Northern Express - May 10, 2021

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2 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

letters Criticizing Police isn’t Supporting Abolition Why do white folks feel the need to praise law enforcement every time an unarmed Black person is killed by a white police officer? Both Cheboygan County Resolutions on this subject are based on a misunderstanding of the meaning of “Defund the Police.” It is not even relevant here in Cheboygan County. Is our police force militarized?

The Black Lives Mattered movement is targeting law enforcement operations that over-police Black communities. They are responding to the extrajudicial killing of unarmed black people, racial profiling, chokeholds, and no-knock warrants. For people of color, law enforcement can never be trusted. Every Black parent must give their child “the talk” on what to do and what not to do if pulled over by a cop; one misunderstanding can cause a bullet in your body. There is no guarantee that your behavior will help you because your skin color works against you. This is an historical problem, since the days of the “slave patrols,” the first organized police force in the USA. No one is talking about taking away money that is needed to keep people safe.

They are talking about a shift of money, from militarized policing to community policing and social programs.

How about a county resolution that reinforces good policing? Why is there this need to be able to kill people without consequences? A police officer’s split-second decision could be based on “implicit bias,” which ends in another dead Black body.

When I see these “thin blue line” flags, I see “white supremacy.” I see folks not willing to listen to the voices of people of color. I see jumping to conclusions that any word against the police somehow means you want to abolish the police, and that is just ridiculous.

Lena T., Cheboygan Real Problems in Public Education I must respond to opinion columnist Hal Gurian’s seemingly well-intended, but unfortunately ill-informed opinions on public education in Michigan.

Former Gov. Engler conducted a 12-year battle with the teachers’ union and public education. His effective vendetta and deliberate pension underfunding created the massive teachers’ pension shortfall and vastly increased funding pension payments by schools.

School “performance” is still overwhelmingly measured by standardized test scores. Statistically, if you know the average family income of students and the average educational level of parents, you can accurately predict the average school “performance” on standardized tests. What are these tests really measuring?

It would be interesting to judge and allocate dentists’ salaries based on the dental health of their patients. If their patients never, or rarely, brushed or flossed, whether by lack of funds or other reasons, their dental health would be worse. Under teachers’ evaluation guidelines, dentists of patients with poor oral hygiene would receive lower pay. How would this be any different to teachers being judged regardless of students’ absenteeism, lack of interest, or parental support?

Consider two football teams: A and B. Team A coach could selectively pick and play any of the players on Team A. Conversely, Team B coach had to include and play every student

who came out for the team. Additionally, students who were kicked off Team A had to be included on Team B. That is the situation with comparing public schools and quasipublic charter schools. They are inappropriate to be compared on a myriad of criteria.

Public schools in the 1950s did not have Special Education, ESL, Title 1, and a gazillion other programs that schools now are required to have. I do not know whether seven times as many administrators is appropriate but who else is going to administer this additional workload?

Jim R., Petoskey Let’s Talk Lifesaving, Evangelicals Pastor Tony Spell of the Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is just one of many evangelical pastors who have been preaching an anti-vaccine message from the pulpit.

I respect and understand the evangelical position on abortion because it is a viewpoint that cherishes life. But unfortunately, it is apparent that the evangelical concern for prenatal life does not extend to post-natal life, which has currently been diminished by 576,000 deaths due to the ravages of COVID-19 in just the U.S. alone.

So please, Pastor Spell and other evangelical pastors, follow the science and preach of the lifesaving power of all of the COVID-19 vaccines. Reflect on the reality that some of the lives saved will almost certainly include pregnant women and their unborn fetus.

Bob R., Pellston Bringing Jobs to Rural America After ignoring climate warnings for over 30 years, we now need to attain zero net carbon emissions by 2050. We are emitting 51 billion tons of carbon emissions each year. Every year that we emit more emissions; we are contributing to higher global temperatures. It like filling a bathtub: No matter how little we add to the tub, it still fills up.

How do we proceed? Last year we saw a huge drop in economic activity; it reduced carbon emissions by only 5 percent. That means simply driving or flying less will not be enough. Nor will it be sufficient to insulate our homes and businesses. Even the slowing down of population growth will, at best, do little to reduce emissions.

The transition to renewables will be hard because fossil fuels are so cheap. The path forward is to make fossil fuels more expensive because their current price does not reflect the damage they cause: climate change, air pollution, and environmental degradation.

By reducing fossil fuel emissions through the use of clean energy, not only will we stabilize our climate but at the same time create jobs by building solar panel and windmill farms. In addition, the use of clean energy reduces premature deaths from carbon emissions. The fees collected from fossil fuel industries will be returned to every household.

Support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act H.R. 2307. In the first year, annual dividends of about $ 1,000 for a family of four. In year 10, over $3,000 per household will be distributed.

Ronald M., Petoskey

Bergman Bull In Congressman Jack Bergman’s latest Detroit Free Press OP-ED, he states that “Americans want accountability and real answers,” and for once I agree with him.

Jack’s extremely comfortable blaming the CDC and “government experts” for his and other’s freedom somehow being diminished.

Accountability starts at the top, Jack.

Your boss claimed the novel coronavirus would “miraculously disappear” when it got warmer; that ingesting sunlight, bleach, and hydroxychloroquine would be the cure; that masking wouldn’t be effective, and you agreed with him. He encouraged Michigan to liberate itself, and you agreed. He held super-spreader events, and you were there.

You stated that “Over the last year, nearly every bureaucratic or government entity has failed to consider the hopelessness and damage they are inflicting” while you and your boss failed to ever consider the families of 387,000 Americans, including 18,800 Michiganders, many of whom needlessly died. All because of another “Big Lie” in an endless series of them that you agree with.

You ask how “Freedom-loving Americans are left to wonder how and when do we get back to normal?” Here is my answer: During World War II, for over 4 1/2 years, our parents and grandparents pitched in and put up with deprivation and rationing while pulling together to defeat a common enemy. None of them felt as entitled as you or your supporters while the daily body count continued to rise. Their effort was for the soldier on the battlefield. Ours is for the neighbor down the block. They were, and we all should be, in this together.

You and your boss have proven to be the ultimate government death panel. When it comes to my personal health choices, I’ll trust in the experts every time and not a political hack such as yourself.

John Hunter, Traverse City Pandemic Bull The so-called pandemic has fueled fear (over truth) and successfully has created social hysteria worldwide. This brainwashing has effectively been accomplished via suppression and censorship of all views not in alignment with the common narrative of mainstream media. How can anyone with a conscience omit honest and open debate or not challenge the endless stream of “facts” spewed out by the “experts.”For those with a desire to open their minds and review opinions of folks who dare think outside the box, please open the Children’s Health Defense Website (www. childrenshealthdefense.org) and then decide for yourself if the First Amendment is worth fighting for. As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. so eloquently states, “Freedom of Speech is the oxygen and sunlight of Democracy.”

Scott & Cathy V., Honor Cherryland Faux-Elections Cherryland Electric sells itself as a “member-owned” cooperative, in which each member has equal opportunity to exercise democratic control because we are the “owners,” and we get to vote for some of the board directors every year. The 2021 election is now underway, and we have until June 10 to pick two directors. But out of 35,000 members, less than 2,000 ever vote. In every

CONTENTS features Servers Spill All.............................................10

Where to Eat this Spring...............................12 3 Easy-Does-It Picnics.................................15 Chefs’ Secret Weapons.................................16 Rochelle Riley’s Latest Book...........................19 Live In-Person Performances at GLCFA.........21

columns & stuff

Top Ten........................................................5 Spectator/Stephen Tuttle...............................7 Opinion.........................................................8 Weird............................................................9 Dates........................................................23 Advice.....................................................27 Crossword..................................................28 Astrology.....................................................29 Classifieds...............................................30

Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com Executive Editor: Lynda Twardowski Wheatley Finance & Distribution Manager: Brian Crouch Sales: Kathleen Johnson, Lisa Gillespie, Kaitlyn Nance, Michele Young, Randy Sills, Todd Norris, Jill Hayes For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Dave Anderson, Linda Szarkowski, Sarah Rodery, Randy Sills, Roger Racine Matt Ritter, Gary Twardowski Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Contributors: Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny Ross Boissoneau, Eric Cox, Jennifer Hodges, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle, Craig Manning, Janice Binkert, Anna Faller Copyright 2020, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly. Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 3

this week’s

top ten Help for Restauranteurs Going Fast Hey, regional restaurant owners — have you applied for the Small Business Administration’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund yet? You might want to hurry. The White House just reported that in the first two days following May 3 — the first day restaurants, bars, and other eligible businesses, like food trucks, could apply for grant money — the SBA had already received 186,200 applications. The pot of relief money is big, about $28.6 billion, but grants will be anywhere between $1,000 and $10 million per business. Also noteworthy: For the first 21 days, SBA will prioritize funding applications from businesses owned and controlled by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals; after that, all eligible applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis until the funds are exhausted. Learn more about who can apply, the supplemental documents you’ll need, and what the funds can be used for, then submit your application at www.sba.gov/ restaurants. Please. We need you.

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Play Hooky: Hagerty’s Spring Road Trip Happens Now Calling all owners of classic cars, motorcycles, supercars, family wagons, trailer queens, and rust buckets! If it rolls, you’re invited to take part in Lap the Lake, a casual road rally around Lake Michigan that starts May 10.

The route: 1,000 miles along scenic lakefront and rural highways, that starts and ends in Chicago, with overnight stops in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and Manistique, Harbor Springs, Frankfort, Saugatuck — and fun checkpoints (like the Great Lakes Dragaway and Pictured Rocks) to break up each 200-mile-ish day.

Hagerty’s taken the liberty of arranging a variety of hotel deals in each nightly city stop, with most rates between $69 and $100. The Traverse City-based company will accept registrations until the morning of May 10; get the deets and itinerary and register at www.lapthelakerally.com. Can’t take a last-minute week off? Check out the live tracking under the Follow the Rally tab.

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In an uncomfortably familiar dystopian future, the United States as we know it has met its demise. In its place, a digital wasteland has arisen, one where artificial intelligence reigns supreme. Enter Klara. An AF, or “artificial friend,” Klara is designed as a child’s companion, but she’s far from your run-of-the-mill robot. On the contrary, Klara’s empathetic AI is unrivaled by similar androids. So when her chosen child, a genetically-gifted teen named Josie, is stricken with a mysterious illness, Klara can’t help but wonder: Where does “man” end and “machine” begin?

From Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro comes “Klara and the Sun.” An ethereal masterpiece wrought in metal, this too-real rendering of AI takeover will leave readers plugged into their own perceptions whilst also unplugging every device.

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bottoms up Goliath Brewing Co.’s Scorpius Morchella There’s not a lot we don’t like about Iowa’s Topping Goliath Brewing Co. Purposely founded in the wee northern town of Decorah, in 2009, the perfection-driven brewery has seen several of its beers ranked among some of the globe’s best: Mornin’ Delight, an imperial stout, and Kentucky Brunch, a barrel-aged imperial stout, were ranked the second and third best in the world in 2016 by beer culture and rating site Beer Advocate; 7 million reviews of around 380,000 beers led RateBeer to name the Iowa Brewery the second best in the world in 2015. While our rating system is a bit less refined — generally, a thirsty but picky staff of seven chime in, whether they’re invited to or not — we can attest that no matter what style of beer you like, if you sample Goliath’s interpretation of it, you’ll love it.

The one we’re especially enjoying right now is one of five Goliath-brewed creations that just hit 7Monk’s Taproom’s draft last week: Scorpius Morchella, the hazy, juicy, slightly grass-danky double IPA the Iowa brewery unveils every spring to celebrate its annual day off — so staff can go morel hunting. Taste the Midwest kinship at 7 Monks Tap Room, 128 S. Union St. in Traverse City, before the Goliath taps (or May’s morels) run dry. (231) 4218410, www.7monkstap.com

4 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

Hey, read it!

Klara and the Sun

6

Restaurant News

Traverse Citians who recall the all-too-brief build-your-own salad shop Radish, on Union Street in the late aughts, will be happy to hear that the Grosse Pointe Woods-born The Big Salad is opening at 332 Front St., this July. With more than 38 veggie and assorted “dry” toppings, 30 dressings, eight meat and seafood choices, plus, 11 signature entrée salads and a variety of soups and sandwiches, The Big Salad is a quickly spreading fast health-food chain with locations in Troy, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Charlotte, and more.

Due west of The Big Salad’s location, another build-your-own concept — this time with tacos — has readjusted its targeted spring 2021 opening date to early summer: the Ohio-based Barrio Tacos chain. The Traverse City location, on the ground floor of the new 4Front Credit Union, is Barrio’s second Michigan location; its first opened in East Lansing in March 2020.

Up in Petoskey, Mi Tequila Bar & Grill opened its doors at 751 Spring St. (formerly Big Boy) last week — just in time for Cinco de Mayo). The family style Mexican restaurant offers all the tacos, enchiladas, ensaladas you’d expect, plus specialties like homemade carnitas, la parrillada, and camerones mi tequila, as well as a variety of seafood, vegetarian options, and of course, gordo lindo cocktails like the one shown above.

Family PJ Party: Interlochen Arts to Livestream The Little Prince Opera You and your kids love the book but know nothing about opera? Then here’s the best opportunity to “get” what all the fuss is about. Every weekday during the week of May 10, the classical channel of Interlochen Public Radio (WIAA) will use its usual Kids Commute show to introduce young listeners to the story, music, and performers of Interlochen Arts Academy’s upcoming performance of The Little Prince opera.

The performance of the opera — composed by Rachel Portman and based on the beloved book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry — will entertain both ears and eyes at 7:30pm May 14, when it’ll be streamed for free on the Interlochen website at live.interlochen.org.

Opera novices, be not afraid: With an English libretto by Nicholas Wright, an easy-tofollow plot suitable for all ages, and rich cinematic music that Interlochen Arts Academy Instructor of Voice Dr. Laura Osgood Brown calls “ear candy,” IAA says its take on The Little Prince is ideal for experienced opera listeners and newcomers alike.

And, bonus: Just before the curtain rises, kid viewers can enjoy another pre-show experience designed for them: a virtual watch-along pajama party with Kids Commute host Kate Botello and producer Tony Bero.

• To sign up to join the May 14 Zoom watch party, email kidscommute@interlochen.org.

• To listen to the Kids Commute preview, tune in to Classical IPR (88.7 FM, Interlochen, 94.7 FM, Traverse City, 88.5 FM, Mackinaw City or online at InterlochenPublic Radio.com) at 7:40 am the week of May 10.

• To livestream the IAA performance, go to live.interlochen.org at 7:30 May 14.

Stuff we love

New Course at Shanty Creek

Shanty Creek Resort is expanding with the addition of Hawk’s Eye Golf Club. This is the fifth 18-hole course at Shanty Creek’s nearly 5,500-acre property. Since its introduction in 2004, Hawk’s Eye has been named to several “Best of” rankings, including “Top Courses in Michigan” three times from Golf Advisor and Michigan’s “Best Public Courses” by Golf Magazine. It joins the Tom Weiskopf-designed Cedar River course and Arnold Palmer’s Legend, along with the Schuss Mountain and Summit courses. All told, the resort now boasts 90 holes, making Shanty Creek one of the 10 largest golf resorts in North America.

Mike Mooney, director of golf for Shanty Creek, said having five courses adds significant appeal to golfers looking for a world-class getaway. “The addition of Hawk’s Eye is huge, literally and figuratively,” he said. It’s the latest addition to the resort, which also includes its Topgolf Swing Suite golf simulator in The River Bistro.

