Traverse Northern Michigan's Magazine, September 2022

Traverse + SIP: CONCORD NEGRONI

MUNISING’S GRAND YURT EXPERIENCE BIKE GLACIAL HILLS PATHWAY p.30

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Leelanau’s Artists in Residence

Retro Dining: Dam Site Inn

Elk Rapids Golf Club

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Mackinac’s Magical Market Inside America’s oldest family-owned grocery store p.38

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Traverse 09.22 INSIDE

F E AT U R E S 30

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT UP NORTH, PEOPLE, PLACES, FOOD AND EVENTS.

A MAKING PLACE

Tucked among the forested sand dunes of Leelanau County, Tusen Takk Foundation gives artists a rarefied space to create.

B Y E M I LY H O P C I A N PHOTOS BY TIM HUSSEY

38 THE RELUCTANT GROCER

Battling booming summers and big-box competitors, Andrew Doud breathes new life into a quaint market at the heart of Mackinac Island.

B Y K AT E B A S S E T T PHOTOS BY JACQUELINE SOUTHBY

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ONE HUNDRED YEARS GREEN One hundred years ago, the small town of Elk Rapids had a big vision: hire a legendary golf course designer.

The result is one of the most playable and beloved courses around.

B Y K AT H Y B E L D E N / P H O T O S B Y A L L I S O N J A R R E L L

A FAMILIAR FEAST

For generations, Pellston’s Dam Site Inn has been serving up comfort food that nourishes body and soul.

photo by Allison Jarrell

BY TIM TEBEAU PHOTOS BY JACQUELINE SOUTHBY

NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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DEPART M E N TS

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9 | EDITOR'S NOTE

Visit AnnPorterTC.com for more information.

11 | UP NORTH

Ann@AnnPorterTC.com

Traverse City business owner and New York Times–bestselling author Angie Morgan shares the importance of taking risks; try yurt camping with kids in Munising; plus, new businesses Up North.

DOWNTOWN PETOSKEY

19 | EVENTS

Savor the last of summer with festivals, farmers markets and other outdoor events.

23 | TRAVEL

Soak up this month’s still-warm lakes and sunny days while exploring Northern Michigan’s eastern shoreline.

Family run business specializing in Gourmet Cinnamon Rolls and Custom Roasted Coffee from a family German recipe passed down from Matilda ‘Tillie’ Dewes over 100 years.

24 | UP IN MICHIGAN

The Porcupine Mountains— Michigan’s largest state park— offer endless views for those willing to make the journey.

26 | OUTDOORS

Mountain bike magnificent forested trails at Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area in Bellaire.

57 | THE CULINARY NORTH

Coffee purveyor Mundos Roasting & Co. expands in Traverse City; plus, three must-visit rooftop decks offering al fresco dining with a view.

60 | ON THE TABLE

With endless possible riffs on its original theme, shakshuka is the perfect dish to celebrate harvest season.

62 | LAST CALL

In-season Concord grapes shine in this boozy Italian sipper.

64 | LOVE OF THE LAND

Help protect the lush, undeveloped shoreline of Turtle Cove.

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Follow Us On Social Media facebook.com/mynorthmedia instagram.com/mynorthmedia pinterest.com/mynorthmedia

ON THE COVER Doud’s Market on Mackinac Island PHOTO BY JACQUELINE SOUTHBY

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Traverse NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

A MyNorth Media Publication

Vol. 42 | No. 04

PRESIDENT

Michael Wnek Cara McDonald

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

SENIOR EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR DIGITAL CONTENT & SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST CULINARY COLUMNIST EDITORIAL INTERN

BAKED TO PERFECTION

Elizabeth Edwards Carly Simpson Allison Jarrell Rachel Soulliere Stacey Brugeman Alea Wilkins Elizabeth Aseritis Caroline Dahlquist

PROOFREADERS

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

Andrew VanDrie Kandace Chapple Kim Schneider Heather Durocher Dave Weidner Sarah Peschel

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Tim Hussey Theresa Baehr

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR, SPECIAL SECTIONS

Rachel Watson

ART DIRECTOR

Julie Parker Erin VanFossen Mike Alfaro Ann Gatrell Keith Hoxie Julie James Meg Lau Kirk Small

DIRECTOR OF SALES SALES COORDINATOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

MARKETING DIRECTOR MARKETING COORDINATOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Erin Lutke Ashlyn Korienek Nichole Earle Libby Stallman

OFFICE MANAGER

FOCACCIA BREAD KIT Create delicious, fresh focaccia bread to enjoy as a snack or as part of another recipe. This kit includes the fresh SELECT olive oil needed to make your bread, as well as a spice blend and an 18 Year balsamic to drizzle with your olive oil to enjoy snacking.

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES

415 Cass St., Traverse City, MI 49684 Phone: 231.941.8174 | Fax: 231.941.8391 SUBSCRIBER SERVICES

Visit MyNorth.com/Account to renew your subscription, change your address, or review your account.

Please email other subscription inquiries to info@mynorth.com or call 800-678-3416 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST.

Let’s Get Together and Cook!

Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine, (ISSN10713719) is published monthly by Heritage Broadcasting Company of Michigan, 1 Broadcast Way, Cadillac, MI 49601.

Periodicals class postage paid at Traverse City, MI 49684 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine, 415 Cass St., Traverse City, MI 49684. Advertising rates available upon request. Subscription rate: $29.95 for 12 issues. Single issue price: $6.50.

Manuscripts must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. All rights reserved. Copyright 2022, Heritage Broadcasting Company of Michigan.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

141 E FRONT ST • TRAVERSE CITY • 231-944-1145 PETOSKEY • ANN ARBOR • HOLLAND

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NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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YOU’RE INVITED

Named “Most Beautiful Place in America” by the viewers of Good Morning America, and sitting pretty on National Geographic’s list of “21 Best Beaches in the World.”

There are plenty of places to vacation, but nowhere comes close to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

You don’t have to take our word for it though.

Come experience the magic of Northern Michigan for yourself.

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editor's note

PAST PERFECT

by CARA MCDONALD

T

here’s a video snippet I keep on my phone that never fails to give me a little hit of joy—it’s my two boys, ages 4 and 1, at the tiny one-ring Italian family circus that would come through our town each year. The oldest is hiding his eyes in disbelief while the youngest, wild-eyed from the spectacle and a skipped nap, is clapping madly as Nino the clown attempts to ride a unicycle across the high wire.

Every year for the next 10, we would buy our tickets and wait for the horse trailers, campers and trucks to roll into town, for the circus family to spread wood chips in an enormous circle, set the horses out to graze in the vacant lot adjacent and begin the arduous process of erecting the big-top tent.

On show night, as we stood outside the tent waiting to be let in, a handful of performers would cluster in front of the door and play the accordion or tell jokes, execute a few contortionist moves or make the crowd laugh. Without fail, Nino would ask the crowd, “How many of you have seen our circus before?” Hands would raise. “How many have been coming for two years?” Hands. “Three years?” Fewer hands. Year after year, we’d raise our hands—four, five, six years, more!—then file into the tent, buy a striped bag of popcorn and two sugary lemonades and climb into the bleachers to wait for the show to begin.

It was a precious tradition for us. We watched as the dancing dogs grew old and new ones took their place, as the bareback rider married the ringmaster, then had a chubby baby girl. Nino the clown could always be relied on to annoy the ringmaster, get thrown out of the ring, then walk through the bleachers crying artificial tears that sprayed the crowd with water.

Instead of provoking boredom, that predictability was part of the joy. Sharing the spectacle brought our community together—the children would wave to our pastor, climb over the laps of beloved teachers, bum snacks from friends’ parents and sit spellbound in the dark for a ritual that marked the end of summer.

If as humans we’ve learned anything these last few years, it’s that we’re a social species and long to come together.

Customs, group rituals, festivals, traditions—we adopt these to revel in the mutual comfort, relaxation, familiarity and relief they provide.

Visiting a beloved place, sharing a meal, watching the predictable gag of a clown year after year brings an indescribable pleasure. It’s not about the thing itself so much as it is the constancy—that in a world where we feel stressed, fragmented, isolated or disconnected, there is something we know to be reliable and good.

The soul of this issue is forged in tradition. Chicken dinners at the Dam Site Inn, a tiny golf course dreamed up in the Roaring Twenties, the oldest family-owned grocery store in the country—the stories this month remind us that ours is a place where family roots grow deep and ties bind.

In the midst of shaky economics, changing landscapes, regional growth or just plain old evolution and change, having beloved traditions to hang our hats on provides a sense of peace that nothing else can.

So, for the moments when you feel scattered, alone, weary or demoralized, connection is waiting for you—the solution might be as humble as sharing the last drumstick, as pure as the thwack of a golf ball arcing over stately old greens, as joyous as the flags of a big top tent, waving us forward and calling us inside.

Cara McDonald Executive Editor cara@mynorth.com NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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Always the unique and unexpected since 1986

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Up North.

PEOPLE | NATURE | ARTS | NOSTALGIA | BUZZ | WISDOM | CURIOSITIES

RISKY BUSINESS

by CARLY SIMPSON

A Traverse City business owner and New York Times bestselling author shares the importance of taking risks.

photo by Dave Weidner

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ngie (morgan) witkowski is no stranger to risk.

Witkowski grew up in Kalkaska, leaving to attend the University of Michigan followed by four years in the Marine Corps. After an Honorable Discharge, she worked in pharmaceutical sales. “I was making great money, but felt something was missing,” Witkowski says. “And it was acts of service.” So, with friend and fellow Marine Courtney Lynch, Witkowski wrote her first book, “Leading From the Front,” sharing leadership tactics learned from the armed forces with other professionals, particularly women.

Witkowski and Lynch took another leap then, leaving their corporate jobs to cofound a consultancy firm, Lead Star, offering leadership coaching to individuals and businesses. In the two

Angie (Morgan) Witkowski

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decades since, Witkowski has worked with a range of clients, from Google and Facebook to National Geographic and ESPN. Witkowski and her husband, Ed, are also the new owners of Morsels coffee shop in Traverse City, which they purchased in August 2021.

Her recently released “Bet on You: How to Win with Risk” published by Harper-Collins is Witkowski’s third book, following “Leading from the Front” and “Spark,” a New York Times bestseller.

Here, Witkowski shares her approach to risk taking: Carly Simpson: The pandemic caused people to rethink what they want in life and how best to achieve it; it’s a very timely topic.

Angie Witkowski: This book was my Covid passion project. After my business [Lead Star] was massively disrupted due to the pandemic, I spent the greater part of a year writing. This is a perfect time for people to think about their lives, the risks they want to take and how to get the courage and confidence to live their dreams.

Available at

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CS: Do you have a favorite section of the book?

AW: I really like the introduction.

Those first few lines to me were pretty crystallizing. There does come a time, when, in order to achieve whatever is in your heart or your mind, you’ve got to move from the passenger’s seat to the driver’s seat. You’ve got to get agency in your life. You have to take risks, and we’re not necessarily taught to take risks. We’re taught from a young age to stay on the safe path.

CS: So you’re teaching people to recalibrate their tolerance for risk. You also talk about planning for risk, and how to “weave a safety net to mitigate the downside.”

AW: If you want to start an Etsy business where you sell your jewelry, you can start it without quitting your job and see if there’s viability first. Just commit some of your whitespace in your life, and I know people say they have no whitespace, but we find the time to do the things we want to do.

Start saying no to something so you can find the time to say yes.

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Up North Kids & Family

Au Train Beach

CAMPING, BUT MAKE IT EASY

by CARLY SIMPSON

photos courtesy of Uncle Ducky Outdoors

Take one more family camping trip this summer, and leave the tent at home.

“Furnished” and “camping” don’t often appear in the same sentence, but at Au Train Beach Campground in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, that’s exactly what you’ll find—right across the street from a long sandy stretch of Lake Superior beach.

Hello, paradise.

Operated by Paddling Michigan, headquartered in nearby Munising, the Au Train Beach Campground has safari tents, yurts and tipis in addition to a few rustic campsites if your fam really does love sleeping on the ground. Furnishings include bunk beds, futons, solar-powered lighting with a USB port to charge devices, outdoor charcoal grills and picnic tables. The larger “grand yurts” even have full electricity and mini fridges. Ice and firewood are for sale. Just bring your sleeping bag and cookware.

What makes Paddling Michigan even cooler is its water adventures and boat tours. Take the kids on a guided hike and paddle at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, or book a Grand Island boat cruise. Reservations are available à la carte, or make it really easy with vacation packages that bundle canoeing, several meals, a kayak tour, boat cruise and two- or three-night stays.

Paddle your way down the Au Train River Canoe Trail.

Here you'll find 10 miles of slow-moving river to explore free of rapids and portages, making it a safe and fun experience.

Watch for blue herons, kingfishers, muskrats and turtles along with walleye, perch, suckers and bullheads. And in fall, the salmon run.

Get there: M-28, 13 miles west of Munising. Campground open May thru September.

Inside a safari tent

MORE FAMILY FUN NEARBY:

Explore Au Train Songbird Trail, a two-mile interpretive hiking loop. In the forested areas, you may see chickadees, cedar waxwings and nuthatches. From atop the observation platform, look for ducks, shorebirds, eagles and osprey. The birds are most active (and vocal) in the mornings; walk then for a woodland concert.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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— Celebrating 66 Years — 1956 - 2022

National Alpaca Farm Day at our farm Sat., Sept 24th 10-5

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Creating a space or curating an existing space, we promise a solution that fits your home and lifestyle.

Contact us to learn how Marvin windows and doors can inspire your next project.

No matter how complex or simple, don’t overthink.

“Think W.I.N.K”

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2021 Marvin Lumber and Cedar Co., LLC. © 2021 Marvin Lumber and Cedar Co., LLC. ©

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Design Studio and Showroom NOW Open!

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Petoskey and Traverse City MI www.tmmill.com T R AV E R S E / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2

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Up North Biz News ^ NEW UP NORTH Cool finds, community updates and sweet new businesses.

