan Fogelberg is paid homage by this top-tier roster of performers who cover his songs in a diverse range of performance styles. A few don’t really capture the original tone of Fogelberg’s work, but for the most part they’re respectful interpretations of the originals, most notably The Eagles and Joe Walsh’s take on “Part of the Plan,” Garth Brooks’ version of “Phoenix,” ’90s radio hitmakers Train’s version of “Same Old Lang Syne,” and Zac Brown’s cover of what is perhaps Fogelberg’s best known tune, “The Leader of the Band.”

Calling this a “snapshot” of who he is and where he’s at right now, Brice’s latest follows many of the usual country-western subject matter for songs, from American themes of hard work and tradition to thoughts about relationships. Brice pays careful attention to the lyrics, although he still falls into cliches at times. “Little Things” brings a party beat to celebrating the simple things, while “Dixie Highway” veers a little into more of a soulful Southern sound, and “I Don’t Smoke” leans heavily on the vocals he shares with Warren Haynes.

201 7

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS SATURDAY, DEC 9 at 7:30 pm SUNDAY, DEC 10 at 3 pm

Lee Brice – Lee Brice – Curb

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Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 41

MIKE AND THE STREETS HIT THE ROAD Electronica/rap artist Mike Skinner, and The Streets, who did a farewell tour for fans six years ago, are returning to the live stage with a big comeback tour that will be their first since their tour in support of The Streets’ fifth album, Computers and Blues, in 2011.

Since the hiatus, Skinner has been making solo music and also working as a DJ. Now he and the guys are set to kick off their trek in Birmingham, England, on April 2018, with dates already set in Glasgow, Manchester, and London, with more UK and possibly stateside dates said to be in the works …

Joe Wright’s new drama film, Darkest Hour, starring Gary Oldman, Lily James, and Ben Mendelsohn, tells the story of Winston Churchill in the early days of World War II, and now the movie is getting a standout soundtrack to go with its toptier cast. Academy Award winner Dario Marianelli (Atonement/Anna Karenina) has composed the music for the album, which will accompany the film. Darkest Hour premiered at this year’s Toronto and Telluride Film Festivals and is out in theaters this week on Focus Features …

The soundtrack for the new DC Universe movie Justice League is out now as well, with original music composed by Danny Elfman (Spider-Man, Men in Black, Batman), plus a

DOWNTOWN

MODERN

ROCK

BY KRISTI KATES

shortlist of cover songs, including a new take on The Beatles’ “Come Together” by Gary Clark Jr. and Junkie XL, and additional covers by Sigrid and The White Stripes.

Justice League is in theaters now, and features Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Ezra Miller as The Flash, and Game of Thrones’ Jason Momoa as Aquaman …

Kygo has a new album out called Kids In Love that is following hot on the heels of his European and northeastern U.S. dates, which got some extra attention due to Kygo’s spare, acoustic rendition of the album’s lead single.

Phase two of his tour schedule will kick off in February 2018 with more European tour stops, followed by a short U.S. trek that will include shows in Washington D.C.; Brooklyn, New York; Boston; and Chicago …

LINK OF THE WEEK Feel like heading out of town for New Year’s Eve? Check out this crazy-huge bash at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, which will feature The Zac Brown Band, Galantis, Duran Duran, DJ Mustard, French Montana, and Foo Fighters, plus fireworks and an afterparty at the hotel’s Chandelier lounge. Find out more and snag tickets at cosmopolitanlasvegas.com …

THE BUZZ Detroiter Jeff Gutt, who was a finalist on the TV talent show The X Factor, auditioned last year to take over the frontman spot in Stone Temple Pilots, and it was just officially announced that he’s been inducted into the band …

Ferndale Radio has just launched in the Metro Detroit area on 100.7 FM; it’s a hyperfocused station that will cover fashionable Ferndale in a 3-mile radius …

You’ll be able to see the Gin Blossoms

playing live in Detroit on Feb. 18 at St. Andrew’s Hall …

Grand Rapids band The Zannies has released its latest record, Espejos, a mix of alternative, psychedelic, blues, and rockabilly music … and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

Comments, questions, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.

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Candy Winn describes her mom, Veronica Ramos, as her best friend. They love doing things together, and these days that includes shopping, hiking and other fun outdoor activities. Weight loss surgery dramatically changed both of their lives. “It’s the hardest thing you will ever do, but it’s the most life-changing and rewarding decision you will make,” Candy said. It all began by attending a bariatric seminar.

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42 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

The reel

by meg weichman

lady bird JUSTICE LEAGUE

W

This is not, as I had originally thought, a biopic about former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. No, the Lady Bird in question here is a Sacramento high schooler (Saoirse Ronan).

Lady Bird is her given name, in that she “gave it to herself.” Yet, while this film may not carry the weight of history, in the hands of Ronan and first-time solo director Greta Gerwig, this story of an everyday girl feels nothing less than monumental.