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It is said that French girls (and guys) don’t get fat — or at least not as fat as Americans — despite the fact (or perhaps because) they typically take le goûter. The tilted-beret version of the Brits’ high tea, le goûter is the French’s afternoon tradition, a languorous and fortifying pause between lunch and the traditionally light, traditionally late French dinner, which usually happens around 8pm.

Le goûter fare is always sweet — think bakery-made cream cakes, a pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants), or fruit-filled crepes — but never just a snack. It is, in fact, considered a meal. And Brasserie Amie makes certain nothing is lost in translation with its French Cruellers ($6). Deep-fried croissant pastries that are in no way petite seem to have rolled around in a bathtub of powdered sugar before dancing under a stream of honey. We ordered some on a whim while waiting for brunch (a Crabe Benedict of soft-shell crab, Canadian bacon, choron; and a Choucroute omelette, filled with house sauerkraut, country ham, and raclette — both outstanding), and nearly fell off our barstools at the first warm, buttery, sweet, crunchy yet pillow-soft bite. We had the good sense to stop, albeit regretfully, after six bites to save room for our main courses. But we need not have regretted a thing.

That afternoon, with nary an American tool of microwave or air fryer in sight, we bit into them again, and sacré bleu! Their refrigerated hours had degraded neither taste nor texture.

Seems some of their compatriots — looking at you “French” fries — could learn a thing or two. Find Brasserie Amie, currently open for brunch and dinner Thursday through Monday, at 160 E. Front St., (231) 753-3161, brasserieamie.com

Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 5

letters

Continued from page 3

election, the winning candidate(s) seldom get much more than 50 percent of total votes cast, which means victory is determined by less than 3 percent of the total membership.

According to Cherryland management, the 97 percent of nonvoters are happy with the way the co-op is run, even though all board meetings are closed to members, monthly board discussions and decisions are kept secret, and even these yearly elections are cloaked in secrecy and closed to public scrutiny.

Perhaps the elections are rigged, and the outcome is predetermined, but I will encourage members to vote for candidates Vicki Olsen and Mark Ames, just to show the incumbents we care and we want a better co-cop.

David P., Interlochen Observations on May 3 Express Opinion columnist Stephen Tuttle is back at it with his scare tactics regarding COVID-19. It is and always was just another flu. The difference is that it was politicized to help get rid of Trump, which it did mainly through mass unverified mail-in ballots. It was simultaneously used to justify the suppression of civil and constitutional rights via gubernatorial decree. This has never been necessary before, so why now?

There’s a flu season every year. There’s a new “variant” every year — that’s why there’s a new vaccine every year. Covid has a vanishingly low fatality rate if just left alone anyway. So drop it.

Guest opinion columnist Barbara Stamiris rants for a half-page about Line 5. Like all environmental activists, she screams doom and gloom and offers exactly zero viable solutions for the cause du jour, whether it’s Line 5 (just shut it down and use what? The fuel is going to be moved somehow), global warming, global cooling, space invaders, hair loss, whatever.

Isiah Smith’s opinion column is racist itself. Well, I’m white, and I am going to stay that way. He can call my kind whatever he wants; it won’t change anything except to possibly make white people who never gave race a second thought become racist in self-

defense. After a while, most people get tired of being called names. Speaking of which, Smith engages in the despicable practice of telling outright lies about President Trump, who is none of the things Smith says he is.

By the way, the s*!#hole countries are exactly that; why do you think people flee them for the “racist” U.S.?

By the way No. 2: Where does he get the idea that attacks on minorities increased under Trump? First I’ve heard of this one.

The Race Myth “Race is a scientifically indefensible concept with no biological basis as applied to humans,” said Harvard anthropology professor Daniel Lieberman. Joseph Graves, a geneticist at North Carolina A&T State University and author of 2005’s “The Race Myth” notes that contemporary scientists have analyzed DNA collected from diverse populations — Aboriginal Australians, Papua New Guineans, Basques, Bedouins, and Pygmies. These groups are distinct enough that their DNA matters in deciphering the human story, but not so distinct that it represents separate races. The newest data suggests that there was a single journey — that sometime between 50,000 and 80,000 years ago, a single population of humans left Africa and went on to settle in Asia, Europe, the Americas, the South Pacific, and beyond.

Says Harvard geneticist Swapan Mallick: “We are all part of the tapestry of humanity, and it’s interesting to see how we got where we are.” People vary in skin color and other visible traits. Whether you’re dark or light, lanky or stocky depends in part on the sunlight intensity and climate in the regions where your ancestors lived. Racism reflects a misinterpretation of those superficial characteristics. “Racial categories are not rational,” says Graves. One reason U.S. citizens are stuck in the 19th Century when it comes to race is that many teachers are unprepared to teach human evolution or refuse to out of fear.

Holes in Spectator In his April 26 Spectator column, “Give Reform A Shot,” Stephen Tuttle documents the increase in violence in our large cities.

His call for universal background checks for gun purchases is positive. However, his piece contains a few errors and a questionable assertion.

Tuttle says “264 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty last year, a staggering 94 percent increase from 2019.”

But the actual figure, released by the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, was 48, compared to 51 in 2019. The 264 number includes 145 deaths from COVID-19, more than all other causes combined. Another 44 officers were killed in traffic incidents.

The column goes on to state that among those killed by law enforcement officers were “457 white people, 241 Black people, and 169 Latinx people ... .” It then says that “more than twice as many white folks were killed by police as Black and Latinx people combined ... .” However, 457 is not more than twice 410.

Tuttle then asserts that “there is no question about the legitimacy of the overwhelming majority of police shootings.” However, large numbers of Americans, especially African Americans, do question the legitimacy of many police shootings.

At times the initial police justification for the death is at odds with important facts. George Floyd’s death was attributed to “medical distress” by the Minneapolis police, and this coverup might have worked except that Darnella Frazier had videotaped the whole murder. In Chicago, in 2014, the police claimed that Laquan McDonald lunged at them with a knife, but when a videotape was finally released, it showed him walking away from them.

In the 1,000 or more killings each year by the police, about half the civilians are reportedly unarmed. In some of the cases where civilians were armed, it might be resolved without deadly force, especially when a knife rather than a gun is involved.

Nancy A.G., Frankfort

Michael C. Stratford, Traverse City

Charles K., Maple City

Kudos Appreciated the kind, thoughtprovoking, and encouraging writing from Guest Opinion columnist Isiah Smith Jr., in the April 18 issue.

Also, why has the Northern Express Letters page gone to identifying letters by initials? If we want freedom to speak and write, we must take the risk to be identified.

I think an atmosphere of respectful dialogue would be helpful, along with truth, facts, and how about some new topics, eh? Like the traffic around Traverse City is bad but the people driving the cars do not understand the beehive mentality to move with rules and laws of the road.

Lois B., Interlochen We agree with you, Lois. Unfortunately, while we still reject any letter submitted to us without the author’s full name and address (we require both for verification purposes), we have chosen to temporarily remove the last name of each author from all letters we publish.

The decision was precipitated by reports from several authors — of different political persuasions, it’s worth noting— who received threatening and disturbing (and, of course, anonymous) letters to their homes shortly after their letters (signed with their full names and cities of residence) appeared in our paper. Like you, we look forward to getting back to a place in time when differing opinions don’t spark threats of bodily harm, and our Letters page will return to a forum for transparent civil discourse again.—Ed. Correction: In our May 3 profile of American House Wood Fired Pizza, the final lines were inadvertently cut off. It should have read: Open Tuesday – Saturday from 4pm to 8pm. Call (231) 264-6062 for reservations or to place an order. Note: In summer, a walkup kitchen on the restaurant’s large outdoor patio sells ice cream, barbecue pulled pork, hot dogs, chili dogs and a selection of salads and other healthy options to go. Visit americanhousepizza.com or Facebook for more information.

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IS WATER A COMMODITY?

spectator

by Stephen Tuttle There will be one overriding issue in the next couple decades, one of the few that is literally an existential threat to our future.

It isn’t terrorism, or white supremacy, or socialism, or Trumpism. It’s water, or the lack of it.

The looming water crises — and multiple crises is what this will become — will be the most obvious result of climate change. It has already begun.

There is a daily report called the U.S. Drought Monitor. It features a nifty little map that shows us where the country is most in need of water. If you start at the Minnesota/North Dakota border and draw a line due south, pretty much every area west of that line is in some stage of drought.

West Texas and large chunks of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada are in their third decade of what is categorized as “exceptional drought.” All of them get

dry even in the best of times, it turns out sprawling suburbs use less water than the incredibly thirsty agriculture they replace.

It isn’t just the desert southwest or Southern California having water issues. The Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas ... the so-called breadbasket of the country is also in various stages of drought. That’s a goodly chunk of our food supply at risk.

Into this growing problem comes a disturbing new wrinkle: water as a commodity to trade.

An investment group purchased several large farms in western Arizona. Their intent was not to work the land that they’ve allowed to go fallow. No, their interest was the Colorado River rights, which came along with the property. Now they would like to sell the water to which they have the rights to Queen Creek, an exurb about 35 miles southeast of Phoenix that has grown

The Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas ... the so-called breadbasket of the country is also in various stages of drought. That’s a goodly chunk of our food supply at risk. part of their water from underground aquifers and part from the Colorado River Compact, which divides Colorado River water among seven states, several tribal nations, and Mexico. Unfortunately, those aquifers are slowly receding as states use far more groundwater than is being recharged.

Greater dependence on Colorado River water isn’t working out so well, either.

from a sleepy agricultural area of some 4,300 in 2000 to a residential boomtown of nearly 60,000 today. The water rights are about 200 miles northwest of there, but Arizona has something called the Central Arizona Project, a canal bringing water from the Colorado River all the way down to Tucson. And it goes plenty close enough to Queen Creek.

The Colorado and its tributaries are subject to various dams and impoundments, some to generate hydroelectric power and some to preserve and provide water for agriculture and households. The two largest reservoirs are lakes Powell and Mead, created by the Glen Canyon and Hoover dams respectively.

This investment strategy, colloquially known as “buy-and-dry,” is playing out in other regions as well. Opponents decry it as destructive to agriculture and, since water is wealth during droughts, an inappropriate transfer of wealth from farmers to investment groups and on to the highest bidder. Communities with money will not go thirsty.

Both Mead and Powell are hovering at dangerously low levels. Mead, at only 42 percent of capacity, is nearly 200 feet below its full level. Lake Powell is at just 50 percent capacity. This is a problem since about 30 million people and five million acres of farmland count on these reservoirs for their household and irrigation water.

Arizona and Nevada have already lost a small share of Colorado River water in accordance with the Compact and will lose considerably more if the drought continues. Things will get stickier still if Lake Mead sinks another 18 feet and goes below intakes for the hydroelectric system, power on which more than a million households depend.

All of this despite the fact that most of the states involved in the Colorado River Compact have actually reduced their water consumption over the last two decades despite rapid population growth or, actually, because of it. In states like Arizona that are

“CHI MANGIA BENE VIVE BENE” - He who eats well lives well.

The courts are now trying to sort this out; since water is essential to life, it might not qualify as a commodity. If it does, there’s little to stop the investors from looking our way for a resource they can buy and sell like soybeans or pork bellies.

Never happen, you say? Michigan has already established the precedent that our groundwater is for sale by allowing Nestle to pump billions of gallons and sell it in plastic bottles. And a water pipeline would have none of the downsides of the fuel pipelines that already exist.

We’ve already failed to secure our groundwater. It’s not clear that agreements protecting Great Lakes surface water will matter much if parts of the country are dying of thirst. Our bounty is a potential lifeline that others might ultimately decide they need.

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Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 7

BIKE THERE. ADVENTURE AND EMPOWERMENT AWAIT opinion

by Gary Howe I don’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t have a bicycle. I also don’t remember anyone teaching me how to ride. My older brothers and sisters must have taught me, but I suspect their pedagogical method was along the lines of “Keep up or stay behind.”

In reality, they probably ditched me often.

But the way I remember it, I not only kept up with them but also bravely struck out on my own and left them in the dust.

That’s the power of the bicycle. It’s a machine like no other. It can transform a mere mortal into an uber-efficient, supremely balanced, go-anywhere supernova. The bicycle is empowerment. It is independence. It is freedom.

Many of the most important life lessons I’ve learned I learned while riding my bike. I was a typical Generation X latchkey child.

Adult supervision wasn’t something I had to worry much about. For the most part, our neighborhood’s pack of kids was left

As I grew more confident and upgraded to a 12-speed Ross Signature, I struck out farther. As a teenager, I regularly biked the 15 miles to Traverse City to hang with the city kids. I learned to climb the hills, using all my strength. I learned to ride fast and learned back roads to limit my exposure to traffic. The bicycle remained my go-to transportation choice throughout college and allowed me to save money quickly without owning a car. I had a ticket to ride.

After graduation, the bicycle became my livelihood for a year abroad. I landed in Australia with $300 and a work visa good for one year. In two weeks, after stretching the truth about how well I knew Melbourne’s streets, I landed work subcontracting as a bicycle messenger — a pushie.

Still, today, delivering express packages by bike remains one of the most empowering jobs I ever had, and it introduced me to new people every day, from CEOs on the

The bicycle is empowerment.

It is independence. It is freedom. to their own devices, roving from house to house searching for food and following our curiosities that expanded outward from the subdivision as we grew older.

Having a functional bicycle was a ticket to a larger world full of adventure. When I was about eight, I was inspired by a calling from deep within: a calling for candy that could only be sourced two miles down the road at Lake Ann Grocery.

I remember coming to the end of my subdivision where the quiet street meets the county road, stopping to contemplate my options, and then gunning it. Up the big hill, along the straightaway, and past long stretches that, back then, were only woods. It was much farther than I expected it to be. Passing cars were a welcome relief; they might be able to save me from the bears I was sure were going to come out of the woods at any moment. The fear of wild animals pushed me, and the temptation of that candy bar pulled me to remarkably high speeds, given that I was an eight-year-old on a makeshift single-speed with a banana seat.

8 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

I was relieved to roll into the bustling village of Lake Ann. I sat in the park and enjoyed my Whatchamacallit before heading home.

However ill-advised by today’s safety standards, that trip was an early lesson in perseverance and determination. I struck out on my own to pursue my goals, overcame my fears and physical limitations, and achieved my chocolatey aim. At the time, it felt like absolute freedom. It was also my little secret, and there is power in secrets.

55th floor to co-workers struggling with addictions and families to feed. We even had a retired CEO join our crew. He was slow, so we gave him the dregs. I was able to pay off a modest student loan with my earnings and head to China. Thanks, bicycle.

This is all to say: May is National Bike Month, a time to celebrate the elegance, value, and gift of the bicycle. Established in 1956 by The Bicycle Institute of America, National Bike Month showcases the benefits of human-powered movement by bike and encourages everyone to give it a try. For me, bike month is a chance to reflect on the riches I have enjoyed thanks to this handy, accessible, and equitable tool.

Locally, we celebrate Northern Michigan Bike Month at Norte, the youth-focused advocacy organization dedicated to creating active-for-life kids and families.

Norte kicked off this month with a massive used bike sale, followed by the start of two after-school youth bike programs across five counties and Bike to School Day on May 5. The celebration continues with community slow-rolls, mountain biking, and Eats by Bike Week — the latter set up as a bingo sheet to encourage people to support local restaurants and cafes by bike. Bike there and join in the celebration and find yourself some adventure. Let freedom reign.

Gary Howe walks, bikes, busses, and drives in Traverse City and is the Advocacy Director at Norte. Check out all their Bike Month’s activities at elgrupnorte.org.