BLESSED BE TEA AND APOTHECARY 116 E. FRONT ST., SOUTH STE., TRAVERSE CITY

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Bakes & Kropp, a luxury kitchen design and manufacturing company, expanded to Northern Michigan in June. The showroom is located in the Chatham House Lifestyle Gallery and the team is excited to help homeowners in creating their dream kitchens, bathrooms, closets, wine rooms and more. bakesandkropp.com

EW B I

BAKES & KROPP 801 FRONT ST., BAY HARBOR

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HID TOY DEN ST 215 M O R E N O RT

ILL ST. , HPOR T

This herbal tea and retail shop offers powerfully charged products with a purpose, whether that be physical or metaphysical. Visitors will find locally sourced handcrafted tea, essential tools for the modern-day spiritualist and a safe space for learning and growing. For upcoming events, follow @blessedbetea on Facebook. blessedbetea.com J. BIRD PROVISIONS 109 BRIDGE PARK DR., CHARLEVOIX

A specialty grocery store with seasonal grab-and-go salads, sandwiches, artisanal dips, beverages and more. Located downtown by the Beaver Island Boat Co. jbirdprovisions.com PICNIC 102 N. MAIN ST., LELAND

photos by Dave Weidner

Find lots of picnic items from sandwiches and salads to candy, charcuterie, ice cream and fudge.

Follow on Instagram @leland_picnic.

Know of a business that just opened or have a fun community update? Let us know at editorial@traversemagazine.com.

You won’t find Northport’s newest business on a traditional map. Tucked into the back of home décor boutique Yard & Lake is a small room curtained by nautical rope. Aptly named Hidden, the shop is “a little treasure cove just loaded floor to ceiling with toys,” says owner Shawn Santo, who explains that the only way to find it is on treasure maps given out to children in town.

When “pint-sized visitors” reach Yard & Lake, they’ll need to find and ring an authentic navy bell. After ringing it, they’ll hear a warning from employees, “Enter at your own risk,” and can then pull back the ropes to reveal Hidden.

A gold “X” painted on the floor sits beneath shelves of goodies—mermaid tail swimsuits, sand toys and more—letting kids know they’ve found the fortune.

The inventive idea of combining a treasure hunt and a toy store was imagined

by Santo and her husband Kevin Borsay, who hope to create joyous memories for kids. “When you see a child squeal because of a submarine or a mermaid tail, you can’t beat that feeling,” Santo says. “We just want to be a part of children’s memories of Northport.” –Alea Wilkins NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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Up North Style & Shopping SHOP

WILD LETTIE

by CARLY SIMPSON

With a seasonal Fishtown shop and new year-round storefront in Suttons Bay, owner Annie Lang Hartman has transformed the former Compass Paper Co. into a thriving eco-conscious retail haven.

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Carly Simpson: You’ve recently changed your name from Compass Paper Co. to Wild Lettie. What’s the inspiration there?

Annie Lang Hartman: The name “Lettie” means joy. And that’s what we’ve been about since we were Compass Paper Co. When I realized we outgrew our old brand name, I knew I wanted to replace it with something we could grow with. Something that’s fun and evokes a feeling.

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CS: When did you start working with REI? (Very cool!)

ALH: We started off small in 2018, stocking their five regional flagship stores, and after our cards quickly sold out, we worked up to having products in all 160 stores. Now we send them monthly restocks and each year we are fulfilling bigger orders. The volume of products we sell to them helps us scale and grow all areas of our business—it’s allowed us to open our own stores and invest in new products each season.

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2 | LEELANAU TRAILS CAMP TOWEL, $38 A quick-drying, lightweight, sand-proof product that takes up way less room in your beach bag than a traditional towel.

3 | FIRESIDE CHATS CAMP MUG, $32 This dishwasher-proof insulated mug doesn’t burn your fingers like other camp mugs.

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1 | LEELANAU SUNSETS GAITER, $22 Headband, face mask, neck gaiter, bandana, hair scrunchie, sweatband— this is go-to gear. Bonus: Made from eco-friendly material woven from recycled plastic bottles that’s moisture wicking.

CS: What have you been loving about the new Suttons Bay location?

ALH: We are already in love with the community. It’s been so welcoming, not just our neighbors but also residents. We are so excited to add more brands and grow our own line with this year-round location. And, yes, our beloved Fishtown location is not going anywhere either. We love being a part of both wonderful towns!

NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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WINNER

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TIX Watch for the MyNorthTix symbol and get your tickets at MyNorthTickets.com.

September edited b y LIBBY STALLMAN

THU

1

Celebrate Harvest Days on the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail all month long, enjoying exclusive benefits from 20-plus wineries.

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FRI

Minnehaha Brewhaha Music Festival is back. Get ready for two days of music, brews and food.

Camping available at Arcadia Marine. music-moves-me.org

2

SUN

4

SAT

photo by Kelly Rewa

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The 5th Annual B3 Festival (Beer, Blues & Barbecue) takes place on the slopes of scenic Treetops Resort in Gaylord. Featuring award-winning live music and a large variety of Michigan craft brews along with a pig roast.

MyNorthTickets.com The U.P. Fall Beer Festival in Marquette offers a selection of 600 craft beers from 80 Michigan breweries, plus an array of tasty local eats and a talented line-up of musicians. travelmarquette.com

SUN Frankfort is set to host Ironman 70.3 along the shores of Lake Michigan. ironman.com

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SAT

17

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18 FRI

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Bring your family to downtown Manistee for an afternoon of fun: 100 locally crafted beverages, as well as food trucks, cornhole and more. Pull up a lawn chair to enjoy views of the Manistee River with classic wooden boats on display along the channel.

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WED

Join WaterFire Vineyards in Kewadin for a three-course dinner featuring Chef Susan Patterson of Savour + Nourish. The evening starts with a cocktail reception.

MyNorthTickets.com Harbor Spring’s Festival of the Book is a multi-day gathering with 30-plus nationally known authors and illustrators. The festival highlights all-things-books during keynotes, luncheons, readings and more. Sept. 23–25. hsfotb.org

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FRI

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At the Mackinac Island Wedding Show, couples can meet faceto-face with local vendors and island experts who will guide you through the logistics and details of planning an island wedding.

MyNorthTickets.com Traverse City’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride Celebration returns.

Sept. 28–Oct. 2. 2022 marks the ninth year of the Up North Pride celebration, with a continued mission of making the region a more diverse, inclusive and safe place for everyone. upnorthpride.com The Downtown Petoskey Farmer’s Market wraps up their season today. Don’t miss fresh produce and handmade goods from a variety of vendors, located on Howard Street. petoskeychamber.com

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NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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events

SAVOR SEPTEMBER

by CARLY SIMPSON

6 outdoor events to take advantage of September’s sunny days.

Mackinac Island Butterfly House

9/1–9/30 | Plan a day trip to Mackinac Island with the help of Mission Point Resort. The September “Day Package” includes a round of putt-putt golf, Mackinac Island fudge, one ticket to the Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House and more.

MyNorthTickets.com 9/1

photo by Connor Gray

| Take a walking tour of historic Empire and learn about the village’s history and people. Empire was once a booming lumber town, and Sleeping Bear Dunes Tours offers a glimpse of what life was like in its heyday. Multiple dates available.

MyNorthTickets.com 9/3

| Enjoy yoga outdoors at Bonobo Winery on Old Mission Peninsula with views of West Grand Traverse Bay. Led by Dharamsala TC, this one-hour vinyasa flow is designed to help you kick off the weekend with the perfect balance of self-care and fun. From beginners to advanced, all are welcome. Multiple dates available. MyNorthTickets.com

9/15 The annual Paddle Antrim Festival celebrates the scenic waterways of Northern Michigan with a two-day paddle event along the Chain of Lakes Water Trail. This choose-your-own-adventure paddle provides the opportunity for you to paddle one or both days and to decide how far you want to travel. There are exits placed strategically along the route so you can explore up to 42 miles. paddleantrim.com 9/17 Soak in panoramic views of three counties on Crystal Mountain’s Scenic Chairlift Rides in Thompsonville. The Crystal Clipper and Buck chairlift offer Saturday rides throughout September. crystalmountain.com 9/23 For two days and one star-filled night, run through picturesque towns and along the sand dunes of Lake Michigan in the Ragnar Road Race. Kicking off in charming Muskegon, this epic running journey and overnight relay ends in the Open Space Park in Traverse City. runragnar.com NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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travel

SECRET SUMMER ON THE SUNRISE SIDE

by KIM SCHNEIDER

Soak up September’s still-warm lakes and sunny days while you spend a three-day weekend exploring Northern Michigan’s eastern shoreline.

photo courtesy of Mai Tiki Resort

T

A colorful sunrise greets he state’s sunrise side has an guests at Mai Tiki Resort. obvious claim to fame—the chance to greet the sun as it peeks over the wide expanse of Lake Huron. But the most fascinating attractions along After your afternoon dig, head to the Churchill Pointe Inn. quirky and beautiful US-23 take some digging (or diving).

With its nine guest rooms and shoreside setting on HubHere, we point the way to adventure. bard Lake, the inn is a worthy destination for an elegant stay. The fact that it’s also frequently named one of the top DAY 1: WATCH WAVES WITH THE BIRDS, two waterfront dining destinations in the state is just the THEN SNORKEL SOME MYSTERIES icing on the cake. A date-ready menu features offerings like Your adventure starts at the Purple Martin Lakeside Inn & crab meat–stuffed whitefish in Dijon sauce and blue cheese– Nature Center, within walking distance to Rogers City and crusted filet mignon. home to its own five-acre beachfront birding sanctuary. The owners nurture a colony of rare purple martins, leading to DAY 3: BEACH FUN BY DAY, AND SKY FUN BY NIGHT designations as a National Wildlife Federation accredited property, a purple martin sanctuary and a monarch butterfly Mai Tiki Resort near Oscoda proclaims “life is fun” with its way station. Eagle sightings are common from the secondstring of beach cottages painted vibrant shades of aqua, story deck that also offers views of Lake Huron’s iconic pink, lemon yellow and red, all near fire pits, volleyball sunrises—best enjoyed before the gourmet breakfasts. courts, cornhole boards and thatched roof palapas. Amid that Key West vibe, there’s also Northern Michigan familyVenture to Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, where friendly fun, like outdoor movies on the beach. you can wade into the mysteries of some 100 wrecks below at spots like 40 Mile Point, where the wreck of the Joseph S. Fay Your adventure for the day is Negwegon State Park (ideally is a short swim from shore. Rent equipment from Great with a roadside pit stop along the way at the Paul Bunyan Lakes Divers in Alpena to see this wooden freighter, which statue). Then find blissful solitude while you wander the sunk in 1905, and other accessible wrecks. park’s hidden beaches and trails. The 4,000-plus-acre state park is a hotspot on the Sunrise Coast Birding Trail and is DAY 2: DIG FOR TREASURE, also a designated dark-sky preserve. Come dusk, the Milky THEN DRESS FOR DINNER Way reveals itself brightly overhead.

Rockport State Recreation Area, once home to a limestone quarry, was abandoned because there were too many fossils Kim Schneider is a long-time travel writer specializing amid the limestone. The company’s loss is your gain. The 300- in Michigan adventures, food and wine. The Midwest acre former quarry has mounds of fossil-rich rock from the Travel Journalist Association has named her Mark Twain Devonian Period, the remains of what was once an ancient Travel Writer of the Year, and she’s the author of “100 sea. Each visitor can keep 25 pounds of fossils/rocks per year Things to Do in Traverse City Before You Die.” embedded with corals, plants and shelled creatures.

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up in michigan

ESCAPE TO PORCUPINE MOUNTAINS

by ANDREW VANDRIE

Michigan’s largest state park offers endless views for those willing to hike.

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ur group assembles along the northwestern shore of the Upper Peninsula— at the nexus of M-64 and M-107, with cold Superior for a backdrop. Facing south across 107, past the switchgrass and ferns, we can see the wooded foothills of the Porcupine Mountains. We plan to hike for five days into the interior—30 hard-earned miles upon the contours of a trail map that has long held our curiosity.

Secured in the trunks and hatchbacks of our vehicles are our packs, laden with everything necessary to remove ourselves from civilization—tents, meals, clothing, kit and rustic comforts. Final inspections completed, our group of five exchanges the asphalt of 107 for the hardpack of South Boundary Road.

After winding up the main artery, we turn onto Summit Peak Road and nose into the dirt parking lot. This is the jumping-off point. Before embarking, five tepid beers emerge from the cooler—a lukewarm farewell to simple luxuries for the better part of a week. We shoulder our packs, slip past the metal gate and enter the timbered interior of the Porcupine Mountains.

photos by Andrew VanDrie

*** Our itinerary is intentionally light. With a plan to cover a modest 30 miles over five days, we anticipate a pleasant amble rather than an arduous slog, factoring in time each evening for relaxation and reflection. Our route includes stays along quaint Mirror Lake, iconic Lake of the Clouds and rolling Lake Superior; we hope to enjoy glimpses of the most picturesque locales the Porkies have to offer. That includes a brief detour to Summit Peak.

Marching up S. Mirror Lake Trail, we divert southwest at the fork toward the Summit Peak observation tower. Perched at the highest point in the Porcupine Mountains, the tower overlooks the nearly 60,000 acres of the entire range. After traversing some crumbling switchbacks, we reach the tower and ascend the 50-foot height, ending at the top and only floor. Inching to the tattooed railings, our jovial chatter falls into an involuntary hush. Sprawled before us is every square inch of the Porcupine Mountains. Acre upon verdant acre rolling in a textured and layered cascade of hemlock and maple. Lofty clouds cast their Rorschach shadows upon the unblemished landscape, and gazing north, one makes out the deep drowning blue of Lake Superior—holding even the horizon in its cold grasp.

We descend and backtrack, making short work of the remaining two-plus miles to our inaugural site on the cusp of Mirror Lake. We pitch our tents among the shrugging hemlocks that ring its steeped-tea surface, and a pack stove is sparked to life. The sizzle of bratwursts provides a tantalizing percussion to the gentle harmony of crickets. We eat our meal with gusto and talk in enlivened tones, emboldened by a flask of cheap whiskey making a circuit about the fire. As

the blaze dwindles to shimmering coals, one by one we slink off into the murk, worm into our sleeping bags and let the still night whisper the final word. *** Dawn arrives gray and brooding, already mounting into a low-hanging mist that threatens rain. We quickly collapse our bivouac, hoping to make some progress before the deluge.

After skirting the rim of Mirror Lake, we turn at the juncture for N. Mirror Lake Trail bound for Lake of the Clouds. The trail takes a sharp rise and then a hunched dip into a lowland flat. It’s here in this walled bottom that we first encounter what would become our lingering travel companion—mud. It squelches under our boots, sucking our high morale down into the consuming black mire.

As if sensing our discontent, the ground begins to firm up underfoot and slants upward. We’re climbing the rigid spine of the Porkies. Canting forward against the grade and pull of gravity, we huff our way up until we crest a rocky plateau and pause to rest. Spread across the high igneous plain are massive old-growth hemlocks, gnarled knuckles clinging to the crags. There’s a sense of permanence, as if these conifers have always existed and always will. They offer a more nuanced perspective of our own mud-bound suffering—that, too, will pass.