Radiantly resonant and achingly relatable, the pitch perfect world of Lady Bird, is not the cutesy indie you might expect from one of our leading hipster ingénues (Gerwig being the star and co-writer of Frances Ha). Certainly indie tiny in pedigree and budget, it manages to emulate big Hollywood entertainment with just the thrill of discovering who you are.

Lady Bird, legal name Christine McPherson, is an eccentric, strong-willed and haphazardly hair-dyed teenager so desperate to escape her life in what she disparagingly terms “the Midwest of California” that she jumps out of a moving car on her college tour road trip.

Because yes, it’s her senior year, that time in her life when the possibilities of the future are both reassuring and crippling. While her mother would rather she stay close by at UC Davis, she’s placed her dreams in going to school in New York. Even with her father unemployed, her mother working doubles as a nurse just to make her private Catholic school possible, and her grades not so great, Lady Bird is undeterred.

And while this film is most definitely about Lady Bird — one of the most fully realized characters of recent memory — it’s also about her family and friends and the people who come into our lives. Take the rest of the McPhersons: her mom, Marion (Laurie Metcalf), with whom she constantly butts heads; her sweet, understanding, bit of a sad sack father, Larry (Tracy Letts); and her adopted brother, Miguel. What strikes you about this unit is the sheer honesty with which the working middle-class is depicted and its subtle observations of family life.

In her quest to head out east, she goes about improving her grades in some questionable ways throughout the course of the school year and makes plenty of mistakes. She’s not always likeable but gets in right when it counts. And there’s the humor that comes when you don’t expect it and is so genuinely hilarious without feeling like comedic schtick, but more like life: snacking on the Communion wafers or the JV football coach-turned-theater director who believe a play is a play.

It hits all the familiar high school notes: first love, queen bees, tests, teachers, loss of virginity, drifting away from a best friend (scene stealer Beanie Feldstein), parties, and,

yes, even prom. There is nothing revelatory about the territory covered here, yet in no way does it feel like your standard angsty comingof-age fare.

It’s a testament to its strength that even the boys are thoughtfully drawn. There’s the Irish Catholic too-good-to-be-true theater kid (Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea) and the painfully cool, nihilist boy in the band (Timothée Chalmet, Call Me by Your Name).

But I don’t want you to think this is about the romances, ’cause if this movie is a love story, it’s a mother-daughter one, and boy does it take something out of you. If you think you know Metcalf from Roseanne, you don’t know the half of it. And Ronan takes another step toward becoming one of the greats in a trajectory that started with her spellbinding work as a child in Atonement and went further with her Oscar nominated work in Brooklyn.

She absolutely nails the mix of awkward, selfassured, and insecure that is so quintessentially adolescence.

It’s incredibly heartening to see the female experience approached so sincerely and generously. Set in 2002, Gerwig’s eye for detail allows the nostalgia to kick when DMB’s “Crash Into Me” plays and also conveys multitudes in the smallest of moments.

At times the dialogue might come across as clichéd, but then you realize it’s because it sounds like what actual teens would actually say (not the hyper-stylized teen speak of films like Juno), which makes it all the more real and impactful. Touching and true, hilarious and heartfelt, this is a film that’s intelligence is only surpassed by its warmth.

Lady Bird is riding a wave of universal critical praise and hype, breaking Rotten Tomatoes’ record as the website’s best reviewed movie of all time. And this hype has its drawbacks. It might leave you going “Oh, huh. That’s it,” when it concludes. I myself didn’t initially find it to be the masterpiece I had been sold on, but as I distanced myself from the film (and the chords that perhaps struck a little too close), I found myself able to savor its simple and rich rewards. ’Cause while thinking back on the film to write this, welling up as I merely thought about certain scenes, I realized perhaps this film worked its unassuming magic on me more than I thought. See, it made me want to apologize to my own mother. It made me see how out of its poetic moments of ordinariness, I could find the beauty in my own adolescent journey, and the journey we are still on all these years later. And to be able to see ourselves, our relationships, and others in a new way, well that certainly is something to crow about.

Meg Weichman is a perma-intern at the Traverse City Film Festival and a trained film archivist.

ith Justice League, it’s clear the DCEU is responding to the criticism it’s received that the films are too dour. They’re trying hard to steal some of that Marvel magic with a newfound influx of levity and even brought in Joss Whedon of The Avengers to screen write. But then Zack Snyder (director of perhaps the dourest film in the DCEU, Batman v Superman) had to step away from directing duties for personal reasons, and Whedon came in to finish the job.

The resulting film not only proves the genuinely powerful Wonder Woman was an anomaly but also becomes a wholly disjointed effort that is neither Whedon nor Snyder. It’s passable entertainment but just kind of blah, lacking either of their distinct flavors. This film with no real point of view follows Batman (Ben Affleck) as he puts together a super team to fight oncoming evil in the wake of Superman’s death.

