Driftless Issue 3 Preview by Driftless Magazine

Midwest Adventuring

ISSUE 3

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................... 6 | YOU ARE HERE with words by Aileen McGraw and illustrations by Keara McGraw ........................................ 10 | HERITAGE GENERAL STORE interview with Michael Salvatore by Leah Fithian and photographs by Evan Perigo .................... 18 | SPRING BRUNCH with recipes and photographs by Sherrie Castellano and Shelly Westerhausen ............................ .......... 26 | GLASS LUX interview with Emily Morse and Alfonso Mayen by Dani Kowalczyk and photographs by Jessica Levin .................................... 28 | MODERN VINTAGE DESIGN with words by Kelley Howley and photographs by Jill DeVries ..................................................... 36 | ELI POTTER interview by Dani Kowalczyk and photographs by Eli Potter ............................ ............................... 44 | ELDORADO with words by Erin Gavle and photographs by EE Berger .................................... 50 | “C” IS FOR CAMPING with words and illustration by Chris Apap ....................................................... 52 | MICHIGAN FISHING with words and photographs by Griffen Oellerich ............................................................. 62 | LURES + BOBBERS with words by Dennis Jacobs and Paul Fithian and illustrations by Christina and Dennis Jacobs ..................................................... 66 | BLUEBERRY PICKING with words by Leah Fithian and

photographs

Evan

Perigo

...............................................................................

72 | ALVIE JUNE’S SWEET SUMMER JAMS recipes by Alyson Hanus and photograph by Evan Perigo ................................... 74 | HOW TO HELP THE HONEYBEES with words and original watercolor by Emily Watz ............................................. 76 | HARVEST MOON FLOWER FARM with words and photographs by Leah Fithian and Shelly Westerhausen ................................ 82 | REFRESH + RECHARGE with recipes and photographs by Sherrie Castellano, Jackie Kenyon and Sonja and Alex Overhiser....................... 90 | MIDWEST TASTEMAKERS Summer 2015 Edition ......................................................... 92 | MIDWEST ROAD TRIP with words and photographs by Joanna Tilton ...................................................................................................

ISSUE THREE | Spring + Summer 2015

CONTRIBUTORS Chris Apap is an illustrator and graphic designer now living in Chicago. He’s originally from Southeastern Michigan, and enjoys being out in nature in any capacity possible, riding bikes and spending time with his wife and their friends. EE Berger was born north of Detroit and studied photography at the College for Creative Studies. Shortly after graduating, she moved to Brooklyn for five years. Although she enjoyed every minute of it, she always wanted to return to the city of Detroit that she loved so much. She finally got that wish in September of 2014, and she is grateful daily to be back in the Midwest. Sherrie Castellano is a certified Health Coach, plant-based chef and freelance photographer based in St. Louis, Missouri. She writes the vegetarian and naturally gluten-free food blog, With Food + Love. Jill DeVries is a wedding and commercial photographer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She can usually be found starting a dance party or eating tacos. Her true passion is travel, but she loves calling the Great Lakes State home. Paul Fithian has had a love for all things on and under the water since infancy. Baptized in the Episcopal Church and the Jersey Shore, he was blessed to grow up on the beaches of Southern Lake Michigan and made sure his children did the same. As a fisherman, he enjoys the history and diversity of the paraphernalia as well as the taste of a freshly caught fish. Erin Gavle has a creative mind with a gypsy soul. She’s the owner of and Chief Trinketeer at Eldorado General Store, a well-curated vintage shop in the heart of Corktown, Detroit. Her constant wanderlust leaves her scouring the countrysides in search of

the perfect treasures to fill her shop. She enjoys talking adventures over a good glass of red wine surrounded by even better friends. Alyson Hanus is a lifelong Midwesterner, reigning from the beautiful state of Indiana. She lives in Chicago, where she is the Dean of School Support at Gary Comer College Prep Middle School. Her free time is spent going on adventures and exploring the world, making boat loads of jam, creating music with her husband, David, and preparing for Baby Hanus. Kelley Howley is a shopkeeper and interior designer at Hunt & Gather in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She also does marketing for a local university and spends most of her time with her husband, Troy, and dog, Harper. Christina + Dennis Jacobs are the husband-and-wife team behind Arsenal Handicraft. They work out of their small home studio making art and paper goods, agonizing over every tiny detail, illustrating and printing each piece from beginning to end. Jackie Kenyon is a dilettante sommelier and barista who works at the Krasl Art Center and resides in Southwestern Michigan. She is a lover of clean graphic design, classic literature and eclectic souls. She dreams of becoming a mermaid. Dani Kowalczyk is a writer, traveler and global aesthete, continually looking for the new with an appreciation and fascination for the old. Jessica Levin is a visual artist and portrait photographer based in Chicago. Her work is focused on femininity in all its forms, suffused with dreamy light and nature. Aileen + Keara McGraw are 22-yearold Chicago-based twin sisters.

Aileen writes, Keara illustrates and both love the work that compassionate ideas unlock. They share a passion for nut butter, proven by matching peanut plant tattoos. Griffen Oellerich is a city explorer, red meat eater and late night dancer. She considers Northern Michigan home and misses waking up to the lake every day. She keeps busy working for HBO® in New York City, filling up the rest of her time getting distracted by the everyday designs in the world. Evan Perigo is a photographer currently living in Chicago. He enjoys traveling, long distance running, college football, authentic tacos and going home to the great state of Indiana. Eli Potter is a Midwest-based photographer. Film is his medium of choice while his friends and travels are his primary subjects. Sonja + Alex Overhiser are the husband-and-wife team who develop and photograph healthy, whole foods recipes published on their blog, A Couple Cooks. Advocates of fresh, seasonal eating and home cooking, they live and work in Indianapolis, Indiana. Joanna Tilton is a proud Midwesterner with an affinity for travel and an interest in place identity. She dreams of finding purpose on the shores of Lake Michigan. Until then, she is busy celebrating all things large and small with cake, confetti and champagne toasts in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Emily Watz is a thoughtful designer with an affinity for plants. When she isn’t designing websites and brand identities for her clients, she’s getting lost in the clouds somewhere between the beach on Lake Michigan and the coffee shops of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Hop on over to readdriftless.com to read more about these wonderful folks!

Shelly Westerhausen Creative Director Leah Fithian Creative Director Designer Anna Powell Teeter Editorial Assistant

This magazine is for anyone who has ever felt a connection to Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Midwestern states. The following pages are filled with photo essays, stories, must-try recipes and inspirational guides that are sure to get you excited about the relaxing months ahead.

YOU ARE HERE words by Aileen McGraw illustrations by Keara McGraw

I used to think I needed to escape the city to find nature. Compared to the forest preserves and protected wildlife that riddled the Southwest Chicago suburbs of my childhood, the city itself seemed a separate entity from the natural world. It was easy to see—or rather, imagine— Chicago and nature as independent, unrelated opposites. I love Chicago. I love its vast, looming steel and concrete jungle, and I love the neon sign that glows above the black pleather seats at my favorite diner. I love Chicago, but the city overwhelms me. It takes a glimpse at the lakefront to dissolve the urban-natural boundary. Lake water stretches and disappears out just as much as towering offices and apartments stretch up (and on cloudy days, disappear). I can smell the water from the sidewalks that line Lake Shore Drive, and it’s seamlessness like this that makes Chicago unlike any other urban center. Chicago has unrivaled urban biodiversity. Dr. Seth Magle, Director of Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute, works with a vision

to create a world in which urban ecosystems become positive and central forces in global biodiversity conservation with Chicago at the helm. When it comes to urban geography, the Windy City has standalone advantages. Chicago wilderness is a network of conserved space, and Chicagoland itself is part of migratory bird pathways used far before buildings were here. Through infrastructure vision, the metropolitan area is trying to double its green space by 2040. Building green means building different and building smarter, and Chicago is already doing so in a more rigorous, systematic and scientific way than any city has ever done before. City planning takes flight in neighborhoods like Lincoln Park. In this north side pocket, state-endangered species thrive with the help of the Urban Wildlife Institute. Lincoln Park—not just the zoo, but also the neighborhood—is home to the largest Black-crowned Night Heron colony in Illinois, and through protection and maintenance, these birds have adapted to urban life in the heart of Chicago.

At the root, Magle wants the Urban Wildlife Institute’s animal monitoring to create an understanding that leads to policy recommendations. “We can change the way we build our cities to make a place for species,” he says. And so the power of we expands, urbanizes and, as always, breaks boundaries.

The Urban Wildlife Institute launched the largest long-term study of urban animals in the world, with over 100 research stations throughout Chicago. Motion triggered cameras, ultrasonic bat detectors, bird counts and insect measurement help city dwellers understand how animal communities interact. Multiple projects are underway, including a reintroduction biology project where Magle and his colleagues take rare animals and introduce them into restored landscapes that animals may not find on their own. Other work spans studies on stress across Chicago’s bird populations and trans-located species. All projects have a combined goal of understanding animal behavior to reduce human-wildlife conflict.

Magle proves that rupturing the urban-natural boundary is inevitable. Inescapable, even. “When we talk about making cities a positive force for species, we need to remember that we live on an urbanizing planet,” he says. “Our world gets more urban every year. The more we can make these urban areas a force for good, the better off we’re going to be in the long term. Our planet is not going to suddenly stop becoming urban.”

“Cities can make a positive impact on biodiversity in innumerable ways,” says Magle. “By shifting the way we build cities— different orientations of green space, different configurations of buildings, different management strategies for animals—cities work as a positive force in the conservation of global biodiversity as opposed to a blight on the landscape.”

Every city is different, and one of the Urban Wildlife Institute’s largest efforts is taking their research design to study Chicago’s animals and expand it to other cities. The Midwest consists of real, natural ecosystems. We live in an urbanizing world, and the environment we see is becoming more and more city centric as the wildlife that inhabits these cities remains central to health and conflict. Midwestern nature lovers are and can become city lovers. From behavioral ecology to biophilia, weaving together the social, cultural

and technological forces of cities like Chicago with their surrounding wilderness is anything but unnatural—it’s organic. I used to think I needed to escape the city to find nature. Now, I see a map in the midst of making. We live and thrive in urban environments. We can disrupt the fault line between urban and natural worlds, and Chicago shows a way forward.

HERITAGE GENERAL STORE interview by Leah Fithian with Michael Salvatore of Heritage General Store photographs by Evan Perigo

get to do. We get to provide our customers with the freshest coffee we can. We were fortunate enough to partner up with a local roaster here in Chicago at the beginning of the year— our coffee has never been better.

Let’s start by having you tell us a little bit about Heritage General Store. How did the idea for Heritage come about? Michael (M)   We always knew we were going to manufacture bikes in Chicago. When it came down to opening up a retail front, what better way to introduce ourselves to the community than to offer coffee. People demand bikes and coffee.

On your website, you mention that you are the first completely Chicago-made bicycles since Schwinn left the city in the 70s. What are some of the challenges you face in keeping everything local?

What inspired you to get into building bicycles? What inspired you to get into coffee roasting?

M   Local manufacturing has plenty of advantages. The biggest challenge is keeping our products affordable while paying the premium for locally sourced material and labor. Space in Chicago does not come cheap either, but we practice what we preach and invest in our city.

M   Bicycle manufacturing has long been a Chicago tradition that has gone by the wayside. After assessing what the market was offering, we noticed a big gap in American-made, affordable and classicly styled bikes. We want to pick up where Schwinn left off, offering our customers a unique experience to design a bike that they will love.

Why did you decide to start your business in Chicago? M   Chicago is home to myself and five generations of my family before me. The city has a rich history of manufacturing and a great customer base of bike riders and coffee drinkers.

Coffee roasting is something we always wanted to do, the ability to get hands on with all aspects from farm to cup is something not many people

Heritage—Heritage Littles and A Little Photo Studio. Can you tell us a little bit about them?

Tell us about a typical day for you at Heritage. M   I get up at the break of dawn with my family, check some emails at home and make the short commute downstairs to the cafe.

M   Heritage Littles is a continuation of what we are doing at Heritage. It’s just down the block and here we offer our own line of balance bikes, kids bikes, helmets and other family-oriented bike accessories. We, of course, paired this with a milk and cookie bar. My wife and I have a young son of our own and wanted to grow our brand with our growing family. This space is often used for kids birthday parties and private events.

Typically, I will help out at the register and chat with customers while having my morning coffee. From there it’s into the office, phone calls, emails, meetings and general business as usual. I pick my four-year-old son up from school in the afternoon, wrap up some business and enjoy family time until we have to do it all over again.

A Little Photo Studio is located inside our Heritage Littles space and this is where my wife Melissa has her photo studio. She primarily shoots family and childrens’ portraits, so it was a natural connection.

You actually have two other businesses in addition to

GATHER + BRUNCH recipes for early morning get togethers

recipes and photographs by Sherrie Castellano of With Food + Love and Shelly Westerhausen of Vegetarian â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ventures

MENU Fresh Squeezed Heirloom Harissa Bloody Mary Avocado Toast with Cilantro Lime Cashew Cream Loaded Vegetable Spring Quiche Savory Cheddar and Cornmeal Waffles with Green Tomato Salsa and Cumin Greek Yogurt

FRESH SQUEEZED HEIRLOOM HARISSA BLOODY MARY 2 lbs. heirloom tomatoes 1 lime, peeled and quartered 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. harissa paste pinch celery salt pinch cumin salt and pepper 2 oz. vodka mini peppers and cherry tomatoes, for garnish Juice the tomatoes and half the lime. Mix in Worcestershire sauce, harissa paste, celery salt, cumin, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust accordingly. Divide vodka between two glasses and add in tomato mixture. Garnish with additional lime wedges, mini peppers and cherry tomatoes.

AVOCADO TOAST WITH CILANTRO LIME CASHEW CREAM CILANTRO LIME CASHEW CREAM 1 packed cup fresh cilantro leaves ½ cup almond milk ½ cup raw cashews 1 tsp. sea salt ¼ tsp. black pepper 1 lime, juiced zest of 1 lime AVOCADO TOAST 4 slices bread 1 ripe avocado ¼ cup cilantro lime cashew cream fresh lime juice pinch sea salt pinch coarse ground pepper pinch crushed red pepper To make the cilantro lime cashew cream, blend cilantro, almond milk, raw cashews, sea salt, black pepper, lime juice and zest in a blender on high until smooth. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, until ready to use. Slice your avocado in half, lengthwise, and remove pit. Slice and scoop out the avocado flesh and spread it onto the toast. Each piece of toast takes roughly ¼ of the avocado. Squeeze some fresh lime juice on top to keep the avocado from browning. Drizzle the cilantro lime cashew cream generously over the avocado and top with a pinch of sea salt, coarse ground pepper and crushed red pepper.

LOADED VEGETABLE SPRING QUICHE CRUST 1¼ cups all purpose flour ½ tsp. salt 7 Tbsp. butter, chilled 1 Tbsp. ice water FILLING 5 large eggs ½ cup whole milk 1 bunch ramps, sliced, plus ¼ cup of its greens for garnish 2 cloves black garlic 1 lb. bunashimeji mushrooms ½ cup frozen peas 1 Tbsp. olive oil For the crust, combine flour, salt and butter in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbles. With the machine running, slowly add ice water until dough forms into a ball. Wrap in aluminum foil and stick in the fridge for 30 minutes to set. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough to fit your desired pan. Poke holes throughout bottom of dough and cook for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add ramps and sauté for two minutes. Add in the garlic, mushrooms, peas, salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes or until everything has softened. Set aside. Beat together eggs and milk. Pour the vegetable mixture into prepared crust. Pour in egg mixture. Cook for 30 minutes or until the eggs have set and lightly browned. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and top with sliced ramp greens.

SAVORY CHEDDAR AND CORNMEAL WAFFLES WITH GREEN TOMATO SALSA AND CUMIN GREEK YOGURT CUMIN GREEK YOGURT 1 cup Greek yogurt 2 tsp. cumin pinch coarse ground pepper GREEN TOMATO SALSA 1 lb. green tomatoes, diced 1 large red heirloom tomato, diced 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro 1 Tbsp. chopped chives ½ lime, juiced salt and pepper CHEDDAR AND CORNMEAL WAFFLES 3/4 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup cornmeal 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt 1¼ cup buttermilk 1 large egg, beaten 3 Tbsp. butter, melted 1/4 cup cheddar, shredded In a small bow, use a fork to whip the cumin into the Greek yogurt and add a pinch of coarse ground pepper. Set aside and refrigerate until ready to use. Combine tomatoes, cilantro, chives and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk, egg and melted butter. Whisk the wet ingredients until combined and then fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese. Heat waffle iron, measure batter and cook according to your waffle iron’s manufacture directions. Top waffles with green tomato salsa and cumin Greek yogurt.

GLASS LUX interview by Dani Kowalczyk with Emily Morse and Alfonso “Fonz” Mayen photographs by Jessica Levin

In the dawn of recording their second album, Glass Lux frets no foe, sings no sorrow and beats to no commonly known drum. SXSW® welcomes them, Nylon Magazine offers praise and contention, and the legendary House of Blues beckons their presence.

did. That week we wrote “I’m a Machine.”

We sat down with Emily Morse and Alfonso ‘Fonz’ Mayen, the duo of the Italo disco band Glass Lux, amidst the greenery and shrub to discuss all things disco and dire in the music world. But of course, we started from the beginning.

Who are your influences? Who inspires your sound?

Fonz (F)   I remember being really hungover . . . I almost canceled the first meeting (he laughs), but I’m glad we didn’t because I knew we had something rad.

E   We have an 80’s feel, so a mix of Italo disco and new wave influences us. But personally and vocally, I look to Freddie Mercury, Stevie Nicks, Jerry Lee Lewis and Ann Wilson. They’ve all helped me find my voice.

Tell us when and where did Glass Lux begin? Emily (E)   We met through friends at a local dance club in Wicker Park called Debonair. I heard Fonz was in a band so I later contacted him to see if his band needed some female vocals. Fonz wrote back and proposed we just start something new. So we

F   Agreed with Emily as far as who influences our sound, but also old drum machines and vintage synths. I’m a sucker for nice bass lines and great melodies. But who isn’t?

but you can put your music out into the Internet universe and it becomes exposed to many more people, from everywhere and anywhere in the world.

Tell us, how does Glass Lux create a song? E   I usually write the lyrics, whenever they come to me . . . anywhere, anytime. I may be in line at a coffee shop and hear someone say a word I like, how it rings and all, and then I write something around that. I later meet Fonz and he makes the beats with synth lines, and then we create a melody and apply my lyrics.

You guys are from the Midwest, Emily from East Lansing, Michigan, and Fonz from Chicago. Have these places influenced your sound? E   The cold winter months and dark days help the writing process, keeps me in the mode and the buzz to stay creative. But when I’m writing a more upbeat song, I think back to some of my favorite memories of being small in the backseat of my mom’s boyfriend’s T-top, driving town some California highway with warm breezes sweeping across my face as some ballad on the radio rides along. Still, I look forward to the colder months that the Midwest brings . . . it lets me know it’s time to make some beautiful music babies!

F   Something takes over me . . . I go into this sort of autopilot. I’ll look for a synth sound. Mess around on the keyboard until I find a cool chord progression and then build from there. Both of you were in prospective bands before this. Do you find it difficult to be in a band now versus five or more years ago? E   Back then, I wasn’t really in the business side of things. It’s much harder for a band to support themselves on their music and shows alone. Getting placement for ads or playing corporate shows levels things out for a lot of us out there. On the other side, now it is much easier to build your own studio and record demos right from your own home.

F   Growing up in Chicago there was always a scene to be a part of, to bear witness to. From punk shows to house parties—a constant influx of so many great artists and musicians hanging around. I am definitely a product of all the dope local people I’ve met along the way.

F   Today, there are many more outlets for your music to be heard with all these different streaming services and all. Also, being a DJ, I’ve noticed people’s general taste in music now stretches across many genres. Ten years ago, it was easier to spot people who liked indie music, pop, hip hop or who was into goth. Everyone likes a bit of everything now, which is pretty cool.

Any advice for the aspiring Midwest creative? F   Think big. Use your surroundings and the people in it to inspire your art. E   Give yourself alone time and time to feel . . . even the shitty stuff. Those dark times are the best times to get to know yourself and bring out something amazing. You never know what you’re capable of until you let it out. Any outlet is fine, just get it out and you’ll see the kind of colors you can create.

Do you think the Internet has helped or hurt your success as a band? E   Helped of course. It’s expensive to go on tour,

MODERN VINTAGE DESIGN words by Kelley Howley photographs by Jill DeVries

When my husband and I bought our home in one of the largest historic districts in the country, I had no idea what an inspiration and catalyst this old house would be for my creative spirit and career.

hone my craft. I wanted to pay homage to a home built in 1915, but infuse it with modern amenities and personality. Flea markets, thrift stores and auctions became my daily activities and soon enough, my career.

Although Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always cared about my aesthetic environment and all things interior-design (even as a kid, I had binders full of beautiful magazine images organized by room type; prePinterest days), it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until we owned our house that I was able to fully implement and

I own Hunt & Gather, a modern-vintage furniture and home furnishings store with design services in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We work with clients who want to create inspiring spaces that tell a story.

Finding the right mix can be a bit of an art form, though, which is why some people reach out to a professional. A space that is filled with all new furnishings can be void of interest and feel like a cold showroom, and a room that is full of all antique or vintage pieces can feel too kitschy or like you walked into a timewarp. Balance is key.

When designing your home, simply put, your space should feel like a reflection of you. What are you inspired by? What do you love? How do you like to feel? But, you are more than your reflection in a mirror. You are biologically and physiologically influenced by the people, experiences, and cultures of generations past. This concept can be attributed to why I connect so much with a modern-vintage aesthetic. Societally, we need varying generations to maintain balance; it creates a richer, more meaningful life.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having a hard time getting started on how to achieve the modern-vintage look on your own, start small. Find a really unique statue or vase that speaks to you and place it on a modern dresser top, bookcase or side table. Do you have a really great vintage credenza or hutch? Put it in an entryway, living room or dining room with a modern mirror or art piece centered above.

In the same way, mixing pieces from the past and present creates an environment with more history, depth and interest. You have the memoir or journal, as opposed to a photograph, of the person living there. Which is a lot juicier and more interesting in my opinion.

With time, you can add to your collection and create layers. You can also follow current trends (copper, brass and silver are always taking turns), but find them in vintage pieces. Instead of buying a new, Moroccan rug or pouf, find a vintage one! Instead of buying that brand new shiny, gold animal, find one with a little more patina and interest from the 1930s.

As I write this, I smile as I think about the story we are adding to our homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history book and what a privilege it is to help others do the same. Although the way we live and what we do in the world says a lot about who we are as individuals, so do our physical environments.

ELI POTTER interview by Dani Kowalczyk photographs by Eli Potter

Meeting Eli Potter several years ago on a visit back to my old college city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, I was struck by his energy. I was made still by his raw and real creative drive that even now seems unbeknownst to him. At surface, Eli is a typical 21-year-old guy from Western Michigan. He holds a steady job at a place he enjoys, he drinks beer and likes to skateboard. And amongst the other juvenilely appropriate occupations and hobbies, Eli also likes to photograph. Walking through his living room, his friends’ zines lay sporadically for a visitor’s pleasure. He points out some of his photos in one. He shows me prints he’s developed in his closet, his skateboards that hang proudly with wear. We chat about his short experience with Chicago and a failed attempt at an internship that promised creativity but supplied a cubicle. It was clear to me right away—this normal guy isn’t so normal at all. He sees in colors and can capture light unlike anyone I know. A blue collar appreciation in the basic principles of life and nature, Eli casually sees it all and bares no secret for this strength. He just goes out there and takes pictures like the rest of us—to remember.

documents though . . . somewhere I went with someone I spent my day with. I wouldn’t be able to remember half the things I’ve done if I didn’t visually document them.

What is important to you? Eli (E)   Finding inspiration from new places and mediums, good conversation and balance. I do need movement, though, otherwise I find myself shooting very little. Part of the fun and necessity is to just go and let things happen.

Who do you see as an influence? E   I’ve been enjoying Todd Hido’s work, especially the Homes At Night series. Evan Tetreault’s compositions and use of natural light in his portraits, as well as the sense of comfort in his subjects, are all influential to me. Mark Peckmezian’s photos all seem to have something individually quirky and unique about them, and how he pairs some of his images together too is so good.

When you photograph, what do you shoot with, who do you shoot, and why? E   Pentax 67 and a little 35mm Minolta to keep in my jacket pocket. I’ve been shooting film for so long, it’s how things look in my head before I shoot. Landscapes and snapshots are frequent in my work, but I enjoy people most. They’re all

Has Grand Rapids or Michigan influenced your work? E   Growing up, skateboarding was probably a bigger influence than anything else. It trained my eye to look at things differently. It brought me to places I could interact with, and formed an appreciation for the way things are physically and visually. A good skate spot to me is one that challenges a skater physically, obviously, but also mentally. A challenge to think of something that is going to look good within its surroundings on video or in a photo. That became my way of thought with everyday things, and my photos as well. It’s not always a conscious effort, but I like seeing things within my photos that appear a little out of place. Like a skateboarder might be viewed by someone who doesn’t understand it. Do you have any advice for the aspiring creative? E   Everything moves a little slower in the Midwest, so staying occupied and stimulated is key. Try to grab inspiration from anything in any medium. There’s no reason to put blinders on yourself, or put yourself in a corner doing just one thing. If you were to leave, what will be a prevailing memory of the Midwest? E   Lake Michigan in the summer. Nothing compares.

ELDORADO the Midwest American Dream

words by Erin Gavle photographs by EE Berger

It’s funny when people think about chasing down the American Dream, they immediately assume that chase directs them east to New York City or far west to LA. I should know, because I’ve chased the dream in both directions. And across foreign seas. And after all that chase, I’m back where I started. Smack dab in the middle of the Midwest. Corktown, Detroit. And the American Dream is a brick and mortar, named Eldorado General Store. The Lost City of Gold.

foundation is built with positivity, despite the scattered rubble of bankruptcy. I wanted to be a part of this and join the ranks alongside all the other believers and doers. Eldorado General Store is a well-curated, mostly vintage general store that’s filled with one of a kind trinkets and talisman from my decadelong treasure hunt for the American Dream. It was during these travels I learned to be grateful for every experience and appreciate every object I gathered along the way. Purposefully picked healing crystals collected from Venice Beach boardwalk bike rides. Crystals glimmering so brightly from the California sun that one couldn’t help but stop and soak in the Pacific salt air.

After successfully climbing the corporate ladder in NYC as an advertising creative, I realized there was something missing. My heart was left wanting more. Over the last year, I spent the days following the sun. The nights admiring the moon. I frolicked in the East. And created in the West. Learning to believe in the universe and its current—trusting that the wind would take me where my heart truly lies. That current was the Road to Eldorado and it became the way back to Detroit.

I sought out handcrafted Navajo dreamcatchers to ensure a recharging slumber while calming the myriad of thoughts it takes to conquer your fears—thus allowing your dreams to manifest. A vintage leather weekender bag rescued from a Chicago flea market that becomes the staple in any woman’s adventures. Or the softest of flannels, the perfect Ludington find to keep you warm on a crisp fall evening as you watch the full moon rise above the sand dunes of Lake Michigan.

Instead of continuing to tell everyone how awesome Detroit is, I wanted to prove with actions that anything is possible within the city walls. Detroit possesses a community spirit and can-do attitude; a support system whose

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