We endure the remaining two miles, slogging into our site at the southern edge of Lake of the Clouds. As the rain finally arrives, we crouch beneath a makeshift tarp shelter, held captive for nearly two hours. And then it’s over. Stretching our limbs, we gaze up toward the lake overlook.

With our packs stowed at camp, we travel quickly. We scramble upward and overtake the lip of the cliff, gaining an impeccable vantage of Lake of the Clouds. Similar to our impressive view yesterday, our vista extends unimpeded for miles. A rolling tapestry of unblemished land is punctuated by the deep azure of the lake, nestled like a brilliant sapphire set in a rugged crown.

We sit upon the overlook, gazing east—unmoving in the warming afternoon sun, watching the clouds glide listlessly overhead, the surface of the aptly named Lake of the Clouds mirroring their unhurried progress.

Once again, I’m struck with the notions of conflicting permanence and impermanence. A place that is constantly shifting, however slowly, and yet resonates with a sense of uninterrupted existence. It’s estimated that the Porcupine Mountains are two billion years old—immortal when framed within human comprehension. I gaze out at a landscape left to its own mechanisms, unmarred by mankind, and I feel overwhelming gratitude that for the briefest of moments, our two separate histories have converged.

Andrew VanDrie writes from Traverse City. vandrieand@gmail.com NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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THE GALS BIKE GLACIAL HILLS

by KANDACE CHAPPLE

Extend your summer mountain biking with a trip along this forested Bellaire pathway.

photos by Kandace Chapple

T

here were seven of us, all members of a loosely organized group named “Singletrack Moms.” Every year, we take a road trip from Traverse City over to Bellaire to ride Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area.

And Glacial is memorable—with more than 31.5 miles of bike trails and countless intersections, you’re bound to miss a few turns, lose a few riders off the back and second guess which route to take next. In summary, you either come out of Glacial bonded for life—or enemies.

There’s not much in between.

After meeting at the Vandermark Road lot, the first order of business was tackling the map. The trail system is well marked, but daunting in choice.

There’s something for every level, but where to go first?

We decided to ride the “outer loop” until we hit post 49, and then hang a left onto the interior trails. Off we went, and within a few miles, our group blew past post 49, piled up in a stop, backtracked, then took off again. And in doing so, promptly lost two members.

This is where mountain biking gets real, people—two women lost in the wilds of Northern Michigan. Finally, a couple of cell phone calls later, we located them, but headed in the opposite direction. We all turned back to ride toward each other, our second backtrack in the white pine and sugar maple forest.

Next, we ended up in “The Wall” area. I think that’s what it’s called. I know I climbed a wall on my bike, regardless of the name. The entire trail system winds and flows, like a superhighway through the woods, up and over the hills with switchbacks and back down again. The trails have been professionally designed to give breaks and carry speed, but this section had a definite march … uphill.

We kept pedaling, to almost 400 feet above the parking area. And just when we saw the end in sight, we hit a few short, punchy climbs. And by punchy, I mean good places to bust a lung or lose your pride.

But with one final push, we conquered that section (some on foot, some on bike), and had the reward of sailing down the other side with lots of flow and fast everything.

Brakes played into the ride as much as the “granny gear” climbing on our bikes.

We rode for about an hour and a half, clocking 12 miles, and then headed back to the trailhead. But, the verdict was still out: Friends or enemies? There was no way to tell yet, not after that map showdown at post 49.

It would have to be settled at Short’s Brewing Company.

Driving just a couple miles up the road to Bellaire, we snagged a table and ordered lunch. With everyone changed out of their spandex, we began returning to our former selves, with the added bonus of being covered in sand and sweat.

And, with each toast and retelling of the day’s adventures, it didn’t take long to decide: Friends.

IF YOU GO

There are three trailheads: S. Eckhardt Road, Vandermark Road and Orchard Hill Road. They’re all within a mile or two of Bellaire. (Tip: Eckhardt Road has a newly added water pump for refilling water bottles.) For maps, visit glacialhillstrails.org.

Kandace Chapple is a freelance writer and owns Michigan Girl, a company that hosts outdoor events and trips for women in the Grand Traverse region. mi-girl.com NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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Tusen Takk Foundation in Leelanau County gives artists a rarefied place to create

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A Making Place

by Emily Hopcian photos by Tim Hussey

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“Giving artists a time and a place to create seemed like the right calling for us in

terms of giving a sense of worth and value to what it is that they

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Nestled

among the forested sand dunes of Leelanau County and just out of sight of Lake Michigan lies a space as magical as the landscape that surrounds it. North of Leland and west of M-22, a series of dirt roads weave through the woods, enchanting in any season, leading to a place that altogether stands out among the landscape yet also feels right at home, in rhythm, with the woods that surround it.

Pops of yellow, blue and orange perform a playful beat on the exterior of a modern building that is otherwise cloaked in more natural tones. Marked on the front side by large windows, metal and wooden features, a rich-blue wall and a burnt-orange door, Tusen Takk’s guesthouse and studios offer a chance to exhale for artists from around the world.

Husband-and-wife duo Geoffrey Peckham and Patricia Melzer own Tusen Takk (which means “a thousand thanks” in Norwegian), the name they’ve given to their six acres of land. Today, the property is home to Tusen Takk’s main house, where Peckham and Melzer reside, as well as the guesthouse and studios that, through an artistin-residence program, provide artists time to slow down and reflect in a place that is regenerative by nature.

Peckham and Melzer chose to call Leelanau County home due to these qualities. Roughly 35 years ago, the couple was living in Alpena, Michigan. Often, they would spend their weekends in Leelanau. “After all our travels—after three decades thinking about where we would like to settle—it was this side of the state of Michigan,” Peckham says.

In 2013, once the couple had completed their home here, Peckham and Tom, one of their four children, began brainstorming what else might be possible on the land along Lake Michigan.

Both Peckham and Tom are artists. Peckham is a photographer, and Tom attended Parsons School of Design in New York and is a practicing artist in painting, photography, sculpture and jewelry design.

The family felt a calling to share their space with other people beyond their immediate circle. “It ties in with our belief that God is gracious and has given us this landscape that’s just so incredibly beautiful. To not share it seemed wrong, so here we are,” Peckham says.

Inspiration to create a retreat came in varied forms.

The first was an open letter, titled “Toward Culture Care: Why the ArtPrize Helps Artists … and Why It Does Not,” by painter Makoto Fujimura in which he describes how artists need both the time and a place to create. ArtPrize, an independent international art competition in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is renowned for its $500,000 in cash prizes, but money, Fujimura writes, is only part of the equation: “The goal … should be to take care of artists so that they can grow and create better art, toward the flourishing of culture, rather than the bottom line of entrepreneurial economic success.”

Intrigued, Peckham arranged a call with Fujimura. “He

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bring to the world,” Peckham says.

Tusen Takk’s studios are equipped to host visual artists working in photography, painting, printmaking, sculpture and textiles as well as creative writers and composers; Founder and Director Geoffrey Peckham.

was gracious enough to talk to me about what he meant and about this idea that Tom and I had of creating an artist studio,” he recalls.

Peckham was also struck by Philip Graham Ryken’s book “Art for God’s Sake,” which makes a case for both the calling of Christian artists as a ministry and for Christians as supporters of the arts. “That answered a longing in my heart for combining my resources and my talents with my desire to serve God,” Peckham says. (The program does not require participating artists to share Christian beliefs.)

Peckham and Tom ultimately decided to build a guesthouse and studios for artists in Leelanau County. Their hopes for the space were that it would be inspiring and functional; meet artists’ needs and serve them well; and that being at Tusen Takk would “help artists on their way.”

“Giving artists a time and a place to create seemed like the right calling for us in terms of giving a sense of worth and value to what it is that they bring to the world,” Peckham says. “That in itself is an incredible gift, so that’s why this whole place is named Tusen Takk. It’s a sense of gratitude.”

It’s this same sense of grace and gratitude that Peckham and Melzer wanted to express to artists, writers and composers for the transcendent truth and intangible joy they give back to the world through their work. The result of that desire is the Tusen Takk Foundation. Its mission: To nourish artists by giving them a place to

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work, engagement opportunities to enrich the culture of Northwest Michigan, and a platform through which they can share their work internationally.

Peckham and melzer’s home, Tusen Takk’s main house, was a collaborative creation between the couple and worldfamous architect Peter Bohlin, whom Peckham first met and befriended in 2008. When Peckham and Tom decided to construct Tusen Takk’s guesthouse and studios for an artist-in-residence program, it only made sense that Bohlin was the first (and only) architect Peckham contacted.

“Peter’s architecture is friendly,” Peckham says. “There are obviously hard materials here and hard edges, but it’s soft. Peter is unique in the field of architecture. He’s recognized for designing buildings that people love to be in, see and explore. It is such a privilege to work with someone who has that caliber of friendliness in his character and [who] embeds that character … into places that he makes.”

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various rooms, you are often floating in an infinite space

Within Tusen Takk’s

Artists at Tusen Takk have 24/7 access to a variety of spaces and equipment, including a digital printing studio, darkroom, etching studio, painting studio, finishing studio, loom room and wood shop; Artist Nishiki Sugawara-Beda.

with infinite possibilities.

The Peckham family and Bohlin’s goal was to craft a “making place” for Tusen Takk. The space they created is an experience, itself a piece of art with intentionality woven into every element, however seemingly big or small.

The modern aesthetic of the guesthouse is simple yet warm, with the living room and kitchen flowing in one large space full of windows and art. In contrast, the studios are a bit brighter, cooler, more utilitarian. The guesthouse and studios celebrate the creation of human artists as well as that of Mother Nature. This space, which welcomed its first pilot artists-in-residence in 2020, coexists beautifully with the land around it.

The black exterior of the guesthouse and studios draws inspiration from Scandinavian homes, allowing the space to “rest quietly” in the landscape. Two pieces of Corten steel line the garden and woods on the north side of the

house. Their rusty appearance blends with the landscape in a soft, seemingly natural way. Floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the house pull the surrounding landscape into the living room, kitchen, library and bedrooms.

Within Tusen Takk’s various rooms, you are often floating in an infinite space with infinite possibilities. The guesthouse and studios provide a sacred space from which to escape everyday life and draw a breath of fresh air—and artistic inspiration.

But perhaps one of the most important aspects of the environment is the setting on the shore of Lake Michigan, which is within earshot of the guesthouse and studios and a two-minute walk away for the artists in residence.

“It’s this huge body of fresh water that seems infinite in its dimension and that changes every hour of every day,” Peckham says. “It can be incredibly powerful, and the artists get to experience that. I think it gives you this sense of awe and creation.”

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“There’s something about a solitary residency like this that resonates with people.”

The landscape surrounding Tusen Takk has the power to inspire—and, at times, even provides the raw materials for the artists to create.

Nishiki Sugawara-Beda, a Japanese American visual artist based in abstract painting, was Tusen Takk Foundation’s artist-in-residence in July and August 2021. During that time, she experimented in her process of producing sumi ink, the traditional East Asian medium she often works with.

Sugawara-Beda travels to various places to burn organic materials to produce soot that she then uses to form abstract landscape paintings. She says, “Both the act of producing soot and the very materials allow me to be in touch with a specific land, which then allows me to have narratives in my painting.”

She tested several sumi-making processes and techniques at Tusen Takk, using materials from the environment around her. To create the ink, she harvested creosote from Tusen Takk’s chimney and also burned local red pine, white pine and cedar to collect the soot. She then used the ink in her series KuroKuroShiro (“black-black-white”), in which she seeks to capture and interpret the essence of the land around Tusen Takk.

Sugawara-Beda immersed herself in the landscape of Northern Michigan and says her favorite part of Tusen Takk’s property varied depending on the time of day.

“In the morning, in the bedroom, the light comes in through the leaves, so it’s a soft light here and there,” she says. “I brought books from the library to the table [in the bedroom] in the morning, spread them out and read in bed.”

Sugawara-Beda also notes the firepit behind the guesthouse as a favorite space. “That’s where I made my soot,” she says. “And each time I had a meal, I went to that spot.”

“Tusen Takk is definitely a place for solitude, especially three out of four seasons in the year,” Peckham says. “That solitude is something artists don’t get a lot of. There’s something about a solitary residency like this that resonates with people. There’s something to be said for just being in your own head.”

Artists, through their agreement with the foundation, don’t have social obligations during their time at Tusen Takk. They can be as social—sharing meals and conversations with the Peckhams, for example—or non-social as they like.

Tusen Takk’s guesthouse and studios first welcomed four artists—artist, teacher and pioneer in art production Alan Eaker; interdisciplinary artist and educator Johnny Coleman; author and illustrator Brianne Farley; and wood carver, tinkerer and sculptor Dan Webb—in 2020 and early 2021 as part of a pilot program. Since then, Tusen Takk Foundation has welcomed artists, including Sugawara-Beda, from throughout the country and around the world.

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Often, these artists have left their own mark on the guesthouse in the form of their art. A favorite is a carved wooden sculpture by Dan Webb, titled “Precarious Yes,” that hangs in the guesthouse just outside the door to the studios.

“Tom had the idea of hanging it here, so that when you come out of the studios, even though you might have failed in there, you come back out and say, ‘Yes, I learned something,’” Peckham says. “We need this affirmative statement, and this was the perfect place.”

If the guesthouse and studios could talk, perhaps they would recount entertaining and humbling stories of the artists who have encountered that “Precarious Yes” every single day among Leelanau County’s ever-changing, lifegiving landscape.

Artist Nishiki Sugawara-Beda selects papers for her next work. “Each paper has unique characters, and I need to listen and feel them,” she says; Sugawara-Beda thinks of herself as a conductor. Each sumi stick is a musical instrument and the brushes are musicians.

Emily Hopcian is a writer, editor and content producer with a focus on character-driven stories of outdoor adventure and social and environmental impact. emilyhopcian.com Tim Hussey is the art director of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine. He is also a fine artist and photographer who enjoys shooting stories that speak to him. husseyart.com

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THE RELUCTANT

BY KATE BASSETT PHOTOS BY JACQUELINE SOUTHBY

GROCER Battling booming summers, big-box competitors, melting ice bridges and his own vow to leave the family biz, Andrew Doud finds his purpose by breathing new life into the quaint family market at the heart of Mackinac Island.

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Left: Andrew Doud Above: Andrew and his son Louie unload a dray, sending items through “the shoot” that leads to the basement.

