8 minute read
Top Ten
this week’s top ten
Who Do You Find Fascinating?
The “Fascinating People” issue of the Northern Express is coming up in March, and we want to know who YOU find fascinating in northern Michigan. The issue will feature 20 individuals from the 13 counties covered by the Express, which ranges from Mackinaw City to Kalkaska to Gaylord and everywhere in between. We’re looking for people who are special, unique, awe-inspiring, or just plain quirky! Last year, we highlighted folks like Abra Berens, bestselling cookbook author and one of the food geniuses behind Farm Club; Shiloh Slomsky, who launched an incubator nonprofit to empower Native American entrepreneurs; and Liam Dreyer, the 15-yearold student who serves on the Charlevoix Downtown Development Authority. If you know someone fascinating, email your suggestions to info@northernexpress.com and be sure to stay tuned for the March 7 issue!
2 tastemaker
Mt. Holiday’s Blackened Chicken Sandwich
You don’t have to be a snow bunny to enjoy dinner at Mt. Holiday. In fact, even if the closest you get to skiing is watching the Olympics, the Blackened Chicken Sandwich is worth throwing on a winter coat and heading to the slopes. The hint of spice from the chicken pairs perfectly with a smoked tomato puree, complemented by caramelized onions and a mouthwatering remoulade on crisp sourdough. Add lettuce and some avocado for a healthy splash of green, and you have a sandwich that checks all the boxes: flavorful, filling, and warm on a cold winter’s night. ($11.50) An order of sweet potato fries or onion rings completes the meal. In peak season, the ski hill can be packed, but Mt. Holiday also offers dinner to go Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays). Find Mt. Holiday at 3100 Holiday Road, Traverse City, 231-938-2500 or mt-holiday.com.
Guns N Hoses Returns to the Rink
Local law enforcement members will be lacing up their skates on Saturday, February 26, for the annual Guns N Hoses Benefit Hockey Game. Each year, police face off against firefighters at Centre Ice Arena for a good cause: supporting a family in our community. The 2022 beneficiaries are John and Snow Sandula, a father-daughter duo who are facing serious health problems. John is battling esophageal cancer while Snow has a condition that requires regular trips to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and proceeds from the event will help the Sandula family cover everything from travel costs to medical expenses. Tickets are $5, available for pick-up at will call the day of the event, and can be purchased at gtgunsnhoses.com. Commemorative T-shirts are $10, for sale at Bill Marsh Auto on South Garfield Ave., Centre Ice Arena’s Hockey Shop North, and the National Cherry Festival office in downtown Traverse City.
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Hey, Read It! You don’t know us negroes
There was a time when time forgot Zora Neale Hurston. At once celebrated and subversive, her voice soared to the top of twentieth-century Black artists, while her countless essays, stories, and books—including Their Eyes Were Watching God—were woven into cultural canon. Still, much of her work fell out of print…until now. Released in January, her newest short-form collection, You Don’t Know Us Negroes and Other Essays, spotlights Hurston in her prime, both as an artist and advocate. Edited by professors Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Genevieve West, this whopping 51-piece compendium—including a few essays that have never been published—spans 35 years of epochal nonfiction, breathing fresh life into one voice that could never fade away.
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH PANEL
Three great authors. Hundreds of years of history. One special evening.
The upcoming National Writers Series virtual author event features award-winning authors Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Wanda M. Morris, and Vanessa Riley for a special Black History Month panel. Their books bridge generations of stories across three different genres. Together, they will discuss the joys and struggles of their Black heroines as well as dive into their writing processes, inspirations, and favorite stories. They will be joined by NWS guest host Rochelle Riley, author and Director of Arts and Culture for the City of Detroit on Thursday, February 24 at 7 PM.