He’s joined by the epitome of grace and strength, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot); comedic relief The Flash (Ezra Miller); the robotic-in-more-ways-than-one Cyborg (Ray Fisher)’ and the excruciatingly bro-y bore Aquaman (Jason Momoa). They have no real personalities and no compelling story to tell; they offer only painful dialogue, weak humor, and a forgettable villain to take down. Even the big battle is a complete snooze.

a BAD MOMS XMAS

W

hereas Bad Moms struck such a chord with its deft satire of the mommy wars, A Bad Moms Christmas settles for a more commonplace and formulaic holiday film and standard mother-daughter drama. Yet even though A Bad Moms Christmas proves no where near as sharp as the original (nor as raunchy, I guess, ’cause the Baby Jesus is now tangentially involved?), sometimes a simplistic formula works better than it should — especially with the introduction of some additional talent to make it worthwhile. We pick up with the moms shortly after the previous film’s conclusion.

Christmas is right around the corner, and with their new outlook on the whole momming thing, the characters played

by Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn decide they are fed up with the pressure to make Christmas perfect. They decide to take the holiday back. But their Christmas plans are thrown into tumult when each of their mothers (Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines, and Susan Sarandon) unexpectedly show up to celebrate the holidays. More crass than clever, the actors manage to find their own hilarious moments in a lackluster script. That combined with the chemistry between the moms and the grandmoms, as well as the refreshingly frank way it treats the holiday season, is more than enough to keep you amused. A little bit naughty, a little bit nice, this is an easy, prewrapped gift to moviegoers.

thor: ragnarok

N

No matter how much you can count on a Marvel movie being entertaining and well done, 17 films into the Marvel Cinematic Universe we can all agree that the formula is starting to wear a little thin. That is, until they go and hire a Kiwi — New Zealander Taika Waititi — to direct and give us a whole new reason to get genuinely excited about superhero movies. See, Waititi comes from an eccentric and off-beat corner of the indie film world, but it’s clear that the world of blockbusters was waiting for him, taking the dullard Thor movies and infusing them with his quirky sensibilities, making not only the best of this particular series but also one of the best films of the entire franchise. So as the title suggests, a thing called Ragnarok is on the agenda, and it’s some sort of apocalyptic prophecy that Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the God of Thunder, is trying to prevent. But then his long-lost evil older sister, Hela (a glorious Cate Blanchett), the Goddess of Death, returns and stages a coup in his home of Asgard, and things go from bad to worse. So even though there’s a big baddie to face — and the world, you know, to save for the umpteenth time — the film is clever enough to place the heart of the story in a gonzo detour Thor takes to a hedonistic planet, where he’s joined by a truly epic Jeff Goldblum; Mark Ruffalo’s The Hulk; and his narcissistic trickster brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Pure of heart, kooky, and lively, joy runs throughout Thor: Ragnarok. And it’s a film so inviting and exhilarating, I hopefully don’t need to hit you over the head with Thor’s hammer to convince you to see it.

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 43

nitelife

DEC 2-DEc 10

Antrim & Charlevoix

edited by jamie kauffold

Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 12/2 -- Hannah Laine, 8-11 12/8 -- Open Mic, 8-11 12/9 -- Turbo Pup, 8-11

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska FANTASY'S, TC Mon. - Sat. -- Adult entertainment w/ DJ, 7-close GT DISTILLERY, TC 12/8 -- Younce Guitar Duo, 7-9:30 HAYLOFT INN, TC Thu -- Open mic night by Roundup Radio Show, 8 KILKENNY'S, TC 12/1-2 -- Risqué, 9:30 12/8-9 -- Brett Mitchell & The Giant Ghost, 9:30 Tue -- Levi Britton, 8 Wed -- The Pocket, 8 Thu -- 2 Bays DJs, 9:30 Sun -- Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 7-9 LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC 12/4 – Open mic night w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9 12/8 – Jeff Brown, 7-9 LITTLE BOHEMIA, TC Tue -- TC Celtic, 7-9 Thu -- Robert Abate, 6:30-9 PARK PLACE HOTEL, BEACON LOUNGE, TC Thurs,Fri,Sat — Tom Kaufmann, 8:30 RARE BIRD BREWPUB, TC 12/6 -- Electric Fusion Project

Records Live DVD, 8:30-11 ROVE ESTATE VINEYARD & WINERY, TC 12/10 -- Dennis Palmer, 2-4 SAIL INN BAR & GRILL, TC Thurs. & Sat. -- Phattrax DJs & Karaoke, 9 STREETERS, GROUND ZERO, TC 12/3 -- Red Sun Rising, 7 12/9 -- Whiskey Myers wsg Goodbye June, 7 STUDIO ANATOMY, TC 12/9 -- Comedy Night, 9 TAPROOT CIDER HOUSE, TC 12/6 -- Open Mic w/ E Minor, 7-10 12/8 -- Rob Coonrod, 7-9 12/9 -- Chris Dark, 7-9 THE DISH CAFE, TC 12/4 – Open mic w/ Chris Michels, 6-8 12/6 – Mitch McKolay, 6-8 Thurs – Nick Foresman, 6-8 Sat -- Matt Smith, 5-7 THE LITTLE FLEET, TC 12/8 – sLow taKo, 8-1 THE PARLOR, TC 12/2 -- The True Falsettos, Blair Miller & Jimmy Olson, 7