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M

ackinac Island is more than a home for those who live and work here. It’s a taproot. Beyond the smooth stone beaches, Lake Huron waters and trails weaving switchbacks through thinsoiled forests of red oak, hemlock and pine, there is a powerful connection to history that tethers hearts. It’s why so many islanders share a last name (and often even occupation) with ancestors who roamed the same hills and horse trails more than a century ago.

This is true for Andrew Doud, fourth generation owner of Doud’s Market, the country’s oldest family-operated grocery store and a now-thriving center of island life all year round.

Like all the best spots on Mackinac Island, Doud’s mixes nostalgia with modern convenience. The independent grocery store still carries a Norman Rockwell sensibility: tightly packed shelves of staples and treats, baskets filled with green and red apples, oranges, ginger root. There are historical

“… IF I’M BEING HONEST, I THINK I ORIGINALLY STEPPED IN IN PART BECAUSE I WANTED TO PROVE I COULD MAKE IT WORK.” – ANDREW DOUD photos depicting more than 140 years of business, alongside smart merchandising that rivals any big city small market.

It’s a place islanders lean on, tourists stock up for picnics in and the fifth generation of young Doud boys bop in and out of during summer adventures.

In short, it’s the framework for one family’s story. One carved out by generations of stick-to-itiveness and ingenuity. One that includes literal and figurative returns from piles of ashes. One that looks to the past and future with equal measures of respect and hope.

Doud, who is now in his late 40s, was just 33 years old when he stepped in to save the family business. Sure, he was skilled in restaurant management when the moment of reckoning came, but Doud had limited—if any—experience in the store his father, grandfather and great-grandfather had run. His childhood home was in the Detroit area, and while Doud spent summers (and middle school years) with his father on the island, he never once worked for the family store.

“I worked a lot of other jobs on Mackinac, but Doud’s was never my thing. And as I got older, the idea of being part of the business didn’t really seem like an option. I always knew I wanted to be here in some capacity as an adult, but when I came back in 2006, it was to run the Grand Hotel’s Gatehouse Restaurant. I never would have believed a year later, I’d be stepping in at the market,” he says.

In a place where history mixes with the present every day, however, the pull of legacies and quiet whispers of generations past often make the impossible possible. This was true for Doud, who watched on the sideline as his family’s business hit hard times and was sold in 2007 to an outside buyer.

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Shortly after the sale, the opportunity presented itself for Doud to lease back the store with the option to buy it. Torn by the decision, he sought advice from the McDonough family, owners of an independent grocery store on another Great Lake landmark, Beaver Island.

“When Bill McDonough asked if I’d be interested in taking over Doud’s, my first answer was ‘no way,’” Doud says. “I really thought I meant it, too.”

Nevertheless, something in Doud shifted after that visit—maybe it was a love for the oddity of island life, a sense of responsibility or a stir of stubborn pride.

Before long, he was renting the building and business back, slowly building trust and learning the ropes of an independent grocer. By 2008, just a year into his lease, Doud says he was ready to say forever in more ways than one.

He’d fallen in love (his now wife, Nicole, is an entrepreneur in her own right, opening the island’s first boutique gift shop, Little Luxuries, that same year). He also discovered a connection to the family business he never expected.

“It was challenging for me to see Doud’s struggle after my

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Clockwise: Stocking the store after an early-morning freight delivery; Louie, Thomas and Johnny Doud; The prepared food menu changes daily at Doud’s; Nicole Doud and Bella Caswell unpack products sent from the mainland; cashier Christine James.

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From left: Patrick Doud driving a delivery wagon; Francis Doud unloading ice from a dray; James Doud.

dad passed away in 2002, but if I’m being honest, I think I originally stepped in in part because I wanted to prove I could make it work. Once I took over, I could really see the important role Doud’s plays for the island, and also, I experienced this tremendous community support. I was committed.”

Committed seems like too light a word. The price tag for the market, with 2008-level property values, was a cool $3 million. For a 33 year old with less than a year of leased grocery store experience—when said store happens to be on a car-less island with the unfortunate distinction of having some of the most expensive product transport costs in the country to cut into already thin margins—this was, perhaps, an insane risk.

Risk, however, has never been a trait the Doud family resisted, which is why their name is one of the most well-known on the island. Doud’s Market, called Doud Brothers and Doud’s Mercantile over the decades, first opened its doors in 1884, when brothers James and Patrick built a store located on top of what is now the Star Line ferry dock. At the time, the military importance of Fort Mackinac was waning and interest in visiting or vacationing on the island was growing.

The sons of Irish immigrants, the Doud brothers were looking to make their mark, and the island seemed the place to make it happen. It wasn’t long before Patrick stepped away from groceries to become one of the island’s most successful contractors. While Patrick never married, he left his mark on the island in cottages and hotels that

IN A PLACE WHERE HISTORY MIXES WITH THE PRESENT EVERY DAY, THE QUIET WHISPERS OF GENERATIONS PAST OFTEN MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE. still share his story today.

His brother James, however, passed down his legacy through 11 children (10 boys and one girl), many of whom stayed connected to Mackinac. James stuck with market life and passed the store on to one of his youngest sons, Francis, who was known for bringing fresh dairy and meat to folks on the island, even when it meant crossing the ice bridge that stretches across the Straits of Mackinac via horse and carriage during long winters.

The store’s story almost ended in 1943, when the original Doud’s building burned to the ground. Francis opted to turn the challenge into an opportunity, rebuilding on the high-traffic corner of Fort and Main streets, where Doud’s Market still stands today.

“He originally rented half the building and used nails from the burned down store to build the new shelves. He was resourceful,” Doud says of his grandfather, a hint of pride and understanding in his voice.

Andrew’s father, Stephen, took over the store in 1976.

He soon purchased the mercantile building, added a full butcher’s counter, and continued to find ways to keep the independent grocery store relevant until his death in 2002.

While the earlier Doud grocers had plenty of difficulties

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to work through in their century-plus of stewarding the business, the competition of internet sales and big box stores suddenly populating the mainland may be the biggest challenge yet. Andrew stepped in at a time when independent grocery stores around the country were closing, unable to price match or keep up with the options of a 200,000-foot store.

“I will never forget the advice Bill McDonough gave to me when I first started out. He said, ‘You have to be a great store first.’ And that’s so true at every level. I’m never going to force someone to come into my store and buy their bread or their can of soup, which they could probably purchase online cheaper. So, from day one, we’ve tried to be the store the people of Mackinac need, and I can’t say enough about how grateful I am that, in turn, the support has been overwhelming.”

Even that sentiment is more complicated than it sounds.

Mackinac Island boasts just 500 people in its year-round population, but swells each summer to 5,000, with an additional 10,000 to 12,000 tourists visiting each day. (Mackinac was recently named the best island in the continental U.S. by Travel + Leisure magazine.)

“It’s always a challenge,” Doud admits. “You have to find a way to feed everybody, with limited space and a massively fluctuating population with very different needs and wants in terms of what we carry. In the summer, the cottagers are looking to find the higher-end items they are used to in big grocery stores, and at the same time, there are staffers who just want ramen noodles.”

In the summer, Mackinac is also a magnet for international workers, and Doud says he is mindful to try and stock familiar food staples.

“It’s a little thing to some people, but finding a warehouse in Chicago that can bring in foods that feel like home for some of these folks matters to us. I grew up with a lot of the seasonal staff on Mackinac, and many are friends. When I think about the people I am trying to serve, I really am thinking of everyone who calls this island home, whether all year, for a few months, or even just those who come in for the day.”

While the summer months are a flurry of activity—the staff expands from 10 to 35 to meet customer volume— winter is the creator of worry lines for Doud. Like most resort and tourism-based destinations in the area, much of Mackinac shuts down during the cold weather season, and having to “right size” for the islanders is always a bit of a guessing game. Stocking the shelves in the winter also remains as harrowing an experience as it was more than a century ago. Doud uses a snowmobile instead of a horsedrawn carriage to cross the ice bridge for supplies, but says the real challenge is during those in-between weeks, when the ice has melted but the boats aren’t running yet.

“Last winter was one of the most challenging I’ve faced, because the ice bridge melted weeks before we expected it to. There is no feasible, cost-effective way to transport grocery stock by plane, and so we watch the shelves get more and more bare, and just hope we can get through until the boats start running,” Doud says.

When conversation turns to a possible fifth generation of

Douds serving as Mackinac’s grocers, Andrew is clear: He would love to see it happen … but first, his boys have to learn and grow away from the grocery store.

“In the next 20 years, I hope they go out and explore, get some degrees, have good and bad bosses. I hope they go out into the world, and then, if they want to, come back here and their experiences will bring something new to the table.”

Kate Bassett is news director at the Harbor Light newspaper.

Her novel, “Words and Their Meanings,” is available in bookstores and on the web. kate@ncpublish.com Jacqueline Southby is a photographer and videographer based in Traverse City. She is an accomplished creative thinker with a keen eye for detail, a strong technical ability and a boundless enthusiasm for life, love, photography, video, design and animation.

4 MUST-VISIT GENERATIONAL BUSINESSES While stores and eateries come and go in many communities, Northern Michigan still boasts a multigenerational local economy. Here are a few mainland must-visits en route to Mackinac Island:

PETOSKEY : Grandpa Shorter’s has been in downtown Petoskey for 76 years this summer, and still sells some of the same Up North must-have souvenirs, like polished Petoskey stones, that it did when Carl Shorter opened it in 1946. Now run by his granddaughter, Jennifer Shorter, this downtown staple is known for its friendly staff and fun gifts.

HARBOR SPRINGS: Gurney’s Bottle Shop, home of the (quite literally) famous Gurney’s deli sandwiches, celebrates 50 years in 2022. The first and second generation of Gurneys can be found behind the counter of this landmark Main Street grab-and-go lunch spot. A few pro tips for Gurney’s newbies: the phone goes off the hook at noon because the line snakes out the door; they don’t do credit cards or tomatoes; and adding deli sauce is always a great idea.

ALANSON: W.W. Fairbairn & Sons Hardware has 127 years of street cred as the go-to for, well, just about anything needed in the life and home maintenance department.

Started during the height of the lumber boom, the fourth and fifth generation of Fairbairns now steward this hub of community. They have all the American-made hardware store essentials and the added amenities of everything from Yeti to Weber grills.

MACKINAW CITY : The Murdick family is a big part of why the words “fudge” and “Mackinaw” go hand-in-hand.

Aaron Murdick is the fifth generation of candymakers who keep that signature sweet smell wafting through town. With more than 130 years of experience, Aaron and his father, John, still use the same recipe with which Murdick’s Famous Fudge was founded—because there’s no reason to mess with fudge perfection.

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a familiar feast 44

Just south of Pellston on US-31, the early evening light that drenches silver aspen bark and roadside wildflowers is interrupted by an enormous orange arrow advertising “Dam Site Inn, Gracious Dining & Cocktails, One Block.” Our tires crunch into the nearly full gravel lot where we park beside a vintage blue Mercedes convertible piloted by silverhaired resorters dressed, like movie set extras, in gingham and linen for their Saturday dinner. The kitchen’s screen door swings open and leaks the echo of owner/expediter Steven Brinks calling to the line “four chicken, two perch, one whitefish” as rooftop exhaust fans above him broadcast an irresistible waft of the Dam Site’s signature fried chicken. We hustle toward the host stand and kick off this ritual of time-warp dining.

Navigating the wood-paneled vestibule inside the Dam Site Inn’s doorway is a lovable paradox of empty wine bottle–lined shelves and strategically placed ceramic kitsch. I linger over the labels of

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For generations, the Dam Site Inn has been serving up comfort food that nourishes body and soul.

by

tim tebeau /// photos by jacqueline southby NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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Inn feels like a living muPrevious spread: Reservations are a must on seum of 1950s style, includbusy summer nights; Olivia ing the best traditions of and Steven Brinks—the next classic hospitality. We watch generation running Dam Site as Olivia’s father, Ray East, a Inn. This spread: (Left) Each decorative piece tells a story— former auto mechanic who from vintage clocks and light took the Dam Site reins from fixtures, to the sign greeting his parents in the early ’90s, you at the door. (Right) The greets a dozen arriving guests menu mainstay: all-you-canby first name while Liza, our eat fried chicken, served with handmade buttered noodles, vigilant server, quickly lands mashed potatoes, buttermilk freshly mixed drinks. biscuits, green peas and golden Family and hospitality are chicken gravy; A lounge fit for the foundational pillars of a night out with friends, and a martini or two. this iconic Northern eatery that launched its 69th season last spring. “I grew up in this place,” says Olivia with a proud smile as her youngest daughter, Holly, who’s 5, peeks around the corner at us. “I was packing cracker baskets at her age and already planning to take over by the time I was seven. We have generational employees as well. Jill, our fry cook, watched me when I was little and took me to my first concerts before taking over when her mom, Ladonna, retired 14 years ago.”

Olivia’s parents, grandparents and employees have also stitched themselves into the memories and traditions of generations of locals and summer residents who frequent the Dam Site throughout its six-month season from April to October. “We pride ourselves on taking care of our customers and a lot of them have their own traditions when they dine with us every summer,” Steven tells me. This customized service sometimes carries kitchen codenames like “Thigh Guy,” a habitual chicken devotee who gets extra thighs with his meal, and “Shrimp Guy,” who always orders chicken and takes exactly 15 fried shrimp to go, every time. Perennial eccentricities extend to the tableware, such as the 12-piece cache of special salad bowls from a 1970s wedding rare Burgundies and faded Champagnes, daydreaming about the bygone buzzes of those summer vacation feasts.

Entering the bustling restaurant with its vintage supper club vibe, however, requires a quick iPhone calendar check to confirm that it’s still indeed the 21st century. Directly right is a swank oval bar surrounded by polished wood paneling and circled with white mod high-back stools, gold starbursts and the palpable sense that Sean Connery-era James Bond could show up any second and order a vodka martini from bartender Shane Stahl, who’s been mixing drinks at Dam Site Inn for 40-plus years. Step left and this same retro aesthetic pervades the dining room where meticulously preserved 1950s Naugahyde upholstery lines the walls.

Serendipitously, we’ve timed our arrival as four small parties are happily tapping out after two rounds of all-you-caneat fried chicken, and owner Olivia Brinks shows us to a window-side table draped with crisp linen and set with polished silverware and classic etched glassware. The Dam Site 46

The Dam Site Inn feels like a living museum of fifties’ style, including the best traditions of classic hospitality. reception that has been used exclusively for the same family of regulars ever since.