Literary Sponsors: Traverse Area District Library
Northern Michigan E3 For virtual tickets visit NationalWritersSeries.org
6 Ice, Ice Breaker
International award-winning ice artist Matt Cooper will be sculpting at the second annual Icebreaker at the Old Art Building in Leland on Saturday, February 26, beginning at 11 a.m. Cooper is a Fenton, MI, native who has competed on the Food Network and supplies stunning ice sculptures to businesses and private events around the state through his company, Icon Ice. We’re not just talking ice luges—Cooper has created life-size unicorns, icy photo backdrops, and even logo displays for companies like ABC and Acura. He won’t be sculpting alone on Saturday—teams made of community members of all skill levels will be chiseling way too. Spectators are welcome to enjoy the exhibition at no cost, and food and beverage options will be available, along with cozy bonfires for a quick warm-up. Those interested in joining the sculpting fun can register a team for $100 per ice block at oldartbuilding. com/events/ice-breaker-2022.
Winter Wonderland Meets Restaurant Week
Winter Wonderland Week kicks off in Petoskey on February 19 and runs through February 27, ushering in nine days of small-town winter fun. Tour the ice sculpture collection in Pennsylvania Park or window shop with the Window Walk, where local retailers have dressed up their displays for the chilly season. The whole week is themed around the children’s book Winter, You Wonder by Perris Deppa, and if you want an extra challenge—plus a chance to win Petoskey Downtown Dollars—go on the Where’s Waldo-inspired hunt for the winter gnome hiding inside participating businesses. Winter Wonderland Week dovetails perfectly into Harbor Springs Area Restaurant Week, which runs February 25 through March 6. A dozen area restaurants will be offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner specials for $15, $25, and/or $35. Shopping, food, books, and gnomes? Sign us up. Visit petoskeydowntown.com and harborspringschamber.com to learn more.
8 RANDY’S DINER 25th anniversary 1997 - 2022! Call or check Facebook for our current hours RANDY’S DINER
VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR NEWS & SPECIALS. 1120 CARVER STREET, TRAVERSE CITY 231 946-0789
Offers cannot be combined with any other coupon. Must present coupon. Expires 3-31-21
RANDY’S DINER
Limit one entrée per coupon. Offers cannot be combined. Must present coupon. 25% off 2nd entrée after 2pm. Expires March 1, 2022 Expires 3-31-21
VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR NEWS & SPECIALS. Limit one entrée per coupon. Offers cannot be combined. Must present coupon. 1120 CARVER STREET, TRAVERSE CITY 231 946-0789 Expires 3-31-21
Offers cannot be combined with any other coupon. Must present coupon. Expires 3-31-21 Limit one entrée per coupon. Offers cannot be combined. Must present coupon. Expires 3-31-21
Stuff We Love: Piece of the mighty mac
Calling all pontists! (Aka people who love bridges—we had to look it up too.) Have you ever wanted to own a piece of the Mighty Mac? Now’s your chance: the Mackinac Bridge Authority has sections of the bridge’s original steel grating up for auction. These 60-yearold pieces measure 5 1/2 by 38 feet and weigh about two tons, so while this may not be the décor hanging on your living room wall, commenters on the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Facebook page are already brainstorming art installations, conference tables, belt buckles, garden paths, and grill grates (for the soon-to-be-famous Bridge Burger, of course). At the time of this writing, no smaller pieces were available, but they may start cropping up online as the massive chunks are cut up. Five sections are available for auction through February 25, and can be bid on at govdeals.com.
bottoms up Brimley Stout at Beard’s Brewery
Founded in 2012 by booze-brothers Peter Manthei and Ben Slocum, what began as a simple homebrew business has since become a community affair. Boasting 24 rotating taps, Beard’s Brewery in Petoskey has amassed more than 100 brews to its name, each inspired by seasonal flavors and the natural splendor of the region. But simple suds still have their perks, and one of them is the Brimley Stout. Named for more Brimleys than we can count – historic Brimley, Michigan, Willard Brimley’s legendary ’stache, and an owner’s dog, to name a few – this full-bodied beer is almost as curvy as the handlebar that crests its can. Based on a classic oatmeal stout, which sales maven Emily Hengstebeck says “inspires creativity and fondness for the brand,” Brimley’s traditional base features a dark and roasty palette, capped with a creamy-velvet finish. Pair it with one of Beard’s Brewing scratch-made pizzas for a pour that will put some hair on your face. Get it at 215 E. Lake Street, Petoskey. (231) 753-2221. www. beardsbrewery.com