12/8 -- Chris Sterr, 8 12/9 -- Miriam Pico, 8

SNOWBELT BREWING CO., GAYLORD Tue -- Open Jam Night, 6-9 12/6 -- Adam Hoppe, 6-9 Fri – Live music

For Traverse City area news and events, visit TraverseTicker.com

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 12/2 -- The Charlie Millard Band, 8 12/5 -- STRUM Sing-a-Long Ukulele Night, 6 Wed -- The Workshop Live Jazz Jam, 6-10 12/9 -- After Ours, 8 UNION STREET STATION, TC 12/2 -- One Hot Robot, 10 12/3,12/10 -- Karaoke, 10 12/4 -- Jukebox, 10 12/5 -- Open Mic w/ Host Chris Sterr, 10 12/6 -- DJ DomiNate, 10 12/7 -- DJ PRIM, 10 12/8 -- Happy Hour w/ Wink, then Max Allen Band, 5 12/9 -- Max Allen Band, 10 WEST BAY BEACH HOLIDAY INN RESORT, TC 12/2,12/9 -- DJ Motaz, 9 12/7 -- Tribute to John Coltrane w/ NMC Jazz Quintet, Claudia Schmidt, Laurie Sears & Jeff Haas Trio, 7-9:30 12/8 -- Sweet Water Blues Band, 7-9:30

DICK’S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. — Karaoke, 10-2 LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 12/5 -- Nick & J, 6:30-9:30 LUMBERJACK'S BAR & GRILL, HONOR Fri & Sat -- Phattrax DJs & Karaoke, 9

BAGELS HAND-CRAFTED

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PLATTE RIVER INN, HONOR Tue -- Open Mic Night, 7 ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 12/2 -- Whiskey Charmers, 6-9 12/8 -- Shenanigans, 6-9 SPICE WORLD CAFÉ, NORTHPORT Sat -- The Jeff Haas Trio plus Laurie Sears & Anthony Stanco, 7-10 STORMCLOUD

BREWING

CO.,

FRANKFORT 12/2 -- Chris & Patrick, 8-10 12/8 -- Dale Wicks, 8-10 12/10 -- Storm the Mic - Hosted by Blake Elliott, 6-9 THE CABBAGE SHED, ELBERTA Thurs. – Open Mic Night: All ages, 8-9; 21 & up, 9-12 VILLA MARINE BAR, FRANKFORT Fri,Sat -- DJ & Dance Party, 9

Emmet & Cheboygan CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY 12/7 -- Open Mic Night w/ Lee & Dan, 9 12/9 -- Charlie Don't Surf, 10

LEO’S NEIGHBORHOOD TAVERN, PETOSKEY Thurs — Karaoke w/ DJ Micheal Williford, 10

TREETOPS RESORT, GAYLORD Hunter's Grille: Thurs. - Sat. -- Live music, 9

44 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

TORCH LAKE CAFE, EASTPORT Mon — Bob Webb, 6-9 Tues — Kenny Thompson, 7:30 Wed -- Lee Malone, 8 Thu -- Open Mic w/ Leanna Collins, 8 Fri,Sat -- Torch Lake Rock & Soul feat. Leanna Collins, 8:30

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KNOT JUST A BAR, BAY HARBOR Mon,Tues,Thurs — Live music

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SHORT'S BREWING CO., BELLAIRE 12/2 -- Fauxgrass, 8-11 12/5 – Open Mic & Community Jam Hosted by Luke Winslow-King, 7:30-10:30 12/8 – Turbo Pup, 8:30-11 12/9 – Oh Brother Big Sister, 8:3011

RED MESA GRILL, BOYNE CITY 12/5 -- Turbo Pup, 6-9

Otsego, Crawford & Central ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD 12/2 -- Mike Ridley, 7-10 12/8 -- Jim Akans, 7-10 12/9 -- Nelson, 7-10

CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS 12/8 – Clint Weaner, 7:30-9:30 12/9 – Blair Miller, 7:30-9:30

Fri – TRANSMIT, Techno-Funk-Electro DJs, 10 Sun — DJ Johnnie Walker, 9 NORTHERN LIGHTS RECREATION, THE SASSY LOON, HARBOR SPRINGS 12/2 -- Strobelite Honey, 9:30 12/8 -- North 44, 9:30 12/9 -- Bad NASA, 9:30

STAFFORD’S PERRY HOTEL, PETOSKEY NOGGIN ROOM: 12/2 – Pistil Whips 12/8 – Blake Elliott 12/9 – A Brighter Bloom THE GRILLE, BAY HARBOR Wed -- Chris Calleja, 6-9 Sun -- Plumville Project, 6-9 UPSTAIRS LOUNGE, PETOSKEY 12/2 – The Change 12/9 -- Flitch

the ADViCE GOddESS Destiny’s Problem Child

Q

: I saw this gorgeous girl at the coffeehouse at the mall two months ago. It was totally love at first sight. I keep hanging out there hoping to see her again. Am I nuts, or does love at first sight really exist?

