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A Four-Leaf Clover Week

Things are looking green this week…or, at least, the beer is. While we have a whole story dedicated to cool St. Patrick’s Day events around the North, we wanted to put four more shamrock-themed activities on your calendar. Wednesday, March 15, the Traverse City Track Club is hosting a St. Patty’s fun run that starts and ends at The Filling Station. (Those who dress in their green best will be entered for raffle prizes!)

Thursday, March 16, Shady Lane Cellars of Suttons Bay offers their Celtic Celebration Winemaker Dinner ($74), with a four-course Irish-inspired menu, wine pairings, and live music from Old Mission Fiddle Vine. Friday, March 17, head to L.C. Taphouse in Lake City for green beer, Irish eats, and a performance by Northern Lights Dance Academy at 5pm. And last but not least, on Saturday, March 18, traditional Irish folk group TC Celtic will be playing at Rove Estate, where you’ll also snag all-day happy hour specials. There it is, folks—four days of St. Pat’s fun!

Kayaks on the Snow

Competitive kayak racing (in the snow, no less) is just part of the St. Patrick’s weekend fun at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville during their Celts & Kayaks event on Saturday, March 18. Also watch out for leprechauns skiing on the slopes, the On-Slope Scavenger Hunt, and the annual Slush Cup! crystalmountain. com/event/celts-kayaks

Hey, watch It! Daisy Jones & the Six

It’s here, it’s finally here! The first adaptation of a Taylor Jenkins Reid novel comes in the form of Amazon’s new miniseries, Daisy Jones & the Six . First, for the readers, let us say this feels like a faithful retelling and even offers the documentary-style narrative found in the book. To recap for those still on the library hold list, Daisy Jones & the Six follows a 1970s rock group—cough, a fictional Fleetwood Mac—as they climb the unstable ladder of fame to become one of the most popular bands in the country. Sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll, and plenty of drama await, but all couched in clever plotting, tight pacing, and beautifully flawed characters that only Taylor Jenkins Reid can create. Performance highlights include Riley Keough (Elvis Presley’s granddaughter) as manic hippie dream girl Daisy Jones, Sam Claflin as band leader Billy Dunne, and Sebastian Chacon as laidback drummer Warren Rojas. Oh, and did we mention there’s an actual album to go with the show? (And it’s pretty darn good.) Now streaming on Amazon Prime.

For an early slice (or five) of spring, it doesn’t get better than the Pesto Pizza at Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs. Stone-oven baked on yeasted dough, this classic white pie starts with fresh basil leaves and a whopping four different kinds of cheese—parmesan, pecorino romano, asiago, and plenty of fresh mozzarella—before it is baked to blistered perfection and topped with basil pesto imbued with crunchy sunflower seeds (no nut allergies here!). Though herby-good all on its own, chef Dominic Angelosante recommends upping the pizza ante further by adding slices of salty prosciutto—that’s a dry-cured Italian ham—and a drizzle of Calabrian Chile-infused “hot honey” for a mind-blowing bite. Sink your teeth into a 10-inch pie for $16 (there’s an upcharge for the extras) at Pond Hill Farm at 5699 S Lake Shore Dr. in Harbor Springs. And be sure to stay tuned for market updates, including hot honey for your pantry! (231) 526-3276, pondhill.com

On Thursday, March 16—perfect timing ahead of St. Patrick’s Day—Gypsy Distillery of Petoskey is hosting their first-ever cocktail making class. Whether you have your own beverage cart at home (and know how to use it) or you have always relied on bartenders for a great drink, there’s something for everyone in this class that covers the history and science of making a great cocktail. You’ll learn some of the classic recipes, plus how to create your own signature drink. (Everyone needs one of those!) Ingredients will be provided, including an opportunity to build a personalized Gypsy Vodka Infusion that goes home with you and your new cocktail recipes. The class ($60) runs from 7-8:30pm—be sure to arrive and check in at 6:30pm—at the distillery’s 5251 Charlevoix Avenue location in Petoskey. Visit eventbrite.com and search “Gypsy Distillery” for more

Stuff We Love: Supreme Slumber Parties

You know about renting bouncy houses for birthday parties and giant floaties for pool parties. But what about tents, fairy lights, and piles of cozy blankets and pillows for slumber parties? The newly-launched Dreams and Themes Sleepovers of Traverse City is ready to quite literally make dreams come true. Started by Tara Rybicki and Rhiannon Barr, the party business offers set up and tear down of a magical scene for the kiddos, complete with fun add-ons like a candy cart, gumball machine, or a Polaroid selfie station. The founders both have kids in the sleepover age group, so much of their inspiration and product testing comes straight from their (very honest) target audience. That’s why décor themes include Unicorn and Rainbows, Under the Sea, Gamers’ Paradise, and several others, with more to be added as the business grows. More details for party planning fun can be found at dreamsandthemessleepovers.com.

Bringing Boyne Trails Together

This spring, bikers and walkers will find a new path running through downtown Boyne City. Thanks to a partnership between Leadership Charlevoix County (LCC) and Top of Michigan Trails Council (TOMTC), a new connector trail is in the works to link up the Boyne Valley Trail and the Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail. The route for this trail segment has been selected, and the organizations leading the charge are now working on fundraising and wayfinding signage, the latter of which will feature information to direct trail users to local businesses and different points of interest in Boyne City. LCC and TOMTC are hopeful that time and funding will also allow tackle other signage and trail marker projects along the Boyne City to Charlevoix Trail and the Little Traverse Wheelway. To learn more about the project, visit LCC’s website at leadershipcharlevoixcounty.com/community-service-project.html.