Gaming the System In Taiwan, where companies are required to give newlyweds eight days of paid leave, an unnamed bank employee in Taipei used a loophole in the law to claim 32 days of leave over 37 days last year, reported Agence France-Presse on April 21. The man and his wife got married four times and divorced three times, claiming eight days of leave for each wedding. The bank complained to the city labor department, which sided with the employee and fined the bank about $670 for violating the regulation, sparking public criticism. The labor department later revoked the fine “to recognize a mistake and improve,” it said.

An unnamed civil servant in Italy is accused of collecting full pay at his job at Ciaccio hospital in Catanzaro since 2005 even though he never showed up for work.

The man is also accused of threatening his supervisor if she filed a report against him; she later retired and none of her successors noticed his absence. The BBC reported authorities discovered the alleged fraud as part of a wider investigation into absenteeism in Italy’s public sector, and six managers at the hospital are also under investigation. The truant worker reportedly collected about $650,000 over the years.

Fine Points of the Law Caron McBride, 52, applied to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to change her name on her driver’s license after getting married in November, and was told to call the Cleveland County District Attorney’s office in Oklahoma, where she learned she was wanted there on a charge of felony embezzlement for failing to return a VHS tape of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” to a Norman video store in 1999. “I thought, this is insane,” McBride said, but prosecutors accused her of “willfully, unlawfully and feloniously embezzle(ing)” the tape, valued at $58.59, according to court documents. The Washington Post reported McBride had no memory of renting the tape, but guessed the man she lived with at the time must have gotten it for his two young daughters. On April 23, prosecuters in Norman said they would drop the charge and expunge McBride’s record.

Jungle Justice A man suspected of poaching rhinos in South Africa’s Kruger National Park was trampled to death by a herd of elephants on April 17, according to park authorities.

Managing Executive Gareth Coleman praised the park’s “successful weekend in the fight to keep our rhinos alive” as rangers arrested five suspects, carrying hunting rifles and an ax, in a continuing crackdown on poaching, reported The Washington Post. (BONUS: A skull and a pair of pants were all that remained of a suspected poacher killed by an elephant and eaten by lions in the park in 2019.)

Awesome!

Police in the Hradec Kralove region of the Czech Republic were stunned when a man turned in a Soviet T-34 tank and an SD-100 artillery gun as part of a nationwide weapons amnesty program designed to legalize guns that had not been registered. Prague Morning reported on April 10 that the man was a collector of historic weaponry and has owned the 1950s-era tank, which had been painted pink, since the 1990s. Authorities checked

the tank and gun to confirm they have been properly deactivated, and the man was allowed to keep them in his collection. The amnesty campaign continues until July.

Creme de la Weird Anna Marie Choudhary, 33, of Boone, North Carolina, was sentenced March 31 in West Virginia to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder, ending a case McDowell County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Dennie Morgan called the “craziest” his office has ever seen.

Choudhary had been arrested, along with her father, Larry Paul McClure Sr., 55, of Pendleton, Kentucky, and her sister, Amanda Michelle Naylor McClure, 31, of Chicago City, Minnesota, in connection with the 2019 murder of John Thomas McGuire, 38, boyfriend of Amanda McClure, reported the Watauga Democrat. According to Morgan, McClure and his daughters “tortured” and killed McGuire on Valentine’s Day 2019 and buried his body. Later, convinced McGuire was still alive, they exhumed the body and drove a stake through it before dismembering and reburying it. Larry and Amanda McClure then went to Virginia, where they were married, Morgan said.

Larry McClure confessed to the murder after being arrested in Kentucky on unrelated charges. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life without mercy. Amanda McClure pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 40 years.

Opportunity Knocked Kelyn Spadoni, 33, of Harvey, Louisiana, was fired from her job as a dispatcher for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff ’s Office after she was arrested on April 7 and accused of refusing to return more than $1.2 million mistakenly deposited in her brokerage account by Charles Schwab & Co., said sheriff ’s office spokesman Capt. Jason Rivarde. According to a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in New Orleans, Schwab meant to transfer $82.56 into Spadoni’s account in February, but instead transferred $1,205,619; when Schwab tried to correct the error the next day, it was told the funds were not available.

NOLA.com reported Spadoni is suspected of moving the money and using some of it to buy a new house and an SUV, but authorities have been able to recover about 75% of the money, according to Rivarde.

Canine Chronicles Newsweek reported a dog lover in Hobbs, New Mexico, who identifies himself as girthbrooks1994 on TikTok, couldn’t figure out why the English bulldog he’d been given didn’t respond to any of the commands he gave it until he tried something different -Spanish. Now named Senor Snax, the dog is shown on posted videos readily obeying commands such as “dame la mano” and “sientate” (“give me your hand” and “sit down”). “He’s a bien boy and very spoiled,” says the proud owner.

The Edmonton Fire Rescue Service in Alberta, Canada, was called out on April 20 by reports of a dog driving a car down Guardian Road, United Press International reported.

Firefighters determined the dog had been left alone in the car and accidentally shifted it into neutral, allowing it to roll along the road.

They were able to stop the car and rescue the dog without incident.

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Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 9

By Ross Boissoneau Few industries have been as decimated by the effects of the pandemic as the restaurant industry. As the world stumbles toward a new normal, we wondered what the last year has been like on the front lines as restaurants suddenly had to change their business model, many looking to takeout and curbside delivery to survive.

We asked servers from across the region about their experiences: the good, the bad, and the different. There were commonalities; all noted how much business was down overall and how much curbside and to-go business jumped and continues to, even as restaurants can open to 50 percent capacity. They stressed the unexpected generosity of so many of those who did order, some noting a few extra-big tips impacting the team as a whole (many are sharing tips among the staff). They noted the confusion about the changing regulations.

And, of course, the occasional (though fewer than you’d think) stories of customers who wanted to flout the rules.

ERIN PENNINGTON Blu, Glen Arbor; Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse, Maple City Pennington has been in the industry for nearly 20 years. “It was meant to be a stopgap,” she said with a laugh. She started when she lived in Pennsylvania, then continued in central Texas for a dozen years.

She had visited her grandparents’ summer home north of Leland as a child and considered Leelanau County her favorite place in the world. So she moved to the area in 2018 and applied at five restaurants, interviewed with them all, and started working at Alliance, in Traverse City. Then she moved on to Blu, in Glen Arbor, in spring 2019, and has since added Broomstack Kitchen, in Maple City.

She said the original shutdown hit hard.

“The pandemic has taken an emotional toll,” she said. “I live by myself with my two cats.

I value my alone time, but not being around people on a daily basis was very strange.”

When Blu reopened for curbside and, later, for dining on the patio, she said the response was heartwarming. But it was definitely different. “As with so many people, the fear of the unknown was a thing. Guests were so generous.”

That extends to her other job. “At Broomstack, I’ve not personally experienced people being non-compliant. All the guests I’ve interacted with have been pleasant. They’re just happy to be dining out.”

Pennington said her observation was the only ones not wearing masks were those who simply forgot to put them on when they got up from their tables. “We’ve not had some of the horror stories some of my friends have had,” she said, speaking of those she left behind in Texas with whom she keeps in contact. “They’ve had quite a few problems.”

LIBBY CHILDERS Centre Street Café, Traverse City One of Traverse City’s busiest lunchtime restaurants, Centre Street has always done a huge amount of takeout. “We already did takeout and did it well, so we knew what we were doing,” said Childers.

So going to that model exclusively was easy, right? Umm, not really. “In March when we returned, it was tough, especially for staff with younger children in school.

Some were concerned about health. People had to stay home. We lost half the staff,” she said.

And half the business as well. The stopand-start rules and guest-count restrictions on indoor dining, added to that the fact many of their regular customers were working from home, meant that business was down across the board. “It was so strange. There was a lot of fear.”

Silver lining: While the loss of income stung, the lower number of orders allowed the remaining staff to learn the new ways of doing business, from taking payment by phone to delivering curbside. “There was enough business for the staff we had,” she said.

As business began to pick back up, Childers said those staffers that remained started to feel stressed. In response, owner Pete Boothroyd responded by cutting hours, closing at 3pm instead of 4pm, and closing completely on Saturdays. “I think it was huge. It was awesome to realize Pete didn’t want to burn us out. It was a definite relief.”

Customer response from those that did continue to patronize Centre Street was, for the most part, positive. But there’s always that one person . . . “After the Black Lives Matter march, I was waiting on people, and a regular came in. I knew his order and was busing a table,” Childers recalled. She told him she’d get his order in, but a woman waiting to give her order felt ignored and grew upset. “She was going off — ‘Is it because I’m a woman?’

“No, I’m a woman too,’” Childers said.

The customer wouldn’t have any of it, sputtering, “‘This town, with women and Blacks!’”

“I have two Black children,” said Childers, though she didn’t bring that up.

The customer wasn’t done, telling Childers, “I’d tip, but I don’t want you to get any of it.”

KATIE BOYER Clam Lake Beer Company, Cadillac A 23-year veteran of the restaurant industry, Boyer said the differences between before and after COVID were — and still are — striking. “The hospitality business is always about being fast and friendly. During COVID, it didn’t really work that way,” Boyer said.

That’s because the proliferation of to-go orders produced more of a backup than would typically be seen for on-site dining. And the mask mandate made it more difficult to offer a cheerful greeting. “The server business changed. When we first re-opened it was so impersonal with masks and gloves. You [normally] greet people with a smile. Now you had to do so much with voice inflection,” she said.

10 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

And no matter how hard they tried, she said there was bound to be the occasional guest who only saw the negative. Especially when the online or phone orders piled up. “[Unlike with staggered table seatings and ordering, you can get] 15 phone or online orders at once. Someone waiting 45 minutes wants to tell you how horrible you are,” she said.

She estimated that tough customers weren’t the norm — only about one-quarter of the overall — but recognizes that these times weren’t and still aren’t normal. “No one has done a pandemic before. Seventy-five percent were understanding. During the first shutdown, they’d leave a $100 tip here and there. The others didn’t understand — and don’t accept it.”

mod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea com DANIEL BRODER Stormcloud, Frankfort It was actually the pandemic that brought Broder back to serving and to northern Michigan. He’d previously worked as a server and bartender, but had most recently been working in events management in Detroit. When the shutdown happened, he looked for other opportunities.

“In the North, restaurants were open. I knew Frankfort would be a good option.”

That’s because he and his family could live in the family cottage while he checked out the local employment scene. “Last year, no extended family was coming from out of state,” he said, allowing them to stay there.

That won’t be the case this year, meaning the Broders will be looking for new digs.

But not a new job, at least not yet.

“Stormcloud has really treated me well. It’s a really good team. I’ll keep my options open, [but] I’m happy here. The plan is to ride this out as long as I can.”

Broder said he’s seen both sides of things, with customers who abide by the rules and those who don’t, or do so begrudgingly. “I’ve had my share of both good and bad. Some really great people trying to make up for the struggle we were going through would be extra nice [to our staff]. My favorite people.

“Others would walk in, then put a mask on. Then rip it off when they’re still five feet from the table. It’s different dynamics of people. Some are understanding of the situation and do what they can. Others’ sense of normal is uninhibited by any precautions.”

He credited Stormcloud owners Rick Schmitt and Brian Confer for their efforts, noting that his observations of other restaurants prove his Frankfort workplace is among the leaders. “I give them credit for keeping [everyone] safe and happy. They worked with the local health department to get appointments for [staff] vaccinations. It’s not only reassuring for us but good for the community,” he said.

KATY SANSOM State Road Provisions, Harbor Springs As a server and manager, Sansom has to not only observe the rules herself but also enforce them for both staff and guests. “I’ve been in the restaurant industry since the day I turned 18. I still get to meet people from everywhere,” she said. It’s just different now: “Smaller groups, masks, a lot more rules.” How many more? She has a 58-page booklet with all the regulations, and notes they change without warning.

That said, she had nothing but plaudits for her co-workers and the majority of the customers. “My staff was wonderful: cooperative, did every single thing I asked them to.”

While staff knew and understood, patrons sometimes didn’t. “It was harder to communicate [all the changing rules] to the guests,” she admits. “Some people were so generous, so nice. They made up for the ones that were judgmental. We dealt with it.”

One of the more problematic facets was the limit of six people to a party. If a family of seven or eight came in, they couldn’t all sit together, which some people didn’t take to, leading to this challenging response: “You’re going to make my five-year-old sit at a separate table?”

Sansom said those kinds of exchanges were only exacerbated by wearing masks, making the whole interaction less friendly and more impersonal. “People couldn’t see a smile,” she said.

Sansom said not only did restauranteurs have to deal with everchanging regulations, the outdoor-dining “solution” wasn’t problem-free. Beyond the restaurant’s expense of adding igloos, sheds, or other outdoor facilities, staff had to deliver food outdoors in snowstorms and would need to completely clean them between groups, each of which could use them for two hours. “We had seven of them, with two or three people waiting on them. We’d clean between shifts, taking 25 minutes to sanitize them.”

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One other issue many servers mentioned: The lack of employees affects them all. Pennington and her three fellow servers at Blu are also the same four servers at Broomstack. She said sharing shifts between so few people for so long can lead to physical and emotional exhaustion And while diners can take their masks off when they eat, servers aren’t so fortunate. Not only does it make the interaction more difficult, they’re simply uncomfortable when worn so long. “I don’t like wearing a mask eight hours a day,” said Broder. “We’ll be happy when we’re not. But it is what it is. We’ve got to deal with it.”

But without exception, all said they enjoy their jobs and, even if they’d known at the outset of the pandemic what they would be going through for the next year-plus, they would do it again.

“The whole idea of objecting to any sort of proactive measures, I don’t buy it.

We all need community. Slowly but surely we’ll get back,” said Broader. “I don’t know when I’m going to feel comfortable in a crowd of 1,000 to 2,000 people crowded in front of a stage.”

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Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 11

By Northern Express contributors Janice Binkert, Eric Cox, and Ross Boissoneau Please be seated for these abbreviated versions of the restaurant profiles we’ve featured since our last Restaurant Issue.

Before you do, one warning: We’d like nothing better than for our readers to support local restaurants like these featured here, but before popping in anywhere, we recommend calling ahead to stay abreast of the latest regarding each eatery’s indoor and outdoor seating availability, reservation requirements, open hours, and menu changes.

Hexenbelle Traverse City One of Traverse City’s newest and most innovative restaurant/ cafes, Hexenbelle, launched in November 2020, is the concept of Christian Geoghegan (head chef), Hanna Lane (head baker), and Heather Webber (head of the coffee/espresso program).

The passions behind Hexenbelle’s existence are simple: carefully curated, delicious, and conscientiously prepared vegetarian fare, freshly baked pastries, and locally roasted coffee (from Chuck Korson at BLK/ MRKT Roastery, Lane and Webber’s former employer). But its creators are also committed to having the venue be more than just a place to eat and drink.

The trio wants Hexenbelle to be dedicated to expanding people’s horizons (culinary and otherwise), tempering prejudices, bringing people together, and supporting worthy causes. It’s a tall order, but one that these three smart, highly principled, compassionate individuals strive to fill every day. And judging from the positive and enthusiastic public response to Hexenbelle ever since it opened, this region has an appetite for both its food and its ethos.

On the Menu: Hexenbelle’s menu is all about comfort food from different global perspectives, and Hummus is the single most important item on the menu. Geoghegan’s hummus is served with flatbread, drizzled with Hexenbelle’s very special olive oil — fair trade, organic, Jenin Palestinian Olive Oil — and dusted with house-made za’atar spice mix. Another classic Palestinian comfort food you’ll find: maftoul, a soulwarming dish of couscous with tomatostewed chickpeas, labneh, and cucumber.