--Smitten

“Jonesin” Crosswords

"The Price of Freedom"-a freestyle puzzle for today. by Matt Jones ACROSS 1 What standard, no-frills items lack 16 November 2017 thriller with Denzel Washington in the title role 17 “What a relief!”

18 “... ___ any drop to drink”: Coleridge 19 Norse god of wisdom and war 20 Thunder’s org.

21 Israeli desert 24 Unlocked 25 1930s heavyweight champ Max 26 Twelve months from now 28 Pox 29 Explode 30 Double-___ (big mobile homes) 33 Passion 34 Word whose figurative meaning is frowned upon by grammar sticklers 36 Bob of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” 39 Ancient artifact 40 Lawyers’ org.

43 Take ___ (suffer financial loss) 44 Graduate 46 Deck on a cruise ship 47 Cold-weather transport 50 Retriever restrainer 51 South African golfer Ernie 52 Belgrade resident 53 Lab maze runner 54 Cough syrup holder 60 “Just a sec!”

61 It may follow a period of inattention

DOWN 1 Mrs., in Madrid 2 “Wonderful” juice brand 3 Former Radiohead label 4 James of gangster films 5 Head over heels for

6 Cracked, as a door 7 Tupperware topper 8 Camera lens setting 9 Crumble away 10 ___ “apple” 11 ___ Vogue 12 Ending for glob 13 Red fox of medieval lore 14 Paul Anka hit subtitled “That Kiss!”

15 More unsophisticated 21 Tiny drink 22 “Ambient 1: Music for Airports” composer Brian 23 Interval 24 Pick out some food 25 Hide well 27 British islet 28 Able to be assessed 31 Before, in old poems 32 Course that gets its own bar?

34 30 Seconds to Mars singer Jared 35 Adjective dropped by rapper Bow Wow 36 Willamette U.’s locale 37 Kansas home of the Eisenhower Presidential Library 38 ___ Purchase (1853 deal with Mexico) 40 Gasteyer of the “NPR’s Delicious Dish” sketches 41 School vehicle 42 Incense stick remnant 45 Line of work 47 DIY stuff that might be made with glue and borax 48 Divided, as a highway 49 “___ knew that!”

52 Garbage-hauling ship 53 Completely engrossed 55 “___ Mine” (George Harrison autobiography) 56 Egg container: Abbr.

57 Burns’s dissent 58 Serpentine letter 59 Vietnamese holiday

A

: It’s so special when a man tells a woman he’s deeply in love with her — except when her response is “Excuse me, but have we met?”

Love at first sight sounds so romantic. There are those couples who claim they had it — causing mass nausea at dinner parties when they look into each other’s eyes and announce, “From the moment we saw each other, we just KNEW.” Uh, or did they? A Swiss psychology grad student, Florian Zsok, ran some experiments to see what love at first sight is actually made of.

Zsok and his colleagues were looking for the three elements that psychologist Robert Sternberg theorizes interact to produce love: intimacy, commitment, and passion (made up of physical arousal, desire, excitement, and longing). They surveyed participants online and in a lab setting — asking them how they felt about people in photographs — and in three dating events, getting their reactions to people they’d just met. Of the 396 participants, love at first sight “was indicated 49 times by 32 different individuals.” (That rare and wonderful lightning struck twice or maybe three times for some.)

And here’s a shocker: “None of the instances of (love at first sight) was reciprocal.”

Not surprisingly, none of the participants who said they’d felt love at first sight had the elements of intimacy or commitment as part of their experience. The one element they did have? Passion — in the form of “physical attraction.” Basically, the researchers empirically confirmed what some of us intuitively understand: “Love at first sight” is just a classier way of expressing the sentiment yelled from passing cars: “Hey, miniskirt!

You’re late for your visit to My Penis Avenue!”

As for couples who insist they had love at first sight, the researchers believe they could be retrospectively repainting their first meeting to make their relationship feel more special.

The reality: “We just knew” is “we just got lucky” (stated in a way that makes frustrated single people long to commit hara-kiri with the nearest shrimp fork).

Reminding yourself that you just have the plain old hots for this girl is probably the best way for you to do what needs to be done

adviceamy@aol.com advicegoddess.com

— shift to some other activity (Masturbate!

Play video games!) when the impulse strikes to stake out Coffeeland. Getting stuck on a total stranger this way probably makes it impossible to behave normally in their presence — or want to look closely enough to see who they really are. As alluring a concept as love at first sight is, in practice it tends to work out best with inanimate objects — a painting or an antique chair (something that doesn’t make big wet smacking sounds when it chews or take so long to text you back that you buy it a burial plot).