We lean into the old-school appetizer offerings with a tiered relish tray garnished with stuffed olives and pickled vegetable salads, chilled jumbo shrimp with housemade cocktail sauce and deep-fried frog legs, followed by salads with proprietary Roquefort

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dressing and the signature wicker cracker basket. These classics are executed with fresh, high-quality ingredients, an important aspect of the Dam Site’s kitchen dogma.

“We always try to source the best ingredients we can get,” Steven says. “Some restaurants have chosen to make sacrifices with the spike in food costs during the pandemic but we’ve stood by quality, and our customers have appreciated that.”

Following 2019, the restaurant’s most successful year on record, skyrocketing food costs (up to 40 percent higher) are not the only curveball that the Covid-19 pandemic has thrown at Olivia and Steven. Like restaurants all around the North that rely on summer tourism for the bulk of their revenue, Dam Site Inn’s limits have been tested by mandated closures, restrictions and dire staffing shortages. The lifting of capacity restrictions last summer allowed the restaurant to once again fill their seats, but the normal seasonal staff of 45 was reduced to 27, and the dining room ran the week of July 4th with only five servers instead of the usual fourteen. “We just want to hug

the staff who have stayed with us,” Olivia says, her eyes watering, “but the customers have been so grateful and patient that it keeps us all going, even if we’re running triple time.”

The Dam Site’s operations are the product of routines perfected through decades of practice, and the short-handed

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Bottom, middle: Former owner Ray East, Olivia’s father, enjoys the calm before the restaurant opens for dinner. Far right, top: Four generations—Olivia’s daughter (front, right side) says she plans on taking over for her mom and dad when she grows up.

staff is hardly noticeable in the flow of service as we watch a parade of platters and overfilled bowls head for our table with the evening’s dining focus: All-you-can-eat fried chicken. The chicken with handmade buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, buttermilk biscuits, green peas and golden chicken gravy has been the menu mainstay of this country eatery for almost seven decades. While many restaurants have pivoted to broasting pre-cut birds, the Dam Site still skillet fries theirs the old-fashioned way, with undeniably better results.

Fifty thousand pounds—that’s 30- to 65-pound cases each week—of fresh whole chickens roll through the kitchen doors within two days of slaughter, where Steven 48

and team hand cut and sort them, saving the livers and gizzard for the Inn’s most popular appetizers. The pieces are individually seasoned, floured and pan fried for 23 minutes at 325 degrees in two enormous electric skillets divided in half with custom-welded twoinch sides, each of which exactly fits 10 breasts, legs, thighs and wings. When those 23 minutes expire, what leaves the skillets are tender, golden-brown pieces that are moist inside, crispy outside and delicious enough that, like me, you’ll be inspired to test the limit of all that you can, in fact, eat. (The resident record goes to a long ago Pellston High School football player who started what was either a very short or very long prom night with 33 pieces of the Dam Site’s finest—approximately four whole chickens—only, legend has it, to discover he had forgotten his wallet.)

Similarly, no shortcuts are taken with the side dishes as Steven begins every day making enormous batches of noodles and buttermilk biscuits entirely from scratch. Weighing his dry ingredients on an antique sliding kitchen scale,

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Steven mixes his doughs in a huge commercial stand mixer, rolls them to spec and then punches biscuits and cuts noodles by hand. The mashed potatoes are smooth and gratuitously buttered, the green peas never mushy. Between shifts, the kitchen is made spotless. “We believe one of the best ways to make consistently delicious food is in a clean kitchen,” Steven says.

Well into our second platter of chicken, I’m starting to contemplate surrender, but I persevere, buoyed by a bottle of Brys Estate dry riesling, whose bright acidity provides the satisfying contrast to the richness of the meal. Pouring the last glass, my eyes dart around the dining room to try to locate the door to the cellar where, beside an expensive wine cooler that one infrequent regular installed to keep his private stash at perfect temperature, sit bins 65 and 66, which house what Olivia and Steven refer to as “The Rothschilds”—one surviving bottle each from original cases of 1959 Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Lafite Rothschild, two of the world’s most collectible wines from one of the greatest vintages of the last century and a $3,400 supplement to your $27.95 chicken dinner. I like to think these bottles, like the restaurant itself, are time capsules, perfectly preserved relics that are just as delicious today as they were 50 years ago.

As the plates are cleared away and the few surviving pieces of chicken delivered in a paper takeout bag printed

“We pride ourselves on taking care of our customers, and a lot of them have their own traditions when they dine with us every summer.”

-Steven Brinks

to look like old newsprint, it is bittersweet to leave the warm glow of the dining room for the night air. The East/ Brinks family’s dedication to preserving a perennial tradition of warm hospitality and honest food lets us live, if only for a few hours, inside an idealized postcard of Northern Michigan summer—one where we can enjoy gracious dining, cocktails and endless platters of panfried chicken.

Tim Tebeau, a wine importer and longtime writer for Traverse, lives with his family in Petoskey, where he works remotely as sales director for Eagle Eye Brands.

Jacqueline Southby is a photographer and videographer based in Traverse City.

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green one hundred years

Nearly a century ago, a small town with a big vision hired a legendary course designer.

The result is one of the most playable and beloved golf courses around.

By Kathy Belden / Photos by Allison Jarrell

NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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historical photos courtesy of Elk Rapids Golf Club

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historical marker at the entrance of the Elk Rapids Golf Club is your first clue that this golf club is indeed an important treasure.

About 25 minutes north of Traverse City, the club sits on the shores of the turquoise waters of Elk Lake. Golf lovers delight in playing a course designed by the renowned golf architect Donald Ross, who also designed venerable Oakland Hills in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, as well as North Carolina’s Pinehurst #2.

This neatly puts it in the category of “vintage”—it’s been around since 1924 and is still going strong. The nine-hole gem checks all the boxes: beautiful, fun, challenging, yet playable and beloved by local golfers. That sentiment is reflected in many of the 250 memberships that have been lovingly handed down through generations, with a waiting list of about 80 hoping to join the semi-private club.

It’s a course with an unlikely backstory, according to ERGC member and club historian Brian Taylor. As the logging and iron works industries waned in the early 1900s, the people of Elk Rapids were desperate to breathe new life into their little bayside town. Some citizens with foresight thought a golf course would be just the thing to help the bourgeoning tourism industry, and in 1922, they voted to pass a bond to build a course. (Fun fact: the golf course is the oldest continuing business in Elk Rapids.)

With the bond passed, Elk Rapidians immediately set out to hire a golf course architect, and among their contenders was the ambitious choice of Donald Ross. The 1920s were Ross’ heyday for course design. “It’s a bit of a mystery,” Taylor admits. “How did we get him to design the course when there were about 10 courses [in line] ahead of us?” He’s mystified by this, but his theory is that somebody in the Elk Rapids Resort & Industrial Association back in the day had some important connections with Chicago business people.

The president of the Donald Ross Society confirmed Taylor’s hunch—with some influential networking, Ross was hired in 1923 to design the course, and the Elk Rapids Golf Club course opened on July 17, 1924. The grand event made front page news in the Grand Rapids Press.

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The question remains if Ross actually came to Elk Rapids to design the course or worked from afar. He was a busy man, designing approximately 400 courses during his career, and it seemed like Elk Rapids was low on the totem pole. What is known is Ross dispatched his top associate, J.B McGovern, to Elk Rapids, and it was McGovern who chose the actual site for the golf course. He liked the site because it wasn’t a rectangle—it was more of an oblique triangle. Donald Ross then designed the course from topographical maps. Taylor

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“It’s classic old-style and tight. Golf back then was a very social event, often with shared tees.” – GENE DAVIS says that the property was originally a farm, but it was treeless, with about 3,000 feet of lake frontage. This appealed to Donald Ross’ vision for a links-style golf course.

Ross took the land he was presented and built a golf course on it. The land was cleared using a team of horses with a drag bar, and men using rakes and shovels.

To save money, members used the old farmhouse behind the 8th green for a clubhouse. Over the years, the only two big alterations were moving the 6th green due to errant balls barraging the parking lot, and the 8th green, which was moved in the ’80s when the Village of Elk Rapids widened Ames Street.

Taylor says an example of a classic Ross hole is number 7: a 290-yard par 4. Ross liked short, uphill par 4s and bunkers

Opposite: (clockwise from top left) Players putting on the old 8th green in the early 1960s; Members of the community mingle in front of the clubhouse in the late 1920s. The founders wanted ERGC to serve as a community park and local gathering place. Golf, horseshoes and picnic grounds were available for the enjoyment of the villagers; Players with their caddies prepare to tee off on what was then the 2nd hole. There was a large fruit orchard that stood adjacent to the course in those days. This is now the 9th tee box; Players tee off on what is now hole #1.

Above: A flag marks the #2 green, with Elk Lake in the background.

inside doglegs, as well as tee boxes and greens that are close together. He also points to features that make ERGC a classic Ross design: The greens are an inverted saucer-style. And the bunkers? “Ross didn’t want to intimidate the lower-level player, but he wanted to make it challenging for the better player,” Taylor says. Superintendent and general manager of the club, Gene Davis, agrees. “It’s classic old-style and tight,” Davis explains. “Golf back then was a very social event, often with shared tees. It’s much quieter now!” And there’s not much room for error—there are only 60 yards between holes for errant shots.

Although a timeless course, ERGC had bunker renovations completed in 2018 by golf architect Bruce Hepner. Improvements were made to give golfers a better NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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“Ross didn’t want to intimidate the lower-level player, but he wanted to make it challenging for the better player.” – BRIAN TAYLOR

lie—pure Donald Ross. The intention was not to make it harder for the average golfer. They gave Hepner the original Ross design to work from. “Rerouting was not an option,” Taylor says. More fescue grass was added to indicate to the golfer the direction in which the hole should be played.

Like Ross, Hepner is a purist who believes golfers should adapt to the course.

As its 100th anniversary approaches, the course is in loving and highly capable hands. Davis grew up playing the course and was on the Elk Rapids High School golf team.

He has a degree in turf management from Michigan State University and seemed destined for the job.

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Davis says there are always challenges maintaining a course that is open from April 15 to October 15, in particular the weather. Fortunately, the course is on sandy soil close to the lake, and drains well. “We can have a heavy rain, and in three hours, it’s OK to play on,” he says. Davis is also focused on an ongoing tree management plan, featuring trees that are indigenous to Michigan to provide structure and contours, yet pay homage to the course design.

It’s a club—and a culture—that seems likely to exist for another 100 years. “There’s an ambiance that is hard to explain,” Davis says. “Ross fans like it, and even people who are clueless about Donald Ross like it. The vibe keeps bringing people back.”

Kathy Belden is a freelance writer based in Arizona. She spends her summers on the shores of Grand Traverse Bay. Allison Jarrell is the managing editor of Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine. allison@mynorth.com

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The North’s Historic Courses These three gems should be on every golfer’s bucket list.

B E LV E D E R E G O L F C L U B Charlevoix

Opened in 1927, this gorgeous club is just minutes from downtown.

Designed by famed Scottish golf architect William Watson, the course has been a favorite of many legends in the golf world.

At 6,906 yards, the course isn’t long by today’s standards, but the greens are dynamic with subtle undulation, ridges and slopes that fall off to chipping areas.

5731 MARION CENTER RD., CHARLEVOIX // 231.547.2611 // BELVEDEREGOLFCLUB.COM

WAWA S H K A M O G O L F C L U B M a ck i n a c I s l a n d

Established in 1898, this club has the distinction of being one of the very few American courses laid out in a links style that remains substantially unaltered.

History buffs will find much to love here: on Wawashkamo’s 1st tee, you’ll stand on the spot where British Cannons roared on Aug. 4, 1814.

1 BRITISH LANDING RD., MACKINAC ISLAND // 906.847.3871 // WAWASHKAMO.COM

THE JEWEL M a ck i n a c I s l a n d

Two nine-hole courses comprise The Jewel—owned by Grand Hotel.

The “Grand Nine” boasts views of the Straits of Mackinac.

Located across from the iconic hotel, the Grand Nine was built in 1901, and was redesigned in 1987 by golf course architect Jerry Matthews. Though not vintage, a back nine was added in 1994, also designed by Matthews. Referred to as “The Woods,” the back nine-hole course is tucked into the interior of the island with stunning views of the Mackinac Bridge and the U.P. Fun fact: the two nines are separated by a mile-and-a-half 15-minute horse-drawn carriage ride.

This spread: (clockwise from top left) Players putt on the #5 green—a devilish par 3; Another view of the #5 green, looking northeast; The 6th tee box, also looking northeast.

1 GRAND AVE., MACKINAC ISLAND // 906.847.9218 // GRANDHOTEL.COM

NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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WHEN OUR CLIENTS SPEAK, WE LISTEN. POINTS NORTH Points North is a show about the land, water, and inhabitants of the upper Great Lakes.

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13818 S West13818 Bay Shore Traverse MI 49684 (231) 946-3650 S WestDr Bay• Shore Dr. •City, Traverse City, MI •49684 (231) 946-3650 • www.raymondjames.com/Traverse-City ©2015 Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Raymond James® is a registered trademark of Raymond James Financial, Inc. 15-BDMKT-1770 ME/CW 4/15 Chartered Retirement Plan SpecialistSM, AWMA®, Accredited Wealth Management AdvisorSM; CRPC®, Accredited Asset Management SpecialistSM and AAMS® are trademarks or registered service marks of the College for Financial Planning in the United States and/or other countries. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks Certified Financial Planner™ and CFP® in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

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WELCOME TO INSPIRED LIFE. At the heart of this magazine is the idea that at every age, we share a common love of this place we call home. Meet new neighbors embracing adventures— both big and small. Find real advice for taking good care of the assets and places we hold dear. Tap into a true joy for the outdoors that keeps our inner lives vibrant and our bodies well.

Connect. Join in. Find smart and new ways to inspire your life Up North.

—the Editors

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CONTENTS 14

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4 DESIGN TIPS FOR AGING IN PLACE What you need to consider when building or remodeling your forever home.

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top photo by Allison Jarrell // inset photo by Dave Weidner

THERE'S A NEW BOAT IN TOWN The aim of the Traverse Bay Outrigger Canoe Club is twofold: promote the sport of outrigger canoe paddling in the Great Lakes area, and have the most fun while doing it. We join them on the water.

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ESTATE & FINANCIAL SERVICES: PLAYING WITH FIRE What can we learn from the Financial Independence, Retire Early movement?

ESTATE & FINANCIAL SERVICES: PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY Whether you’re renting out your cottage or buying property with family, creating an LLC could help.

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SECOND CAREER: SUBSTITUTE TEACHER Changing young lives a few days a week is the perfect way to give back to the community.

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LET THERE BE LIGHT Tap into natural light at home to brighten your mood.