Breakfast and lunch offerings are relatively static, but for the dinner menu, Geoghegan tries to do a new dish every week. For example, Mapo Tofu, an umamirich Sichuan dish with doubanjiang (a spicy

fermented broad bean sauce) served over rice (inspired by James Beard award-winning chef Danny Bowien, of Mission Chinese in San Francisco, one of Geoghegan’s favorite chefs). Also a Persian dish called Chelo ba Tahdig (Persian saffron and ghee rice), which was served with a Great Northern Bean khoresh (stew) and a side of yogurt and pomegranate seeds.

While Geoghegan cooks, baker Lane keeps the bakery case stocked with a rotating array of sweet and savory breads, pastries, cookies, and cakes. Her Guava Bun — babka dough filled with cream cheese, guava jam, and lime zest — is incredible; so, too, was a Peanut Butter Tahini Cookie.

“And then we have Heather, who is a barista extraordinaire. Her Witches in Paris coffee creation — with powdered sugar, butter caramel sauce, and cinnamon — is insanely good,” said Geoghegan. “Together we can do this unique thing that’s somehow connected because we’re all on the same page. It’s not three individual people, it’s a unit. We view it like music — three major tones in a chord. All different notes, but they’re combining to produce something harmonious.”

Find Hexenbelle at 144 Hall St., Suite 107, in Traverse City’s Warehouse MRKT. For the latest hours and days of service, daily menu offerings, and to order online, visit hexenbelle. square.site. (231) 486-6128 Hoppie’s Landing Pellston Tiny Pellston, situated on U.S. 31 between Mackinaw City and Petoskey, is billed as the “icebox” of Michigan, consistently logging the coldest average temps in the state — yes, Upper Peninsula included.

Perhaps that’s why Hoppie’s Landing — a sister to Hoppie’s Tavern, on the northeast side of Burt Lake — feels so warm and cozy inside. The airport itself is lodgestyle, a study in soothing knotty pine. In the terminal’s main lobby, a menagerie of taxidermied local fauna greet those who arrive and depart daily to Detroit Metropolitan Airport via Delta Airlines, as well as private aircraft. Deer, bear, fish, beavers, and more oversee the human traffic hauling luggage to and fro.

Ascending a massive white cedar staircase (an elevator is also available), one arrives on the airport’s second floor, where pinewood and comfortable furniture meet massive windows on the terminal’s observation deck, which overlook the runways and the woods beyond.

Hoppie’s Landing is also up there,

12 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

sunshine pouring through its gaping glass portals, illuminating this large restaurant, capable of seating nearly 200 when unrestricted. Aside from the wide-angle views, Hoppie’s feels like a super clean sports bar/restaurant with its multiple high-def TVs, old-school shuffleboard game, and Pellston High School sports memorabilia on display.

On the Menu: One might expect a limited menu at an eatery inside a small local airport. But Hoppie’s Landing surprises with an array of offerings, including burgers and pizza, grinders, seafood, pasta, planked whitefish and salmon, ribeye steaks, a solid roster of appetizers, and more. Hoppie’s Chips and Salsa ($4.99; $6.49 with nacho cheese ) was our first selection — a satisfyingly salty and crisp basket of red and white corn chips served with a bowl of thick, savory salsa — excellent with a cold beer. For lunch, we opted for the Daily Cod Special ($9.99) paired with an Alaskan Amber Ale, and the Smokehouse Burger ($10.75) with Sweet Potato Fries and a Cheboygan Brewing Co. Blood Orange Honey.

The cod came in three large, tennis ballsize chunks that were perfectly deep-fried and accompanied by a small portion of Hoppie’s tartar sauce and a lemon wedge.

Cracking one crispy nugget open, a small cloud of steam arose from the flaky white meat within. Golden brown and crunchy on the outside, these hunks of meat were tender and tasty throughout, each one disappearing quicker than the first.

Hoppie’s Landing also features mapleplanked whitefish and salmon as well as perch and shrimp offerings.

In terms of hamburgers, Hoppie’s Smokehouse Burger did not disappoint.

The 1/3-pound patty was cooked precisely how it was ordered, and it fit perfectly on its caramelized bun. Topped with Plath’s bacon, pepper jack cheese, and tangy barbecue sauce, the Smokehouse makes a great lunch or dinner.

Hoppie’s Landing has a plethora of refreshments, too, including a modest wine list and some tasty signature cocktails.

A must-try: The Ice Box Martini, which plays on Pellston’s reputation as Michigan’s coldest town. Vodka and blue Curacao turn this concoction a cool shade while lemon juice and Sprite add sparks and hint at the coming spring. Another of Hoppie’s interesting cocktails is the Ginger Pomegranate Margarita, which features a belly-warming combination of Tequila, Triple Sec, pomegranate juice, ginger syrup, and lime, served on ice.

Find Hoppies Landing inside the Pellston Airport at 1395 North U.S. 31. www. hoppieslanding.com, www.pellstonairport.org.

Mim’s Mediterranean Grill Petoskey Mim’s main location — 1823 U.S. 31-N — is a bit of an oasis for some. Its Greekinspired cuisine and diminutive and colorful house-turnedrestaurant serve as a welcome respite from the region’s delicious but ubiquitous pub fare.

Now with an additional food truck location at downtown Petoskey’s popular Back Lot, Mim’s is hitting its stride, offering a diverse menu of solid Mediterraneanstyle offerings, including a roster of tasty gyros, chicken kabobs, a slew of excellent sides, a few seafood items, and a string of salads with eye-popping ingredients.

On the Menu: The Mediterranean Plate ($12.25) is a gorgeous small plate of Greek favorites, including falafel, tabbouleh, ricestuffed grape leaves, hummus (garlic or red pepper), and pita bread. Aside from the savory falafel (served with a dollop of sour cream and diced tomatoes), the tabbouleh is extraordinary with its fresh, emerald parsley and white bits of bulgur wheat.

The Original Gyro ($7) includes everything that makes this Greek sandwich great: tender, rotisserie-cut gyro meat, creamy tzatziki sauce, strong white onions, and ripe tomatoes. For those meat lover’s tired of the bar-burger routine, this is a solid and filling option — especially when paired with Mim’s Fiery Feta Sauce ($2/4 oz.), in which we dipped our crispy French fries.

The Neptune Gyro, with its planks of crispy, deep-fried cod tenders, also buoyed our spirits. The Guinness-battered fish planks nestled tastily between thin slices of American cheese, lettuce, tartar sauces, tomatoes, and onions.

Mim’s has both vegetarian and vegan options, including salads, tabbouleh, and more. Additionally, the menu includes a Chicken Kebab Plate ($13), Curry Chicken Shawarma Plate ($12.50) and offerings for kids, like the Chicken Tender Basket ($7.25) and the Grilled Cheese Pita Basket ($6.75).

There’s currently no interior dining at Mim’s Mediterranean Grill restaurant. Carryout orders are available at both the U.S. 31 (restaurant) and Back Lot (food truck) location, though diners can sit outdoors and eat at the latter. Carry-out orders may also be made in person at the front door of the U.S. 31 restaurant. www.mimsmediterraneangrill. com, (231) 348-9994

Benedict Traverse City No matter the weather, Traverse City’s newest breakfast and lunch restaurant, Benedict, radiates a welcome as warm as the sun with its light-filled, bright yellow-flecked interior and the smiles (recognizable even behind masks) of its owner, Leslie Elsen, and her friendly staff.

The idea for Benedict — Elsen’s dream, really — started to take shape just over five years ago. “It stemmed from my love for the pace and energy of the breakfast scene, combined with a passion for baking and several years’ experience in the coffee industry,” she said. I wanted to upscale the classics and offer seasonal specials that were both comforting and interesting — something simple yet memorable.”

On the Menu: Scratch cooking is a matter of course at Benedict, including many items that are made in-house, e.g. bacon and Canadian bacon, biscuits, pastries, herb mayonnaise, sauces, dressings, and other condiments.

Not surprisingly, most of Benedict’s menu items incorporate eggs in some form.

The Biscuit Sandwich (soft scrambled egg, white cheddar, microgreens and house herb mayo, served with home fries) and the Northerner Benedict (biscuit, thick-cut bacon, tomato-cherry jam, poached eggs, and hollandaise) are two especially popular specialties, along with the Bread Pudding of the Day (a classic custard base highlighting whatever current ingredient inspires the kitchen – a recent version featured lemon custard with lemon curd and meringue).

The Seasonal Hash (currently with carrots, parsnips, potatoes, goat cheese, microgreens, and two eggs any way, served with choice of toast) and the Quiche of the Day (also incorporating ingredients that rotate with the seasons, served with a side salad) are also customer favorites.

Meal-size salads include Farro and Greens (farro, microgreens, goat cheese, fresh herbs and dried cherries, with cider vinaigrette) and Roasted Carrot Arugula (roasted carrots, arugula, candied pepita seeds, feta cheese and microgreens, tossed in a creamy tahinipoppyseed dressing — a poached egg can be added for a minimal charge).

To accompany breakfast or lunch, the menu lists a host of beverages, from batch coffee and tea to juice, soda, chai, or hot chocolate, as well as a selection of the most popular espresso drinks (think espresso, cappuccino, latte, cortado, macchiato, mocha). Elsen is in the process of obtaining a liquor license, too, and plans to have a small, curated drink menu, with many of the spirits coming from Iron Fish Distillery.

“Among other things, we will have Bloody Marys with a house-smoked celery salt rim and house bacon, as well as mimosas,” she noted. “For the latter, we will be introducing a Benedict Bubble Board, including four types of juice and a bottle of bubbly to share and build your own mimosa.”

Find Benedict at 237 Lake Avenue in Traverse City. Dine-in, outdoor patio (weather permitting) and takeout available.

(231) 421-1000, benedicttc.com Rad.Ish Traverse City To understand Rad. Ish Street Food, you must first understand this: It’s kind of rad, kind of street, and 100 percent plant-based. It’s also in two different locations, and a third — a food truck — is underway. And none of it was part of Lisa Moberly’s original plan.

(Or her family’s, it seems: “I’m halfMexican, and when I said I’m not going to eat meat, my family kind of freaked out.”)

Though Moberly had been working as a preschool teacher in Southern California, an unexpected tragedy in 2016 — the loss of her 7-year-old daughter — eventually prompted another major life change: a decision to move to Traverse City, Michigan, with her then-boyfriend, now-husband, Ryan, a chef.

Surprised by the North’s lack of ethnic vegan food they had found so readily back in California, the culinary duo began making their own to sell at farmers markets. After selling out at each market, they decided to go bigger and turn a small 1966 Streamline trailer into a food truck.

Then the pandemic struck, putting those plans on hold but soon bringing not one but two opportunities in quick succession: Scott Pierson, owner of The Coin Slot, in downtown Traverse City, offered them use of his kitchen to feed his arcade patrons; and the owners of the new Stone Hound Brewing Company, requested Moberly’s expertise on vegan Mexican.

On the Menu: Today Rad.Ish’s downtown location offers a host of sushi, such as the Hey There Tiger Roll, with bell pepper, crunchy greens, tomato, cucumber, and avocado, topped with imitation (plant-based) crab salad, tomato dust, micro cilantro, and pineapple habanero sauce. Then there’s the Roy Choi, with bell pepper shoots, cilantro, pickled jalapeno, tomato, and chicken, with zesty tomato dust and Korean BBQ sauce.

Or the Sublime, with tomato “salmon,” hatch chile, jicama or bell pepper, cilantro and cream cheese (vegan, of course), topped with wasabi guacamole and micro cilantro and served with unagi sauce. Also available: burgers — vegan, of course — and Rad. Ish’s famed Dirty Fries — French fries with fermented beans and sushi topping.

Meanwhile, back at the brewery on the east side of Traverse City, the menu includes those famous fries, this time topped with cheese and vegan Asada, along with burgers, pretzel bites with hot honey mustard that’s infused with beer, taquitos stuffed with jackfruit, even burritos and tacos with citrus beer-braised grilled “meat” with lime, cilantro, and green onion. Many of the items are made with Stone Hound beer.

“It’s been really nice. Cooking is my wheelhouse. People are so friendly — the support has been really rewarding and overwhelming.”

End of story? Not quite. Remember that food truck? Moberly said it’s still part of their plan.

Find Rad.Ish’s Stone Hound Brewing Company location at 3593 Bunker Hill Rd., in Williamsburg; the downtown Traverse City location at 346 E. Front St.; and each location’s most up-to-date schedule and menu, as well as the latest on Rad.Ish’s food truck, visit www.rad.ishstreetfood.com.

American House Wood Fired Pizza Elk Rapids The interior of the building that up until recently housed ownerchef Michael Peterson’s Siren Hall hasn’t changed much since he turned it into American House Wood Fired Pizza, except for the removal of several tables and booths to allow for social distancing and a few warmer and theme-appropriate elements, the most obvious of which is certainly the very large and very warm — nay, hot — custom-built, brick and red-tiled, freestanding Marra Forni pizza oven that dominates one corner of the dining room.

The high-tech yet old-world oven is,

like American House, not only a point of pride for Peterson but also a tangible symbol of the chef ’s effort to slow down and simplify.

Peterson — who started working in restaurants at age 14, trained in classical cuisine at the Culinary Institute of America and in Paris — has already owned three restaurants: Spencer Creek, in Alden; Lulu’s, in Bellaire; and, for the last 14 years, Siren Hall.

“It has been a great run, but also a long haul — not just for me, but also for, my sous chef, who has been with me for 24 years, and Mindy Bisson, our general manager, who has been working with us for almost 20 years.

Another thing was that Siren Hall was quite a machine to operate, and then this past year with the pandemic, but also the ongoing labor shortage, it kind of made us start thinking that we needed to simplify things.”

American House Pizza was the answer.

On the Menu: If you’re a “Deadhead” like Peterson, you’ll instantly recognize that all of American House’s are named after Grateful Dead songs. “We wanted to keep a couple of our pizzas really simple, because everybody loves a margherita-style pizza (cue “I Need a Miracle”) or a pepperoni pizza (cue “Ripple”), but then we like to play with the others a little bit, giving them some more unexpected toppings that combine great flavor with great texture.” That would describe Big River (parmesan mornay sauce, mozzarella, blackened shrimp, tasso ham, charred tomatoes, and crispy Brussels sprouts) and Big Boss Man (tomato sauce, mozzarella, grana padano, meatballs, and basil). “I’ve always been a fan of meatball pizzas, and we make a really good meatball from scratch so that one was a no-brainer,” he says. Franklins Tower (basil pesto, mozzarella, grana Padano, chicken, tomatoes, and spinach) is another pizza in that category. “I love making pizzas, because you can be so creative,” says Peterson. “It’s like an artist’s canvas, and you can paint whatever you want on it.”

The new venture still has a full bar, and although American House is quite pizzafocused now, they do offer several other menu options. In the entrées section, there are some familiar items that hearken back to Siren Hall, including fish and chips (beerbattered cod with herb remoulade and creamy coleslaw), steak frites (seared beef tenderloin tips with bordelaise sauce, shaved Brussels sprouts and bacon) and the house-ground beef chuck burger (with bacon, aged cheddar, and pickles) as well as the vegan black bean chipotle burger (double-stacked black bean patties, charred onions, muenster cheese, and roasted tomato, with jalapeño mayo and tomatillo salsa) from the chef ’s Michael P’s line of specialty foods. The Caesar and wedge salads have also made the leap to American House, but there is now a Mediterranean salad as well (romaine lettuce, roasted peppers, red onions, olives, pepperoncini, tomatoes, chickpeas and grana Padano, with croutons and green goddess dressing).