Charles (Darwin) In Charge

Q

: My family enjoys your weekly column, but we’re wondering why you can’t give advice without launching into evolutionary explanations. We aren’t always instinct-driven animals like elk or migrating salmon.

--Evolutionary Overkill

A

: It isn’t so bad being a salmon. Salmon just wake up one day and swim like mad upstream. There’s no existential fretting, “What does it all mean? What will I do with myself after grad school? Am I a bad fish if I sometimes long to put grain alcohol in the sippy cup of that brat screaming on the beach?”

Meanwhile, back in humanland, research in cognitive neuroscience (by Michael Gazzaniga, among others) and in social science finds that we humans aren’t the highly rational independent thinkers we like to believe we are.

In fact, as evolutionary psychologists Leda Cosmides and John Tooby put it, “our modern skulls house a stone age mind” -- adapted to solve hunter-gatherer mating and survival problems. This 10-million-year-old psychology, still driving us right now, today, is often a mismatch with our modern environment. Take our sugar lust, for example. This made sense in an ancestral environment, where eating a couple of berries might have helped prevent malnutrition. Today, however, we can drive to Costco and have some guy load a pallet of doughnuts into our SUV while we burn .0003 of a calorie watching him.

Understanding the origins of our motivation is not “evolutionary overkill” but our best shot for possibly controlling our behavior -- or at least forgiving ourselves when we fail miserably. As my First Amendment lawyer friend Ken White (@Popehat) tweeted about S’mores Girl Scout Cookies: “I thought they were kind of meh at first but by the third box I ate in the garage they were growing on me.”

Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 45

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aSTRO

lOGY

DEC 04- DEC 10

BY ROB BREZSNY

SAGITTARIUS

(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): As far back as ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece, people staged ceremonies to mark the embarkation of a new ship. The intention was to bestow a blessing for the maiden voyage and ever thereafter.

Good luck! Safe travels! Beginning in 18th-century Britain and America, such rituals often featured the smashing of a wine bottle on the ship’s bow. Later, a glass container of champagne became standard.

In accordance with the current astrological indicators, I suggest that you come up with your own version of this celebratory gesture. It will soon be time for your launch.

PIScES (Feb. 19-March 20): It’s one of those

bizarre times when what feels really good is in close alignment with what’s really good for you, and when taking the course of action that benefits you personally is probably what’s best for everyone else, too. I realize the onslaught of this strange grace may be difficult to believe. But it’s real and true, so don’t waste time questioning it. Relish and indulge in the freedom it offers you. Use it to shush the meddling voice in your head that informs you about what you supposedly SHOULD be doing instead of what you’re actually doing.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The astrological

omens suggest that now is a favorable time to deepen your roots and bolster your foundations and revitalize traditions that have nourished you. Oddly enough, the current planetary rhythms are also conducive to you and your family and friends playing soccer in the living room with a ball made from rolled-up socks, pretending to be fortunetelling psychics and giving each other past-life readings, and gathering around the kitchen table to formulate a conspiracy to achieve world domination. And no, the two sets of advice I just gave you are not contradictory.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You may get richer

quicker in 2018, Aries -- especially if you refuse to sell out. You may accumulate more clout -especially if you treat everyone as your equal and always wield your power responsibly. I bet you will also experience deeper, richer emotions -- especially if you avoid people who have low levels of emotional intelligence.

Finally, I predict you will get the best sex of your life in the next 12 months -- especially if you cultivate the kind of peace of mind in which you’ll feel fine about yourself if you don’t get any sex at all.

P.S.: You’d be wise to start working on these projects immediately.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): ): The members

An award winning community where

Nature is Your Neighbor

of the fungus family, like mushrooms and molds, lack chlorophyll, so they can’t make food from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. To get the energy they need, they “eat” plants. That’s lucky for us. The fungi keep the earth fresh. Without them to decompose fallen leaves, piles of compost would continue to accumulate forever. Some forests would be so choked with dead matter that they couldn’t thrive. I invite you to take your inspiration from the heroic fungi, Taurus. Expedite the decay and dissolution of the worn-out and obsolete parts of your life.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I’m guessing you

Community Features:

Outdoor pool • Community lodge • Community activities Pets welcome • Snow removal, lawn and home maintenance services available • City water and sewer • New, pre-owned & custom homes from the $70’s to the $100’s

Stop by… you will never want to leave!

have been hungrier than usual. At times you may have felt voracious, even insatiable. What’s going on? I don’t think this intense yearning is simply about food, although it’s possible your body is trying to compensate for a nutritional deficiency. At the very least, you’re also experiencing a heightened desire to be understood and appreciated. You may be aching for a particular quality of love that you haven’t been able to give or get. Here’s my theory: Your soul is famished for experiences that your ego doesn’t sufficiently value or seek out. If I’m correct, you should meditate on what your soul craves but isn’t getting enough of.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): The brightly

colored birds known as bee-eaters are especially fond of eating bees and wasps. How do they avoid getting stung? They snatch their prey in mid-air and then knock them repeatedly against a tree branch until the stinger falls off and the venom is flushed out. In the coming weeks, Cancerian, you could perhaps draw inspiration from the bee-eaters’ determination to get what they want. How might you be able to draw nourishment from sources that aren’t entirely benign? How could you extract value from influences that you have be careful with?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The coming months will