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WHEELS AND IDEALS Don Cunkle has spent the last 16 years fixing bikes and changing lives, one gear at a time.

COVER PHOTO BY ALLISON JARRELL

MyNorth Inspired Life is produced by MyNorth Media. Advertising and editorial offices at: 415 Cass St., Traverse City, MI 49684. 231.941.8174, MyNorth.com.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2022, Heritage Broadcasting Company of Michigan. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

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4 DESIGN TIPS FOR AGING IN PLACE W HAT YO U N EED TO CONSIDE R W HEN R EMO DELI N G OR BUILDING YO U R FO RE VE R HOME

by HEATHER JOHNSON DUROCHER

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ider doorways, curbless entries, barrier-free showers, reinforced walls for someday-grab bars—these are just a few of the features to consider when building your forever home or remodeling a house you want to be in for years to come.

Even if your health is optimal and mobility issues aren’t yet a concern, thinking about future needs now is wise. Subtle adjustments and plans today can prove especially meaningful and impactful down the line; studies have shown that aging in place is strongly linked to greater health and happiness.

Aging-in-place principles are supported by what’s known as universal design—the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Universal design allows people who have different needs to all enjoy the same home, even when their needs change.

As the number of older adults continues to increase—this population is projected to grow 69 percent, from 56 million to 94.7 million between 2020 and 2060—universal design features will keep growing in demand, according to the NAHB. Even a majority of young buyers (less than 35 years in age) rate these features as essential or desirable, indicating that accessibility features will generally add value to a home for most buyers, according to NAHB survey reports.

Bradley J. Butcher, a Northern Michigan architect, says his work is heavily influenced by universal design, and he incorporates aging-in-place concepts into his new-build and renovation projects whenever possible. Butcher is a part of Sidock Group, offering custom designs for residential, commercial and other clients throughout the Great Lakes region.

“We still present it more often than people ask for it,” he says.

“But as soon as it gets brought up, they’ll say, ‘Oh, yes, I didn’t think about that.’ It becomes just as important in the design as where the windows go.”

He also emphasizes the importance of planning today for what may come tomorrow. “Designing things that are within reach makes life more accessible, allowing you to stay where you are much longer,” says Butcher. Design plans can be adjusted for just about any budget, he adds. “We want to make the house as useable as possible. If costs prohibit aging-in-place design on the inside, how can we do it on the outside? It might mean adding a sidewalk to the lower-level walkout.”

With a few tweaks to your current home, or some pre-planning with your new-build design, you can set yourself up for successful aging in place, Butcher says. “In the long-term, you are trying to make the most of this house that is so important to you and using it as long as you can no matter your mobility issues.”

Here are some of Butcher’s best tips for designing a home where you can stay comfortably and safely for years to come: Main-floor living is ideal. Keeping living spaces that are supported by utility spaces on a single level makes life activities more accessible. For example, have your laundry on the main floor, and within that room, make sure there’s ample space to accommodate a walker or wheelchair. Also keep items you use every day on the main living level, rather than downstairs in the basement or spare bedroom.

But you can plan for multiple-level living. An in-home elevator is out of most people’s budgets—these cost in the tens of thousands of dollars typically—but you should plan today for an eventual electric chairlift. This involves reinforcing the stair wall so that it can support the necessary equipment.

"We want to make the house as useable as possible."

Limit the number of material transitions. If a high-traffic hallway in your home is carpeted but leads into other rooms with hardwood, vinyl or tile flooring, you’ll want to make sure the floor transition is low enough to the ground to accommodate a walker or wheelchair. Make sure the threshold is as flush as possible so there isn’t a lip to navigate.

Ensuring area rugs on hard surfaces are secure is also important, so as to prevent slipping or tripping. If your home has a sunken living room and you’re remodeling, you’ll likely want to remove that feature, which can be a barrier to mobility in the future.

Let there be light—plenty of it.

Consider using automatic lighting controls. For example, as you enter your house and move from one room to the next, a sequence of automatic lighting will illuminate your path. Lowlevel lighting, at ankle height, is helpful and can be set on a timed schedule. Don’t forget adjustable task lighting under countertops where you prepare food. Flexibility in lighting is key as our eyesight diminishes.

Consider your kitchen’s functionality for today—and tomorrow. Think about the items you use most often and whether they’re located in the cabinets and spaces that make the most sense. If you have a walk-in pantry that’s easily accessible, for example, would it be better to create a workspace in the pantry and house everyday items like a toaster or blender there, rather than lugging them out and placing them on the kitchen counter? If your remodel calls for a kitchen island, consider placing it on wheels so it can be moved in the future if needed.

Heather Johnson Durocher writes from Traverse City.

She is the founder of MichiganRunnerGirl.com and also hosts a weekly podcast.

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | FALL 2022

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There's a New Boat in Town C A NO E S M ADE FO R T HE MI G HT Y PAC I FI C O C E A N HAV E COME TO G R AN D T R AV ER S E BAY.

by KANDACE CHAPPLE | photos by ALLISON JARRELL

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hey’re causing a stir in Grand Traverse Bay every Monday night—a pair of “OC6” canoes out cruising the lake with six paddlers on board: Standouts at 42 feet long and only 16 inches wide, they’re behemoths among the kayaks and SUP boards.

These two outrigger canoes are the burgeoning fleet of the new Traverse Bay Outrigger Canoe Club (TBOCC), a nonprofit organization in Northern Michigan.

“There’s nothing else like it on the bay,” says Amy Solak, vice president of the TBOCC board. “They are so fun and powerful, and all levels can do this sport because you’ve got a team of six to count on.”

Solak is a part of a small group of local water lovers working to bring the sport to the area. She fell in love with outrigger canoes after competing in races—like Grayling’s AuSable River Canoe Marathon, which she’s completed 15 times. In that event, racers use small, narrow two-person canoes, called C2 boats.

After years of C2 racing, she was invited to go to California and Hawaii to compete in an all-women’s outrigger team—racing in the big OC6s. And while she was competing in the Pacific Ocean, she realized that Grand Traverse Bay had the potential for the same sport.

“We have kayaks and SUP rentals taking the city by storm, yet this canoe is actually made for our big water,” she says. “On smaller vessels, you can’t train out in the bay or go to Power Island without ideal conditions. You have to stay on rivers or close to shore to be safe. In these boats, you can get out there and not feel threatened like you are in a kayak. It opens up a whole new way to experience the bay.”

The two OC6s were purchased about five years ago, but with Covid shutdowns and the long process of getting a nonprofit started, Solak says this feels like their first real season, as things are finally in place, including adequate storage for the massive 400-pound boats that take five people to launch.

The group meets on Monday nights at the Senior Center beach in Traverse City (at the end of Barlow Street), weather

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permitting, May through September.

TBOCC is open to the public and provides paddles and life jackets (just bring something to drink). Each boat carries six. If more than 12 people attend, Solak says they rotate and come back to shore to trade out seats.

Speaking of the seats—that’s another intriguing part of the sport. Not just anyone can paddle in any spot. Each position has a certain job. Crew members paddle on opposite sides, every other seat. So they must match each other as a team, as well as the three paddlers on their side of the boat.

The “stroker” is in seat 1—the person setting the pace of each stroke. Seat 2 must match the stroke and set the pace for their side of the boat. Seats 3, 4 and 5 are the “engine” and help produce the power. Seat 3 also calls the “hups”—when paddlers switch sides of the boat to paddle on.

Seat 6 is the captain and steersman. “They hold all the responsibility of the crew on their shoulders, so this is always an experienced paddler and they use different strokes, like throwing a rudder, to steer,” Solak says.

In addition, the boat needs to be balanced overall. Height, weight and experience are all a part of the crew’s success, but Solak says this shouldn’t intimidate newcomers.

“We go over things like this before we start, and everyone seems to do just fine,” she says. “If you miss a stroke, it’s OK. Just start paddling when you get the rhythm again. And you know what, it’s not unheard of for the crew to get the giggles if something goes wrong.”

In general, the two teams paddle about an hour or so each Monday night, often going straight out into the big water of Grand Traverse Bay. These rigs are built for waves and wind, and OC6 boats can strike out in rougher weather without any problems.

“The outrigger makes it extremely stable,” Solak says. “Once they get in the boat, most people say, ‘I can’t believe how this thing just cuts through the water!’ We can hit 2- to 3-foot swells and it rides through the water easily. These are Hawaiian boats made to withstand travel across the Pacific Ocean. Our little bay is nothing compared to what they were built for.”

Solak also enjoys sharing the history of these special boats with newcomers. The outrigger canoe was key to the success and development of Hawaiian culture. They were built to traverse the ocean to neighboring islands and crafted with ritual and respect, to honor the life of the trees that were used. TBOCC uses the traditional names for each boat part: the “ama” is the “floaty thing,” Solak says with a laugh, otherwise known as the outrigger. An “iako” is the arm holding the outrigger. And she says they do everything to avoid a “huli”—a tip over.

“We make sure to honor the boats’ heritage and teach a little history,” Solak says. “For example, it’s considered disrespectful

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" It's a whole different view out there, and you really appreciate the water and our town from that point of view."

-John Robert Williams

to step over the canoes. There is so much rich history and so many stories that come with these.”

And, of course, at the end of the day, it’s about the serenity of being on the water.

“A lot of people have been on power boats out in the middle of the bay, but there’s something about being out there, the water right down below you, without an engine, and no noise,” she says. “You look and can’t believe how deep and clear the water is, and you’re moving this big canoe through the water— with your own power. I can’t even explain it. It’s like medicine for your soul—calming and soothing.”

John Robert Williams, a regular paddler with the club, provides storage for the vessels on his property. “It’s a whole different view out there,” he says, “and you really appreciate the water and our town from that point of view.”

And while Williams has always been into water sports, he says there’s something different about the OC6s: “The synchronization of the six paddlers is like dancing—all sets of feet moving together so you don’t kick each other.”

Mary Schlimmer-Willoughby from Traverse City often joins the club with her husband Weston. They’re also experienced

competitors of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon.

“My husband and I sometimes struggle to get along in our two-person marathon canoe because we both want to be the boss,” Willoughby says with a laugh. “With the club’s six-person canoes, you can get in with a group of other people of all different skill levels and personalities and work as a team. Plus, you can stick a few people in between you and your husband if you need to!”

In all seriousness, Willoughby says she loves the chance to do something that isn’t about training and competition.

“What I love about the club is how genuinely patient and caring everyone is, from the experienced paddlers who show up every week to the newcomers who’ve never held a paddle before. When someone is struggling, no one hesitates to take a pause and help,” she says. “Everyone’s always in a good mood, has a smile on their face and good-natured laughs are plentiful.”

To get involved, visit tbocc.org, and watch their Facebook page for events.

Kandace Chapple is a freelance writer and runs Michigan Girl, a group for women’s adventures. Visit mi-girl.com.

MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | FALL 2022

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ESTATE & FINANCIAL SERVICES

Playing with F I R E WH AT C A N W E L E A RN FROM T H E F I NA NC I A L I ND E P E ND EN C E , R ET I RE E A RLY MOV E M E N T ?

by LISA BLAKE | photo by MAE STIER

D

ebbie Craig has encountered a few staunch devotees of the FIRE movement in her career. The Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) method is an aggressive route of saving nearly everything during your early working years in order to stop working full-time in your 30s or 40s.

“To be successful in the FIRE mentality takes D-I-S-C-I-PL-I-N-E. Lots of it,” says Craig, branch manager and certified financial planner at Craig Wealth Advisors in Traverse City.

She points to the relentless perseverance of saying “no” today for a bigger “yes” tomorrow and says oftentimes it’s difficult to stay on track when bigger future financial freedom is so far away.

So, What Exactly is FIRE? The acronym FIRE is a term from the book “Your Money or Your Life” by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez, which was first published in 1992 and updated in 2008 and 2018. The bestseller shows readers how to live well while consuming much less by setting aside up to 70 percent of their annual income.

Experts break FIRE down into three tiers: Fat FIRE is retiring early and in continued comfortable style with a cushy nest egg. Lean FIRE means minimalist living and extreme savings, living on as little as $25,000 per year. Barista FIRE is saving up enough to quit a corporate job, but still needing to continue some type of less stressful work. The route you follow depends upon the lifestyle you’re willing and able to maintain.

Are You FIRE Material?

Does the idea of tossing the conventional retirement age of 65 out the window—or at least trimming a few years off— sound appealing? Join the slew of millennials embracing the extreme-saving lifestyle. Begin with holding onto 70 percent of your yearly income and when you reach approximately 25 times your yearly expenses, the FIRE method says you can quit your day job. Investing some of this money in equities or real estate is a common way to finance a comfortable lifestyle over the next 30 years.

“My acquaintances in the FIRE movement have had a goal in common: They don’t want to become their parents,” says Craig,

who authored “Piece by Piece™ A Commonsense Approach to a Secure Retirement.” “They have seen their parents working and struggling into their golden years without any gold.”

One key to FIRE method success is having a partner to keep you motivated. Making a budget and sticking to it while earning as much money as possible is crucial. This may require a job promotion, adding a second one, or creating additional revenue streams through side hustles. A final major component is investing a larger portion of retirement savings than the average person is comfortable with. Basically, go big and do it early.

The Good, the Bad, the Wealthy Even if you’re not all in with FIRE, Craig says, it is possible to achieve a secure retirement. Adopting some of the movement’s basic principles can help. “The biggest benefit is that they [FIRE devotees] are becoming more aware of their finances and how money is a tool for their life choices,” she says.

When you focus on money management and budgeting, money tends to flow in your direction.

The one drawback Craig has noted is a solitary focus on debt. “It’s good to understand the perils in not paying off credit cards,” she says. “However, some debt can be a positive part of the entirety of a person’s financial plan. Utilizing the recent historical low interest rates to one’s advantage can be an equally powerful tool.”

The takeaway: Balanced thinking when viewing debt and equity and finding your personal definition of a rewarding life may just be the ticket to building your own FIRE. Lisa Blake is a as a freelance writer and editor based in Breckenridge, Colorado. lisablakecreative.com MyNorth INSPIRED LIFE | FALL 2022

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ESTATE & FINANCIAL SERVICES

Protecting Your Property RE NTI N G O U T YO U R COT TAG E , O R B U YI N G PRO PERT Y W I T H FAMI LY? C RE AT I N G AN LLC CO U LD HELP.

by GREG TASKER | photo by ANGELA BROWN

W

hether you’re buying a vacation home with your extended family to enjoy for generations, or you want to rent out your lakeside cottage, one of the most important considerations is liability.

