Top Ten

SAILING STALWART PASSES AWAY

Northern Michigan is mourning the loss of a sailing advocate, boat shop owner and one of the founders of the Little Traverse Conservancy.

Dave Irish passed away Nov. 30 at the age of 83 while at home with family in Harbor Springs.

His family arrived in Harbor Springs by boat when Irish was six years old, and, except for some time in the military, he’s been a resident ever since, raising a family there.

Irish, who served for 25 years on the board of U.S. Sailing, the sport’s national governing body, began sailing and working on boats at a young age through his family’s business. He went on to found Irish Boat Shop in 1961; the business today has three locations and employs nearly 100 people.

Stuff we love Doubling the Love

In a year when restaurant eating ain’t exactly easy, four northern Michigan restaurants are making it very worth your while so they can make sure Santa stops at every northern Michigan kid’s home. Until Dec. 18, Alpine Tavern and Eatery and CRAVE Pasta, Pizza and Pub in Gaylord, along with Moose and Stella’s Café and Trout Town Tavern and Eatery in Kalkaska, all operated by Kosch Properties, are selling paper trains for a $5 donation and will match the money, up to $1,000, at each location to boost Toys for Tots campaigns in northern Michigan. “Cash donations will be critical,” Toys for Tots of Northwest Michigan coordinator Maggie Kent said. “This will allow us to buy toys in bulk and drop them off directly to the agencies we serve. We are working hard to make sure all our donors and volunteers stay safe this year. The more we can reduce the handling of the toys, the safer it is for everyone.”

Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy: A Celtic Family Christmas At Home

We don’t know about you, but one of our favorite things about pandemic life is the opportunity to peek inside the personal spaces of newscasters and celebrities taping their shows from homes. This month, you’ve got an opportunity to peek internationally, with Celtic hubs-wife fiddleplaying masters Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy taking the “stage” from their home in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The pair are longtime favorites of City Opera House audiences, having played in the historic Traverse City venue in 2013, 2015, and 2018. For this 2020 virtual performance, again “hosted” by COH, the at-home duo will offer an intimate look at their music and culture, Christmas traditions, and real-life family dynamics. (Note: They have seven children at home, so don’t expect anything scripted.) Even better: You only need to purchase one $20 ticket per household to enjoy the show, which you can watch at 7pm Saturday, Dec. 19 — or any time after, until Dec. 31. Cityoperahouse.org.

bottoms up Esperance’s Prosecco & Pannettone

Full disclosure: We once bought a panettone from a CVS. It was still delicious. But if you want to up your game substantially, consider splurging on this perfect pairing from Charlevoix’s longtime purveyor of some of the most lovely local and international food and wine available in northern Michigan. This classic panettone — a buttery, tender, golden-vanilla dome, dotted with raisins and candied fruit — hails from Abruzzo, Italy. It’s gift-wrapped and partnered with a bottle of Ruggeri Prosecco (Ruggeri, mind you, is one of the five founding fathers of Prosecco, established in 1950 in Santo Stefano), a fresh and utterly elegant wine with intense apple and light flowery aromas and a full fruity finish. Indulge in both for a special holiday dessert for two, and if by some wild chance there’s any panettone left, use it to make French toast in the morning. $75 for the pair under the “Shop” category at www.esperancewine.com. Northern Express Weekly • dec 07, 2020 • 5