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46 • december 04, 2017 • Northern Express Weekly

be a ripe time to revise and rework your past -- to reconfigure the consequences that emerged from what happened once upon a time. I’ll trust you to make the ultimate decisions about the best ways to do that, but here are some suggestions. 1. Revisit a memory that has haunted you, and do a ritual that resolves it and brings you peace. 2. Go back and finally do a crucial duty you left unfinished.

3. Return to a dream you wandered away from prematurely, and either re-commit yourself to it, or else put it to rest for good.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In accordance with

the long-term astrological omens, I invite you to make five long-term promises to yourself.

They were formulated by the teacher Shannen Davis. Say them aloud a few times to get a feel for them. 1. “I will make myself eminently teachable through the cultivation of openness and humility.” 2. “I won’t wait around hoping that people will give me what I can give myself.” 3. “I’ll be a good sport about the consequences of my actions, whether they’re good, bad, or misunderstood.” 4. “As I walk out of a room where there are many people who know me, I won’t worry about what anyone will say about me.” 5. “I will only pray for the things I’m willing to be the answer to.”

ScORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): To discuss

a problem is not the same as doing something practical to correct it. Many people don’t seem to realize this. They devote a great deal of energy to describing and analyzing their difficulties, and may even imagine possible solutions, but then neglect to follow through. And so nothing changes. The sad or bad situation persists. Of all the signs in the zodiac, you Scorpios are among the least prone to this disability. You specialize in taking action to fulfill your proposed fixes. Just this once, however, I urge you to engage in more inquiry and conversation than usual. Just talking about the problem could cure it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You may

feel quite sure that you’ve gotten as tall as you’re ever going to be. But that may not be true. If you were ever going to add another halfinch or more to your height, the near future would be the time for it. You are in the midst of what we in the consciousness industry call a “growth spurt.” The blooming and ripening could occur in other ways, as well. Your hair and fingernails may become longer faster than usual, and even your breasts or penis might undergo spontaneous augmentation.

There’s no doubt that new brain cells will propagate at a higher rate, and so will the white blood cells that guard your physical health. Four weeks from now, I bet you’ll be noticeably smarter, wiser, and more robust.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You come

into a delicatessen where you have to take a numbered ticket in order to get waited on.

Oops. You draw 37 and the counter clerk has just called out number 17. That means 20 more people will have their turns before you. Damn!

You settle in for a tedious vigil, putting down your bag and crossing your arms across your chest. But then what’s this?

Two minutes later, the clerk calls out 37. That’s you! You go up to the counter and hand in your number, and amazingly enough, the clerk writes down your order. A few minutes later, you’ve got your food. Maybe it was a mistake, but who cares? All that matters is that your opportunity came earlier than you thought it would. Now apply this vignette as a metaphor for your life in the coming days.

NORTHERN EXPRESS

CLASSIFIEDS

EMPLOYMENT

SOCIAL WORKER/COUNSELOR - Grand Traverse County Health Department Primary function of the job is to provide professional social work services to individuals and families with health problems who require other human service interventions. Bachelor’s Degree in social work or related field required.

Provides clinical services, crisis intervention, maintains pertinent timely documentation of client interactions in electronic health records, provides prevention and intervention services.

For all details, requirements and to apply visit www.grandtraverse.org.

Applications are only accepted via website. http://www. grandtraverse.org/416/Employment TAX PREPARATION VOLUNTEERS Needed Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, a local non-profit agency needs tax volunteers in Cadillac to prepare tax returns for low-income families and senior citizens.

Season is Jan to Apr, with flexible scheduling and number of hours. Training is provided. Call Kelly at 231-346-2188.

FINANCE MANAGER POSITION Grand Traverse County Road Commission is seeking a full-time Finance Manager. Job description, benefit package and application are on our website. Please apply electronically. http:// www.gtcrc.org FULL-TIME RN CASE MANAGER Full-time RN Case Manager Position in a community based long term care program that coordinates care for disabled and elderly individuals in their home. Primary caseload will be in Manistee County. Requires current Michigan RN licensure. Community-based experience preferred. E.O.E. Send resume by December 8th, 2017 to Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan, PO BOX 5946, Traverse City, MI 49686-5946

NEED EXTRA INCOME? Seasonal Position CNAs & Housekeepers Needed Harbor Care Associates is hosting a Hiring Blitz! We are looking for an influx of housekeepers & CNAs to fill a community need from January 4, 2018 to January 26, 2018. This is your opportunity to earn extra income at a competitive hourly rate and a bonus to those who complete their shifts, maintain excellent attendance, and have shown an outstanding work ethic at the end of this 3-week time period. You will also start the new year off with the personal satisfaction of helping those in need. http://harborcareassociates. com/employment/

REAL ESTATE 140 ACRES, 1/2 MILE RIVER FRONTAGE & LODGE Manistique River Lodge with 4 bdrms, 2 Baths in the eastern U.P. 1 mile from Germfask & minutes to Seney Wildlife Refuge. The perfect gentlemen’s retreat/hunting lodge. Hunting blinds, outbuildings, riverfront boardwalk, and more. One hour drive from the Mackinac Bridge. Call John Yaroch, Assoc. Broker, vBerkshire Hathaway Michigan, 231-675-2555.

