Top Ten

this week’s top ten

Big Wins for NoMi’s Outdoors

Did the state’s DNR know this issue would be dedicated to outdoor fun? Sure seems like it; they just announced where they intended to spend $7.7 million from this year’s federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, and two big payouts are coming to pump up parks Up North.

First, the bustling HQ of the holiday season in downtown Petoskey, Pennsylvania Park, will receive $150,000, money that’ll be used to expand the sidewalk and area along Park Avenue, as well as for improvements to Petoskey’s Winter Sports Park, home to the city’s ice rink and sledding and ski hills.

Down in Mason County, Pere Marquette Township received an even bigger chunk of the pie, albeit for improvements residents and visitors will enjoy most in the non-snowy months: $500,000 for a fishing and boat launch, a key component of the township’s larger plan to transform a still-undeveloped 254-acre parcel along Lake Michigan into the Pere Marquette Conservation Park. The township’s vision for the land, formerly used by Dow Inc., is to become a public destination for yearround outdoor recreation.

tastemaker Polish Pierogies and Kielbasa

Missing Grandma this season? If you can’t visit her, you can take some serious comfort in the food coming out of Jozef Zebediah and Nick Easton’s Charlevoix restaurant, My Grandmother’s Table. Named in honor of Zebediah’s late grandmother, Martha DeMarino, the ever-changing poly-ethnic eatery is inspired by her approach to cuisine: “My grandmother lived in a very culturally diverse neighborhood, and she loved inviting neighbors over for dinner,” says Zebediah. “If they were from Japan or Africa or Poland — or even if they were from America, she’d ask them, ‘What is a food you miss from home?’ Then she’d gather the ingredients for these dishes and do her best to recreate them.” Jamaican Jerked Chicken, Russian Kotleti, Thai Orange Chicken, Ukrainian City Chicken, Japanese Tonkatsu, Israeli French Toast, and Cuban Black Bean Soup have all appeared on the menu (and many have become mainstays), but it’s the Polish Pierogi and Kielbasa ($16) that takes our editor right back to Busia’s carpeted Detroit dining room. The pierogies — soft dumplings of tender, butter-crisped dough stuffed with pillowy potato and cheese and just the right touch of seasoning — could stand well enough alone. But paired, as they should be, with the smoky, salty bang of well-done Polish sausage, crowned with the cool contrast of creamy dill-cucumber salad, the dish is as divine as it a portal back in time. Find My Grandmother’s Table at 115 Bridge St. in Charlevoix. (231) 437-3132, my-grandmothers-table.com 4 • December 13, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

Holiday Run-Walk Fun in TC and Glen Arbor

Calling all elves! It’s a weekend of run, walk, and shop until you drop in Lower Michigan’s pinkie. On Saturday, Dec. 18, you can don your ugliest Christmas sweater for Cherry Republic’s Miracle Mile fun run (register at Cherry Republic Public House in Glen Arbor at 10:30am; the run takes off at 11am), then stick around the village that afternoon to shop small and eat local. On Sunday, Dec. 19, in Traverse City, you can do it again — a 5K this time; not timed — for the Jingle Bell Run, which starts at Workshop Brewing Co. and rolls through downtown TC. Free cookies and hot chocolate afterward; shopping and more eating, if you like, after that. runsignup.com/jinglebellrun

4

Hey, watch it Get Back

You think you know the story, and after over a half-century of Beatles lore seeping into our cultural consciousness, how could you not? But you’ve never seen anything like director Peter Jackson’s (The Lord of the Rings) new docuseries composed of more than 60 hours of meticulously restored unseen footage from the filming of the still-nearly-impossible-to-see Beatles documentary, Let it Be. Taking you, fly-on-the-wall style, inside the band’s January 1969 recording sessions, Get Back isn’t about the career highlights, or about explaining the story of the Beatles to you. It’s about luxuriating in the band’s particular creative process and enveloping yourself in their camaraderie (and all the complicated dynamics that come with it), and, arriving at your own conclusions. And it all comes back, first and foremost, to their music, which is almost a miracle to behold. Streaming on Disney+

5

Santa on Ice

Storytime with Santa; breakfast with Santa; parades, tree lightings, and carols with Santa. There are so many ways to see St. Nick in the North, but we’re betting Petoskey Ice Arena’s Santa Skate might be the only way to catch him on blades. From 5pm to 7pm Dec. 18, he and some of his North Pole pals will hit the arena’s ice, and kids and families are invited to circle round with them, plus fill up on some of his favorite treats, cookies and cocoa. $10 per person or $30 per family; bring your own blades or rent skates for $6 per person. Find the arena at 3450 M-119, just south of Harbor Springs. petoskeyicearena.com

Joshua Davis Solo Show at COH

Tickets are going fast for Joshua Davis’ just-announced solo performance set for Dec. 17 in Traverse City. The Leelanau local and nationally lauded finalist of NBC’s The Voice (Season 8) has been churning out an album each year since 2015, and his upcoming show at the City Opera House is in celebration of his most recent — and first solo effort — Live from the Robin. Recorded over the span of two nights, the album documents a raw and revealing glimpse of the artist that will wow even the most ardent fans of Davis’ work.

“I’ve wanted to make this album for years,” says Davis. “And I’m so excited to share it. I love playing solo shows. It allows me the freedom to dig deep into my songs and really be in the moment with the audience.” For tickets and details, see cityoperahouse.org.

Spend $100 Get $120

FREE $20 Bonus Certificate with Every $100 Gift Card Purchase

Stuff We Love: Not Crying Over Spilled Wine

In northern Michigan, we devote a lot of time to drinking wine. It only seems fair that we then share with you one of the best fixes for removing red wine stains we’ve come across. The aptly named Chateau Spill Red Wine Stain Remover is roughly one iota the cost of your sofa, carpet, or shirt — $7.99 from Cutler’s in Petoskey, in fact — that works better than any salt, baking soda, or peroxide attempt we’ve ever tried (and we’ve tried many), and yet is pH neutral, contains no chlorine or phosphate, and is “100 biodegradable Surfectant Safe for colorfast washable fabrics.” But don’t take it from them or us: Wired Magazine called the stuff “unequivocally” and “indisputably” the best product for removing red wine stains. Conveniently, a single bottle fits perfectly into a Christmas stocking. Cutlersonline.com

bottoms up Brasserie Amie’s Eggnog

It’s officially eggnog season, folks, and Brasserie Amie’s traditional prep is putting the store-bought swill to shame. Creamy and light, with just a hint of decadence, this O.G. cocktail recipe has a reputation for changing the minds of even the egg averse. The secret? A scratch-made drinking “custard” courtesy of bar lead, AnnMarie Hickman. “I’ve been making eggnog since I could stand,” she says, “so I’m always really excited to [serve] it.” For this bevy’s velvety base, Hickman mixes heavy cream with sugar, whole eggs, and a little milk, before stirring in a woodsy blend of cinnamon and baking spice. Once everything is cooked and cooled, this dessert-in-a-glass is finished with a spike of classic Hennessey Cognac — though the bar also serves a nonalcoholic ’nog — and a touch of cask-aged maple syrup. Served up in a coup and garnished with plenty of fresh-grated nutmeg, this timeless holiday treat will take you back to Christmases of yore (and Brasserie Amie’s bar) again and again while it’s available, all December. $11 per glass; $6 N/A. Find Brasserie Amie at 160 E. Front St., in Traverse City. (231) 753-3161. www.brasserieamie.com Northern Express Weekly • Decemeber 13, 2021 • 5