Top Ten

this week’s top ten

Platte River Campground Named No. 4 on USA Today’s list of 10 Best

Well, another northern Michigan secret is out. USA Today just named our beloved Platte River Campground in Honor as one of its top campgrounds in the United States for 2021. Derived from a poll of both experts and USA Today readers, the newspapler’s “10 Best Campgrounds in the Country 2021” ranked only three campgrounds before our pretty lil Platte — the Sunbury/Columbus North KOA in Ohio, Imagination Mountain Camp Resort in Tennessee, and the Campground at James Island County Park in Charleston, South Carolina. We like that. And even though we’re not remotely competitive about these kind of things, it’s fun to note that at our No. 4 spot, we beat the pants off campgrounds in Vermont, California, Colorado, (Bar Harbor!) Maine, and (Big Bend National Park!) in Texas. The story notes that “Platte River Campground is located within walking distance of both the river and the beaches of Lake Michigan, within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on the lower peninsula of Michigan. Each campsite has a fire ring and picnic table, with restrooms and showers available in each camp section. For more primitive campers, the White Pine “backcountry” campground is available on a nearby trail.” Though any Michigander worth their Morton salt knows there’s no reason to put “backcountry” in quotes — White Pine camp is, after all, located in legit backcountry — we’re happy to see our mosquito-bitten neck of God’s country getting the respect it deserves. Now hurry up and make your reservations for the rest of this summer and fall before the rest of America does. www.nps.gov

tastemaker Hexenbelle’s Coconut Curry Fried Rice

You might not think it’s possible for fried rice to make an entire, or even filling, meal. You might not be familiar with fried rice that is actually, delightfully, fried. But if you sat down to a plate of Coconut Curry Fried Rice from Hexenbelle in Traverse City, you’d know better. Inside the blush-pink womb-like space, head chef Christian Geoghegan draws upon their Palestinian descent and other global influences to craft a kind of comfort food we find consistently innovative, irresistible, and not only filling but fulfilling. Geoghegan’s Coconut Curry Fried Rice ($15) is one we go back to again and again. Its rich curry hits a warming and refreshing balance of mild heat and coconut sweet — a revelation for coconut curry connoisseurs who’ve too often been burnt by an inferno-excess of spice or, worse, a curry that seems built on base of Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen. The subtlety lifts garlic to the forefront of the curry, making for a trifecta of flavor so dense and a sauce so thick it brings to mind a simmered-all-day stew. Nowhere is the texture better, however, than with the rice itself. The humble grain isn’t faux fried with a drenching of soy sauce and a few turns in a pan; it’s browned and crisped and chewy here, light and fluffy there, with tender chunks of glistening, crackle-edged onions — all indication that at Geoghegan’s stovetop, care and patience reign. That, of course, might be the one drawback for those hoping to grab lunch in a rush: Hexenbelle’s kitchen is tiny, and its food is in high demand, with wait times on food exceeding 30 minutes midday. The eatery’s suggestion: Order early online for a scheduled pickup later in the day. Ours: If you’ve got the time, place your food order and take your wait in a seat on the outdoor patio while savoring the genius of Hexenbelle’s coffee maestro and co-owner, Heather Webber, with a cup of Damascus Gate ($5+) — a milky blend of rose, black cardamom, clove, and saffron. Find Hexenbelle in Traverse City’s Warehouse District, 144 Hall St., suite 107. See the menu and order at hexenbelle.square.site 4 • august 09, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

The Cows Come Home: Summer’s Always-Epic Farmfest Aug. 12–15

In addition to multiple music stages and dozens of outstanding performers, Farmfest has activities for everyone in the family. Think: fire circle, drum kiva, labyrinth walk, arts and crafts vendors, a kids’ area and talent show, instrument making, and much more. Located at 1865 Roby Rd. in Johannesburg (about 20 miles east of Gaylord), Farmfest is one of the coolest multi-generational music festivals in the North, and like the best of them, one day is not enough. It’ll be held this year Aug. 12–15, and attendees are welcome to stay and camp the whole time! Pictured here is Kimberly Megoran of Love Street Live, which brings paint, canvas, and live music together to create a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork in collaboration with the audience. Other not-to-miss performers include Luke Winslow-King, Oh Brother Big Sister, Radel Rosin (little brother of Big Sister), The Real Ingredients, Seth Bernard, Biomassive, and many others. farm-fest.com

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Hey, watch It The Pursuit of Love

Adapted from the classic 1945 novel The Pursuit of Love, Amazon Prime’s new three-episode miniseries may at first glance seem like your average stuffy British period piece filled with acclaimed Commonwealth actors, but Masterpiece Theatre this is definitely not. Actress Emily Mortimer steps behind the camera to write and direct a work of spirited, romantic exuberance that follows two remarkably different cousins between the end of World War I and the start of World War II. As we meet them on the cusp of adulthood and follow them through the relationships that will change their lives, it’s clear that the biggest thing the practical and steady Fanny (Emily Beechum) and the headstrong, hopeless romantic Linda (Lily James, Downton Abbey, Mamma Mia 2) have in common is their love for each other. Playfully stylized (think modern music and other fresh touches), this is gauzy fun mixed with the painful messiness of love. Plus, the total joy of a truly glorious Andrew Scott (aka Fleabag’s Hot Priest) as their eccentric neighbor is reason alone to tune in.