FOR RENT: Furnished & Spacious Studio Condo, near Cedar, $895/Month (Weekly Rates also available) Very Clean ground level unit, nice location,incl. util. cable,Wi-Fi 231-256-2117 HOUSE FOR RENT near NMC Cozy,3 bed/1 bath lwr level house Huron St 2 car attch garage,enclosed back yard, year round lease.

Heated garage elect openers, Available now. secluded,2 block from East BayBeach brett@forrenttraversecity.com NEW 300 FRONT STREET - Downtown Traverse City Single Offices for Rent New Downtown Front Street single offices for rent.

Available January 01, 2018. Water views and high-end finishes. 3 offices still available. 1 office has a partial water view & is 10 x 12 (rent is $850). The other 2 offices are 10 x12

(rent is $825) & 10 x 10 (rent is $800) & do not offer a water view. Rent includes electricity, heat/air, trash pick-up, light cleaning twice a week, use of communal elevators, bathrooms, as well as use of our kitchen. Email kristi@ neumannlawgroup.com or call 231-221-0050.

VIRIDIAN OFFICE SPACE for Lease BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT SPACES FOR LEASE *Suite 301-2,250 sf. bayfront, 3 offices-$6,325 *Suite 303-250 sf. bayfront office-$835 *Suite 3051,100 sf. bayfront office, open area-$2,951 *Suite 308-125 sf. bayfront office-$440 *Suite 205-250 sf. office-$695 *Suite 206-1500 sf. bayfront, 3 offices-$3,670. All inclusive, 1-5 year leases! Erica Marshall 231-492-6669

OTHER YOGA CLASSES - It’s not your daughter’s yoga Join us at Talk of the Town Yoga for a Svaroopa yoga class. This less active, compassionate style of yoga is adaptable to your body; we customize the pose to adapt to where your body is at. Check our website for days and times of classes www.TalkoftheTownYoga.com or call us at 231-633-6033. Located at Traverse Wellness Center on Garfield Rd. in Traverse City HIGH-TECH HOLISTIC DENTISTRY Lk Leelanau office with IAOMT approved Hg removal. Lisa Siddall DDS SIGN UP FOR Battle of the Books today!

It’s fun and free! Register your team at www. battleofthebooksgt.com.

DAN’S AFFORDABLE HAULING Best rates in town! Hauling junk, debris, yard, misc. Anything goes! For a free estimate, call (231)620-1370 GALLYS - NOW OPEN - New Women’s Consignment Shop In Traverse City.

Hours 11-7 Tues-Fri & 11-5 Sat. Centre St Just Off Woodmere. Call 855-STYLE-85.

ELK RAPIDS ANTIQUE MARKET Annual Sale!

Elk Rapids Antique Markets annual sale starts Friday November 24th, & runs until December 3rd. Discounts of 10 to 40% off throughout the store. Here’s your chance to grab that special gift for your family, friends, or even yourself! We have it all Antiques, Decorator items, Vintage, Signs, Toys, and much more. ERAM 603 Bridge St. Elk Rapids 231.264.9192.

NEW CAN AND BOTTLE RETURN service in Traverse City Simplify your life and delegate this chore to us. Visit can-nect.com for details HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE at Antiquities Barn Antiquities Barn is having a Holiday Open House Saturday December 9 from 10 am to 5pm at 211 W. Grandview Parkway TC. Located in the Warehouse District. Please come and enjoy holiday refreshments and special discounts on selected items. Specializing in repurposed, one of a kind architectural design pieces from around the world. www.antiquitiesbarn.com SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR POSITION Join us & help live out our mission! Now accepting applications for a System Administrator to join our IT Team. Duties include designing, installing, maintaining and troubleshooting LAN, WAN and Telephony components as well as Microsoft Windows Server and VMWare environment management and maintenance. FREE insurance, PTO, sick time, 6% 401k match, & more! https:// www.tbacu.com/our-story/careers/ INSPIRE ART GALLERY Featuring local artists. Drawing for Art Prize! Sat. Dec. 9th.

Sales up to 30% off! Lots of gift ideas. Artists will be present. Refreshments will be served.

At Leelanau Studios.

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Northern Express Weekly • december 04, 2017 • 47

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Free New Year’s Eve party featuring The Rhythm Kings in Ovation Hall at 10:30PM.