Peterson plans to do more pasta dishes in the future. “Recently I made a traditional pasta Bolognese as a special, and it was a big hit with our customers,” he says. Right now, the menu offers chicken parmesan (breaded chicken breast with marinara, mozzarella, parmesan, pepper and basil, served with egg pappardelle), ziti pasta (with roasted chicken, charred cauliflower, spinach, olive oil, pepper flakes, garlic, herbs and pecorino romano), and bucatini (with short rib-tomato ragu, rosemary ricotta, and grana Padano).

Find American House Wood Fired Pizza at 151 River Street in Elk Rapids. For the most up-to-date schedule and reservations, call (231) 264-6062. Note: In summer, a walkup kitchen on the restaurant’s large outdoor patio will sell ice cream, barbecue pulled pork, hot dogs, chili dogs, and a selection of salads and other healthy options to go. americanhousepizza.com

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Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 13

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Muhammad Ali’s bike was stolen when he was twelve years old and the police officer he reported the crime to suggested he learn how to fight before he caught up with the thief. Bessie Coleman, the first African American female aviator, collected and washed her neighbors’ dirty laundry to raise enough money for college. At the age of seven, Duke Ellington preferred playing baseball to attending piano lessons. Written for young readers, this is a book that will also charm and inspire adults.

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By Ross Boissoneau We love the variety of outstanding food and beverages available here in the North country, from our restaurants, markets, and roadside stands to our bakeries, breweries, wineries, cideries, and distilleries. But rather than praying for an open table while hungry tourists and pandemic restrictions duke it out, why not plan a spring picnic for your pod — preferably one where the planning and meal is done for you?

Here at Northern Express, we’re all about making it easy for our readers. So we’ve come up with three picnic adventures for a party of four, each complete with at least one menu of local to-go foods and drink, plus a picture-perfect location suggestion. All you need to make it happen? Suitable spring weather — perhaps the one thing even the North’s gifted food, drink, and picnic purveyors can’t provide.

The Place: Boyne City’s Avalanche Preserve With 320 acres of sloping forested terrain, Avalanche Preserve offers activities year-round, from hiking, mountain biking, jogging, and disc golf to sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and archery. Right now (when the weather cooperates, anyway), it’s prime picnic season on the mountain, and accessing its spectacular views from several viewing platforms is, well, easier than a mileslong hike uphill. A mere 437 steps will get you where you want to go here — and help work up that appetite. Access from Wilson Street and from the historic Waterworks Park and trailhead on Division Street.

The Picnic: With a menu encompassing a variety of Latin favorites, Red Mesa Grill in downtown Boyne City (yes, there’s one in Traverse City as well) goes beyond Mexican.

Some favorites don’t travel well, however; bummer about that amazing French fried ice cream. Sigh. Nevertheless, options abound. General manager Justin Gibbert suggests the Twisters, a popular choice among the hand-held crowd.

We’ll go with a couple Caribbean Shrimp Twisters (cilantro lime tortilla with shrimp, garlic Serrano aioli, and pineapple salsa) and, in a nod to the veg-heads among us (guilty!), two Black Bean Cake Twisters (chihuahua cheese, red rice and black bean cakes, with roasted corn salsa). Then some burritos to share, say one roasted pork and one chicken.

To round things off, stop at Provisions Wine Market and Deli. Sandwiches and pizza can also be yours, but if you’re already set with your Red Mesa meal, we reccomend grabbing a few cans of Bubble Butt Rosé Seltzer and some sangria.

You can even outfit your party with an eco-friendly cooler or picnic basket that comes complete with glasses, plates, flatware, and a corkscrew. Feeling extra festive? Pick up some chocolate caramel corn for dessert, part of the stash of Bruce’s caramel corn you’ll find at the Alpine Chocolat Haus.

The Price: Assuming you eschew all the other treats available at Provisions and the Chocolat Haus (next time!), you’re at approximately $98 before tax and gratuities.

The Place: Beulah Village Park This spacious, shady park is in the heart of downtown Beulah. Walk to shops and restaurants (more on that in a minute) or walk across the parking lot to the sandy public beach on the shore of beautiful Crystal Lake. The park offers a spacious pavilion, grills, picnic tables, tennis, and pickleball courts, and is almost entirely shaded by majestic hardwoods. Time it right, and you can catch one of the free Music in the Park concerts, assuming that’s a thing this year.

The Picnic: There’s no shortage of restaurants right downtown, but let’s start by driving up the hill to Benzonia and the Roadhouse Cantina. A favorite of Northerners from all over the region, The Roadhouse can provide all your to-go favorites — like an order of empanadas, tasty Chilean pastries that are filled with seasoned mashed potatoes, green peppers, onions, corn, Monterey Jack, and cream cheese, then fried golden brown. Tacos are always a fine warm-weather favorite.

For ease, get four taco dinners, each with three (chicken or beef, hard or soft shell) tacos plus rice and black beans.

Want more casual eats? Head back to Beulah and swing into East Shore Market to fill out (most) of the rest of your menu. Pizza for a picnic? Maybe, but you can get that at A. Papano’s on the north side of town. The sandwiches are fab, so we’ll get a Vegan (hummus, artichokes, pickles, olives, onions and whatever other veggies are on hand) and Rome Kansas (roast beef and capicola meet provolone and Colby cheese; both come with lettuce and tomato and are served hot). Maybe someone in your group is extra hungry, so we’ll throw in a couple of half subs: an Omni with turkey, cucumber, reen peppers, onions, and Havarti and Swiss cheese; and a roast beef with horseradish sauce and grilled onions and peppers.

Gotta have something to drink, right? Head across the street and down a block to Five Shores Brewing and pick up a growler. There’s an embarrassment of craft beer riches to choose from, but for your picnic purposes, we’ll opt for the All Five, a double dry-hopped IPA, featuring a tangerine and melon aroma with lemony, citrus flavors.

The Price: Approximately $66, again before taxes and tips.

The Place: Mari Vineyards The first and perhaps best partner location for TC Picnic Co., the new picnic business opening this month in Traverse City, Mari’s hilly, sun-swept vineyard on Old Mission Peninsula offers two sites for TC Picnic Co. guests: a brick patio overlooking the vineyard and another on the other side of the vineyard, offering a view of the scenic roadside.

The Picnic: TC Picnic Co. offers a premium pop-up picnic experience (say that three times quickly), providing all the necessary accessories and then some: tables, plates, flatware and drinkware, candles, linens and décor, and seating on an assortment of comfy pillows. Perfect for bachelorette parties, a romantic afternoon or evening, or a gathering for friends, each TC Picnic Co. picnic can be tailored to the location and event at hand.

While TC Picnic Co. doesn’t prepare the food, it works with a number of chefs for the comestibles. For a picnic at Mari, the winery provides both the venue and the menu.

Jenna Veiga, the marketing and events manager for Mari Vineyards, said a variety of foodstuffs will be available for picnics this summer; for now, meat and cheese charcuterie boards are available, as well as (of course) wine by the bottle or glass.

The Price: Well, that depends. For our hypothetical party of four, the TC Picnic Co. prices start at $190, sans food and bev. Assuming you’ll want two charcuterie boards and a couple of glasses of wine each, you’ll pay slightly over $300. But hey, what’s a pampered picnic on the grounds of a winery — one that requires you bring and do nothing other than show up and enjoy — worth to you?

Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 15

By Janice Binkert My own “secret weapon” is a birthday gift I received from my husband some time ago (after several hints had been dropped by me). It’s a Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender, and I’m sure I sound like a carnival hawker when I start telling friends and family how great it is. It comes with whisk and chopper/grinder attachments, and I use it almost daily to make smoothies; purée soups or sauces; mix salad dressings or dips; chop herbs, vegetables or nuts; and whip cream or egg whites.

But let’s see what our chefs have to say …

Dan Marsh of Red Ginger, Traverse City eatatginger.com “Although it’s been around for decades, my latest ‘secret weapon’ has experienced a recent revival. Chiu Chow Chili Oil is made by slowly simmering dried chilis, garlic and shallots to produce a delicately smoky infused oil that’s loaded with umami-rich crunchy bits. Its heat is more subtle than that of sriracha or sambal. I use it so frequently that it no longer gets put away in the pantry but now lives on the counter next to the stove. Use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings, spoon it on steamed rice or scrambled eggs, or drizzle over shucked oysters.”

Chiu Chow Chili Oil can be found at the Traverse Asian Market on 14th Street in Traverse City, the international food sections of many grocery stores in northern Michigan, or online.

Jen Welty of 9 Bean Rows, Suttons Bay 9beanrows.com “It’s hard to pick just one ‘secret weapon.’

My favorite cleaning gadget is a squeegee.

Scrubbing countertops and then squeegeeing leaves them flawlessly clean. And my not-sosecret ingredient currently is Fustini’s Meyer Lemon Olive Oil. We use it in our lemon bars, in salads, grain bowls, soups, and more.

But my most indispensable kitchen tool — aside from my bare hands — is a Robot Coupe food processor. It’s quite expensive for the home cook, but well worth the investment for our professional kitchen. With it, making hummus, mayo, peanut butter and pesto — just for starters — is a breeze. I couldn’t imagine life without it.”

Squeegees are widely available at kitchen shops and hardware stores; find Fustini’s Meyer Lemon Olive Oil at Fustini’s Oils & Vinegars in Traverse City and Petoskey, as well as at grocery stores around the region and online at fustinis.com; the Robot Coupe is available at specialty kitchen shops and online.

Tommy Kaszubowski of Chandler’s, Petoskey chandlersarestaurant.com “I don’t know if it’s a ‘secret weapon,’ but my favorite kitchen tool is my sturdy stainless steel Global fish spatula. We cook a lot of fish in the summer at Chandler’s, and this spatula is not only very comfortable and safe to use thanks to its textured, slipresistant handle, but also very tough, so it can take the abuse it gets in a professional kitchen! And this particular brand of fish spatula is known for its well-balanced, one-piece design and signature sharp edge, which allows it to be used for many other things besides just turning fish, like meats and poultry, roasted vegetables or even pancakes and baked goods.”

The Global fish spatula can be found at Cutler’s in Petoskey (which is across the street from Chandler’s on Howard Street), or online.

16 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

Janene Silverman of Raduno, Traverse City radunotc.com “My most used culinary utensil is a metal bench scraper and dough cutter.

It is kind of a ‘secret weapon,’ I guess, in that it can be used in almost any kitchen situation. I use it for portioning any type of bread dough, pizza dough, biscuits or rolls, helping mix/knead pasta dough and gnocchi, for portioning shortbread cookies and other cookie varieties, for scraping my bench or counter surface clean, and for cleaning stubborn, stuck-on messes inside ovens or on any kitchen surface at home. I taught an Italian cooking class at St. Francis High School in Traverse City recently, and the kids used it to mix sausage in the sauté pan! I keep one near me at all times.”

Bench scraper/dough cutters can be found at specialty kitchen shops, in department store kitchen sections, or online.

Tony Vu of The Good Bowl, Traverse City goodbowleatery.com “My go to ‘secret weapon’ is fish sauce. I know it sounds weird to most people, but when you realize it has been used throughout world history to make food more savory, the possibilities are really endless. It’s the secret ingredient in Worcestershire sauce, a great addition to Caesar dressing and pasta sauce, and of course, is used throughout Vietnamese cooking. It is the star in the ever-addicting Nuoc Cham dipping condiment that we make and serve with several dishes at The Good Bowl. Pro tip: If you ever get an oil burn, put fish sauce on a towel and wrap your wound with it. No blisters and fast pain relief. My favorite brand is Megachef.”

You can find Megachef fish sauce at the Traverse Asian Market on 14th Street in Traverse City and online.

Randy Chamberlain of Blu, Glen Arbor glenarborblu.com “One ‘secret weapon’ for me is xanthan gum.

It probably has a bad reputation because it’s a common ingredient in many processed foods, but it has a multitude of uses in any kitchen that’s making homemade foods, such as glutenfree recipes, sauces, sorbets, gelato, vinaigrettes, purees, and both hot and cold soups. And I also have two other, less tangible secret weapons.

When people ask me the source of my creativity, new ideas, and inspiration, my first answer is: ‘Sleep.’ Nine hours is what I like. Chefs often relish bragging about the hours they work, the toll, the grind. It is all that, but until you learn to prioritize your health and well-being, you’ll never know how well you may nourish others.

My second answer: ‘Traveling to eat.’ Start with Chicago, New Orleans, Montreal, and Quebec City. They all have great multicultural cuisine options, yet are deep in specific traditions of their own.”

Xanthan gum can be found at most grocery stores in the baking aisle.

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Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 17

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Lakehomes.com 18 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

“Every important person was once a child.”

Rochelle Riley’s latest book traces Black heroes from their beginnings. Join the NWS conversation in May

By Anna Faller A nationally syndicated columnist and near two-decade veteran of the Detroit Free Press, Rochelle Riley has spent much of her career telling stories that might otherwise have gone unheard. “A lot of what I write has to do with issues affecting African Americans, or of interest to African Americans,’ says Riley, “because I’m a black columnist living in America and writing, and that’s my duty.”

So, when Riley discovered a 2017 social media series featuring a young girl dressed as history’s most revolutionary Black women, she knew she’d stumbled upon something special. “While I was working on my first book, called “The Burden,” I started seeing these photographs of these amazing Black women [every day of] February, Black History Month,” she says. “And I thought, ‘I’ve got to find out who this is!’”

The answer: Seattle-based photographer Cristi Smith-Jones and her young daughter, Lola. “She said she was doing [the photos] not just to teach her daughter about Black history but also to help her embody the spirit of these women she wanted her to know,” says Riley.

According to the old adage, a picture is worth 1000 words; but Riley had far more than that for Smith-Jones’s photos. “I said, I’d love to write something to go with them.”

The resultant biography, “That They Lived: African Americans Who Changed the World,” comprises a series of essays detailing the lives and accomplishments of the country’s most influential African Americans, from Frederick Douglass to Maya Angelou. Accompanied by SmithJones’s reimagined portraits, the book fills the gaps in our country’s chronology that most contemporary history simply excludes.

“If young white children were taught the entire history of America and all the things that African Americans had done, they would not feel that African Americans were inferior, and young Black children would not feel inferior,” says Riley. “So, when I wrote these, I wanted to make sure I wrote about how these are Americans, and we should be grateful that they lived and that they did these things that they did.”

A celebratory collection — both of achievement and of childhood — the essays in “That They Lived” are also intended to spark inspiration, especially in its youngest readers.

“The whole point of this book is to teach children and families that every important person was once a child,” says Riley. “Every single biography begins that way.”

Of course, all children eventually turn into adults; and it’s those transformative elements of childhood — the “moments that matter” — that each essay aims to emphasize.

“There’s something that happens that might lead [a child] in a certain direction,” Riley says, “so I spent a year doing all this research to figure out who, or what, in their lives might have changed them.”

For champion heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali, that moment was when his bicycle was stolen when he was 12. Shirley Chisolm, America’s first African American woman in Congress, grew up so poor that she was sent to live elsewhere as a child. “I look for those moments,” says Riley. “Each [essay] talks about what [that person’s] childhood was like, and what they became from that. I want every child of color to be inspired by knowing that.”

Riley’s own moment arrived in adolescence when a beloved high school English teacher lead a news-writing class.

“All I ever wanted to do was be a writer

from the time I was eight years old,” says Riley. “So, when she held up that newswriting book, I said, ‘That’s how I’m going to be a writer.’ From then on, I was a journalist.” A graduate of the University of North Carolina’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media, Riley spent four years in Louisville as a columnist, reporter, and newsroom executive before becoming a columnist for the Detroit Free Press.

Now the city of Detroit’s director of Arts and Culture, a position that Riley herself pioneered — “How many times in your life do you get to make the job you’re going to have?” she asks — Riley combines her love of writing with advocating for Detroit-based artists. “When you’re starting something new like this, it’s a selling job,” says Riley.

