Michigan Blue Spring 2020

SPRING ISSUE

Wonderful blossoms and blooms Spring colors to refresh the winter weary

DISPLAY UNTIL MARCH 29, 2016

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COTTAGES 2016

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Spring ritual: The gardens of Mackinac Island on display Life of a trout bum | The secret of seeing nature Stylish rustic dining | Saving our birds | Hot air balloon tours

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Join us in april for our wellness package!

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Welcome to warmer days in Traverse City. It’s where blossoms line the sidewalks that turn into shoreline trails. Where you can choose a night downtown, in the vineyard or the beach. And however you paint the town, you know you’re in a pre y great place.

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SPRING 2020

CONTENTS “There’s gotta be a carved-out pocket for seasonal expression, and annuals are good for the soul.

It’s like garden morphine.”

40 JACK BARNWELL

features

34 Trout bums

Fly-fishing guides at the Pere Marquette River Lodge in Baldwin all share a love for trout and river environments. Guiding others and teaching is the best career they could have.

By Bob Gwizdz

40 An explosion of color The arc of Mackinac Island’s striking gardens and history is memorialized in a beautiful volume by gardens designer Jack Barnwell, Sue Allen and photographer Jennifer Wohletz, all island residents.

By Julie Bonner Williams

46 The secret of seeing Fine arts nature photographer Mark Graf shares his visions and his secret for seeing the beauty many miss when traveling through wild places.

By Mark Graf ON THE COVER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER WOHLETZ

The Dwarf Lake Iris, a threatened species, is the official state wildflower in Michigan.

Photography by Mark Graf.

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MICHIGAN BLUE

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Beachfront lawn games along Little Traverse Bay, scouring the shoreline for Petoskey stones — or the perfect place to relax. Shopping, dining and gallery-browsing in the Village at Bay Harbor, Petoskey and Charlevoix. Or maybe a day at The Spa, on the links or vineyard hopping — all culminating in a relaxed Afternoon Tea. Whether a family get-together or a romantic getaway, Inn at Bay Harbor offers plenty to explore — and plenty to love.

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SPRING 2020

CONTENTS

74 24

in every issue:

columns:

departments:

08 Letters and Contributors

23 Undercurrents

12 Waterways

Global bird populations are experiencing steep declines; simple things you can do to help.

By Howard Meyerson

Sustainable foraging in spring, new gardens at Belle Isle, Traverse-area balloon tours, National Writers Series, top wildflower walks, new kayak shuttle at Pictured Rocks.

A season of renewal.

By Howard Meyerson

30

24 Home Decor Container gardens are versatile.

They can be positioned in a variety of places around the yard or patio to add vivid splashes of color or accents.

By Jeanine Matlow

28 The Sporting Life Karen Eppinger is the CEO of Dearborn-based Eppinger Lures, one of the oldest fishing lure companies in America.

By Bob Gwizdz

76 Reflections Taking solace in a world where songbird populations are disappearing.

By Jerry Dennis MICHIGAN BLUE

Buying a used boat has its perils. Protect yourself with a professional marine survey.

By Chuck Warren

In the early days of aviation, “aeroplane views” were once the rage. They fed everyone’s curiosity about what their world looked like from up high.

By M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson

Great things to see and do during the 125th anniversary of Mackinac State Historic Parks.

By Kim Schneider

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26 At The Helm

32 Vintage Views

68 Michigan Top 5

CINDY LA FERLE

66 Tasting Room Modeled after vineyards in Burgundy and Bordeaux, Dablon Vineyards in Baroda is changing perceptions about Michigan wines.

By Greg Tasker

72 Dining Destination

“Once Upon a Time at the Opera House.”

By James Bertson Harris

Seventy-Six in Holland expresses owner Lucas Grill’s vision for a stylish rustic eatery with a sophisticated menu.

By Amy Eckert

57 Excursions

74 Historic Inns & Lodges

The National Morel Mushroom Festival, Tight Lines for Troops in Manistee, The Blue Water Sturgeon Festival, Way UP Music Festival, 75th Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony.

Compiled by Marla R. Miller

The Island House Hotel on Mackinac Island opened in 1852. Expanded, renovated, remodeled and modernized, it continues to provide a unique lodging experience.

By Marla R. Miller

30 State of Mine

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ISLAND HOUSE HOTEL (LEFT); COURTESY CINDY LA FERLE (RIGHT); ILLUSTRATION BY GARY ODMARK (BOTTOM)

10 Wavelengths

“I love to get outside and work in the garden. As you get older, you don’t want to bend down in the soil as much. There’s instant gratification with containers, and it’s an easier way to garden because you’re not weeding all the time.”

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MAKE IT YOUR MOMENT. Plan the perfect golf vacation at CrystalMountain.com/Packages or call 877.288.9775.

SPRING 2020

CONTRIBUTORS

®

www.mibluemag.com PUBLISHER: John Balardo ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Jason

Hosko

EDITORIAL

Lisa M. Rose An herbalist and expert forager of wild foods and medicinal plants, Lisa is passionate about teaching others the hidden values of common plants most take for granted. She is the author of two guidebooks on the subjects, the most recent is “Midwest Medicinal Plants,” and writes a blog called Burdock & Rose found at burdockandrose.com

EDITOR: Tim Gortsema MANAGING EDITOR: Howard Meyerson COPY EDITOR: Tom Mitsos GENERAL INQUIRIES: editorial@mibluemag.com CONTRIBUTUNG WRITERS: Christine Byron, Jerry

Dennis, Amy Eckert, Mark Graf, Bob Gwizdz, Jeanine Matlow, Leslie Mertz, Marla R. Miller, Linda Odette, Kim Schneider, Dianna Stampfler, Greg Tasker, Chuck Warren, Julie Bonner Williams, Thomas R. Wilson

DESIGN

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Lindsay Emeigh ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Keagan Coop DESIGNER: Robin Vargo CONTRIBUTORS: Michael Buck, Mark Graf,

David Lewinski, Leslie Mertz, Gary Odmark, Johnny Quirin, Lisa M. Rose, Jennifer Wohletz, Glenn Wolff

SALES

GENERAL INQUIRIES: advertisingsales@grmag.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Jenn Maksimowski ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Chelsea Carter, Jessica Laidlaw, Renee Looman, Craig R. Rich, Bri Rodriguez, Amanda Smiley OFFICE MANAGER: Alisha Andres TO ORDER REPRINTS: Receptionist, (616) 459-4545

PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Jenine Rhoades SENIOR PRODUCTION ARTIST: Robert Gorczyca PRODUCTION ARTIST: Stephanie Daniel ADVERTISING COORDINATORS: Amanda Zwiren ADVERTISING DESIGNERS: Melissa Flores-Loera,

Christian Lott, Daniel Moen, Kendra Okamoto, Christopher Paluch, Marcus Thompson, Amanda Zwiren

WEB

Mark Graf Born and raised in Detroit, Mark is a photographer whose muse is summoned by an insatiable curiosity of the natural world, from our seas to our skies. His work is on permanent display in many prestigious hospitals, hotels and offices throughout Michigan and the U.S. Mark sells fine art prints and canvas through his website (grafphoto.com) and is published worldwide.

Bob Gwizdz A Detroit native who spent most of his career as a newspaper outdoor writer, Bob also spent 10 years working in public information with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources while he continued freelancing for newspapers and magazines. He lives in East Lansing with his wife, son and a crazy English setter named Elvis.

Julie Bonner Williams A devotee of nature, history and literature, Julie is an awardwinning poet and a professor at Grand Valley State University, where she has taught writing and journalism. She is now working on her first novel. Julie lives on the lakeshore with her husband, four horses, four dogs, several organic, free-range chickens, turkeys and ducks, and a mule named Amos.

Corrections: The Kellogg postcard images featured in the Winter issue’s Vintage Views column were provided courtesy of the Kellogg Archives. The credit published was incorrect.

The full recipe for the Cranberry Crumble Pie published in the cottages issue story about Sister Pie bakery can be found online at bit.ly/BlueSisterPie. Only half of the recipe appeared in the print edition.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please send letters in care of: Editor, Michigan BLUE Magazine, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, or email to howardm@geminipub.com.

Letters may be edited for reasons of clarity and space.

Johnny Quirin A prolific photographer and all-around nice guy, Johnny is a frequent contributor to West Michigan publications, the Pure Michigan campaign, Midwest Living and Spectrum Health, among others. He keeps equally busy as owner of a full-service school and youth sports portrait company (flicker.com/ photos/jqphoto).

DIGITAL STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Nick Britsky DIGITAL OPERATIONS DIRECTOR: Gerald Blakeslee WEB PROJECT LEAD: Matthew Cappo WEB PROJECT ASSISTANTS: Mariah Knott, Luanne

IT

IT DIRECTOR:

Jeremy Leland

CIRCULATION

DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: Michelle VanArman CIRCULATION MANAGER: Riley Meyers CIRCULATION CUSTOMER SERVICE: (866) 660-6247

MARKETING

MARKETING & EVENTS DIRECTOR: Mary Sutton MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER: Andrea Straw DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR: Asia Jones MARKETING & EVENTS ASSISTANT: Lauren Krzisnik,

Alexis Mellos

ADMINISTRATION

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS: Kathie Gorecki PUBLISHING & SALES COORDINATOR: Kristin Mingo ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATES: Natasha Bajju,

Andrew Kotzian, Joshua Phipps, Katie West

PUBLISHED BY GEMINI MEDIA, LLC CEO:

Stefan Wanczyk | PRESIDENT: John Balardo

Michigan BLUE Magazine is published bi-monthly by Gemini Media. Publishing offices: 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331 Grand Rapids, MI 49503-144. Telephone (616) 459-4545; fax (616) 459-4800. General e-mail: info@geminipub.com. Copyright ©2019 by Gemini Media. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Michigan Blue Magazine, 401 Hall St. SW, Suite 331 Grand Rapids, MI 49503-144. Subscription rates: one year $18, two years $28, three years $38, U.S. only.

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MICHIGAN BLUE

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Your Own Welcome Home We find ourselves craving the brilliant colors of springtime, yet the vernal equinox is James Thomas founders: Tom Riker and James Dolenc

still weeks away. Our answer? Bring the outside in. We are in love with this sun-drenched sitting room. Filled with lush greenery, playful patterns, and a joyful color-way, it’s now suddenly Spring every day.

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SPRING 2020

WAV E L E N G T H S

BY HOWARD MEYERSON

L

A season of renewal like the hepatica, and robust flowers, like the trout lily or marsh marigold, tenaciously poke through warming soils to embrace the sun.

Their emergent splashes of color across otherwise drab winter landscapes soon fi lls in to create vistas of color for all to enjoy.

In this Spring issue of BLUE, we celebrate the return of spring and the beauty of flowers and nature, from the single stem growing in the wild to the lush, complex gardens found on Mackinac Island every summer. Julie Bonner Williams relished the assignment of learning about those gardens, their history and the master designer for most of the landscaping, island resident Jack Barnwell, who teamed up with Sue Allen and photographer Jennifer Wohletz to produce a stunning book about the gardens in 2019.

“Writing about landscaping and gardening, especially about the spectacular gardens of Mackinac Island, was inspiring,” Bonner Williams said. “Looking at those photos of lilacs and lilies in full bloom and having the privilege of personally hearing landscaping

methods of a professional like Jack Barnwell? That was incendiary!”

The spring photos of fi ne arts photographer Mark Graf also grace our pages this issue. His magnificent Dwarf Lake Iris photo is found on our cover. It is Michigan’s official state wildflower and a federally listed threatened species. It grows only around the Great Lakes and is found in Michigan near the northern shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Graf’s essay on “The secret of seeing” provides good advice for photographers on the move out in the wild — and probably for all of us.

This issue also contains great stories about new gardens planned for Belle Isle State Park in Detroit, exceptional wildflower hikes and sustainable foraging practices, among other things.

Be sure to get outside, take a deep breath and enjoy the season.

≈

Howard Meyerson Managing Editor, Michigan BLUE Magazine

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK

ike the weight of a heavy coat being shed, the passing of winter brings a smile to most people’s faces and a certain lightness of being. Our senses are revived, the air seems fresher. We again smell the earth and autumn’s leaf remains. As the daylight hours grow, our spirits rise accordingly. Spring is a season of renewal, for sure.

Warming days bring a long-sought transformation to our natural world; it’s miraculous, really, when the trees start to bud and the landscape greens. Colorful birds return from their far away wintering grounds, arriving in waves to fi ll the natural niches in our fields and forests, often splashing down on thawing lakes looking to nest.

In the hidden pools of warming woods all over the state, the distinctive high-pitched chorus of spring peepers signals season’s change. That, of course, will be followed by the deep bass notes of bullfrogs, the incessant buzzing of bees and delicate flutter of butterfl ies’ wings. All the while, tiny wildflowers,

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MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

WAT E R WAY S Traverse City Balloon Tours offers a unique opportunity to see the countryside at sunrise and sunset.

Slow sail

Explore the natural wonders around Grand Traverse Bay on a hot air balloon ride.

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MICHIGAN BLUE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOMMY HODGES

V

isitors from near and far flock to Traverse City for wine tasting, dune climbing and water-based recreation, but aerial adventures await those who like high-flying fun.

Jeff Gilles, a hot air balloon pilot who has piloted 40,000 passengers across the globe, now whisks locals and vacationers off in a wicker basket and colorful balloon to sail the skies surrounding Grand Traverse Bay. Gilles eyed the region’s longtime ballooning business for years. He jumped at the chance to buy Grand Traverse Balloons in early 2018 — without ever having visited Traverse City — and rebranded to Traverse City Balloon Tours.

“I knew it was just a beautiful part of the United States and thought it would be a nice place to spend the summers,” he said.

Gilles offers sunrise or sunset flights, plus private trips, soaring over the region’s vineyards, bays and countryside. The excursion takes about three hours total, with an hour in flight, and includes free hotel pickup and return in Traverse City and Acme.

Besides the 360-degree aerial views, the experience of floating through the open air offers an element of excitement, adventure and surreal observation. It’s a memorable way to spend a morning or afternoon or celebrate a special event.

“As far as seeing the landscape, it’s a very stable platform; it’s been called the sensation of no sensation,” Gilles said. “People have said it’s like just staring out at a picture. It slowly goes by. You can’t tell you are

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOMMY HODGES

Above: Jeff Gilles, left, pilots his balloon with a basket full of clients who are enjoying the views of lakes below. Right: Launching requires filling the balloon with hot air.

moving. There is no feeling like it; it’s something you have to experience.”

Balloon tours can be booked May through late October, but trips are weather dependent. The wind has to be just right, preferably 5 to 10 knots, and the average flight reaches 2,000 to 3,000 feet with an occasional ascent to 6,000 feet or higher.

Gilles watches the weather, tests the winds and determines a launch location before the trip based on the wind’s speed and direction. He cannot guarantee the balloon’s exact path, but that is part of the fun.

“We try to fly over Traverse City and over the bay, but it may be as far south as Interlochen and Buckley and as far west as Empire,” he said. “In our area, we have a lot of water, so it’s always pretty no matter where you are.”

The sunset trip is an easier sell, but the balloon lands before the sun actually sets.

For early risers, Gilles said a sunrise trip affords people the chance to actually watch the sunrise.

“It’s gorgeous,” he said. “It’s a great way to start the morning.” Passengers are treat-

ed to a post-landing champagne toast with Gilles, who also gives a short lesson on the history of ballooning.

Gilles’ parents turned him onto the hobby, which blossomed into a passion and a career. At 45, Gilles has piloted over 5,000 flights, including competitive events, corporate balloons and for tourism operators.

His favorite is setting sail with people who want to enjoy a unique vacation experience, face down a fear, celebrate a special event or cross an item off their bucket list.

Ballooning has taken the Oklahoma native to 35 states and six different countries, including exotic locales like the Serengeti in Tanzania, rainforests in Costa Rica, rice paddies in Japan and the outback of Australia. In the offseason, Gilles and his wife Julie fly balloons in Arizona and elsewhere.

“It’s just a fun way to make a living and a fun way to see the world,” he said. “It’s a family passion. My family has been involved with it for so long, I can’t envision my life without it.”

— Marla R. Miller

“People have said it’s like just staring out at a picture.

It slowly goes by. You can’t tell you are moving. There is no feeling like it; it’s something you have to experience.”

