Top Ten

this week’s top ten

Flying Through the Pages

Retired U.S. Navy captain, Vanderbilt professor, and former Traverse Citian Barbara Bell returns to her hometown on Saturday, July 30, for a signing of her new book, Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life’s Turbulence. The first woman from TC to head to Annapolis—and one of the first women, period, to attend the U.S. Naval Academy—Bell had a career full of trailblazing highlights like heading to Capitol Hill in 1992 to help repeal sexist combat exclusion policies and gaining a master of science degree in astronautical engineering. After a successful career as an aviator and naval flight test officer, she retired and turned to writing, teaching, and public speaking. From defying gender norms to navigating 35 different types of aircraft, Bell captures personal stories and high-flying tales in her autobiography-slash-self-help guide. Catch the event and buy the book ($15.99) at Horizon Books in Traverse City (243 E. Front Street) on Saturday from 1pm to 3pm.

2 Hearth & Vine tastemaker Café’s Black Bean Burger

Did someone say “beer and a burger?” Hearth & Vine Café will do you one better. Transformed from a farm market in 2010, this seasonal bistro at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay offers casual farmstead fare, all crafted to complement a glass (or two) of wine. As for those seasonal burger cravings, their answer arrives in black bean form— and it’s about to blow your mind. Featuring a house-made patty studded with peppers, yellow lentils, and spices, Hearth & Vine’s decadent Black Bean Burger towers with tomato and fresh bibb lettuce all stacked atop a locally-sourced brioche bun. The burger is finished with a duo of scratchmade sauces—chipotle aioli and jalapenoonion jam—and accompanied by Great Lakes Potato Chips. Staff recommends pairing this hearty handheld with a pour of Hard Apple-Cherry Cider (straight from the tasting room, no less). Get your hands one for $15 at Hearth & Vine Café. Open Tuesday-Saturday from 12pm to 7pm. 10844 E. Revold Rd., Suttons Bay. (231) 944-1297. blackstarfarms.com

Dance the Night Away

The Traverse City Dance Project returns as part of Glen Arbor Arts Center’s 2022 Manitou Music lineup with 10 professional dancers from around the country. See them perform at Nash Road Red Barn in Maple City on Saturday, July 30, from 7pm to 9pm. $30 GAAC members; $35 non-members. glenarborart.org/events/ traverse-city-dance-project

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Hey, read It! When Women Were Dragons

In America’s alternative past, dragons are a taboo topic. No one dares to talk about them; in fact, society says they don’t even exist. Yet—one by one—women around the country are turning into dragons, a phenomenon that peaks in the mid-1950s when thousands of everyday wives and mothers sprout scaly wings and wreak fiery havoc, leaving their years of patriarchal oppression behind. Protagonist Alex Green is left with the unanswerable question: Is becoming a dragon a choice? And even worse—what if it’s not? After all, why did Alex’s mother stay human while her beloved Aunt Marla transforms? How does she reckon with the fact that Marla’s “dragoning” abandons her daughter, Beatrice? In the genre-bending speculative novel, When Women Were Dragons, Newberry Award-winning author Kelly Barnhill reimagines one woman’s comingof-age in a world where hers might be considered the lesser gender…but breathing fire is always an option.

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6 Sales and Sails

The corner of NoMi that’s home to Petoskey and Harbor Springs is the place to be this weekend, with a double-header of events making waves in the two waterside towns. Shoppers will find their happy place at the 56th annual Petoskey Sidewalk Sales, which closes downtown Petoskey to foot traffic only July 30-31 as retailers head outside and display their wares throughout town. (Trust us—this is a necessary move. You’ll be taking up the space of three people with all those shopping bags.) Restaurants will also be taking advantage of the car-less streets with al fresco sidewalk dining. Meanwhile, just a hop, skip, and a jump to the north, the Ugotta Regatta—aka the Little Traverse Yacht Club’s annual sailing extravaganza—will be underway. Some of the best sailboat racers in the country head to Harbor Springs for this weekend-long event, and you can catch the action right on Little Traverse Bay. For more details, head to petoskeyarea.com/events.

Important Dates and Details for the 2022 Primary

Get ready to vote! Michigan’s 2022 Primary Election is next week on Tuesday, Aug. 2, and polls will be open from 7am to 8pm. Not registered yet? You can do so at your local clerk’s office between now and the election (including the day of the primary). You must bring official proof of residency to register, such as a driver’s license or State ID card, current utility bill, bank statement, or a paycheck. July 18 was the recommended day for returning your absentee ballots by mail to avoid potential mailing delays, but if you still have an absentee ballot, you can return it early at your clerk’s office through Monday, August 1, or return it by hand or in your designated drop box on Aug. 2. Lastly, keep in mind that Michigan underwent some redistricting this year. If you are already a registered voter, you should have received a new voter ID card this spring that provides information about your district, polling location, and clerk’s office. Learn more about the upcoming election, find your clerk’s office, and see candidate listings at michigan.gov/sos/elections/upcoming-election-information.

Northern Michigan’s premier painting weekend!

AUGUST 4-6

GlenArborArt.org

13TH ANNUAL PLEIN AIR WEEKEND

SUNDOWNER & QUICK DRAW SALE Friday, August 5, 5:00 - 6:30 pm FREE PAINT OUT ART SALE Saturday, August 6, Doors open 5:30 pm, Sale 6:00–7:30 pm | $10 at the door

Stuff We Love: (Almost) Free Love

Maybe you’re one of the few who made it through the first year of the pandemic without adopting a dog or cat. Should you still have the hankering for a new furry best friend, the time is right—but running out quickly. Just one week remains for the Bissell Pet Foundation’s annual Empty the Shelters event, which makes it possible for you to adopt a dog or cat from participating shelters across the nation for $50 or less until July 30. Little Traverse Bay Humane Society is not only participating, it’s waiving the adoption fee for any adult dog or adult cat it’s housing. (Considering adoption rates for some indemand dogs can be as high as $300, that’s a super sweet deal for anyone looking for a lot of love and loyalty for less.) Check out all the adorable adult felines and canines (twoyear-old Spotty the Chihuahua, still available at press time, shown here), at ltbhs.com.

bottoms up Grocer’s Daughter strawberry-Ginger Float

For a couple summers now, choosing between Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate’s fudgesicle— made with 70 percent direct-trade dark chocolate from Ecuador, natural cocoa powder, and the milk from The Farmer’s Creamery in Mio—or its decadently rich and real chocolate shake has always felt a little like an exercise in the impossible. Last weekend, the decision-making workout got even harder. The chocolatier has added a gelato shop to its sweet empire in Empire. The ultra-creamy, cold gelato is just the beginning, however. Grocer’s Daughter is also offering several vehicles for ingesting that gelato: freshly made cookies, brownies, and other baked goods to be topped, plus mind-blowing floats like Northwoods Root Beer Floats and Coffee Cold Brew floats. Our obsession? Their house-made strawberry sorbet set afloat in Cultured Kombucha’s fizzy and fabulous Genuine Ginger kombucha. Sweet with a bit of a bite but oh-so refreshing—especially when sipped in the native-flower-packed outdoor garden outside—this float truly floats our boat. Find both the chocolate and gelato shops at 11590 S Lacore St. in Empire. (231) 326-3030, grocersdaughter.com. Northern Express Weekly • juLY 25, 2022 • 5