“And as a columnist, you persuade people.

So, part of my job is the same as being a columnist: [telling] these stories so that people understand what a creative workforce and economy we have in Detroit.”

But first, the art of storytelling requires a story. For Riley, those tales often reflect the obstacles many African Americans continue to face. “The vestiges of enslavement still affect how African Americans live in America,” she says, “and it also affects how we teach our children.”

That process, however, is progressing — and Riley’s pen is more than ready to push it forward. “What’s happening now is that people are awakening to what it really has been like for African Americans in America, and by seeing that, want to change,” says Riley.

“We can have the America that was dreamed of, and the America that we talk about, and the America that other countries see if we work at it. It’s just about wanting it to be, and being a part of it in every way that you can.”

The Host: Leonard Pitts Jr.

Throughout his esteemed 43-year career, Leonard Pitts Jr. has worked as a columnist, lecturer, and college professor. A nationally syndicated journalist, Pitts is a 2004 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for commentary.

His other accolades include multiple awards from both the Atlantic City Press Club and the National Association of Black Journalists. Pitts was the NABJ’s Journalist of the Year in 2008 and is a 2016 inductee to the National Society of Newspaper Columnists’ Hall of Fame. In addition to his work as a journalist, Pitts has also authored several books, including, “Before I Forget” and “The Last Thing You Surrender.” Pitts is a graduate of the University of Southern California and currently resides in Maryland.

Attend the Event

Award-winning journalist and author Rochelle Riley will join the National Writers Series for a free, virtual event on Thursday, May 13, beginning at 7 p.m. to discuss the biography, “That They Lived.”

The book will be published Feb. 2, and is available for preorder at Horizon Books with a 20 percent NWS discount. Guest host for the event is Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author, Leonard Pitts Jr. Registration can be found here: https:// nationalwritersseries.org/2021-springseason-registration/

Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 19

CELEBRATING OUR 20th ANNIVERSARY!

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20 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

Call Cindy Schlaack (231) 421-9500 cindy@betterlivinghomestc.com

Pink Martini

Vanessa Williams

Kurt Elling

Gladys Knight

Naturally 7

LIVE AND IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES ARE BACK — AND BIG — AT GLCFA Bruce in the USA, Gladys Knight, Pink Martini, comic Ryan Hamilton, Vanessa Williams, and more coming this summer

By Ross Boissoneau In the good old summertime, people used to gather, enjoy one another’s company, and do things. One of the things they’d do was go to concerts. Then 2020 happened, and everything changed.

At Great Lakes Center for the Arts, like every other venue, that meant the season’s shows were canceled and the auditorium went dark. That was then, and this — a new season, with vaccines, social distancing, and masking — is now. Artists are touring, and venues are once again opening their doors.

For the facility at Bay Harbor, south of Petoskey, that means a new slate of concerts.

Some of them are events that were previously announced and have been rescheduled.

Others are return visits by artists who have performed there in the past, while some will be making their first visits to the area.

“We’re going to try Plan A. This may change,” said Alexandra Myers, the marketing director for GLCFA. Indeed, everything is subject to change. That’s how we got here in the first place.

Myers said some of the lessons learned last year are reflected in the arrangements for this year. That includes social distancing and masks for attendees, touchless ticketing, a thorough cleaning of the auditorium prior to and following each performance, and again hosting some events outside. “Last year we had an outdoor happy hour on the center’s front porch. It went very well,” she said.

With that in mind, the center is kicking off the season with another show on the center’s front porch. “Max von Essen is a great entertainer, and it’s fun to be outside. We’re crossing our fingers for good weather,” she said.

When asked what they look for in creating a schedule, the first thing Myers said relates to the pandemic’s challenges: “Who’s touring, who’s comfortable” with an indoor setting, she said. Then it’s balancing the schedule with a number of

different acts. “A wide variety, (so we have) something for everyone. The mix is very important. And affordable tickets.”

June 19 Outdoor Season Kickoff with Max von Essen and Billy Stritch Tony, Grammy and Drama Desk nominee Max von Essen with awardwinning composer, arranger, vocalist and jazz pianist Billy Stritch in a standardsbased show. Broadway World praised von Essen “for having found the perfect balance between modern Broadway star and golden age elegance.” In addition to a 25-year collaboration with Liza Minnelli, Stritch has toured as pianist and musical director for Tony Bennett and others.

June 26 Bruce in the USA The show was born on the Las Vegas Strip in the winter of 2004. AXS TV dubbed it “The World’s Greatest Tribute to Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band,” and the group performs a note-perfect rendition of a Springsteen concert.

July 2 Naturally 7 The seven members of Naturally 7 transform their voices into instruments, effortlessly producing music of any genre.

Quincy Jones went so far as to declare Naturally 7 “the future of vocal music.”

July 10 Gladys Knight Gala The fundraiser gala for the center features the “Empress of Soul,” a seven-time Grammy winner, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

July 17 Vanessa Williams Celebrated actor, dancer, and singer

Williams has had hits on the Billboard charts as well as on stage and screen.

July 22 Ryan Hamilton Named one of Rolling Stone’s Five Comics to Watch in 2012, Hamilton has made numerous appearances on late-night TV, where his material includes everything from hot air balloons to the absurdity of his own wholesomeness.

July 24 Kurt Elling The preeminent jazz vocalist is a perennial poll winner and Grammy nominee, having won two of the latter among a slew of other awards. He’s sung everything from standards to King Crimson and Stevie Wonder.

July 30/31 Pink Martini A returning favorite, the expansive oeuvre of this assembly ranges across the classical, pop, jazz, and Latin traditions.

Aug. 6 Brian Stokes Mitchell The actor and singer with a powerful baritone won a Tony for “Kiss Me, Kate.”

Aug. 13-15 “Always, Patsy Cline” musical This tribute to the legendary country singer who died at age 30 in a plane crash is based on a true story about her friendship with a fan from Houston. It features many of her hits.

Aug. 17 ChaoJun Yang A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and the Bard College Conservatory of Music, pianist Chaojun Yang performs everything from pre-Baroque to 21st century.

Aug. 2 Michael Feinstein Musical archivist, champion of the Great American Songbook, and cabaret favorite Feinstein is perhaps the prime interpreter of Gershwin.

Aug. 28 Paul Taylor American Modern Dance Paul Taylor helped shape and define America’s homegrown art of modern dance from 1954 until his death in 2018. The company he founded continues that tradition.

Sept. 5 Tanya Tucker Country star Tucker makes a return appearance at GLCFA. Sept. 12 Denyce Graves The celebrated mezzo-soprano has performed in opera houses across the country and for the president, vice president, and Supreme Court, as well as children’s TV. Oct. 2 Thompson Square Country duo Thompson Square, the husband-and-wife team of Keifer and Shawna Thompson, has recorded several country chart-toppers.

Oct. 9 BB King Blues Band Continuing the tradition of the King of the Blues, the band features BB’s daughter Claudette King and Michael Lee, semifinalist on The Voice.

Keep in the loop: Other shows may be added, including one focused on kids and learning, like the recent magic-meetsscience comedy performance by Dr. Kaboom. For tickets and more information, go to www.GreatLakesCFA.org.

Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 21

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22 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

may 08

saturday

“SWING INTO SPRING”: 5-6:30pm, Harbor Springs Waterfront, next to The Pier. This concert will be performed by the Harbor Springs Middle & High School Jazz bands. Free.

-------------

SPRING ART MARKET: Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. A two week indoor art fair & pop-up vendor market. Your purchases support area artists & the Crooked Tree Arts Center. The event runs through May 8 with hours: 11am-4pm, Tues.-Fri.; 10am-noon, Sat.; & extended evening hours on Thurs. until 7pm. Online shopping & private shopping appointments available. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-traverse-city-ctac-online/springart-market-featuring-20-artist-booths

---------------------62ND ANNUAL MESICK MUSHROOM FESTIVAL: May 7-9. Today includes the Co-Ed Softball Tournament, Money Hunt, Hobby-Craft Show, MMF Grand Parade, Mesick Bulldog Marching Band Concert, Mesick Mushroom 5K “Glow in the Dark” & more. mesick-mushroomfest.org/schedule.html

---------------------DOWNTOWN ART WALK: 4-7pm, May 7-8.

Join Downtown TC merchants as they host artists in their shops. Check out interactive community art activities from partners at Crooked Tree Arts Center, Arts for All, & the Dennos Museum Center. Pick up a walking guide at all participating locations. downtowntc.com/downtown-art-walk

---------------------MOTHER’S DAY FOOD DRIVE: 11am-3pm, TC Elks #323 parking lot, TC. Donations will be collected & given to the Father Fred Foundation. For a list of needed items, visit: facebook. com/TCElks323/ or elkstc.com

---------------------BIRDING BY EAR: 8-10am, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Learn to ID birds by their songs & go for a birding walk. $5/person. grassriver.org

---------------------27TH SUE DEYOUNG/JUDY EDGER MEMORIAL BREAST CANCER WALK & RUN: 9amnoon, East Park Pavilion, Charlevoix. $30 entry fee to receive an event t-shirt. walkruncure.org

---------------------MADE IN CHEBOYGAN CRAFT SHOW: 9am-3pm, Washington Park, Cheboygan. Join over 20 vendors each month for a weekend of arts, crafts & shopping. facebook.com/madeincheboygan

---------------------THE VILLAGE TAG SALE: 10am-6pm, The Village at GT Commons, TC. An indoor sidewalk sale held in the Mercato. thevillagetc.com/ the-village-tag-sale

---------------------IRIS FOLDING CLASS: 11am, Interlochen Public Library, Community Room. Adults learn the craft technique of iris folding using strips of colored paper to form a design. Class size limited. Sign up required: 231-276-6767.

SCOOBY DOO-WOP TWO-WOP: 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Mashup Rock & Roll Musical presents a sequel to their Scooby Doo-Wop, a live, drive-in theatre adventure. This Covid-safe performance allows for the audience to stay safely in their cars while they enjoy live dance & performance & get to be a part of the mystery by solving puzzles & clues through their smart phone. Limited spots are available & must be reserved in advance.

The show will begin at the Old Town Playhouse, TC parking lot & then will move to one other location. $32 per car. mashuprockandrollmusical.com/ scooby-doo-wop-two-wop

----------------------

may

08-16

send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

GOPHERWOOD CONCERTS PRESENTS ROOT DOCTOR: 7pm. Streamed online. This award winning Michigan based blues & soul band has released half a dozen albums to date. There have been personnel changes over the years but James Williams & Freddie Cunningham have remained consistent. gopherwoodconcerts.org

may 09

sunday

62ND ANNUAL MESICK MUSHROOM FESTIVAL: Mesick. May 7-9. Today includes the Co-Ed Softball Tournament, Antique Car Show & Cruise, carnival & more. mesick-mushroomfest.org/schedule.html

---------------------MOTHER’S DAY FOOD DRIVE: (See Sat., May 8)

---------------------SCOOBY DOO-WOP TWO-WOP: (See Sat., May 8)

----------------------

THE ACCIDENTALS “TIME OUT” VIRTUAL EP RELEASE SHOW: 8pm. Featuring five artists in-the-round. The Accidentals are joined

by Dar Williams, Tom Paxton, Kim Richey, & Maia Sharp. Tickets: $25; tickets with VIP Q&A + Merch Bundle: $100. cityoperahouse.org/ node/386

may 10

monday

PETOSKEY CHAMBER HOSTS VIRTUAL JOB FAIR: 3-5pm. Open for anyone seeking employment.

Held via Remo. Free. petoskeychamber.com

---------------------MEET WITH STATE REP. JOHN ROTH: 4-5pm, East Bay Park, TC. Share your ideas & concerns. 517-373-1766.

---------------------MOSS & LICHENS HIKE: With Brad Von Blon.

Held in partnership with Little Traverse Conservancy. 5:30pm, McCune Nature Preserve; park on Berger Rd., Petoskey. Register. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-4296087/Registration SHEBIKES: 6pm, McLain Cycle parking lot, 8th St., TC. For women cyclists who are interested in friendship, fitness & fun. Presented by

The Blessing of the Blossoms ceremony will happen! Head to St. Joseph’s Church on Old Mission Peninsula on Sun., May 16 at 1pm and join Dr. Hogue, Rev. Rexroat, Pastors Ze and Shumar, and Gaylord Bishop Hurley, along with journalist Mike Norton singing the classical Impossible Dream. Listen to Norton’s ‘dream’ again during COVID times…”To Fight The Unbeatable Foe.” Then drive to Chateau Chantal’s dining room for Sara Lee Bakery’s gift of fresh cherry pie and Chantal’s glass of wine with Bishop Hurley.

Cherry Capital Cycling Club & McLain Cycle & Fitness. Tonight is an informal get-together.

There will also be a short workshop on bike maintenance. Please bring a lawn chair. The group will then host six Monday night rides at 6pm, starting from the Traverse City Central High School parking lot from May 17-June 28.

One-time $10 fee for non-Club members. cherrycapitalcyclingclub.org

may 12

wednesday

OTSEGO FOOD DISTRIBUTION: 10:30am-1pm, Otsego County United Way, Gaylord.

989-358-4700.

--------------

LAP THE LAKE CAR SHOW: A 1,000-mile road rally around Lake Michigan will be stopping for a car show tonight in downtown Harbor Springs. The Lap the Lake Road Rally car show will include about 45 vehicles at the Holy Childhood church parking lot from 4-6pm. Tomorrow, Thurs., May 13, it travels from Harbor Springs to Frankfort. https:// www.lapthelakerally.com

THE LUCY; THE RMS LUSITANIA WITH DAVID KAPLAN: 7pm. Held online. This presentation covers the entire career of the famous Lusitania including Cunard Line’s need for building the world’s largest & fastest ships, the Lusitania & Mauretania, in the early 1900s. Register. Free. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-4240503

may 13

thursday

VIRTUAL AUTHOR INTERVIEW: 2pm. The public libraries of Leelanau County & the Cottage Book Shop will host Irish author Ronan Hession for a virtual interview. In his debut novel “Leonard and Hungry Paul,” Hession shares the story of two 30-something friends, unique in their kindness & normalcy, as they strive to find their place in an increasingly jaded world. Held via Zoom. For the meeting link, visit glenlakelibrary.net, or contact your local library for more info. Free.

---------------------COOKING FOR ONE OR TWO: 6-7:30pm.

With Chef Laura. Held via Zoom. To register,

$1000 summer bonus Seeking fun and ambitious people to join our team and earn a summer bonus of $1000 or $1200!

Caring work environment, high income potential, and benefits (insurance, dining discounts, profit sharing & vacation pay). Flexible hours * Full or Part Time Please aPPly in Person at any location or online at magnumhosPitality.com

Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 23

may

08-16

email: jransom@tadl.org. interlochenpubliclibrary.org

---------------------NWS PRESENTS: AN EVENING WITH ROCHELLE RILEY: 7pm. The National Writers Series presents an evening of virtual conversation with author, columnist & Director of Arts and Culture for the City of Detroit Rochelle Riley. Enjoy discussing her new book, “That They Lived.” Guest host is Leonard Pitts Jr., a Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated columnist & author of “Freeman, Before I Forget,” & “The Last Thing You Surrender.” Free (donations accepted). nationalwritersseries.org/upcoming-events

may 14

friday

COMMUNITY YARD SALE - ARTS & CRAFTS SALE: 8am-1pm, ASI Community Center & Park, Bellaire

--------------

TAILS TO TRAILS REMOTE FOUR-PAW 5K: Join remotely anytime between May 14 – May 23 to complete your fourpawed 5K. Don’t have a dog? No problem... use this race as a good excuse to get outside & get some fresh air. Registration for this event benefits TART Trails. $20/$40. traversetrails. org/event/tails-to-trails-remote-four-paw-5k

---------------------PROTECTING OUR INLAND LAKES & SHORELANDS WEBINAR SERIES: “ICE, WIND, AND WAVES”: This “Lunch & Learn” webinar is presented by Brian Majka, senior restoration ecologist, GEI at noon. Free. Register: gtcd.wufoo.com/forms/m15jpp1o1nfqlbr/.