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6 Witness the World’s Toughest Outboard Marathon

A 73-year tradition continues Aug. 14 and 15 with the Top O’ Michigan Marathon Nationals, a grueling and intense two-day competition where roughly 100 speed demons in eight classes race through 87 miles of the Inland Waterway. “We say it’s the world’s toughest,” says veteran racer Samantha Fairbairn, the commodore of the Top O’ Michigan Racing Club. Crowds of people watch from downtown Alanson and at Devoe Beach as the boats reach speeds of 70 miles per hour. Fairbairn says the waterways are closed down from noon to 2pm on race days for safety. The DNR, U.S. Coast Guard, and various sheriff’s departments will be on hand, as will medical professionals, though Fairbairn says it’s been years since there’s been a serious accident. It all depends on the weather, she tells Northern Express, then adds, “Mullet Lake is always rough.” Godspeed, Daredevils. For details about the course, club, and race history, see www.tomorc.org.

Ice Cream, Prizes, and a Peek at NCMC’s $7.4 million Upgrade

The only thing better than an old school ice cream social in summertime? An old school ice cream social for a brand spanking new school building — in this case, North Central Michigan College’s new $7.4 million Borra Learning Center. Both a historic renovation and addition to the 1967-built structure formerly known as (and pitifully named) the “Administration/Classroom Building,” the Borra project has culminated in seven new high-tech classrooms and a new 3,000-square-foot Student Commons, which boasts floorto-ceiling windows overlooking the college’s Harris Gardens — all sights the community is welcome to behold and tour between 5pm and 7pm Thursday, Aug. 19. The Borra Learning Center, named for lead donors Pier C. and Renee A. Borra, is part of a $9.9 million campus enhancement project known as the Building Tomorrow Together campaign. Other facets of the campaign include initiatives to increase STEM education and entrepreneurship across the curriculum and expand access to scholarship opportunities and student-success supports. If that doesn’t inspire you to celebrate with a scoop of ice cream, maybe this will: More than $1,000 in prizes will be awarded during the Aug. 19 open house. Prizes include $50 restaurant gift cards and $50 gift baskets from local shops. All you need to do: Ensure there are enough scoops for you by RSVPing to northcentralopenhouse.eventbrite.com.

Floats for the whole family!

Big floats, small floats..... pizza, swans, flamingos, parrots and MORE! Stuff We Love: COVID-Impenetrable Platforms for Local Musicians and the Listeners Who Love Them

When COVID struck, Nate VerBerkmoes and his longtime pal Dan Smiddy (i.e., Sideshow Nate and Dan Strait) came up with an idea: Why not expand their South of the Straits podcast about Michigan music, comedy, and “all around Michigan BADASSERY” to include a concert component? They were, after all, already offering bands a chance to come in, chat, and play a couple songs in their recording space at Andy Van Guilder’s engineering/production spot in Traverse City, AV Studios.

“We’d been looking for a way to bring more people into the studio,” VerBerkmoes tells Northern Express. “We said, ‘Let’s create a virtual venue.’ It was born out of COVID.” They’ve since been offering Michigan bands an opportunity to perform an hour-long streamed concert. While several local bands and artists have taken them up on the change to perform, VerBerkmoes thinks the onset of fall and threat posed by the Delta variant means they’ll draw interest from even more artists. The next show is Aug. 22 with Chelsea Marsh and the band Smokehowl. Want to play a gig on their podcast? Email southofthestraits@ gmail.com. Want to listen? A new South of the Straits podcast streams 7pm–9pm every Sunday on their YouTube channel, where you can also see and hear previous shows and dozens more recordings of Dan and Nate’s wacky shenanigans. See www.youtube.com/c/ TheSouthoftheStraitsShow

bottoms up Ethanology’s Crimson Commander

What elevates a cocktail from “ehh” to “exceptional?” At Ethanology, in Elk Rapids, the secret is — spoiler alert! — scientific research. Well, that, and a yearslong commitment to top-quality tipple. Founded by Michigan natives, Nick and Geri Lefebre, Ethanology was born as a retirement project before an interstitial Torch Lake summer turned a pipe dream into actual planning. Fast-forward a few years, and this alchemical power-couple’s cocktail program has completely redefined the structure of spirits. “It’s really about making every ingredient about building cocktails from the ground up,” says Nick, “and using ingredients that are sourced locally.” Since it opened its doors in 2017, Ethanology has prided itself on a beverage concept based on vertical integration. And their berry-red summer cocktail feature — the aptly named Crimson Commander” — is no exception. Bartenders start with Ethanology’s own Ferox barrel-aged summer gin, a rare and wild gin crafted with native botanicals like foraged northern Michigan juniper, staghorn sumac, yarrow flowers, and burdock root, blended with with hibiscus-steeped tea — “that’s what gives us that really vibrant, rich-red color,” says Nick — before finishing this not-too-sweet sipper with house-made currant Crème de Cassis and a squeeze of lime. Served in a Collins glass and garnished with a sprig of berries and fresh mint, we’d pair this one with a hammock and a sunset on the porch. $14. Find the Ethanology Spirit House and Distillery at 125 Ames St. in Elk Rapids. (231) 4982800. nick@ethanologydistillation.com Northern Express Weekly • august 09, 2021 • 5