Forming a family limited liability company provides not only a practical solution to intergenerational ownership of a vacation home, but, in all cases, it also protects personal liability.

Even before Derek and Kara Gelven bought their first short-term rental property in Traverse City as a side business, the couple created a limited liability company, or LLC. “We did a lot of research before we bought our first property,” says Kara, a former ER nurse who now practices real estate full time. “Everything we were reading said it was the best route to go … an LLC potentially saves you a lot of money.”

In addition to establishing a “parent” LLC, the couple created a subsidiary LLC for another recent property purchase.

They now own rental properties in Suttons Bay and Traverse City, and Kara manages rentals in the region—under a separate LLC—for other property owners.

“The bottom line is that it’s to protect me if anything happens. It also protects employees and people who may work for me, such as my cleaner,” Kara says. “At the end of the day, it boils down to having liability coverage.”

These days, Kara, who became a licensed real estate agent about 18 months ago and is a part of the team at Live Local Realty in Traverse City, finds herself offering advice on LLCs to prospective buyers looking for short-term rental properties in Northern Michigan. Here are some of the Gelven’s LLC tips: Personal liability protection. The most obvious and biggest benefit is that creating an LLC for a family-owned rental property will insulate each family member from personal liability—in the event of a lawsuit because of an injury or some

other mishap. If your family property is owned by an LLC, your personal assets and those of your family members are protected.

Renters cannot sue the owner or owners personally. An LLC protects your personal assets and income from the liability of the property.

Taxation. Another benefit of an LLC, Derek says, is passthrough taxation. As an LLC, the business does not have to file a separate tax return. Instead, any profits and losses are reported on the owner’s or owners’ separate personal income taxes. An LLC is treated like a sole proprietorship or partnership, and corporate taxes and regulations do not apply.

Fees. If there’s a downside, it can be the setup costs associated with creating an LLC. Those costs can reach as much as $500 in some states. There are also annual administrative and regulatory fees required to maintain LLC records. In Michigan, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs handles LLC filings—for a fee of $50. The Gelvens used LegalZoom to file for their LLC. Fees start at $79. Administrative costs also will occur with making sure the LLC operates as a separate entity, with leases and contracts always in the LLC name, and maintaining an accounting system separate from the owner’s or owners’ personal expenses.

One final word of advice: If your family plans to own more than one rental property, the Gelvens say it’s beneficial to create a subsidiary LLC for each one—something they have done for their own properties. The reason? All assets of an LLC are at stake in the event of a lawsuit. If an LLC consists of several properties, all those rentals are at stake in the lawsuit. In the event a single property was at stake for whatever reason, only that property would be involved in a lawsuit.

Greg Tasker is a Traverse City-based freelance writer.

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Many people support the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy because they know the best way to ensure our region remains vibrant, healthy and beautiful is to protect the critical places we all love - forever.

Planning for a conservation legacy offers the satisfaction of supporting a vital cause, the excitement of knowing your gift will make a positive impact and–in many cases–substantial financial benefits to you and/ or another beneficiary through tax advantages or life income. Many arrange planned gifts to ensure their vision and annual support can last well into the future.

We can work with your financial advisor to design a gift planning option that will meet your personal, financial and charitable goals, all while safeguarding the region’s most special places for future generations.

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Traverse City, MI 49686 49686 Dawn Hemming, MBA Dawn Hemming, MBA 600 Dawn Hemming, MBA 231.922.2900 I empower@hemmingwm.com 231.922.2900 II empower@hemmingwm.com 231.922.2900 231.922.2900I empower@hemmingwm.com empower@hemmingwm.com Autumn C. C. Soltysiak, CFP Autumn CFPwww.hemmingwm.com Autumn C. Soltysiak, Soltysiak, CFP www.hemmingwm.com www.hemmingwm.com www.hemmingwm.com hemming& Wealth Management, Inc. (”hemming& Managment”) is a Registered Investment Advisor (”RIA”) with U.S. Securitiesand andExchange ExchangeCommission Commission (”SEC”). hemming& Wealth Management, Inc. (”hemming& WealthWealth Managment”) is a Registered Investment Advisor (”RIA”) with thethe U.S. Securities (”SEC”). hemming& hemming& Wealth Wealth Management, Management, Inc. Inc. (”hemming& (”hemming& Wealth Wealth Managment”) Managment”) is is aa Registered Registered Investment Investment Advisor Advisor (”RIA”) (”RIA”) with with the the U.S. U.S. Securities Securities and and Exchange Exchange Commission Commission (”SEC”). (”SEC”).

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Welcome Home It is called by many names - oasis, sanctuary, shelter, pad, humble abode. It is our place to eat, work, recharge, and relax. It is where we spend our lives, raise our families, welcome friends, and care for our loved ones. It is our starting point for our adventures, and where we finish them. It is home.

Two Michigan based companies are working together to protect your most important asset. Fischer Insurance Agency and Auto-Owners Insurance have the exclusive coverages you need to protect your home or home-away-from-home. “Auto-Owners Insurance has partnered with us since my grandfather opened the agency in 1969.

This offers a unique relationship that not only benefits Fischer Insurance but more importantly our clients.” says Joe Fischer of Fischer Insurance.

With 53 years of insurance expertise in Northern Michigan, Fischer Insurance and Auto-Owners have an impressive combined 160 years’ experience. They know the local geography, climate, demographics, and lifestyle.

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ESTATE & FINANCIAL SERVICES

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Investment Representatives are registered through CFS. TBA Credit Union has contracted with CFS to make non-deposit investment products and services available to credit union members.

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second career:

Substitute Teacher CHA NGI NG YO U NG L I V ES A FE W DAYS A W E E K I S T H E P E RFEC T WAY TO G I VE BAC K TO T HE COM MU NI T Y.

by HEATHER JOHNSON DUROCHER

H

ealthcare workers Jen and Drew Trusman make meaningful connections with others each day, and earlier this year their commitment to serving led to an entirely new way of supporting their community.

Jen and Drew, who are parents of three children ages 16, 14 and 12, decided to substitute teach for Traverse City Area Public Schools during the 2021-22 school year after hearing about staff shortages.

“We wanted to keep kids in school because we value the importance of face-to-face learning as well as the social interaction that is so important to the development of kids,” Jen says. “We also wanted to support the hard-working teachers and staff at TCAPS. It felt like a way to give back to our community that would have a real impact.”

“Sometimes the world’s problems can seem overwhelming, but you just have to start somewhere,” she adds. “This felt like a good place for us to start.”

As a new school year begins, TCAPS continues to provide opportunities for guest teachers and substitute assistants/ aides. Along with supporting your local school district during a critical time of need, these positions offer flexible schedules and pay rates starting at $18/hour and up to $29.04 for some assignments. A bonus program offers up to an additional $15 per day.

Guest teachers and substitute assistants/aides receive: • A flexible work schedule—choose where and when you work through the district’s online substitute scheduling system • Opportunities to develop valuable skills, impact students and build meaningful relationships • Virtual training, as well as on-the-job development and resources

The Trusmans, who picked up teaching shifts on days off, say the TCAPS staff always welcomed them, at whatever school they taught.

“For us, the most meaningful moments were the hugs we’d get from the kids, especially the elementary students,” says Drew, a pediatrician at Grand Traverse Children’s Clinic.

Jen, who works part time as a physician assistant in urology at Munson Healthcare, also enjoyed her time subbing at the middle school level and the connections she made with students there.

“Just a few kind words can let kids know you care and you believe in them,” she says. “Plus, we have gained a tremendous respect for the amount of work our teachers do after experiencing it first-hand.”

Jen and Drew, who plan to continue serving as substitute teachers this year, encourage others to give it a try.

photo by Dave Weidner

Just a few kind words can let kids know you care and you believe in them.

“It is very flexible. TCAPS uses an app called WillSub that alerts you of a job opening and allows you to choose jobs that work for your schedule—some shifts are just a few hours and others are all day,” Jen explains. “Anyone who is looking for a way to give back to the community, this is a great opportunity.

We have found the more often you substitute teach, the easier it gets. Subbing has truly been a special experience.”

For more information, visit www.tcaps.net/jobs/guest-teaching/ or call the TCAPS guest teacher office at 231.933.1714.

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E BE LIGHT HOW TO U S E LI G HT AT HOME TO BR I G HT EN YO U R MO O D.

E

by GREG TASKER

veryone knows sunlight has natural healing powers. Opening your house up to natural light or stepping outside for a dose of Vitamin D does wonders for your mental well-being.

Natural light can improve your mood and help combat seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression caused by a change in the seasons, usually from fall into winter.

Studies have shown that intense lighting prompts positive and negative emotions. Bright lights can make people feel uncomfortable; dimmed lighting helps people relax.

Improving the lighting in your house can help boost your quality of your life, stabilize moods, improve sleep and, yes, combat the symptoms of SAD, which typically includes fatigue, depression and social withdrawal. Here are five tips for optimizing the light inside your home to improve your health: EMBRACE NATURAL LIGHT It might seem obvious, but incorporate natural light into your living spaces. It can be as easy as opening long-closed blinds or curtains, keeping your windows clean or installing lighter window treatments. Or, in a home office, position your desk close to a window.

According to Architectural Lighting Magazine, natural light provides the stimulation needed to regulate your internal body clock, improving moods and increasing productivity.

Try it: Add a tunnel skylight in your home. These tubular lights are small and an inexpensive way to channel daylight down into your living spaces with minimal construction or modification.

DISTRIBUTE LIGHT EVENLY Going back and forth between rooms with different types of lighting is not easy on your eyes; they need time to adjust. That’s why it’s important to ensure there’s a relatively even distribution of light throughout various rooms. Use larger light fixtures to light up the ceiling and help with even illumination. Play around with different wall lights to mimic natural light in rooms without a lot of windows.

Try it: Choose a floor lamp. You can find one to suit any decor in your home; their larger size

means they hold multiple light bulbs and really help brighten a room.

USE LED LIGHTS OR ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHT BULBS LED lights are the most efficient, long-lasting and most suitable for home lighting, according to the American Lighting Association. In addition, LED lights mimic the effects of natural light, which can help decrease levels of anxiety and stress. They cost a little more upfront, but are more cost-efficient in the long run.

Try it: Put LEDs in a table lamp. If it’s a living room fixture, choose a bulb of about 2,700 to 3,000 K (for Kelvin, which measures color temperature).

That’ll give the room warm light.

USE DIMMER FUNCTIONS As the day fades, your brain’s pineal gland begins to help your body prepare for darkness, releasing serotonin to promote sleep and regulate your body’s sleep cycle. As you might have guessed, bright lights hinder that natural cycle and interrupt your sleep. Installing dimmer lights to adjust and control the light at night will benefit your sleep cycle, helping your body and brain adjust to the transition to night.

Try it: Upgrade to a Lutron Maestro LED+ dimmer. This dimmer works with a variety of lighting types (like LED), includes a “fade-to-off ” feature, and easily replaces an existing light switch.

USE BRIGHT LIGHTING Rooms with dull lighting are just that: dull. Your eyes have to work harder in a dull room to see words and images, which can prompt headaches. In a home office, dim lights can cause sleepiness and lead to a lack of focus, which affects motivation and performance. Bright lights are just the opposite— they keep you energized and alert.

Try it: Use an adjustable desk lamp. A flexible desk lamp will provide movable lighting that will help you focus on the task at hand in your office.

Some even have a convenient charging port built right into the base.

G re gT a sk e ris a Traverse City-based freelance writer.

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WHEELS I DEALS AND

D ON CUN KL E HAS S P E NT T H E LAST 16 YE A RS FI X I NG B I K ES A N D C HA NGI NG L I V E S , ON E G EA R AT A T I M E .

by KANDACE CHAPPLE | photos by ALLISON JARRELL

I

t was the idea that almost didn’t last.

In 2006, Don Cunkle, an avid mountain biker, had the idea of fixing up older bikes to donate to the Goodwill Inn in Traverse City. He asked the Cherry Capital Cycling Club to fund the idea, and they granted him $300. At the same time, a friend in Lansing who owned a bike shop wanted to get rid of some abandoned bikes. Cunkle took those in—13 in all—and repaired those, too. He started spending Saturdays going to garage sales and asking people to donate their bikes to his program.

His idea was taking shape—but there was a problem.

“I really didn’t feel like the program was making a difference,” he says. “It was time consuming, and I wasn’t getting much feedback. I actually dropped the idea for a while.”

Then one day, Cunkle was riding his bike to work and passed a woman sitting on a bench along the TART. Later in the day, Cunkle was returning home and the same woman was sitting on the ground further up the trail.

“I asked, ‘Are you alright? Is there anything I can help you with?’ and she said, ‘I'm fine but I have a class today and I have to be back at the Transition House where I live at a certain time, and anyplace else I need to go seems too far away to walk to.’”

“I asked her if a bicycle would be helpful, and she excitedly told me it would be very helpful.”

Cunkle promised her he would fix one up and deliver it to the Women’s Resource Center (WRC).

It wasn’t until later, when he got a call from the WRC, that he realized the impact one bike could make.

“They told me she was in awe and in tears,” Cunkle says.

“This lady said it changed her life, because she could get around and it boosted her morale. That affected me quite a bit—I knew I was helping people then.”

The WRC also told him that they had about 20 bikes in storage, all in disrepair.

“I spent a couple weekends in their parking lot getting those ready to go next,” he says.

In that first year, Cunkle repaired or donated 100 bikes in all, working out of his home shop.

“My second year, I repeated with another 100 bikes, and my backyard was looking like a bicycle scrapyard with two sheds filled with bike parts. My fence was lined with used bikes, and my garage was almost impassable,” Cunkle says. “I realized I needed to raise more funding as I needed special tools and real work stands, plus transportation funding.”

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In 2010, Goodwill helped Cunkle write his first grant to help fund the program. Then, in 2011, he connected with the people at TART Trails.

“They told me they had been talking about my program, and invited me to come under TART, a nonprofit, so I would be able to write grants to keep it going.” It was an instant yes.

The Recycle-a-Bicycle Program (R-A-B) now gives away about 150 bikes and does approximately 50 free repairs a year.

Bikes are donated to those in need based on a referral process.

“Any agency, organization, school, church, case manager or social agency can fill out a referral form for them,” Cunkle says.

“If we have a bike available that works for them, they can come and pick it up.”

One client was referred because her car needed too many repairs. “We fitted her with a nice road bike that she really liked,” Cunkle says.

When she called several weeks later to say her bike had a flat tire, Cunkle drove out to retrieve it and bring it in for repair.

She told him that she was more upset to be without her bike than her car.

“She said her car was a money pit with repairs and oil and gas costs, but the bicycle was pure joy and freedom and fun to ride.”

Stories like this often start with old bikes just hanging in a garage collecting dust.

“Most bikes we get donated to us are because people no longer ride them or their children have outgrown them,” he says. “People like to know that their bikes are going to do some good, rather than going to a dumpster or rotting in the garage.”

R-A-B, after starting in Cunkle’s workshop, is now on Woodmere Avenue in Traverse City, where volunteers do repairs. They also sell 60 to 80 used bikes a year, and the money is used to fund the program and the overhead of the building.

R-A-B hosts a Bike Swap every June, where anyone can sell 32

their bikes, and R-A-B receives 25 percent of the profits. The 2022 swap was a huge success: 50 volunteers logged 270plus hours, selling more than 150 bikes and raising $12,000 for the program.

“It’s our biggest fundraiser and a great way to find a good used bike,” he says.

While the program itself has gone smoothly, Cunkle had to overcome a severe accident on a mountain bike three years ago. He broke his neck and suffered a traumatic brain injury.

“I was in a ‘halo’ for three months and then a neck brace for the rest of the year, and I was really glad to get back on my bike after such a long recuperation,” he says. “I’m 71 and my fitness isn’t what it used to be, but I still ride in the woods, always with friends for safety reasons. My wife Yvonne and I also enjoy riding bikes together.”

Cunkle says he continues to work on bikes both at home and at the Woodmere shop most days, but he hopes to pass on the program to someone else eventually.

“I’m going to be aging out in a couple of years,” he says. “I hope somebody picks this up and continues with it. It’s a good program and worthwhile.”

Kandace Chapple is a freelance writer and owns Michigan Girl, a company that hosts outdoor events and trips for women in the Grand Traverse region. mi-girl.com

HOW TO GET I NV OLVED DONATE: Have a bike collecting dust in your garage? Bring it in to the Woodmere shop and donate it. Bikes are repaired or parted out to fix other bikes.

VOLUNTEER: Go online and fill out a volunteer form. Volunteers help with repairs, cleaning, organizing, sorting, recycling, fundraising, bike pick-ups, graphic design and more.

WORKSHOP LOCATION: 1220 Woodmere Ave., Traverse City WORKSHOP HOURS: Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1–5 p.m. The shop is open April through December. traversetrails.org

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T he Cu l i nary North local restaurants . craft drinks . seasonal cuisine

“

We love creating spaces for people to come together and share life over great coffee.

—DAN CLARK, OWNER OF MUNDOS ROASTING & CO.

3 NEW DECKS WITH WATER VIEWS P. 58 THE BUZZ AT MUNDOS ROASTING P. 59 MAKE SHAKSHUKA THIS SEPTEMBER P. 60 CHEERS TO CONCORD NEGRONIS P. 62 photo by Dave Weidner NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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T he Cu l i nary North Trends

Dos Árboles

DECKS FOR DAYS

by CARLY SIMPSON

This September, get yourself to one of these rooftop decks.

120 Michigan Ave., Charlevoix

HI Bar at Hotel Earl

Charlevoix’s newest rooftop bar debuted in July at Hotel Earl. Open to both guests and the public, HI Bar has views of Lake Charlevoix, Round Lake and downtown. The seasonal menu offers light bites, including charcuterie boards and whitefish dip. Live music is scheduled for most summer Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m., but call the hotel to ask about additional dates.

North Bar 160 E. Front St., Traverse City

It’s rooftop season all year long at North Bar, where a greenhouse roof and remote-controlled panels allow the team to adjust to the weather. In addition to the patio area that overlooks downtown (and if you sit at the corner of Cass and Front you’ll see the bay), North Bar has two additional rooms: The “Bat Cave” is a relaxed lounge space with tufted couches and bamboo furniture, and the “Dune Room,” which is available for private events. Bar Manager Tommy 58

Nakhovanh dishes on the menu: “I’m most excited about some items I wouldn’t typically order while dining out. Our panko fried green tomatoes served with pimento cheese and tomato jam is the perfect blend of savory and sweet.” Other highlights include the beer-braised short rib sandwich and drunken peach cobbler.

Dos Árboles 735 Main St., Frankfort

The location alone makes this new Frankfort restaurant worth the visit.

(The tacos and tequila are a welcome bonus.) Set across the street from Betsie Lake, Dos Árboles has stellar water views from its patio and rooftop deck, which seats 40 and offers live music and sunset happy hours. The Mexicaninspired menu features shareable plates like chilaquiles divorciados (tortilla chips topped with salsa verde, salsa roja, black beans, queso fresco, aioli and a fried egg), but tacos take center stage here. Filled with everything from shaved ribeye to roasted squash, individual tacos range from $3.50 to $4.75, so try a few.

“It’s upscale yet inviting to everybody,” says Nick Crawford, who owns the restaurant with Chef Natalie Crawford.

The couple also owns Birch & Maple, located next door.

top photo by Allison Jarrell, inset photo by Tia Young

HI Bar at Hotel Earl

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T he Cu l i nary North Served

D I N I N G OUT

KUDOS, MUNDOS

by CARLY SIMPSON

Mundos Roasting & Co. expands in Traverse City.

F photos by Dave Weidner

or dan clark, owner of Mundos Roasting & Co., the number one goal is to love people well, and that love is shown in a whole lot of ways: a friendly greeting, a comfortable chair in a cozy corner, a hot cup of coffee. “We love creating spaces for people to come together and share life over great coffee,” he says.

All of Mundos’ locations are warm but minimal, with black and white interiors punctuated by local artwork. You’ll also find goods like pottery and skincare. “There are so many amazing creators in this area,” Dan says. “Part of our mission is to highlight these awesome people.”

Since launching Mundos in 2017 on Boon Street in Traverse City, Dan and his family have opened three additional locations, including one in Suttons Bay and two this summer on Traverse City’s West Front Street.

The 1,300-square-foot Mundos West sits on a wooded lot alongside Kids Creek with towering windows overlooking the water. There’s seating for 15 plus a standing bar, and the menu, designed for shorter wait times, includes grab-and-go sandwiches and batch brews. A mile down the road at Mundos 305, large tables welcome groups of friends and coworkers. The 3,500-square-foot space has seating for 75, and two entire walls of windows let in lots of natural light (which the many plants inside love).

Mundos West 720 W. Front St., Traverse City Mundos 305 305 W. Front St., Traverse City mundosroastingco.com

3 Standout Coffees to Try Dan and his fam are loving these brews: Mrs. Gemedech | Ethiopia Natural processed coffee with notes of cherry, plum and lavender.

Yuki Minami | Brazil Natural processed coffee with notes of toffee, cocoa and peanut butter.

Rodrigo Perefan | Colombia Washed coffee with notes of peach and mango.

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T he Cu l i nary North On the Table

DINING IN

SHAKEDOWN STREET

by STACEY BRUGEMAN

With endless possible riffs on its original theme, Shakshuka is the perfect dish to celebrate harvest season.

A

ew years back shakshuka—the dish of eggs poached in a slurry of tomatoes and peppers—was having a moment. I had been tasked with reviewing all the noteworthy cookbooks that had been released that year for a holiday gift guide.

In pawing through a stack of titles that was taller than I am, I realized that seemingly everyone had done a take on this colorful, one-pot breakfast. There was traditional shakshuka, there was shakshuka made with leafy greens like kale and chard, there was shakshuka with zucchini and feta, there was curried shakshuka and more. The dish’s name means “all mixed up” in Arabic and many food scholars trace the breakfast stunner to Tunisia, yet cookbook authors throughout the Maghreb and the Levant claim it as their own. “Shakshuka is one of those humble dishes that is decidedly North African, decidedly Israeli, with variations and [claims of ] ‘it’s ours!’ happening around the Mediterranean,” says Maureen Abood, the Lebanese cookbook author who splits her time between East Lansing and Harbor Springs. “Often, when a simple, humble dish like 60

shakshuka gets known and made in neighboring cultures, the dish gets so embedded in that culture that next generations going forward believe it’s theirs,” the author of “Rose Water & Orange Blossoms” says.

While there may be debate about shakshuka’s origin story, there is no debate that September is the perfect time of year to make it. Personally, I prefer to leave all those lovely riffs behind, find a jar of spicy harissa and let the tomatoes and bell peppers we’ve waited for all season do the talking. What’s more? This is a recipe that actually benefits from slightly overripe tomatoes. Were your eyes bigger than your mouth at the market? Did you just spot a still-good-enough tomato on the ground that you missed?

Treat those September beauties to a long, slow simmer, toss in a few barnyard eggs and start your morning far, far away in Morocco, Tunisia, Israel or Lebanon. You pick.

Stacey Brugeman is a 20-year food and beverage journalist.

Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Saveure, Eater and on Instagram @staceybrugeman.

Dave Weidner is a local photographer for Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine. Follow him on Instagram @dzwphoto.

Sarah Peschel is a stylist and photographer with an appreciation for all things related to local agriculture, food and drink.

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^ Serves 4 1 red bell pepper, rinsed and dried 4 large overripe tomatoes, about 3 pounds 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon spicy harissa Zest and 1 Tablespoon of juice from a lemon 1 teaspoon cumin seed, freshly ground ½ teaspoon sweet paprika ½ teaspoon salt 4 eggs ½ cup flat leaf parsley

1. Place a large, dry cast iron skillet over high heat and allow it to reach its smoking point. Place the red pepper onto the scorching hot pan so that it can blister and blacken, turning from time to time and pressing down gently with your tongs so the seeds crackle.

2. While the pepper is blackening, grate the tomatoes, running them over the coarse side of a box grater to collect as much of the flesh and juices as possible, discarding only the skin and stem. Set grated tomato, about 4 cups, aside.

3. Once the red pepper is blackened on all sides, place it in a large plastic bag, seal the bag, and set aside to steam. Lower the temperature of the pan to mediumlow heat and allow to cool. Add the oil and onion, cooking until the onion slices are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the grated tomato, harissa, lemon juice and zest, cumin, paprika and salt and allow to simmer until thick and darker in color.

4. While the shakshuka sauce cooks, remove the red pepper from the bag.

Use your thumb to remove the skin and discard the blackened stem, and rinse away the seeds with a quick pass under cool running water. Slice the pepper into long, thin strips. Add most of the red pepper to the shakshuka sauce but reserve some strips for garnish. Continue cooking the shakshuka sauce until all pooled liquid has evaporated and the sauce is thick, with air bubbles opening at the surface from time to time, about 20 minutes.

5. Crack the eggs onto the top of the mixture being careful not to puncture the yolks. Drape a few red pepper slices onto the shakshuka between each egg and cover the pan, allowing to bubble and cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks are runny, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with toasted sesame bread or a flatbread such as pita for dunking in those farm-fresh yolks. – S.B. ADVANCED PREPARATION: Recipe can be made through step 4 the night before. Cover the shakshuka sauce and refrigerate it overnight, rewarming it in the morning before proceeding with step 5.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MAGAZINE

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photso by Dave Weidner // styling by Sarah Peschel

Spicy Shakshuka

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T he Cu l i nary North Last Call

STOMP YOUR FEET

by STACEY BRUGEMAN

September’s most beloved fruit for juice— Concord grapes—is also great for cocktails.

Muddling them with your toes is optional.

W

hen it comes to cocktails, Barbara Saxton and I are kindred spirits … pun intended. As the bar manager at The Little Fleet, Saxton has been slinging hyper-seasonal drinks since long before I moved home to do the same in these pages. We share a love of tipples made with edible marigolds, lilacs, even sugar snaps. Over the years, Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine has highlighted Saxton’s work, but it was only a matter of time before I asked her if she wanted to team up for this column. Northern Michigan’s most beloved mixologist and I quickly settled on featuring a shared fall favorite: Concord grapes.

The deep purple grape with an almost powdery coating on its jacket is used by Welch’s and other juice houses for its natural sugar content and color, making it a fit for adult beverages as well. Saxton especially loves the table grape in a negroni—the boozy Italian sipper that is equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari. On the job, Saxton makes this interpretation—which is known at The Little Fleet as the “Stomp Your Feet”—by steeping 62

vacuum-sealed bags of grapes and off-dry vermouth sous vide. For bartenders at home, we adapted her recipe to eliminate the sous vide machine and steep gently muddled grapes in Dolin Blanc Vermouth in the fridge instead. This fall, when Concord grapes land on those checkered farmers-market tablecloths, buy an extra quart for a cocktail or two. Together with a crimson-red aperitif such as Cappelletti Aperitivo or Campari and an orange garnish, this is one of the most beautiful cocktails around.

We can’t think of a more colorful—and potent—way to toast September.

Stacey Brugeman is a 20-year food and beverage journalist.

Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Saveur, Eater and on Instagram @staceybrugeman.

Dave Weidner is a local photographer for Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine. Follow him on Instagram @dzwphoto.

Sarah Peschel is a stylist and photographer with an appreciation for all things related to local agriculture, food and drink.

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Concord Negroni Serves 1 1 ½ ounces Mammoth gin 1 ½ ounces Concord Vermouth (see below) Bar spoon of Cappelletti Aperitivo or Campari Orange peel L AU N C H ES

Fill a cocktail mixing glass with ice and add gin, Concord Vermouth and Cappelletti Aperitivo.

Stir for 30 seconds to melt some of the ice. Place a large ice cube into a rocks glass and strain the drink into the glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

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Concord Vermouth

photo by Dave Weidner // styling by Sarah Peschel

Makes 6 heaping ounces 1 cup Concord or Thomcord grapes, plucked from their stems and rinsed, about 5 ounces by weight 6 ounces Dolin Blanc Vermouth Place grapes into a canning jar and gently muddle, being careful not to crush any of the seeds. Pour vermouth over the grapes, seal the jar and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days until the vermouth is a deep purple color. Remove from the refrigerator, set a strainer over a fresh jar and strain the mixture. Discard the grapes and reserve the Concord Vermouth.

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love of the land get there TURTLE COVE Lush undeveloped shoreline. A shallow bay home to scores of fish, reptiles and amphibians. An active eagle’s nest. It’s no surprise Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy is hard at work to create Turtle Cove Nature Preserve, a 120-acre parcel of critical migratory habitat nestled along Arbutus Lake in Grand Traverse County. GTRLC is currently raising funds to preserve this slice of untouched wilderness, and while plans are still in the early stages, they believe the property can one day host a scenic two-mile trail system.

Until then, Turtle Cove is only accessible via guided conservancy hikes.

For a schedule of upcoming treks, visit gtrlc.org.-A.J.

photo by Noah Jurik

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