Developed by: Friends of Spider Lake & Rennie Lake. Sponsored by: Grand Traverse Conservation District.

---------------------SENSORY STORYTIME: 10am. For adults with special needs. Held via Zoom. Held the second Fri. of every month. Call 231-533-8814 or email bellairelibrary@gmail.com to get the Zoom link.

may 15

saturday

RUN MICHIGAN CHEAP: 5K, 10K, HALF MARATHON: 8am, Harrington’s By The Bay, TC. $30, $35, $40. runmichigancheap.com/traverse-city-515.html

---------------------TAILS TO TRAILS REMOTE FOUR-PAW 5K: (See Fri., May 14)

---------------------JOB FAIR: 9-11am, Short’s Brewing Co., Bellaire. Hosted by the Bellaire Chamber of Commerce, Short’s Brewing Co., Northwest Michigan Works & Bellaire High School. bellairechamber.org/event/job-fair

---------------------MODEL RAILROAD ZOOM MEETING: 10am-1pm, National Model Railroad Association North Central Region Division 2 Monthly Zoom Meeting. This meeting will include a presentation on Model Railroading and & show & tell. For login & password contact: superintendent.nmra.ncr.div2@gmail.com. Free.

---------------------LAUGHS AND DRAFTS COMEDY SHOW: 7:30pm, Ellison Place, Gaylord. Comedians Jeff Shaw (Comedy Central, Showtime, A&E) & Brad Tassell (CMT, ESPN, MTV) deliver a night of comedy. Doors, 6:30pm; show, 7:30pm.

Limited tickets available. Advance tickets: $20; door: $25. mynorthtickets.com/events/laughsand-drafts-comedy-show-5-15-2021

may 16 24 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

sunday

TAILS TO TRAILS REMOTE FOUR-PAW 5K: (See Fri., May 14)

--------------

BLESSING OF THE BLOSSOMS: 1pm, St. Joseph’s Church, Old Mission Peninsula. Service will include journalist Mike Norton singing the classical Impossible Dream. Listen to his ‘dream’ again during COVID times…”To Fight The Unbeatable Foe.” Then drive to Chateau Chantal’s dining room for Sara Lee Bakery’s gift of fresh cherry pie & Chantal’s glass of wine with Bishop Hurley.

---------------------GLCO SUNDAY SERIES: 4pm, First Presbyterian Church, Harbor Springs. Enjoy a free concert featuring Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra Music Director & violinist Libor Ondras. Ondras will perform with The Hummel Trio, along with young musicians from the Gerber Strings program. glcorchestra.org/concert/sunday-seriesthe-hummel-trio

ongoing

TRAVERSE CITY UNCORKED: Featuring self-guided tours of more than 40 area wineries while offering incentives, hotel discounts & a chance to win prizes. The event will feature a digital passport where guests can check into Traverse Wine Coast locations throughout the month of May. With five check-ins they are eligible to choose from an Uncorked t-shirt or TC wine-related gift items. The passports can be redeemed at the TC Visitor Center. Guests staying at participating hotels will also be entered to win a wine-themed TC vacation. The winner of the TC Uncorked grand prize will be announced in early June.

---------------------ROSÉ ALL MAY WITH LEELANAU PENINSULA WINE TRAIL: For an advance ticket purchase price of $35, ticket holders can enjoy a 3 oz. glass of rosé at each of the 21 participating wineries in an event-themed souvenir glass. mynorthtickets. com/events/ros-all-may-5-1-2021

---------------------ACCEPTING BOAT AUCTION DONATIONS: Maritime Heritage Alliance is now accepting donations of watercraft & nautical gear for the upcoming June 5th Boat Auction & Garage Sale.

Call to schedule: 946-2647 or visit online. maritimeheritagealliance.org/annual-boat-auction

---------------------VIRTUAL 2021 BAYSHORE MARATHON REGISTRATION: Featuring a marathon, half marathon & 10K. Register. Event held on May 29. bayshoremarathon.org

---------------------ICEMAN COMETH VIRTUAL TRAINING CHALLENGE: Ride 500, 1,000, or 3,000 miles to prepare for the 2021 Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge presented by Trek. Each distance will have its own exclusive Strava Club for tips & support, with all entrants eligible for prizes each month. Runs through Oct. 30. Registration ends Sept. 30. $25. registericeman.com/ Race/Events/MI/TraverseCity/IcemanCometh Challenge#eventGroup-7424

---------------------BLOOMS & BIRDS: WILDFLOWER WALK: Tuesdays, 10am-noon, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Go for a relaxing stroll on the trails with GRNA docents Julie Hurd & Phil Jarvi to find & identify the beautiful & unique wildflowers. grassriver.org

---------------------DISABILITY NETWORK MEN’S GROUP: ZOOM MEETINGS: Mondays, 10am through May 24. disabilitynetwork.org/events

----------------------

DISABILITY NETWORK PEER ADVOCACY GROUP: ZOOM MEETINGS: Thursdays, 2pm through May 27. disabilitynetwork.org/events

---------------------DISABILITY NETWORK WOMEN’S GROUP, SHARING HERSTORY: ZOOM MEETINGS: Mondays, 11am through May 24. disabilitynetwork.org/events

---------------------DISABILITY NETWORK’S QUARANTINE COOKING: Held via Zoom on Tuesdays at 2pm through May 25. Learn how to prepare & cook food using different adaptable tools, making cooking accessible for all. disabilitynetwork.org/ events

FANTASTIC FRIDAYS: A weekly celebration of students walking & rolling to school in northern Michigan. They are fun community actions to encourage elementary & middle school students to actively move themselves to school.

Park & Stroll option: Do you live too far from school to walk or bike? Or, maybe you don’t have a safe route to school from home? You can still participate. These routes allow you to park a short distance from your school & walk or roll the rest. elgruponorte.org/fridays

---------------------GENTLE YOGA CLASS: Tuesdays, 9am, Interlochen Public Library. Hosted by Leah Davis.

Bring your own mat, water bottle & towel. Donations appreciated. interlochenpubliclibrary.org

---------------------MISS ANN’S ZOOM STORY HOUR: 11am.

Presented by Interlochen Public Library. Held via Zoom. Weekly themes & craft supplies provided. Meeting ID: 876 3279 3456. Pass Code: storyhour. For more info call: 231-276-6767.

---------------------PEEPERS PROGRAM: Tuesdays, 10-11am, April 20 – May 18. Boardman River Nature Center, outside, TC. Presented by the Grand Traverse Conservation District. For ages 3-5.

Includes stories, crafts, music & discovery activities. Pre-register. natureiscalling.org/events

---------------------YARN THERAPY: GET HOOKED: Tuesdays, 11am, Interlochen Public Library, Community Room. Bring your own project. Class size is limited. 231-276-6767.

---------------------BELLAIRE FARMER’S MARKET: Fridays, 8am-noon, ASI Community Center, front parking lot, Bellaire. facebook.com/BellaireFarmersMarket

---------------------BOYNE CITY INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 9am-noon through May 15. City Hall Lobby, Boyne City. petoskeyarea.com/eventdetail/boyne-city-indoor-farmers-market-1

---------------------SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 7:30am-noon, May 1 - Oct. 30. The Wednesday market begins the first Weds. in June. Held in parking lot “B” at the southwest corner of Cass & Grandview Parkway in Downtown TC. The farmers market will take place on the ground floor of the Old Town Parking Deck during the National Cherry Festival. dda.downtowntc.com/farmers-market

art

COMEONCOMEONCOMEON: Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee. Jef Bourgeau’s canvases are “big, blunt, clumsy fragments of color and rumpled, spinning geometrics.” Runs April 23 - May 21. Open Fridays from 4-6pm & Saturdays from 12-3pm. ci.ovationtix.com/35295/production/1044645

---------------------“DON’T MISS THE BOAT”: Harbor Springs History Museum. Presented by the Harbor Springs

Area Historical Society. This exhibit highlights the historic ferries of Little Traverse Bay & features original watercolors & giclees by local artist William Talmadge Hall. Runs through the summer of 2021. Hours: Tues.-Sat., 11am-3pm. harborspringshistory.org/history-museum-exhibits

---------------------CAAC’S 2021 VIRTUAL YOUTH ART SHOW: The Cheboygan Area Arts Council announces its second annual Virtual Youth Art Show. It will be hosted on the Cheboygan Opera House website & promoted online & around town. The CAAC brings work from over 100+ youth art students each year. Homeschoolers & students from Bishop Baraga, Cheboygan Area High, Middle, & Elementary schools are displaying their best work. To submit artwork, fill out this form: https://bit.ly/3aadQKX. Questions?

Email Lisa at lisa@theoperahouse.org. theoperahouse.org/2021/03/29/caacs-2021-virtualyouth-art-show-opens-may-1st

---------------------BLOW UP II: INFLATABLE CONTEMPORARY ART: Runs through May 16 at Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. This exhibit explores the imaginative ways that air is used as a tool to create large-scale sculptures. The artists translate everyday materials & imagery into larger-than-life, yet nearly lighter-than-air art.

Curated by Carrie Lederer & organized by Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA. dennosmuseum.org

---------------------“DREAM TO REALITY: EXPLORING WHAT WE BELIEVE AND WHY”: Runs through May 29 at Charlevoix Circle of Arts. This exhibit explores the path to why we believe what we believe through the mythological illustrations & writing of Charlevoix artist Kim Richelle. charlevoixcircle.org

---------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - EGAN FRANKS HOLZHAUSEN: NEVER THOUGHT TWICE: Runs through June 26 in the Atrium Gallery. All works were made with upcycled materials, including old paintings discarded or abandoned in a community studio, scrap wood, & leftover paint from other projects or one-off samples from big box stores. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/eganfranks-holzhausen-never-thought-twice - A LAND’S CONSERVANCY: RECLAIMING NATURE: Runs through June 1. Over the past year, Harbor Springs photographer Raymond Gaynor has been documenting the Little Traverse Conservancy’s Offield Family Viewlands.

Gaynor’s images capture the way nature conserves itself through a process of growth & rebirth. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ lands-conservancy-reclaiming-nature-raymond-gaynor - GREAT: REFLECTIONS ON THE GREAT LAKES: This exhibition asks Great Lakes-area artists to share original works of art that reflect on the theme “Great.” Juried by artist Susan Moran. Runs through June 1. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey/great-reflections-greatlakes

- CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER - PETOSKEY’S ANNUAL YOUTH ART SHOW: The artwork created by students in the Char-Em ISD & homeschool students in Charlevoix & Emmet counties will be on display online through Fri., June 11. crookedtree.org - “KIDS ON COMMUNITY”: Youth artists were invited to submit artwork in response to the theme of “Community.” Fun, thoughtful & creative interpretations by Michigan youth (grades 3 - 12) are included in this online image gallery.

Runs through June 30, 2021. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey-ctac-online/kids-community-online-exhibit - THE COLLECTIVE IMPULSE - ONLINE EXHIBIT: Runs through Aug. Featuring the work of artists Ruth Bardenstein, Jean Buescher & Susan Moran. The three artists met in Ann Arbor &, over time, have nurtured both personal & creative connections. They regularly share & critique one another’s work & together visit gallery & museum exhibitions. The exhibition was hosted at the Crooked Tree Arts Center Petoskey from Sept. 21 through Dec. 18, 2020.

This online publication shares work from the exhibition. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey-ctac-traverse-city-ctac-online/collectiveimpulse-online - YOUNG @ ART: Youth Art Show 2021 CTACPetoskey (Online). Runs through June 11. See the creative work of young artists working in the Char-Em ISD region. Over 1800 submissions are included. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey-ctac-online/young-art-youth-art-show2021-ctac-petoskey-online-0

---------------------GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER, GLEN ARBOR: - A CELEBRATION: THE PAINTINGS OF AMY L. CLARK-CARELS: Runs May 3 - Aug. 31. Featuring many paintings of local landmarks — from Alligator Hill to interior scenes from the historic Sleeping Bear Inn. glenarborart.org - MINI MASTERPIECES: Outdoor exhibit. Tiny works will be hung on trees along the GAAC’s gravel walkway from Lake Street to the gallery & in the GAAC’s Grove behind the building.

This self-guided experience runs through May 26. Mini Masterpieces are 3” x 3” canvases illustrated & painted by children in Leelanau County. glenarborart.org - MANITOU MUSIC POSTER COMPETITION - CALL FOR ENTRY: The Glen Arbor Arts Center is accepting submissions of original paintings for its 2022 Manitou Music poster competition. The deadline for online submissions is Sept. 16. Open to all current GAAC members. Each year, the GAAC selects an original painting for this limited edition poster. It is sold through the GAAC & at selected shops & art galleries in Leelanau County. glenarborart.org/artist-opportunities/manitou-musicposter-competition - CLOTHESLINE EXHIBIT CALL-FOR-ENTRIES: The Glen Arbor Arts Center is moving art outdoors. The Clothesline Exhibit, July 24 – Aug. 27, is an open-air exhibition of small work.

This year’s theme, Wild Friends, challenges

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DAILY FOOD SPECIALS (3-6pm): Monday - $1 chips/salsa Tuesday - $1 enchiladas Thursday - $5 hot pretzels w/ beer cheese Friday - $5 fried veggies (cauliflower or mushrooms) ent Fri May 14th - 1000 Watt Trio tertainm Patio en -9:30) Sat May 15th - The Time Bombs (6:30

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makers of all skills to create an unframed painting, drawing, photograph or collage on a single, 5” x 7” sheet of paper around this theme. Each work will be placed in a sealed plastic envelope & pinned to a clothesline in front of the GAAC building at 6031 S. Lake St., Glen Arbor. The Clothesline Exhibition may be viewed 24/7, rain or shine. For info on submitting an entry to the Clothesline Exhibit, go to GlenArborArt. org/ARTISTS. Deadline for submissions is July 6. 231-334-6112. glenarborart.org/artists/callsfor-entry/clothesline-exhibit-call-for-entries - CALL-FOR-ENTRIES: EVERYDAY OBJECTS EXHIBITION: Runs Aug. 27 – Oct. 28.

Online applications for this juried show may be submitted through July 15. It is open to 2D & 3D objects in a wide variety of media. The GAAC is open Mon. through Sat., 11am–2pm. glenarborart.org/artists/calls-for-entry/everyday-objectsprospectus - MEMBERS CREATE EXHIBITION: On display: 41 works in both 2D & 3D by northern Michigan artists & beyond. The online version of the exhibition is also available for viewing.