JEFF GILLES

≈

MICHIGAN BLUE

13

SPRING 2020

World-class outdoor garden takes shape on Belle Isle

T

he musical chiming of Belle Isle’s stately Nancy Brown Peace Carillon will take on an even more beautiful air once its 85-foot tower is surrounded by a new world-class outdoor garden. Created specifically for the Detroit island park by preeminent Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf, the 2.6-acre, $4.2 million Oudolf Garden Detroit project will feature walkways winding through beds of 25,000 plants and include both a wetland and a rain garden, according to Duncan Campbell, who

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is part of the all-volunteer organizing taskforce — called the Grounds Crew — behind the project.

“We’re taking a spot in this cultural heart of the island that is really just mowed grass right now around the bell tower, and we’re creating this amazing, artistic, public garden that is free, that will have four-season interest and will become an urban oasis in the city for anyone to enjoy,” Grounds Crew volunteer and Detroit resident Meredith Simpson said.

Left: The plan for new gardens, designed by Piet Oudolf (top right), will include 25,000 flowers along with wetland and rain gardens.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OUDOLF GARDEN DETROIT

WAT E R WAY S

The first of two planting phases was scheduled to begin last summer, but high Great Lakes water levels caused the Detroit River to also rise and seep into the garden site, which put plans on hold, according to Campbell. To accommodate the variable water levels that are expected to become the new normal, Oudolf revised his design to elevate much of the garden and move it farther from the shoreline and new retaining walls. A special drainage layer below the soil also has gone in.

“We’re taking a spot in this cultural heart of the island that is really just mowed grass right now around the bell tower, and we’re creating this amazing, artistic, public garden that is free.”

MEREDITH SIMPSON

While that work continues, Simpson is busy procuring the 25,000 flowers and grasses that will fill the garden. “We have 90-some percent of the plants sourced from growers around the state of Michigan and nearby in the Midwest, so that’s amazing,” she said. “Before I got into this project, I had no idea how many professional growers there were or just the extent of the horticulture industry here in Michigan.”

Instead of planting in two phases, the plan now is to get everything into the ground in one massive effort this summer. Despite the scale of the project, Campbell is confident.

“We have more than 3,300 people on our email list following the progress of the garden, and we have more than 900 volunteers signed up to help with the planting of the garden. These volunteers are people from around the country, and we are expecting people from other countries, as well,” he said. “I have never been involved in a project where there has been so much excitement.”

More about Oudolf Garden Detroit on Belle Isle is found at oudolfgardendetroit.org.

— Leslie Mertz

≈

Create An Impression

Registered Landscape Architects 4353 Three Mile Road N.E. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525 616-363-6400 www.kappeslandscapes.com

MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

WAT E R WAY S

Nature’s L big show Bring on the spring color!

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MICHIGAN BLUE

Spring beauty

ittle compares to a springtime hike when wildflowers are blooming.

The white pantaloons of Dutchman’s breeches dance in the slightest breeze, and the trout lilies’ yellow flowers dangle shyly above dappled leaves.

“It just seems like everything is so happy and brimming with life,” said botanist Jesse Lincoln, who spends much of his year exploring forests and fields collecting information about natural communities for the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, a conservation database maintained at Michigan State University (mnfi.anr.msu.edu).

In his travels, Lincoln has come across wonderful spring-wildflower spots. Some of his favorites include: Warren Woods State Park in Berrien County known for its great white trillium, drooping trillium, toadshade — a small tril-

lium with deep-maroon flowers and painted trillium that has a splash of purple at the base of its white petals. “It has just fantastic trilliums, including more species than I’ve seen anywhere else,” Lincoln said.

“There’s just so much life all of a sudden in the spring in one big spurt. It’s the wildflowers themselves, but it’s also the whole woods coming to life.

That’s what I really enjoy.”

LIANA MAY

Kalamazoo Nature Center is another special stop and the only place in Michigan where Lincoln has seen blue-eyed mary, a striking flower with two white and two blue petals and “carpets of trillium” he

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY CLAY WILTON (LEFT); LESLIE MERTZ (RIGHT)

Rue anemone

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY LESLIE MERTZ

Spiderwort

calls “spectacular.”

Other favorites include Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary in Cass County; Maple River State Game Area in the central Lower Peninsula; and both Rockport Recreation Area and Cheboygan State Park in the northeastern Lower Peninsula.

All have a diversity of wildflowers in spring, Lincoln said, adding that Rockport State Park has a “just unbelievable” abundance of yellow lady’s slippers.

Botanist Liana May, vice president of the Michigan Botanical Club’s Great Lakes Chapter, points to Clay Cliffs Natural Area in Leelanau County as a favorite, along with the Treat Farm and Pyramid Point trails at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. They overflow with wildflowers from spring beauty, jack-in-the-pulpit and early meadow rue to squirrel corn, large-flowered

Squirrel Corn

bellwort and small-flowered buttercup. Clay Cliffs and Treat Farm also feature the dainty white flowers of bishop’s cap and foamflower, while Pyramid Point hosts white, green and maroon putty-root orchids.

May and Lincoln said an excellent way to experience Michigan’s spring ephemerals is to sign up for a spring wildflower hike offered by local parks and nature organizations like the Michigan Botanical Club, Michigan Nature Association and HuronClinton Metroparks.

Whether it’s a solo or group trip, a springtime nature walk is bound to please, May said. “There’s just so much life all of a sudden in the spring in one big spurt. It’s the wildflowers themselves, but it’s also the whole woods coming to life. That’s what I really enjoy.”

— Leslie Mertz

≈

FOR MORE INFORMATION • Michigan State Parks www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails • Kalamazoo Nature Center naturecenter.org • Dowagiac Woods Nature Sanctuary bit.ly/DowagiacSanctuary • Maple River State Game Area bit.ly/MapleRiverMap • Michigan Botanical Club michbotclub.org • Michigan Nature Association michigannature.org • Isle Royale & Keweenaw Parks Association irkpa.org • Huron-Clinton Metroparks metroparks.com

MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

WAT E R WAY S

Sustainable foraging in spring

A

• APPETIZER: Garlic-mustard pesto flatbreads with morels, sautéed garlic fiddleheads (in place of pepperoni) and seasoned with a sprinkle of chopped leek leaves (leaving the bulb in the ground in its entirety so it can regenerate in coming seasons).

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MICHIGAN BLUE

Harvested violet leaves can be used in a salad or whole flowers can be candied for use in desserts.

• SALAD: Foraged salad of dandelion and violet leaves, plated with trout-lily leaves for a crunchy flavor, seasoned with wild chives and mints and drizzled with a mustard vinaigrette made from seeds of the garlic mustard from the previous season.

• ENTRÉE: Asian carp fish cakes, served with native wild rice and a fresh, homemade aioli.

• DESSERT: A goat-cheese cheesecake drizzled with a local, star thistle honey and garnished with candied violet flowers. Served with foraged herbal chai of chicory root, dandelion root and spice-

bush with tea biscuits topped with violet flower jelly.

• WINE: Serve with Michigan gewürztraminer or Michigan pinot noir, slightly chilled.

Each of these ingredients has its own unique harvesting and preparation methods. Learning these from an experienced wild foods forager and chef will ensure you are foraging the correct botanical in a manner that is both sustainable and delicious.

Bon appétit!

— Lisa Rose

≈

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY LISA ROSE

s the snow melts from the fields and woodlands, the early greens of spring poke through. The forager’s palette — dulled from a winter of root vegetables and heavy sauces — awakes to the bright green tastes of spring.

It’s easy to be overeager, to overharvest spring edibles like wild leeks and morels, gathering all we see in the forest. But as foraging becomes more popular, we should be careful not to deplete the plants that bring us such joy.

My spring harvests consist largely of weedy, “invasive” plants — garlic mustard, dock, dandelion, chicory, nettles and so on.

I feast on these fresh greens through early May; and as they grow larger and change in flavor and texture, they are choice for sautéed greens or incorporated into recipes for frittatas, pastas, risottos and other “onepot” meals.

There are many wild edibles that I love but rarely harvest because they are threatened by habitat loss. Those include plants like ostrich ferns, trout lilies and wild leeks. If I do gather them, it’s done sparingly to garnish a dish with a little foraging élégance.

When designing menus and meals around the foraged flavors of spring, consider using the abundant “invasive species” as the foundation of your cooking and using native wild edibles sparingly and in microquantities. This small-plates menu will give you a flavor of how you can craft a dish to feature wild edibles while being sensitive to the availability of native plants:

Ostrich fern Garlic mustard

When designing menus and meals around the foraged flavors of spring, consider using the abundant “invasive species� as the foundation of your cooking and using native wild edibles sparingly and in micro-quantities.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY LISA ROSE

Dandelion

MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

WAT E R WAY S

The new Kayak Express shuttle is able to launch or retrieve two kayaks at time on open water.

Express excursions

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MICHIGAN BLUE

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY PICTURED ROCKS KAYAKING

P

addling beneath the towering sandstone cliffs of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore got a little easier last summer once the new 64-foot Kayak Express hit the water. The custom-built kayak tour vessel operated by Pictured Rocks Kayaking in Munising allows two kayaks to be launched or retrieved at the same time on the open waters of Lake Superior.

It is the second kayak tour boat in the company’s fleet and the first of its kind on the Great Lakes. It was built by Moran Iron Works in Onaway.

“We are the only kayak company that launches by boat and not by shore,” said Deidre Phillipson, manager of Pictured Rocks Kayaking. “Our boat stays with the group for the entire adventure. If at any time in the paddle guests need a bathroom break or are tired, the boat will be right there to pick them up.”

Kayak Express transports paddlers, kayaks and their gear to prime paddling spots along

the rugged and beautiful national lakeshore.

It is fast, wide and stable, able to handle the fluctuating waves of Lake Superior.

Departures leave from the East Channel of Munising Bay and head into Lake Superior, where paddlers are launched just past Painted Cove to begin their paddle toward Chapel Rock. With miles of sugar sand beaches and picturesque rock formations rising as high as 600 feet above the shoreline, it is a trip unlike any other in the country.

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SPRING 2020

Doug Stanton, NWS co-founder, chats with authors (left to right) Elizabeth Letts, Elizabeth Berg and Lynne Olson.

WAT E R WAY S

T

he story behind the National Writers Series in northern Michigan would make a great book. Pulitzer Prize winners and best-selling authors love coming to the event, which has become one of the top five book stops in the country. Major publishers call to get authors on the schedule. And it all happens in Traverse City, a far cry from New York or Chicago, where one would expect such a series to take place.

Even harder to believe is the series started on a lark. Doug Stanton, a Traverse City resident, got the idea after his book tour for The New York Times best-seller “Horse Soldiers.” He wanted to create an experience where authors interact with the audience that felt like a party. The spirited and sometimes “ridiculous” evenings that take the format of a conversation with the author and moderator are designed to be different from a book reading.

“We didn’t expect it to take off,” Stan-

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ton said of the year-round festival (national writersseries.org) that was planned while sitting around the kitchen table with his wife Anne Stanton, co-founder and executive director.

But take off it did, bringing in authors over the years that include Stephen King, Alice Walker, Richard Russo, Anna Quindlen, Nikki Giovanni, Jodi Picoult, Roy Blount Jr., David Sedaris and Tom Brokaw to the town’s beautiful and historic City Opera House, where the series is held.

The National Writers Series includes two seasons. The first starts in January and the second in August. Together, they will feature approximately 18 world-renowned authors this year, and nearly 9,000 people will attend.

Organizers try to seek out emerging authors and authors of color to make the series diverse.

“We try to mix it,” Anne said. “They’ve got to be big enough to draw an audience.”

She writes on the series’ website they

“want to move our audiences toward an understanding of literature, history and contemporary issues. Our goal is to create a deeper understanding of issues and ways of life that exist within and outside of our rural boundaries.”

Besides the unusual format, Doug credits two other things for the program’s success: low ticket prices and the support from Traverse City. “I really don’t know how we’re doing it to be quite honest,” he said. “It’s a very giving community.”

— Linda Odette

≈

NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES SPRING SCHEDULE April 9: Terry McMillan April 22: Pam Houston June 11: Elaine Weiss June 28: Anthony Kronman July 20: Mark Nepo

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES

A lark, but no joke

Famous authors keen to present at Traverse opera house events.

SPRING 2020

UNDERCURRENTS

BY HOWARD MEYERSON

Declining bird populations offer ‘ wake­up call’

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK

I

n my backyard, the feeders are full. A downy woodpecker sits perched on the suet feeder. A pair of cardinals wait cautiously in the nearby pines for the mayhem to subside.

Two nuthatches fly in to grab a sunflower seed and beat a hasty retreat. Meanwhile, a flock of sparrows mob the feeders and what’s left of the lawn beneath where two squirrels stuff their faces with the sunflower seeds thrown off the feeders above.

Were this my first bird feeding frenzy, I might think all is well in bird land. I live in the city, after all. But it’s not, and I know, so I noticed the absence of the dark-eyed juncos that frequented my yard for years. I’m aware that I no longer see American goldfinches, the occasional rose-breasted grosbeak or the purple finches that once fed here.

Headlines across the country last September reported the results of a new study in the journal Science about bird populations in steep decline. The findings of an international team of researchers, written by lead author Ken Rosenberg, a senior scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and American Bird Conservancy, showed that 29%, about 3 billion birds, have vanished from North America and Canada during the last 50 years.

Researchers, who analyzed 529 bird species, say habitat loss likely is the driving force behind the declines. They are calling the findings “a wake-up call.” It isn’t just threatened species that have vanished. Most are common birds like red-winged blackbirds, sparrows, warblers, finches and swallows.

“When we first moved here, I’d sit in my bay window and see 13 warbler species per hour. Now if I see three species a month, that’s a lot,” said Kay Charter, executive di-

rector for the Omena-based nonprofit Saving Birds Thru Habitat (savingbirds.org). Charter and her late husband bought their 45-acre property and developed Charter Sanctuary, a place for birds where she continues to give educational tours about the importance of habitat and the other issues that impact bird populations like pesticide use in agriculture, gardens and yards, predation by outdoor cats, light pollution and bird collisions with glass buildings. “We are on a path to losing our birds if we don’t get on board and fi x the problem,” Charter said.

Researchers found that some bird species are doing well. Waterfowl numbers (ducks, geese and swans) were up 50%, while raptors like eagles and hawks were up 200%.

Wild turkey numbers were up 200%. Each has had the benefit of focused conservation work, whether protecting the eagle by listing it as endangered and banning the pesticide DDT or protecting and improving wetlands for waterfowl using funds generated by selling duck stamps to hunters.

“It’s a wake-up call that we’ve lost more than a quarter of our birds in the U.S. and Canada,” said study co-author Adam Smith from Environment and Climate Change Canada, in a press announcement, one of five organizations behind the study, including The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and American Bird Conservancy.

To learn more about the study findings, visit bit.ly/CornellLoO.

≈

Howard Meyerson is the managing editor for Michigan BLUE Magazine.

FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO AT HOME TO HELP BIRDS Make windows safer, day and night: Up to 1 billion birds are estimated to die each year after hitting windows in the United States and Canada. On the outside of the window, install screens or break up reflections — using film, paint, Acopian BirdSavers or other string spaced no more than 2 inches high or 4 inches wide.

Keep cats indoors: Cats are estimated to kill more than 2.6 billion birds annually in the U.S. and Canada. This is the No. 1 humancaused reason for the loss of birds, aside from habitat loss.

Reduce lawn, plant natives: Birds have fewer places to safely rest during migration and to raise their young; more than 10 million acres of land in the United States were converted to developed land from 1982-97. With more than 40 million acres of lawn in the U.S. alone, there’s huge potential to support wildlife by replacing lawns with native plantings.

Avoid pesticides: Pesticides that are toxic to birds can harm them directly through contact, or if they eat contaminated seeds or prey. Pesticides also can harm birds indirectly by reducing the number of available insects, which birds need to survive.

Drink coffee that’s good for birds: Threequarters of the world’s coffee farms grow their plants in the sun, destroying forests that birds and other wildlife need for food and shelter. Sungrown coffee also often requires using environmentally harmful pesticides and fertilizers. On the other hand, shade-grown coffee preserves a forest canopy that helps migratory birds survive the winter.

Source: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

HOME DECOR

BY JEANINE MATLOW

Hot pots, creative expression

I

f you’d like to spice up your outdoor spaces, containers add color and character to the backyard and beyond. Whether you highlight the pot or the plantings, these special gems lend visual interest wherever they land.

At her Royal Oak residence, journalist and blogger Cindy La Ferle (cindy laferlehappythings.blogspot.com) takes a whimsical approach to her containers. She accessorizes some of the face planters she calls “potheads,” like Aphrodite and Apollo, who may don a hat or sunglasses with succulents to simulate hair on his head.

At her other home, a Frank Lloyd Wright house in St. Joseph, the avid gardener had wood planters on rollers rebuilt to replace the originals that started to warp. “Having them in full sun can be a challenge, especially when you’re not always there,” La Ferle said. “Ornamental grasses can tolerate periods of drought, and they go with the modern feel and the rusty tones of the home.”

Plants that work in rock gardens should tolerate drought and sun, explained La Ferle, who incorporates ornamental grasses to add height to containers, giving them a fountain-like effect. Pedestals and plant stands also add height to containers that can shift as the sun changes in the summer.

“You can push your pots around your patio,” said La Ferle, who might fill some with coleus and impatiens, adding vines to balance the two. She also has potted tomatoes and herbs that are hard to grow in soil.

“I love to get outside and work in the garden,” she said. “As you get older, you

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don’t want to bend down in the soil as much.

There’s instant gratification with containers, and it’s an easier way to garden because you’re not weeding all the time.”

The “potheads” remain her favorites. “I change them every year to look like they have hairdo’s with vines and evergreen in the winter,” she said. “They add a human touch to the garden because they have faces.

When I look outside, there’s always something in there to see.”

Plant based Kim Milewski, general manager of English Gardens in Plymouth (englishgardens. com), suggests that containers can be used to beautify a porch, patio or yard. Colorful glazed ceramic pots can be combined with contrasting plant material. For spring planters, pussy willow, yellow twig dogwood or forsythia branches work well. Come summer, an obelisk or small trellis for mandevilla or black-eyed Susan vines add height to arrangements.

Tried and true terracotta pots can be combined with sleeker styles, while lightweight pottery also has been popular. “They have a very modern look, they’re easy to move and they hold up well through the seasons,” Milewski said.

Edible container gardening continues to be a hot trend. “What’s better than going out to your patio and munching on a fresh cucumber or a handful of sweet cherry tomatoes?” she asked. With citrus, you can pluck a fresh lime for your margarita.

Containers also add pops of continual color in perennial gardens. When planning

“I love to get outside and work in the garden. As you get older, you don’t want to bend down in the soil as much. There’s instant gratification with containers, and it’s an easier way to garden because you’re not weeding all the time.”

CINDY LA FERLE

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ENGLISH GARDENS (TOP LEFT, TOP RIGHT, BOTTOM RIGHT); CINDY LA FERLE (MIDDLE RIGHT, BOTTOM LEFT)

Container gardens are visually striking, versatile and can be repositioned easily.

a container garden, consider the sun exposure in your preferred location, along with the pots and colors you’d like to feature.

Milewski enjoys spending time with her daughters planting containers in the spring and watching them grow throughout the season. “My ladies love to help water, fertilize and deadhead as needed,” she said. “I also find it very relaxing to go out and water in the evening after a long day at work.”

Some of her favorite container combos feature tropical plants that do well in the summer and can be taken inside in the fall (after proper preparation with a systemic insecticide). Others include canna lilies and lemon coral sedum. You also can use perennials like coral bells, coneflower and sedum in containers.

“When you start with a self-watering pot, your plant combinations are endless,” Milewski said. Adding slow-release fertilizer to the soil when you plant and using watersoluble fertilizer every week will ensure your containers look good well into fall.

≈

Jeanine Matlow lives in Farmington Hills where she enjoys writing about homes and home décor.

MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

AT T H E H E L M

BY CHUCK WARREN

S

pring is a great time to buy a used boat.

Owners looking to trade up or down already may have made a deal on a new vessel, and dealerships that take used boats in trade are looking to free up space.

Some owners may be getting out of the boating lifestyle and want to avoid the expense of spring launch or summer storage.

Whether buying from a private seller or a dealer, there is one step in the purchase process that should not be overlooked. Hire a professional marine surveyor to inspect a potential purchase.

A marine survey is a thorough inspection of a vessel’s structural and mechanical

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integrity, plumbing and electrical systems, and other components. Professional surveyors check the overall condition of the vessel and also look for specific problems that might decrease the boat’s value or create unsafe conditions.

Good surveyors are like detectives who follow clues left by water leaks, corrosion or stress cracks to uncover costly problems. But there are no regulations governing surveyors that can guarantee a prospective buyer has hired a qualified individual.

Two organizations, the National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS) and the Society for Accredited Marine Surveyors

(SAMS) have become the accepted authorities for professional marine surveyor testing and certification. Based in Holland, Nick Everse has been surveying boats professionally for 2 years. After graduating from a course in Marine Surveying from The Landing School in Maine, he became certified by both NAMS and SAMS. “Finding a qualified surveyor is really important,” Everse said. “Banks and insurance companies are even starting to require surveys from SAMS- or NAMS-certified surveyors before financing or covering a vessel.”

When a buyer is interested in a boat far from home, a surveyor near the vessel also can

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK (BOTH PAGES)

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be retained to perform a preliminary inspection to see if the boat matches the information in an advertisement. Sellers may use the best photos they can to list their boats, but those photos may not be accurate representations of the vessel’s current condition.

Once the boat has been visually inspected and fits the buyer’s expectations, a surveyor can again be hired to perform a more in-depth inspection. A thorough marine survey should be performed before any price discussions begin since the findings can help with negotiations once the vessel is found to be seaworthy.

Hiring a surveyor in the spring provides an advantage over other seasons. It’s impossible to perform a thorough survey while the vessel is in the water; a floating vessel must be hauled out to have the hull checked for damage, water intrusion or other structural issues. Shafts, struts and outdrives also cannot be properly inspected while the vessel is afloat. But the opposite also is true.

Inspections done on land cannot include important steps like a sea trial, and without one, there is no way to be sure a vessel runs properly from idle to wide-open throttle.

A survey started in the spring while the boat is on land can be completed once the vessel has been launched, potentially eliminating haul-out costs to the buyer. Since surveyors charge a flat fee, most will return to complete an inspection at no extra cost.

Many buyers consider water intrusion, which can destroy the structural integrity of fiberglass or wood, to be one of their biggest concerns, but some surveyors believe it’s not the most important consideration.

“A wet hull or stringers isn’t going to kill anyone,” Detroit-area surveyor Bill Dunk said. “Our job is to look for safety issues, too, like bad wiring, fuel leaks or faulty safety equipment. Gas in the bilge and a spark — that’s what kills.”

Whether buying a trailer boat, schooner or trawler, the buyer’s very first step should always be to hire a professional marine surveyor. No one wants to see their new boat sitting in the shop for a month waiting for unexpected repairs — the Michigan boating season is short enough.

≈

Chuck Warren is a boating writer and licensed captain who lives in Grandville.

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SPRING 2020

THE SPORTING LIFE

BY BOB GWIZDZ

A

t 77, Karen Eppinger doesn’t fish as much as she used to, which used to be as much as just about anyone.

Eppinger is the CEO of Dearborn-based Eppinger Lures, one of America’s oldest fishing tackle manufacturing companies — it’s more than a century old — and almost certainly the only one that remains a family business after all those years.

The company, founded by her father’s great uncle Lou Eppinger, produces one of the world’s most iconic lures: the Dardevle (pronounced like the Marvel superhero), a spoon that will catch just about anything that swims but is probably the world’s bestknown pike bait. She started working in the family business as a young teen and has been at it since.

“I was 15 or 16, and I spent the summer changing prices in catalogs, putting stickers over the old prices,” she recalled. “It was boring.”

But it also was the beginning of a career in what is undoubtedly one of the most male-dominated industries there is. Over the years, she filled many roles, from tying bucktails and feathers to dressing the lures, personing the company booth at sports

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Karen Eppinger (above) remains committed to making Eppinger lures in the United States.

shows and fishing in tournaments. She was about the only gal in the boys’ locker room.

“When I first started going to tackle manufacturers shows, I think I was one of two females in the whole coliseum,” she said. “But I was accepted because I was knowledgeable about fishing. And manufacturing. I never had any problems, but it was kind of weird.”

Eppinger fished salmon and lake trout tournaments across the Great Lakes region, as well as at destination lodges, often above the Arctic Circle. “One year, I think I had 27 fishing licenses,” she said. “And I did sports shows all over the world. I don’t ever want to get on another airplane again.”

In 1987, when her father died, she “just sort of took over,” she said. “I learned it through osmosis, just from being there.”

Though she has been approached many, many times to sell the company — the fishing tackle industry has consolidated significantly over the last few decades — she’s declined for two reasons: She is proud that the company has always been a family business, and she’s even more pleased that it continues to be based in Michigan.

“We’re one of the only manufacturers to still make our lures in the United States,

and we’re not going to move out of America,” she said. “Ninety-nine percent of tackle manufacturers have moved overseas. Our prices are higher because we’re not manufacturing in China or Mexico or Haiti.

“Once a big box store asked me to move overseas because they wanted me to get our prices down. We wouldn’t do it. And they still sell our lures.”

Fact is, Eppinger changed hook suppliers when that company moved its manufacturing overseas.

“We’ve tried to remain a completely madein-America company,” she said. “The one exception is the glass eyes in our Red Eye Spoons (a company Eppinger acquired some years ago). The glass eyes are made in (Czech Republic) and nobody in America makes them. We didn’t want to go to plastic beads; we didn’t want to cheapen the product.”

John Cleveland, the marketing director at Eppinger who has been working at the company for 18 years, said Karen’s fierce loyalty — to family and community — is what defines her. A long-time member (and former president) of the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce, she is proud to provide jobs in southeast Michigan.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID LEWINSKI (BOTH PAGES)

Keeping family in the business

pennant system

“She’s quite generous,” said Cleveland, who said Eppinger never hesitated to give him time off for family or personal business if he asked. “If money was important to her, she could have gone to offshore manufacturing. She’s stubborn, and I’m glad for it.

Her priority is taking care of her family and her employees. She’s a good boss who has my respect and appreciation.”

The boss — who says she likes to putter around the garden, refinish furniture and play with her two dogs (a Pointer and a Lab) when she isn’t fishing — gradually began ceding business responsibilities to her daughter, Jennifer Bustamante, the heir apparent to the Eppinger empire.

“When I turned 70, I told my daughter I was taking summers off, so I’m here six months,” she said, referring to her Shiawassee County lake house, “then in Dearborn for six months.

She’s been taking over the business and now she only calls me when she needs to know something odd, like a collector wanting to know the history of particular bait.”

For her part, Bustamante has the same goals for Eppinger as her mom — keeping everything made in America and keeping it a family business.

“It’s a legacy,” Bustamante concludes.

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SPRING 2020

S TAT E O F M I N E

BY JAMES BERTON HARRIS ILLUSTRATIONS BY G. ODMARK

Once Upon a Time at the Opera House This excerpt from “Once Upon a Time at the Opera House - Drama at Three Historic Michigan Theaters, 1882-1928” by James Berton Harris © 2019, was published by Michigan State University Press and is reproduced here with permission.

T

he city of Coldwater is situated in what was once a region of prairie and forests inhabited by the Potawatomi Indians.

In 1821, Chief Topinabee sold the area to the U.S. government, and eight years later, the Territorial Legislature of Michigan designated it as Branch County…

Soon the settlement evolved into the village of Lyons that was platted by Joseph Hanchett and the Reverend Allen Tibbits. Tibbits, a Methodist minister, was born in Lyons, New York. His youngest son, Barton Smith Tibbits, was the man behind the opera house that bears his name.

Lyons underwent a name change in 1833.

Two theories have been put forward to explain the decision to name the settlement Coldwater. One story is that the original settlers were Methodist teetotalers, and perhaps cold water was their beverage of choice. A somewhat more credible reason is that the city’s name is the English translation of a Native American term for the region that means either “lake water” or “cold water”…

Branch County became known as a center for horse breeding and training and supported a number of racetracks… By the early 1880s, the city could claim several new industries, the arrival of the Bell Telephone Company, and approximately six thousand residents…

Henry Clay Lewis determined that an opera house could be constructed for approximately $16,000. He intended to contribute half that amount himself and to solicit the remaining portion from one or more of

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the city’s prominent citizens. To that end, he sent a letter to the man who was, perhaps, the city’s most prominent citizen, Barton S. Tibbits, a cigar factory owner who, at that time, was also the city’s mayor. Lewis stated that he was prepared to invest $8,000 in the project if Tibbits would assist in procuring the remaining half from “property owners of the city.”

Apparently, the property owners considered the endeavor to be too great a fi nancial risk and were reluctant to jump on board. Of the $8,000 Tibbits had agreed to raise, after three days of soliciting he had donations … that totaled only $2,441.25. There were contributions of up to $200 and one person gave just $6.25 to the enterprise, but Tibbits was not deterred from his newly acquired mission.

He decided to fund the entire enterprise himself without Lewis’s $8,000 and announced, prophetically, that he would “build a proper opera house if it bust my factory.”

By November 23, 1881, just three weeks after Lewis had initially approached him about the project, Tibbits purchased land across the street from his cigar factory on Hanchett Street, hired an architect, and was ready to break ground. The fi nal price tag for the opera house is estimated to have been between $25,000 and $30,000 and includes the cost of construction as well as the purchase of equipment and furnishings necessary to create the state-of-the-art playhouse. Barton S. Tibbits picked up the tab.

When the Tibbits Opera House opened, the stock of scenery and properties was con-

sidered to be the largest and finest in Michigan. …on September 21, 1882, when the Coldwater opening night patrons, filled with anticipation, approached their new playhouse, what did they encounter? From the street, a few steps led to an area approximately two feet above the sidewalk. There were four sets of wooden and glass double doors across the front of the building; two sets led directly into a vestibule with the box office and manager’s office on the left and a smoking room on the right. Two stairways, one on each side of the lobby, led to the balcony’s dress circle and gallery seats. Heavy wooden doors covered with dark terra cotta leather trimmed in gold separated the vestibule from the auditorium.

To be certain that patrons knew the identity of the gift horse that had provided this treasure to the city, B.S. Tibbits had his initials emblazoned on the opera house’s glass doors as well as displayed on the roof of the building. If that weren’t enough, his portrait was printed on every ticket…

From 1882 until 1885, Barton S. Tibbits and his staff enjoyed some degree of success: Manager Tibbits was made happy again last evening, his opera house being filled with a large, fashionable, and appreciative audience.

(Coldwater Republican, April 10, 1883) Success was fleeting, as on June 24, 1885, Tibbits had no choice but to sell the opera house. The buyers — a German saloon owner, Joseph Henning, and his wife, Amelia — purchased the playhouse for $13,000, about half of Tibbits’ initial investment …Henning began to exploit the building’s potential. He converted the basement into a saloon, with an attached billiard parlor and bowling alley…

Henning also expanded the range of events by offering wrestling and boxing matches, circus acts, and marionette shows, but continued presenting lectures, concerts, and amateur talent shows. He also continued to book professional minstrel shows and numerous touring theater productions…

Despite Henning’s attempt to diversify both the activities within the building and the programming of events, the opera house

was still operating in the red. In July 1889, the Courier ran the following letter to the editor from Joseph Henning explaining his dire financial situation and suggesting a solution: Nearly five years ago I purchased the opera house for $13,000…I am offered for the property nearly as much as I gave and should I sell Coldwater will be deprived of what she seemed to most need eight years ago…a first-class opera house….I earnestly hope the men of means in our city will form a stock company, purchase the opera house and use it for just what it was originally intended, a place of amusement for our citizens.

A few days after Mr. Henning’s letter appeared in print, the Coldwater Republican reported that its readers had responded, and the consensus was that the opera house should “not be diverted to any other purpose as we need such a building and we should not soon get another.”

The Coldwater Republican not only concurred with this sentiment, but also encouraged the plan to sell opera house stock at $25 a share.

In the end, Joseph Henning decided to struggle on…

≈

James Berton Harris is professor emeritus in theater at the University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign. He has been active in both academic and professional theater for 45 years.

“Once Upon a Time at the Opera House: Drama at Three Historic Michigan Theaters, 1882-1928” is his first book. It received a 2019 State History Award bestowed by the Historical Society of Michigan.

MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

VINTAGE VIEWS

Those were exciting times. Aerial photography gave us new persectives for destinations like Saugatuck (above) and the Detroit business district (right).

BY M. CHRISTINE BYRON AND THOMAS R. WILSON

Aeroplane views of Michigan

P

eople have wondered for centuries what the Earth looks like from the air above. Before modern aviation, people attempted to take aerial photographs by sending cameras aloft by balloon, kite and even strapped to pigeons.

In 1858, a Frenchman known as Nadar captured the fi rst photographs taken from the air. From his tethered balloon, he made photos of his home city of Paris. Two years later, James W. Black ascended in a balloon over Boston Commons to make the fi rst aerial photographs in America. Arthur Batut, another Frenchman, succeeded in making photographs from a camera strapped to a kite in 1888. Kite photos caught on for a short time and were occasionally published as postcards in the early 1900s.

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The co-evolution of photography and aviation soon led to what is known as the aerial photograph. The Wright Brothers made history in 1903 with their fl ight at Kitty Hawk, but it was another five years before the fi rst photograph was taken from an airplane. With Wilbur Wright piloting the plane, L.P. Bonvillain shot a photo through the wings of the plane over Le Mans, France, and published it in a French aviation magazine in 1908.

Aerial photography got a boost in World War I when the military used aerial survey cameras aboard airplanes to obtain photographic records of terrain, roads, bridges and railways, as well as troop movement.

Newspapers and magazines embraced aerial photographs, and the public was captivated.

The public’s interest in aviation accelerat-

ed in the 1920s and exploded when Charles Lindbergh made his famous solo fl ight across the Atlantic in 1927. Barnstormers toured the country entertaining crowds at air shows with their aerial acrobatics in the 1920s and 1930s.

Postcard companies capitalized on that public interest in aerial photography in the 1920s and the decades that followed. National postcard publishers like Curt Teich, Tichnor and Kropp all published “aeroplane views.” They were readily purchased as souvenirs. Michigan scenery and interesting buildings like the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island were captured from the air. Images of tourist towns like Saugatuck and Charlevoix might show the outline of a harbor, lake, river or resort. Postcard images were

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY VINTAGE VIEWS

As interest in aviation increased, so did aerial photography.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY VINTAGE VIEWS

then used as promotional pieces to show the growth and prosperity of a city.

While most of these early aeroplane and aerial views of Michigan do not credit the photographer, we have seen a few credited to the Abrams Aerial Survey Corporation of Lansing. Talbert “Ted” Abrams formed the company in 1923. He pioneered new ways to survey the landscape from the air and mapped the route for U.S. 27 through the swamps near Houghton Lake. Between 1935-52, he made aerial photographs of some 86 Michigan towns and other places like Isle Royale. His work is now preserved at the Archives of Michigan in Lansing. Interest in airborne views continued to grow when aerial view postcards from all over Michigan were published in the 1950s and ’60s.

As postcard collectors, we are as fasci-

An early look at Charlevoix on Lake Michigan and Round Lake.

nated by the “aeroplane” views era as the postcard buyers must have been years ago. Seeing Michigan from an airplane today, we are still thrilled to identify lakes and geographic features, which earthbound people once could only do from a photograph or postcard.

With drone photographs being commonplace today, it’s hard to imagine how exciting it must have been for our predecessors to see beyond the limitations of their land-based viewpoint, to see the Earth as the eagle saw it.

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BLUE Vintage Views columnists M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson reside in Grand Rapids. They are authors of the book “Historic Leelanau: Recognized Sites and Places of Historical Significance.”

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Pere Marquette River Lodge owner and guide Frank Willetts, left, sits and ties a fly on a line as his client Shane Hensley fishes.

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For love of trout Pere Marquette River fishing guides make a life of helping others enjoy the waters.

By Bob Gwizdz | Photography by Johnny Quirin MICHIGAN BLUE

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Opposite page: Anchoring so Shane Hensley can prospect for steelhead (rainbow trout) in a deep portion of the Pere Marquette River. Above: Fishing guide Kyle Hartman, left, tries his luck as Hensley watches.

R

yan White remembers exactly how he became a fishing guide. He was working construction — because he never could land a full-time job in wildlife management, which he studied at Michigan State — and one of the guides on the river he fished had a two-party booking and needed someone to help him.

“I got hired because I had a boat and heartbeat,” White said.

But he also knew how to catch ’em, and after his first trip, when he successfully put his clients on fish, the guide asked him if he wanted to work again the next day. Twenty years later, White, 49, hasn’t done much else since but work as a fishing guide.

White is one of eight guys who, figuratively, fish for their supper out of Pere Marquette River Lodge in Baldwin. They are all pretty much dedicated to the proposition that there

is nothing better in life than fly-fishing for trout. And that’s followed closely by taking somebody else fly-fishing for trout.

Frank Willetts, who owns and runs PM Lodge, left a successful career in the auto manufacturing supply industry because he was spending too much time in Mexico and not enough with his family. He was on his way back from a family fishing trip in Alaska when he saw the lodge was for sale, lined up some investors and bought it.

Willetts, 53, has always been a fisherman.

His family owned property on the Au Sable River but were not fly anglers. As a youngster, he learned from an older neighbor, two doors down on the Au Sable, who he first met when the guy was cutting through the property at 2 a.m. Willetts thought he was a prowler. He hollered for his dad, who told him the guy was coming back from fly-fish-

ing, and Willetts was immediately intrigued.

The guy took him under his wing.

“I’m the only one in my family who flyfishes,” Willetts said.

Although he makes annual pilgrimages to fish for trout in Montana and Alaska, Willetts said Michigan — especially the Pere Marquette, the state’s longest undammed river — is the place to be.

“Montana doesn’t have steelhead (which are migratory rainbow trout),” he said.

“Alaska doesn’t have brown trout. Michigan is one of the coolest states in the nation to trout fish; we have the best of all worlds when it comes to freshwater fly-fishing.”

And some of the best fly fishermen. Willetts said, “Over the last three years, we have developed a guide staff that is second to none. They’re so fishy they have gills behind their ears.”

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“The friends I’ve made and the relationships I’ve built have really been a blessing. I meet guys, and we spend seven or eight hours in the boat and it’s like I’ve known them for seven or eight years.”

The PM Lodge crew ranges from 23 years old to 77 years young. Some of them left other careers to fish. Some of them never wanted to do anything else.

Take Casey Hefferan, for instance. “I didn’t discover fly-fishing for trout until I was 12 or 13,” the 27-year-old said. “I tied some flies, caught fish on them and that’s what did it for me.”

He jumped in with both feet. He started tying flies for the lodge at 13, began working the counter in the fly shop at 15 and graduated to guiding as soon as he got out of high school and bought a boat at 18. As far as he’s concerned, this is his career.

“I’m having a good time,” he said. “I hope to continue as long as I can. I always thought I’d have a regular job, 40 hours a week, that I’d find something, but I never made up my mind what that something was.”

Kyle Hartman is in a similar boat, but he didn’t think much of doing anything else. A lifelong angler who has fished the Pere Marquette River since he was in fourth grade, Hartman landed a job as a guide in Alaska as soon as he graduated from high school.

“I was kind of intimidated when I started, but on my first practice trip, I put a guy on his best-ever rainbow,” he said. “That did a lot for my confidence.”

When he returned to Michigan, he relocated to Baldwin, started helping some of the local guides with their overflow and caught on with the Lodge in 2016.

Jory Dirkse, a relative newcomer to the lodge — he’s been there a year — had been guiding for 14 years independently before he joined the Lodge crew. At 22, he took a sabbatical from college, relocated to Baldwin and changed his career plans. Now at 39, he’s doing exactly what he wants to do. “I just love to

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fish,” he said.

Guides say their work is not all fun and games. They row a drift boat — sometimes all day long — cook meals on the river, constantly re-rig gear, fight their way over deadfalls and coach beginners on technique. It’s work. But worth it, they’ll tell you.

“The friends I’ve made and the relationships I’ve built have really been a blessing,” Dirkse said. “I meet guys, and we spend seven or eight hours in the boat and it’s like I’ve known them for seven or eight years. I really get excited when I meet a new client and I know we’re going to be fishing together for the next 10 or 15 years.”

Dirkse, who guides about 130 trips a year, said he makes enough money. So do the others, though none of them are getting rich.

“My wife says that if I put half as much into any other career as I do fishing, I’d be a rousing success,” Hartman said.

But who’s to say he isn’t? His office is located on some of the prettiest river waters anywhere, and the 29-year-old father of two is doing what he wants to do. “I’m from metro Detroit,” he said. “Trout don’t live in ugly places. I couldn’t be happier.”

If there’s a fly in the ointment, it’s salmon fishing. It is not nearly as enjoyable as trout fishing, most guides agree, but it’s perhaps what the PM is best known for nationally.

“We all hate it,” Willetts said, but that’s a little strong.

“A lot of guys try to avoid salmon fishing, but it pays a lot of bills,” White said. “And it frees me up for steelhead fishing. You get enough days in salmon fishing that you don’t have to book every day when the steelhead start because you’ve just fished 60 days in a row.”

Said Hartman: “I don’t mind it.” Added

Hefferan: “It’s OK. It keeps us busy.”

Still, every day spent fishing for salmon is a day not spent fishing for trout.

Certainly, guiding cuts into personal fishing time. Willetts said when he bought the lodge, he soon realized, “You don’t get to fish much at all. You get to watch everybody else fish and talk about everybody else fishing.”

But if you ask the guides if they get enough personal fishing time, most say they’re content.

Hefferan gets his fishing in early in the cycle, like when the Hexes (giant mayflies that come out at night and bring the big brown trout out to feed) first start before the clients realize it’s that time. Then he enjoys sharing the experience. “I get the same thrill out of watching somebody else catch one,” he said.

“When everything comes together, it’s the same as if I caught it myself.”

All say they enjoy the camaraderie of standing around outside the lodge after a day on the water, comparing notes and maybe drinking a beer. And all agree chasing trout never gets old.

“They are so elusive, and they live in one of the most pristine settings around,” Willetts said. “Nothing captivates a man like moving water. And nothing frustrates him more than a fish that he can see that he can’t catch.”

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Bob Gwizdz is a lifelong outdoor writer who lives in East Lansing. He enjoys fishing the Pere Marquette whenever possible.

Opposite page top: The Pere Marquette River is beautiful. Middle left: A peek in the lodge fly shop.

Middle right: Guide Ryan White holds up a PM River rainbow trout (steelhead). Bottom: Lodge owner Frank Willetts is in his element on the river.

PHOTOGRAPHY OPPOSITE PAGE, (MIDDLE RIGHT) BY BOB GWIZDZ

JORY DIRKSE

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color

An explosion of As summer approaches, the gardens of Mackinac Island offer a bright reception for visitors.

By Julie Bonner Williams Photography by Jennifer Wohletz

Right: Black-eyed Susans and annuals add color when mixed with hydrangea, sedum and perennials blooming in late August at Island House Hotel.

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Each June,

the famed lilac bushes of Mackinac Island awaken. Bursting to life in hues of purple, pink and white, they motion for the island itself to wake and erupt in explosive color as perennials stretch from their beds, and at the dock, a barge loaded with carts stacked with trays of annuals arrives from St. Ignace. These will be delivered to cottages and local shops and hotels by horse-drawn carts. It’s time for color.

The gardens of Mackinac Island are as rich with history as the island itself and each one has a story to tell, from the folklore of the introduction of lilacs to the island to the native white trillium under the shade of towering cedars to the heritage gardens and shared iris bulbs passed among generations of islanders.

The lilacs that are the heralds of the blooming months here are as much a part of the island’s story as the famed Grand Hotel and the horse-drawn carriages and bicycles that serve as the modes of transportation. While legend attributes the introduction of lilacs here to French Jesuit missionaries, history supports the more likely theory that a New Hampshire farmer brought the fragrant bushes across the water sometime in the early 1800s. Either way, their abundance and perfume speak to all who visit to see them in bloom, many attending the annual Lilac Festival each June.

It may have been those earliest lilac bushes that inspired the effervescent spirit of gardens and gardening on Mackinac, captured by three islanders inspired to showcase this beauty in what became the stunningly photographed and expertly written book, “The Gardens of Mackinac Island,” published in 2019. The 344-page collection of photography, anecdotes, poetry and more is a grand tribute to all who currently live and garden on the island, as well as those who came before them.

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Top: A tour carriage clip-clops through Hubbard’s Annex, Mackinac Island’s first planned community. Bottom: Flowers bloom in a border garden at Brigadoon Cottage with Doud’s Market in the background.

One such early resident and gardening plete with inviting woven hammock — is feaenthusiast was Milton Tootle, who in 1903, tured in the book. brought Japanese gardeners with him when This insider glimpse into the inner sanche traveled to his cottage on Mackinac Island tuary of gardens is a rare opportunity not each summer. Tootle worked alongside the afforded to visitors of the island. In this gardeners, who created a Japanese garden, a world, the summer homes bear appellations teahouse, a pagoda and bridges amidst foliage such as Cragmere Cottage, Crane Cottage and flowering plants reminiscent of Japan. and Edgecliffe Cottage. These are the private “Mr. Tootle had a Japanese garden, and he spaces designed and nurtured by the hands of had this massive cutting garden; it’s overcottage owners themselves, reserved for their grown now. In his front yard, he had two own time in nature the results of which are Camperdown elms. They’re huge, they look otherwise shared only with neighbors, friends like a bonsai tree; they’re pretty amazing,” and family. said author Sue Allen. A Among the fortunate lifelong islander, Allen’s few to visit the private own 129-year-old cotand public gardens on “There’s gotta be a tage, Ingleneuk, bears a the island is the master carved-out pocket for striking display of dark designer behind much of pink phlox against the the landscaping on the seasonal expression, grand white porch on island, landscape archithe front of the cottage. tect Jack Barnwell. His and annuals are good Other plantings at Inis the most sought-after gleneuk include hydranopinion for homeownfor the soul. It’s like geas and astilbes, as well ers and business owners garden morphine.” as native ferns growing alike with nearly 75% wild. Like many on the of the properties on the Jack Barnwell island, Allen’s garden island designed and/or boasts heritage plants. maintained by Barnwell Her mother’s iris plants and his crew. still thrive and bloom each year, spreading so “We take care of about 200 properties on lushly she opted to thin the patch of them and Mackinac Island and play a large part in the shared them with neighbors, continuing her look of summer on Mackinac — all the flowmother’s legacy on the island. ers for Shepler’s Ferry, the state park, we take Something about the time-travel ambiance care of most of the big mansions. Everywhere of Mackinac Island reminds those who call you look on Mackinac, you’ll see a Barnwell it home, even just a few months of the year, employee somewhere. We do it all by bicycle that it’s the island and nature that are the only and horse, everything from very large-scale permanent residents. As time moves forward, projects to hardscaping, brick patios and the faces and footsteps on the island change, walls; we offer everything,” said Barnwell, and each summer is its own snapshot with whose family has a 70-year history on the isthe former and future revealing the changes land. The family owns and operates the Hotel brought about by the seasons and years.

Iroquois, where his 92-year-old grandmother “I think what’s interesting about this book is at work every morning promptly at 6 a.m. is the voices. You have voices from the past, Barnwell’s work is featured in colorful you have people who currently live on the photographs throughout the pages of “The island. It really shows the love that makes Gardens of Mackinac Island,” where, among Mackinac beautiful. The book shows the inthe green and gold foliage and at-home peside spaces that you don’t see unless you’re rennials like daylilies and black-eyed Susans, invited in,” said photographer and publisher one of Barnwell’s go-to methods is revealed: Jennifer Wohletz, whose own garden — comfor color, annuals are a must. While annuals MICHIGAN BLUE

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Left: Daisies wave in the breeze at Restmore Cottage on the East Bluff. Right: A monarch and bee share a meal, drinking nectar from a cutleaf coneflower in the Grand Hotel’s garden. Lower right: Small gardens add a splash of color to businesses like the Cottage Inn.

bring their pop of color to flowerbeds around the island, businesses like Maeve’s Arts include them in window boxes, while others opt for hanging baskets; more than 200 hanging baskets enhance the walk along Main Street from the boardwalk to Mission Point.

“There’s gotta be a carved-out pocket for seasonal expression, and annuals are good for the soul. It’s like garden morphine,” Barnwell said. “I think (container gardens) are an accessible way for people to have a little fun with annuals, it’s a controlled environment, it’s easy to manage and maintain. … Good, high-quality containers add a lot to a front porch or patio. I plant perennial gardens all the time, I’m known for it, but annuals just make people happy.”

Islanders and visitors alike flock to Mackinac Island during the peak months for the gardens. It’s a brief window in time to be ensconced in the colors, textures, shapes and fragrances from June through August. Yet, the soul of the island is the life that sleeps in the soil when the cottages have been closed up and the last of the tourists are ferried back to the mainland.

“In the winter, the plants can sleep deeply, and they come back gangbusters,” Allen said. “Halfway through June, the gardens are like, ‘Ahhh…’ You go back later, and it’s like they’re dancing and screaming, ‘Look at me.’ They come so fast and leave so quickly, too. They’re a lesson in impermanence. That’s what gardens really are, a lesson in the impermanence of beauty.”

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Julie Williams is an award-winning poet and a professor at Grand Valley State University.

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Below: Wild lupine Opposite page: Bunchberry

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The secret of seeing

By Mark Graf Photography by Mark Graf

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T

hree minutes at 15 feet. This is the safety protocol repeated often to someone who learns how to scuba dive. It is a controlled safety stop in their ascent from the depths to allow their body a little extra time to get rid of any excess nitrogen in their blood. People do all sorts of things in these seemingly long three minutes. They blow bubble rings, hum a tune or reflect upon what they saw.

I remember in my early days as a diver finishing my safety stop, climbing back on the boat and listening to the stories of what people saw. How did they see so much more than I did? We were all on the same dive. Their stories of eels, octopi, seahorses, frogfish or a lone

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burbot hiding on a Great Lakes shipwreck all triggered my envy.

It didn’t take long to catch on to the secret.

At first, I thought: I will just follow the dive guide; they know where to look. As it turns out, this wasn’t truly the secret. I was able to overcome some of the jealousy by regaling in those common sightings, but those turned out to be sugar highs. I was missing the thrill of discovery on my own. I remember asking a guide how it is he saw so much. The answer was quite simple: go slow.

Of course! What is the hurry? As a photographer, I take this valuable lesson with me into the woods. The slower I go, the more I truly “see.” You don’t have to look further than a

From top left to right: A red trillium grows through bark, purple coneflowers in bloom, hepaticas growing through birch bark and leaves. Bottom: Bush Bay on Lake Huron.

Petoskey stone to see primordial connections.

Our state stone is fossilized coral of the species Hexagonaria percarinata.

Nature’s connections are everywhere. John Muir, the Scottish American author, naturalist and environmental philosopher, famously articulated that in 1869 when he wrote in his journal: “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find that it is bound fast by a thousand invisible cords that cannot be broken, to everything in the universe.”

The joys of discovery remain the same in the woods. Mushrooms, wildflowers and forMICHIGAN BLUE

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est creatures all are photogenic subjects. With a healthy curiosity about the natural world, the smallest elements of nature can lead to interesting or beautiful photos. Slowing down and taking the time to look, to wonder and open yourself to discovery can yield to a more mindful photography experience.

It takes time to see photographic potential.

It starts with something that catches your eye, maybe a pattern, a color or a shape. Instead of immediately clicking the shutter, walk around it and explore it from all angles. Then simplify as much as possible. Our eyes are drawn to high contrast areas, so stay conscious of what is in the background. If those areas don’t support the subject, they become a distraction.

Allow your eyes to wander the edges of the frame; recompose if something pulls your eyes toward an edge. When the moment feels right, click. Then, go back and explore it again.

Three minutes isn’t a lot of time, and yet, it is. On a dive, it is a serious health precaution; risk mitigation for “the bends.” On a hike, on average, we walk about 828 feet (252 meters) in three minutes. That is a lot of territory. Consider the density of forest life across that distance.

How many trees, rocks, animals and plants will you pass if only en route to your destination?

Experiencing the forest with all of our senses is known in Japan as shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing.” It is through this slow meandering in a forest that we reconnect with nature. We reap health benefits and open ourselves to being more present. If we leave with a few beautiful photographs, it is a bonus. If not, we are still richer for the experience.

The art of seeing need not be a secret, nor should the thrill of discovery. We don’t always have the luxury of time, so it becomes a choice, a mindful examination of what truly is the most rewarding path. Will we follow others or forge out on our own?

After all, what indeed is the hurry?

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Born and raised in Detroit, Mark Graf is a fine art photographer whose muse is summoned by an insatiable curiosity of the natural world.

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Top left: A white trillium prominently grows amid woody debris. Top right: A dandelion seedling at sunrise. Bottom left: A beautiful bulrush. Bottom right: White trilliums growing at a local park.

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$1,995,000 MLS 458886

Exquisite waterfront home with outstanding, unobstructed sunset views of Lake Charlevoix.

The house is elevated perfectly to maximize these views on over 3 acres with 140’ of frontage. The architecture is incredible with every inch designed to be eye-catching. The landscaping has been tastefully created by the owners consisting of many colorful perrenials and strategically placed seagrass plants along the waterfront side. The kitchen is bright and lively with warm tones throughout. The living room has a fireplace and a view that spans across the lake. The main-floor master bedroom is peaceful and roomy, with a luxurious bath. Upstairs has three generously sized bedrooms, a loft sitting room, and a second laundry. The lower level is a haven - family & game room, bedroom, and sauna. An apartment over the detached garage boasts a spacious room, bedroom/office, kitchenette and bathroom. From private balconies to geometrical ceilings, this home is simply fantastic.

SPECIA L A DVE RTISIN G SECTION

Envy- Worthy Homes BY DESIGN

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UILDING A CUSTOM HOME, whether it’s a primary residence or a vacation getaway, is a rare opportunity that, for some, exists only in dreams. For those living this reality, it’s a chance to create a one-of-akind dwelling — one that includes all of the special details that make a home yours and yours alone.

Imagine the thrill of filling in every inch of a blank canvas, gathering ideas from homes seen while on a scenic lakeshore drive, while scrolling to find online inspiration, or when flipping through the glossy pages of a favorite architectural magazine. Picture the homes and ideas you book-

mark for later or tack to your mood board; the kind that make you slow down for a closer look.

Even greater delight comes when you form the master team of designers, builders, decorators, and landscapers who will take your vision from canvas to completion — and make it appear and feel effortless.

Choosing the right partners to create your custom home, especially if it’s on one of the Mitten State’s many glorious lakes, is key. Throughout the pages of Michigan BLUE, you’ll learn about the professionals who have what it takes to fulfill your greatest domestic aspirations.

The home’s open concept places the living, dining, and kitchen areas all in the same space, allowing for ease of movement and optimum socializing among house members and guests. The floorto-ceiling stone fireplace provides room division without isolation, while an entire wall of windows delivers sweeping lake views.

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Residential Architecture Firm 5500 Cascade Rd. SE, Ste. 210 Grand Rapids, MI 49546 jvisser.com

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J. Visser Design RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE

FIRM

WHEN A BUSY TEXAS FAMILY chose a site on Gull Lake in southwest Michigan to build their vacation home, J. Visser Design was a natural choice to handle the project. For 30 years, J. Visser has been exclusively designing custom residential homes — 90 percent of which have been on the water.

To say they fully understand lakefront home design is no exaggeration, but that doesn’t mean they approach any project with preconceived notions.

“We start from scratch every time, taking into account the clients’ wishes and what’s appropriate for their site and their budget. We don’t assume what the project should look like and we, ourselves, don’t have a specific look that defines ourdesigns,” Jeff Visser says. “When homeowners work with us, it’s truly a custom home and a custom experience.”

For the Mid-century Modern home on Gull Lake that was designed for the family from Texas, Visser took inspiration from the house that was already on the property, which was also in the Mid-century Modern style but was inadequate for the family’s needs.

“Stylistically, we had some pretty strong direction from the beginning, because it was based on the existing house,” Visser says. “The rest was really programming.”

After the original, older home was taken down, a complete helical pier system was installed prior to construction, to support the new home and keep it from settling. Tearing down the existing structure and then expanding on its minimalistic aesthetic and angular features, Visser designed a home that brings the outside in. The space features plenty of natural light throughout, indoor-outdoor connectivity, and a sprawling footprint that’s suitable for hosting guests.

Top: The kitchen is characterized by additional, casual seating and modest storage, lending to the home’s signature minimalism. The large, oblique window brings in an abundance of natural light and gives connectivity to the front yard and drive.

Bottom: The original home’s Mid-century Modern spirit lives on in this magnificent, expansive new build. This view shows the rear of the home, which overlooks Gull Lake, and spotlights the extensive windows, as well as the screened porch and firepit area, meant for enjoying the lakefront setting.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The detached, ancillary building in the front serves as a guest house and has a bedroom, sitting room, patio, and bocce ball court, plus a kitchenette and entertaining bar adjacent to the outdoor space.

On one end of the home is a master suite, plus an additional master bedroom for visiting parents. On the opposite end, on the upper level, there are two big bedrooms: one for girls and one for boys, with a large, shared bathroom.

“Part of our process was understanding what they wanted to accomplish and what their lifestyle on the lake would be like — how kids would come in and out of the house, how they would entertain, and where they would store their belongings,” Visser says.

“We find unique ways to solve clients’ lifestyle needs, putting an emphasis on practicality and challenging our clients to think about how they would go about their day and what makes sense for their living arrangements,” he adds.

The result is an equal emphasis on function and form that’s a good fit with the homeowners’ lifestyle, and it also presents them with a distinctive showpiece they can visit and enjoy throughout the year.

“The Visser Team helped inspire and refine our lakehouse vision,” the new homeowners said. “They were exceptional stewards as our plans were brought to life.

We’re excited to start our next project with them!”

SPRING 2020

EXCURSIONS

Make a date with the state

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY iSTOCK

Enjoy the season and the fun, from outdoor celebrations to dramatic and stirring performances indoors.

FA M I LY F U N PA G E 5 9 H O M E & G A R D E N PA G E 6 0 A R T & M U S I C PA G E 61 B Y L A N D , A I R & S E A PA G E G R E AT TA S T E S PA G E 6 3

Surely Spring! Celebrate Earth Day. Plant some trees. Find 62

wildflowers growing at local parks. Get the bike out and ride. Go for a run. Great festivals are scheduled all around the state. Introduce the kids to fishing or take them on a hike. Catch the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour in Midland or Le Cirque Espirit in Manistee.

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SPRING 2020

EXCURSIONS

April/May PEOPLE, PL ACES AND EVENTS TO EXPLORE IN MICHIGAN May 15-16 More than 50 volunteer captains welcome Michigan veterans aboard their vessels for the 11th annual Tight Lines for Troops in Manistee. This free fishing tournament includes Lake Michigan, riverboat and pier/shore divisions and gives veterans the chance to experience big lake fishing. Priority is given to WWII and Korean War vets, Purple Heart recipients, disabled veterans and POWs, and then all veterans. Join the public Welcome Back Celebration along the Manistee Riverwalk, as community members wave American flags and cheer on the boats. tightlinesfortroops.com

May 14-17 The 60th annual National Morel Mushroom Festival in Boyne City kicks off with a carnival and craft beer block party, plus morel seminars, a guided morel hunt, a competitive hunt, craft show, tasting events and live music.

Reserve early for the May 15 Morel Fest Wine & Dine, as the event usually sells out. Enjoy scenic views as you experience morel-inspired creations paired with wines. Two seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Beach House Restaurant on Deer Lake. Taste of Morels, 12-3 p.m. May 16, showcases a dozen area restaurants and morel-infused delicacies. bcmorelfestival.com

May 30 Lake sturgeons are a threatened species and most of those still roaming the Great Lakes are found in the St. Clair River. The Blue Water Sturgeon Festival celebrates this ancient fish and their recovery. Festivalgoers can get close to them from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Fort Gratiot Light Station in Port Huron. Visit the free touch tanks with baby sturgeon, exhibits on the Great Lakes, hands-on activities and more. Adopt a sturgeon that scientists have tagged and are tracking in the wild. scriver.org/sturgeon-festival

Celebrate Arbor Day with a visit to Hidden Lake Gardens in Tipton. Join in the 75th anniversary tree planting ceremony 10:30-11:30 a.m. to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Harry Fee donating Hidden Lake Gardens to Michigan State University. Learn about the history of HLG, the benefits of trees, the meaning of Arbor Day and other happenings.

Explore the conservatory or the trails and take home a free tree seedling for planting at home. canr.msu.edu/hiddenlakegardens

April 16-18 Way UP Music Festival returns to Marquette for the second year! With two world-class festival stages, Way UP features a wide variety of artists and genres and something for everyone. Head to the U.P. for a weekend of music, including national acts and the region’s best bands and DJs at Lakeview Arena. wayupmusicfestival.com

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months prior to publication of the intended issue.

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April 25

Andrea Crossman Group

WATERFRONT & LUXURY HOMES COMPILED BY MARLA R. MILLER

F A M I LY F U N Through April 30 — Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming, Grand Rapids Experience the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation, featuring 7,000 butterflies and 50 species at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Special educational programming and butterfly-themed activities in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden. meijergardens.org March 27-April 26 — Easter Celebration, Frankenmuth A century-old tradition from upper Franconia, Germany, is celebrated in Michigan’s Little Bavaria with elaborate Easter displays known as Osterbrunnen. frankenmuth.org April 1 — Birds of Prey LIVE!, Augusta Bring your family to see W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary’s resident hawks and owls up close.

On April 4, the sanctuary hosts a Build-a-Box NestWatch Workshop where you can make a box for your own backyard. birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu April 4 — Ukrainian Easter Eggs, Niles Fernwood Botanical Garden Create beautiful Ukrainian Easter eggs using a wax resist process and traditional decorating symbols at Fernwood Botanical Garden. fernwoodbotanical.org April 4 — Sound of Music Sing-a-Long, Whitehall Dress in costume and join in a singalong at the Playhouse at White Lake. Watch the classic movie on the big screen and sing your favorite Rodgers & Hammerstein songs. theplayhouseatwhitelake.org April 9 and 11 — NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, Detroit The NCAA Men’s Frozen Four returns to Little Caesars Arena as Michigan State University and the Detroit Sports Commission host the premier college hockey event in the country. ncaa.com April 10-11 — Easter Bunny Express, Coldwater Hop aboard the Little River Railroad’s Easter Bunny Express to enjoy a spring afternoon train ride with the Easter Bunny and a traditional egg hunt in Quincy Park. littleriverrailroad.com April 10-11 — Bunnyville Detroit Zoo Bring the kids for this zoo-wide Easter egg hunt and other activities free with admission at Detroit Zoo. detroitzoo.org

April 11 — Easter Egg Hunt, Charlevoix This 2 p.m. egg hunt includes 4,500 prize-filled eggs, plus face painting, refreshments and a visit with the Easter Bunny downtown. Enjoy an Easter Bunny Luncheon 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Stafford’s Weathervane Restaurant. visitcharlevoix.com/ easter-egg-hunt April 11 — Nature’s Eggs Extravaganza, Midland Join in this Eggs Extravaganza by making a special bag, then venture into the woods to search high and low for hidden eggs at Chippewa Nature Center. chippewanaturecenter.org April 15 — West Michigan Symphony Link Up: The Orchestra Rocks Family Concert, Muskegon Come to the Frauenthal Theater to experience how the orchestra rocks when the audience participates in the performance. Bring your recorder and join in the concert! westmichigansymphony.org April 18 — Greenfield Village Season Opener, Dearborn Travel through 80 acres of America’s homes, farms, fields and workshops — a remarkable community where the past meets the present in unforgettable ways. thehenryford.org April 18 — City of Champions Day, Detroit Join Detroit Historical Museum for a celebration of Champions Day, which commemorates the accomplishments of Detroit’s amazing athletes and teams during the 1935-36 seasons. detroithistorical.org April 18 — Earth Day, Every Day!, Grand Rapids Celebrate Earth awareness the Children’s Garden way. Enjoy a naturalist walk, stories about appreciating the Earth, kid-friendly worm hunt and eco-friendly art project at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. meijergardens.org

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April 19 — Earth Day Celebration at Fernwood, Niles April 22 marks 50 years of Earth Day. Join the celebration 1-4 p.m. at Fernwood Botanical Garden with a variety of drop-in activities around the global theme of climate action. fernwoodbotanical.org April 19 — Experience Earth Day, Midland Come celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day by planting a young tree, learn about invasive plants, build a birdhouse and more earthfriendly activities at Chippewa Nature Center. chippewanaturecenter.org

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April 22 — Earth Day at W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, Augusta Enjoy free admission to the sanctuary in celebration of Earth Day and join in a stewardship activity. Bring a friend and enjoy beautiful planet Earth! birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu April 24-25 — St. Clair County Earth Fair, Goodells Learn about the environment with a variety of fun and informative activities, demonstrations, workshops, exhibits, artisans and more at Goodells County Park. earthdayfair.com April 25 — Michigan Magic Day, Colon This annual event returns to the Magic Capital of the World! Join magicians from around the state and surrounding states for a day of seminars, lectures, tours and performances. michiganmagicday2020.com May 2 — Spring into Belle Isle Family Day The seventh annual family day features free activities and make-and-take crafts at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, as well as the chance to participate in a Belle Isle Road Rally. detroithistorical.org May 2 — Derby Days, Lexington Bring your best derby attire and join in Kentucky Derby weekend with a wide array of fun. villageoflexington.com May 2-3 — Tunnel City Railway Train Show, Port Huron Features dealers, manufacturers, scale train layouts and fun for the whole family at Blue Water Convention Center. bluewaterconventioncenter.com

highlighting the Detroit Zoological Society’s sustainability initiatives, zookeeper talks and educational exhibits by local conservation groups. detroitzoo.org

this Olympic-style event featuring dock dog diving, disc dogs, agility, wiener dog races, vendors and more at Frankenmuth River Place Shops. dogbowlfun.com

May 12, 14, 19, 21, & 28 — History in Action Days, Ludington Historic White Pine Village hosts educational and fun-filled days, providing students with a chance to encounter our pioneer past, visit historic buildings and participate in hands-on history. historicwhitepinevillage.org

May 26 — Movie in the Fort, Mackinac Island Settle in under the stars and enjoy “Toy Story 4” from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at Fort Mackinac. This is a free event to celebrate the park’s 125th anniversary. Enter at Avenue of Flags behind the fort. mackinacparks.com

May 15-17 — Motor City Comic Con The biggest and baddest Motor City Comic Con yet includes special panel Q&As, photo ops, celebrity guests, exhibitors and more at Suburban Collection Showplace. motorcitycomiccon.com May 16 — Great Lakes Regional MATE ROV Competition, Alpena Teams throughout the region compete in an underwater robotics competition at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. thunderbay.noaa.gov May 19-25 — Fruitport Old Fashioned Days A Memorial Day weekend tradition, this waterfront festival and kickoff to summer includes a carnival, fireworks, parade, 5K run, Lions Ox Roast, entertainment and more. fruitportlionsclub.com May 22-25 — River Through Time, Coldwater See what it was like to live as an early American settler. Watch the battles and skirmishes of various wars being reenacted, shop merchants and traders, and enjoy food and other festivities. riverthroughtime.com

May 2-10 — Tulip Time Festival, Holland Celebrate the city’s rich Dutch heritage and more than 6 million tulips during the 91st annual festival.

Parades, klompen dancers, artisan market, carnival and entertainment. tuliptime.com

May 22-25 — Balloons over Bavarian Inn, Frankenmuth Hot air balloons color the skies around Frankenmuth as pilots compete in morning and evening flights, plus nightly balloon glow and other free fun at River Place Shops. balloons.bavarianinn.com

May 8 — Farm History Day, South Haven Michigan Flywheelers Museum hosts this handson educational event where kids and adults learn how to dip candles, churn butter and make rope while watching the blacksmith pound iron and see loggers cut into lumber. michiganflywheelers.org

May 23 — The Lady Michigan cruises, Alpena Public cruises begin aboard The Lady Michigan, a glass-bottom boat that allows visitors to experience underwater shipwrecks and more at Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. thunderbay.noaa.gov

May 8-10 — 61st annual Mesick Mushroom Festival Northern Michigan is a mushroom-hunter’s paradise. Enjoy mushroom hunts, family fun, games, markets, concerts, glow run and great grand parade. mesick-mushroomfest.org

May 23-24 — Feast of the Ste. Claire, Port Huron Relive 18th-century life and the four periods of early Michigan history, plus encampments, demonstrations, crafts, fife and drum shows, storytelling and more in Pine Grove Park. feastofthesteclaire.com

May 10 — GreenFest at the Detroit Zoo Festivities include a Green Journey tour

May 23-24 — Dog Bowl, Frankenmuth Bring the family, even four-legged members, for

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May 30 — Run with the Cops 5K and Obstacle Course, Holland Join city of Holland police officers in this family-friendly event with a 5K walk/run and an obstacle course for kids and help raise money for community soccer fields. holland.org

HOME & GARDEN Through April 19 — Butterflies in Bloom, Midland This annual attraction at Dow Gardens features thousands of butterflies from across the globe emerging from their chrysalis and flying in the conservatory. Visit the Butterfly Craft Barn on weekends and daily during Spring Break (March 28-April 5). dowgardens.org April 3-4 — St. Ignace Home Show, Spring Expo and Gun Show Find exhibitors, products and services for home and garden, automotive, recreational vehicles, sporting goods and much more at Little Bear East Arena. littlebeararena.com April 5 — Sustaining the Vision Open Houses, Hickory Corners Admission is free to the W.K. Kellogg Manor House and Bird Sanctuary in celebration of W.K. Kellogg’s land gift to Michigan State University. Take a walk on the sanctuary’s trails then visit the Manor House, where docents will re-enact 1920s-era characters and scenes. conference.kbs.msu.edu April 25 — Modern Plant Exploration with Michael Dosmann, Niles Michael Dosmann, keeper of the Living Collections of the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University, shares his experiences in the world of modern plant exploration at Fernwood Botanical Garden. fernwoodbotanical.org May 9 — Hidden Lake Gardens Plant Sale, Tipton A fundraiser to support programs and plantings at Hidden Lake Gardens, this annual sale runs 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and features perennials, shrubs, annuals, herbs, vegetables and flowering plants for Mother’s Day. canr.msu.edu/hiddenlakegardens

May 9 — Spring Garden Market, Niles Shop this spring market filled with local vendors specializing in unique and artfully grown plant material and handcrafted artwork for the garden at Fernwood Botanical Garden. fernwoodbotanical.org May 9-10 — Michigan All-State Bonsai Show, Grand Rapids Join bonsai growers, artists and admirers for a weekend of stunning bonsai displays, plus growing supplies, free demonstrations and more at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. meijergardens.org May 9-10 — Mother’s Day Weekend Plant Sale and Spring Artist Market, Ann Arbor Mom-approved hanging baskets and container plantings grown and designed on-site by staff and volunteers at Matthaei Botanical Gardens. On May 10, visit the artist market where local artisans offer their handcrafted items for sale. Free admission. mbgna.umich.edu May 16 — Petunia Parade Planting Day, Ludington Help decorate Ludington for the coming holiday.

Over 30,000 petunias are planted along Ludington Avenue and the city marina. Volunteers welcome; planting at 9 a.m. ludingtonpetuniaparade.com May 17 — Botany 101: Flowers of Spring and Trillium Ravine Tours, Niles This special program explores the different types and structures of flowers, pollination and seed production at Fernwood Botanical Garden. Jump on the Trillium trolley 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for tours of neighboring ravines just a few minutes from Fernwood. fernwoodbotanical.org May 17 — Eastern Market Flower Day, Detroit A time-honored tradition since 1967, Flower Day takes place on the Sunday after Mother’s Day. Growers offer a wide variety of flowers at a great value, so come early for the best selection. easternmarket.org May 23-June 15 — Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden Season, Ann Arbor The largest collection of heirloom peonies in North America bloom Memorial Day through mid-June.

The garden comes alive in spring with as many as 10,000 blossoms at peak. mbgna.umich.edu/peony May 28 — Guided Botanical Trail Hike, Mackinac Island Meet at the trail head at the Arch Rock Bicycle Trail for a 1:30 p.m. free guided hike along the beautiful Mackinac Island Botanical Trail. mackinacparks.com May 29-30 — Native Plant Sale, Midland Kick off planting season with educational

information on native plant gardening and pick up ferns, trees, shrubs, vines and wildflowers that are native to Michigan at Chippewa Nature Center. chippewanaturecenter.org

ART & MUSIC March 27-28 & April 1-4 — CATS, Marquette Based on T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats,” the show is set amid a largerthan-life junkyard playground, featuring your favorite feline characters at Forest Roberts Theatre. nmu.edu March 28-Sept. 7 — Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes, Dearborn Makings its Midwest debut at Henry Ford Museum, this exhibit features more than 300 artifacts, from comics to film, including some of Marvel’s most sought-after pages, costumes and props. thehenryford.org April 3-4 — Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour, Midland See some of the best mountain films of 2019, featuring the people who live, play and enjoy those areas through high adventure at Bullock Creek Auditorium. chippewanaturecenter.org April 4 — Surround Sound Music Festival, Houghton A festival celebrating cultural diversity and listening in new ways, come see unique performances and keynote speaker Evelyn Glennie, a percussionist and TED speaker, at Rozsa Center. events.mtu.edu April 5 — Spring Artisan Market, Three Oaks Wander the old Featherbone Corset Factory with your favorite craft beverage in hand and meet some of the area’s most creative professionals at Journeyman Distillery. journeymandistillery.com April 8 — National Geographic Live! Brian Skerry, Benton Harbor National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry has spent more than 10,000 hours underwater, often in extreme conditions and predatorinfested waters, and visits The Mendel Center. themendelcenter.com April 16-17 — Le Cirque Espirit, Manistee Billboard Magazine describes Le Cirque Espirit as “sparkling moments that defy classification.” Catch this spectacular tapestry of lights, acrobatics and aerial work at Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts. mynorthtickets.com April 17 — West Michigan Symphony’s Mardi Gras, Muskegon Celebrate the spirit of Mardi Gras with a night of

hot, steamy New Orleans jazz with music from Fats Domino, Mahalia Jackson and Louis Armstrong at Frauenthal Center. westmichigansymphony.org April 17-18 — Bringin’ Back the 80’s, Frankenmuth Peg your stonewashed jeans and tease your hair for a weekend of outrageous live cover bands, best dressed contest, Retro Rec Room and breakdancing shows. frankenmuth.org April 18 — Classics III: Beethoven 9, Holland Holland Symphony Orchestra, along with the choirs of Hope College and the Holland Chorale, perform Beethoven’s magnificent Ninth Symphony at Hope College. hollandsymphony.org April 22-25 — 26th annual Ragtime Festival, Frankenmuth Zehnder’s Restaurant has hosted ragtime performers from around the United States and Canada for 25 years. Vaudeville Night, silent movies, seminars, meet the artists and a ragtime dinner concert. zehnders.com April 25 — Into the Mystic: The Van Morrison Experience, Lexington Drawing from his complete collection of works, Into the Mystic seeks to recreate the spirit and energy of Morrison’s music at Lexington Village Theatre. lexingtonvillagetheatre.com April 26 — Fountain’s Fabulous Finale, Berrien Springs Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra gives a farewell send-off to Maestro Robin Fountain and performs the score to one of astronomer Jose Salgado’s breathtaking science and symphony films at Howard Performing Arts Center. smso.org May 1-2 — LAUP Fiesta, Holland The Latin America United for Progress (LAUP) Fiesta features Latino entertainment, a carnival, various exhibitors and plenty of delicious authentic food. laup.org/fiesta May 3 — Antiques on the Bluff, St. Joseph A premier event for antiquers around southwest Michigan, the show runs 10 a.m.-5 p.m. the first Sunday of each month in Lake Bluff Park. stjoetoday.com May 8-10 & 14-16 — The Cemetery Club, Escanaba Players de Noc presents this tale of three Jewish widows who meet monthly for tea before going to visit their husbands’ graves on stage at William Bonifas Fine Arts Center. playersdenoc.org May 13 — Gold Coast Chorale, Ludington Enjoy the musical stylings of fellow community

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members at this free concert, presented at the Center Stage Theater of West Shore Community College. westshore.edu May 15 — Motown All Star Spectacular, Benton Harbor Experience the music and magic of Motown when the musicians who started it all, and those who’ve kept it center stage for the last 60 years, perform at The Mendel Center. themendelcenter.com May 30 — Lake Bluff Artisan Faire, St. Joseph Don’t miss this annual craft fair in Lake Bluff Park.

Find all kinds of unique handcrafted, homemade goods such as home décor, furniture, jewelry, candles and clothing. stjoetoday.com May 31 — Mackinac Island: Our Famous Island Detroit Public TV and Mackinac State Historic Parks take viewers along Mackinac Island’s many shores and trails to experience the natural beauty of the island. Free film at 3:30 p.m. in the Center for the Arts at Mission Point Resort. mackinacartscouncil.org

LAND, AIR & SEA April 3-5 — Mackinaw Raptor Fest, Mackinaw City This festival celebrates the raptor and promotes the Straits region as an important area for bird migration. Hawk and waterbird watching, educational booths, birding trails, guided trips and more. mackinawraptorfest.org April 4-5 — 11th annual Schuss Mountain Snow Challenge, Bellaire Watch as modified trucks, Jeeps and more step on the gas to race to the top when the late-season slopes transform into side-by-side uphill truck racing. shantycreek.com April 4 — The Lowell 50, Lowell This old-world style gravel road race is for anyone who wants a challenge and takes riders along the banks of the Flat River and through rural Ionia County with 50-, 33-, or 15-mile routes. thelowell50.com April 17-26 — Michigan DNR Happy Little 5K/ Run for the Trees No matter how you reach the finish line — walk, run or hike — you pick the pace and the place, anywhere outdoors. Complete your virtual 5K and support planting Happy Little Trees in Michigan state parks. michigan.gov April 18 — Run of the Mill 5K Fun Run, Holland Enjoy a 5K fun run to kick off the season at Windmill Island Gardens. The course circles

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around the island and heads out to Window on the Waterfront. holland.org; runsignup.com

caters to all rider levels and varying routes to support Mount Holiday. mudsweatandbeers.com

April 18-26 — National Park Week 2020 Celebrate National Park Week by visiting one of Michigan’s national parks. Entrance fees are waived April 18, and special programs and events highlight the many ways people can enjoy public lands. nps.gov

May 2 — Harbor Beach Can2Can Fishing Tournament Hundreds of anglers head to Harbor Beach for this salmon/trout fishing tournament that supports Thumb Area Steelheaders’ Net Pen Project to improve Lake Huron sportfishery. hbcan2can.com

April 22-26 — National Trout Festival, Kalkaska This long-running festival signals the opening of trout season and celebrates with a children’s fishing contest, open fishing, carnival, car show, parade, concerts, fireworks and more. nationaltroutfestival.com

May 2 — Alanson’s 5K Walk/Run Start spring out on the right foot with a fun 5K in the cute village of Alanson, just minutes from Petoskey. Come for the run and stay for even more fun. petoskeyarea.com

April 24-26 — Jeep on the Mac, St. Ignace Watch the Jeeps parade across Mackinac Bridge or set up your lawn chair on State Street to admire the display. Welcome party, trail rides, awards and more make this a fun weekend for Jeep owners. stignace.com April 24-26 — Whitefish Point Bird Observatory Spring Fling Birders — and their avian friends — arrive at Whitefish Point to celebrate the spring migration.

Banquet, seminars and tours, plus guided field trips round out this refreshing weekend. wpbo.org April 25 — Yankee Springs Time Trial, Middleville Start the MTB season off right at one of the largest off-road time trial races in the Midwest.

The 11-plus miles of trails at Yankee Springs are challenging and fun for beginners to elite. yankeespringstt.org May 2 — HERO Mud Run, Muskegon Come to the Muskegon County Fair Grounds for an insane 5K obstacle run with 60-plus unique and crazy obstacles with mud, fire and barbed wire. visitmuskegon.com May 2 — 19th annual Jeep Blessing, Mesick Jeepers gather for a blessing then head out on area off-road courses, plus vendors, kids activities, prizes and 2,000-plus Jeeps on display. cadillacjeepers.com

May 3 — Hellkaat Hundie, Dorr Gather your grit and get ready for gravel. Departing from 5 Lakes Brewery, this gravel road race has three routes from 25 to 100 miles and raises money for juvenile diabetes research. hellkaathundie.com May 6 — Big Sable Lighthouse opens, Ludington Enjoy a 1.8-mile trek to this historic landmark at Ludington State Park, tour the grounds and climb to the top of the lighthouse. On May 22, Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse, Little Sable Lighthouse in Silver Lake, and White River Light Station Museum in Whitehall also open for tours.

Lighthouses open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. splka.org May 9 — Fort 2 Fort 5-mile Challenge, Mackinac Island Run or walk through beautiful paved trails past scenic island landmarks to Fort Holmes — the highest point of the island — then back to finish at Fort Mackinac. runmackinac.com; mackinacparks.com May 9-10 — Coldwater Swap Meet and Car Show, Coldwater Head to the Branch County Fairgrounds for the largest car show in the area with more than 1,600 show vehicles, including classic and antique cars, street rods and motorcycles. coldwaterswapmeetandcarshow.com

May 2 — Get Your Bearings Race, Howell Beginner to experienced adventurers compete in trail running, mountain biking, canoeing and orienteering during this adventure race at Brighton State Recreation Area. lostarrowsports.com

May 15-17 — Zoo-De-Mack Bike Ride, Harbor Springs to Mackinac Island Join a few thousand riders for a weekend of parties, live music, and one of the most scenic bicycle rides in the country, as they make their way from Boyne Highlands to Mackinac Island. zoo-de-mack.com

May 2 — 11th annual Mud Sweat and Beers, Traverse City Kick up some mud and kick off the mountain biking season. This MTB and fat-tire bike fest

May 16 — ForeShore Adventure Run, Muskegon Sand. Surf. Sweat. Come to beautiful Pere Marquette Beach for the lakeshore’s premier 5K

obstacle course run, featuring 25 obstacles on the shores of Lake Michigan. foreshore.org May 16 — Red Bull 400, Ironwood Red Bull 400 is tough. It’s pain. It’s brutal.

Competitors test their limits as they race up Copper Peak’s ski jumping facility for a spectacular view at the finish. redbull.com May 16 — Big Bay Relay, Marquette to Big Bay Gather your friends and family for this scenic relay race. Compete against teams in your division for the top ranking or make it your goal to cross the finish line together. noquetrails.org May 16 — Arcadia Grit & Gravel Mountain Bike Race, Arcadia This race is tough and gritty, covering 26 miles of gravel roads, backwoods two-tracks and single track in the Arcadia Dunes trail system. endomanpromotions.com May 16-17 — Steelheaders Pro-Am, South Haven This is the community event that signals the start of the boating season in South Haven, where the best salmon and trout fishermen converge on Lake Michigan. southhavensteelheaders.com May 17 — I Ran the D, Detroit One of the most iconic races in Detroit, this 5K run/walk celebrates the city’s sporting teams as runners race through downtown and finish on the Comerica Park field. foxsports.com/detroit May 22 — Blessing of the Fleet, South Haven Join the Michigan Maritime Museum for a celebration of the 2020 summer season, with tall ship Friends Good Will, museum vessels and other harbor boats blessed for a safe and successful season. Stay for the kickoff picnic in the heart of the maritime district. michiganmaritimemuseum.org May 22-24 — Experience the Keweenaw Weekend Explore the Keweenaw’s burliest terrain, from Söké all the way to Copper Harbor. The familyfriendly weekend is all about fun — by bike, foot or paddle — on and off the trails. Guided and group rides, trail runs, mini-clinics, enduro racing and post-ride parties. copperharbortrails.org; experiencethekeweenaw.com May 23 — Stafford’s Top of Michigan Marathon, Petoskey Sign up for the marathon, half, 10K or 5K and race along the shores of Lake Michigan on the Little Traverse Wheelway, featuring the communities of Charlevoix, Petoskey-Bay Harbor and Harbor Springs. trailscouncil.org

May 24 — Ice Cream Social, Caseville The Historical Society of Caseville presents “Ice Cream Social.” Join us 1-3 p.m., at the Caseville Historical Museum for the annual Ice Cream Social during the Memorial Day Weekend. Ice cream and toppings. casevillemuseum.org May 24 — Light Up the Sky 5k Run/Walk, Presque Isle Enjoy a beautiful morning run or walk along the shores of Lake Huron, starting at 9 a.m. from the New Presque Isle Lighthouse, and help raise money for the Presque Isle fireworks. facebook.com/lightupthesky5K May 24 — 16th annual Blessing of the Boats, Muskegon Lake Boats of all types gather near the Milwaukee Clipper to prepare for the Parade of Boats, which follows the Aquastar down the Muskegon Channel to the South Breakwater Cove. aquastarcruises.com May 24 — Lost Boat Ceremony, Muskegon Join in the tribute to the 52 submarines that were lost in World War II at USS Silversides Submarine Museum, then witness the running of the submarine’s 75-year-old engines. silversidesmuseum.org May 27 — War of 1812 Battlefield Bike Ride, Mackinac Island Learn more about the War of 1812 and the battle of Mackinac Island on this guided bike ride to the 1814 battlefield. Ride 1:30-5 p.m. departing from Avenue of Flags at Fort Mackinac. mackinacparks.com May 29-31 — Warblers on the Water, Beaver Island Kick off summer with a birding trip to Beaver Island. This special weekend includes birding field trips, workshops, and solo or group treks to watch colorful warblers and take in the island’s beauty. beaverislandbirdingtrail.org May 29-31 — Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, Belle Isle Belle Isle transforms into a speedway as cars of the NTT IndyCar Series, the IMSA Championship and the Trans Am Series go full throttle in live race action. Fan zone, live music, autograph sessions and interactive games make this fun for the whole family. detroitgp.com May 30 — Blessing of the Boats, Ludington Boaters can bring their keys and have their boats blessed for the 2020 season, plus enjoy food and entertainment tent, all free noon-2 p.m. at Ludington Municipal Marina. facebook.com/ blessingoftheboats

G R E AT TA S T E S April 4 — Festival of the Angry Bear, Marquette Modeled after some of the great beer festivals of Europe, the festival is a showcase of barrel-aged beer, live music and delicious food on the shores of Lake Superior. ore-dock.com April 12 — Easter Brunch, Niles Celebrate Easter with delicious dishes from Chef Tim Carrigan and enjoy admission to Fernwood Botanical Garden after brunch. Reservations required. fernwoodbotanical.org April 12 — Easter Brunch, Hickory Corners Welcome spring with a holiday brunch at the historic W.K. Kellogg Manor House with a view of Gull Lake. conference.kbs.msu.edu April 17 — A Taste of Success: Sip, Savor, Support, Traverse City This unique strolling dinner showcases the culinary creations of Great Lakes Culinary Institute students. Sample international cuisine with local wine, craft beers and more, plus support student scholarships, at NMC’s Great Lakes Campus. nmc.edu April 24-25 — Lift Your Spirits Festival, Bay Harbor Take the chill off April at this inaugural festival with spirit-paired three-course dining experiences and a Spirits Festival, featuring signature cocktails at the Village of Bay Harbor. bayharbor.com April 25 — Short’s 16th Anniversary Party, Bellaire Join the Short’s Brewing team in downtown to celebrate another year of Short’s brews with live music, local food, and plenty of beer, cider and seltzer. shortsbrewing.com/anniparty April 25 — Taste & Tour of Old Town, Lansing Eat like a local while exploring Old Town’s restaurants, lofts and commercial buildings during this unique tour of Lansing’s historic district. iloveoldtown.org April 25 — Beerfest at the Ballpark, Lansing Kick off baseball season and enjoy expanded festival grounds with more covered areas and 300-plus craft beers, ciders, meads and spirits, plus food and music at the Cooley Law School Stadium. beerfestattheballpark.net May 1-31 — Traverse City Uncorked Indulge in your favorite vino all month long or find a new one during this celebration of the region’s wine country. Special wine tastings, lodging packages and culinary events to suit every taste. traversecity.com

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EXCURSIONS

May 2 — 4th annual Derby Day Soiree, Mackinac Island Fine food and fancy drinks with a Kentucky flair highlight this derby affair at Island House Hotel’s 1852 Grill Room. Open bar, dinner buffet and live broadcast of the Kentucky Derby. theislandhouse.com

May 2-3 — Spring Sip & Savor, Leelanau Peninsula As the vineyards awaken with spring blooms, toast to the season and discover Leelanau wines paired with small bites during this self-guided tour. lpwines.com

May 8 — Detroit Zoo Brew Sip, stroll and enjoy sights of more than 2,600 animals at Zoo Brew. Enjoy Michigan craft beer, live music, exclusive access to the zoo’s award-winning habitats and zookeeper talks. detroitzoo.org May 8-10 — Wine on the Bay, Bay Harbor Treat yourself or your mom to a wine lovers’ weekend at Inn at Bay Harbor. Tasting events, special menus, Sparkle at The Spa, wine touring and Mother’s Day brunch. innatbayharbor.com May 10 — Mother’s Day Brunch, Niles Bring Mom to Fernwood Botanical Garden to celebrate her day with tasty brunch dishes from chef Tim Carrigan followed by a tour of the gardens. Reservations required. fernwoodbotanical.org May 10 — Mother’s Day Brunch, Hickory Corners Celebrate Mother’s Day with a decadent brunch at the historic W.K. Kellogg Manor House, overlooking beautiful Gull Lake, and take a tour of the property. conference.kbs.msu.edu May 10 — Mother’s Day Celebration, Bellaire Enjoy the chef’s creations, featuring breakfast items, carving stations, desserts and more during this special brunch at Shanty Creek’s Lakeview Restaurant. shantycreek.com May 14 — Funtown Chowdown Festival, Frankenmuth Featuring 20 food trucks from across Michigan, a beer tent with craft breweries, live music and fun family activities at Frankenmuth River Place Shops. frankenmuthriverplace.com May 15-16 — World Expo of Beer, Frankenmuth Find rare and unique brews at Michigan’s largest international beer sampling event in Heritage Park. Enjoy sampling, local cuisine, beer school, demonstrations and the 1Beer1K Fun Run. worldexpoofbeer.com May 15-16 — Empire Asparagus Festival Asparagus brings the Empire community together for a pig roast and dance, 5K fun run, recipe contest and cook-off, wine and beer tasting, and more. empirechamber.com May 15–22 — Petoskey Restaurant Week Area restaurants offer special three-course menus and 2-for-1 deals during this weeklong celebration of the region’s culinary scene. petoskeyrestaurantweek.com

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May 16 — Michigan Spring Beer Festival, Traverse City Michigan Brewers Guild debuts its newest festival at Turtle Creek Stadium — home of the Traverse City Pit Spitters. Sample from 100 Michigan breweries and hundreds of beers as the guild kicks off the warm-weather festival season. mibeer.com

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May 16 — Blossom Day, Old Mission Peninsula Celebrate a new season of blossoms, beauty and bounty on Old Mission. Sample new releases, seasonal food and wine pairings and receive a commemorative glass. ompwinetrail.com May 16 — BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass, St. Joseph Enjoy live music, craft beer, regional wines, and local BBQ in Whirlpool Centennial Park. stjoetoday.com May 16-Aug. 29 — Holland Farmers Market Cooking Demos Every Saturday, a local chef provides cooking demonstrations using market produce. Pick up produce, herbs, baked goods, meats, cheeses and more. hollandfarmersmarket.com

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May 17 — 21st annual VegFest, Detroit The biggest annual vegan event in Michigan is moving to the Grand Ballroom of the TCF Center.

More than 50 restaurants, free taste samples, cooking demos, fun for the kids, expert speakers and presentations. vegmichigan.org May 23-24 — Art & Wine Festival, Berrien Springs Come kick off summer at this celebration of art, music, food and wine. Meander through vendors featuring local artwork with a glass of bubbly or pinot grigio at Lemon Creek Winery. lemoncreekwinery.com

EXCURSIONS LEGEND Explore these collective Michigan area websites for more regional events and details.

Blue Water Area bluewater.org Detroit Metro CVB visitdetroit.com Great Lakes Bay Region gogreat.com Harbor Country harborcountry.org Pure Michigan michigan.org Southwest Michigan Tourist Council swmichigan.org Upper Peninsula Tourism & Recreation Association uptravel.com West Michigan Tourist Association wmta.org

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SPRING 2020

TA S T I N G R O O M

BY GREG TASKER

Raising the wine perception

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Top: Dablon wines have been highly ranked and praised by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Bottom: Three patrons enjoy a glass of wine in Dablon’s comfortable tasting room.

gan, a Michigan-themed gift store in downtown St. Joseph. “There’s a perception that Michigan wine is sweet and fruity. It’s what Michigan became known for,” said Erik Youngquist, who owns the store with his wife Demrhy and carries other Michigan wines, as well. “It’s nice to have a different option for people — to have a real quality wine. Dablon is making great wines. The cabernet sauvignon is amazing.”

Modeled after vineyards in Burgundy and Bordeaux, some of the vines are ter-

raced as much for the grapes as the aesthetics. “It gives people the sense they are somewhere different, someplace they have never been before,” said Schopf, who grew up in western Michigan but now splits his time between Union Pier and Chicago.

His efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Dablon’s 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon earned a 90 (out of a possible 100) from Wine Enthusiast magazine, one of the country’s leading wine publications. It was the highest rating ever given to a Michigan cabernet sauvignon.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN TOURSIT COUNCIL

W

illiam Schopf is a storyteller, though not in the traditional sense of taking pen to paper or tapping away on a keyboard to craft novels, short stories or screenplays (though he majored in English literature at Princeton University).

His storytelling is expressed in other forms. His first canvas was the courtroom.

As a lawyer trying legal cases, he crafted intellectually and emotionally persuasive stories presenting the truth to the jury. He later turned to movie screens and audiences. He became the owner of Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre and a distributor of foreign and specialty movies.

More recently, he has turned to the land.

About a decade ago, Schopf began planting wine grapes on the hills of a former crop-andfruit farm in southwestern Michigan, not far from the tempering waters of Lake Michigan.

With Dablon Winery and Vineyards, Schopf is telling the story of Michigan’s potential as a world-class wine producer.

In the terraced vineyards surrounding his contemporary tasting room, he grows European vinifera, red and white varietals most consumers are familiar with: chardonnay, riesling, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, malbec and cabernet franc.

“Everyone wants to hear a story,” he said.

“In this business, the story is about grapes and wine. You go to a dinner party and bring a bottle of wine, people will ask you where it came from, what is the story behind the wine? They’ll talk about it.”

Dablon’s wines have surprised tourists who stop by for tastings at Purely Michi-

“That had an impact right away,” Schopf said. “In wholesale, retail markets, restaurants and wine and liquor stores, they like those ratings. That got us more shelf space, more by-the-glass pours in restaurants. But, more importantly, what we’re dealing with here in Michigan, especially here in the southwest, is that historically, much of Michigan wine has been sweet and cheap. Our biggest challenge is overcoming that reputation.”

His wines are helping. Dablon wines are served at restaurants in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. He again scored high ratings with Wine Enthusiast last summer. The winery won accolades for its 2017 Riesling and its 2016 Cabernet Franc, among others.

“Dablon is doing an admirable job of producing varietally correct vinifera, wines that are pretty challenging to make in Michi-

gan,” said Michael Schafer, a wine and spirits speaker and “edutainer” from the Detroit area. “Most people aren’t producing merlot and cabernet sauvignon.”

Schafer, an advocate of Michigan wines, adds that Dablon, with its quality wines and attractive packaging, is helping raise the bar on wines from Michigan and the Midwest.

Schopf is pursuing a less-traveled path among Michigan wineries, borrowing from the best of European practices. Dablon’s vines are planted 36 inches apart along long rows of trellises; rows are planted 8 feet apart. The intent is to produce lower yields, resulting in higher-quality fruit.

“Michigan is a wonderful place to grow grapes, but you can’t overdo,” Schopf said, noting a typical yield is about 3 tons an acre.

Inside Dablon’s 2,400-square-foot tast-

ing room, with window views of the vineyards, guests can sample from two dozen wines. Most varietals are red and include the not-so-familiar French varietals — tannat, carménère and petit verdot. This past fall, Dablon harvested its first crop of tempranillo, a grape made famous by Rioja and Spain.

“It’s a wine I like, and I thought our customers would find interesting,” Schopf explained. The future of that tempranillo is in the works. Schopf would like to leave some of the wine in stainless steel tanks and see how it turns out. The rest he plans to age in French oak for another year with a possible tasting room release in summer 2021.

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Greg Tasker lives in Traverse City where he enjoys writing about Michigan wines and wineries.

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MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

MICHIGAN TOP 5

BY KIM SCHNEIDER

Explore Michigan’s original state park

Art of the Park This year’s special exhibit at the Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum is “A Day at the Park,” artist interpretations of the park’s life, geology, past and fun. And there’s more. One of the many fascinating exhibits is a collection of island souvenirs over time, including etched imported German glass popular with the Victorian set.

Movie Under the Stars For the first time, as part of the anniversary’s free family fun, you can gather on the

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island fort’s parade grounds several times this year to catch a movie under the stars or at Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City where the waves of the Straits and bridge are the backdrop. Find the lineup at mackinacparks.com.

Mackinac Island Botanical Trail Lilacs are not the only bloom in town. Wildflowers like the yellow trout lily, jack-in-thepulpit and trillium on shady inner island trails are so captivating that visiting botanists including the author Henry David Thoreau made records of their early exploration finds.

Those are now fodder for interpretive panels that loop off the popular bicycle train that runs behind Fort Mackinac to Arch Rock.

Native American Museum, Biddle House Agatha Biddle, the one-time resident of this still-standing island home, was an Odawa chief married to a fur trader and even better known for the way she invited the indigent in for needed food or medicine. She’s the

lens for sharing the broader story of Native American island life through the ages in a new Mackinac Island museum. One highlight is the video of Native Americans from various Michigan tribes sharing why it has been — and still is — important in their lives and culture.

Soldier’s Life 201 Much of the interpretation about life at the fort is hands-on, and that is expanding in exhibits like one at Fort Mackinac that lets young people try on uniforms of soldiers past (now including uniforms from the 1880s, Revolutionary War and War of 1812).

Special interpreters also will also lead bike rides across a War of 1812 battlefield and share interpretations of a one-time soldier mutiny and the lives of both soldiers’ wives and fort slaves.

≈

Kim Schneider is an award-winning travel writer who shares her travel-savvy in every issue of BLUE.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY MACKINAC STATE PARK

C

olonial Michilimackinac is just one centerpiece this year during the 125th birthday party the state is holding for a collection of Straits-area stops that make up Michigan’s original state park.

The 125-day celebration includes free concerts, fireworks, and stargazing and events that let people live out the past — and present — in storied forts and on shady trails.

Here are five ways to join the party.

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From my window I can see, Where the sandhills dip, One far glimpse of open sea.

Just a slender slip Curving like a crescent moon — Yet a greater prize Than the harbour garden—fair Spread beneath my eyes.

— The Open Sea, by Dorothea Mackellar

T

Boating Showcase

THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING and clearly define why Michigan is the Great Lakes State — and a pure “Water Wonderland.” The beautiful mitten is home to over 36,000 miles of streams, more than 11,000 lakes and ponds, and 26,266 inland lakes greater than one acre in size.

In Michigan, you’re never more than six miles from an inland lake or more than 85 miles from one of the Great Lakes.

What these numbers don’t include is the scenery, the charm, and the natural beauty of not only all these miles of water, but the surrounding shoreline. If you’ve never seen the beautiful crystal-clear turquoise waters of Torch Lake, it’s time to make a trip to Traverse City.

One of the best ways to enjoy Michigan’s abundance of spectacular waterways is by boat — and Michiganders sure love their boats!

Michigan has the second largest number of registered boats in the country, with over 1 million, and in 2018 it ranked third in the nation — up 10 percent from 2017 — in sales of new powerboats, engines, trailers, and accessories.

As the song goes: “Old Michigan steams like a young man’s dreams; the islands and bays are for sportsmen.” Not to mention the fact that there’s plenty of open sea!

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WEST MICHIGAN IS A SPECIAL PLACE that’s centered on family and community. For many, it’s also about spending time on the water. West Michigan Yacht Sales & Brokerage offers you a special way to see, experience, and enjoy family and community out on the water — the best of both worlds.

There are many reasons and ways for people to take advantage of the miles and miles of open water West Michigan has to offer. For Jon Marcus and Rob Everse — marketing executives and Tiara Yachts alumni with a combined tenure in the marine business of more than 40 years — it’s simply a way of life.

West Michigan Yacht Sales was born out of their love for the water and the boating industry.

“We value the opportunity to cre-

ate long-term relationships with our customers by providing the best possible customer experience,” Marcus says. “Whether we’re helping you find the best boat for you and your family or selling your boat, we’re here for you.”

West Michigan Yacht Sales offers several top brands, including BRIG. No matter if you’re in it for family, leisure, or sport, there’s a BRIG model highly engineered just for you. As the largest rigid-inflatable boat company in the world, BRIG models and styles range from 9-foot “tenders” to 30-plus-foot twin-engine adventure machines.

West Michigan Yacht Sales, an authorized Honda outboard dealer, also offers boat-brokerage services to customers looking to sell their boat, big or small. The company recently opened

a second location in downtown Holland — a 10,000-square-foot facility that provides complete representation of the entire BRIG brand.

Walk the large showrooms of new and pre-owned inventory, schedule a demo ride, or discuss the custom options that best fit your needs, and let West Michigan Yacht Sales help you experience the joys of being on the water.

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SPRING 2020

D I N I N G D E S T I N AT I O N S

BY AMY S. ECKERT

Spirit of Seventy-Six

Bartender Tristen Martinie mixes a special cocktail at Seventy-Six.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

W

alk through the back entrance of Holland restaurant Seventy-Six, and you’ll see a framed photograph hanging on the wall. The grainy image shows owner Lucas Grill as a third grader, beaming with pride over a brand new Easy-Bake Oven.

“That’s what I asked for that year for Christmas,” said Grill, smiling. “It was probably the first clue that food would be my future.”

Food has indeed shaped Grill’s life. The restaurateur opened Seventy-Six in 2017, propelled by the success of his first establishment, Public, in downtown Zeeland.

Promising a creative twist on American favorites and a menu centered on locally sourced ingredients, Seventy-Six relies on local farms for its fresh flavors.

But oftentimes, menu decisions are made following a visit to the Holland Farmers Market, located just one block away from the restaurant’s doors. Market stalls piled with locally grown berries and the season’s first asparagus or sweet corn may shift the kitchen’s direction that evening. And to emphasize its reliance on fresh foods, Seventy-Six has no freezer on the premises.

“The quality of the produce in this part of Michigan is just fantastic,” Grill said. “I really want to take advantage of that.” At the same time, Grill isn’t afraid to throw in ingredients from other corners of the globe when he feels a dish needs a little originality.

Starter favorites at Seventy-Six (seventy sixholland.com) include a creamy goat cheese and wild mushroom queso served with toasted cheddar ciabatta, and the

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BUCK

Seventy-Six offers a stylish, rustic dining experience.

much-loved Devils on Horseback, a tray of savory-sweet dates stuffed with Spanish almonds and wrapped in bacon before being slathered with BBQ sauce and baked.

Lunchtime specialties include a butternut squash bisque with a touch of cinnamon and a splash of calvados, and an impossibly creamy, herb-sprinkled tomato soup. The 36-hour braised short ribs are a crowd-pleaser at dinner, served with smoked Gouda mashed potatoes. And the restaurant’s Great Lakes whitefish is amped up with a jumbo lump crab crust.

Seventy-Six’s arrival injected new energy in the underutilized Holland Sentinel building where the restaurant is located.

After consolidating operations, the newspaper’s headquarters had unused space, and Grill jumped at the chance to fill it.

Outside, the brick building still bears the words “The Holland Evening Sentinel” three stories above the small outdoor patio where Seventy-Six serves diners in warm weather.

Inside, design elements heighten Seventy-Six’s sense of repurpose with exposed brick and walls covered in a herringbone design of faux salvaged wood (it’s actually ceramic tile). Dining room tables were custom made by Holland’s Cento Anni, a woodworking shop that specializes in crafting furniture from reclaimed lumber. A shoulder-high wall provides a little separation between the dining room and its small but well-stocked bar.

Two years after its opening, SeventySix seems to have been the harbinger of a larger renaissance for its West Eighth

Street neighborhood, once reliably quiet after dark. A major revitalization project completed in late 2019 saw the opening of a new 11-screen movie theater, boutique shopping, residential lofts and half a dozen new restaurants and bars, all just a few steps away from Seventy-Six. Two of those restaurants also are owned by Grill: Poquito, serving Spanish tapas, and Obstacle No. 1, a cocktail bar.

Grill’s trajectory from his Easy-Bake Oven included graduating from the Culinary Institute of America and Michigan State University’s School of Hospitality Business. Grill spent time working in kitchens at Jean-Georges and Aquavit in New York, and at Tru in Chicago, all of them Michelinstarred. He also worked at the storied 1913 Room in Grand Rapids’ Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. When the 1913 Room closed its doors in 2011, Grill was ready to branch out on his own.

“I fell in love with West Michigan while I was working at the 1913 Room,” Grill said. “The landscapes, the people, the produce.” It didn’t hurt Grill believed Holland and Zeeland underserved in terms of fine dining, and that he had grown up in central Michigan.

Now the chef/owner of four restaurants, Grill isn’t content just yet. At age 35, he said he still has at least one more restaurant idea up his sleeve, although he isn’t prepared to share details.

≈

Amy Eckert is an award-winning travel writer from Holland who travels the globe in search of good stories.

Above: USDA Filet Mignon Au Poivre with Lyonnaise Potatoes & Cognac Creme Sauce Below: Really Good Lemon Chicken with Goat Cheese Lemon Risotto

IF YOU GO Seventy-Six Restaurant 52 W. Eighth St. Holland, MI 49423 (616) 994-8414 seventysixholland.com Open Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

HISTORIC INNS & LODGES

BY MARLA R. MILLER

Live-in history Island House Hotel completes largest renovation in a decade, carries on family-owned operation.

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Sunning on the lawn amid the gardens at the Island House Hotel is to revel in its history (above).

Bedrooms (below) reflect the new color schemes that were adopted in its recent makeover.

and take in the scenery.

The hotel has a picture-perfect view of the harbor, where ferries arrive and depart from the main docks. Many guests enjoy watching freighters pass in the straits, boats docked in the island’s public marina, bicycle porters balancing bags as they ride up the hotel’s hilly driveway and a steady stream of horse-drawn taxis and island visitors bicycling along Main Street.

“There are a lot of places to spread out

and let your kids run around,” said Todd Callewaert, current hotel CEO and president. “It’s just a comfortable place to stay, and you’re living the history.”

The Callewaert family has owned Island House for 50 years, carrying on a rich tradition of entrepreneurship on the island with Ryba’s Fudge Shop, Seabiscuit Café and Mary’s Bistro Draught House. Callewaert’s grandfather, father and uncle — three prominent Mackinac Island businessmen —

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ISLAND HOUSE HOTEL

f the porch of Island House Hotel could give up its secrets, it would surely spill details of the century-old soirees and vacation stays of early Mackinac Island settlers, Chicago socialites, members of the Moral Re-Armament and 21st-century guests.

One of the earliest hotels on Mackinac Island, Island House Hotel (the islandhouse.com) dates to 1852 and used to sit near the water, a simple three-story structure without the stately east and west wings. Today, thanks to several additions and renovations — including saving the hotel from demolition in 1969 — the historic landmark is a well-appointed resort with a circular drive for carriage drop-offs, lush flowers and gardens, two restaurants and remodeled guest rooms.

The island’s oldest operating hotel opened 16 years after Michigan became a state — and a decade before the Civil War — and joins Grand Hotel as the only two Historic Hotels of America on the island. Black-and-white photographs hang throughout the lobby, transporting visitors to another era when guests in three-piece suits, long dresses and feathered hats gathered on the same porch.

Besides its prime spot a block away from the bustling shopping district, Island House puts visitors in the midst of Mackinac Island life. The east and west wings were added in 1895 and 1912, and the round front porch remains a popular site for weddings, small receptions and guests who want to relax

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ISLAND HOUSE HOTEL

Breakfast anyone? It is served in the 1852 Grill Room (below), or on a terraced patio. The views from the Island House Hotel look over the harbor and the Mackinac Straits (right).

spent a lot of money to save the hotel after decades of unpaid taxes and neglect.

Harry Ryba, son James and son-in-law Victor Callewaert, Todd’s father, purchased the hotel, which sat vacant from 1949-69, and leased the land from Mackinac Island State Park. After extensive renovations, Island House reopened on June 23, 1972, and earned a Michigan Historical Landmark designation in August 1973. The renovation preserved the unique architectural features of the hotel’s exterior, including its many columns, porch spindles, gables, windows and door styles.

“Mackinac was really picking up as a tourist destination,” Callewaert said. “It was very important to have the oldest hotel on Mackinac Island standing there and still thriving.”

The Callewaert family is preparing future generations to carry on the family’s legacy and recently invested $4 million to remodel Island House and update the hotel’s 94 guest rooms. The multiyear makeover began in 2015 with the 1852 Grill Room and Ice House BBQ’s outdoor seating area.

The 1852 Grill Room, an intimate waterfront dining venue with a terrace patio, serves breakfast and dinner under the di-

rection of executive chef Phil Kromer. The Grill Room remodel included adding windows on the dining room’s east wall, a new marble top bar, Tiffany chandeliers and booths to make it more comfortable. Behind the hotel, Ice House BBQ is popular with locals and guests for its outdoor garden patio, craft beer and smoked barbecue.

“It definitely has an old feel to it. It’s quite unique.

Your experience is different every time unless you get the same room.”

TODD CALLEWAERT

General manager Alan Sehoyan worked with Todd’s wife Jennifer to select the color schemes, décor and accents for the guest rooms. The makeover included new furniture, beds and window treatments, phone-charging stations and hardwood floors in most of the rooms. The floral walls and bedspreads are gone, replaced by light blue, sage, gray and coral walls and white bed linens. They also updated the bathrooms with tiled showers and modern lights and fixtures.

Sehoyan focuses on service and hospi-

tality for the hotel’s many wedding parties, first-time island visitors and vacationers seeking a slower pace.

“I am very passionate about hospitality,” Sehoyan said. “I tell the employees it is a privilege to work there. When guests come here, it is a special occasion for them. …

This may be the highlight of their summer.”

The recent remodel was the largest in more than a decade, but given the hotel’s historic nature, “It’s an ongoing thing at all times,” Callewaert said. Over the years, the owners have added an elevator, air conditioning and a 5,400-square-foot addition in 1995 that included an indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, three suites and the Ice House.

Lodging options include traditional fourth-floor queen rooms with dormer-style ceilings, premium king and queen rooms with harbor views and full suites with private balconies.

“It definitely has an old feel to it,” Callewaert said. “It’s quite unique. Your experience is different every time unless you get the same room.”

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Marla Miller is an award-winning journalist who lives in Norton Shores.

MICHIGAN BLUE

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SPRING 2020

REFLECTIONS

BY JERRY DENNIS | ILLUSTRATION BY GLENN WOLFF

The dawn chorus

M

orels usually start popping in early April around here, but the big white ones don’t show up until about the first of May. You can find them hidden in the high grass along roadsides or standing proud around the trunks of ash and apple trees. Some years, we find them in our backyard, which seems like a benediction. Once, my sons and I collected an onion-sack full behind John and Peggy’s house next door. They live most of the year in London and don’t mind if we forage on their property.

Morels are just one of our spring rituals. Mayflies are hatching. Trout are feeding. Flocks of warblers are passing through. The challenge is deciding what to do — fish, forage or look for birds? It’s the fox-in-the-henhouse dilemma. If you’re like me (and the fox), your impulse is to grab all the chickens at once. And why not? As the great Kinky Friedman said, “Find what you love and let it kill you.”

That first day of May, I woke at daylight to birdsong fluting from the treetops. The dawn chorus! Songbirds around the world are in decline, making their songs more bittersweet every year. The blame is the dark side Anthropocene: a warming planet, habitat destruction, misuse of pesticides and herbicides. Those of us who don’t want to live in a world without birdsong are trying to stay hopeful.

After breakfast, I packed a sandwich and drove to a secret creek I visit every now and then. At the bridge, I hiked through a cedar swamp dense enough to discourage all but the most determined bipeds until I came to a stretch of creek latticed with

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MICHIGAN BLUE

Songbirds around the world are in decline, making their songs more bittersweet every year. fallen cedars. I rigged my spinning rod with a hook and split shot, baited it with a garden worm and crawled on hands and knees to get into position.

Carefully, I lowered the bait into a plunge pool the size of a bucket. Instantly, I felt a rap-rap-rap and hoisted an 8-inch brook trout from the water. It was jadecolored and spotted with rubies. I had

promised Gail I would bring trout home for dinner but, as usual, couldn’t bring myself to kill such a beautiful creature. I cradled it in my hand in the creek until it gave a kick and darted away.

Next, I drove to one of my favorite mushroom woods, hung my binoculars around my neck and set out through the trees. I found no mushrooms that morning but saw a yellow-throated vireo, my first, and heard the year’s first brown thrasher practicing its variations of, “Look at me, I’m a pretty bird.” I stood for an hour in a stand of pines and watched astonished as groups of mixed warblers passed through in pulses, a dozen or two at a time, hopping and fluttering from branch to branch, always traveling north. They moved too quickly to be easily identified, but I saw yellow-rumps and palms, a few yellows, a black-and-white, and a black-throated green.

And so, the day went.

It’s January as I write this, and I’m at my desk being responsible when what I really want to do is run from the house and drive south until I meet spring head-on. Then I’ll turn around and surf it north 15 miles a day. Evenings, I’ll set up camp beneath trees dripping with songbirds, build a campfire, cook a simple dinner and sleep beneath the stars. And every morning, I’ll wake to the dawn chorus.

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Writer Jerry Dennis and artist Glenn Wolff do most of their birding, foraging and fishing in the Traverse City area. Their collaborative work can be seen at bigmaplepress.com.

A GR AND MICHIGAN TR A DITION We invite you to experience the rich traditions and historic charm of America’s Summer Place, located on beautiful Mackinac Island.

1-800-33GRAND • grandhotel.com

Photograhpy Credit - James Yochum Photography - jamesyochum.com

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