Business hours: 11am–2pm, Mon. through Sat. glenarborart.org/events/exhibit-2021-members-create

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HIGHER ART GALLERY, TC: - ALTERNATING VIEWS: 3 person show featuring local artists: Ken Scott - photography; Julie Kradel - clay sculpture; Molly Davis - mixed media paintings. The exhibit runs during open gallery hours from May 15-30 with an artist Meet & Greet scheduled for May 15 from 4-7pm. higherartgallery.com - CALL FOR ARTISTS: Artists’ submissions will be considered for participation in “Artists for Wings of Wonder.” This exhibit/fundraiser will be comprised MAINLY of invited artists, many of whom are indigenous artists, members of Project Civilartzation & a handful of artwork from artists who submit work for consideration. Deadline for submissions is Aug. 1. higherartgallery.com/calls-for-art?utm_ campaign=76e0e3f8-783d-4933-886f8bca34912c32&utm_source=so&utm_ medium=mail&cid=eb482774-c704-42f1-b837d0ffd856d02c

----------------------

OLD ART BUILDING, LELAND: - CONCERT OF COLOR - WORKS BY RICHARD STOCKER: Over 25 of Stocker’s paintings will be on display, & the artist will be on site four days each week coloring his own handmade ink designs. Stocker’s coloring pages will be available for purchase, & anyone interested is welcome to join a coloring session. The show is open & free for public viewing from April 26 - May 14, 10am–4pm, Mondays through Saturdays. oldartbuilding.com - STAY HOME, STAY SAFE – AN ARTFUL COLLABORATION: Over 350 middle & high school art students from around Leelanau County are currently utilizing paper maché masks to create artworks that reflect their individual responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

An exhibit of these works will run from May 1627. oldartbuilding.com

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Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 25

26 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

the ADViCE GOddESS

Weekend At Bernie Madoff’s

Q

Q

A

: A woman feels loved when the man she’s with does those little things that say “thinking of you” — as opposed to “spent all day forgetting I had a girlfriend.”

Not surprisingly, you envy your girlfriend who gets those little (and bigger) signs. Envy gets a bum rap as a toxic emotion. (It can have toxic effects when the envious try to even things out by sabotaging those doing better.)

However, evolutionary social psychologist Bram Buunk’s research suggests envy is actually “adaptive”: functional — a sort of alarm clock for yearning and ambition, alerting us to others’ higher achievements (or groovier stuff) and motivating us to nab the same (or more) for ourselves.

Men are not cryptographers, and they are particularly bad at translating women’s nonverbal signals like pouting — if they notice them at all. Tell your boyfriend what you want — sweetly, not scoldingly -- in the context of “what would make me really happy.” Chances are you’ll need to tell him a few times to get him to come around. When he does, reinforce future come-arounds by telling him how happy he’s made you, how much it means to you. (Doing this while tearing off his clothes, if you’re so inspired, should make an even stronger impression.)

But say, even with reminders, your boyfriend drops by with soup or a latte just once and then forgets the whole deal. Sure, you could put him out with the recycling for some woman with lower “good-boyfriend standards” to pick up. However, you might reflect on ways he shows he cares: maybe giving you his coat when you’re cold or fixing your car so you won’t die in a fiery wreck.

You might also consider that some men’s apparent generosity reflects not love but the sense they’re out of their league. If that’s the case with your friend’s boyfriend, the stream of soup, swag, and trips is just a campaign to delight-slash-distract her from dumping him — a la, “Never put off till tomorrow goodsand-services-izing what could be in some other dude’s arms two Thursdays from now!”

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My boyfriend is a nice, reliable, loving guy.

I’d considered myself lucky to have him, but now I’m worried my “good-boyfriend” standard is too low.

— Comparison Shopping

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: I had a nice first-date dinner with a guy I met on a dating app. Afterward, he said he had something to show me, pulled up his pant leg, and revealed an ankle monitor!

He said he hadn’t wanted to put it on his dating profile, and “It was just white-collar.”

(I Googled. Embezzling money. He’s on “supervised release” — apparently with some range beyond house arrest.) This situation bothered me, but I accepted his invitation for a second date, given our chemistry.

— Shocked

A

: Ideally, if a man wears “statement jewelry,” the statement it’s making isn’t: “I’m in constant communication with my parole officer.”

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A guy who embezzles money — assuming there’s no “my brain tumor made me do it!” — is likely low on the personality trait of conscientiousness. Someone high in conscientiousness is disciplined, dependable, organized, and shows concern for others’ needs and feelings. In contrast, those short on conscientiousness are unreliable, careless, impulsive, and poor at delaying gratification.

(They probably see little reason to do it, as they also have an “eh, whatevs!” attitude about their effect on others.)

Personality traits tend to be pretty stable over time and in various situations — though research by psychologists Nathan Hudson and R. Chris Fraley suggests people can work to change their personality by repeatedly changing their typical behavior. For example, a usually inconsiderate guy could act like a person high in conscientiousness, starting in small ways, like making the bed every morning instead of leaving it for the girlfriend-slash-housekeeper to do. That said, lasting change might not be possible without strong motivation to mend one’s ways — like feeling deep remorse at all the people one hurt.

(Remorse at getting caught doesn’t count!)

This guy’s “it was just white collar!” is not exactly dripping with contrition. You could get him on the phone before your date to probe further into what he did and his current perspective on it. Is he passionate about turning over a new leaf, driven to be honest -- or just to seem honest? As for your “chemistry!” argument for seeing him again, consider that you get the whole dude, not just the hot parts. Wanting to see the best in somebody doesn’t make the worst in them disappear. It just might be a while before you arrive home early and spot it — in bed with your best friend, your sister, and the UPS lady.

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14 Neighbor of Miss.

15 Award recipient 16 “___ been thinking ...”

17 Metaphorical space that’s not too taxing 19 Ohio facility that had an elephant wing named for Marge Schott until 2020 21 Sluggish 22 Starting from 23 Forgo 26 “___ of Avalor” (Disney series) 28 Charging connection 31 Timeline span 32 Desiccant gel 34 Ivan the Terrible, for one 35 Rock group from Athens, Georgia 36 2021 Academy Award winner for Best Director 39 One of Snow White’s friends 42 “Or ___ what?”

43 Some flat-panels 47 Bar brew, briefly 48 The “S” in iOS (abbr.)

49 A bit unsettling 50 “Wynonna ___” (Syfy series) 52 Very small amount 56 Soviet news agency 57 It’s no diamond 61 2016-18 Syfy horror anthology based on Internet creepypastas 63 End of many URLs 64 Uncooked, in meat dishes 65 Actress Gadot 66 L.A.-to-Denver dir.

67 Baby attire with snaps 68 Late Pink Floyd member Barrett 69 Flat tire sound

28 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

DOWN 1 Frozen spikes 2 Pasta that sits relatively flat on a plate 3 Baseball Hall of Famer Casey 4 Actress Mosley with the podcast “Scam Goddess” 5 Massey of “Love Happy” 6 ___ with faint praise 7 “90210” actress Spelling 8 Dreamworks movie released just before “A Bug’s Life” 9 Knuckleheads 10 “Black Mirror” creator Charlie 11 Opposite of morn, to a poet 12 Pop singer Kiki 15 2007 film in Edgar Wright’s “Cornetto trilogy” 18 ___ Schwarz (toy retailer) 20 Jaded sort 24 Indignation 25 “Archer” character with an extensive back tattoo 27 Muscle maladies 29 Mort who hosted the first Grammy Awards ceremony 30 “___ yourself” 33 Treaty partner 34 Bee follower?

37 Small ear bone 38 Keatsian intro 39 Backgammon cube 40 Greek wedding cry 41 Under-the-hood maintenance, e.g.

44 Dreamlike states 45 Hallucinations 46 Certain bagels 51 Fourth-down plays 53 “Blizzard of ___” (Osbourne album) 54 ‘70s supermodel Cheryl 55 Wide variety 58 ___ B’rith (international Jewish organization) 59 “Able was ___ ...”

60 “I’ve got it down ___” 61 Company’s IT VIP 62 Chinese dynasty for four centuries

lOGY

MAY 10- MAY 16

BY ROB BREZSNY

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A fan once asked composer

Johann Sebastian Bach about his creative process. He was so prolific! How did he dream up such a constant flow of new music? Bach told his admirer that the tunes came to him unbidden. When he woke up each morning, they were already announcing themselves in his head. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Taurus, a comparable phenomenon may very well visit you in the coming weeks—not in the form of music, but as intuitions and insights about your life and your future. Your main job is to be receptive to them, and make sure you remember them.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Sometimes people don’t like the provocative posts I publish on Facebook. They leave comments like, “You stupid idiot!” or “I hope you commit suicide!” and far worse. When I delete their messages, they become even more enraged, accusing me of censorship. “So you don’t believe in free speech, you jerk?” they complain. I don’t try to reason with them. They don’t deserve any of my time or energy. But if I did communicate with them, I might say, “My Facebook page is my sanctuary, where I welcome cordial conversation. If you came into my house and called me an idiot, would it be ‘censorship’ if I told you to leave?” I hope these thoughts inspire you to clarify and refine your own personal boundaries, Scorpio. It’s a good time to get precise and definite about what’s acceptable and unacceptable from the people with whom you engage.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Have you ever kissed a monster in your nightly dreams?

Have you won a chess match with a demon or signed a beneficial contract with a ghost or received a useful blessing from a pest? I highly recommend activities like those in the coming weeks—both while you’re asleep and awake. Now is a good time to at least make peace with challenging influences, and at best come into a new relationship with them that serves you better. I dare you to ask for a gift from an apparent adversary.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What does

it mean to “follow the path with heart”? I invite you to meditate on that question. Here are my ideas.

To follow the path with heart means choosing a destiny that appeals to your feelings as well as to your ambitions and ideas and habits. To follow a path with heart means living a life that fosters your capacity to give and receive love. To follow the path with heart means honoring your deepest intuitions rather than the expectations other people have about you. To follow the path with heart means never comparing your progress with that of anyone else’s, but rather simply focusing on being faithful to your soul’s code.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “It’s a

good thing when people are different from your images of them,” wrote Aquarian author Boris Pasternak. “It shows they are not merely a type. If you can’t place them in a category, it means that at least a part of them is what a human being ought to be. They have risen above themselves, they have a grain of immortality.” I love that perspective! I’m offering it to you because right now is a favorable time to show that you are indeed different from the images people have of you; that you transcend all stereotyping; that you are uncategorizable.

PISCES

(Feb 19-March 20): You have personal possession of the universe’s most monumental creation: consciousness. This mercurial flash and dazzle whirling around inside you is outlandishly spectacular. You can think thoughts any time you want to—soaring, luminescent, flamboyant thoughts or shriveled, rusty, burrowing thoughts; thoughts that can invent or destroy, corrupt or redeem, bless or curse. There’s more.

You can revel and wallow in great oceans of emotion. Whether they are poignant or intoxicating or somewhere in between, you relish the fact that you can harbor so much intensity. You cherish the privilege of commanding such extravagant life force. I bring these thoughts to your attention because the time is right for a holiday I call Celebrate Your Greatest Gifts.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In one of her poems, Emily Dickinson tells us, “The pedigree of honey / Does not concern the bee; / A clover, any time, to him / Is aristocracy.” I suggest you be like Dickinson’s bee in the coming weeks, my

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dear Aries. Take pleasure and power where they are offered.

Be receptive to just about any resource that satisfies your raw need. Consider the possibility that substitutes and stand-ins may be just as good as the supposed original. OK? Don’t be too fussy about how pure or prestigious anything is.

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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “I love unmade

beds,” writes Gemini poet Shane Koyczan. “I love when people are drunk and crying and cannot be anything but honest. I love the look in people’s eyes when they realize they’re in love. I love the way people look when they first wake up and they’ve forgotten their surroundings. I love when people close their eyes and drift to somewhere in the clouds.” In the coming days, Gemini, I encourage you to specialize in moments like those: when you and the people you’re interested in are candid, unguarded, raw, vulnerable, and primed to go deeper.

In my opinion, your soul needs the surprising healing that will come from these experiences.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Trailblazing

psychologist C. G. Jung said his loneliness wasn’t about a lack of people around him. Rather, it came from the fact that he knew things that most people didn’t know and didn’t want to know.

He had no possibility of communicating many of the interesting truths that were important to him! But I’m guessing that won’t be much of a problem for you in the coming months.

According to my astrological analysis, you’re more likely to be well-listened to and understood than you have been in quite some time. For best results, ASK to be listened to and understood. And think about how you might express yourself in ways that are likely to be interesting and useful to others.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The French government

regularly gives the Legion of Honor award to people deemed to have provided exceptional service to the world. Most recipients are deserving, but a few have been decidedly unworthy. In the latter category are Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega and Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, as well as drug-cheating athlete Lance Armstrong, sexual predator Harvey Weinstein, and Nazi collaborator Marshal Pétain. I bring this to your attention, Leo, because the coming weeks will be a favorable time to reward people who have helped and supported you. But I also suggest that you pointedly exclude those who have too many negatives mixed in with their positives.

You’ve died and gone to soup heaven!

Soup Trio Combo

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In 2010, an

American engineer named Edward Pimentel went to Moscow to compete in the World Karaoke Championship. He won by singing Usher’s “DJ Got Us Falling in Love.” His award: one million dumplings, enough to last him 27 years. I have a good feeling about the possibility of you, too, collecting a new prize or perk or privilege sometime soon. I just hope it’s a healthier boon than dumplings. For best results, take some time now to clearly define the nature of the prize or perk or privilege that you really want—and that will be truly useful.

Flavor

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I will love it if

sometime soon you find or create an opportunity to speak words similar to what novelist D. H. Lawrence once wrote to a lover: “You seem to have knit all things in a piece for me. Things are not separate; they are all in a symphony.” In other words, Libra, I’ll be ecstatic if you experience being in such synergistic communion with an empathic ally that the two of you weave a vision of life that’s vaster and richer than either one of you could summon by yourself. The astrological omens suggest this possibility is now more likely than usual.

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Northern Express Weekly • may 10, 2021 • 29

nitelife

may 08 - may 16 edited by jamie kauffold

Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com

Emmet & Cheboygan BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY 5/8 -- Chris Calleja, 2-6 5/15 -- The Real Ingredients, 2-6

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, TC 5/8 & 5/15 -- Chris Smith, 7:3010:30 5/12 -- Eric Clemons, 7:30-10:30

5/15 -- Headwind Blues Project, 7

ROVE ESTATE VINEYARD & WINERY, TC 5/14 -- Drew Hale, 6-9 THE HAYLOFT INN, TC 5/14 -- Rootball, 7

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 5/8 -- Ernie Clark & the Magnificent Bastards, 7 THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC PATIO, 6:30-9:30: 5/8 -- The Pocket 5/14 -- 1000 Watt Trio 5/15 -- The Time Bombs

UNION STREET STATION, TC 10pm: 5/8 – Don Swan & The 4 Horsemen 5/9 -- Karaoke 5/10 – Jukebox 5/11 -- Open Mic Comedy 5/12 -- Skin & Marshall 5/14-15 -- Snacks & Five 5/16 -- Karaoke

CRAVE, GAYLORD 5/8 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6-8

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MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BELLAIRE 5/8 -- Clinton Lake, 7:30-10:30

TORCH LAKE CAFÉ, CENTRAL LAKE Fri., Sat. -- Leanna Collins, 7:30

Leelanau & Benzie LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 5/15 -- A Brighter Bloom, 7-10

ELLISON PLACE, GAYLORD 5/15 -- Laughs & Drafts Comedy Show, 7:30

ODAWA CASINO RESORT, VICTORIES, PETOSKEY 5/7-8 & 5/14-15 -- Jelly Roll Blues Band, 9-11

Antrim & Charlevoix

Otsego, Crawford & Central BENNETHUM’S NORTHERN INN, GAYLORD 5/11 -- Pete Kehoe, 5-8

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BAY HARBOR 5/13 -- The Real Ingredients, 6:309:30

SUTTONS BAY CIDERS 5/14 -- Sam & Bill, 5-8

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee COYOTE CROSSING RESORT, CADILLAC 5/15 -- 44 North & Adam Joynt Band, 8

Send us your free live music listings to events@traverseticker.com NORTHERN EXPRESS

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Easy. Accessible. All Online. northernexpress.com/classifieds 30 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

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32 • may 10, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly